Issue7

WWW.MANCUNION.COM 9th NOVEMBER 2015 / ISSUE 7 FREE

Socialism & Space: Why Humanity Must Look to the Stars

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An interview with Professor David Nutt

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The Union Senate is Fatally Flawed

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National demo turns violent

Read our eyewitness account of the National demo on page 3

Outrage at HE shake-up proposals Marcus Johns Deputy Editor- in-chief The government has published a green paper consultation document on the future of Higher Education detailing proposals to fundamentally alter England’s Higher Education system.

The most controversial proposal in the green paper is the plans to give the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation, and Skills the “power to set tuition fee caps.” Currently, changes to tuition fee caps can only be raised through changes to legislation by parliamentary vote.

Michael Spence, the Education Officer of the University of Manchester Students’ Union said: “This makes their claim that they will keep the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) at arm’s length from Ministers both laughable and demonstrably false. It is an affront to democracy, a blatant ministerial power grab, and an attempt to shut down debate about what the fee level should be.”

Of the proposals, another of the most contentious is the plans to link tuition fees with university standards using the TEF. Financial incentives are proposed to improve teaching at universities under the plans which will allow universities that can demonstrate high quality teaching to raise tuition fees.

Labour MP Gordon Marsden has likened the proposals to a “Trojan horse for raising fees,” a fear which many students have now ex-

pressed at the paper.

Spence added: “However it is tying TEF scores to tuition fees which presents the biggest problem. Basically institutions which do better in the TEF would be able to charge more their courses. The proposal in the Green Paper is that there would be up to four “TEF levels”, with institutions being able to charge up to a certain amount for tuition depending on which TEF level they reach.

“However all this will achieve is elitism and create a very dangerous cycle in higher education. Since the institutions judged to be better will be able to charge more for their degrees, they will be able to invest more in enhancing their metrics, which I am already concerned will not reflect quality teaching, and hence be able to charge more, leaving other institutions behind.

“This will create a system whereby the wealthy institutions get wealthier and wealthier, exacerbating longstanding problems in the sector.”

The proposals have wide implications above and beyond the raising of the £9,000 limit currently in place. Though previously the Chancellor George Osborne has said they would be permitted to rise in line with inflation in July, this is the first time an explicit financial incentive for teaching has been outlined.

Under the plans, universities would be ranked into three or four groups depending on the teaching quality, which will be assessed under the Conservative government’s recently introduced Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). Those in the higher bands will be

permitted to raise their fees at different levels than those who perform less well.

Universities Minister Jo Johnson has said that these proposals aim to rectify the disparity between research and teaching, calling teaching the “poor cousin.”

The President of the NUS, Megan Dunn, said that it was “reassuring to see the government putting access to education at the heart of their proposals,” though adding that the NUS was “adamant that the Teaching Excellence Framework should not be linked to an increase in fees.”

The proposals also aim to make it easier for new Higher Education institutions to open, despite the Conservative government’s concerted efforts to tighten controls over higher education and clampdown on international students, including the removal of London Metropolitan’s University’s license to sponsor overseas students in 2012.

Within this it aims to allow new providers “quicker access to student funding” and will not impose caps on student numbers that are prevalent in the current higher education system. It will also be scrapping the minimum number of students required to become a university and ease access to degree-awarding powers, despite its previous rhetoric about the ease for institutions abusing the current system, which is now sees as too restrictive.

President of Universities UK and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Kent Dame Julia Goodfellow said in a statement from Universities UK: “The diversity of providers and the range of courses offered

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Music: Feature: Dusky

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is one of the strengths of the UK university sector, and we support competition and choice.

“It is important, however, that any new Higher Education provider entering the market is able to give robust reassurances to students, taxpayers and government on the quality and sustainability of their courses.”

The government has also proposed to merge the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Office for Fair Access (OFFA) will be merged into a new Office for Students. There are concerns that this may come under undue government influence with regards to higher education policy and data collection.

The idea to include students in the process was met with anxiety. Spence explained: “Whilst this sounds good on the surface, it will put student representatives in the horrible position of raising fees for future students, something many of us could never in good conscience do.”

Moreover, the government has failed to outline the appropriate transfer of powers given that the OFFA and HEFCE would be wound up under the plans. For example, no mention has been made in the paper on the current distribution of quality-related research funding (QR) that is currently distributed by HEFCE using the Research Excellence Framework.

Goodfellow added: “With a wide range of issues covered in the paper, we will be considering carefully the complex, but vitally important, areas such as how funding and regulatory powers are integrated” and “the future of the sector bodies and their relationship to government.”

Under the current Royal Charter system, universities cannot fail. The paper has envisaged terminating this in its chapter on managing the exit of institutions from the Higher Education market—the paper refers liberally to the market when discussing higher education

provision. This ‘exit’ clause has the propensity to allow universities to fail.

The Mancunion has used the Freedom of Information act to obtain key information from the university with which it can be held to account for its actions. Under the proposals in the green paper, universities could become exempt from this so that they have equal footing with private providers, who are currently exempt.

Spence called this proposal a “terrifying suggestion,” adding that “FOI is a vital tool for Students’ Unions and student newspapers trying to hold their university to account, without it university administration would be even more opaque.

“It is unbelievable that the government would have the audacity to talk about increasing the transparency of Students’ Unions on one hand, whilst reducing the transparency of universities on the other hand!”

Plans are also presented, which parallel the Tory government’s attitude towards trade unions to take “steps through [their] trade union practices and increase transparency around how funds are spent.” This has been interpreted as a veiled threat to Students’ Unions across the country. Spence added: “The reforms they speak of are not an attempt to improve union practices or to increase transparency, they are an attempt to silence and eventually break unions.

“Including this line is a direct threat to Students’ Unions which have long been a thorn in the side of governments. Furthermore Students’ Unions are very strictly regulated by the Charities Commission, making government intervention completely unnecessary.”

The Russell Group, of which the University of Manchester is a member, released a joint statement saying that: “The Government’s green paper rightly recognises that ‘higher education is a national success story.’”

The Russell Group ignored changes that the green paper proposes in their statement, lacking any direct

reference to tuition fee changes or any specific policy proposal in the paper. Though it did allude to the additional changes to the newly introduced TEF: “Russell Group universities provide an outstanding education for students where teaching is enhanced by first-rate facilities and delivered by world-class academics.

“But we are far from complacent and our universities continue to invest millions of pounds in a wide range of measures to improve teaching and learning and to ensure their doors are wide open to talented students from any background.

“The autonomy of our universities is crucial to their success. It is vital that any regulation is risk-based and proportionate and does not add to the current burden or stifle innovation.”

Continuing on this theme, Goodfellow stated: “We welcome the green paper’s emphasis on protecting the interests of students and demonstrating the value of a university education.

“The recognition of high quality teaching in our universities is a welcome step, but we must ensure that this exercise is not an additional burden for those teaching in our universities and that it provides useful information for students, parents, and employers. Universities are already improving the amount of information to students about courses to ensure that their experience matches their expectations.

“Universities have made considerable progress in recent years to increase the numbers of students from disadvantaged backgrounds going to university and graduating with a good degree. We recognise there is more to do, and Universities UK looks forward to leading the Social Mobility Advisory Group announced in the green paper to build on progress and identify best practice.”

As with the Russell Group, Universities UK expressed concerns regarding the autonomy of universities, adding that it is of vital importance to assess “how the green paper protects the autonomy of our world-class university sector.”

Jeremy Hunt makes a new offer to junior doctors

Fashion: Cross-cultural couture

Emily Hulme Reporter

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Food & Drink: Review: Pen and Pencil

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The government states the current contract is “outdated” and needs to change to help ease the NHS’s seven-day demand.

The government’s proposal seeks to increase junior doctor’s pay by 11 per cent, but this comes at a cost. The new contract attempts to increase the amount of junior doctors’ weekly hours that are deemed sociable, meaning fewer hours are counted as over-time to save on the cost of wages.

The British Medical Association (BMA) are suspicious that the new contract could leave doctors being paid up to 30 per cent less as a result of the new suggested changes to contracts.

The Mancunion recently reported demonstrations against the Ministers proposals, noting medical staff protesting in Manchester and London at the end of September.

The marches seem to have generated some reconsideration as last week Mr

given a rise in pay for six years. Further, it is feared that the contract may put off students from choosing medical careers in the NHS in the future; there is no incentive to over £60,000 worth of student fees plus long hours with no extra pay.

Rarely has the UK witnessed doctors being on strike. If members do agree to Head Lifestyle Editor: Eva Katz Deputy Lifestyle Editor: Alice Williams mancunion.life@gmail.com

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Hunt announced that he is open to negotiations with the BMA to avoid doctors striking.

In a letter written to 50,000 junior doctors last Thursday Hunt requests they re-look at the proposals and hopes they realise that the contract “is good for doctors.” The letter was publicised a day before the ballot to strike opened, in a last attempt to persuade doctors not to take direct action.

Junior doctor Mary Aspinall has calculated what the new contract would mean for her in a post that has become a popular post on Facebook. She concludes that the new rules would impose a £737 pay drop every month. After Hunt’s re-work of the contract though, she loses £280 per month.

Junior doctors make up the majority of weekend staff in the NHS and are already renowned for being over-worked and poorly paid, compared to their colleagues in higher ranks.

Doctors argue that working excessively long hours will put patients’ lives, and therefore the NHS, at risk. They also note that junior doctors have not been

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strike, doctors will still have to work but only in cases of emergency. During the 2012 doctor’s strike regarding pensions, GP appointments and non-emergency operations were affected. Similar services could be affected again. The BMA’s ballot to strike is open for two weeks and closes on the 19th of November.

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

All writers are volunteers and new contributors are always welcome. You can get involved by turning up to a meeting, the times of which are listed on the Mancunion website’s Join page.

We gladly accept contributors from outside the University of Manchester.

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

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

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Eyewitness: National Student Demo William Brown News Editor

Last Wednesday some 10,000 students from all over the country gathered in London to protest incoming Conservative cuts to student grants.

While the majority of students protested peacefully, frays between the police and anarchist sects dominated last week’s news headlines with the Metropolitan Police reporting 12 arrests throughout the day.

The protests were sparked by Conservative cuts to the education budget, which will mean that maintenance grants for university will be scrapped for low-income families. Low-income students will instead be offered an additional loan of around £3,500 a year.

Students and protesters convened at around midday on Malet Street next to University College London and SOAS. Senior organiser Tim Rousc told The Mancunion that students and representatives from over forty campuses were present to protest what they consider “radical and unneeded cuts” to higher education.

At the initial meeting a range of speakers were present to urge the crowd on. Student speakers spoke of the “neo-liberalisation” of universities, and the “right to live outside crushing poverty.”

The Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell made a surprising and controversial appearance. With the University of Manchester Women’s officer Jess Lishak holding the microphone, he told the crowd: “This government is betraying you and future generations.

“But make sure politicians know that we’re not going to stand for this any more. Education is a right, not a commodity.”

McDonnell emphasised that he wanted it to be a “peaceful demonstration” before shouting “Solidarity! Solidarity!”

At around 1pm a cheer went up as the protest began marching down towards Parliament. A strong smell of incense was in the air, and drumming and dancing groups headed up the march.

“David Cameron fucked a pig and then he fucked the students” and “No ifs, no buts, no education cuts!” reverberated throughout the crowd.

The Red Square—the sign of the international student movement for free education—was stitched onto coats and shirts. Everywhere you could see an abundance of cracked Dr Martens, round glasses, and exotic balaclavas.

Students seemed to hail from a array of movements and backgrounds. Protesters’ placards and

Photo: The Mancunion

chants concerned everything from London University accommodation prices, to refugees’ rights, to Scottish students’ cries for national independence.

Green Party Leader Natalie Bennett attended the march and when asked what the demonstration could hope to achieve she told The Mancunion that: “I think we’ve learnt since the Iraq war days that even if its an enormous march, one march on its own isn’t enough.

“But we have to build a movement rejecting austerity and demanding a different kind of society that works for the common good not just for the few.”

The march was by and large peaceful until students arrived at the Department of Business Skills and Innovation, near Westminster Abbey, having passed through Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square.

Here, the anarchist section of the march—the ‘black bloc’—kitted out in black boiler suits, bran-

dishing wooden placards and heavy flag poles formed a phalanx pressing up against the police.

Police were pelted with paint and other projectiles.

Coloured smoke flares and large bangs were heard as the ‘black bloc’ tried to storm the Department. Following this the police charged in to contain the group. Several violent altercations broke out, with policemen knocked to the ground. More police poured in and there was a near stampede as students were hurled from one-side to the other. A cry broke up of “Anti-capitalista! Anti-fascista!”

Following this, at 3:30 pm lines of police ran in to kettle protesters, hemming demonstrators into a small area until they deem it safe to slowly release groups.

Ricky Oates, a senior member of the People’s Assembly, later told The Mancunion that Natalie Bennett herself was caught up in the kettle. Reportedly Bennett told Oates: “Go work your magic and get us out of here.” With a legal observer, Oates and

Bennett negotiated for peaceful protesters to be released, and while reportedly initially told to “fucking go do one” by the police, they were eventually successful in negotiating the lifting of the release of the kettle.

It has been reported to The Mancunion that several police officers hid their identifying numbers when dealing with the crowd. Bennett was heard commenting on how disgraceful it was, and that the police would receive a strongly worded letter on their behaviour from her.

When the kettle was lifted a cheer broke out, many thinking that the police lines had been broken rather than negotiated open. Thousands sprinted, exhilarated by sudden release down Petty France Broadway and Victoria Street towards Victoria station. A man brandishing a fluttering Palestinian flag sprinted ahead.

95 per cent of girls groped in clubs Student raped in Fallowfield Alexandra Bickell Reporter According to a recent online poll by The Tab of 5,000 students, 95 per cent of girls reported that they have been “inappropriately touched” on nights out.

This definition is broad, but one girl surveyed, who chose to remain anonymous, stated “I’ve had hands stuck up my dress, my boobs grabbed, my bum grabbed… all because I’m a girl.”

Over 20 per cent of male participants said that they had groped women on nights out, but conversely, only 44 per cent who responded said that they thought ‘lad culture’ was a problem.

‘Lad culture’ has become a hot topic over the last couple of years, with NUS calling for summits and reports to tackle the issue; they define it as having a “pack mentality” with “sexist, misogynist and homophobic banter.”

Yet there are still people, predominantly male, who insist

that it is not an issue - this was shown clearly in the comments section under The Tab poll results, with one person suggesting that “nightclubs are... sex pits” and “nobody is forcing women to go”. However, this is only a minority, with most people considering sexism against women and ‘lad culture’ to be a “university wide problem”.

It is not only this survey that has produced worrying results with regards to sexual harassment and sex crimes directed at girls. Research for The Telegraph newspaper conducted earlier this year found that over one third of the women at universities have experienced unwanted advances or experienced sexual assault, whilst NUS stated “1 in 7 women students experience serious physical or sexual assault during their time as a student”.

Whilst less frequent than female assault, physical and sexual violence towards men is also an issue, with 1 in 8 male students

being subjected to “groping or unwanted advances” according to 2014 Youthsight research.

Several universities have now started to take action. The University of Oxford is running a series of workshops called ‘Good Lad’; the group’s mission statement is “to promote positive masculinity” and they have worked with several different university groups across the country, to continually positive feedback.

Here at the University of Manchester, a zero tolerance policy to sexual harassment from or towards any gender was set up last year by Women’s Officer Jess Lishak, under the campaign title ‘We Get It’.

To find out more information about the campaign, or to report a case of harassment or bullying, visit www.manchesterstudentsunion.com/wegetit and follow the ‘report and support’ links.

Jenny Sterne Head News editor A nineteen year old student was raped in Fallowfield on Wednesday, October 7 between midnight and 4.30am.

She was being walked home by her attacker towards Sainsbury’s and McDonald’s after a night out in the city centre.

He is described as white and skinny, with brown messy hair styled in a quiff and was wearing black skinny jeans and a black leather jacket. He is thought to be around 18 or 19 years old.

The police believe their suspect to be a student.

Police are looking for a key witness who saw the victim at a bus stop on Wimslow Road.

Detective Inspector Damian Simpson, of GMP’s Serious Sexual Offences Unit, said “This witness could hold vital clues to what happened to this young woman, so it is very im-

portant that we speak to him.

We are doing everything we can to identify the attacker.

“We are appealing for this witness to come forward but anyone else who may have any information should get in touch. You may think your information is trivial, but it could be vital to our investigation, so please call us and tell us what you know.

“We would like to reassure the public that we believe this is an isolated incident.”

The Women’s officer for the University issued this statement: “It’s absolutely sickening to hear that yet another woman student has been raped. Unfortunately whilst these headlines are really saddening, they are no longer shocking.

“The fact that the police have referred to this as an ‘isolated incident’ is insulting. It’s insulting to the countless people who have already experienced sexual violence and it’s insulting to

the many women students who tell me that they’re too scared to go out at night, too scared to come onto campus for late lectures and too scared to take their bins out at night because of the news that they see month after month about rape and sexual violence in our city.

Sexual violence is not an isolated incident, it is an epidemic and it is symptomatic of a society that doesn’t value women’s right to say no or to decide what to do with our own bodies. Whether sexual violence happens on our streets or in our beds, by someone we’ve never met or someone that we know and trust, it is horrific and it is insidious.”

Anyone with information should call police on 0161 856 1911 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

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Manchester City Council opens its doors to the homeless Manchester City Council is putting steps in place as numbers of rough sleepers continues to rise

Paul Scott Reporter After the widely publicised decision by former Manchester United players Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs to open their city centre property to homeless people in need, Manchester City Council has begun proceedings that will allow squatting in empty councilowned buildings for those sleeping rough.

The move appears to acknowledge both the vulnerability of Manchester’s homeless as winter approaches and the futility of current infrastructure in dealing with an overwhelming and growing homeless population. The Town Hall’s decision comes barely two weeks after the heavily criticised eviction of The Ark homeless shelter on Oxford Road, jointly forced through by the council and Manchester Metropolitan University.

The opening of Giggs and Neville’s grade two listed property, to the amazement and jubilation of its inhabitants, seems to have acted as a catalyst for action on the homeless crisis and has ignited

public debate. The council is set to cooperate with charities and volunteering organisations to establish functioning homeless shelters in the disused buildings, although there has been no date set for completion and no indication on which buildings have been earmarked for temporary conversion.

The original squat, the footballer’s former stock exchange building has, after receiving intense media attention as a success story, experienced difficulties; prominent Manchester activist Wesley Hall who was central in negotiations with Gary Neville, was asked to leave in an unexpected development.

Hall, who seemed to briefly become the unofficial leader of Manchester’s homeless after appearing in multiple interviews with national media, came under intense criticism by aggrieved residents for “running a dictatorship.” He was accused of refusing entry to homeless who were entitled refuge and forcing out existing residents in an arbitrary fashion.

The so-called ‘sock exchange’ under his leadership “failed to offer shelter to those in

need and to fulfil its intended purpose” according to one homeless campaigner.

The homeless camp on Market Street underneath the Arndale shopping centre was reportedly established by individuals prevented from entering the building.

Homelessness in Manchester has been thrown under the spotlight over the past few months as greater numbers of rough sleepers seek to establish some form of residence in the city, often in defiance of the law. Critics of the government say such social issues faced

by Manchester, and other British cities, reflect a national housing crisis in the wake of Tory austerity measures that harshly attack the nation’s poorest and most vulnerable.

Since David Cameron’s government came to power in 2010, the numbers of rough sleepers in Manchester has surged six-fold and by almost half nationally.

Multiple campaigns have responded to these “alarming” figures; Manchester-based Student Action in Solidarity with the Homeless (SASH), who were unsuccessful in their initial aim of protecting the Ark,

Open university staff vote for strike action Hundreds of jobs are at stake as the Open University proposes closures of seven centres around the UK Liam Kelly Features Editor Staff at the Open University, the largest academic institution in the UK, have voted to strike in a dispute over the proposed closure of seven regional centres. Up to 502 jobs are at risk as part of the planned move.

72 per cent of Universities and Colleges Union (UCU) members balloted voted for strike action, whilst 83 per cent supported action short of a strike.

The seven centres earmarked for closure are in Birmingham, Bristol, Cambridge, Gateshead, Leeds, London, and Oxford.

Staff walkouts could also take place in the university’s office in Manchester, as well as Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Milton Keynes, and Nottingham.

Members of the UCU are to meet this week to decide when, where and for how long strike action will take place.

UCU Open University branch president Pauline Collins claimed that “the only people who still seem to think that axing 500 jobs and closing down seven regional Open University Centres is a good idea are the senior managers.

“The academic body at the

Photo: Rosa Methol

have continued to campaign after its removal. The space it formerly occupied now bears metal fencing to prevent any access to the shelter provided

by Mancunian Way, although groups of homeless still gather at the site.

SASH are currently holding negotiations with MMU and pressuring the university to raise funding for a homeless

support initiative designed by students. Their aim is to provide alternative shelter in response to the forced removal of the Ark—an act SASH has called “social cleansing.”

While the council is taking steps to address the issue, the seemingly contradicting actions of both evicting and opening doors to the homeless is, some say, symptomatic of a

city struggling to find a viable, let alone sustainable solution to soaring homeless numbers.

However, the decision to open the doors of vacant buildings to the city’s most vulnerable will represent progress for the homeless and for activists, even if there is not yet a long-term answer to this difficult problem.

Funding body mixes up state vs privately educated students statistics The university funding body HEFCE admits the statistics it released this summer, which suggested state school students did better at University than privately educated students, were actually reversed.

Lina Jfairi Reporter

Photo: The Open University @Flickr

university rejected the plans at its senate meeting and now the staff have given an overwhelming mandate for strike action for the first time in its history.”

She added, “We hope managers will now see sense and work with us to deliver changes that will not be so devastating for the staff, students or future of the Open University.”

The Open University said it was disappointed with the result of the ballot. A spokesman for the university said, “We do not believe industrial action will

lead to anything positive, either for our staff or students.

“We recognise this is a difficult time for staff affected and we want to work positively with unions to look after staff in the best possible way. Our services to students would be enhanced by these proposals and no existing services to students will be withdrawn.”

A council meeting will take place on the 24th of November, where members will vote on whether the controversial plans will be put into effect.

In a report released this summer by the university funding body HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council for England) claimed that state sector students were more likely to obtain a first or an upper-second at university than independent sector students.

It has now been revealed that these statistics were actually the other way around.

The HEFCE has now admitted that the statement released over last summer that 82% of state school graduates are more likely to achieve a first or an upper second classification compared to that of 73% of private school students, were in actual fact in reverse.

HEFCE’S mistake has enraged many independent sector head teachers, including the Headmaster’ and Headmistresses’ Conference that represents 270 the top independent sector schools and the Girl’s School Association.

Hilary French the headmistress of the Newcastle High School for Girls specified “we all want every pupil to reach their full potential but this will only happen if society takes the right actions based on true facts. Pretending that most state school pupils do better at university won’t help them actually do better.”

This mistake was initially found by Professor Alan Smithers, of the Centre for Education and Employment Research (CEER) at Buckingham University. He

claims that although HEFCE changed the figures within the report they did not carry out a public correction on the issue.

He further argues, “so long as these figures out there are uncorrected, they will continue to influence both perceptions of schools and how universities are expected to go about recruiting students.”

He also claims that HEFCE need to straighten out these figures to depict a truer picture. HEFCE corrected this and added, “for all but those with the very highest A-level grades, state school graduates tend to have higher degree outcomes.” They also claim to have reversed the available information on their website and on social media.

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Devo Manc: One year on

A year on from the beginnings of Devo Manc, Greater Manchester is undergoing a comprehensive boom Ailsa McNeil Reporter Manchester is having a moment; it is lauded as the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ by George Osborne, now forming the centrepiece of his latest financial strategy, an endorsement of the economic and cultural credentials of the city.

One year ago The Mancunion revealed that Greater Manchester would be getting an elected mayor in the scheme now known as Devo Manc.

We highlighted Osborne’s plans to give Manchester devolved powers ranging from regulated buses, housing and planning powers, to business support and skills. 12 months later it’s time to take a look at how the Chancellor’s plans are progressing.

Since the Conservatives first made clear their intention to transfer further powers to the area, Manchester has attracted investment in housing and transport and plans to transform the city region into an economic stronghold are firmly underway.

The vast majority of progress, though, has most certainly come from within the city itself.

A significant force for growth in the area has been Manchester Airport. In 2014 the Manchester Airport Group (MAG) injected £1.7 billion into the regional economy, a 13 per cent increase on the previous year.

Part owned by the 10 boroughs of Greater Manchester, the profit generated by MAG meant that Manchester’s councils reaped a £60 million stake.

This was a 100 per cent increase on the 2014 figure, with councils capitalising on record passenger numbers travelling through the airport.

A number of recent projects are contributing to continued airport extension. £1 billion is to be ploughed into the creation of a new ‘super terminal’ and the addition of new routes has cemented the airport’s position as a major transport centre.

A newly arrived Metrolink line was also accompanied by the opening of additional platforms at Manchester Airport’s train station, bringing the total to 4 railway and 2 Metrolink platforms.

This week Easyjet announced the augmentation of their operations. The low cost airline will now take holidaymakers to Paris, Milan and Olbia in Sardinia in addition to their existing 40 destinations. The new flights will be launched in time for Summer 2016.

In addition, Ryanair is adding six new routes from Manchester Airport to Slovakia, Germany, Italy, France, and Malta and it is ramping up the frequency on flights to Alicante, Barcelona, Dublin, Faro, Ibiza, Madrid, Milan, Rome, Valencia, and Warsaw. Ryanair’s increase will create 400 jobs at

the airport, including 325 in the terminals themselves.

There are also opportunities to travel further afield. From Manchester since late 2014, Cathay Pacific has operated the only year-long scheduled route between the UK and Hong Kong outside of London Heathrow. Services from Manchester to Mainland China directly were secured this October by Hainan Airlines, opening up the city region to future trading possibilities.

This week marked the one-year anniversary of a £400 million extension of the Metrolink, which connected Manchester Airport to the network, dubbed the ‘Airport Line’, adding 15 stops to the line taking in Wythenshawe, Baguley, and the surrounding areas. Over this last year, 1.88 million journeys have been made on the Airport Line.

Metrolink is also currently constructing its second city crossing, scheduled to open in 2017, it will allow more trams through the city centre. One stop on the second city crossing is due to open later this month; Exchange Square is situated between the Arndale and the newly-refurbished Corn Exchange and an Exchange Square to Shaw and Crompton line will begin in time for Christmas shopping until the completion of the second city crossing.

Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has proposed a Metrolink extension to Trafford Park via the Imperial War Museum North, Old Trafford, and the Trafford Centre. In April 2015, £300 million was signed off to construct the line, with work slated to begin in 2016 in order to be open by Christmas 2019.

Away from Metrolink, transport across the city region is undergoing a revolution. The Mancunion reported early in October that Manchester Victoria’s £44 million overhaul was successfully completed on schedule. Despite legal challenges, Network Rail’s Ordsall Chord development, which will increase capacity and reliability on Manchester’s trains, is set to be completed by 2019 among other rail projects such as the refurbishment of Manchester Oxford Road station.

Improving transport in the region is a priority owing to the huge growth expected in Greater Manchester’s economy and population in the next few years. Figures released by Deloitte reveal that residential development is at its highest in five years, as Manchester’s boom reaches all aspects of the city.

On the edge of the Northern Quarter, housing developer Mulbury has obtained planning permission for a new £30m apartment block due to be completed by 2017. A further 238 apartments are to spring up on the corner of Princess Street

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

and Whitworth Street in plans coordinated by construction firm Urban & Civic, on the site next to the Gay Village that has been vacant for over 20 years.

The construction for many projects is already underway. This month, work is expected to begin on prized mancunian architect Ian Simpson’s designs for a new skyscraper on River Street. The 42 storey building will match the stature of his own designed Beetham Tower, home to the Hilton Hotel and currently the highest structure in the city.

The 400 apartments it will hold are expected to be ready for private rental on the completion of the project in eighteen months.

Projects including the XYZ building in Spinningfields, No1 Spinningfields, and Two St Peter’s Square among many others are being constructed, whilst projects such as the National Graphene Institute and One St Peter’s Square have been completed over the past year. Office takeup in Manchester is surging ahead, with the highest level of office take-up bar London, with more than 373,000 square feet let between July and September alone.

Manchester, the borough alone, is currently driving to build 60,000 new homes by 2027 and Greater Manchester is planning a £300 million regionwide housebuilding strategy too.

The channelling of private capital into housing allows residential development to keep pace with the growing population of the city—the borough of Manchester is soon expected to reach 600,000.

Greater Manchester grew by 18,000 in 2014, with Salford being the city’s fastest growing borough.

With exponential investment in the city, it is un-

surprising that Oxford Economics have predicted that Manchester is expected to outpace Berlin, Tokyo and Paris in terms of employment growth over the next five years. Their report revealed that Manchester is in a position to increase employment by 3.8 per cent by 2020.

Economic opportunity is not all the city has to offer either. Part of its ingénue is its cultural prowess, which is attracting businesses and visitors alike.

Last month Channel Four revealed they are joining the BBC in Manchester by opening a new office in the city centre, establishing themselves at the heart of the city region. Such a move promises to invigorate Manchester’s cultural landscape and is testament to the city’s attractiveness to the media sector.

The development seen by Manchester looks set to continue, with the prospect of further economic growth and direct private investment on the cards.

The city’s place as a key global competitor seems more of a reality every day.

In terms of Devo Manc, Greater Manchester— since the signing of the initial deal—was given control of its £6 billion health and social care budget in February 2015, which will come into force in April, and appointed its interim mayor until the elections in 2017, Tony Lloyd.

Greater Manchester has also submitted a further £7 billion worth of powers to George Osborne, the results of which will be revealed in the spending review on November 25th 2015.

‘Debt mountain’ for Scottish students Goldsmiths #killallwhitemen row ends Georgie Hines Reporter

Kezia Dugdale, the Scottish Labour leader, speaking about the SNP pledge made in 2007 that stated that they would eradicate student debt in Scotland before the impending election, asked: “Did the first minister ever have any intention of keeping that promise?”

The accusations come after a report, published by the Student Awards Agency For Scotland, showed that under the current SNP government the average bursary or grant had been cut by almost 30 per cent. Figures also show that borrowing had rocketed to £467 million, nearly doubling in the two years after state grants were cut back in 2012.

Nicola Sturgeon argued back, highlighting to her opposition that, “When you look at average student loan debt, what you find is the figure for Scotland

is significantly lower than any other part of the United Kingdom.”

She said that current figures tell us that the average debt for England stands at £21,180, with Wales and Northern Ireland at £19,010 and £18,160 respectively. Student debt in Scotland is significantly below these at £9,440.

The first minister continued, saying: “We live in tough financial times, everyone knows that, and tough choices always have to be made, but we will continue to make sure we are providing good support for our students, so that more of our students from the most deprived parts of our country can take the opportunity to go to university.”

She also noted that at a time when the UK is taking steps to cut bursaries all together, the Scottish government are acting to increase the bursary element of the support package.

NUS Scotland president Vonnie Sandlan also hit

out against the Scottish government’s decision to increase student borrowing, whilst all the while keeping to its free university tuition policy.

“Without access to the necessary financial support, students are forced to turn to commercial debt, take on unreasonable amounts of parttime work, or even drop out of education all together.”

Poorer undergraduate students are said to borrow 30 per cent more a year on average, around £5,900, than their more well-off counterparts.

She advised that other parties look to tackle these issues before the upcoming Holyrood elections next May. She added: “We need to look at the wider cost of studying, and how students are supported in education.”

Speaking further on the matter, Ms Sandlan said that it is “simply a huge waste of some of our brightest potential, and a huge waste for our country.”

Merle Streck Senior Reporter

Charges have been dropped against Goldsmith’s student diversity officer, Bahar Mustafa, who was due to appear at Bromley Magistrates Court on Novembr 5th after online posts reading #killallwhitemen were discovered on her Twitter history.

Police reported to The Guardian on Tuesday that the case has been suspended after Mustafa received a letter by the Crown Prosecution Service on 26th October which stated: “There is not enough evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction.” The CPS, however, could still decide to reopen the case at a later date.

Mustafa first caused public outrage in May when she requested that white men should not be allowed to attend an event at Goldsmith’s Students’ Union, as she only intended to include ethnic minority women

and non-binary attendees.

Consequently, critics dug through her social media history and found the allegedly threatening messages and hashtags which were then used to press charges again her.

Criticizing the CPS, Mustafa’s solicitor, Mike Schwarz, said: “The decision first to prosecute and then to climb down so soon afterwards, made by the Crown Prosecution Service headquarters, calls into question their ability to make sensible judgments on delicate issues.”

After her social media comments had been made public, the case came under scrutiny by multiple free speech groups and societies across the UK. The hashtag #istandwithbaharmustafa was consequently shared on multiple social media platforms in order to express support for Mustafa and free speech.

Mustafa, who after the row has received multiple death threats, still holds the position as diversity officer at Goldsmith’s

Students’ Union, after a motion of no confidence failed to reach the necessary 3 percent threshold of union members to prompt a new election.

In a statement to The Mancunion, a spokesperson for the University of Manchester’s Free Speech and Secular Society said: “We are pleased to hear that the chargers against Bahar Mustafa have been dropped, although we object to the sentiment she expressed.

While incitement to violence is a criminal offence in this country, only the foolish would see a tweet with the hashtag #killallwhitemen as a serious incitement to violence. No-one was surprised that she did not take to the streets with a knife.

If we were to prosecute things which naively could be seen as incitement to violence, then someone starting a campaign to introduce capital punishment would have to be prosecuted, as this clearly not only incites to violence but to outright killing.”

News

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The scientist sacked by the government: In conversation with Professor David Nutt Famously known as ‘the scientist who was sacked’ for comparing the harms of horse-riding with taking ecstasy or cannabis, neuropsychopharmacologist Professor David Nutt is the controversial scientist everyone is talking about. Appearing in conversation with BBC News science reporter Victoria Gill as part of Policy Week 2015, Tori Blakeman spoke to Prof Nutt after his hotly anticipated ‘Notes on a Drugs Scandal’ talk.

Ran by the University’s pioneering policy engagement arm Policy@Manchester, Policy Week 2015 played focus on Science, Technology and Public Policy. The event, held from November 2-6, encompassed five days of lectures and panel discussions from big names in public policy and academia.

The event programme was held as part of Manchester’s role as European City of Science 2016, which recognises Manchester’s contribution to scientific discovery, innovation and industry.

Over 30 discussions, lectures, workshops, and films were held throughout the week at the Manchester Museum and other venues across campus and the city.

Having sold out days prior to the event, Professor David Nutt’s ‘Notes on a Drugs Scandal’ talk, held at the Portico Library on Wednesday 4th November, was most definitely a highlight.

In October 2009, Professor Nutt was invited to interview with BBC Radio 4 to discuss his recent ‘Estimating Drug Harms: a Risky Business?’ lecture. When asked whether he thought alcohol was more harmful than cannabis, he replied yes.

As controversial as the statement was, it was based on true findings from his scientific work and backed up by similar studies also expressing alcohol as one of the most harmful drugs.

Despite the evidence backing Professor Nutt’s claim, such findings were not welcomed by government officials. Professor Nutt was consequentially removed from his post as Chair of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) by the then Home Secretary Alan Johnson.

terference. The charity also provides information on the actual harm caused of various drugs and challenges myths surrounding drug classification and legislation in the UK. Additional to his post as Chair of DrugScience, he is also the Edmond J Safra Professor of Neuropharmacology at Imperial College London.

Professor Nutt openly emphasises his frustration with drugs policy in the UK, and stresses how legislation is continually coloured by political and moral concerns, often ignoring or exaggerating raw evidence. By expressing the extent to which many substances are vilified in by current UK drug policy, Professor Nutt continually campaigns for a more rational approach drugs.

His book, ‘Drugs - without the hot air: minimising the harms of legal and illegal substances’, was the British Medical Association’s highly commended Popular Medicine Book 2013, and won the 2014 Transmission Prize for Communicating Science. His two Drugs Live television programs in association Channel 4, ‘Cannabis on Trial’ and ‘The Ecstasy Trial’, were equally as successful, with the latter being Channel 4’s most watched programmes to date.

Speaking in conversation with BBC News science reporter Victoria Gill last Wednesday, the pair discussed the unique challenges in advising governments on such politically sensitive issues.

Within the historical and stunning setting of the Portico Library, the intimate crowd listened intently to a candid and inspiring Professor Nutt. Speaking

Photo: The Mancunion

Prof Nutt has since set up his own science-led drugs charity named ‘DrugScience: Independent Scientific Committee on Drugs’, which carries out groundbreaking original research into the harms and effects of drugs, completely free from political in-

of his time advising the government, Nutt expressed how policy makers always moderated what he did, “policy leaders tried to control the outputs of science, for example press releases had to be authorized. But decision should always be made on science.”

Photo: The Mancunion

“I essentially got sacked for saying something Alan Johnson didn’t like” he joked. Despite losing both his place in the ACMD, and a CBE, Professor Nutt contends that he lost his job for “standing up for science”.

Nutt conveyed his pleasure to be where he is today. His 2009 sacking has opened up discussion of science policy in the UK, and has equally “gained [Nutt] a fan club”. He also recalls conversations with other scientists who have previously worked for the government, disclosing that their advice was also ignored.

Discussing current UK drug policy, he stated: “It’s got to a point where everything is illegal, even if it’s safe. Irrational drug policy doesn’t have an impact on drug taking, but it has an enormous impact on drug harm. Policy making is currently at such a low intellectual level – they [politicians] know what the scientists say is right, but they just want to get re-elected. The government has no interest in science; it’s an insult to democracy.”

Nutt expressed how a rational approach to drug policy, as exhibited by the legalisation of Cannabis in The Netherlands and medicinal legalization in some US states, would reduce crime and road traffic accidents. He joked “If you’ve ever been to Amsterdam on a Friday night you’ll notice how it’s much friendlier than Manchester, London, or Bristol.

Everyone is chilled, stoned, and happy, instead of angry drunk and vomiting all over you!”

After the entertaining talk I managed to grab a few words

with Professor Nutt.

I asked for his opinions on the new Psychoactive Substances Bill, which sets the ban all psychoactive substances, known and unknown. Seeming displeased, he said “I think it’s the worst piece of moral legislation since the 1559 Act of Supremacy that banned the belief in the Catholic faith. I think it is outrageous and atrocious. I am amazed that so few scientists are protesting it. It is an insult to science and human experience. I’m embarrassed to live in a country that’s doing it actually - I might leave.”

After expressing his animosity with current UK drug policies

moving in the direction in which I support, which is decriminalisation: reducing imprisonment, treating addiction as an illness, and treating drug use as a health problem.

“Future drug policy should be evidence based. Drugs are a health issue, not a crime issue. As soon as you get policing involved it makes things worse.”

I was intrigued as to why the government was so unwilling to take scientific evidence on board in drug policy reform, and so inquired as to why he thought this was. “Because they get more votes by doing what they think is going to get more votes! But they don’t know what they’re doing.

“We’re the only country in the world that’s gone backwards, and we’re going backwards faster than any other country.

It’s appalling.” during his talk, I was keen to ask Professor Nutt where he thinks UK drugs policy is heading in the future.

“We’re going backwards. We’re the only country in the world that’s gone backwards, and we’re going backwards faster than any other country. It’s appalling. The rest of the world is getting more rational, apart from a few exceptions, but most of the world is

But drugs policy is easy politics.”

Earlier in the talk, Nutt wittily informed how the government has “criminalised a million young people for possessing Cannabis that isn’t as bad for them as the alcohol the police officers that arrest them drink!”

I was intrigued by his thoughts on young people being criminalised for experimenting with illegal substances: “It’s completely

pointless. A criminal record will do much more harm to their life than almost any drug they take.”

Taking a more scientific stance, I asked his opinions on the use of illegal substances in medicine: “A lot of the recreational drugs that are illegal are going to be good therapies. Most of them were therapies! We’ve got this stupid situation where we’ve got a drug people use, then doctors use it, then kids start using recreationally and all of a sudden it gets banned! Kids don’t stop using it, but the patients can’t get access to it any more. It is perverse.”

He continued by disclosing that, out of all the illegal substances, he believes Cannabis has the most potential in medicine. “There’s so many different ways in which cannabis can be used; from cancer right through to pain relief. There are at least a hundred different active chemicals in a cannabis plant, and many of them can be used for therapeutics.”

Finishing up our conversation, I requested any tips he has for those wishing to get involved with science policy: “They must have a very hard skin. Learn to write well and write interesting articles, learn to tweet, interview scientists in a critical way, and challenge politicians. Maybe use things like freedom of information, and actively engage in policies.”

And the one final message from Professor David Nutt? “Vote! Register to vote, vote in the next election, and vote for parties that tell the truth about drugs. If you don’t vote, you’re dis-empowered.”

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Student to set fire to student loan in capitalism protest In an attempt to highlight the debt that students are getting into, one art student plans a controversial project George Ball Reporter

An art student plans to set fire to his entire student loan in a protest against capitalism.

The controversial statement

by Brooke Purvis, a student at Central Saint Martins, a prestigious art school in London, is part of a project entitled ‘Everything Burns’.

In an interview with Vice, Purvis stated that the exercise was to show that money “holds absolutely no value whatsoever”. He claimed that money is not based on anything substantial and lamented the fact that “banks can create it out of nothing”. The reasoning he gives behind burning the money is that it would release “the bondages that society and our own minds have placed upon us all”. He acknowledged the publicity that the project is generated and argued, “in this day and age, how do you get people interested in a subject that’s important?”

Although the 24-year-old mature student sees it as

Photo: purpleslog @Flickr

an artistic statement, it has not been well received by some people, in a time when many people are struggling financially. When it was suggested that the money could have gone to a charity, he was defiant in his response: “Charity is capitalism’s solution to the problem it creates. But it’s my money; I choose to do what I want with it.” In addition to his full time studies, he works a full time job, so it seems that he is not as dependent on the funding as some students.

The protest follows a similar

act by Chilean artist Francisco Tapia last year. He set alight to documents to represent the student debt at Universidad de Mar, some $500m (£326m).

When doing so he made a similar claim to Purvis, that the students at the university had been ‘freed’.

The project will culminate in the burning next year, around the time of Purvis’ graduation.

In the news this week...

The important and interesting stories from the wider world this week.

Stories by: Charlie Spargo, Marcus Johns, Andy van den Bent-Kelly, William Brown, & Jenny Sterne

Terminal Star Wars fan has wish granted Texas, USA A dying Star Wars fan has had his wish to see the new Star Wars film before its release granted.

Texan Daniel Fleetwood was told he only has one or two months to live, as the aggressive form of cancer he suffers from has spread to 90 per cent of his lungs. Star Wars: The Force Awakens, is set to be released on December the 18th, and he does not think he will survive until then.

Fleetwood told People magazine on the 3rd of November he “might actually die from happiness” if he was permitted to see the film.

On the 5th of November his wife posted to Facebook: “Daniel just finished watching an unfinished version of Star Wars: The Force Awakens!!!” and thanked Disney, LucasFilm and Bad Robot Productions.

MPs may debate noconfidence vote on PM United Kingdom A petition calling for a vote of no confidence in David Cameron has rocketed past the 100,000 signatures needed to force a debate in the House of Commons.

On the 5th of November newspapers reported that the petition was approaching 100,000 signatures, and within 24 hours the petition had surpassed 120,000.

The creator of the petition, Kelly Teeboon, states that “The current Tory government has caused devastation for the poorest in society for the last 5 years. We cannot afford another 5 years of Tory rule.”

The proposal is now likely to be debated in Parliament.

Petitions that reach 100,000 signatures tend to only be rejected for debate if the subject has recently been debated or it is already scheduled.

Cameron effigy burned at bonfire event Lewes, Sussex The Lewes Bonfire Society, well-known for setting alight satirical models of wellknown individuals, this year produced a 20-foot model of a mostly-nude David Cameron and a pig’s head for burning.

One of the UK’s largest November the 5th events, the Lewes Bonfire Celebration saw more than 30 processions move through the town centre, including an effigy of ex-Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson, Sepp Blatter, and a 50-foot Guy Fawkes they hoped could break the record for the largest guy.

The Celebration sees six bonfire societies come together, and estimates of the number of attendees was 20,000 – 25,000. This was a significant decrease on the 2014 celebrations which saw 40,000 attendees.

Last year the event made headlines after burning a likeness of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Man Met lecturer creates Haçienda clubbing experience exhibition Merle Streck Senior Reporter

Dr Beate Peter, a lecturer in the School of Humanities, Languages and Social Sciences at Manchester Metropolitan University, has created a new art exhibition entitled “The Lapsed Clubber”, inspired by her old clubbing days in the iconic Haçienda.

Explaining her inspiration, Peter said: “I used to think that there is no better feeling than getting lost in music, dancing all night long, and leaving the club with the sun shining on my face. I wanted to find out if there was more to it than just growing old. The stories are to show how clubbing has never been just about going out to get wrecked, it is part of people’s history and their lives. Clubbing has become so ingrained in contemporary culture and our modern experience of being young, that it is no longer just a hedonistic indulgence, but an important marker for identity formation.”

As part of the research before creating the exhibition, around fifty of Peter’s friends were asked to send in photos of their clubbing days in the 80s and 90s and a further photo of what

Mustard gas used in August attack

Syria Chemical weapons experts have concluded that the chemical weapon sulfur mustard was used in an attack on the northern Syrian town of Marea on the 21st of August this year.

A report by the Organisatiion for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is reported to have positively concluded that mustard gas was used to attack the town.

The report, which has not yet been published but was seen by journalists, said a baby “very likely” was killed as a result of the use of the gas.

It is thought that the chemical agent was used

by IS whilst fighting with a local rebel group. Concerns that the radical group is using chemical weapons in Iraq and Syria are growing.

Medecins Sans Frontiers revealed after the attack that they had treated four people for breathing problems and blistering after a mortar hit their home, evidence suggesting the use of sulfur mustard.

Photo: Gorod-SKY @flickr

they look like today.

An example of one of the exhibition pieces is Andy, who submitted the photo entitled “dancing and sharing the love.

Herbal Tea Party, Manchester, Summer 1994”. The shot taken from Andy today is of him and his wife dancing at their wedding in Bangkok.

Commenting on this idea, Peter said: “It’s remarkable to see which direction people went after leaving the nightclub one wonderful morning, never to return.”

The exhibition is part of the

150,000 hit

by TalkTalk hack Worldwide The attack on TalkTalk’s website is estimated to have resulted in 157,000 users’ details being accessed by the hackers, the company has revealed.

15,600 or more sets of bank details were stolen when the site’s security was compromised on the 21st of October. Since then four have been arrested, including a 16-year-old from Norwich, a 16-year-old from London, a 15-year-old from Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland, and a 20-year-old from Staffordshire.

All four have been released on bail since.

TalkTalk originally said that it was possible all of its 4 million or more customers had been affected. It said the hackers could have got at most 28,000 card numbers with the middle six digits obscured. The total estimate was later brought down to a maximum of 1.2 million, before the company could definitively confirm that it stood at around 150,000.

TalkTalk have said that customers should still remain vigilant and make sure they are not victims of fraud. They will contact all affected customers to discuss what can be done.

ESRC Festival of Social Sciences and will be featured at Twenty Twenty Two in Manchester’s Northern Quarter from 7th November until 13th November.

Visitors will also be encouraged to share the memories of their clubbing days by taking part in an anonymous interview by a computer called “Voice Box.” Furthermore, a panel discussion will take place on Saturday, 7th November at 4pm featuring Herbal Tea Party organizer, Rob Fletcher and former Haçienda DJ, Dave Haslam.

Global Police may have monitored Corbyn and Livingstone United Kingdom A public inquiry into whether current Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn and former Mayor of London Ken Livingstone had their communications secretly monitored in the 1990s is to be launched.

A former officer turned whistleblower made the allegation in March this year that police held files on ten Labour politicians following their election to Parliament.

The Pitchford Inquiry, launched after revelations regarding the actions of undercover policeman since 1968, will ensure that allegations of monitoring politicians are properly and seriously addressed.

“Matters of importance to the inquiry are whether undercover police operations were directed at politicians, and if so, for what purpose,” said Lord Justice Pitchford in a ruling last week.

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Science Festival 2015

Manchester Science Festival recently returned for its ninth successive year - The Mancunion’s science team went along to experience several different events

JUMP IN! Adult ball pool

The Infinite Monkey Cage Rossy Natale Science Reporter

Photo: Museum of Science and Industry

Elise Gallagher Theatre Editor Manchester, now declared the European City of Science for 2016, returned with this year’s Manchester Science Festival for the ninth year in a row.

170 different events took place in 40 different venues across the city from the 22nd of October to the 1st of November.

The festival’s programme itself reflected on the city’s past and present, giving nods to ‘a proud city of firsts’ with innovations such as the programmable computer and atomic theory. Features also included research taking place today, an example being the 2010 Nobel Prize winning discovery Graphene.

One feature that certainly caught most people’s attention was the adults’ only ball pool. ‘JUMP IN!’ was an adult-only interactive art installation created by independent design agency Pearlfisher. The 8m by 6m unique pool, overflowing with approximately 81,000 white plastic balls, was an experiment in art and science. The entry fee of £5 granted you twenty minutes inside the child-free play zone.

Although comparisons can be drawn between ‘JUMP IN!’ and an installation created by Turner Prize-winning artist Martin Creed from 2014 and Snarkitecture’s ‘The BEACH’ this is a first for Manchester’s Science Festival and the city itself.

As a leading creative agency boasting work with giants such as Cadburys and Lurpak, Pearlfisher is renowned for championing creativity in a multitude of ways. Pearlfisher state that studies suggest

that play ‘can bring about extraordinary results for creative thinking.’ Many found even a short period of time within the ball pool helped relieve a whole host of burdens such as stress, worry and anxiety.

Inspired by the playful snowy scenes of Winter, the utopian ball pool has already been a success with sell out tours in London and New York. Committed to their belief of play Pearlfisher donated £1 to the charity Right to Play for every person who came to visit the ball pit when it was located in London.

But the pool itself wasn’t just for us adults regressing back into childhood. There was the opportunity to host events and meetings within the space.

Pearlfisher say, ‘we decided to celebrate how childlike fun and freedom encourages and promotes pure creativity.’

Kicking off proceedings were Drunk at Vogue DJ Greg Thorpe, Cheddar Gawjus and Anna Phylatic whilst an After School Science Club hosted on the 30th of October saw puzzles and prizes galore.

Halloween saw the ‘Underachievers Please Try Harder’ cult club night return after two years with a night full of alternative indie dance floor fillers, and finally on the 1st of November the ‘Manchester Girl Geeks Tea Party’ set up shop allowing attendees to talk for 10 to 20 minutes on anything to do with science, technology or engineering. Either that or chuck a few balls when you get a bit bored.

It is estimated that people in their thousands came to experience Manchester’s Science Festival.

It is set to return in October 2016.

Photo: Museum of Science and Industry

Anechoic Chamber Andy van den Bent-Kelly Science & Technology Editor Everyone wants some peace and quiet every once in a while. Sadly, for most of us it can be pretty hard to obtain.

A normal conversation at a distance of one metre measures roughly 50 decibels. Even in supposedly quiet places like a library, the constant murmuring of people and machines equates to about 40 dB. The normal adult hearing threshold is zero dB – the true definition of peace and quiet. But there are places much quieter than that around.

One such facility is the anechoic chamber at the University of Salford. The noise level inside this specially-designed room is estimated to be -12.4 dB – much quieter than what even a young child can hear.

The chamber is not normally open to the public, although a limited number of people were allowed to visit for the Science Festival. I was fortunate enough to receive a private tour with a PhD student, Joshua Meggitt.

The chamber itself is an intriguing piece of architecture. It’s a room inside a room, with huge springs in-between the two sets of walls to absorb any exterior vibrations.

Upon stepping inside, you’re greeted with

An episode of BBC Radio Four’s The Infinite Monkey Cage was recorded at the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry last week as part of the Manchester Science Festival.

In the hour long show, Professor Brian Cox and Comedian Robin Ince were joined by University of Manchester Professors Tim O’Brien and Sarah Bridle, along with comedian Jon Culshaw, to tackle the question ‘what kind of shovel would we need to dig into dark matter?’

“We only know what 5 per cent of the universe is made of,” O’Brien explains. “The search for the missing 95 per cent - the dark matter and the mysterious dark energy - is definitely one of the most important topics in modern astrophysics.”

O’Brien works alongside Sarah Bridle at the University of Manchester’s Jodrell Bank Observatory in Macclesfield. Researchers at the centre, O’Brien explains, work on a huge range of projects “from understanding the Sun to the origins of the Universe.”

These types of topics are incredibly complex, and the programme tackles them with a unique approach: humour.

Dark matter is an especially complex topic to grasp as it is both unknown and invisible. If you have a box of dark energy in a box and expand it, Bridle describes to the audience, you will end up with more dark energy then when you began.

Discussing the topic at hand, Ince jokes, “will take

about five minutes because it turns out scientists haven’t got very far.”

“Some solution would be great,” he continues, “that’s what I think we should put above the door of every laboratory.” This statement was followed by a “Cox off” in which all of the panel members took turns impersonating their fellow panel member.

References to Henry the Eighth, speculation over the existence of ghosts, and Carl Sagan impressions were all interspersed throughout the one hour show. Using humour such as this is key to attracting listeners and developing interest in complex scientific questions.

“Science is part of our culture,” O’Brien tells The Mancunion, “just as much as reading a book, going to the cinema or theatre, or listening to a great piece of music – it should be discussed widely. “ “There was a good mix of information and some light-hearted banter,” said Vicky Rosin, the programme director for the European City of Science Open Forum. “I have to confess that I didn’t understand it all!

“Although researchers are well-trained in research methodology and tools, they often do not receive the training to communicate their findings in terms that non specialists can understand. This is why events like these are helpful; they decrease the barriers to science and provide a fun and interactive platform where people can get excited and inform themselves about the day-to-day implications of science.”

The Infinite Monkey Cage will continue recording this autumn in the United States.

large foam triangles poking out at you from all directions. This jagged, spongy design is chosen for a reason – to absorb sound. The foam itself is highly absorbent, and the triangular shapes ensure that no sound is reflected back out to the centre of the chamber.

Even the floor is like this; we’re suspended on a wire mesh just above it.

As Josh turns round to slide the door shut, the sense of tranquillity quickly becomes more apparent. Suddenly, there’s no noise coming from outside; it’s almost as if I’ve put ear muffs on.

Josh speaks to me as he seals the door, but even though he’s only a metre or so away, I can hardly hear him. Since he’s facing the wall, almost all the sound being projected from his mouth is being absorbed.

He then turns round to face me, and the difference is remarkable. Now that most of the sound waves are propagating directly towards me, I can hear him clearly. It’s still a bit muffled, but the change is astonishing.

He then talks about what the chamber is actually used for. It’s a perfect environment for testing all sorts of sound equipment, particularly loudspeakers and microphones. In a normal room, reflections from the walls and ceiling affect the overall results while testing. This effect

doesn’t occur in a room with no echoes.

He also explained that one student used the room to study the sound of rain on rooftops. To perform this experiment outdoors would be impossible – the sound would be drowned out by other sources.

The student therefore set up an apparatus of a pipette suspended above a glass surface in the chamber and recorded the sound of the water drop falling onto it.

At this point I decide it’s time to debunk a

Photo: University of Salford

myth regarding anechoic chambers. It seems to be widely believed that spending about half an hour isolated in one of them can drive you mad and cause wild hallucinations.

Unsurprisingly, Josh laughs this off. The rumours are false. However, he does inform me that the chamber can be extremely uncomfort-

able for people suffering from claustrophobia.

“We use sound to perceive distance,” he explains. “Echoes from a wall allow us to determine how big the space we’re in actually is.

“But in the anechoic chamber, there are no echoes, because all the sound is absorbed by the walls. So it’s easy for your brain to become confused and it can feel like you’re trapped.”

So what does happen if you spend an extended period of time alone in the chamber?

After about five to ten minutes, Josh explains, your ears begin to relax. This can almost be thought of as an acclimatisation period.

After this has occurred, previously inaudible sounds become very obvious. You can hear your heart thumping in your chest, blood gushing through your head – you might even be able to hear a high-pitched hiss, caused by spontaneous firings of the auditory nerve. However quiet you think your body might be, you’re wrong.

To demonstrate just how quiet it really is, Josh pops a balloon. The bang normally associated with this bursting is severely diminished- it’s nothing more than a little pop, barely audible and barely lasting any time at all.

The visit, which also included stepping into a couple of other facilities at Salford’s acoustic labs, was a hugely interesting one and provided me with an intriguing insight into what peace and quiet really is.

Feature 9

ISSUE 7 / 9th NOVEMBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Socialism and Space

Science & Technology Editor Andy van den Bent-Kelly attended an intriguing talk about why any future colonisation of Mars must be a socialist endeavour Socialism. Space. Two words both in the public eye in recent times. Socialism has enjoyed an unprecedented surge to the forefront of the British political landscape with the election of Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party. Space is an ever-present feature in the imagination of the general public, with the recent discovery of evidence suggesting that water once flowed on the surface of Mars adding to the sense of intrigue at the cosmos.

You could be forgiven for thinking that the two words share little in common other than their starting letter. Indeed, modern space exploration ventures appear to be firmly rooted in the capitalist camp.

NASA’s long-running space shuttle programme ceased operations four years ago, spawning the true dawn of the space tourism age. Entrepreneurs like Elon Musk are pumping staggering figures of money into huge projects as space exploration shifts further into the private sector.

It looks increasingly likely that space exploration is on an unstoppable march towards the right and that any dreams of a non-bureaucratic space programme are worthless.

That certainly isn’t the view held by many of those on the left.

In an event organised by Spring Manchester, two staunch socialist speakers with strong interests in various aspects of the cosmos spoke to an eager left-wing crowd about why humanity must continue with its attempts to venture beyond our skies and why it must be performed from a socialist perspective.

Nathan Coombs was the first speaker to address the audience. A research fellow in sociology at the University of Edinburgh, his fields of research include realism in the philosophy of science and in social theory.

Coombs began by highlighting the impact that Corbyn’s victory could have on our way of thinking.

“Right now there is an appetite to revive some of the optimism and modernist spirit of earlier forms of left wing thinking,” he explained, suggesting that we build on these past thoughts and look forward.

“How can the left imagine a positive future?” he pondered.

The answer, he said, is a wandering red object in the sky.

Mars. A celestial body with a mysterious allure that no other planet can rival. For centuries it has been a source of intrigue and wonder, especially regarding the possibility that it could support life.

But most of the sense of mystery and speculation surrounding the planet’s nature ended decades ago. Since the first flyby in 1965, we have sent dozens of spacecraft to the Red Planet. Two of them – Opportunity and Curiosity – are still happily trundling around on the surface. A further five are still functioning in orbit. We now know more about Mars than we do about any other planet (asides from Earth).

Mars is no longer the enigma it once was. Indeed, as Coombs put it, “Mars is an actuality that we’re having to contend with right now.” It has truly broken into the cultural sphere.

In one of their more recent mission statements, NASA explicitly state their desire to shift away from low-Earth orbit and towards what they call ‘Earthindependent exploration’. In other words, anything but Mars or beyond will be a failure. An initiative that used to lie deep in the realms of science fiction is now genuine policy.

In addition to this, the American military agency DARPA are rumoured to be developing geneticallyengineered lifeforms that can thrive on the Martian surface and potentially play a role in any terraforming attempts.

But where does politics fit into all this?

“There are two ways to think about the politics of Martian colonisation,” Coombs stated. “Existential and materialist.”

He mentioned a recent article in the magazine Jacobin by Nick Levine, which states that we should be primarily focused on ‘extra-terrestrial economic justice’, rather than being blinded by ‘space romanticism’.

Coombs wasn’t entirely convinced by this argument. “Since we’re talking about events taking place at least decades in the future, I don’t believe there is any realistic way to deliberate on the distributional consequences of space exploration,” he explained.

It’s a valid point. Despite our recent advances, the idea of mass space exploration still has a foot in the science fiction field. We’ve not yet made enough progress to say what the outcomes will be.

Will it simply serve to expand capitalism? Will it be a distraction from our own economic and social

woes back here on Earth? It’s just too early to say.

Coombs then spoke of what he called the three great existential events that humanity will face in the future – the advent of artificial intelligence, the immortality of the human race and the colonisation and subsequent terraformation of Mars.

“As the conditions for such events take shape, a sense of anticipation builds,” Coombs said.

Of the three events, the third has undoubtedly seen the quickest progress. We are at the stage where we can safely say that humans will set foot on Mars within the next few decades – it’s a matter of ‘when’, not ‘if’.

The idea of terraforming was first planted in the minds of the public by the legendary science fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson, in his famous Mars Trilogy.

The books document humanity’s departure from Earth to make a new one by colonising and terraforming Mars.

In the first novel, called Red Mars, differing sociopolitical viewpoints on terraforming lead to the formation of two factions – the Reds and the Greens.

The Red stance is very naturalist: Mars should be left alone, free from any human footprint. Terraforming is out of the question. After all, what right does humankind have to change an entire planet?

Every right, according to the Green faction. Put simply, the fact that they have set foot on Mars is already an act of terraforming, so why not continue?

The fundamental ethos behind the Green stance is that in a Universe so empty, life is too scarce and precious to forsake. It must be appreciated and duly spread at all costs.

“We have the potential to make a new world for ourselves – entirely from scratch,” said Coombs. “A world which we owe to no one and nothing else.

“On Mars, we will be the givers of life – and depending on the outcome we will only have ourselves to congratulate or blame for what we create.”

He went on to explain that despite the project’s modernist, yet humanist nature, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the prospect of Martian colonisation is fundamentally left-wing. It could equally head off in a libertarian direction.

“But just as the Russian Revolution was infused by cosmist ideas,” he explained, “there is a natural complementarity between radical left ideas and the project for Martian colonisation and terraforming which it would be unwise to ignore.”

He concluded by responding to critics of the socialist view of space.

“Right-wing Blairites like to talk about the left needing to embrace the idea of ‘aspiration’. How sweet it would be to point out their lack of ambition.

“We not only want to create a new world, but two.”

The second speaker was Ken MacLeod, a popular science fiction author who has published fourteen novels to date. A fervent socialist, his books frequently explore the intertwining of left-wing thought, cultural evolution and futuristic utopias.

“We’ve all grown up in a world in which the overwhelming pressure of the ideological heritage that we have comes from at least one civilisation that went down,” he proclaimed, referencing the Roman Empire and the spread of Christianity across Europe that spawned from it.

Are we all living in a Capitalist Empire on the verge

Image: Red London

The Greens therefore want to make Mars habitable through radical terraforming, a notion which is approved. It’s certainly not inconceivable that humanity will have to make these decisions in the not-too-distant future. And it’s highly likely that when the time comes, strongly differing views will lead to the formation of factions.

The whole idea of terraforming Mars points towards the fundamental existential question about what our place in the Universe really is.

“If we go to Mars and terraform it, there is nothing left,” stated Coombs. “We are responsible for it.”

Some people may not fully appreciate the existential enormity of what it would it mean to terraform Mars. They might ask: how is it any different to what we’ve done on Earth? Since developing into the dominant species on our planet, we have changed the nature of our home beyond recognition.

The key difference here is that we were given Earth. Whether you interpret it as being a gift from a higher power, or as just a chance surprise from the Universe, makes no difference. The point is that Earth is not something that we marched towards, planted a flag and claimed as our own.

No matter how advanced we think we are, we’re no different to any other species on the planet in this respect. Every living thing on Earth is born there, makes use of its resources, and dies there. Put simply, we are not the highest power.

Mars, on the other hand, isn’t ours. Barring a few Martian meteorites, we don’t own anything that this world has produced.

of downfall? Could Corbyn be to socialists what Constantine was to Christians? Maybe.

“We’re currently living in a civilisation facing a crisis,” according to MacLeod. “It’s very hard to see a happy and progressive way forward if you abide by capitalism.”

The immediate future doesn’t look bright at all, with the country consigned to at least five years of Conservative government. But in the long term, MacLeod is confident of a happy and progressive way forward.

“We can outlive capitalism and therefore look beyond it,” he said.

He spoke of the responsibility that we all share for the future of the human race and stressed the importance of taking humanism seriously.

MacLeod then proceeded to quote a common analogy regarding humanity’s place in time.

“If you think of the past as one day, we are just living in the last split second of that day.

“If you think of someone standing up and raising their hand as high as possible, representing the whole history of everything, all humanity would be on the end of a fingernail. You could easily file it off.”

MacLeod dismissed this with a laugh, turning the quote on its head. He passionately spoke of the immensity of futurity, asserting that we should view ourselves as at the start of something, rather than at the end.

“We are in the first few seconds of a very, very long future,” he exclaimed. “And we can expect that if the working class has the future in its hands, it’s a

bloody big future!”

He referred to the Russian Revolution of 1917, which saw the abolishment of Tsarist autocracy and set the foundations in place for the rise of the Soviet Union.

The socialist state that emerged was a pioneer in the exploration of the cosmos; indeed, it was the Soviet Union that launched the first artificial satellite into space in the form of Sputnik 1. This achievement was bettered just four years later, when Yuri Gagarin became the first human to venture into outer space and orbit the Earth.

The fact that all this was accomplished by a socialist state was no coincidence. Space exploration has never been about bureaucrats or corporate gain. It has always been a people’s project: to expand our knowledge basin, to broaden our horizons and to benefit all humanity, not just a wealthy few.

“The socialist aspect of space exploration has deep roots,” explained MacLeod. “The working class pioneered space travel and made it routine.

“To carry out a space program requires the socialist apparatus of planning and cooperation.”

MacLeod then spoke of how space exploration has developed since his childhood. In his mind, humanity is yet to surpass the Apollo landings.

“The big triumph of space program in my youth was landing on Moon,” he said. “But after Apollo, NASA ran out of exciting things to do and throw money at.”

He certainly has a point. Although we’ve seen the construction of staggeringly-complex space stations and established space shuttle programs to send astronauts to them, the fact remains that all these endeavours have been conducted in lowEarth orbit.

After setting foot on the Moon, humanity dreamed of going bigger and better and extending our footprint further into the Solar System. Concepts of establishing a lunar colony and then venturing out to Mars and beyond were born, but the reality was that the relevant agencies couldn’t keep up with the public’s desires and demands.

Interest in space dwindled, leaving the door open for the libertarian free market to take over space exploration, with some success.

“The libertarians didn’t succeed at the time,” stated MacLeod, “but sparked off some continuing interest.”

As Coombs did earlier in the discussion, MacLeod then proceeded to reference some literature, namely ‘The Millennial Project: Colonizing the Galaxy in Eight Easy Steps’ by Marshall T. Savage.

The book fits firmly into the category of exploratory engineering and outlines a potential method for widespread interstellar colonisation.

The eight steps begin on Earth – it’s not until step three where it’s suggested that ground-based lasers could be used to propel objects into orbit. From there, Savage proposes building space stations and establishing moon colonies, before finally addressing the prospect of terraforming Mars in step six.

Although the ideas may seem far-fetched, they’re all feasible in engineering terms. According to MacLeod, similar ventures have failed in the same way that utopian colonies in America have failed – they either just didn’t work, or they turned into small businesses. However, he stressed that this shouldn’t discourage us.

“With a combination of planning and mass individual, freethinking, enthusiastic small-scale stuff, it’s entirely possible to do the sorts of things that these people envisaged,” he stated.

“There are such immense resources in the asteroid belt and in the Solar System moons that the possibilities are absolutely staggering,” he explained.

“You could have trillions of people living comfortably in space with resources from the asteroid belt, even though it consists of far less mass than even the Moon!”

He summarised his thoughts by stating the importance of venturing out towards Mars.

“If humanity is to survive, we won’t do it on Earth.”

The talk was followed by an entertaining Q&A session, in which topics including the role of automation, the idea of building a heaven on Earth and the possibility of elitism in space were discussed.

I left the room inspired. As a Labour-voting astrophysics student, socialism and space both play an important role in my life. But never before had I properly considered how intricately linked the two really were. Space always has been a socialist endeavour and we must work to ensure that the keys to widespread space exploration don’t slip into the wrong hands.

And as for Mars – when we get there, let’s make it a truly Red Planet.

Opinion

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Hesitating to Laugh Jessica Chow-Lau on the censoring of raw and cutting comedy Artistic censorship exists in the same universe as oppressive governments, graphic depictions of a woman’s body, and all other things young people enthusiastically champion against. If asked whether art should ever be edited for public display, the answer will almost always speak for how receptive to new ideas someone is and— because millennials are seen as open-minded—the consensus is usually no.

Paradoxically, the same age group of 12 – 34 year olds also has had a staunchly expurgating attitude towards the art that was welcomed by their parents. In the form of political correctness, comedians are being pushed to construct their jokes to either fit a certain configuration that repeat (without creativity) multicultural, gender equal, LGBT, handicapped sensitivities or resort to aeroplane food humor. Narrow analysis that fuel raging demands for apologies discourages comedians to comment on deepseated injustices and society’s unconscious ideologies. As a result, it is my opinion that comedic censorship by well-meaning social activists obstruct the free flow of ideas in society.

This past June, veteran comedian Jerry Seinfeld expressed how excessive concern over jokes covering minority groups bothered him. Almost instantaneously, liberal media outlets like Salon and The Huffington Post defended the idea of a PC police, denying the harms.

Most (if not all) lambasted Seinfeld for not being able to adapt to a changing society where people are more aware of discrimination. He doesn’t pander to an audience outside of his fan base, he stated his opinion in response to a question, and is a successful straight white man—that’s hardly grounds for lumping him with sectarian dogmatists. In the fight for equality, some have demonized all straight white men because many offenders fit the criteria.

Energy spent on that however, dilutes the equality movement and takes focus away from the original idea.

This is an excerpt from Jessica’s article the rest of which can be found online at www.mancunion.com

ISSUE 7 / 9th NOVEMBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

The Students’ Union Senate is fatally flawed.

The newly introduced body possess fundamental issues that need to be challenged Joe Evans Opinion Editor Two weeks ago saw the first meeting of the Students’ Union’s new democratic body. The newly formulated Senate is responsible for representing students, shaping Union policy, and holding elected representatives to account. It is—at its heart—a well-intentioned organisation. Its essential aim is to make the Union more democratic by giving the student body a voice.

Good intentions aside though it is, in places, fundamentally flawed to the point of being undemocratic. In its early stages, teething problems are inevitable, but it cannot claim to be representative of anybody while carrying with it such clear constitutional issues.

One of the more nuanced issues facing the Senate is a lack of education surrounding its workings. Opening the first Senate agenda was a series of bylaw amendments each to be voted on a Yes or No basis. The issue here is that a glance around the room made clear the lack of clarity regarding the content of the constitution. From a position of such misunderstanding, making a valid judgement on amendments is impossible.

This is relevant given that one amendment was to allow non-elected nominees to sit in for elected members of the Senate should the latter be unable to attend. On issues such as this, issues that pertain to the elected legitimacy from which the Senate claims its power, knowledge as to what you are condoning is vital. In an ideal world everybody involved would have an intimate knowledge of the constitution, which is available for us all to study in our downtime.

Unless you are a paid member of staff, whose job it is to know the constitution, this is impractical. What this results in is Student Exec members explaining amendments to their own constitution from a position that is nothing like that of an independent adjudicator.

In issues like this, more transparency and less insularity would not harm Union politics. Instead it would only generate more faith in the work the Union does and the democracy they claim to speak on behalf of. The issue of transparency is also highlighted in the ordering of policy proposals.

If the Union truly serves as our voice then its politics are our politics.

Last week, the Safe Space Policy, which made national news, was seventh to be voted on. Placed ahead of this was the introduction of Amazon Lockers in the Students’ Union, an issue that clearly carries less importance. Senate members are contacted via the Union’s Democracy Coordinator prior to sittings in order to vote on order. This is a good start, but it does promote the idea that this could be more visibly extended to the entire student body.

If we accept the premise that the Senate represents the student body—a premise itself built on shaky foundations—it would still be more fitting for votes on which proposals are most pressing to

be clearly extended beyond this clique.

Promotion of an extension outside the Council Chambers and into the university body would serve to further remove the murkiness shrouding the Senate’s actions.

Rather than—in the case of the Safe Space debate—rumours of filibustering being cultivated, forthright politics should be the target, undermining any perceived lack of agency in order to effect the Union’s actions.

Even as a member of the Senate, attempting to sit in on the debate presents its own challenges. Voting via the raising of hands is an issue that needs to be addressed, especially given that some votes are conducted anonymously evidencing the possibility for all votes to be the same. Relating again to Senate procedures, public voting, when combined with various hand gestures and stipulations—about which some members of the Senate are unaware—serve to pull the shutters down further on the seemingly closed shop of Union politics.

Alongside this, rather than engaging in the debate, elected members find themselves cast out to the fringes, left scratching their heads at what it turns out is called deaf clapping.

Despite this though the Senate’s most undemocratic flaw is its issue with just who is voting on Union policy. In the first meeting of the Senate, the issue of whether the Union should officially support a campaign for the protection of the NHS was voted on. This is essentially a political debate, posing the question of what right Senate members without a political mandate have to dictate the Union’s position.

If the Union truly serves as our voice then its politics are our politics. Sat on the Senate, voting on our Union’s political stance, was a collection of people without

any elected political authority.

The deputy Editor-in-Chief of <em>The Mancunion</em>, for example, has the power to dictate policy, and so too does the Captain of the Athletics Union. Likewise representatives of non-political charitable organisations have a say. These are just some examples, and this is in no way meant as a slight on these individuals. I’m sure they campaigned for their positions driven by a passion for their areas of interest. What I am saying however is that their electorate gave them no political mandate from which to influence politics, and this is a fatal and fundamentally undemocratic flaw in the Senate.

The Senate cannot outline policies unless it is mandated and in order to do this there need to be elections based on people’s political ideology. In other words, a separate body needs to exist to deal with these issues. We would condemn a national electorate who were kept in the dark like this and would argue that lack of information forces people into uninformed voting. It is wholly undemocratic, and its influence in terms of putting politics in place is huge.

As I said at the beginning, I do truly think that the Senate was created with good intentions and, in its defence, it does extend a hand to try and include people that otherwise wouldn’t have a say in student politics.

Where this goodwill disintegrates though is in the fundamentally undemocratic elements of its makeup. Those without the support of an informed electorate must not dictate politics, and the lack of forthrightness surrounding the Senate’s practices needs to be challenged. That, sadly, is damaging any sense of its positive potential.

Will tax credits unstick Cameron’s slick style?

George Bolton looks at how David Cameron’s PR managed answers could be harming his credibility Last week in Prime Minister’s Questions, a clear clash between the politics of the new and old occurred. Jeremy Corbyn’s trademark straight-talking, honest politics were on clear display as he repeatedly asked the prime minister if three million people would be worse off after the impending cuts to tax credits— even with the chancellor succumbing to the overwhelming pressure to “soften the blow.” In the long-term, however, George Osborne’s future prospects may well benefit from the fact that the House of Lords have hindered the progress of his harsh reforms. As for Corbyn, he now has the prime minister on the backfoot. His confident and passionate stubbornness of the issue could win some Conservative voters back if they feel betrayed by these hidden cuts.

David Cameron’s sleek, Blair-esque knack for dodging difficult questions proved extremely effective during the general election campaign, but the public’s patience is wearing thin. At no point was this clearer than recently on Question Time, when an enraged, Toryvoting mother expressed her feelings of disgust and betrayal. Before the general election, not even Jeremy Paxman could destabilise the electorate’s evident confidence in Cameron, even when food banks were the subject matter. Now, the tide is changing. The vague and slippery technique that both Blair and Cameron mastered (and Miliband, not so much) is rapidly becoming a political burden. Like with all tricks, after a while, the audience is beginning to catch on.

This is manifesting itself in two main ways. First of all in Prime Minister’s Questions, in which the juxtaposition between Cameron and Corbyn’s speaking style was blindingly obvious. Replying to the Leader of the Opposition’s question:

Photo: Donkey Honkey @Flickr

“Will you confirm right now the tax credit cuts will not make anyone worse off in April next year?” Cameron could only reply “What we want is for people to be better off because we are cutting their taxes and increasing their pay.” This obvious inability, or unwillingness, to honestly answer an incredibly important question surely could erode the reputation of the prime minister.

During the bewildering election campaign, this sidestepping of questions comes in handy because in this period, it is the words that matter most. When it comes to the incomes of the poorest working people in the country, however, no

amount of spin can save the Government.

This is something that even Tory backbenchers such as Heidi Allen, MP for South Cambridgeshire, who vigilantly argued: “as these proposals stand, too many people will be adversely affected.”

Allen’s defiance showed uncharacteristic cracks appearing around the Conservative Party’s economic policy.

We only have to look back to Margaret Thatcher’s Poll Tax disaster to remind ourselves of what can happen if an overconfident prime minister is blinded by a grand vision and overlooks both backbenchers and public opinion. If these reforms did go ahead in their original

form they could have very well caused serious damage to Cameron and Osborne’s credibility. Of course, Cameron is far more conscientious than the Iron Lady, and is no doubt quietly grateful for the House of Lords veto in light of the recent political outcry.

These tax credit reforms are a major focal point for Cameron’s second term. If he wants to prove to the electorate that his party really is that of the “working people,” cutting the income of 3 million families by an average of £550 per year is, to put it lightly, a step in the wrong direction.

Trust is also a major issue here; a key mistake of Blair’s government was to promise to not raise income tax, and then proceed to cut marriage tax credits and raise VAT. This quickly turned Blair’s charm from an appeal into a vice. The same could feasibly happen to Cameron.

These sneaky and deceptive tactics that have become the norm in recent politics have and will continue to erode the public’s trust in political parties.

To claim that tax credits is a hurdle for Cameron and Osborne however, is far from doubting the ability of the dynamic duo to recover from such a setback. As Thatcher proved in her first term, it is possible to infuriate the electorate, reverse unpopular policies and restore popularity all within 4 years. Similarly, to applaud Corbyn’s effectiveness in Prime Minister’s Questions is far from arguing that he could go on to win the next general election. Corbyn has proved himself an effective speaker with strong principles—but this is not enough on its own. These qualities may merely be, as many have claimed, those of a “protest politician.” It will prove to be the make or break of Corbyn’s Labour whether or not he will be able to exploit the current wobbles of the government.

Opinion11

ISSUE 7 / 9th NOVEMBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Uber, Uber über alles

In its rapid rise to dominance Uber has made itself some powerful enemies. Liam Kelly outlines why and also explains his undying love for Uber’s service.

I love Uber taxis. I’ve been using Uber for over a year now, and it’s a thoroughly pleasant experience: The cars are clean and the drivers are polite and only too happy to engage in conversation. Payment is handled through the app and estimated in advance, so late-night detours to an ATM are no longer needed, and you can split fares with friends through the app. Heck, you can even play your own Spotify playlists through the car’s sound system.

Most crucially, using Uber is cheaper than other minicab firms, and a lot cheaper than black cabs.

Using Uber has, in its own little way, improved my quality of life.

Part of Uber’s charm is that it is exceedingly simple. You open the app, tap the screen, and a car arrives to meet you, usually within a few minutes.

Their drivers are contractors, who use their own car, and tend to be attracted to the flexibility this provides. Uber takes a 20 per cent commission from every fare. I am yet to meet an Uber driver who moans about the company.

As well as customers and drivers, a third group of people enthusing about Uber are investors. After a $1 billion fundraising exercise this year, the company is now valued at $50 billion—reaching this ridiculous level two years earlier than Facebook.

Uber is by no means perfect: There has been controversy concerning what some see as flouting regulations and cutting corners on background checks, and the company courted controversy during the 2014 Sydney café siege, when prices were

quadrupled in the area. Perhaps most annoyingly, Uber paid only £22,000 in tax in the UK last year (though this is also a problem to do with the maladroitness of governments when trying to levy multinationals).

In short, barring a few hiccups, Uber has proved a revelation—not just changing the game of private transport, but creating a new game altogether.

However, not everyone shares the glowing positivity towards Uber that I do. The most vociferous critics of Uber and its business model are, unsurprisingly, long-established, old-fashioned taxi companies. In the UK, this has mainly taken the form of those who drive black cabs in London.

I say black cabs, but they are actually Hackney carriages, a term that, in the past, has applied to numerous variations of horse-drawn carriages. I’m sure the drivers of those were more dismayed at the arrival of motorised taxis than their modern-day successors have been by the arrival of Uber.

The primary source of the London cabbies’ opprobrium is that Uber have proved themselves to be better, cheaper and quicker than they have. Or, to couch it in their terms, Uber drivers’ use of a satnav, rather than learning an unfathomable number of possible routes across the capital, makes the playing field uneven for black cab drivers.

The Knowledge, as it is known, casts the cabbies in an unflattering light, where they are at once arrogant and oblivious to 21st century technological advances. In our world of sat-navs and the internet,

there is absolutely no reason to learn their way around the streets of any city by heart.

Unfortunately for Uber, where tradition provides legitimacy, anything novel tends to be treated with suspicion, or outright hostility.

Transport for London (TfL) decided to respond to Uber’s market dominance and innovation by proposing to change the regulations to which car hire companies must comply. Jarringly, these proposals include a mandatory minimum five-minute wait between the customer requesting a car on a car hire app like Uber, and being allowed to get into the car.

It is estimated this move could leave each Londonbased Uber driver up to £1,000 worse off per year.

Logically, this is dumbfounding. Surely the solution to arrest the rise of Uber would be for the black cab drivers to up their game? Maybe they could consider being more pleasant, or charging less extortionate fares.

Apply the same idea to any other business startup, and TfL’s proposals look even more ridiculous.

Say you were Paz, the Kebab King of Fallowfield.

You are the undisputed top dog in the late-night takeaway game, and you’ve got the student demographic nailed down. Suddenly, a spate of new takeaways are opened, that offer nicer food and better service at a fraction of the price. You, Paz, would be forced to change your business model to make your offering more attractive to potential customers, rather than complain to municipal authorities to stifle the new guys.

Obviously, authorities need to ensure that Uber— and all other private car hire firms, for that matter— comply with regulations and provide background checks on all their drivers. However, authorities should not conjure up new, stifling regulations out of thin air to placate those who get misty-eyed about their position of archaic privilege. Just look at how well protectionism worked before the world wars.

To get serious for a moment (sorry!), one of the biggest sticks that critics have used to hit Uber with has been fears about passengers being raped by their drivers. Indeed, in October, a former Uber driver in India was convicted of raping one of his female passengers, leading to the app being banned in the country. Despite this horrific crime, Uber cars tend to be safer for punters since, before you get into the car, you are sent a photograph of your driver, as well as their rating by other customers and their licence plate. Surely that is a smart precaution to have in place?

In this age of increasing interconnectivity across the world, it would be folly and extremely shortsighted to deny Uber the room to revolutionise the way we transport ourselves across increasingly hectic urban landscapes because new-age Luddites insist that we stifle progress to preserve a status quo that works in their favour.

If you’ve read this and feel compelled to sign up to Uber, you can get £10 free credit by using the promo code ‘liamk61’.

Why we can’t just ‘move on’ from slavery Lower prosperity, lower educational attainment and higher suspicion. The legacy of slavery is still very much with us in our society today Envisage inhabiting a world where the history and heritage of your ancestors has been obliterated. Now further imagine living in a society that perceives the darkness of your skin as an indicator of social class, deviance, and even intelligence. For millions of Africans and Afro-Caribbean people, this is a part of living reality.

Despite its eventual disbandment, the British Empire is still lauded by many a proud, and some may argue ill-informed, Englishman. “What an achievement,” “We conquered one-third of the World,” “Rule Britannia,” I can still hear the taunts of my former school friends even today. Although there seems to be ubiquitous acknowledgment of the tremendous feat achieved by such a small nation— and let me not undermine the accomplishment—little remorse, recognition or even empathy is given to ancestors whose blood and sweat built this ‘great nation’ and the despicably inhumane way it was built.

“We live in a society whereby the colour of your skin is a predictor of the degree of success you can expect to achieve.”

It was but three weeks ago David Cameron attempted to take an emollient approach to the topic of slave reparations whilst visiting Jamaica, stating a need to “move on” from the “painful legacy and continue to build for the future.”

Yet, the refusal to confront Britain’s substantial role in what was a barbaric and heavily industrialized slave regime and subsequent plan to invest £25 million on a prison to deport Jamaican prisoners to has had many a political commentator describe it as a “slap in the face.”

Undoubtedly, Britain profited vastly from the use of slave labour, the extent to which many historians have failed to fully calculate. Nevertheless, it was this influx of money which helped power the Indus-

Glasgow Museum of Modern Art. Originally William Cunninghame’s house, built from the proceeds of slavery.

Photo: givingnot@rocketmail.com @Flickr

Kyle Huggins Contributor trial Revolution propelling Britain to the precipice of the world, creating a super power status it has failed to reach since the end of the empire. It is even estimated up to 20 per cent of Britain’s current GDP can be traced back to slavery.

Off the backs of slaves British imperialism proliferated and thrived, yet the narrative surrounding slavery has been distorted to emphasise Britain’s role in the abolition of slavery. With distinctly less emphasis on the £16.5 – 18 billion (in today’s money) which was paid to the slave owners across the land in compensation. The emancipated slaves received nothing but apprenticeship, colonialism and a second-class citizenship along with a prolonged fight for the right to be seen as equal, a fight that continues to this day.

Many of the countries established as slave nations and colonies continue to be blighted by vast social issues and lack of economical development, a continued legacy of slavery. Take Jamaica, it’s economy has been stagnant for the last 30 years with GDP increasing on average only 1 per cent a year, poverty has increased to 20 per cent and unemployment is above 12 per cent. These trends are reciprocated across the Caribbean with an undeniable link to the

fallout from their slavery experience.

But what is more harrowing is not simply the economic or physical deprivation of these countries, it’s the position and appearance of black people within the Western world.

“It is estimated that 50 per cent of black children aged seven are living in poverty.”

We live in a society whereby the colour of your skin is a predictor of the degree of success you can expect to achieve, where the colour of your skin is a predictor of what job prospects attainable, where

the colour of your skin dictates where you can and cannot go, where you will and will not be accepted.

This is the most disturbing consequence from slavery.

We are presented as living in a multicultural egalitarian society, yet at almost every stage in life Black citizens are disadvantaged, 30 per cent of Black Caribbeans and 50 per cent of Black Africans are living in low income housing. It is estimated 50 per cent of black children aged seven are living in poverty, with Black Caribbeans three times more likely to be excluded from school than any other group. Black people are six times more likely to be sectioned and six times more likely to be stopped and searched whilst five times more likely to be imprisoned in England and Wales.

With more young black men from in prison than attending Russell Group institutions. An intergenerational transmission of trauma has occurred whereby, blackness is still equated to being a second-class citizen. In our society you are more likely to be stopped by the police, more likely to be turned away from a club, you are not taught anything about your history other than your people were slaves.

And whilst our relatives across the world struggle from the fiscal and physical effects of slavery this is just the practical manifestation of the damage caused. The deep-rooted psychological eradication of what it is to be black has occurred and needs to be addressed, with the British establishment taking responsibility with compunction.

In today’s society, the topic of reparations is met with vitriol from various members of both the left and right. Nothing more emphasizes this than Parliament’s current public policy of refusing to recognize the atrocities committed throughout the 17th to 19th centuries. Yet the argument surrounding reparations occurs within a reductionist paradigm whereby monetary compensation dominates the rhetoric, demeaning the argument.

Reparations as defined in the dictionary is the “the action of making amends for a wrong one has done.” Financial compensation is a factor, however, not the most important measure of this, no matter how parsimonious our government is. In order to make amends there firstly needs to be the admittance of some wrongdoing, this is the most pivotal stride the British Government could make. Debt cancellation, investment in infrastructure, better trade links and increased education will further aid countries still struggling to develop.

Music

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ISSUE 7 / 9th NOVEMBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Feature

Dusk til dawn: Inside the world of Dusky Ed John speaks to Dusky about the multifarious lifestyle of the modern DJ producing, DJing, and their own label, 17 Steps

To some, headlining one of last year’s Warehouse Project lineups, getting support from the likes of DJ Mag and Pete Tong, and releasing yet another critically acclaimed project in July 2015 sounds like a dream.

To others, it sounds like the definition of success, but to Nick Harriman and Alfie Granger-Howell, better known to the world as Dusky, it’s far from the finished story of their musical careers so far.

A product of everything from jazz piano and composition to UK rave culture, the duo have seen meteoric success within the house and techno scenes over the past few years. Their debut album, Stick By This, was described by legendary BBC Radio 1 DJ Pete Tong as the album of the year shortly after its release in 2011, and since then, things have only been getting better for the London-based duo.

But, despite all of this success, Nick and Alfie manage to stay humble. They describe fellow DJ and producer Loefah getting on board and helping to expose their 2012 EP, Flo Jam, as a “big moment,” and, in regards to Tong’s support, readily admit how it helped to get “a lot of other underground producers and DJs on board.”

Yet, it’s not just the support of others that has led to the pair seeing themselves become a household name within the current dance music climate. A wide range of influences and experimental elements to their music help to keep it fresh and one step ahead of the abundance of other acts fighting for exposure in the

UK. Much of this influence, according to Nick, comes from “where we grew up and spent our formative days raving.” Alfie concurs, adding, “growing up in London, there was a lot of dance music on both regular and pirate radio.” This influence is clearly evident in the duo’s music, which, by their own admission, often varies and strays from the typical house and techno sound of which they are a part.

But with an ever-increasing vibrant and varied scene as the one present in the UK at the moment, is it surprising that their inspiration also incorporates, according to Alfie, “many styles of music outside of dance music—jazz, classical, hip-hop, soul, rock and so on.” It’s on the subject of this expanding and evolving scene that the two offer some advice to those seeking to kick start their own careers in the production world. When asked of their views and ideas regarding new artists releasing their material online, Nick offers some sound advice, explaining that “patience is a virtue” and stressing the importance of not losing sight of your objectivity, whilst also offering a warning in regards to being “far too eager to release tracks” before they’re suitable to do so.

It is this strong work ethic, inherent knowledge of the scene and its processes, and focused, driven mentality that has not only let the duo enjoy the successes of their own music, but has also allowed them to branch out into the running of their own record label, 17 Steps.

This is an experience that Nick describes as a “dream situation.” The label has seen the duo step into what they have described as the “liberating and interesting” realm of releasing numerous other artists’ work aside from their own, including that of promising techno newcomers Christian Piers and Velvit. Music Nick says they “feel passionate about.”

Alongside the production of their own music and the management of 17 Steps, Dusky are also well-known for their DJing. With a headlining of Manchester’s own Warehouse Project back in 2014 to their name, alongside numerous other festival and club appearances.

According to Alfie, DJing events such as these brings together the joys of “finding and trying out new music, and playing our own tracks too,” he goes on to say how “special” it is to see crowds dancing to the music they have created. This joy of seeing the crowd react to their own music is unsurprising when you consider the overwhelmingly positive response that they have had amongst house and techno fans.

But, when asked about the genre of their music, the duo were quick to explain that it goes beyond just this scene and its fanbase. Again discussing their influences, the two explained that they’ve been able to take inspiration from anything from “hardcore, drum & bass and psy-trance to house, techno and progressive.” It’s the wide variety of musical styles evident in their body of work that perhaps keeps fans coming back for more,

Photo: Press Shot

and leaves critics with nothing but positive reviews.

This is perhaps even more impressive when you learn that the pair, despite recording live instruments such as cello and piano in some of their previous work, are mainly, as Nick puts it, “in the box” producers, meaning that their sound is created entirely using software. A subject that often divides producers and musicians in regards to what is deemed as the ‘proper’ way of producing, the use of software and absence of live instruments definitely does nothing to restrict Dusky in producing a sound that people love.

From meeting during their own time raving in London, to igniting crowds at sold out shows, it seems that there isn’t much that these two aren’t able to achieve.

Through use of a varied and exciting sound, a strong and consistent work ethic, and maybe a little help along the way from some of the dance scene’s top names, Dusky are only getting bigger and better with time. With this in mind, we can only eagerly await both their coming album, due for release next year and one that Nick claims will both “crystallise and develop” the Dusky sound, and a live show that will look to bolster

Review

Album

Live

Beach House 27th October The Ritz

Rob Paterson Music Editor

Floating Points : Fading FronReleased6th November Luaka Bop / Pluto

Call it a cohesive and distinct sound, call it sameness; it’s unlikely that anyone would praise Beach House for sonic diversity at this point. Yet, as the ‘reverb’ buzzed into oblivion and the flood lights faded up onto the hypnotised stares of the crowd, I was left reflecting on how varied their set had been.

This is not to say that anything felt out of place with their dreamy, smudgy performance. Dustin Wong provided the ideal support slot: Looping vocals, thrifty guitar riffs and clever utilisation of an insane array of effects, he created a continuous stream of bright and bubbly soundscapes, though the occasional lo-fi drum machine or digital jitter gave them gritty undertones. This dichotomy could sum up Beach House’s latest evolution, and whilst his set was impressive in and of itself, it primarily served to put everyone in the mood for the main event.

Even the pre-show music was designed to create the right atmosphere, though sounded a little like what might be played at a Wiccan’s funeral. Maybe it was a subtle way to hype me up further, because I was extremely glad when it subsided and the band entered in silhouette.

The rather lifeless and recently O2-purchased Ritz is hardly up there with Manchester’s best venues, but it is the right kind of black box performance space for a Beach House show. They began with Depression Cherry opener ‘Levitation’; a song which builds and unwinds. It pulled the whole audience through blank space and in to a trance, whilst light slowly flooded the translucent cubes that acted as their backdrop.

What appeared drab structures under house lighting proved to be quite the box(es) of tricks. We were continually dazzled, with projections being utilised in some of the dreamier moments and a sheet of LED stars flickering into life during ‘PPP’. This was one of a number of moments to provoke audible gasps, with the waltz-y song settling in to its groove and the whole crowd swaying in unison, like some otherworldly high school dance.

For a band whose approach could be described as minimalist, their show is elaborate not just visually, but sonically. Gone are the days where the duo would perform wielding only a guitar and a tinny synth/drum machine; they’ve toured with a drummer before and have a fourth musician providing bass guitar and additional synth work this time around. It does justice to the more layered approach they’ve taken on recent records and songs like ‘Myth’, ‘10 Mile Stereo’ and stupendous set closer ‘Irene’ sounded even more massive than they do on record.

At no point did they come across as garish, however, and if you’re

Tracks of the Week Liam Killeen Contributor

Joe Connell Music Critic

8/10

10/10

It would be hard to disagree with the notion that Floating Points embodies all of the best qualities of 21st century electronic music.

Deep cut vinyl sets have nurtured the artist’s command of timeless sounds in his own music, leading to release after release of lush Photo: openeye @Flickr modern classics. With works ranging from 2011 EP Shadows to DJ looking for an energetic show, then this probably isn’t your thing. Once weapons ‘Nuits Sonores’ and ‘King Bromeliad,’ Shepherd has conin place, they hardly moved for the duration of a song and crowd inter- sistently delivered the goods, all whilst maintaining an audible and action was minimal. Their show, like their albums, thrives in subtext. loving link to his musical influences. To anyone who calls themThose rare moments when the musicians’ faces were lit. The addition selves a Floating Points fan, the fact that Elaenia smoothly adds of live drums halfway through a song to blow it wide open. The times and expands upon this spotless record should come as no surprise. when Victoria Legrand lost herself in a rapturous climax and began On the surface, the sheer musicality of the album’s title, named lashing her head around like a crazed conductor.

Furthermore, the pair did pay considerable homage to their mini- after a New World bird, wholly captures the synesthetic quality of mal days, performing three songs from their pre-Teen Dream days what lies within. As outsider house arpeggios dance around unuand sending the rest of the band off stage to perform an intimate and sual jazz beats and ambient synths the mind wanders to peaceful encapsulating version of ‘On The Sea’. It wasn’t all float either; some of places. It all feels like a fuller, richer exploration of the motifs of light, the best moments were when things got noisy. Putting aside perfor- shadow and nightfall that we’ve seen on earlier releases. In short, it mances of recent material that lends itself to this loudness, such as the is a very beautiful album. feedback-dissilient ‘One Thing’; and the repeated outro of ‘PPP’ created Though Shepherd’s house productions owned the dancefloor a beautifully abrasive wall of sound. Victoria’s endlessly impressive with that Agharta-on-Es brio we’ve all fallen in love with, Elaenia voice rang out like a distorted guitar squeal during ‘Silver Soul’. exposes the limits that they operated within. Freed from the 4/4 (an As much as I enjoyed this unexpected variation, I was left wishing to occasionally 11/4) shuffle of the club, the long play format allows for have heard more of their better known Teen Dream/Bloom era stuff a different kind of space and progression. It all fits Shepherd’s suband less of the ultra-old and ultra-new. I could, however, blame Manlime vision like a glove. chester for this, since their online setlist creator has allowed fans to Elaenia is an album to lie down on a bed to, eyes closed, listening request songs for the gig near them and a glance at Setlist FM suggests in full. Like an experimental John Martyn LP, or late-period Talk that they’re actually using it.

I could also blame Manchester for the out-of-place chants of ‘Beach Talk. And as with the latter’s album Laughing Stock, it’s also a piece Hou-ouse’, which somewhat killed the mood. I must blame the band that deserves multiple listens, further illuminating its subtle musithough, for the awkward “where are the ladies?” call and response they cal textures. Motifs build and build atop the album’s astral planes until final track ‘Peroration Six’, where the whole thing cuts out attempted to get going in retaliation.

And for the jarring set order. The subtle ‘Beyond Love’ followed ter- completely. Silence. In a moment reminiscent of Van Morrison’s ribly from Depression Cherry centrepiece ‘Sparks’, and relatively un- ‘Slim Slow Slider’, the record culminates with a harsh jerk back known ‘Saltwater’ was a deflating start to their encore. Overall, their to the reality. The soft, ethereal world of Elaenia, like all precious new show will delight their considerable flock of devoted fans: The things, is markedly finite. The fact it doesn’t go on forever at first atmosphere was masterfully constructed, there were plenty of sur- leaves a melancholy aftertaste, until, of course, you put it on again, prises, and those moments of sonic bliss beat my already considerable and listen some more. expectations.

Blood Orange: ‘Sandra’s Smile’ Released 27th October via Domino

TOPS: ‘Hollow Sound of the Morning Chimes’ Released 26th October via Arbatus

Grimes: ‘SCREAM ft. Aristophanes’ Released 29th October via 4AD

This track is proof that protest songs can still be effective, even in the rather unusual form of R&B and Electronica.

Tying together R&B vocals, hip-hop style programmed beats and gospel backing singer, with a jazz saxophone and funky bass at the end of the track, it reflects many facets of African American culture. Similar to Kendrick Lamar’s latest opus, it uses these aspects to detail the brutality shown to the black population by the American police. It’s as thought provoking as it is groovy.

Chilled indie guitar pop seems to be taking over Canada’s music scene right now: first Mac Demarco and Homeshake, now TOPS. The track mainly revolves around skeletal guitar brushes and a simple drumbeat, which is filled out with some vintage synth and Jane Penny’s breathy vocals. The lyrics express the futility of love, but their being framed in an ambient jam make this realisation more of a deflated sigh than an angry rant. Well worth listen on a heartbroken, rainy afternoon.

Here’s a statement to the naysayers of her last track ‘Flesh Without Blood/ Living in the Vivid Dream,’ who thought it sounded “too pop” for the Grimes’ relentless oddness. Featuring the relatively unknown Taiwanese rapper Aristophanes, along with samples of real screams and high gain guitar, it is very much a Grimes track due to its seemingly arbitrary nature. Heavily produced with heaps of delay, volume fades and samba whistles, the track manages to retain an impressive amount of bite. It’s viscerally listenable yet deceptively complex given a few listens. You wanted bizarre? Then look no further.

Music 13

ISSUE 7 / 9th NOVEMBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Quick Q&A: Lonelady Lonelady’s music is deep set in the rust of Manchester. Henry Scanlan chats to one of this city’s hidden gems.

Hi! Alright!

Nice to have a proper Mancunian in the Mancunion.

Isn’t it just.

How important is Manchester to the themes and styles of your music?

I’ve become obsessed by its post-industrial landscape.

It’s become an informal, frequent ritual of mine to go for a walk or run along the outskirts of the city; certain overgrown and derelict areas have a hypnotic pull for me for some reason. As if the crumbling mills, weedy canal edges and forgotten pockets offer a kind of gateway for the imagination. It all feeds somehow into my song writing process. Hinterland refers to remembered childhood play spaces; the turbulence of the city centre; the ruin of its outskirts; the interior land of my imagination. My favourite ‘Manchester’ music is Joy Division / early New Order, A Certain Ratio, Section 25, The Fall. I think there’s a certain atmosphere in this music I recognise in a kind of psycho-geographic way, as if it were shaped by its environment, an environment I know very well. I have spent a great deal of time in cold, damp industrial spaces for both practical, financial but also aesthetic reasons; it just seems an inescapable inevitability now.

What do you think about Manchester and its music today in comparison to the Manchester you grew up in? Is gentrification a concern?

I remember the Corn Exchange and Afflecks as they once were; little ramshackle places to rummage and hang out and lurk, with genuine edge, a world away from how they are now. Too often, Manchester borrows from its past, dilutes and detaches it from meaning, and regurgitates in soulless slogans. Creatively, there’s a gulf between what it claims to be and what it is. By which I mean the real valid activity goes on beneath the surface, despite Manchester’s public face.

Loving the amount of funk on the new album. Any favourite guitarists in developing your rhythm guitar style?

I’ve loved Andy Gill [Gang Of Four]’s style for a long time and I’m sure that’s crept in there. I love funk, in particular Rufus & Chaka Khan, Parliament / Funkadelic, Sly & The Family Stone, Bette Davis, Bohannon, the percussive, funky guitar on Thriller-era Michael Jackson is incredible; economical, gritty, urgent, super rhythmic music; I love it. Where Nerve Up is more intricate and melodic, with Hinterland rhythm and right-hand articulation has definitely come more to the fore. In some ways I think I’m subconsciously almost trying to ape what an analogue sequencer does...

All this talk of Manchester’s heritage and musical styles might be misleading: at your gig, I was struck by how singular you are as an artist. How do you achieve this?

My life is my writing and my writing is my life. To be an artist is a holistic commitment. Some combine it with family, other jobs and so on. For me I eat sleep and breathe this; I’m not saying that’s the best or healthiest way but for me that’s how it is and always has been. The whole process of creating Hinterland in my home studio was totally hermetic. If the inlay sleeve art isn’t right, or the mix isn’t right, or the photo isn’t right, some might say ‘Oh well, its not life and death is it?’

They couldn’t be more wrong.

So you could say you’re a bit of a LONE wolf?

Funny.

The Litmus Test Feminist songs: Who’s respecting your personal autonomy and who’s not?

Oscar Talbot Contributor

Photo: Album Artwork

the Opinion ‘It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World...’

Joe Connell examines the narrow scope of gendered rock criticism that has for decades revolved around the phallic symbol of an electric guitar. Is a paradigm shift upon us?

The late Philip Seymour Hoffman’s portrayal of notorious music critic Lester Bangs in Almost Famous stands as one of his many film-stealing roles. As a kind of surrogate father figure to Cameron Crowe’s avatar, Hoffman portrays Bangs as a wise patriarch of musical knowledge, passing his understanding of authentic music to the next generation.

Bangs, alongside publications Crawdaddy!, Creem and Rolling Stone Magazine, are culprits in the construction of this rock and roll mythology.

What this school of thought appears to do is value truthfulness and authenticity in music.

However, it actually creates an association between authenticity and certain aesthetic qualities preferred by the macho Lester Bangs and his California-based contemporaries. Punk rock, for instance, in its aggression and simplicity, is emotionally and artistically authentic, and was seen as a return to rock and roll’s authentic, countercultural roots. Opposing this, we have the polished, feminine and fundamentally inauthentic likes of Carole King, Jimmy Webb and The Carpenters.

Such a focus on these quite patriarchal qualities in music, curated by the underground critics of the ‘60s and propagated to these day, understandably factors in to the exclusion of women from critical acclaim, festival slots and rock music generally. Only when the Patti Smiths and Joan Jetts embrace the masculine aesthetics of rawness, simplicity and aggression do they gain rockist approval and legitimacy.

A particularly interesting example of this

occurred last year at the usually sterile and boring Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony.

Controversy arose not because of Nirvana’s acceptance into such a terrible institution, but rather that pop singer Lorde fronted the band for ‘All Apologies.’ Despite the band and Courtney Love’s insistence that the female-fronted lineup, which also included Kim Gordon, Joan Jett and Annie Clark, was in keeping with the legacy of passionate feminist Kurt Cobain, fans seemed to disagree. Guitar-wielding Annie, Joan and Kim, were seen as acceptable replacement frontwomen, but not chart-topping Lorde.

Some viewers might have seen a nice reference to the timelessness and pop craft of Nirvana’s songs and their continued reverence amongst teenagers. But, predictably, the sort of people who associate with the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame are rigid adherents to the Rolling Stone philosophy, creating their musical worlds around that phallic symbol that is the loud electric guitar.

This sort of thing exists as one of the many branches on the rockist tree, the same kind of ethos that rolls its eyes at rappers headlining rock festivals and peddles an incredibly narrow and dated definition of what a playing a real instrument is. Yet their grip on the legitimacy seems to be loosening. Hipster bible/blog Pitchfork have adopted a poptimist stance and this September even British guitar music clingon’s NME caved, featuring Rihanna on the cover.

On one hand, this shift is very clearly for the best and promotes all sorts of diversity outside narrow aesthetic considerations, made to

seem even narrower by advancements and improvements in musical styles and technology.

Yet it also raises the question as to how separate our reasons for liking music can ever be from our political and social contexts.

We know to dismiss the misogynistic and homophobic slurs (masquerading as musical criticism) that are flung by metalheads at artists like Justin Bieber, but what happens in the future when our own consideration of good and authentic expression is tied to an outdated political compass? Eventually, are we all doomed to become some type of prejudiced Dadrocker?

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

the Interview Girls Against Groping

Elizabeth Rushton chats to the leaders of a new campaign whose aim is to tackle the frighteningly invisible issue of sexual harassment at gigs.

The frequent gig-goer is accustomed to seeing a plethora of inappropriate behaviour at gigs I’ve seen people turfed out by security for a list of crimes ranging from fighting to lighting up a cigarette or a flare. But many of us also know that there is often something else just as inexcusable going on and yet it receives far less attention from security than an excessively frisky mosh pit.

This seemingly invisible issue is sexual harassment and assault at gigs. For many of its predominantly female victims, it’s a taboo subject, leaving them feeling powerless to seek help or speak out about their experience at all. In a time when a recent study found that 95% of female students have been groped, it’s unacceptable, but unsurprising.

Recently however, an internet campaign has sought to put the issue under spotlight. Girls Against Gig Groping (aka Girls Against) was founded and is run by five teenage girls who are all full time students. In a relatively short time, it has established a strong platform for itself on Twitter and other social media, from which it has been raising awareness and generating important discussions.

I spoke to one of Girls Against’s founders, Hannah, whose story of a bad experience at a Peace gig earlier this year spread rapidly over social media, kick-starting the campaign. Peace subsequently became the first in a still growing line of bands, including Circa Waves and Swim Deep, to raise awareness of the issue both on the internet and the stage. This kind of campaign is long overdue; they’ve had enough of it being an “occupational hazard” for vulnerable audience members. “It’s just accepted within the music

Aretha Franklin - Respect Queen Latifah - U.N.I.T.Y Not asking for respect, this song demands it. Aretha is the original riot grrl. It’s longevity and cultural influence means this is a shoe in for No.1 feminist anthem.

Full on and proud, U.N.I.T.Y pulls no punches. As relevant now as it has ever been, Queen Latifah shows what it means to be a modern woman.

scene because victims don’t want to appear to be making a fuss, which isn’t okay” Hannah says.

“It had happened to all of us before at some point and we knew how awful we felt afterwards, so we decided to do something about it because we never wanted anyone else to feel the same way.”

You don’t need to read Girls Against’s Twitter feed for long before you start to see comments they have retweeted which belittle harassment as a non-issue, from the sublime(ly laughable) to the ridiculous(ly astonishing). Examples include such gems as the classic ‘the dress they wore is to blame’, and that anyone who has a drink bought for them is really asking for it. Hannah’s response to this is straightforward. “That’s absolute bullshit - that whole idea is part of our victim blaming culture. At the end of the day sexual harassment is against the law, it is a crime.”

The Girls Against campaign emphasises that there is a distinction between the kind of contact with others at gigs which has to be accepted and the kind which absolutely shouldn’t. “We know that at gigs you’re constantly being touched by other people, it’s just the nature of the situation,” Hannah explains, “however there’s a line between brushing up against someone and forcefully pushing your hands down someone’s tights as they try and push you away.”

So what can be done about all this? I can’t help feeling that lesser disparity between the numbers of men and women on the stage would generate greater respect in audience members for the females among them. It’s not news that in the majority of musical genres, male artists hog the mic. Last summer the Reading & Leeds poster was left almost empty when the exclusively

The Smiths - This Night has Opened my Eyes

male acts were removed, revealing the shocking underrepresentation of female artists at the top of the music industry. On top of this, the last five Glastonbury festivals have only seen one headliner featuring a female artist for every four all-male acts. There’s a certain irony in seeing a majority of male artists among those who have pledged their support for a cause which predominantly affects girls, but that’s probably more of a reflection of the makeup of the music industry today than anything else.

It’s disappointing to see efforts like Kathleen Hanna’s ‘girls to the front’ policy, which aimed to stop girls shying away from the barrier for fear of being groped, being abused by opportunists 20 years later - some girls have reported being surrounded and unable to move away from their harassers. Yet on the positive side, the fan-led Girls Against campaign is part of a wider trend of this issue being taken increasingly seriously. Last year, London’s Good Night Out campaign was launched, calling for venues to adopt a zero tolerance approach and train their staff to spot and deal with harassment – something Hannah says is one of Girls Against’s future aims. The voices of female artists have grown louder on the subject, with the likes of Deap Vally, Angel Haze and Haim speaking out, and Wolf Alice’s frontwoman Ellie Rowsell lending her support to Girls Against.

So whilst the struggle for an equal live music experience for all goes on, the continuation of this vital conversation is one that can hopefully take us closer to removing sexual harassment from the venue, once and for all.

Robin Thicke & Pharrel Williams - Blurred Lines

Robin Thicke - a man so oily it’s Based on A Taste of Honey, this surprising that his face hasn’t Smiths track uses the story of a woman forced to confront the fact been invaded yet - and closet she has been abandoned. Full of all vampire Pharrel’s notorious 2012 the grim Manchester imagery you track not only ripped off Marvin Gaye, but also ‘accidentally’ drew would imagine. (It is Morrissey.) lyrical inspiration from rapists.

The Rolling Stones - Under My Thumb How the Rolling Stones managed to survive this song is a mystery. The lyrics are basically of an abusive man lauding it up over his power.

Good tune though.

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Games 15

ISSUE 7 / 9th NOVEMBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Review

Undertale Connor McBride Contributor

Recently there has been a lot of uproar regarding one game—Undertale. This RPG by tobyfox was released in mid-September 2015 and the internet has not shut up about it since. If aliens invaded tomorrow, half of the population would not notice due to being wholly consumed by this game. Going by recent reports, fans of the game would have you believe that this game cures everything from male pattern baldness to arthritis. That it is the wonder game of 2015, 2016 and every year going forward. That it will blow your mind in so many ways you will have to use imaginary numbers to count them all. That this game will bring dead pets back to life, clear your computer of viruses and defragment the hard drive; it is that good.

Now, I don’t know about you, but for me sometimes the hype around a game can be its undoing. When enough people sing the praises of a game, saying how good it is and how you really should play it, it runs the risk of setting expectations too high and leaving the player disappointed with what is otherwise a great game. “Good, isn’t it?” they ask with a grin. “Not as good as you made it out to be!” I would reply, brushing the game aside and not giving it a second thought. The roaming masses can be incredibly annoying when they are blindly passionate about something.

This is why I approached Undertale with a sense of caution. There was a distinct chance that it would fall flat and I would be unable to understand the appeal. But in the interests of good journalism, I carried on regardless.

Undertale takes place in a world where

‘monsters’ and humans once lived together, until war broke out between the two races. Many battles were fought, many lives were lost, but in the end the humans were victorious and forced the monsters underground, sealing them there forever within an impenetrable magical barrier underneath a mountain. Many years later, you, the player, take on the role of a small human child, cast into the treacherous depths of the underground. A dangerous, frightening world of monsters who are still ever so slightly bitter about their eternal damnation.

You quickly become acquainted with the most unique part of the game, the fighting system. Enemies in the game launch attacks at you in the form of pseudo ‘bullet hell’ minigames, where you have to protect your soul—in the form of a heart—from the waves of attacks coming towards you. Early in the game, the attacks are easy enough to avoid, but they quickly become much more complicated and fast later in the game. These attacks reflect the mood of the enemy; if they long for blood, the attacks will come thick and fast, if they do not want to fight you, then the attacks may deliberately avoid you, or not come at all. More interestingly, however, you do not need to necessarily kill the enemy.

Using all the reasoning powers that your 9 year old character can muster, you can converse with enemies and convince them not to fight, ultimately sparing them.

Yes, you can kill them, but it is nice to have the option to not.

Spare or kill, your actions in this world leave a lasting impression. Some actions are even mentioned in the replays after you committed them. Undertale really is a game that rewards multiple ‘playthroughs’. To reap the full rewards

Discovering that Undertale could easily be one the best game released this year fills you with determination. that Undertale has to offer, however, it will take more than restarting the game, going left instead of right at a particular junction, and repeating ad nauseum.

You need to change your approach to the game and how you approach the characters in it. Let’s just say that, if you’re not nice to them, they most certainly will not be nice to you. Going on a murderous rampage and killing everything in sight is just as much of a viable tactic as hugging everyone is, though. Undertale is not one of those traditional RPGs that doesn’t care how you got to the boss fight just as long as you did—the number of enemies in the game is finite, and certain deaths may alter the story dramatically. Not that you might actually want to kill anyone, though. The characters in the game are charming and full of witty dialogue. So much so that you might feel bad if you kill them, because you will not hear their jovial banter again.

The game is consistently hilarious without having to rely on forced random noise for cheap laughs. The humour is seamlessly interlaced with the moral dilemmas and tension of the storyline, and will have you laughing just as much as it makes you question whether that was the right decision, while simultaneously suckerpunching you with an emotion-coated boxing glove. And like I said, Undertale may forgive, but it never forgets. If you choose to commit monster genocide it will remember, you cold-blooded murderer.

The overarching art style of Undertale draws on clear, Earthbound inspirations, a subtle hint to the JRPGs that inspired the game. The battle sequences, on the other hand, look like they are fresh out of a ZX Spectrum game. The highly contrasting black and whites of the battle menus and enemy sprites while fighting

Photo: tobyfox

are a stark contrast compared to the rest of the game. One could say that it is all just a subtle nod to the genre; however, Undertale uses the limited art style to occasionally surprise you with small quirks that go beyond its limited palette.

The retro stylings are accompanied by a suitably stellar soundtrack that goes with the game perfectly. Everything comes together in this game—the story, the music, the characters, the puzzles, the fighting scenes—to form a brilliant whole.

One of the major problems that I had writing this review was avoiding putting spoilers in, since a lot of the first hand recommendations that I got for this game apparently could not describe the game without spoiling everything, and I did not want to do the same. Thus, here is my elevator pitch; Undertale is a brilliant RPG with a unique fighting system, an engaging story that rewards multiple playthroughs, all while having a charming retro art style and a brilliant music score. It is one of the best games of the year and is most certainly worth your time.

Want to meet fellow gamers in Manchester?

To celebrate the release of Fallout 4, the University of Manchester’s Gaming Society will be throwing a Fallout 4 themed movie night on Wednesday 11th November at Whitworth Park’s bar: the Grove. We will be showing this year’s post apocolyptic hit, Mad Max: Fury Road. Best of all, admission is free. You can buy a drink at the bar, including our custom Nuka-cocktails, and come and watch this movie on a massive projector.

If you only had one event to go to before the bombs drop, make it this one. /gamingsociety

Review

The Legend of Zelda: Triforce Heroes Josh Goldie Games Editor In 2014, the Legend of Zelda for Wii U was revealed to the public.

The game looked stunning, and was promised with a 2015 release date.

Unfortunately, at the beginning of this year, Mr. Aonuma revealed that the game would be delayed until an undetermined date to ensure that it is perfect. This left a large, Zelda-shaped hole in many gamer hearts; however, at E3 2015, Nintendo announced a brand new Zelda game, for the 3DS instead of Wii U, that would be focused on 3-player online multiplayer. Instantly, the game looked to reflect the previous multiplayer Zelda games: the Four Swords series for Game Boy Advance and GameCube. While it is no big budget Zelda, it is certainly not a bad title.

The most important part of Triforce Heroes is the multiplayer, and it appears in both online and local format. It even supports download play. Although you cannot mix and match the local and download multiplayer, you can take local friends online if you do not have 3-players. You have to have 3-players to use this game on multiplayer. The game does not support just 2-players, which feels a bit like a step backwards, since the Four Swords games could support 1-4 players. I do understand why this limitation is here, but I feel

like there may have been a way to work around this if you only had 2-players but did/could not play online.

The local and download multiplayer is really, really fun. Playing this game with 2 other friends and making your way through the 32 puzzles is incredibly amusing. Through the power of coordination, you can easily solve the puzzles in your way and guard each other’s backs. This is where the game has all its fun, and I was lucky enough to have at least two friends with whom I could play the game. Like with all online multiplayer games, playing online can sometimes be a blessing or a curse.

Depending on the competence of whom you play with, the game can either be a breeze or a frustrating hassle. Thanks to the benefits of being local, you can easily communicate what to do, to your friends, but the lack of voice chat in the game limits this. Communication is not out-right removed thanks to the inclusions of emotion icons on the bottom screen. This is a very Nintendo way of dealing with voice acting, and I cannot deny how amusing and fun it can be to use these icons. Cheering your friends on, or congratulating them, using the appropriate icons, can easily put a smile on any player’s face.

If you worry about not having friends to play with, as well as not being able to go online, then worry no longer, because Nintendo also included a single-player

Photo: Nintendo Co., Ltd.

mode where you take control of Link and two clay ‘doppels’ that you can jump between. Unfortunately, this mode is not that amazing. It is certainly doable for the simpler missions, but the game was clearly not designed with single-player in mind. At times it is fine and at times it can be really frustrating.

Controlling all three Links is always tedious. Using the totem ability, where the Links carry each other, can cut down on travel time somewhat; however, the puzzles that require the use of the Links working together are more hassle than they are worth, really. The single player is doable, but I would not recommend it for the whole play-time unless you are a veteran of the Zelda series. Then you might just make it.

The story of Triforce Heroes is nothing to write home about. The princess of

Hytopia, Styla, has been cursed to be unfashionable, and so the king asks Link to enter the Drablands and defeat the witch in order to remove the curse.

The big theme of Hytopia is fashion. It is a very fashionable kingdom and this is reflected in a new mechanic that allows the player to dress Link in various outfits.

You can make these outfits by obtaining materials in the Drablands, although this can get a little tedious. At the end of every stage, you get a choice of three chests. Each chest has a material in it, but you can only take one and have no way of knowing what is in each chest.

This means that if you do a whole level for a certain material and you pick the wrong box, then you have to do the whole level again to have another go.

This can be very annoying at points, but because it is designed to be fair to

all three players, I know why this issue is here. The outfits are a very nice addition to this game and dressing Link in all the outfits helps to make your Link feel unique. The outfits can vary from giving you more lives, improving your ability with certain items, to adding certain stage effects like swimming in lava and not sinking in quicksand. The mechanic works very well and it would be nice to see it come back in a future Zelda title.

Overall, Triforce Heroes was a very fun game to play with my friends and I had a blast online as well. It is certainly not the best Zelda game ever made but it is not the worst. It tries to take the Zelda series in a slightly different direction and I can appreciate that. I just wish that some of the areas of the game, such as the single player mode, were more fleshed-out than they currently are. The gameplay itself is solid, but outside of the costumes and totem mechanic, it is nothing that we have not seen in previous Zelda titles (especially A Link Between Worlds, on the 3DS, which shares many features with this game). If you are looking for a fun multiplayer title this holiday season, then Triforce Heroes will have you cheering alongside your friends on a fashion-filled adventure.

Fashion & Beauty

16

ISSUE 7 / 9TH NOVEMBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Feature

Cross-Cultural Couture Take Off Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Kyle Zabawa, and I’m your chief flight attendant today. On behalf of The Mancunion Fashion and Beauty, I’d like to wish you a very warm welcome aboard this conveniently brief, non-stop service across the globe as we delve into the international wonders of the male sartorial world.

In a few moments, the flight attendants will be passing around the cabin to offer you refreshments—expect a main course of history and geography accompanied with a side order of spirituality. Now, sit back, relax, and enjoy the flight.

Norwegian Knitwear With cheekbones as sharp as their mountainous regions, it is often argued that our Scandinavian siblings are the ones to thank for the humble winter jumper (or at least the styles frequenting our high street this season). Knitwear remains to this day a wardrobe essential among the fishing communities of Norway to combat the infamous Nordic winds—practical fashion is always a bonus.

Back here in Blighty though, AW15 has seen the inclusion of an increasingly diverse range of textures and patterns to our choice of knitwear.

Expect to see everything from the heavy-duty cable knit right through to the merino turtleneck across the board.

Trends

Photo: ASOS

Artiscans of Africa New wave icon Vivienne Westwood celebrated the 5th anniversary of her annual ‘Made in Africa’ bag collection this year. The unisex pieces, constructed by Kenyan artisans, form an integral part of the brand’s assembly. This initiative has not only introduced the vibrant pan-African colour palette into an otherwise tonally-muted AW15 for British fashion but, on a more serious note, Westwood’s scheme has generated jobs for 1558 people to date from 21 different African communities. For the ethically conscious shopper, Westwood pieces remain a staple choice.

The Convincing Case of the Cuban Heel Popularised within British culture during the heyday of The Beatles, the classic tightly fitting ankle boot with a pointed toe, aka the Cuban Heel, is a stylistic variation of the elementary Chelsea Boot. Arguably the magnum opus of male footwear, the Cuban Heel of today comes in a whole variety of materials and cuts to suit even the most individualistic of tastes.

Reputable shoe museum curators (yes, they exist) of the world claim that the humble highheeled shoe is, by origin, traceable to the male horse-riding warriors of the medieval Middle East. Functionality over fashion was however the aim here—the heel enabled the rider to remain in their stirrups, seemingly an essential attribute when firing arrows from horseback.

While this writer won’t be galloping off into the distant sunset on Black Beauty anytime soon, I shall be sporting my Chelsea boots with pride, having been informed of their practical past.

Feature

All-American collegiate style International Fashion: sarees

Kyle Zabawa Contributor

A Collar Kiki The mandarin collar, also known as the ‘granddad collar’, is comprised of a short, un-folded, stand up style, often attached to shirts and jackets. Believed to originate as a mainstay for the bureaucratic scholars of Imperial China, and also popular within 20th century India, the style today features heavily in Western military uniforms—larger collar styles are understandably an inconvenience for those who engage in close combat. This minimalist, oriental collar design has also, in recent years, permeated through collections by fashion’s finest, including those of Alexander McQueen and Lanvin.

Photo: Vivienne Westwood

Fashion & Beauty 17

ISSUE 7 / 9TH NOVEMBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Man Bun Madness This hairstyle du jour , revived supposedly by a rise in hipster culture circa 2011, is often claimed by trichologists to originate in South Asia during the time of religious icon extraordinaire, Siddhārtha Gautama. (That’s Buddha, for those who didn’t pay enough attention in Year 8 Religious Studies.)

It is also contested that during Edo era Japan (1603 – 1868), an earlier version of the style visible in your lecture theatres today was developed as a means of holding a samurai helmet in place during combat. Understandably so, the cut carried an overt prestige in Japan throughout this time; yet, in modern British culture, perceptions of this style depend more upon personal proclivities.

I do bring good news for the 16th century Samurai however, in a recent study by ‘WhatsYourPrice’ (I’m kindly informed that this is a dating website), 82 per cent of women between the ages of 18 and 24 deemed the man bun ‘attractive’. All was not well, however, amongst women over the age of 35, who were found to be least in favour of the updo, with a dramatically reduced 37 per cent of this group reacting positively to the style.

Make of that what you will.

Sarah Kilcourse Contributor

Perisha Kudhail Contributor

Over the summer I was fortunate enough to go to the USA—more specifically I went to Chicago, Illinois. In the Chicago metropolitan area there are 32 different universities, and you’re very much made aware of this. Everywhere you turned, there were people in t-shirts, jumpers, and scarves advertising where exactly they had gone to for college. And this was not just where they had personally been, but there were some very proud moms who did the same except wear merchandise from where their child was currently studying, too. If university-branded clothing was not enough, bumper stickers were also proved to be incredibly popular!

I do admire the variety of college apparel on sale—even big brands like PINK from Victoria’s Secret market a line of college-specific clothes. No matter what your style, you can still show school spirit. This is a far cry from the selection available for University of Manchester students. I would love a cool university sweater or t-shirt for the gym to wear, but

I’m not mad on the selection available. I know this is quite picky, but I just wish that the logo was embroidered rather than printed on.

However, it’s probably not that big of deal really, because in Manchester, people seem eager to show off their personal style. And in my opinion, American collegiate clothing is too close to a uniform—and I’ve had enough of wearing uniform from my time at school. With all the great shops in Manchester, it would be a shame not to explore! In fact, it would actually be quite rude not to, really.

I don’t think I would be able to generalise what students wear in Manchester—though I do think that it is very different from an American student. You certainly see an array of styles around campus, and I think that’s part of the fun. We’re all young and it takes time to figure out what you like as well as what you’re comfortable in. Sometimes a purple sweatshirt with ‘The University of Manchester’ printed onto it is exactly what you feel like wearing. And that’s OK.

Landing Ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to welcome you back home. Please check around your seat for any personal belongings you have on board with you, and please use caution when opening the overhead storage, as heavy items may have shifted around during the flight. On behalf of the entire crew here at The Mancunion Fashion and Beauty, I’d like to thank you for joining us on this trip, and we are looking forward to seeing you on board again in the near future.

Photo: babagozum@Flickr

Photo: Victoria’s Secret

Photo: UoM Gift Shop

Photo: CathyWeeks@Flickr

Sarees have played a vital role in Indian fashion since the time of the Moguls and are mostly worn in South Asia. This elegant and traditional item of clothing is the staple of many Indian Women’s wardrobes.

A saree is a long piece of material, which is elaborately draped around the body, and is traditionally worn with a crop blouse. A saree has a lot of potential, since it can be worn in

so many different ways. You can get away with wearing the same saree and making it look completely different by the way that you wear it—amazing!

There are three main components to wearing a saree: An underskirt, the saree itself, and your blouse.

The underskirt is worn underneath the saree and the colour of the underskirt should match the colour of your saree. The underskirt ensures that even if you wear a sheer saree, your legs won’t be visible through it and therefore will not ruin the look. In order to fit the underskirt to your waist size, many have either elastic around the waist or a tightening belt.

The blouse piece is also important, since this is the only piece of the saree that is fitted to your size. Feel free to share the saree with family and friends, but the blouse is measured to your bust, so that you can design it just as you like it. One option is to choose a low saree back and experiment with the neck line. A lot of sarees have an accompanying blouse piece with them, that you can get tailored to your size, but don’t feel obligated to use that piece.

The saree itself is the exciting bit! There are so many designs on offer; sometimes it’s impossible to choose just one. Sarees are not only a part of everyday wear for many South Asian Women, but are also worn to more formal events like weddings and parties. The level of extravagance found on a saree is dependent on the occasion for which it is being worn.

The pleating of a saree is great because it can be adjusted depending on the height and hip size of a person.

Try wearing a saree to your next occasion for a different angle. Pair with bangles and bindis for the authentic look. There are many shops on Wilmslow road where you can purchase sarees at decent prices.

Beauty

Trends

Scandimania – the Nordic fashion boom An ode to international beauty products Rebecca Thomas Contributor

Find out how ‘Scandimania’ has spread from the peninsula to Instagram and is now shaping the new ‘normcore’ craze.

Scandinavian style is most famously synonymous with IKEA and H&M. These household brand giants have caused international tidal waves by offering affordable bites of Swedish style to replace everything from your sofa to your socks; IKEA has become the new buzz term for modern when talking lampshades.

Sweeping Instagram and the blogosphere with similar velocity is ‘Scandi’ style. So what characterises ‘Scandi’ style and where exactly is this trend surge originating from? The look is relatively simple and a basic palette consists of: 1. Monochrome; heavy on the black with the odd splatter of nudes and navy 2. Blurring of gendered shapes; Scandi favours boxy tailoring and unisex options 3. Simplicity over showy; avoiding loud patterns, explicit jewellery, or fussy hemlines 4. Flat footwear, with Nikes having a popular following in Copenhagen 5. Low-key hair and makeup, with straighteners and fake tan firmly unfriended A portion of this recognisable look comes from the influence of Acne Studios, a premium design house based in Stockholm which enjoys producing Photo: Tittyboo@Flickr

Laura Mills Contributor

frustratingly covetable but bankrupting coats. However there is more to Scandinavian style than an Instagram fad. Fashion in Copenhagen and Stockholm is far more diverse and adventurous than this standardised look. Members of the Uni’s Nordic society suggest the cities in Scandinavia are the originators of the most condensed frissons of international style influence. There exists a hotbed of young designers, with Swedish brands most prominent in showcasing crazy amounts of talent; see brands such as L’Homme Rouge, Cheap Monday and Filippa K for clues.

A new Instagram term approaches for what was arguably the once ‘Scandi’ look, and that is ‘normcore’. A mix of ‘hardcore’ and ‘normal’, it is a trend for average-looking clothing and had a heavy presence on New York SS15 catwalks. A mutant of ‘Scandi’ cool, the look is defined as ‘stylized blandness’. ‘Normcore’ does not mean adopting unfashionable clothes, or randomising choice by letting your dog choose from your wardrobe, instead it is choosing clothes which are in no way distinguishable, not even distinguishable by oddity. Average is now ironically a fashionable statement of anti-fashion.

Scandinavia continues to be the root from which the most innovative, edgy fashion talk originates, and credit must be paid to the large density of talented designers and bloggers, quietly producing some of the most widespread, talkedabout fashion in the world.

Fancy trying some new beauty products from across the globe? Here are our top 5 favourite picks from around the world When looking into my beauty drawers (shamefully yes, there’s more than one…), I noticed that I’ve acquired a number of different products from a number of different countries. Here’s a roundup of my top 5 from around the world.

France Photo: ArtRebels@Flickr

Some of my favourite international beauty products come from just across the channel in good ol’ France.

Their pharmacies are always well stocked with countless skincare gems from brands such as La Roche Posay, Avene, Nuxe, Bioderma, and Caudalie. One of my favourite finds has to be La Roche Posay’s Serozinc—a zinc sulphate solution that can be sprayed or swept across your face on a cotton pad to soothe the skin and any irritations. It also works a treat on any cuts, rashes, or ingrown hairs (and nobody likes those). They’ve recently started stocking this in Boots, so it’s super easy to get your mitts on them.

Italy KIKO Cosmetics comes out top in my

Photo: danmarksdesignskole@Flickr

eyes. From Italy, they’re really reasonably priced, good quality, and have recently started popping up stores all over the UK too. My favourite pick from here would have to be their Long Lasting Eyeshadow Sticks. These are easily a dupe for the ever coveted and crazy expensive Ombre Blackstar shadow sticks from By Terry—but at just a fraction of the price. KIKO also do some great lip liners, and a really cool lip scrub in stick form.

USA Heading across the pond now, and we’re faced with hundreds of amazing choices. However, one of my favourites (that you can get here in the UK on cultbeauty.com—yay!) has to be the Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow Pomade. A favourite of many bloggers and celebs, this little pot of joy works wonders to help filling in my nonexistent eyebrows. It is so quick and easy to use, especially with the eyebrow brush they sell too. They also do a stick form of this cult product in the form of Brow Wiz, another favourite to the stars.

South Korea Possibly more of an unknown beauty find would be the wonderful selection of BB creams that South Korea has to

offer. A personal favourite of mine is the Skin 79 Super Plus Beblesh Balm, Triple Fuction (phew that’s a mouthful—but it’s the one in the pink bottle).

This can be worn alone as a base, or under your usual foundation as an additional skincare step in order to minimise dark areas, create a clearer skin tone, and provide SPF30. There are a number of different variations of this product too, so if you prefer a higher SPF, or a more moisturising finish—they’ve got one for you. These are a little harder to get a hold of than the other products that I’ve mentioned, but I usually find mine on eBay. Australia and New Zealand Finally, we finish up with the wonderful Rosehip Oil from Trilogy. It’s an all-natural brand from Australia and New Zealand, and the products are extracted from rosehip seeds (ooh), a natural alternative to synthetic skincare ingredients. This miracle in a bottle can help improve skin tone, reduce the appearance of scars and stretch marks, and moisturise the skin, too.

Good news, it’s also easy to get hold of and you can find it stocked in Boots, Debenhams and even Holland and Barratt.

So there we have it, 5 wonderful products from 5 wonderful countries.

Photo: The Mancunion

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Film

18

ISSUE 7 / 9th NOVEMBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

TV Binge

Feature

Doctor Who

The Problem With Modern Film Criticism

Now in its ninth season since its revival, Doctor Who has surged back to top form following a pair of lacklustre series

Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures

Dominic Bennett Contributor

Photo: BBC One

James Moules Head Film Editor A sharp decline in ratings greeted the arrival of the ninth season of the revived Doctor Who—a fair reaction, perhaps, considering that the last couple of seasons have represented a distinct drop in quality for the revered sci-fi show. But what viewers were not counting on, was that the latest season has, so far, been unexpectedly outstanding.

Gone are all the cheap subplots and insultingly predictable ‘twists’ in the overarching narrative of the seasons. Steven Moffat and co have reinvigorated Doctor Who with the blend of fun adventure and soft horror that made us love it in the first place.

Now in his second season as the titular millennium-old, time-travelling madman, Peter Capaldi has truly made the character his own.

His previous season represented a tentative tiptoeing around wholehearted characterisation to play trial and error with his interpretation of the Doctor. Now, we have a fully formed character—a guitar playing, shade wearing, fiercely rebellious Time Lord, who manages to be an old soul and a young boy simultaneously. Some have labelled him a darker Doctor than his two predecessors. This is true, to an extent, but Capaldi’s Doctor is also a humorous and playful man. And his fantastic chemistry with his current companion, Jenna, has led to one of the most brilliant Doctor-companion relationships in the show’s history.

Season Nine has, so far, solely comprised two-part stories—an excellent call on the part of Moffat. The general lack of these two-parters over the past couple of series had deprived the show of the opportunity to give us some truly memorable stories. Every story so far this season, on the other hand, has been a potential future classic within Doctor Who’s canon. We’ve had a story with the Daleks and the Master (or, should I say, Missy); we’ve had a ghost story; we’ve had a story about immortality, featuring Game of Thrones’ Maisie Williams; and we’ve had a story with the fan-favourite Zygons. All of them have been fantastic. Make no mistake, Doctor Who is great again. It has followed up what was by far and away its weakest season with its strongest run since Matt Smith’s legendary first outing as the Time Lord. Kudos to Steven Moffat for realising what was going wrong.

Unlike in previous seasons, this run of episodes has consisted of none of the fan-boy teasing and theory baiting references that have made the show so unbearable to the casual viewer. Jenna Coleman’s rumoured departure from the show at the end of this season has not been hinted at in any obvious way, and no overwrought plot-arc has been put in place to foreshadow it. Season Seven’s Asylum of the Daleks (as great an episode as it was) toyed too much with her unusual arrival, leading to the fan-theories over her character’s nature becoming more pervasive than the details of the show itself. Season Nine has returned to being more interested in the mythology of Doctor Who than with the overly silly and often-predictable narratives that had been poisoning the show.

It’s a pleasant surprise to be able to report that Doctor Who is on top form again. The show runners have learnt from their mistakes over the past few seasons and have brought back the Doctor Who we all used to love. If you’re one of the many people who decided to bail on it after the disappointing Season Eight, then I’m afraid you’re missing out.

Spectre, the new James Bond film, is perfectly fine. It is exciting; funny at times, tense at others, and is a reasonable way to pass a couple of hours. It’s also a deeply silly film about a xenophobic, chauvinist psychopath who runs around killing people.

There’s no real contradiction in what I’ve said, it’s just the nature of a film like this— enjoyable but obviously limited to a certain level of artistic achievement due to its preoccupation with pretty girls and explosions.

It would be wrong to describe it as a truly great film, or to compare it to the classics of cinema. Somehow though, it has received near unanimous critical acclaim and a barrage of 5 star reviews.

Spectre is not alone in this. Increasingly, blockbusters are as adored by the critics as they are by mass market audiences.

The entire world seemed to fall at the feet of Mad Max: Fury Road, earlier this year. It’s an entertaining film that is well shot, like a continuous, adrenaline-filled chase scene.

But this dynamic, loud, and shiny chrome surface covers a hollow core (I would advise anyone who hasn’t seen it to look

up the opening sequence of Rock Band 2 on Youtube. It is just two minutes of people playing music on top of cars and crashing into each other, which encapsulates this film quite neatly). Fury Road was heavily praised for its feminist themes, but they are wafer thin in the light of day, basically surmounting to having a female lead that likes violence.

That’s not forgetting the wives in the film— five models hired as actresses who are there to look pretty, until big, strong Max can save the day. If a serious drama film tried to take on a complex issue in such a manner, it would rightly be ridiculed. The all-conquering Guardians of the Galaxy is another example of a pretty good film that’s been bizarrely elevated to greatness within film culture and criticism.

The issue isn’t really the films themselves.

Most people have always wanted to be entertained first and foremost when they are at the cinema, and these films certainly have a place in the Entertainment category. The problem is the undeserved adoration that they receive.

These emotionally shallow works now dominate conversations about film and are held up as benchmarks of good cinema.

This leads to the genuinely great films of

recent times being ignored by many, and there really have been some outstanding films released in the last year. Take Force Majeure. It manages to masterfully deconstruct the male ego to show how our base instincts are more important than we care to acknowledge, while still being hugely enjoyable and filled with Peep Show-esque dark, awkward humour. Or Ida—this Polish masterpiece about the need to find your own way in a world devoid of certain truth or justification subtly works its way into the viewer through its beautifully-framed and long-held shots. The role of the film critic should be to identify films of great worth and to gift them a wider attention, but now, critics spend too much time praising the alreadypopular. Consequently, mediocre films are hailed as masterpieces.

The reasons for this trend are understandable, but the trend itself must stop. For years, Michael Bay et al served up dull blockbusters that critics derided and even audiences often disliked. Expectations understandably dropped. Now that there has been a series of reasonably good blockbusters, things have swung too far the other way. After being starved of popular films of any worth for years, critics now take any big film that shows the slightest hint of depth and praise it to high heaven. This can all also be seen in the context of the wider infantilisation and invasion of kitsch into contemporary culture. That that is sweet and simple to understand has become popular in all fields. Many films now get praise for simply re-affirming our biases and making us feel nice, Inside Out for example; this overlysentimental film, made for children, is one the most highly-regarded of the last year. It makes sense that commercial films pander to these tastes, but now critics do too, telling us that the popular-yet-shallow films that we enjoy are brilliant works of art.

There are great films being made. Films that challenge, move and enlighten us; yet, to recognise them, we all need to stop elevating the ordinary.

Classic Review

Lost Highway

David Lynch’s Lost Highway will be a delight for any fans of the director’s surrealist style

Jason Spencer Contributor

The Guardian once described David Lynch as the most important film-maker of a generation, and the film Lost Highway is quite possibly the most underrated work of Lynch’s impressive surrealist filmography. Fred Madison (Bill Pullman) is a protagonist caked in mystery, and during the opening sequence, Madison is framed in a close up next to the intercom, when a voice is heard saying “Dick Laurent is dead”—an enigma that holds significance to the events that unfold throughout this epic rollercoaster of confusion and of disturbing visuals.

Essentially, this film is about memory and how we choose to remember things. Fred struggles to piece together the memories of the events that left his wife Renee Madison (Patricia Arquette) murdered. Before her death, the two of them awaken to receive parcels, daily, of someone filming the inside of the house as they sleep, until one day the footage shows Madison with the body of his wife—hacked to pieces—surrounding him.

Fred is found guilty of her murder and is imprisoned. Not long into the film, Fred says that he hates video cameras because he likes to remember things his own way, a statement that really defines the film itself. The idea of memory on its own is not real, but the outline of the memory is real and that is a true ‘Lynchian’ quality throughout.

Halfway through the film, Fred seemingly transforms into Pete Dayton (Balthazar Get-

Photo: October Films

ty), and the police have no choice but to release him because he is not Fred. Lynch’s use of visuals here emulates those from previous works such as Eraserhead and Blue Velvet, and these visuals reflect a purposely confusing and uncomfortable set of circumstances.

Lynch deliberately divagates from the audience’s ideals of a conventional narrative.

The sequences on screen seem somewhat plausible (in a Lynchian world) and are then vamped up to a new height of… bizarreness.

It is worth mentioning the performance from Getty is quite exceptional, since he plays a character who is almost reflexive to the audience; this is because he has no understanding of how his character is involved in these set of surreal circumstances.

The most enjoyable aspect, if you are a David Lynch fan, is the character known in the credits as The Mystery Man. This charac-

ter embodies all of David Lynch’s surrealist qualities, and his involvement makes the film as effective as it is towards Lynch’s themes of dream and memory. The Mystery Man (Robert Blake) brings out a generic look of something from a gothic horror film, and it is these visuals that the audience can identify as denoting trouble. He says to Fred before Fred transforms into Pete, “we met before, at your house, don’t you remember?” He invokes an evil that Fred has let come into his life, an evil deed that he has committed—the murder of his wife Renee. He constantly films Frank, something he doesn’t want and that he doesn’t want to remember.This film requires the audience to look into their psyche as well as the characters’, and if you’re willing to do that, you will encounter a very important piece of cinema.

Film 19

ISSUE 7 / 9th NOVEMBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Review

Spectre

Top 5 Daniel Craig’s fourth (and possibly final) round as 007 neatly ties up all the loose ends of his era while taking us on a thrilling ride

Barney Weston Film Critic Spectre—James Bond’s 24th film, is a fantastic blockbuster that unfortunately reverts back to the pre-Daniel Craig franchise Bond formula that we are all used to. Although the film will break several box office records, it will be at the cost of sacrificing the progress that the franchise was making since it was rebooted with Casino Royale in 2006.

Daniel Craig returns in his fourth outing as James Bond, and Spectre will confirm to many, how great a Bond he has become; be that according to how much muscle he flexes, or how he oozes with charm—turning it on and off with the flick of a switch. As a suave combination between Sean Connery’s sophisticated style and Roger Moore’s cheesiness, Daniel Craig has managed to craft his own version of Bond into a much more grittier version than any other previous incarnation.

In regards to the speculation that this will be Craig’s final outing as Bond, the story arc that Spectre finally manages to complete would allow Craig to gracefully bow out on a high. Spectre does not make it his return awkward. In fact, it would make sense considering his love interest at the end of the film—and several will hope that will be the case.

Alongside Craig is a Bond cast that emphasises how strong the relationships between the ‘Bond family’ are. Back in M’s classic wood-panelled office, we have a team consisting of Ralph Fiennes as M, Ben Whishaw as Q, Naomie Harris as Moneypenny, and Rory Kinnear as Bill Tanner. In regards to this group, Fiennes and Whishaw are deserved of a second mention. Fiennes does well to fill the gap that Dame Judi Dench left, allow-

We shed light on five of the most interesting C (for Condemned) labeled films by the National Legion of Decency in America, on behalf of the Catholic Church

5) The Producers

Photo: Eon Productions

ing the film to glaze over her omission, and Whishaw’s onscreen chemistry with Craig is splendid.

The new Bond girls consist of Lucia Sciarra, played by Monica Bellucci, the first ‘Bond lady’ at age 50, and Madeleine Swann, played by Léa Seydoux.

Although both performed well, their characters do not live up to the promises that Spectre would be revolutionary in its treatment of women. Bellucci appears on screen for less than a few minutes, and although Seydoux’s character initially seems like she, too, may prove to be revolutionary—her first few appearances on screen, showing off her character as a strong, independent woman, are brushed aside by Bond because she is in shock. By the end of the film, both characters are completely disempow-

ered and blur into the Bond girl canon, oozing with sex appeal as they go. They join Naomie Harris’ Moneypenny, who is demoted to M’s secretary.

As members of Spectre, Dave Bautista plays the silent Mr Hinx, and Christoph Waltz plays the ominous Franz Oberhauser. Their onscreen presences are both well constructed, and both actors do extremely well to mould their characters into classic Bond villains. Mr Hinx is a towering, grunting wall of muscle and Waltz’s Oberhauser is a true psychopath and a pivotal character in regards to completing the story arc that the franchise has seen since it was rebooted.

In Spectre, director Sam Mendes has crafted a brilliant film that fits with the tried and tested Bond formula that we are used to. Although several aspects of

the film thrive off of said formula such as the plot and the Bond villains, the antiquated Bond girls are confined to it, detracting from the reality that Spectre is trying to immerse us in. All in all, it is such a shame to see Bond return to a formula that the series seems to have outgrown. But, it is a formula that works, and Spectre is ultimately an awesome film, with Daniel Craig spearheading a cast at the top of their game, several gags that will certainly draw a smile, thrilling set pieces, sexy Bond girls and a fantastically villainous organisation that ties up several loose ends that have been haunting the franchise since it was rebooted.

Mississippi Grind

4) The Devils The town of Loudon falls into an extravagant state of sin during a period of 17th century witch-hunting. It’s easy to spot the scenes that caused outrage: A steamy orgy in the town church, forced enemas to rid the body of demons, and an Ursuline nun masturbating with the charred bone of a recently burnt priest.

Photo: 20th Century Fox

Reynolds), upon their quest into The South to the big time of wealth, Grind portrays the darker side of poker, cards et al. Gone are the days of bright lights, sparkling watches and elegant suits.

Gritty and real, Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck’s world is a stark contrast to that of Martin Scorsese’s Casino (famous for it lavish sets and costume). It also harkens to an old type of film making, prevalent in the 1970s.

Down-beat on life as a whole due to his financial problems, Mendelsohn’s Gerry owes money to everyone and everything in his town. Cumbersomely holding himself together, he participates

Dr. Victor Frankenstein was an enlightened physician who used galvanic science to rob God of his monopoly over human creation; Dr. Frank N Furter is a transsexual alien from Transylvania, The film opens with a stunning shot armed with a Medusa Transducer. Neiof a rainbow arching over farmland. ther is very popular with the Church.

Both of these men are searching for 2) Rosemary’s Baby that famous pot of gold at the end of the colourful meteorological wonder.

After moving in next to ringleaders of Elements surrounding Grind could a satanic cult, innocent Rosemary ends insinuate that the film might literally be up pregnant with Lucifer’s child. In the read as a rainbow; Gerry creating the final scene, we see the horrific spawn— rain and Curtis being the sunshine, as so and he has a name. With a long history of creepy nicknames, from Beelzebub to El reflected in their personalities. From a Diablo, who ever thought that The Dark cinematic perspective, cinematographer Lord’s offspring would be called Adrian?

Andrij Parekh delivers an eye-catching exploration of Southern American at its core. From establishing shots of simple street lights brightening New Orleans’s streets to the neon night, as captured so astonishingly in Fincher’s Fight Club. To accompany the jaw dropping Photo: Paramount Pictures cinematography is a gutsy, growling musical score that echoes true music 1) Grease of the south. From Blues to Jazz, the variation of music is used as a tool to Why was a classic 1970’s high school suture oneself into the environment of musical given the big ‘C’? In the eyes of these broken men. the National League of Decency, hopeLike the Mississippi itself, Grind is less devotion is something that involves alluring and winding in the best possible clutching rosary beads, not swooning sense. Films like this are very rarely made over John Travolta. They got this one in this modern age, and so among this right, though. It’s awful and deserves week’s releases, I command you: search every fiery condemnation the Church can throw at it. I’d rather babysit Roseit out. Find this ace of spades. mary’s kid than watch it again.

An alluring tale of obsession and wealth that features gritty music and atmospheric cinematography

Photo: A24 Films

Amidst a cloud of smoke in a run down bar, accompanied by bright neon lights and southern blues music permeating the room, you will find men of a certain kind. Either gamblers or simply failures of life, they linger for hours upon end with a small glass of bourbon at their fingertips.

Clearly, these men are masters of their own fate, and that is no different to Gerry (Ben Mendelsohn) in the latest release to contribute towards film’s obsession with gambling: Mississippi Grind. Following two gamblers, Gerry and Curtis (Ryan

A theatre producer and an accountant realise that you can make loads of money by deliberately staging an abysmal play. Consequently, they put on a jolly musical: ‘Springtime for Hitler: A gay romp with Adolf and Eva at Berchtesgaden.’ Choreographed Nazi chorus girls and lines like “the goosestep is the new step” proved too much.

3) The Rocky Horror Picture Show

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Alasdair Bayman Film Critic

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in a local poker game to casually affect.

Like a lucky little leprechaun, Reynolds’ Curtis walks in gleaming with charm and wit. The two strike it off in an instant and a form of bromance ensues. Long takes and a road trip take to the centre of this tale.

No quick cuts or editing exist in Boden and Fleck’s piece. The actors’ relationship is electrifying through their mutual obsession with winning big. Gerry’s ploy is one of sheer desperation in his attempt to pay off his debts, whereas Curtis’s involvement is, however, unknown. Due to their conflict of interest, an abundance of suspenseful scenes spread across the board, and, in particular, the finale.

Ashley McGovern Arts Editor

Books

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Feature

Quincey, drugs, and excess One of the fathers of ‘drug literature’, alongside Byron, is Thomas de Quincey. This might surprise some; to find out that the drug culture we know has firmer footing in 18th century coffee houses than Woodstock tents.

Born in Manchester, Quincey’s understanding of ‘intoxication’ can be made just as relevant today.

“I stood checked for a moment— awe, not fear, fell upon me—and whilst I stood, a solemn wind began to blow, the most mournful that ever ear heard. Mournful! That is saying nothing. It was a wind that had swept the fields of mortality for a hundred centuries.”

Standing in the stark cold and huffing plumes of air we found ourselves stood on a cobbled street gazing up at the lidless night’s sky. Such was the weight one felt stumbling home from Manchester’s yearly Oktoberfest. We paused at half-seen features of this landscape, “Everlasting farewells! and again, and yet again reverberated—everlasting farewells!” The “burden of the incommunicable,” shared between us in our collective intoxication. We had lost our bounds, and that was the thing in common, dissolution of selfhood, “will to nothingness.”

The sense in which De Quincey ‘enjoyed’ drugs is at once similar and alien to the drug culture we ‘enjoy’ today. Easy parallels are made between his indulgence in “a glass of laudanum negus, warm, and without sugar,” before an opera, and the drugcharged atmosphere of a concert.

However, there is a distinction to be made between the individual and the communal drug experience than might parallel the Nietzschean idea of the apollonian and the Dionysian.

I will permit myself an aside to describe the latter state for you.

This is in the true Quinceyan spirit; for “digression...constitutes the very core of the human unconscious.”

Thus, in unlocking its secrets, we are obliged to take this route.

“All the rigid, hostile walls... between men are shattered. Now that the gospel of universal harmony is sounded, each individual becomes not only reconciled to his fellow but actually at one with him... Man now expresses himself through song and dance as the member of a higher community; he has forgotten how to walk, how to speak, and is on the brink of taking wing as he dances.”

It is in this very act of digression that we understand De Quincey’s spirit. The superfluous nature of his prose gives it potency and joy. In the ‘excess’ of his prose and imagery we are shown glimpses of sublimity.

Just as how love is glimpsed in the excesses of the gift of a rose.

“Flowers… that are so pathetic in their beauty,” show more through their lack than their lustre. Such things are accessed precisely through their non-utilitarian aspect. So to ask of Quincey, “what is the point of all this dreaming?” is to miss it.

“Thou hast the keys of Paradise, oh just, subtle, and mighty opium!”, but one must point out that De Quincey doesn’t recommend such experiences for everyone. Such experiences are characterised by the destruction of the ego, the dissipation of it. The suspension of self to orgiastic Bachic rites, that are, “no friend of any man who’s hostile to the gods.”

We recognise a latent danger in these substances. We can explore this through the observation that these states of intoxication inspire art through the firing of our passions; the very word ‘passion’ inferring suffering.

Popular musicians

Photo: AMagill @Flickr

again and again pay tribute to the character of the ‘addict’. Perhaps an artist’s struggle with drugs can be read as an attempt to gain this passion; the authenticity of the opium eater. The sage whose insights are more legitimate; as they have suffered an ‘inward passion’ in the

Kierkegaardian sense. Artists, like Christ, gain legitimacy for their willingness to suffer for mankind.

Does not this mindset similarly apply today to those we view as oppressed? We attribute to them mystic insight into the flaws of our society and culture. Videos where the virtues of the poor are displayed to us seem a twisted development of the concept of the noble savage.

What truths can these people whom have suffered such hardships offer to us? We assume that one who has suffered and who is outside the societal remit has something of value to say to us. The poet who suffers for his art; the socialist who suffers for his cause. It is the suffering that lends them credibility. From here derives the power of the insult, ‘Champagne Socialist’.

The struggle of the pampered to struggle. Is this not why we look down upon rappers who are not “from the streets”, sound “posh”, or are “too white”? They lack authenticity: Where is the realism in their art? To enjoy something we must infer some pain in it. This allows a disturbing insight into our relationship with art.

Perhaps, we feel guilty to enjoy something that is not engendered by suffering; someone must suffer for our pleasure. The irony that men who have decried ‘bull fighting’ take no greater pleasure than in the observance of self-destruction expressed through their favourite ‘troubled artist’. Quincey remarks that, “The pleasures and pains of opium were inextricable from one another.” Therefore, this is another mode of ‘drug culture’. One that is purely spectatorial.

Perhaps we can extend this to say that ‘consumerism’ is a drugged state. We watch the fulfilment of the promise that “that those eat now

who never ate before; And those who always ate, now eat the more.”

We glorify a consumption that, like Bronte, will be the death of all of us. Thus drug addict embodies an archetype that we can all relate to.

“The pleasures and pains of opium,” needless and excessive, symbolise our own ‘sickness unto death’.

“A little poison now and then: that makes for pleasant dreams,” so liveth the ‘last men’ of Nietzsche’s imagining. This is how the modern man views the visions of drug taking.

Lacking the passion and inspiration in our own lives we seek to gain it through the drug experience. The promise of individuation, seeking self-affirmation in the orient; clashing with our personal sensibilities.

We search for the limit experience, where pleasure and pain are synonymous, where language dare not tread. One need only read the ‘story of the eye’, to conceive of the dangers of this world of Bataillean excess. This image of the transgressive addict, who might have experienced something beyond the common remit, has been much damaged by the advent of the ‘permissive society’. Limit experiences harder and harder to find, one can not readily access the infinite satisfaction promised by the exceeding of conceivable bounds. As more is conceivable, permissible and understandable, potential for such experience diminishes. If genuine freedom lies in the inexpressible, beyond “that line of foam showing just how far speech may advance upon the sands of silence,” then we are at high tide. One almost feels that in a society where everything is permitted the only limit one can find is to inflict one upon-oneself; the sadistic pleasure of the ascetic.

Top 5

Top 5 : Books About Siblings

Elizabeth Gibson picks her top 5 books which showcase the love and hate between siblings

I asked my brother for a Top 5 idea and he pitched this—figures, I guess! I do like it, though, when a book showcases sibling love; often it is more moving and rewarding to read about than romantic love. So, here is my Top 5. They all happen to be kids’ or YA books but I wouldn’t have chosen them if I didn’t believe they could be read and enjoyed by all ages.

One by Sarah Crossan This is a sibling book with a difference: It tells the tale of conjoined twins. Grace and Tippi are joined at the waist and, perhaps surprisingly, are fairly content with their situation, with no real desire to be separated. Then something unexpected happens that sets in motion a series of events that will have awful and irreversible

consequences. As with Crossan’s The Weight of Water, One is told in free verse and is incredible—I wasn’t expecting it to be quite so tragic and powerful. It is almost worth reading just for the last few lines which pretty much sum up what it is to have a sibling.

his sisters. When Madge is entrusted with the care of a friend’s daughter, Robin, Joey immediately adopts her as an unofficial younger sister and her tenderness towards the little girl contrasts with her usual boisterous ways.

Forever Rose by Hilary McKay

Jo of the Chalet School by Elinor M. Brent-Dyer I think the fact that the author’s beloved brother died young might have something to do with the wonderful tight-knit, caring family unit she created in the form of the three orphaned Bettany siblings.

Joey, the youngest, is of fragile health so Madge, at the tender age of 24, starts a school in the Tyrol so Jo can study in the clean Alpine air. Dick, their brother, appears less often but it’s obvious that he adores

The Cassons are one of the most lovable, artsy, chaotic families in kids’ literature. Cadmium, Saffron, Indigo and Rose are as colourful and vibrant as their names and are all believable characters. Within the four Indigo and Rose have a particularly strong relationship with some adorable moments. Although all six books are amazing, I picked Forever Rose because the parents are quite distant, allowing us to see even more clearly the bonds between the kids. It’s especially nice to see Saffy

and Rose together as normally they seem to interact the least among the siblings. And the ending… I won’t spoil it, but it is truly lovely.

Broken Soup by Jenny Valentine This is one of my favourite books for its pure honesty. There is zero pretence; the souls of all the characters are laid bare. Fifteenyear-old Rowan has to look after her little sister alone while aching from the death of her older brother. What appears to be a chance encounter leads her to make friends with two kooky teens she would ordinarily have nothing to do with. They then just… live their lives. There’s no great plot arc, no conventional structure; it is just a slice of life and so real and refreshing. The relationship between the three siblings, two alive and one dead, is what propels the story and

unites the characters. Everybody should read this book!

The Dream Snatcher by Annie Dalton Another of my absolute favourite books. The kids, Joe and Flora, aren’t actually siblings yet but it’s pretty clear their parents are an item and by the sequel they are indeed stepsiblings. Packaged like a simple fantasy novel, it is actually quite dark and sad. From the moment Joe and Flora board a ship to sail through fields of dreams, the reader is bombarded with eerily stunning imagery.

Dalton also pitches some quite profound ideas about dreams; where they come from and their significance.

Joe and Flora’s relationship as soon-to-be-siblings is very realistic, with scrapping and teasing hiding growing affection. I wholeheartedly recommend this series, however old you are—it will make you think differently about the world.

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Review

So what is ‘Love Juice’?

Helena Maxwell-Jackson heads to Chorlton to find out Love Juice is situated in a quiet corner of South Manchester’s Chorlton. Packed to the brim with independent businesses and cute residential roads, Chorlton is renowned for it’s free-spirited artistic vibe. Love Juice takes this neighbourhood to a new level of quirky, and, if you know your crystals, possibly to a new dimension.

Love Juice might not be everyone’s cup of tea, especially if your cup of tea is a syrup–laden chai latte with extra whip. But, if you like healthy vegetarian food in an imaginative environment, Love Juice may be one to check out.

Love Juice is a very small café. If you peer behind the counter of delicious raw treats and vegan bakes, you can look right through to the back of the kitchen.

I ordered the raw beetroot wrap. The wait for the food was long, but I entertained myself by reading the flyers that were perched around the café.

Where else in Manchester would you find an advert for a Shaman drumming course? In the time it took to make a beetroot wrap, I had already planned my future as a shamanistic healer.

When I asked for a glass of water I was guided toward a large glass keg, filled with filtered water and, surprisingly, large pieces of rose quartz. I poured myself a glass and sipped cautiously, looking out to see what effect the rose quartz might take.

Would my tongue start to tingle and sprout wings? Would my skin start to glow a luminous pink?

In reality it was tinged slightly blue—the café could do with some central heating.

Alas, I decided I wasn’t yet spiritually sophisticated enough to

feel the effects of the quartz, and made a mental note to return after my Shaman class. Let the rose quartz do its worst then, I thought to myself.

Just as I was considering looking up the effects of rose quartz in the book of crystals lying on the table next to me, I was saved by the arrival of my beetroot wrap.

The wrap was one of their raw vegan options. It was presented on a long rectangular plate, which always adds anticipation to the dish.

Luckily my anticipation was well placed, the dish was a triumph of textures. Crisp, fresh cucumber mingled nicely with the grated carrot. The wrap oozed with a sweet nutty dressing. The dehydrated beetroot bread was unusual, but not unpleasant. It was slightly chewy, and had just a note of sweetness.

The salad served with the wrap might seem a little scary to some raw food novices. There really isn’t much to say about a raw, undressed, unseasoned vegetable salad. All I can say is that, after the water, I was just glad that it was sprinkled with sunflower seeds and not little chunks of haematite.

Love Juice is definitely an experience. It’s a chance to let out your inner hippy and get a pretty good meal as you do so. I left Love Juice in high spirits, and while I can’t say for sure if this was down to the rose quartz water, or the raw wrap, I can say I’ll be back soon to find out.

Love Juice 93 Beech Road M21 9EQ

Green kale smoothie, overnight bircher oats & turmeric ginger cayenne hot shot. Photo: Love Juice @Twitter

Feature

Wake me up before your Kokoa Ellie Gibbs Head Editor

Photo: Kokoa Collection

Photo: Lindsay@Flickr

Hands up, I’m a food snob.

I’m that person who walks into a café and asks: “Do you have almond milk?”

“Could I have my brownie warmed up a little bit?”

“What kind of chocolate powder do you use?”

Okay, maybe it’s annoying to some people. But if you deliver your question with a smile and a friendly face, the staff simply can’t help but fall for your loveable charm.

There’s a difference between asking and demanding.

If they don’t have it, no big deal, it’s not the end of the world and there are other things on the menu. If they do, great—you don’t ask, you don’t get.

For example, on one of these occasions, I was in the newly-opened vegetarian on-campus café: Greenhouse. I had already gauged the staff as friendly and accommodating, since we happily chatted away about the delights of handroasted fresh coffee, coconut porridge and herbal tea. I knew they wouldn’t mind me inquiring about the source of their hot chocolate.

Fortunately for my daily chocolate intake (for the next year at least), Greenhouse now stock the award-winning brand of Kokoa Collection: A real hot chocolate, delicately made with cocoa beans from around the world.

This is not powder, but little tablets of actual chocolate that are then swirled into hot milk and frothed in the machine for extra smooth whippedness.

You can even have it as a mocha for a double energy boost and serotonin release.

Actually, I recently discovered that chocolate contains the chemical ‘theobromine’, which is a natural bitter alkaloid found in the cacao plant. It’s a slow release heart stimulant that’s available in high percentage chocolate bars, which enables you to reap the pharmaceutical rewards without that sugar-anxiety low that comes from highlyprocessed branded chocolate.

Theodore is also a brother of mine, but that’s irrelevant to the review.

High percentage is best, with a combination of the 82 per cent Madagascan extra dark and 70 per cent Ecuadorian.

Music student and devout chocolate enthusiast Samantha Mayes describes the Venezuelan 58 per cent milk as “heaven in a teacup.” It’s also available in Ivory Coast White if you’re less concerned about the health benefits. What more do you really want?

Kokoa Collection Available on-campus at Greenhouse Cafe, George Kenyon Hall kokoacollection.co.uk The Mancunion: Food and Drink @MancunionFood food@mancunion.com

Review

Pho Sho

Don’t get pho-mo, head on down to the Corn Exchange for some noodle goodness. Sarah Lambert reports

Since my first foray into the world of Pho down a dodgy alleyway in Hanoi, I have been hooked. This Vietnamese dish of rice noodle soup with fresh herbs and tender meat quickly became one of my favourites.

Thus, when the posters advertising the new Pho restaurant in Manchester caught my eye, I knew where my next lunch date would take place.

On a quiet Tuesday afternoon, we checked out the newest addition to the Pho chain. One of a variety of eateries making themselves home in the recently refurbished Corn Exchange, Pho spans an impressive three floors of dark, wooden-clad walls and mood lighting. The restaurant is a family-run business with several locations focusing on providing authentic Vietnamese cuisine.

We opted to be seated at the window bench in order to ogle the passers-by, and because it was far too cold to sit outside.

The mishmash of high chairs and sofa seats inside made a nice change from the usual school canteen-style benches favoured by similar restaurants.

It didn’t take long to order the food, thanks to the minimalist menu, which, unsurprisingly, comprised mainly Pho, but with a good selection of starters including gems like summer rolls and savoury crepes. We decided on pork crispy spring rolls followed by the Pho with beef brisket. The main wasn’t a bad price, and so we decided to upgrade to steak, which brought the dish to a reasonable £8.50 (who wouldn’t, especially with the 15 per cent student discount available).

After a brief wait, our spring rolls arrived. Deliciously crisp with just enough to share, these were accompanied by either a creamy peanut or a garlic and chilli (‘nuoc cham’) dip. Ten minutes later, we were greeted by our huge bowls of aromatic noodle soup, topped with an appetising herb plate of mint, lemongrass, lime, chilli and coriander. The melt-in-the-mouth meat was coupled with the perfect amount of spice; although there were some pungent chilli and garlic oils provided for those more with a greater disposition towards spice. We ended the meal with the banana fritters. Covered in the lightest of batters, with sesame seeds and a side of coconut ice cream, these were possibly the best I have ever had.

Overall, we found Pho to be a

viable contender on the competitive Manchester Asian food scene, with a relaxed, contemporary atmosphere thanks to the chatty staff and ambient playlist.

The meal was very reasonably priced, at under £15 for a main with shared starter and dessert.

If we lived closer, we would definitely take advantage of the takeaway ‘Pho to Go’ option, which comes served with the ingredients in separate containers to keep them fresh on the journey. I already have my eye on the com tam curry for next time!

Pho Unit 15, The Corn Exchange, 37 Hanging Ditch, Manchester, M4 3TR Photo: The Mancunion

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ISSUE 7 / 9th NOVEMBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM Review

Death by burrito

Evangeline Katz Lifestyle Editor As Almost Famous’s sister restaurant, Luck, Lust, Liquor and Burn has some big shoes to fill. Tex Mex with a filthy Mancunian twist—the menu is overloaded with mouth-watering dishes, from burgers to burritos that you’ll be spoilt for choice over. The

was the Hawaiian BBQ chicken blasts (also available with a spicy sauce). Upon tasting these boneless strips, drowned in a sumptuous sticky Hawaiian BBQ sauce and accompanied by sour cream, Rosie—a self professed chicken connoisseur—reacted with: “I like to think I know what’s good, but these are great!”. The ‘Bacon Wrapped Jalapeños’ didn’t go down too badly, either. Resembling green

Photo: The Mancunion

decor, based on Hunter S Thompson’s book, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, has a grungy, Mexican vibe. Whilst the red festoon lighting creates the ambience of a bar even with daylight streaming through the windows, graffiti-decorated panels cover its walls, creating a sense of chaos; yet there is a harmony between each and every aspect.

Nothing looks out of place. From the bar stools to the sticker-covered fridges, they all fit in with the theme.

Food envy here is inevitable. This festival of meat encompasses all the brilliant reasons for the marriage that is Tex Mex. Whatever you order, there will be at least two other options that came close runners-up. My companion, Rosie, and I ordered the Bacon Wrapped Jalapeños to start. Blinded by choice and hunger, we did not scan the menu with adequate scrutiny to be tempted by the many other delectable options. So when the ‘Easy Rider’ starter sharing platter arrived at our neighbouring table, it had barely been put down before Rosie blurted “CAN WE GET ‘CHICKEN BLASTS’ PLEASE?!”. And thus, our order grew.

Upon arrival of our food, we were practically clapping with joy. The sheer size of Rosie’s ‘Big Easy’ left me wondering how on earth such a small person could consume that much burrito as, I quote “it’s the size of my face.” An advert-worthy Big Mac Meal (chips and all) all rolled into one with some cheesy goodness and a little spice to boot, this burrito is definitely more Tex than Mex. Now to give you an idea of the experience that

pigs in blankets, these oddly felt healthier than the fried alternatives; however, shoving an entire morsel into your mouth at once is not recommended, even if the action does result in a spicy, tangy, salty taste explosion.

As indecisive as ever, I selected the F Bomb, a halfand-half burrito designed for the fussy eaters of the world. One half dirty chicken and one half crispy beef: It was the perfect combination. The chicken half took the role of a light partner to its rich beefy sibling. If you’re not a spice lover, then the F Bomb may not be for you—and that’s coming from somebody who drizzles tabasco over her scrambled eggs in the morning. I was forced to alternate between each half, using the ‘cooling ranch’ sauce to douse the fire in my mouth. For those more adventurous punters, I would recommend the Taco Roulette, a sharing platter containing a selection of tacos with one taco drenched in hot sauce, this dish will be sure to blow somebody’s mind.

But be warned, Luck, Lust, Liquor and Burn is certainly not the spot you want to choose for a quick bite to eat, but rather the kind of place where you’d choose to miss the meal before to leave more room for a cheeky side. The sole downside to this establishment is the tongue-twisting riddle of its name, which makes it difficult to recommend verbally without sufficient practice (it took me roughly eight tries to get it).

Luck, Lust, Liquor & Burn 100-102 High St, M4 1HP

Review

Kyotoya

With windows covered by flags, neon signs and a range of traditional Japanese music playing, one must not sneak a peek, but immerse themselves in the glowing world of kawaii that awaits inside. By Gina Castellheim and Kate Savin

Photo: The Mancunion

Stepping into Kyotoya is like stepping through a magic wardrobe into food Narnia. The restaurant is afloat with red paper lanterns and fairy-lights, which give a lovely scarlet tinge and orange warmth to the intimate restaurant.

As we sat nestled in comfort, our first starter, Kimchi, arrived. This Korean dish, essentially fermented cabbage with spicy seasonings, does not sound like the most appetising of dishes (in fact, far from it!) The sour creation was served refreshingly cold and peppered with red dashes of chilli, whose spicy kick Kate clearly couldn’t handle. Perhaps a little too pungent for some, Gina loved it and thought it should be more aptly-named Golden Kimchi due to its sparkling appearance.

Typically paired with all meals (including breakfast), it comes as no surprise that South Korea measures up as one of the slimmest nations in the world, given how much cabbage they consume. Up next was the Shichimi Tofu. This was grilled tofu served with garlic and chilli in a dark salty broth. With four generous slabs of soft and spongy tofu, this dish is ideal for cold winter nights—pleasantly counteracting the Kimchi’s spicy taste and texture.

For our main course we decided to be daring and chose the Mixed Sushi 12 pieces, letting the expert chefs choose our sushi for us. The dish arrived in a delightful wooden boat, with ginger and wasabi tucked into the helm and flowers positioned delicately amongst the Maki and Nigiri.

The selection did not disappoint: Old favourites such as Salmon and Tuna Nigiri sat alongside more adventurous offerings such as Squid Nigiri and Inari,

a sweetly fried parcel of tofu wrapped around rice.

Apart from the Squid Nigiri, which was too tough for our liking, every single piece of sushi hit the spot.

The salmon and tuna melted in the mouth, and the California Maki perfectly balanced the flavours of avocado and salmon.

The Sweet Eggs Nigiri, which Kate had never tried before this point out of fear of the unknown, was a surprisingly delicious break from the largely fishoriented plate. Mixed platters are a fantastic choice when eating a cuisine you aren’t familiar with, and we highly recommend this one.

Alongside this we attempted to maintain the air of unforeseen delight, and chose the Tobiko California Maki, made of crab roe. Apart from being awkwardly sized, this dish was as fresh and flavoursome as the rest of the sushi, and had a delicate fishy flavour which those who do not love fish might be able to enjoy.

Prepared to order, Kyotoya’s sushi is some of the freshest and tastiest in Manchester, without the normal drawback of robbed pockets. One word of advice—don’t go here on a first date, as the large sushi pieces don’t exactly make for dainty eating! However, if you want a truly satisfying meal that doesn’t cost the world and leaves you wanting to come back the very next day, this is the restaurant for you.

Kyotoya 28 Copson St, Withington M20 3HB

Review I’ve only been living in Manchester for five weeks and before that had little or no preconceived ideas about what the food would be like. I had read one review that dubbed Manchester “a city that drinks first and eats after, with its mouth open.” To generalise a whole city’s cuisine is perhaps unfair but I do not think it unreasonable to first call Pen and Pencil a bar, and in distant second a restaurant.

It gets its name from the now defunct New York steak house and hangout of Mad Men’s Don Draper.

One thing that sticks in my mind about the series was the protagonist rarely being without a drink in his hand.

A wonderful old friend and I went on a Thursday lunchtime to assess the latest addition to the Northern Quarter. When you walk in the door it’s the bar that takes pride of place, with a sleek metal countertop and tiled lining. The seating is informal: benches and tables.

We found ourselves a table and after about five minutes were offered drinks. The strawberry and basil smoothie my friend ordered proved that when it came to drinks, the barmen knew what they were doing. A coupling of flavours that made you simultaneously think tomato sauce and British summer.

My coffee was as good, decent beans and it arrived at sipping temperature.

The daytime menu is an all day brunch, with sandwiches, in the style of modern American comfort food. The corned beef hash came with two fried eggs. Test any chef by his eggs, they’re simple, noth-

The Pen and Pencil Just another bar, or a good hangout with easy food? Felix Sanders explores

shared. The pico de gallo was delicious, so was the shredded beef. But the best part was the taco basket the salad sat in. A battered dome that provided an indulgent addition to the salad.

Despite the trend having stuck with the catering industry like a bad smell, I still hate eating off anything other then a plate so, when two of the three dishes came in wooden boxes I heaved an internal sigh of despair.

One thing my friend and I did notice was the quality of the music. We both have a place in our hearts for Wilson Pickett so were instant fans of whoever put together that playlist. The music in a bar/restaurant can sometimes be completely non-sequential but in this instance it provided a nice touch.

On my journey back from the Northern Quarter to Fallowfield I noticed that amongst the posters at the Lidl end of the curry mile, Pen and Pencil have one offering “DJ’s ‘til 2am Friday and Saturday nights”.

There’s nothing essentially wrong with a new establishment trying to deliver on all fronts—look at Soup Kitchen—but Pen and Pencil runs the risk of stretching itself too thin and the food will end up suffering. Also, does Manchester really need a another DJ-centric bar?

Photo: Pen and Pencil

ing to hide behind. Mine were good with sufficiently runny yolks.

When you order a Philly cheesesteak sandwich for £7.00 it’s a given that its going to be a little chewy,

but when you put on the menu “tender strips of steak”, you run the risk of being done for false advertising.

The one surprise was the taco salad that we

The Pen and Pencil, 57 Hilton Street, M1 2EJ

ISSUE 7 / 9th NOVEMBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

24 Arts Feature

Man in the Browser

Exhibition

Review: Absent Presence at Manchester Art Gallery

How can a subject be present in an artwork yet absent at the same time?

Neil Greenhalgh Contributor

Photo: bwjones @Flickr

Arts Editor Ashley McGovern takes a closer look at media images of hackers A courtroom illustrator has no choice over their subject matter; their pastel sketches must note down the various looks of innocence, guilt or chilling blasé of the person in the dock as faithfully as possible. But when a newspaper has to illustrate an anonymous criminal responsible for a spurt of online hacking, they have definite artistic choices to make. Glancing through the recent reports of TalkTalk and Vodafone hacking, the common features of the unknown culprits seem to be disembodied heads, or sometimes typing hands, that are surrounded by a sinister jumble of computer code.

The Metro’s article (October 30) on the “dark side of the web” had a large three-quarter page image of a bionic woman staring out at the reader. She had blue microchip-veined skin, dark lips and flared eyes—a Marvel Comics villainess out to ransack the net. The Daily Mail’s report (October 31) on how stolen information is traded using Bitcoin on the grubby ‘Dark Web’ included an image of a man’s

head, face shadowed except for stray hairs, covered by a fluttering matrix of digits. A Guardian article (October 31) revealing the truth behind hacker stereotypes came up with a more painterly version of the arrangement: Shoulders topped with a computer screen head, white keyboard and, of course, the expected background of overlapping code—the lingua franca of hackers.

They all share the brooding villainy of the people responsible for over 2,000 online attacks each year that costs £300 billion, and every part of the pictures means something. The glare of encrypted data represents the onslaught of DDoS attacks that lesser skilled hackers, known as “script kiddies,” use to bombard companies with traffic; the dark backgrounds are the lonely dens of hacking addicts; and the faceless baddies stand for the smarter, less visible hackers, hiding via the ‘Man in the Browser’ theft tactic.

Of course the images are visually influenced

This exhibition is inspired by Callum Innes’ work Exposed Painting Green Lake, 2012, having recently been acquired by Manchester Art Gallery. More than this, it focuses closely on Innes’ technique, which you could also call his subject matter; a process of ‘unpainting’. His works are characterised by his process of building up layers of paint and then removing them, leaving traces, or evidence of existence. Areas of black paint are usually permitted to be left un-scraped from the canvas and negotiate for territory in the geometric arena of the un-painted, forging a relationship between negative and positive, addition and subtraction, absence and presence.

Paintings from the gallery’s own collection have been selected to add to this dialogue, a selection that spans an incredible four cen-

by the glare of computer screens but there may be another political crisis behind their aesthetic.

Recently The Economist looked back at the great 2008 sub-prime mortgage disaster and published a series of five articles that traced the causes. In their first piece, the accompanying picture was a blue image of skyscrapers, and although no person is to be seen, a shower of numbers, arrows and dollar symbols obscures the background. The falling cash signs visually mirror the cascade of code found n the hacking pictures.

The political scenarios are linked and their similarities shine through the throwaway images that sit above the news stories. Hacking could be seen as a vengeful response to the freewheeling capitalists, or it could be the refuge of those who want to

turies. To select work so diverse for an exhibition in such a small room, all inspired by a contemporary abstract painting is a bold move for a public gallery that has been criticised for perhaps being a bit boring. This exhibition is in no way boring. The curator has managed to make a show that is small in size, but dynamic, exciting and bold in stature.

The strongest feature of this exhibition is the way in which a simple concept has been so successfully deployed through works that are hundreds of years apart in their making and would otherwise have none or little correspondence with each other. The vision is simple yet effective and completely coherent in an exhibition full of opposites and contrasts.

Manchester Art Gallery until the 3rd of January 2016.

play heinous games with money but don’t have the banking authority to do it. Either way both cases rely on the distortion of valuable information without anybody being aware of it. Not before a bank defaults and it is bought in a shotgun merger or account information is stolen and credit card details flogged do the manipulators get noticed.

It’s this shadowy criminality that the headline media images are trying to capture. Only if the TalkTalk scandal comes to trial will a courtroom artist sketch the true face of guilt. Until then, as with all our online dealings, we’ll have to put up with a malign presence peering through our browsers.

Review: Melanie Manchot’s Twelve Addicts turn into auteurs at the Castlefield Gallery Ashley McGovern Arts Editor Castlefield Gallery’s last offering, which closed last week, was a multi-video installation by artist Melanie Manchot called Twelve. She worked for six months with recovering addicts and taught them the basics of film-making. They then used these newly-developed skills to write, direct and star in short films about their dark moments. All of the troubled memories are deeply personal, and the artists attempt to purge the past by developing their inner auteur. The installation was originally commissioned by Mark Prest’s Portraits of Recovery arts charity. It works with addiction centres across the country and uses art to help with the difficult recovery period. Their previous projects include I AM, a two year partnership with cultural organisations that produced similar film portraiture e.g. Cristina Nuñez’s slow-mo series of former drug/alcohol abusers expressing themselves without words, just faces of pain. The most recent one, ADDICT (2015), which resulted in Manchot’s videos, also involved letter writing and performance.

On the first floor, two screens talk over each other as a young scouser describes the temporary abandon of drink. Drink allowed him to dream and gave a brief, realistic cast to his hopes of being the next Steven Gerard. Descending into the lower gallery, the same man then features in a monologue that flicks between two personalities: One guise is a polite man asking for his football back in the park, and the other is a noxious addict who fires back foul-mouthed replies and hoards the ball. One story is a ‘romance’ between a woman and her booze. It begins with a precocious meeting on boxing day 1974. But teen romance ends badly when the ruinous dependency upon drink forces them apart for the better.

Manchot’s work is part of a wider expressionist movement in recovery circles. In 2011, a forthright manifesto, the ‘Recoverist Manifesto,’ was released, and declared—in confessional free verse—the need to move away from silent suffering into speaking out and sharing experiences. This is why Manchot has chosen video as her art form. Auteurish flair and honest storytelling can be broadcast to other recoverists up and down the UK. Especially given the fact that the exhibition is touring and always involves discussion groups about the restorative effects of art-making on former addicts. The quality of the shorts is very good and, apart from anything else, they make a fascinating case for having a full-scale Recoverist Film Festival.

UPCOMING MEETINGS Students from all over the world

Wednesday 11th November 2-3.30pm in Rm8 Tea, coffee and snacks will be provided!

w: Manchesterstudentsunion.com/ internationalstudentnetwork e: isn.manchester@outlook.com

Photo: Castlefield Gallery

Theatre 25

ISSUE 7 / 9th NOVEMBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Feature

Feature

Review: Michael McIntyre Cementing his place as Britain’s most popular comedian, Michael McIntyre’s crowd lost none of their Happy and Glorious ferocity right through until his final humorous observations

Shaun Carter Subeditor Michael McIntyre, or Five Spice, as he satirically names himself, did not need to don the attire of the gothic or supernatural in order to leave me feeling contently drained of adrenaline on this year’s Hallowe’en.

The Manchester Arena was unwilling to keep its guests waiting and at the designated starting time of 8pm, support act Paul Tonkinson emerged from backstage to try to warm up an already-excited crowd. He began by gauging the average age range of the audience, stripping himself of his humorous considerations about each group. From the juvenile confidence of the 20 – 30 year olds, to the warm, contented laughter of the over-70s, just a little bit of his observations might too have been relatable and not simply amusing.

Paul, well-known for his work on The Big Breakfast and The Sunday Show, kept his 25-minute set clean and accessible, recalling the difficulties of a young son who has become embroiled in the world of rap music (and mannerism), before taking us on a don’t-look-away-or-you’llmiss-it tour of his marriage.

From the drunken antics of his wife to the undying love he has for her leadership in the house, Tonkinson was observant and almost sweet with his jokes, and his presence felt like an appropriate pre-act for the alsoclean Michael McIntyre.

When the time came for Five Spice to ascend to the stage, a projector video cleared its voice and took us on a five minute recap of some of McIntyre’s funniest moments, such as his above-mentioned agnomen, the ‘PANTS DOWN!’ trick he plays on his children, the exhaustinglyfunny imitation of a woman

putting on tights for an evening out, and his infamous skip-run technique. The theatre’s lights had dimmed by this point, and when the projector’s homagepaying audience bellowed Ladies and Gentleman, please welcome Michael McIntyre! the man himself could be seen standing inside the erected tour title ‘Happy and Glorious’.

The tickets for this show delineated that 14-year-olds had to be accompanied by an adult, and Michael McIntyre’s first moment of hilarity came when, in the front row of the Manchester Arena, he spotted a young girl who turned out to be nine years old. Despite promising to be on his best behaviour, his Happy and Glorious performance seemed to include far more swear words than one might expect at a Michael McIntyre gig, with expletives being syringed into the audience in quite the same manner that he suggested using Calpol on children has only wondrous effects in calming them for... the entire day.

He joked about kids being glued to iPads and other technology; about his strangely muscular legs (which we were shown and permitted to linger with while he struggled to pull down his trouser legs); about the awkwardness of he and his wife both suffering from that old adage of “I slept funny”; before detailing the dark, rustic horrors of moving from inner-city London to the moonlit, naturevoiced British countryside.

Between imitating alien animal sounds, depicting the world’s most streetwise fox and suggesting that, if a burglar ever threatens the McIntyre family, then Michael’s best approach might be to confront the highwayman while naked and in a full-swinging Scottish accent, the UK’s biggest comedian did not disappoint on any level, and I would thoroughly recommend seeking out his continuing Happy and Glorious tour, if you have the opportunity.

Just ensure that you take with you some sutures for those split sides.

Review: The Oresteia

The Oresteia Photo: Graeme Cooper

James Moules Film Editor A thick, bleak atmosphere hangs over the stage as Blanche McIntyre’s production of Aeschylus’ Orestiea begins—a somewhat fitting vibe for one of the greatest works of tragedy in all of drama. But as a story of murder, revenge and justice, even anyone not familiar with Greek tragedy need not be reminded that what they are about to see is a rather dark tale. Yet this production shouldn’t be seen as a relentlessly sombre affair—on the contrary, as the Oresteia has a number of moments of wild humour that are well executed in this production. What we are given is an interpretation that has flavours of both the Classical and the Modern.

One of the most noteworthy aspects of this play is the use of the chorus—one of the most pivotal parts of any Greek tragedy. As many will have heard,

this production uses a team of local volunteers. This works marvellously, as they interact with the characters, sometimes from the stage, and sometimes from among the audience, there is a direct sense of involvement, heightening the audience’s relation with the characters on stage.

The performances from the limited main cast are all solid albeit not as powerful as we might hope; some of the most memorable characters in Greek tragedy, such as Clytemnestra, are featured in the Oresteia, and though the actors do these characters justice, we are still left with a sense that they could have been pushed a little further.

The decision to use Ted Hughes’ concise translation of the play is another strength— alongside the richness of the language, this translation takes us at speed through the vicious and bloody drama, hitting us hard with one act of murder and vengeance after another.

Alongside the atmospheric darkness, this barebones edition of the narrative makes the whole production suitably stark and sinister.

Although this is not the finest production of Aeschylus’ trilogy you will ever see, it’s more than worth your time.

It sometimes feels lacking in the rich characterisation that makes much of Greek drama so powerful, but the show’s design and smart use of the chorus make for an exquisite and accessible demonstration of Aeschylus mastery of Greek tragedy.

The Oresteia runs for one hour and 45 minutes, with no interval.

Blanche McIntyre’s production is available to see at Manchester’s HOME until Saturday the 14th of November, with a special post show discussion being held after the show’s performance on Friday the 13th of November.

For more information visit: www.homemcr.org/production/ oresteia/

Feature

Review: Jersey Boys Michael McIntyre Photo: Press shot

Editors’ Picks

few picks throughout the What’s on this week? Aweek in Manchester Tuesday The Barber of Seville, Lowry Theatre 7:15PM The Last Tango, Manchester Opera House 7:30PM Guys and Dolls, Manchester Palace Theatre 7:30PM Wednesday Tipping Point, Lowry Theatre 8PM Iain Stirling and Carl Donnelly, Lowry Theatre 8PM Jenůfa, Lowry Theatre 7:15PM Ockham’s Razor: Tipping Point, Contact Theatre 8PM Guys and Dolls, Manchester Palace Theatre 2:30PM & 7:30PM

Photo: garryknight @Flickr

Thursday The Barber of Seville, Lowry Theatre 7:15PM Tipping Point, Lowry Theatre 8PM The Red Chair, Lowry Theatre 8PM Ockham’s Razor: Tipping Point, Contact Theatre 8PM The Last Tango, Manchester Opera House 2:30PM & 7:30PM Guys and Dolls, Manchester Palace Theatre 7:30PM Friday Tipping Point, Lowry Theatre 8PM Kiss Me, Kate, Lowry Theatre

7:15PM She Called Me Mother, Lowry Theatre 8PM Ockham’s Razor: Tipping Point, Contact Theatre 8PM Saturday She Called Me Mother, Lowry Theatre 8PM Sunday Andy Zaltzman – Satirist for Hire, Lowry Theatre 8PM Dave Gorman, Lowry Theatre 8PM Circus of Horrors, Manchester Opera House 7:30PM

Jersey Boys Photo: Helen Maybanks

Sam Pigott Reviewer Jersey Boys debuted on Broadway ten years ago—where it will have felt perfectly at home with bright lights and classic songs every 10 minutes. With 55 major awards worldwide, including the Olivier Award for Best New Musical, the show perfectly captures the trials, tribulations and tension of four young boys, portrayed

by Sam Ferriday, Matt Corner, Stephen Webb and Lewis Griffiths, desperate to find fame and fortune within the music industry.

Built on the classic hits of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Jersey Boys takes us seamlessly through the formation, success and ultimate

break-up of the Rock ’n’ Roll group. Each member narrates their own ‘season’, providing their own perspective of events, and letting the audience in on this documentary-style format.

Not only do we get to see the harsh background of these characters, through their history of petty-crime and spells in prison, but the portrayal of the genuine friendships between the group is, at least, heartwarming. From immature gags and advice of “sex being better when two people are involved”, to the dealing of loan-sharks and debt, the friendship between the characters is clear and second to none.

Aside from the compelling story-telling, many would be happy to attend purely for the sensational array of hit songs

littered throughout the duration.

‘Oh What A Night’, ‘Bye Bye Baby’, ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’; to name just a few, had the whole audience beaming from ear to ear. It’s no wonder, as the Four Seasons are one of the best-selling musical groups of all time, with an estimated 100 million records sold.

For a night packed full of laughs, the occasional cry, and compulsory foot-tapping, Jersey Boys is showing at the Manchester Opera House until Saturday 7th November. It’s more than worth a visit, and you’ll be sure to have the soundtrack on repeat for days after.

Jersey Boys will tour to a further six locations into the beginning of 2016. For more information please visit: www.jerseyboysuktour.com

26

Lifestyle

ISSUE 7 / 9th NOVEMBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Manchester will always be home for anyone Marcus Johns Deputy Editor-in-chief No matter who you are or where you are from, Manchester will always be home for you. Our city is a patchwork of cultures, languages, and religions, all melded together to give Manchester its distinct attitude of tolerance, mutual respect, and unity in all of our differences.

Last weekend, I went to the Dashehra Diwali Mela celebration in Albert Square.

A short procession with traditional Indian music, followed by a street theatre finale telling a story from the Hindu epic Ramayana all topped off with copious fireworks served as a reminder of the wonder in this city of ours.

In 2013, it was revealed that Manchester is Britain’s city of languages and according to the Independent, it is the most linguistically diverse city in western Europe. Over 200 languages are spoken here, more than any other area in the United Kingdom. It has even been said by academics that “it’s fair to assume that Manchester has one of the world’s most diverse linguistic cultures.”

But Manchester’s diversity goes deeper than the languages we speak. Some of the most important and well-known areas in Manchester are multicultural beacons. From the Gay Village to Chinatown, and out to Rusholme’s Curry Mile, these prominent areas are a celebrated feature of our city. Far from ghettoisation, these areas are at both times a centripetal and a centrifugal social force, they pull us all in and show us foods, entertainment, and ways of life different to our own, before spitting us back out for us to spread the word, with enjoyable memories and an enhanced notion of celebration of

Photos: binaryape @Flickr

Photo: Gordon Marino @Flickr

others’ cultures.

At times being different can be hard, but when others come to celebrate your culture or way of life, it can really affirm your inclusion in the community. I can’t speak for the Hindis during Diwali or the Chinese during Chinese New Year, but I can talk about my experience as a gay man during Manchester Pride.

Families, businesses, and people of all shapes, sizes and colours lined the streets to wave past packed-out floats celebrating LGBT* people. Drag queens,

LGBT* policeman, and a big pink fire engine may not mean anything special to those who are just attending for the sake of it, other than a chance to have a laugh. As a gay person however, especially when we can often feel our relationships and ways of life are invalidated and looked down upon, you feel validated, you feel tolerated, and most of all you feel celebrated. Going to the parade and seeing so many people come out to support the LGBT* community creates a hugely supportive atmosphere. It is a

most sincere hope of mine that others feel the same warmth during events that celebrate their cultures.

I am left wondering about all the different things I have done in my time here in Manchester. There are so many opportunities that I would never have had had I been anywhere else. I’ve been to Holi, to Chinese New Year—with fireworks funded by the Bank of China, to the Manchester Caribbean Carnival in Moss Side.

There’s also so much more that I have yet to do; I’ve yet to go to the Irish Fes-

tival each March, and I haven’t been to ¡Viva!, the Spanish and Latin American Film Festival. Manchester has it all, and Manchester celebrates it all, showing everyone form all walks of life that they are a welcome and celebrated part of our city’s community.

An example of this that I will always remember is attending the Remembrance Sunday service. Each November, a huge congregation gathers in St Peter’s Square so that representatives from each of the many religions professed by mancunians can show their respect to Britain’s fallen as a community of communities together.

Manchester’s community is a patchwork quilt of all kinds and it is stronger in its diversity. Manchester is a great place to experience so much and celebrate others at the same time. Attending these events is not just fun, but it is validating to those whose cultures are being celebrated, and the tolerance and acceptance that blossoms can only be a united force for good.

If you don’t have time for all of them, why not try Manchester Day each June; starting in 2010, Manchester Day celebrates the diversity and creativity of our city in one long parade, and there’s always the Manchester Picnic in August too. So if you’re a first year daunted by the years ahead, or a third year with little time left, get out there and get involved.

Celebrate others’ cultures with them and Manchester will return the favour to you—plus you get to enjoy all the celebrations too!

Enough is enough Public shaming

on social media

Evangeline Katz Head Lifestyle Editor

Relationships aren’t easy at the best of times. But unless you’ve been fortunate enough to meet your one true love, there comes a time when your bond just doesn’t feel the same anymore. Let’s face it, relationships should be fun. It’s all about finding that one person that will make you laugh away your tears, who knows you inside out, someone that can tell exactly how you feel just by looking at you. So why do so many of us continue to drag out relationships when these perks come to an end?

Evidence points to comfort as the main culprit. We all need somebody that we can rely on for support and often your partner in crime takes on that role. The prospect of whipping your very own comfort blanket out from under you in exchange for a cold tub of Ben & Jerry’s isn’t an appealing thought, even for the strongest of people. Fear of the unknown is something that plagues all of us at some point, but it’s usually something we address head on. Yet as relationships draw to a timely close many of us allow this dread to cloud our judgement, resulting in inadvisable reunions and prolonged heartache.

Selfishness is another hindrance to the inevitable. We’re all hiding a green-eyed monster inside us; some of us are just a little more in touch with it than others. Even the most selfless being cannot say that they relish at the thought of their lover with somebody else.

As members of a society which advocates monogamy, it’s simply against our nature.

Jen Borland Lifestyle Contributor

Photo: i-am-rebecca@Flickr

For many, your other half will have become your best friend over the course of your relationship, so cutting them out of your life is never an easy decision. Postbreakup loneliness can result in one of two ways: either you give in and beg for them back or you make new friendships and rekindle those which you may have neglected. Try something new, join a society or just focus on catching up with old friends, with so much on you won’t have the time to wallow in self pity.

Ultimately, when your relationship loses its spark you have two options: fight or flee. If this person really seems like their worth the effort then confront the problem head on. Discuss your issues in

a neutral environment to avoid letting emotions get out of hand.

This will encourage you both to count to ten instead of reacting explosively to something that you didn’t want to hear. On the other hand, if the ‘fighting’ option was unsuccessful or you’re simply too exhausted to try then get out now.

Relationships should make you the best version of yourself, but if yours is sucking the life and soul out of you then it’s just going to be a downward spiral from here on out if you don’t bail. Once the initial post-breakup panic period is over you’ll be glad that you’re getting back in touch with you and the elements of your life your unsuccessful relationship was causing you to neglect.

Social media can be used as a platform upon which we can discuss and debate our way into a brighter, more tolerant future. But what happens when an individual suddenly finds themselves exposed to the scathing opinions of millions of its users?

New York woman Jennifer Connell is a recent victim of this exposure. Connell came under attack after news came to light that she had issued a $127,000 lawsuit against her 12-year-old nephew for breaking her wrist with an overly enthusiastic hug.

Cue social media eruption.

Thousands shared the story on Facebook and many Tweeted their disgust, along with the hashtag #worstauntever. Countless strangers publicly shamed her online, calling her ‘World’s Worst Aunt’, ‘Aunt From Hell’ and ‘The AuntieChrist’. One Twitter user claimed that they wish she had broken her neck instead. Within a few days, Jennifer Connell found herself being demonised and vilified relentlessly by the online community.

However, details about the case eventually emerged that cast a different light on Connell’s motivations. Her insurance company offered her only $1 compensation to cover her extortionate medical bills, so following her lawyer’s advice, she reluctantly issued a lawsuit against her nephew. The compensation would have been paid by an insurance company, not by the boy himself. So, in actual fact, she was forced to take legal action

in order to pay for her surgery.

Connell described the social media uproar on the US ‘Today’ show as “heartbreaking”, saying it was like “walking into a film of someone else’s life”. In fact, the story did have a fictional element to it, as though it had been moulded to form a neat, familiar narrative.

Connell plays the antagonistic ‘evil aunt’, reminiscent of the ‘evil stepmother’ character trope from fairy tales. Social media becomes a pantomime, and we become the audience, booing and hissing the villains off the stage. We form a powerful collective; the Keyboard Warriors, fighting injustice and bringing down the bad guys. A woman is suing her nephew, you say? A helpless boy, betrayed by his greedy, evil aunt? Bring her to justice! Pitchforks and popcorn at the ready!

Jennifer Connell, like all of us, isn’t perfect. But does she really deserve to be torn down by an avalanche of misinformed, misdirected abuse by millions of strangers?

The fact that she has been forced to file a lawsuit against a 12-yearold boy is outrageous. Wouldn’t it be more progressive if we could capture this outrage and direct it towards the real culprits? Let’s not attack a desperate woman who can’t afford to pay for necessary surgery, but the system that puts a $127,000 price tag on a broken wrist. In vilifying individuals like Connell, we are letting the real villains get away.

How about we put down the pitchforks and use social media to bring about positive change instead? It’s about time we closed the curtain on public shaming once and for all.

Lifestyle 27

ISSUE 7/ 9th NOVEMBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Overheard University of Manchester The funniest things you’ve been saying around campus this week ‘I’m tempted to have a little drink out of a puddle. It looks quite fresh.’

-Overheard on a run in Fallowfield ‘But I’ll be there with my oven pizza when she’s there with her cuppa soup.’

-Overheard in Piccadilly Gardens ‘Any day, just give me the rice. Not the curry, just the rice.’

-Overheard on the Curry Mile ‘I really feel like Shania Twain is an underrated artist.’

-Overheard in Students’ Union ‘I had a nightmare I was trapped on the top floor of Factory with no escape. They were giving me free shots though, so it wasn’t too bad.’

-Overheard in Withington ‘My card got declined in McDonalds. The entire queue looked at me in sympathy.’

-Overheard on Oxford Street

! ?

Ask Us

?!

I have loads of deadlines coming up but failed to make the most of my time off during Reading Week.

I keep on prioritising my social life over university work and just can’t get the balance right. Help!

Dear unbalanced kid, Lecturers and seminar leaders are always stressing the importance of using reading week both to catch up on your work and to have at least some relaxation. However, you won’t be the only one not to heed this advice. The best thing to do now is make a plan.

Allocate an achievable amount of work to every day between now and your deadline.

Don’t go overboard though—leave time to relax and if you feel as if you’re going nowhere, take a break!

Make the most of the help at university from workshops on campus to speaking to your tutors or lecturers. Once you’ve finished you can re-enter your social life with a bang!

Legal highs: Worth the risk?

Hannah McGrory Lifestyle Contributor The subject of legal highs is one that has long been debated amongst politicians, medical specialists and the media alike; however, how many of us really understand just how much of a danger such substances can pose? Police incidents involving those under the influence of legal highs have more than doubled over the past two years—a fact that has been highlighted by recent circulation of alarming footage showing the distressing effects that the drugs can inflict upon a person’s body. Earlier this month, Cheshire Police released a video clip that clearly illustrates a man opening a packet, collapsing soon after consuming the contents, and later having to be helped into an ambulance.

Officially branded as “new psychoactive

substances”, legal highs are designed to mimic the effects of illegal drugs such as ecstasy, cocaine and cannabis by being constructed according to slight molecular level changes that allow them to evade anti-drug laws, most specifically the Misuse of Drugs Act (1971). Because of these minor tweaks, the substances are legally able to be sold on both websites and in high-street shops across the country. Although technically it is prohibited to market legal highs as being fit for human consumption, many vendors get around this hiccup by advertising products such as Cherry Bomb, Spice, Pandora’s Box and Gogaine as inconspicuous items like plant food, incense and bath salts.

Although appealing as it may be to experience a high without the risk of getting caught, it is also highly important to remember that the word ‘legal’ is not synonymous with the word ‘safe’. Senior paramedic for

North West Ambulance Service, Wayne Pemberton, said: “These substances are not designed for human consumption and people should not be fooled into thinking they are safe because of their nickname.

“I myself have witnessed a change in the extremity of the symptoms presented in people who have taken these ‘legal highs,’ such as hallucination, unconsciousness and even respiratory arrest and, since we have no idea what chemicals have gone into the drugs, it can be difficult to know how to treat these patients.”

Thus, remember, with Warehouse Project in full swing and the party season drawing ever closer, be careful with the substances that you might be offered, legal or not— most of the time there’s no way of knowing what you could be putting into your body.

Keen on Green Astrid Kitchen Lifestyle Contributor Increasingly, studies are illuminating the wondrous effects of plants on cognitive performance, so much so that local primary schools have been noticed raiding garden centres for as much foliage as a state budget can accommodate.

Apparently, this is with good reason: The Independent this summer mulled over Australian findings which demonstrated the positive correlation between green and brain. Using satellites to gauge the surroundings of schools, researcher’s noticed improved concentration levels and memory retention for those with a cheerful plant-orientated hike to school compared to their unfortunate urban counterparts.

Interestingly, levels of greenery around homes had no impact, but results recognised a 5 per cent increase in brain development which, on a population scale, could have a massive effect.

Not only are these findings affecting our little ones, but care homes too have caught drift of the news. Its most sincere implementation is perhaps visible in the work of the famed Bill Thomas as noted by Atul Gawande in his book Being Mortal (the man is all the rage at the moment in the medical world—give him a Google). Bill’s introduction of plants and flowers of all sizes accompanied by an excessive abundance of animals (parakeets included) for each floor of a nursing home in upstate New York appeared to revolutionise the mental and physical health of residents.

Indeed, in line with ideas of the mutually soothing process of petting felines— a body of theory even the University of

Manchester can’t deny (take part in the therapeutic puppy petting days held at the SU!)—the study found that prescription levels dropped to half the level of those at the control care home, (particularly for drugs prescribed for agitation) while death rates fell by 15 per cent.

For those of you floating about in the middle age-range and fretting over looming coursework deadlines, maybe it’s time you treat yourself to a quick plant purchase and jazz up your Uni room with a fern or two (landlords seem pissy about parakeets nowadays).

Talking from experience, in the desperate days of trying to give Oak House the kiss of life it urgently needed, I trekked to Hulme Garden Centre in first year and spent a measly £25 quid on a 6 foot Christmas tree and, ask anyone, Maple 28 had a legendary festive shindig. (Fun and games in December, less so in January when an abandoned and white-with-mould fir tree drove my flatmate to buy a saw, when the only means of disposing of it became dismemberment.)

For those of you who not bothered with venturing out of the Oxford Road bubble, pop to our very own weekly plant sale in Owens Park on a Wednesday. Rumour has it a cactus will only cost you a Magic Rider bus fare; a cheaper and healthier alternative to Ritalin kids!

Photo: BillStorey@Flickr

Get Lost!

Aj Mal urges you to widen your horizons on your free weekends.

Many of us have been bitten by the travel bug, and cheap flights have made it easy to escape abroad for less than the price of a night out in Manchester. Web-based companies, NightSwapping and Couchsurfing, are excellent ways to travel whilst not spending a penny on hotel rooms.

The well-known Couchsurfing website arranges free nights in a host’s home. NightSwapping takes this concept further and allows users to have free stays either with or without a host, in exchange for allowing your home or room to be put on the site for potential visitors, or alternatively paying a small fee.

Insurance, reviews and stringent checks help make this a safe and flexible option, with a greater degree of choice than Airbnb and Couchsurfing.

Cutting accommodation expenses has opened up previously unaffordable destinations, and these sites are also a great way to meet locals and fellow travellers, and fully immerse yourself into cities and cultures around the world.

A flight down to Portugal can bring warm temperatures and sunshine even at this time of the year. The sprawling city of Lisbon is a melting pot of cultures. Leaving the metro at Restauradores Square, it is possible to walk through over a mile of narrow, cobbled streets full of music, bars, restaurants and crowds of people enjoying the electric ambience of this area.

These streets lead down to the vast expanses of Praca do Comercio, a huge square by the water’s edge, lined by fantastic bars such as the Museu da Cerveja (Museum of Beer). The square is the venue of a variety of festivals and live music performances in the centre of a city full of history and culture. Further up the coast is the lively city of Porto, famous for its amazing food and wines, and the surrounding coastlines which features fantastic beaches such as at Nazare, a magnet for the world’s best surfers keen to

Photo: FUMIGRAPHIK-Photographist@Flickr

ride the record breaking giant waves.

The Epic waves at Nazare were conquered by British Surfer Grant McNamara, who rode a 100ft monster wave back in 2013. Big wave aficionados are currently taking part in the World Surf Leagues annual event, with Sebastian Steudtner currently leading the way.

Further north in Europe, the snow is beginning to fall, and ski season is starting. In Mayrhofen in Austria, the hills come alive with the sound of music, for the annual Snowbombing music festival, with the best live acts and DJs blasting their beats amongst the snow-capped peaks of the Alps. Recent years have featured The Chemical Brothers, The Prodigy, Rudimental, Carl Cox, Basement Jaxx, Sigma and Skrillex amongst many others. With fun filled days and vibrant nightlife in a location like no other, this really adds to the charm of the traditional ski and snowboard village.

There really is no excuse to be bored during free weekends, and experiencing somewhere new has never been easier.

CAMPAIGN CASE STUDY

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Sport

ISSUE 7 / 9th NOVWEMBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

Debate: Competition in Sport

Toby Webb looks into the competition within two of the world’s biggest sporting leagues, our very own Barclays Premier League and the National Football League in America.

Photo: Keith Allison

Competition makes sport. While this assertion can be debated, I would argue wholeheartedly that competitiveness is one of the essential elements of an engaging and interesting sport and sports’ league. Competition leads to unpredictability, and unpredictability leads to debate. Indeed, without competition, sports journalism would be largely redundant.

Competition is vital for both consumers and those involved in sport. Yet, why is the English Premier League the most watched football league in the world, and allegedly the most desirable league to be a part of, when only 5 teams have won it in 23 seasons? (Manchester United (13), Chelsea (4), Arsenal (3), Manchester City (2) and Blackburn Rovers (1)) Surely, this is evidence of an uncompetitive league.

Perhaps not. While this shows that few teams are capable of the consistency needed to finish top of the table, I would argue the league as a whole is competitive. The decline of Chelsea this season has shown that dominance might only be temporary.

Furthermore, it is becoming a weekly thing where a supposed ‘big team’ is beaten by lesser opposition. Teams like West Ham, Crystal Palace and Leicester have competed well against the ‘big teams’.

Obviously, competition isn’t the only thing that can be attractive about sport. The dominance of Ferguson’s Manchester United during the Premier League years is admirable purely for the fact they consistently quelled the rest of the competition. However, dominance provides extra motivation for the rest, and seeing United eventually overcome by other teams was satisfying for the neutral observer. Moreover, the quantity of world-class footballers playing in the English league these days is a further reason for its attraction and resultant consumption worldwide.

This season we will see, bar nothing short of a Mourinho miracle, a different team winning the Premier League to last season.

While this is good, competition for the league title can be whittled down to 3 teams: Arsenal and the two Manchester teams, with Manchester City being the favourites.

Here is where I would like to introduce a comparison with the National Football League in America. While I admit that comparing sports with completely different codes can only go so far, there are some telling stats.

Firstly, since the English Division One became the Premier League (1992/1993 season), there have been 13 different winners of the Superbowl, the final between the winners of the two conferences that comprise the league. In addition to this, there are 9 teams that have played in a final but not won a Superbowl since 1993. If we compare this to the variation in winners’ and runners’ up in the Premier League, only 3 teams have finished 2nd without winning it. On the surface the statistics indicate the NFL to be the far more competitive league.

Obviously, it’s not as simple as this. There are several factors that mean the NFL will be inherently more competitive and the Premier League inherently less competitive.

The biggest aid to competition is the NFL’s structure: 32 teams divided into 2 conferences (AFC and NFC), which are then divided into 4 divisions of 4 teams each. The winner of each division qualifies for the Play-offs along with 2 wildcards (the two best runners up in each conference). The play-off games are internal within each conference.

This structure means that, say if the quality of the AFC was markedly bad in comparison to the NFC one season, an average team could feasibly make their way through the season and the play-offs to the Superbowl. Effectively, if the best teams in one particular season all happen to fall in one conference, they will have to fight it out between them for one Superbowl place. Thus, there can be a tendency for the Superbowl to not contain the two perceived best teams of that season.

This can be looked at both ways. For the fan that wants to see the two best teams fight it out for the grand prize, this system will not deliver every season. You could argue this system creates variation rather than competition.

On the other hand, the longevity of the Premier League season (38 games) will always mean that the winner is the most consistently successful team over the course. It must be remembered that consistency doesn’t always reflect quality. The tactically-astute team that plays for results can often triumph over the team that plays the higher quality football. Arguments over quality are ultimately subjective.

There are other factors that create competition in the NFL, namely the salary cap and the draft system. On an elementary level, the salary cap universalises how much can be spent by each team on player wages in each season; it is adjusted every season and stands at $143.28 million for the current season. This is something that theoretically could be instated in football, as long as it was enforced across the whole of Europe, and ideally, worldwide. It would conceivably mean that the best players wouldn’t simply be lured to the richest clubs, namely the 4/5 teams that realistically compete for the English league each season. However, attempts at trying to curb spending in European football via the Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules have been ineffective. In football, competition for titles is stifled by the riches of a handful of clubs.

The draft system is the way in which teams acquire new players in pre-season. It is rigged so the perceived worst team of the previous season gets the first pick of new talent. The draft system sounds good theoretically, however, it is based on potential; the new players coming into the league are a risk and incomparable to those established as the league’s best. Stumble across one gem and your team can be successful for a decade.

Ultimately, competition comes down to the spread of quality, both players and coaches. While you can attempt to spread it more equally, if the right combination ends up at one team (lured by riches potential), there is little that can be done.

Photo: Keith Allison

Photo: minhguangle87

More of a writer than a player? Come to our contributor meetings on Monday at 5pm, Students’ Union First Floor. @mancunion_sport /TheMancunionSport sports.mancunion@googlemail.com NO EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Sport 31

ISSUE 7 / 9th NOVEMBER 2015 WWW.MANCUNION.COM

The University of Manchester’s

SPORTLIGHT

SPORTLIGHT aims to give an insight into a whole range of Sports Teams across the University of Manchester. This week, we take a look at the Rowing Team Patrick Harvey Sport Reporter A pre-lecture 7am meet for training at the Sale Boat Club does not feature in the timetable of most students. However, if that sounds like your type of thing, look no further than the Manchester University Boat Club (MUBC).

Second year rower Dominic Rogers describes his experiences as ’ Long and painful yet exponentially rewarding’. That seems a fair assessment of a lifestyle that features as many as 12 training sessions in a week. As Dom states however, it is not all pain. There are socials most Wednesdays at the Athletics Union or Fallowfield’s 256 where the team really get to know one another as well as being able to flaunt their six-packs over the rest of us who gave the 7am meet at Sale a miss. Becoming a member is far from a half-hearted decision and despite the discomfort, it seems to be decision that will revolutionise your personal health and social life.

Additionally, you certainly do not need to have come from Eton or have had any experience in a rowing boat to join. Just ask third year Jake Brown who in his first year of rowing went to GB trials. Eton graduates are of course also welcome, with four squads available. There is the Novice Men’s and Novice Women for beginners as well as the Senior Men and Senior Women. There is also the Cox’s team, for those who like the idea of shouting at their friends. The names and contact details of the captains of the squads are on the MUBC website, just message one of them if you are interested in joining.

The last year has been of mixed success for our squads, with a handful of notable performances. They successfully qualified for multiple prestigious races such as the Henley Royal Regatta, Head of the River Race in London, Marlow at Eton and BUCS Regatta. Although qualification was a success, our squads will be hoping for better performances this time around in each of the events. Although, there was one standout performance from Peter Zelinka who won the lightweight men’s single scull at BUC’s Regatta. However, the most noteworthy re-

sult of year was clearly at the Varsity against Salford in April where we demolished our local rivals in a 7-0 whitewash.

When discussing the Boat Club it is also imperative to recognize some of the ex-members who have gone on to represent us on the international stage. Zak Lee-Green, Hugh Gallie and Graeme Thomas are all currently representing GB after proudly sporting the colours of the MUBC in the past. It’s not just ex-rowers who have impressed at a national level. Head Coach Mathew Hackett is an ex Boston Marathon winner, a highly competitive race in Lincolnshire.

Hackett and the Senior Men are currently looking to qualify for Henley and improve on last year’s performance. Be sure to visit their website (http://mubc.org.uk/ ) to keep up to date with their results. We at the Mancunion certainly wish them the best of luck with all endeavours over the coming season. Also, once again do not be afraid to message one of the captain if you want to drastically improve both your physical well-being and social life by becoming a member of the MUBC.

Sport in the City

With an abundance of different local sports in Manchester, Sport in the City focuses on one each week. This week: Manchester Giants Basketball Club Adam Selby Sport Reporter Well… what is it?

After over a decade out of competing in the professional basketball circuit allowing other teams such as Manchester Magic the opportunity to represent the city in the sport, Manchester Giants Basketball Club returned for the 2012/13 season and in doing so, helped resurrect one of the sleeping giants in British Basketball. Playing their home games at what is now the Manchester Arena attracting crowds of up to 15,000 each game, Manchester Giants was the biggest club in UK basketball in the late 1990s. It was financial difficulties which sounded the final whistle for the club 14 years ago, but thanks to the continued popularity of the sport in Manchester with an abundance of enthusiastic fans and players calling for the Giants’ return throughout the city, Manchester Giants have jumped through several hoops and have a point to prove this 2015/16 season.

How do I get there?

If I was writing this article 12 years ago, you would have been directed to what was then the Manchester Evening News Arena in the heart of the city. And had I been writing this article 2 years ago, you would be on route to Wright Robinsons Sport College on the outskirts of the city.

However as I am bringing you Manchester Giants in their current campaign, the Giants play all their home matches at Trafford Powerleague Arena Situated just off the M60. Hosting up to 1100 fans at full capacity, the arena is a throwback to the teams’ days at the Manchester Arena, offering a well-appointed, high-quality playing area for the team and spectators alike. But still, how do you get there? Well thankfully the Trafford Powerleague Arena is situated adjacent to the Trafford Centre so if in doubt I would aim and follow directions to the famous shopping centre. From Manchester Piccadilly, if you are unfamiliar with the bus station it is based next to Primark tucked away behind Piccadilly Gardens and from there you will need to catch either the X50 or 250 bus both operated by Stagecoach meaning you can use your UniRider if you own one! Alternatively from Manchester Victoria train station, the 100 or 110 bus can be caught from the station entrance. Also as it’s an international break in the domestic football season this

weekend, not only do you have no excuse not to go but you also don’t need to allow for any extra time on your travels as both Manchester City and the nearby Manchester United are not back in action till next week – slam dunk!

But how much does it cost to get in?

Tickets can be purchased online via the official Manchester Giants website http://manchestergiants.com/ under the fixtures and tickets section to the site. Although general adult admission is £12 if purchased in advance, a concession ticket shouldn’t make too much of a dent in your pocket with entry costing only £9.

What are the facilities like?

Trafford Powerleague Arena offers a multipurpose playing surface and can accommodate a total of 1100 spectators. The venue itself on a wider scale has undergone a significant amount of redevelopment and following financial investment, the centre boasts a fully refurbished bar and earing area inside the venue, as well as playing host to an abundance of state of the art facilities which make the centre one of the larg-

Photo: Mbogeni Mpofu @Flickr

est and most prestigious 5-a-side football centre in the world. Manchester Giants Basketball team use the multi-sports playing surface inside the venue and away from the action on the court, fans can also purchase both refreshments and official club merchandise.

Tell me something I didn’t already know…

Well Manchester Giants were the first northern team to challenge the southern dominance of the early National League years, becoming league runners up in 1976-7 and were formed initially during the mid-1970s. Early competition included a team planned by Manchester United as The Red Devils dipped their toe into the basketball scene in the mid-80s, buying out the Warrington Vikings team. During the mid80s Manchester Giants lived on albeit under the guise of Stockport Giants and it wasn’t until the early 90s that a sub-franchise Manchester Eagles and Stockport Giants combined to restore Manchester Giants before they were bought by an American medical devices company ‘Cook Group Inc’ which saw the club go from strength to strength. In terms of club legends, you simply

can’t ignore a man who goes by the name of Jeff Jones; player and coach of the club in their first incarnation in the 1970s, 80s and 90s and even returned after their rebirth before the 2012-13 campaign. He has now however gone on to work with Manchester’s National Basketball Centre, which opens later this year and the Giants are managed by Yorick Williams.

Finally, when can I see this in action?

Manchester Giants face Newcastle Eagles in their fourth home league game of the season at 6PM on Sunday 15th November. After a poor start to the season, a 90-82 away victory over the London Lions could be the turn in form they’ve needed so please head to Trafford and show your support for the cities sole representatives in the British Basketball League. For further information on anything to do with Manchester Giants, head to: http://manchestergiants.com/ If you have any requests for local teams, sports or events taking place in Manchester, or if you wish to be involved, please contact:

sports@mancunion.com.

9th NOVEMBER 2015/ ISSUE 7 FREE

SPORT

: @Mancunion_Sport : /TheMan cunionSport

British Cycling: Manchester’s Medal Factor Pedalling Low on Gold With Rio’s Olympics just around the corner, Britain’s period of dominance looks set to be over

Alex Whitcomb Sport Reporter

British Cycling are in a position now that ten, fifteen years ago would have been unimaginable. Since Lottery funding was introduced to elite sport in 1997, Great Britain have won 19 Olympic golds. Manchester Velodrome’s corridors are adorned with pictures of British victories and Team GB were so successful at London 2012 that the French accused them of bringing special wheels that were “too round”.

However, all good things must come to an end, and it’s looking increasingly likely that Great Britain will struggle to retain most of their London golds. Most cycling events are unwatched by those who don’t follow the sport, meaning that it may come as something of a surprise to many that GB are on a poor run of form. The once dominant GB men’s team hasn’t won gold at the world championships in two years.

What potentially makes things worse is that UK sport have set an ambitious target of 66 medals at the Rio 2016, and in doing so are attempting to become the first nation to improve on a haul at their home games. An exceptionally ambitious goal with a high performing cycling team, it is a nearly impossible aim without one. It shows how much the funding authorities are banking on all sports increasing their medals in Brazil, and by implication, track cycling.

Just to underline the importance of track cycling to the chances of achieving this aim, 7 of Great Britain’s 29 Gold Medals in 2012 were from track cycling. Without them, Team GB would have finished 5th rather than 3rd in the medal table in 2012, and 8th as opposed to 4th in 2008.

GB coach Chris Newton - himself triple Olympic medalist - is confident that the men should win at least one event at March’s world

Photo: Marc @Flickr

championships. He told the Mancunion that on the endurance side things are looking solid, with the overall picture being that “things are on the right pathway for the worlds”. This is despite the sprint team still needing, as he put it, “a little bit of work to do”.

At the moment “a little bit of work” looks like a massive understatement. The big guns of sprinting are the ruthlessly consistent New Zealand, Germany and France. They’ve been the top 3 at the last three world championships, while GB came 6th, 5th and 8th.

On the women’s side, form would say that the medals will go to China, Russia or Germany, with GB ranked outside the top 7 in all events. Former double world champion Becky James is making her return to the boards this year, after an 18 month absence due to injury, but will have to prove that she has recovered back to preinjury levels if she is to make it in the team. The less than impressive results over the last 3 years make it difficult to see GB usurping the big guns at the Olympics, which is doubly concerning due to 6 of the 10 medals up for grabs being in sprint events.

One possible explanation for the decline in the success on the track is the growth of British road cycling. Young rider Simon Yates won the Scratch Race on debut at the 2013 Worlds but now rides for Australian outfit Orica-Greenedge - with his twin brother Adam - and is forging a successful career on the road. The allure of more year-round rewards rather than the prospect of gold once every four years (and naturally the higher pay) make the road an ever more attractive option for young professionals. It’s also now the domain of Sir Dave Brailsford - Sky’s Team Principal - who masterminded the near-sweeping of the board at the past two Olympics. Commitments to the road also make it increasingly unlikely that Mark Cavendish will make the squad, having to adjust to moving to a new road team for 2016, and his favorite discipline - the madison - being left out of the Olympic programme.

Having said all of this, there are reasons to be cheerful. Team WIGGINS have certainly improved the men’s endurance chances, with

Photo: chrsjc@flickr

them coming on in leaps and bounds since they started in May. Sir Brad’s development squad includes most of the British endurance team and prevents national level riders from having to race road events that jeopardize their training for Rio. The impression from this year is that they have really gelled as a team, with GB claiming European gold in the pursuit with a team made up entirely of WIGGINS riders. Andy Tennant - himself member of the victorious team at the Euros - was singing the team’s praises. Speaking to the Mancunion, he said that “It’s a great platform for myself and the boys. I owe a great deal to Brad and his management company and Sky, who are funding the team, enabling us - hopefully - to achieve our dreams”.

Laura Trott is also in fantastic form, comfortably leading the world Omnium rankings and won gold in the event at the world cup by an impressive 56 point margin. Trott has been a marked rider since winning double gold in London, but has clearly coped with it well, winning a further 6 medals at world championships since 2012. Her form, coupled with a strong pursuit team the also won Eu-ropean gold, makes the endurance side of the team look increasingly strong.

Of course it’s impossible at this stage to tell whether Britain will be able to replicate the success of 2008 and 2012. If there’s something British Cycling have proved they’re the experts of, it’s the art of pulling off spectacular peaks in form at Olympic Games, and there’s no way of definitively saying that it won’t happen again.

However, the way things are going at the moment, British sports fans may have to stop assuming that the track will be the bringer of handfuls of British golds. The fact is that Britain have slipped from being a dominant force and many other countries have raised their games, which for cycling as a whole, is probably a good thing.