The Mancunion 10/10/2011 by The Mancunion

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Issue

Serving the students of Greater Manchester since 1973

Manchester Edition: Monday 10th October 2011

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Student occupations may be P04 criminalised

35,000 march as Tories arrive in P05 Manchester

GMP accused of airbrushing P02 riot figures

Comment & Debate :

Tuition Fees: Ed Miliband has no idea what he’s talking about

Business & Finance:

Beanie Business: The enterprising students behind Pieboy Clothing

Features:

On the shoulders of giants: Who were the figures we name our campus buildings after? Osborne pledges £50m for investment in graphene- full story

Fashion & Beauty: Style icons: Who’s yours?

Music:

Warehouse project special: The end of Store Street

Senior academics condemn plans to privatise campus nursery University completely disregarding parents, says senior lecturer Joshua Carroll News Editor

Exclusive

Food & Drink :

The baked bean survey to end them all

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Hundreds of professors, lecturers, students and staff are rallying against Manchester University’s decision to privatise a campus childcare centre. A “groundswell of

disapproval” has grown after administrators announced in July that a private company will take over operations at Dryden Street Nursery, near the Manchester Royal Infirmary. Now the professors, students and non-academic staff whose children use the nursery have begun a campaign to persuade managers to halt the plans. A petition, “Save Dryden Street – stop the profiteering of childcare”, has attracted over 580 signatures, including from

academics at other UK universities. Parents say that Dryden Street is widely recognised as a “centre of excellence” for childcare, and that outsourcing will jeopardise this. They are worried that loyal and experienced staff could see poorer working conditions if managers motivated by profit take over the nursery. Signatories of the petition include Prof Rorden Wilkinson, Research Director of the Brooks World Poverty Institute, Prof

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Stuart Hyde, Senior Lecturer at Manchester Business School and Prof Daniel Langton, Secretary of the European Association for Jewish Studies. Parents say they are being excluded from the decisionmaking process. Dr Nadia Papamichail, another senior lecturer at Manchester Business School, said the University has shown a “complete disregard for parents and staff”. The University says it wants to “maintain a high quality nursery on a sustainable basis.” Currently, the nursery is a

THE END OF STORE STREET FOR FULL LINE-UPS VISIT WWW.THEWAREHOUSEPROJECT.COM

wholly owned subsidiary of the University, meaning the University controls all of its activities and absorbs the small profit it makes. Under the new plans the University will own just the building and will only be able to influence the nursery’s activities by including conditions in its contract with the private company. As the nursery makes a profit, the decision is unlikely to be the result of cuts to the higher education budget.

Continued on page 3

News

Police accused of airbrushing Manchester riot figures Figures from the riots in Manchester and Salford in August have been removed from official crime statistics.

OurTeam The www.mancunion.com

Editor: Nick Renaud-Komiya editor@mancunion.com Postal address: Univerity of Manchester Students’ Union, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PR Deputy Editor: Emma Bean deputy@mancunion.com News Editors: Josh Carroll, Joe Sandler Clarke, Umar Rauf & Ruth Wildman news@mancunion.com Phone (0161) 275 2933 Arts & Culture Editors: Phoebe Chambre & Dani Middleton arts@macunion.com Beauty Editor: Isabelle Dann beauty@mancunion.com Business & Finance Editors: Emily Bunting & Scott McEwan finance@mancunion.com Columnist: Ben Moore ben@mancunion.com Columnist: Lloyd Henning lloyd@mancunion.com Comment & Debate Editors: Paul Haslam & Ben Green comment@mancunion.com Fashion Editors: Claudia Canavan & Roisin Dervish-O’Kane fashion@mancunion.com Features Editor: Richard Crook features@mancunion.com Film Editors: Bill Knowles & Patrick Cowling film@mancunion.com Food & Drink Editor: Emily Clark foodanddrink@mancunion.com Lifestyle Editors: Lily Howes & Naila Missous lifestyle@mancunion.com Literature Editor: Steve Jones literature@mancunion.com Music Editors: Tom Geddes, Tom Hickman & Joe Smart music@mancunion.com Photo Editor: Jonny Whiting photography@mancunion.com Politics & Analysis Editors: Andrew Williams & Oliver Johnstone politics@mancunion.com Science & Technology Editors: Leah Wong & Aryan Safavi scienceandtech@mancunion.com Societies Editor: Ceri Wills societyspotlight@mancunion.com Sport Editors: Jack Burke & Patrick Madden sport@mancunion.com Theatre Editor: Andrew Campbell theatre@mancunion.com Web Editor: Lloyd Henning webed@mancunion.com Advertising John Conway Email studentdirect@salford.ac.uk Tel 0161 351 5402 Address Student Direct, University House The Crescent, Salford M5 4W

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Greater Manchester Police have denied accusations that they altered crime statistics for August when the riots in Manchester took place.

Ellen Conlon Staff Reporter Over 2,000 rioters were on the streets and more than 1,700 have appeared in court for riotrelated incidents. August’s crime figures however barely register the events. Government data showing the number of crimes reported

in Market Street, the main target of the looters, dropped to 42 in August, from 49 in July. Similarly the offences recorded in Piccadilly Gardens dropped from 81 in July to 63 in August. Across the whole of Greater Manchester, the total crimes recorded dropped from 32,219 in July to 31,967 in August. Police last night were forced to deny that they ‘airbrushed’ official statistics. Labour MP

Graham Stringer said: ‘I support transparency and releasing crime figures but only if they are going to be accurate and this looks very much as though the police are putting out distorted information.’ But senior police officers have firmly defended their figures, insisting they are simply a quirk of the way crime is measured.

Feature

Can a phone app encourage people to vote? Victoria Root

Exclusive In the last UK election voter turnout was one of the lowest in 30 years with only 65.1 percent of eligible voters participating. In 1974, 78.8 percent of eligible voters participated in elections. Of those who participated in the 2010 election only 44 percent were aged 18 – 24, the lowest out of all of the age groups. These figures inspired Bryan Campbell from Rice University, Houston, Texas to develop an iPhone app for casting votes. The app aims to increase voter participation with the use of familiar technology. It was tested on 55 people, ranging

from age 18 – 69 and was found to reduce the number of mistakes made. However, the process took 90 seconds longer compared to other electronic and paper systems. There are also security issues associated with malware, software intended to damage computer systems, which can be embedded into other apps and potentially invade the voting app. Professor Andrew Russell, an expert in economic attitudes and voting behaviour, says that “gimmicks” which attempt to increase voter participation “treat the symptoms of a lack of political participation, not its cause”. People would still have to register to vote and download the app. American Studies student,

George Pyrgos, who voted in the last election, said that “having a voting app wouldn’t encourage people to vote, it wouldn’t affect me that much”. However, politics student Alexandra Houghton said that it is “always beneficial to have another method of voting”. Concerns were raised about the introduction of e-voting in the 2007 UK elections. The trials failed to increase voter participation and were riddled with numerous technical problems (Sheffield’s polling station did not have an internet connection). The Open Rights Group (ORG) argues that e-voting is a “black box” system which stops people seeing how their votes are recorded and counted. An app is already available

Peter Fahy, the chief constable of Greater Manchester Police said: ‘The Home Office rules are clear and we follow them in a consistent way. ‘We had more than 1,000 people involved in disorder but that does not equate to 1,000 crimes.’ ‘To say that the disorder has been “airbrushed” from the crime statistics is both misleading and inaccurate.’

in the US, which allows senators to receive info about how people in their district are voting. Both methods of voting are likely to be against the UK’s Data Protection laws and if used each individual would have to give confirmation for their data to be used. The use of mobile technology in elections does have some success stories: the parliament in Estonia has trialed successful e-voting elections and has recently approved mobile technology to be used in the 2011 election. This involves voters obtaining a free authorized chip which carries a personal digital signature and has been proved effective and reliable in an independent security audit. The UK still has a long way to go in developing mobile technology and e-voting for increasing participation, especially for the younger generation. Dr. Jane Green, former BBC World Service’s election expert, says that “an app that helped people see the value of their vote, but not for actually voting” would be worthwhile.

Ed#4 Nick RenaudKomiya Editor

Star struck? Surely not With the Conservative party conference over, the blue circus has now trundled out of town, back down the M6 to its London home. It was slightly odd walking through the city centre, encountering politicians and other luminaries you only ever see on television. The cult of unintended celebrity has perhaps crawled into my head. It’s fair to say that seeing the likes of Health Secretary Andrew Lansley walking past on St Peters Square took me aback. It’s quite funny how our high-flying politicians are now in a sense ‘media personalities’. Of course this isn’t a new observation by any means. It would be silly to think that people enter mainstream politics to become the shiny soap stars we are sometime led to think of them as. The idea of a politician giving an autograph seems strange to me. Are they being admired for their policy ideas or their polished television appearances?z Unfortunately sound bites and grinning seem to be the order of the day, taking the place of substantial political debate.

The Mancunion is on the radio! That’s right folks, with Fuse FM starting up its first broadcast run of the year for the first time ever we’ve managed to bag ourselves our own show. Listen in online on Sundays from 4pm-6pm by going to www.fusefm.co.uk. The Fuse presenters will be chewing the fat on the week’s articles offering their perspectives and guests discussing the big issues of the week. Meanwhile let’s take a look at what’s in the issue this week. Our Business & Finance editor Scott has been chatted to second year Economics and Finance student Inigo Jerome Kelsley about his inspiring bid to start a clothing company (see page 11). Elsewhere, Richard Crook has been exploring the stories of those important figures whose legacies can still be seen around the university today. Ever wondered who John Rylands was and why our library is named after him. Well now you’re curiosity can be satisfied (see page 14).

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Manchester Edition: Monday 10th September 2011

Osborne pledges £50m for investment in graphene Duncan Jaycock Staff Reporter

The government will invest £50m in graphene, the Noble prize-winning material discovered at Manchester University. The investment will stimulate research into the material’s commercial prospects. The Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne announced the investment last week. Graphene is the world’s thinnest, strongest and most conductive material, Professors Andre Geim and Kostya Novoselov discovered it at the Manchester University in 2004, and the chancellor’s announcement comes almost exactly a year after they were awarded the Noble prize for physics. Graphene is one of the world's most versatile substances, and a layer one atom thick is more than 100 times stronger than steel. Since the discovery, Professors Geim and Novoselov have continued to carry out research into the potential applications of graphene, which include touch screen technology and improving speeds for internet connections. Graphene can be used to manufacture components with a high strength to weight ratio such as windmill blades and light aircraft wings, to develop transistors that work at a higher frequency, and to store hydrogen for fuel cell powered cars. Researchers have also found that graphene, strands of DNA and fluorescent molecules can be combined to diagnose diseases. Last week Mr Osborne visited a laboratory at Manchester University, where the properties of graphene were first demonstrated, He set out his plans for a Graphene Global Research and Technology Hub to commercialise the material. The £50 million is part of a £200 million government fund for investment in science. In his speech to the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, Mr Osborne said,

“Manchester, home to the two brilliant scientists I met this morning who have just been awarded the Nobel prize for physics. “Their prize was for the discovery of a substance called graphene. It’s the strongest, thinnest, best conducting material known to science, to be used in everything from aircraft wings to microchips. “The inventors could have gone anywhere in the world to do their research. But they chose The University of Manchester.” Mr Osborne said the national research programme would take graphene from the “laboratory to the British factory floor”, adding that the government wanted to “get Britain making things again.” The centre would help develop the technology to allow manufacture on a scale that would open up commercial opportunities, incorporating a large doctoral training centre and advanced research equipment. Prof Dame Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester, said, “The announcement is fantastic news for the University and fantastic news for the city of Manchester. “Graphene is one of the most important scientific advancements in recent times. We are proud of the world-class research carried out here and to have that recognised by the Government is a real vindication of the work we do.” Prof Geim said, “It is important that this government realises the fundamental importance of science and, even in this economic climate, finds the extra money. Prof Novoselov said, “With the enormous interest this material has already generated around the world, we expect to be able to convert our world-leading research expertise into real technologies. “The research hub will certainly allow us to explore deeper into the vast applied potential of graphene, but also will lead to many new exciting results, continuing the scientific excellence in the UK."

‘Free university’ to be set up in Liverpool Chloe Glover

A ‘free university’ is set to be established in Liverpool, as part of a protest against the current state of the UK’s higher education system. The Free University of Liverpool is the culmination of work by a committee of activists, artists and academics currently employed by formal education institutions who have come together to try provide an alternative for students who view the current system as increasingly susceptible to ‘marketisation’. From October the project will open its doors to students to allow them to begin a six month foundation degree and a further additional three year BA in what the creators have termed “Cultural

Praxis”, meaning the study of culture from radical, critical perspectives. The committee said: “The overall mission of the university is to engage in an education that is not for-profit but for the public good. At the Free University of Liverpool we are free of that particular kind of disease.” Although the courses will not be formally accredited, the project is finding an increasingly large amount of international academic support. What force for change it will encourage and whether it will be able to fully engage with a broader range of people including those from lower income backgrounds will be something that remains to be seen over the next few years. For the full story visit www.mancunion.com

Continued from Page 1 Dr Carsten Timmermann, a lecturer at the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine and chair of a parents’ association set up in response to the plans, said that the decision to outsource seems to have come “from a management textbook” and was unnecessary. The University notified parents in July that a tender document, inviting private firms to bid for a contract, would be drawn up by the end of September. Dr Timmermann said, “Of course from mid-July there are no students around, staff are away; it’s the best time to choose if you don’t want people to respond in any meaningful way. He continued, “We were informed by way of a short announcement. Not an invitation to feed back or

The sculptors Theo Kaccoufa and Tom Grimsey show an exhibition at the Museum of Science and Industry, celebrating the university professors’ research. Photo: Jennifer Ho

comment, but an announcement. “There were still enough parents around to be upset about this. So letters were written to the President [Dame Nancy Rothwell] protesting this and asking for reasons, which we weren’t given, and asking for the process to be stopped. “The response we got was a meeting set up by the nursery’s board. It was not a very harmonious meeting as you might expect. They told us the running of the nursery should be outsourced because it is not part of the core business of a university ... which is arguable I would say.” He said parents now want representation on the governance board of the nursery so they can influence future management decisions. “I haven’t heard of any parent or guardian supporting the plans to outsource. There was real outrage in the meetings, not least because we

weren’t told why this is necessary ... it makes me feel ignored and insecure and worried about the quality of childcare. I’m also worried about the staff who are working there.” Alison Kapor, a masters student with a 3-year-old daughter at the nursery, said, “Obviously, none of this is in the interests of the parents, the staff or, most importantly, the children, so we have to ask whose interests are at the centre of this change. I don't understand any of the reasoning behind it.” Elizabeth Wardle, who is working on a PhD about child labour, has a 1-year-old daughter at the nursery. She said, “What makes Dryden Street so very good is the quality of its staff. There are staff who have been there for many years. Studying with a child would have been incredibly difficult had it not been for this really very good day care.

“The worry is that this could change.” A spokesperson for Manchester University said, “The decision to identify a suitable partner to operate the Dryden Street Nursery was a management decision based on concerns about governance and risks arising from the University managing a nursery. “A recent meeting was called to allow parents and guardians a further opportunity to inform the tendering specification. “We can repeat the assurances that have already been given about the future of the nursery. Specifically, we are not closing the nursery, reducing places for staff or students’ children, allowing costs to increase unreasonably or walking away from our responsibilities to manage the contract and services provided including specifying service levels and staffing.”

04 Compulsory education should end at 14, says schooling expert Solomon Radley Staff Reporter Children should be allowed to leave school at 14, a former chief inspector of schools has said. Sir Chris Woodhead told The Times that “If a child at 14 has mastered literacy and numeracy, I would be very happy for that child to leave school and go into a combination of apprenticeship, further education training and [a] practical, hands-on, craftbased training that takes them through into a job.” He argued that this would give less academically gifted students a better chance of learning a trade, and that there is little point in forcing children to stay in education if they don’t want to be there. Referring to the recent riots, he said: “Does anyone seriously think that these kids who are truanting at 13, 14 are going to stay in school in a purposeful, meaningful way, through to 18?”

60% of female students fear pregnancy Stevie Spiegl Staff Reporter An NUS survey has found that 60 percent of female students are worried about becoming pregnant while at university. Of the 2,988 students questioned, 30.5 percent said they would have a termination if they fell pregnant, 34.8 percent said they would keep the child and continue studying, and 27.8 percent were unsure as to what they would do. Of the 40.1 percent who used the pill, more than a third admitted to failing to take it at least once a month, citing a busy schedule or forgetfulness as a reason. 9.8 percent of sexually active students said they did not use contraception. In an NUS survey conducted in 1999, 11 percent of students admitted to having fallen pregnant.

Oxford beats Cambridge Joshua Carroll News Editor Oxford has beaten its rival Cambridge in a global league table. It is the best university in the UK and the fourth best in the world. Cambridge is the world’s sixth best, according to the table.

Anti-trespass legislation may criminialise sit-ins NUS promises to make law preventing student occupations ‘politically impossible’ Stevie Spiegl Staff Reporter The National Union of Students (NUS) fears that government proposals to criminalise trespassing will see student sit-ins outlawed. The legislative changes, which appeared in a Ministry of Justice consultation paper, are allegedly intended to speed up the eviction of squatters. But, the NUS, along with trade unionists and lawyers, have expressed concern that the unspecific wording will make it difficult to distinguish between squatting and political occupations. “It will be a fundamental affront to the right of students to protest if occupation was criminalised,” said Michael Chessum, an NUS national executive member, told the Guardian. “I have no doubt that if the government tries to criminalise occupations … we would mount a campaign to make it politically impossible to stop student occupiers occupying.” Trespass is currently a civil offence,

meaning that property owners have to take offenders through the civil courts, a lengthy process which has little or no bearing on short-term occupation-protests. If it becomes a criminal offence, however, sitins could potentially become a matter for immediate police intervention. The Ministry of Justice has denied any intent to criminalise occupations, arguing that the proposed changes are aimed specifically at squatting. Yet while the consultation does consider whether student/worker sit-down protests should be covered under the changes, it remains quite open-ended: “Some may argue that the disruption [a sit-down] causes to the property owner may justify criminal sanctions while others may argue that certain types of squatters should be exempt.” “The potential for grey areas is huge,” said Giles Peaker, a housing solicitor. “The consultation suggests that certain kinds of occupation might possibly be excluded, including things like students occupying university property, it doesn't say that they will be, and the suggestion appears to be

Occupations and sit-ins like the occupation in the Roscoe building could be made illegal if new legislation is passed. Photo: Nick Bojdo you would have Ministry of Justice licensed protests – permitted and not permitted.” The current president of the NUS, Liam Burns, recently criticised his predecessor Aaron Porter for his response to the occupation of the Conservative headquarters building last year. Porter

Lost Beethoven music performed for first time in 200 years

Naked student pictures exposed to public Joe Sandler Clarke News Editor

Solomon Radley Staff Reporter

A movement from a Beethoven string quartet, which was thought to be lost forever, has been performed for the first time in 200 years – but the professor who painstakingly reconstructed the score was forced to miss out. Manchester University music professor Barry Cooper was undergoing an emergency operation while the piece was performed at the Martin Harris Centre for Music and Drama in Manchester. He carefully reconstructed the music from detailed sketches made by the composer that were rediscovered in 1977. Beethoven wrote the original slow movement of the Quartet in G, Op. 18 No. 2 in 1799 when he was 28 years old. It was only his second string quartet. He revised it in 1800 and discarded the whole of the second movement, replacing it with an alternative piece. The reconstruction provides new insights into Beethoven’s development as a composer and it is speculated that the original movement was replaced because it too much anticipated the stormy mood of a later quartet in the Op. 18 group. Prof Cooper said that both

described the protestors who forced their way into Millbank Tower as “deluded”. Burns told the Portsmouth student newspaper Pugwash News, “I believe that occupying Millbank is directly proportional to what the government have done”

Professor Barry Cooper of the University of Manchester remastered the Beethoven piece versions of the movement have a huge amount to offer. He said, “Any other composer would have been pleased with the first version – but Beethoven was a perfectionist.” Beethoven’s fragmentary Symphony No. 10 was previously completed by Prof Cooper, and first performed publicly in 1988 by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. It has since been

played in over 20 countries on all six continents. He said reconstructing the quartet this year was far easier than his efforts on the symphony: “Compared with that, completing the quartet movement was child’s play – far, far easier to do, since Beethoven had left a much larger proportion of the movement. Not a single bar had to be added.”

More than 300 unedited pictures from Portsmouth University’s naked calendar were found on Portsmouth student’s union computers, which can be easily accessed by any student or member of staff at the university. The photos were found on a shared network drive attached to computers which are used by students involved with societies, student media and sports clubs. The images were unused pictures from the 2008, 2009 and 2010 calendars and show the student models fully nude. One photograph shows four males fully exposed and five females partially exposed. It is not known how the photos found their way onto the network. The network drive does not require a password or username and is open to all

students. Portsmouth student’s union officials are understood to be debating whether to continue the ‘Naked Calendar’ after photos of the naked calendar were found on pornographic websites. “It doesn’t surprise me at all that the union has failed to notice yet another location of naked calendar photos and has failed to foresee the ways they could be potentially abused,” said Becky Gardner, women’s officer at Portsmouth Student’s Union. “The union has not been proactive on this issue which underlies the point they cannot be responsible for ensuring the protection and welfare of students.” Gardner went on to argue that, in light of the scandal, the calendar should be scrapped. There is no evidence that students at Portsmouth are the source of the online leak, or that the photos have been found by students.

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Manchester Edition: Monday 10th October 2011

Salford’s new logo costs £170k Joe Sandler Clarke News Editor

The University of Salford’s new logo cost them up to £170,000 of public money, while one in 10 of the University’s staff face the prospect of redundancy - according to reports. Earlier this year, the Times Education Supplement reported that as many as 218 jobs, nearly 10 percent of the University’s 2,500 staff, were at risk of being made redundant. Unison, who represent staff at the University, have criticised the rebranding exercise as a waste of public money. “We’ve already lost 200 staff, and 300 are at risk of redundancy, so I can’t believe that the university has decided to spend £170,000 on a new logo,” said Michele Barnes, Unison branch secretary at Salford. Barnes also dismissed the University’s claim that rebranding would encourage new students to apply to Salford. Christina Kennedy, Vice President of Arts and Social Sciences at University of Salford Students' Union, criticised the decision to include the word ‘Manchester’ in the new logo. She also said she felt rebranding may actually harm the University’s reputation:

The logo has been criticised for its cost and its inclusion of the word Manchester. “It has the potential to be quite damaging to the University both nationally and internationally due to the use of the word ‘Manchester’.” She continued, “There has been a significant amount of negative feeling about the rebranding from both the local community and media, as well as from students who believe they were not sufficiently consulted about it.” The University of Salford has previously faced criticism for spending a reported £2m a year in rent for its new building in Media City UK and spending £30m on

furnishing it. A spokesperson said that the true cost of the new logo was in fact lower than £170,000 but did not give a revised figure: She said, “The most successful organisations in the world invest in their brand. In a crowded market place, strong brands help you stand out from the competition and so drive revenue and growth. “We believe that the investment in our brand (which is less than the figure quoted) represents exceptional value for money and will be repaid many times over.”

Thousands of public sector workers, trade unionists and left-wing activists protested against government cuts last Sunday. Photo: Michael Jimenez

Student suspended after anti-Clegg protest – NUS silent Ruth Wildman News Editor

35, 000 march as Tories arrive in Manchester Joe Sandler Clarke News Editor

Around 35, 000 anti-cuts protesters took to the streets of Manchester as the Conservative party conference began last Sunday. Students and left-wing activists marched alongside thousands of fire-fighters, nurses, teachers and other public sector workers to protest against the coalition government’s austerity measures and changes to public sector pensions; changes that unions claim will see workers work longer and have less to retire with at the end of their careers. The protest was organised by the Trade Union Congress (TUC), who described it as a march and rally for ‘The Alternative - jobs, growth and

justice’. The demonstrators marched from Deansgate to Manchester Central, where the conference was being held. Shouts of ‘Tory scum, here we come’ could be heard alongside pantomime boos and whistles as the protesters reached the Midland Hotel, where those attending the conference were staying; yet, in the main, the march was remarkably peaceful with no arrests made. "Organisers of the demonstration made it clear that it was their intention is to demonstrate peacefully, as is their democratic right, and this is exactly what happened,” said Assistant Chief Constable Ian Hopkins. “We are grateful to those protesters who co-operated fully with the police.” At the end of the demonstration, the protesters gathered for a mass rally. Len McCluskey, head of the Unite

union stated that it was necessary for people from all walks of life to come together in order to resist government cuts. "We need a coalition of resistance, of trade unions, community groups, church organisations, students and of our senior citizens, an amazing coalition of resistance to engage in every form of resistance, including coordinated industrial action,” he said, adding. “If you want to call it a general strike then so be it.” Protected from events in the streets by a heavy police presence, the foreign secretary William Hague used his speech at the conference to address the demonstrators directly. "The money you were promised by the last Labour government never existed, it was never there, and we have been left with the task of telling you the truth," he said.

An elected student officer and tuition fees activist has been suspended from the University of Birmingham after a protest that led to his arrest. Edd Bauer, who was elected as the Vice President of Education at Birmingham’s Guild of Students, has been suspended from this role as well as the University. Bauer was arrested for allegedly causing danger to road traffic users at the Liberal Democrat conference by hanging a banner that read “Traitors not welcome- hate Clegg love NCFAC (National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts” Bauer and two other protesters were arrested and held over the weekend, but the two were released without charge on 26th September after a hearing at a magistrates court. All three pleaded not guilty. He was suspended as a student after being relieved of his duties as Vice President of Education for the guild. Bauer posted on his Facebook account that he had been suspended without a disciplinary hearing or warning and was banned from entering the University’s campus, as well as

having his university email accounts blocked. The National Union Students initially agreed to comment on Bauer’s suspension but have since refused to offer a statement. The NUS told The Mancunion they could not comment while investigation was ongoing. A statement from the University of Birmingham said, “We have been informed by the Guild of Students of their decision to suspend the Vice President (of Education). “Having graduated this summer his technical status as a registered student is held by virtue of his Guild Officer position and therefore will be in abeyance for the duration of

his suspension.” “The University considers that its position should reflect the decision by the recognised student representative body.” After his release from jail Bauer continued to plan for a protest that was due to take place 3rd October. A spokesperson told student newspaper Redbrick that by continuing to protest and promote a ‘Defend Education’ meeting Bauer had violated the students’ charter, which says that any student found to be in contempt of the disciplinary procedures of the guild by failing to cooperate with the University, will face disciplinary action.

Edd Bauer was suspended from the University of Birmingham’s Guild of Students for continuing to protest after his arrest.

and Student Action Week Ceri Wills Societies Editor

Every year 100,000 students descend on Manchester. We came (to lectures), we saw (the sights) and we conquered (the nightlife). This city is made up of a myriad of different communities across a wide social demographic. Students permeate many of

these areas, from Fallowfield to Salford, existing as communities in their own right. It’s easy to live in a student bubble, bouncing from lecture hall to night club to kebab shop, but perhaps we should give some thought to the other communities we are living around. Many societies offer you the opportunity to make a positive contribution to the communities you live in. Look to ReachOut! if you want to raise aspirations of kids from poor

Kate Millington

Fashion guru Gok Wan visited Manchester charity ReachOut! last week as part of his Vodafone World of Difference tour. World of Difference funds 500 placements, which allows applicants to work for the charity of their choice for two months. Gok acts as an ambassador for the organisation and first met the ReachOut! team in 2010. ReahOut! runs projects in both Manchester and London, and offers volunteering opportunities in socially and economically

deprived areas. University students can become mentors to primary or secondary school pupils all over Manchester. With full training and support given by ReachOut!, volunteers can exercise their creativity by running their own mentoring sessions. By sharing experience, offering guidance, and acting as a positive role model, mentors can help these children and teenagers learn and grow. During his visit, Gok met with staff and Junior Mentors from some of the charity’s secondary school projects. The somewhat star-struck girls gave Gok a tour of the office, and he was keen to hear about their experience as mentees

MONDAY 10TH

Sikh Society Chaa and Samosa, 6pm in the Council Chambers. Learn about what we do as a society and enjoy a free martial arts display. Stop AIDS 6.30pm, Academy 3. Hear from two young people from different parts of the world living with HIV.

TUESDAY 11TH

RAG Information meetings Jailbreak - 3pm in the Council Chambers. Vietnam 2012 - 3.30pm in the Council Chambers. Everest - 4pm in the Council Chambers Great Wall of China - 4.30pm in the Council Chambers Debating Union Training for the Thursday Debate, 5pm, Simon Building room 4.38 MUSEA (Art) Free life drawing session, all materials provided. Cake and wine Other Sounds Gig at Islington Mill, Salford, £9. Presenting Bong, Organ Freeman,

WEDNESDAY 12th

Musical Theatre Auditions, 1pm, Room 3 Students’ Union. Bring a musical theatre song of your choice, plus the sheet music. Also on Thursday 13th at 11.30am in room 3.. LGBTQ Coffee meeting every Wednesday at 1pm in Contact theatre. Circus Skills 2pm, upstairs in the Burlington Society building. Every Wednesday.

THURSDAY 13th

Debating Union Debate ‘This house has no confidence in Her Majesty’s government,’ 5pm, Simon Building, basement theatre

FRIDAY 14th

Sexpression First training session, 10am-4pm in the Stopford Building common room. Snacks provided.

SUNDAY 16th

RAG Megaraid @ Manchester, sending 100 collectors to the city centre to raise money for Peace Direct To include your event here please email a short description including time, date and venue to societyspotlight@mancunion.com

Angela Neary

Roshni Shah and Raj Basu As the biggest Hindu society in Europe, we want to be able to do our best to use our resources to help those who are less privileged and need help. In Manchester, we have various programs throughout the year organised by the NHSF Sewa Team. Sewa means selfless service, and our Sewa is raising money for our local, Ancoats-based charity, Mustard Tree and our national charity, Manav Sadhna. Our first major event of the year was Sewa Day on the 25th September, which was part of a global event. We went down Mustard Tree, who help the homeless, underprivileged and women in need. We helped them out with activities which they normally do not have the numbers to carry out. We also planted a tree in Whitworth Park to help the environment, in the hope that we will plant more during the months to come. Find us on facebook at NHSF Manchester.

How far from Manchester can you get in 30 hours without spending a penny? Blag, hitch or charm your way onto planes, trains, cars, horses, or boats with nothing but the clothes on your back. Previous Jailbreakers have found themselves in Hong Kong, Dubai, New York, Amsterdam, Berlin, Bruges and even Didsbury to name a few. At 4pm on 28th October you will begin the adventure. This is conveniently placed at the beginning of reading week giving you more than enough time to get back from or take a mini-break in your yet unknown destination. This is a Manchester RAG event which means that not only will you be having huge amounts of fun but also raising money for a very good cause; KidsCan, who directly fund research into children’s cancer. To find out more come along to one of the information sessions, and find us on facebook ‘Manchester Jailbreak 2011’.

Challenging Orthodoxies Society

Womb and Elk Blood. Starts 7.30pm. Dance Society Advanced Ballet team auditions, Club Underground, 8pm.

and the work they had done for ReachOut! on the summer projects. As one junior mentor put it, “At the end of the day, Gok Wan will inspire people to do charity work as he’s a celebrity and just brilliant.” It’s not too late to sign up with ReachOut! as a mentor or fundraiser this year. It not only looks great on the CV but is guaranteed to be one of the most rewarding experiences of your time at University.

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Society Spotlight: Dan Hart

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backgrounds, or take part in one of the many RAG challenges to raise money for a worthy cause. Manchester Student Action offers a huge range of volunteering opportunities, so look them up to find out what’s on offer. I’d suggest we all aim to leave our mark in Manchester through helping the communities we live in, rather than by the trail of kebab wrappers we could leave behind.

Gok Wan champions ReachOut!

The new Societies section is looking for societies to feature, event listings and contributors. If you're in a society and would like to be featured, contact me at societyspotlight@mancunion.com. You will also be able to find me at 11am in the Students' union bar every Wednesday.

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National Hindu Students Forum

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Challenging Orthodoxies Society (COS) provides a forum for progressive thought and dialogue. Our aim is to explore a whole range of controversial topics and scrutinize the practices and ideas they involve. We’ve found that the best way to do this is through public forums, so our main events are panel discussions, which draw together expert speakers from across the world to share their unique insights. The panels are usually made up of a number of speakers with varying opinions, and, importantly, events are always interactive, giving the audience the opportunity to ask questions and challenge arguments. We are also very keen to go beyond unchallenged opinions, and really try and approach other peoples’ ideas and contributions appreciatively. There is no winner or loser, only critical openmindedness to new ideas. The speakers COS brings in are of the highest quality, and so the events can really delve deeply into the relevant discussions. But this does not at all mean that someone who feels they don’t know much about the topic shouldn’t come along. Quite the opposite. We want as many people as possible

involved with the sorts of questions that come up in our events. So if you feel you know nothing about a particular topic but find it interesting, come along and listen to the fascinating discussions we have and share your thoughts. And the same goes for if you think you’re an expert in a topic…but prepare to be challenged! Past COS events have included: ‘Are Pharmaceutical Patents Throttling the Developing World?’, which saw Nobel laureate Sir John Sulstan sit on the panel, and ‘IsraelPalestine: a biased portrayal?’ which was the setting for, among others, Ian Black, Middle East editor at The Guardian, and Julian Kossof, Senior Editor at the Telegraph, to come together to discuss the media portrayal of the Middle East conflict (we ran this event in conjunction with the Manchester Israel-Palestine Forum – they’re a fantastic society too!). But COS also aims to do more than just these speaker-based events. We are soon launching a blog that will provide an online forum in which will be able to engage in the sorts of dialogue COS has seen in its panel discussions. We are also starting up an outreach project we’ve been working on in conjunction with M13, a youth charity in Longsight. We will be working with young

people to help them engage more critically with the social forces acting on them. The end goal for each group we work with is to guide them through running a COS-style panel event on a sociopolitical issue (gang culture, how cuts effect them, etc.) that they themselves have identified. We have an active social network too. After panel events we usually go to the Union bar where we carry on the discussions arising from the event and we often manage to entice the speakers to this as well (a £1.80 pint can woo almost anyone), which is a great opportunity to engage with them further and network. We run a

few socials over the year so keep your eyes peeled for those too. Our next event, “Eugenics: birth of a new generation?” is set to take place on 19th October at 4pm in the Council Chambers at the union. Details of this event will soon be up on our facebook page (‘Challenging Orthodoxies Society’), where you can also find details of many of our past events and upcoming projects. ‘Like’ the page to stay connected with developments. If you want to get more involved with COS or have any questions then email me directly at: daniel.hart3@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk.

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Manchester Edition: Monday 10th October 2011

Ben Moore Columnist It’s been 18 months since the Tories were elected and, as the Conservatives descend on Manchester for their annual conference, waves of student led protests send a clear message to the party that they have simply not done enough to appease the UK’s student population. The new face of the Conservative Party was launched with a new face for David Cameron- the farcical airbrushed posters that script writers for The Thick Of It would have been proud of. It has proven to be ominously foreboding too; government policy that allows bankers to stay filthy rich and takes a single parent’s ‘Sure Start’ scheme away has been airbrushed with talk of the “Big Society” and “taxes on wealth”. Having successfully created the narrative that Labour was responsible for the global financial crisis, the Conservatives proceeded to outline spending cuts to government budgets. In truth, cuts were inevitable, but the speed and depth of the cuts has been roundly criticised. Shockingly enough, the Etonites seem to have some detachment from the effect of the cuts. It is as if they are running the economy as if they were playing Sims - the people in the country merely cogs in a giant engine, with no real emotion or intrinsic worth, simply an instrumental economic value. So many students do charity work to help the homeless and yet at the highest branch of our government, policies are being created

It is as if they are running the economy as if they were playing Sims - the people in the country merely cogs in a giant engine, with no economic value which are likely to increase homelessness dramatically. Indeed, the benefit cap could make more than 80,000 children homeless, according to the charity the Children's Society. There is a distinct lack of humility in the execution of these cuts and the Conservatives have perhaps alienated a generation of voters. 35,000 people protested at the Tory Party conference, with students accounting for a large portion of those out. What has the party done for students? If you’re reading this, you probably don’t have to pay the £9,000 tuition fees, but for at least 3 more years, young people up and down the country will face the prospects of over thirty

five grand in debt if they choose to pursue a university education. That’s if they make it that far; my former head of 6th form tells me that at least five prospective students from the school’s current year 11 will not be continuing their education due to the abolition of EMA. On Europe, the Prime Minister has proved to be an Arsenal fan; stubborn and confidently misleading about their ambitions in Europe. Where is the hard lobbying to reform the undemocratic EU that the party so very much despises? I remember at the time of the election, my cousin, a trainee police officer, telling me she was going to vote Conservative as they had promised to ring fence the police budget. Two years on, and there are 1130 fewer full time police officers working in London borough commands than there were last year. The Conservatives have blamed the last government for leaving the coffers empty, which begs the question: why outline a detailed manifesto for a UK general election without thoroughly checking the country’s finances? Either the party is incompetent, or they were deliberately lying. Either way, the manifesto pledges they have gone back on have done little to whet the appetite of many first time voters such as myself. It’s not all been bad of course. David Cameron has modernised the party- not an easy feat considering some of the party’s backbench MPs- although the government started in farcical fashion, with idea of tax breaks for married couples floated. This throwback to traditional Conservatism and

a yearning for the nuclear family perhaps was the first indication the party had to rebrand itself. The party has moved away from publicly homophobic claims and has introduced important legislation for men who chose to sleep with men who wish to donate blood. Although this bill does not go far enough, it is a step in the right direction and it is important the government don’t lose sight of the plight of many of our gay, lesbian, transgender and bisexual citizens. David Cameron has made some astute moves- not least, giving the Liberal Democrats a referendum on electoral reform at a time when Nick Clegg was the nation’s ‘favourite joke’. Unfortunately, it seems as though the prospect of modernising our system has disappeared for a generation. Where Labour failed in delivering a referendum, the Conservatives decimated the prospect of change when it finally arrived. The amount of reviews that the Conservatives have allowed on their bills is also good, despite being criticised for doing U-turns. At least when they have drafted appalling policy, they have not been too proud to amend it. Proposals should be scrutinised and critiqued before going to the House of Lords. In the House of Commons, the battle of egos and constant spin mean MPs rarely admit mistakes. It wouldn’t do harm for someone to stand up in the Commons and say ‘we got this wrong’ or ‘our initial bill neglected x or y’. Such honesty might go some way towards countering mass political apathy and disillusionment.

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This “nasty party” government

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Photo: Michael Jimenez

Thousands of students and workers march outside the Tory Conference in opposition to public spending cuts, on Sunday.

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Tuition Fees: Ed Miliband has no idea what he’s talking about Craig Purshouse

For all the talk of Labour creating a ‘nanny state’ there is one area of public life where they failed to nanny enough: their own leaders. Surely there is some piece of legislation or well-meaning quango that can swoop in whenever they start making absolute fools of themselves? Whether it’s Gordon Brown considering a double breasted suit suitable beach attire or Ed Miliband making another of his embarrassing ‘radical’ speeches, they just cannot seem to help themselves. Ed’s latest pronouncement concerns tuition fees. He proposes, if Labour wins at the next election (so we are deeply in the realm of hypothetical here), to lower the tuition fee cap from £9,000 as it will be from next year, to £6,000. Although a saving of three grand a year is not to be sniffed at, there are a number of problems with this plan. Firstly, assuming that the shortfall in the universities’ income in charging lower fees would be made up from government funds, Ed glosses over how this reduction in fees is affordable. Given that he has opposed every cut proposed by the coalition – including the abolition of the ‘yummy mummy’s allowance’ of child benefit for higher earners and capping housing benefit at £26,000 a year (well over the average salary, never mind the average cost of housing) – where exactly is this money going to come from? Furthermore, Ed’s proposal spectacularly misses the crux of the tuition fees debate. It is not between those who are happy to pay £6,000 but balk out at the idea of paying £9,000. It is between those who think universities would be improved by lifting the cap completely and those who think that

higher education should be free. The free-marketers believe that universities could be revolutionised if they were able to make their own decisions on fees. Less state intervention, better teaching and a change from the medieval timetable (several months off for the summer harvest) would all follow. This argument, like most things, is best put by Simon Jenkins: “Universities should be blown apart. Some should offer to operate full time to prepared students who want to win a degree in a year or two, but can't afford three years of leisure. There is not an arts course invented that could not be completed in 18 months, and probably not a science one.” Conversely, the argument that education should be free takes into account benefits to education beyond its monetary worth to the individual – it benefits society as a whole to have an educated population – and that any salary benefits as a result of having a degree are recouped by the treasury anyway since that individual will pay higher income tax. Education should not just be for the rich. There is force in both of these ideological arguments. However, Ed’s response to this is to opportunistically fail to pick a lane. For the free-marketers, his proposal distorts the market; for the rest he is charging six thousand too much. Despite all of his talk of a new politics, Ed continues to take what he thinks is a crowd-pleasing compromise approach to public policy and makes a fudge of things in the process. He doesn’t even have the benefit of delivering it in a vaguely convincing manner – that 16 year old who spoke at the Labour Party Conference had more gravitas than him. Please, can’t someone save him from himself? Disagree? @Mancuniondebate / comment@mancunion.com

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Let’s ban non-therapeutic infant male circumcision Eve Fensome

In Britain it is accepted wisdom that female circumcision on minors (now widely referred to as female genital mutilation) is in effect child abuse. How else could you describe carrying out an unnecessary, risky, painful surgery to remove parts of a child’s genitalia? But why do our infant males' genitals not receive the same protection from cutting? Despite the laws safeguarding female genitals, parents of infant males in the UK are allowed to decide on behalf of their offspring whether that child’s genitals are left intact or not. This means that male juveniles are not protected from non-therapeutic infant male circumcision. Non- therapeutic infant male circumcision is the practice of amputating healthy parts of the genitals (in this case the foreskin) of a child’s penis for non-medical reasons. But, female genital mutilation is nothing like male circumcision, right? A circumcised male penis is cleaner and circumcision isn't dangerous like it is for females. Wrong. The acceptance of male infant genital cutting relies on two common beliefs;

one, that the foreskin is superfluous, and two, that the practice of cutting it off is trivial. Nether is true. The foreskin is in fact a key functioning part of the penis. It is a mucous membrane (like an eyelid) and serves the purpose of keeping the glans (penis head) moist, guarding the urethral opening, and keeping it sensitive and protected in the same way as the clitoral hood protects the clitoris. On the erect penis the foreskin serves an even more important function; namely the giving of erotic pleasure. The foreskin contains thousands of ultra-sensitive nerve endings, making it a highly erogenous zone, and its ability to move during sexual intercourse increases the pleasure for both parties by increasing moistness and reducing discomfort through a gliding action. Indeed, scientists have mapped the regions of the intact penis with the use of “fine-touch pressure threshold tests”. Their findings show that the most sensitive regions on an intact penis are exactly those removed by circumcision. On the circumcised penis the most sensitive location is the circumcision scar - however, this is still less sensitive than five other areas on the intact adult penis. The result is significantly less pleasurable sex and masturbation for the circumcised male

compared to the intact male. The procedure itself is also very significant. Firstly, the psychological impact of the pain experienced from circumcision has been recognised as causing problems in infants and children, including post-traumatic stress disorder, maternal bonding failures after breached trust, and a lowered pain threshold recorded in babies more than six months after the operation. These points, however, are trivial in comparison to the risks entailed in the procedure despite the rigorous rules on practice. Circumcised infants are not only more likely to have genital illnesses than uncircumcised children, but when complications occur they are much more likely to be serious complications such as permanent mutilation, infection or haemorrhage. Less frequent risks also include gangrene and whole or partial

amputation of the penis. However, this price is still far less than that paid by some 200 babies per year in the USA, who pay with their lives. With such a great deal at stake, how can we legitimately uphold that becoming circumcised is for a parent to decide, not for the individual when he is at full consenting age and able to make an informed choice? The laws of this country rightly state that religious observance should be a personal choice. This is why I cannot accept that it is a parent’s right to force their religious beliefs on their non-consenting offspring, whereas I can accept, and in fact defend, an individual’s right to show his religious commitment in adulthood by making an informed decision to become circumcised. Disagree? @Mancuniondebate / comment@mancunion.com

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Manchester Edition: Monday 10th October 2011

Is it time for a ‘fat tax’? Anthony Organ

On Sunday 2nd October Denmark implemented a “fat tax” which had been approved by a large majority in the Danish Parliament in March in an effort to raise Danish life expectancy, which currently sits at 79. This is around half a year below the OECD average. The tax substantially affects all foods which contain more than 2.3% saturated fat; a packet of crisps will now cost 8 pence more and a small package of butter around an extra 25p. Campaigners, including the National Obesity Forum, are urging the UK government to follow in Denmark’s footsteps by implementing a similar system here. Whilst on the surface this may seem a good weapon in the war against obesity, a more careful consideration suggests several flaws in the plan. The main concern is that the tax would likely lead, as is often the case, to the poor being disproportionately affected. Since those on low incomes are often forced to work a higher than average number of hours, often at physically demanding jobs, many turn to ready meals at the end of the day rather than purchase individual ingredients from which they can make a meal themselves. These meals would certainly rise in price and it would inevitably be low wage-earners who are most affected. At the same time, higher prices will likely do little to stop people buying such products. Consumers do not buy ready meals for the cost, since the ingredients would normally work out cheaper if bought separately, but rather for convenience. This tax would inevitably mean people spending more of their budget on food. Romania considered a similar tax last year, but abandoned it partly for this reason, but also due to concerns that low-income Romanians might be forced to resort to even cheaper and therefore less nutritionally balanced products. There are further questions about the effectiveness of such a tax. Lisa McCooey, director of communications for industry lobby group Food Drink Europe, has claimed that

James Haslam

The main concern is that the tax would likely lead, as is often the case, to the poor being disproportionately affected.

"scientific research shows that taxation is not an effective instrument in addressing consumer behaviour and will have no impact on obesity rates". We must also question whether this tax would actually make a difference to prices in a world where the majority of products are owned by large corporations. Most readers will undoubtedly be familiar with Super Noodles. Whilst the standard range of products would be hit by any fat tax, their “low fat” range would escape it. However, what is to prevent Batchelors from simply raising the cost of the “healthier” range to match that of the inflated standard range? Whilst obesity is an issue which needs to be tackled, a tax on unhealthy foods is not the answer. It has been suggested that governments consider alternative pricing strategies and subsidies to make the healthy options cheaper. The system could only ever work if healthy food is made less expensive than fatty food.

Disagree? @Mancuniondebate / comment@mancunion.com

In defence of circumcision Anthony Organ Circumcision of new-born males has been debated for thousands of years, but if done professionally and with appropriate following check-ups, there seems little reason to ban it. Those who would like to ban the procedure point to the unethical nature of performing the procedure on young children, the risk of complications and the supposed cost to sexual activity in later life. However, advocates of circumcision claim that the potential health benefits outweigh any risk. A study conducted by several doctors in Kenya between 2002 and 2005 aimed to find whether circumcision improved or impaired sexual activity. The study found that compared to pre-circumcision, 64 per cent of circumcised men reported that their penis was “much more sensitive” and 54.5 percent rated their ease of reaching orgasm as “much more” at month 24. Those circumcised at birth would be unable to comment on such a difference, but these men were sexually active before the procedure. The World Health Organisation (WHO) also found in 2007 that “male circumcision performed by well-trained medical professionals was safe and reduced the risk of acquiring HIV infection by approximately 60 percent”. Whilst they note that this is not 100 percent and that contraception should still be used, they

Dulce et decorum...

nevertheless described the findings as “an important landmark in the history of HIV prevention”. The important phrase in the WHO report is “performed by well-trained medical professionals”. Whilst complications do sometimes occur, several studies have found that this depends greatly on the experience and skill of the particular surgeon involved. In 1993, UK doctors N. Williams and L. Kapila found that, as circumcision was seen as a relatively minor procedure, it was often delegated to junior surgeons. If the procedure was taken more seriously, and surgeons were better trained to do it, then the already-low risk of complications could be further reduced. Perhaps the largest issue, however, is the fact that new-born children are unable to consent to a procedure which will have a permanent effect on their lives. Obviously there are times when an infection or a severe case of phimosis leaves little choice but to operate, but there are

What ever happened to war? There are a whole host of excellent things about war and it is sad that such an institution has become so lowly in the years post-1945. The Vietnam, Korean and two gulf conflicts are sad epilogues to the two greatest wars the world has seen. But isn’t it a terrible ordeal that sacrifices the lives and welfare of millions of people for nothing more than political idealogues and riches? Well, yes, but one must not forget about the advantages. For instance, the world currently faces two crises of size: obesity and overpopulation. A good war would obliterate the former, and abet the latter. There would be no room for size with rations, call-ups and the constant threat of a world at war, a very hardy country indeed would undoubtedly result. Let’s look to where it went wrong. From the past we have countless wars; the War of the Roses, the Hundred Years war, the Crusades, the American Civil War, those of Napoleon and the Franco-Prussian War to name but a few. What fine times they were. Post-1945, and moving past conscription, the public mind has turned. The growing indifference towards class structure means that figures of authority who would have been revered pre-1914 are no longer respected. The late 60’s ran parallel with Vietnam, a cultural revolution of sorts which spurred a multitude of peace movements, and even the punk ‘70s which borrowed so much from war in its look and in its music, rebelled too, saying, “it’s up to you to not to heed the call up, I

Outcomes of war have been such advancements as the jet engine, radar, air travel and mobile phones. don’t wanna die”. A loss of war inevitably leads to a loss of drive. War pushes ingenuity; outcomes of war have been such advancements as the jet engine, radar, air travel and even early mobile phones. Great works of literature and art created by people ranging from Hemingway to Picasso (as well as a number of very tired poems) were all born from war. Orson Welles’ character in The Third Man perhaps put it best, “in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock”. War has been sadly altered by technology. Drones, fighter jets and so on do much of the fighting, though soldiers, sailors and pilots still make up the majority of our forces. So I ask, where can war go to regain its former glory? Contact us: @Mancuniondebate / comment@mancunion.com

www.thouronaward.org

certain faiths which advise the circumcision of all new-born males, regardless of circumstance. Whilst I would never condone certain circumcision rituals, such as that done by the Xhosa tribe in South Africa with blunt or rusty blades, as long as the procedure will be done under anaesthetic and by an experienced surgeon, it should be up to the parents to make that decision. For a male not to be circumcised can have serious implications in some religions like Islam where an uncircumcised male may not participate fully in religious activity. In such religious societies, it would be likely that uncircumcised males could be ostracised to some degree if they had not undergone the procedure. Perhaps more concerning is the possibility that a ban on professional circumcision of newborns could lead to families attempting ‘DIY’ surgery with whatever instruments are available, leading to a dramatic increase in the risk of complications or even death. As long as society starts to take circumcision more seriously rather than wincing at the thought of it, procedures could be improved and surgeons could be better trained. If that becomes the case then there seems little reason to prevent parents from having the option to circumcise their child. Disagree? @Mancuniondebate / comment@mancunion.com

Fully Funded Study in the USA Up to TEN awards, each with a total value of approx US$80,000 per year, covering tuition fees and living expenses, including travel in the USA, will be available (for 1 or 2 years) from 1st September 2012 for candidates who wish to pursue a postgraduate programme at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA. Applications are invited by 5pm on 1st November 2011 from UK university graduates, including forthcoming summer 2011 graduates, who are British citizens normally resident in the UK. Thouron Awards were created by Sir John and Lady Thouron for the promotion of academic exchange and experience in international friendship between the UK & USA.

For further details visit www.thouronaward.org or contact Jennie Eldridge, Award Administrator on +44 (0)20 7848 3376 quoting ref TA11.

in association with

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Letters

Gimmicks Dear Mancunion, Why on earth do medical students need free iPads (Manchester medics to get free iPads, Monday 3rd October)? Everyone knows tablet computers are useless gimmicks designed for gadget junkies. It looks like handing

them out to keep students happy is a useless gimmick too. If I ran the medical school I’d give out free Xbox 360s and a copy of Assassin’s Creed. At least that way medics could get some practice at cutting up bodies Sincerely, Adam Front

Enoch Powell Dear Mancunion, I read with disgust your Politics Editor’s defence of Enoch Powell in last week’s issue of the paper (Enoch Powell, October 3rd). How can Mr Johnstone possibly have any admiration for a man who did more to harm race relations in this country than anybody else. He refers to Powell’s language in

his ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech as ‘arguably emotive’. That is an epic understatement, like saying that David Cameron is ‘a bit posh’. His words gave skinheads an excuse to assault anyone whose skin colour they did not like. This kind of revisionism is perverse. Sincerely, Susan Allsop

Did you love an article so much that you want to tell our readers how great it was? Did a writer make you want to choke on your cornflakes in disgust? Let us know. The letters section is now here so send your messages to letters@mancunion.com and watch them appear on this page before your very eyes.

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Manchester Edition: Monday 10th October 2011

BAE Systems job losses

‘Red Ed’ slammed by industry In the Labour conference keynote speech, Ed Milliband suggested tax hikes and ‘punitive’ regulations be imposed on businesses deemed to be asset strippers. The plans have been criticised by industry and the Conservative party as being anti-business.

Greeks miss IMF targets The Greek Government's budget deficit for 2011 and 2012 will be larger than the targets set by the IMF/EU's debt reduction plan. Meeting these targets is a necessary condition for next months €8bn IMF rescue package required in order to prevent Greece going bankrupt.

BofE continue quantitative easing The Bank of England will inject a further £75bn into the economy through its quantitative easing program. The move comes as second quarter GDP growth rate figures were revised down from 0.2 percent to 0.1 percent. Oliver Taylor

Scott McEwan Business & Finance Editor Meet Inigo Jerome Kelsley, he’s a second year student studying Economics and Finance and offers a fine example of student entrepreneurialism. Inigo is one of the brains behind the popular Manchester Beanie hat sold on campus last year and now found in the official repertoire of university merchandise. He was only one semester into his first year at Manchester University before he decided to try his hand in business. “Revising in December I was quite bored and I personally wanted to buy something from Manchester, a hoody or something, but I didn’t really like any of it and it was quite expensive… it seemed apparent to me that everyone was wearing beanies at the time.” With a business proposition in mind, Inigo approached Andrew Jervis, a friend he met at Reach Out, a mentoring charity, to take the idea forward and establish their trading moniker Pieboy Clothing. “I started looking around on the Internet for suppliers, emailing around and seeing how it works, I found it difficult working with them… but after about three weeks to a month we had a sample that we were really happy with.” Like with all business ventures, recognising the risk was important. Inigo explained that suppliers were only available for large orders: “We ordered 250 at first, so it was a bit of risk and

Manchester students succeed in setting up a small business selling University Beanie hats to students when they came I was quite scared. “But the next day I was like ‘let’s just do this’.” By blagging a table from the union, Inigo and Andrew began trading outside and went on to sell their first 250 beanies in three days. By spring 2011 they had employed a few friends to work the stand, sold their second batch and caught the attention of the university’s merchandise team. “While I was at the stall Andrew went to ask for the manager in the shop and they were already really keen… we managed to sign a contract with them, in exclusivity so we only sell to them.” When Pieboy sold 1,000 units to the University (a deal they hope to annualise), they decided there was national potential for the beanies. Over the summer, Pieboy Clothing launched a website and located at the Innospace office building on Chorlton St to work on a pitch to other universities who were interested in producing their own beanies.

Labour’s fee proposals under scrutiny

Up-Coming

Events RBS Group Presentation Date/time: Monday 10th/1800 Location: The Palace Hotel Deloitte Commercial Awareness Session Date/time: Wednesday 12th/1330 Location: Crawford House Room 5.004 Goldman Sachs Presentation Date/time: Wednesday 12th/1730 Location: Whitworth Art Gallery Ernst and Young Application Session Date/time: Friday 14th/1300 Location: TBC

Oliver Harman Labour party leader Ed Miliband recently announced plans revealing that if his party were to get into power, they would reverse the fee increase. This reversal will not be a complete one however. He plans to decrease the £9,000 fee cap to £6,000, a decision many critics have seen as a U-turn considering Labour’s past protests against any rise at all. There are a number of issues surrounding such a proposal. The main issue is how Labour would recover the lost money in order to cover the hole left in the budget. The plan to counteract this loss would be to raise corporation tax and increase interest payments on the student loans of graduates earning over £65,000. Corporation tax was originally lowered by the Conservatives in

The plan to counteract this loss would be to raise corporation tax and increase interest on the student loans of higher paid graduates’

Photo: Jonathan Whiting

BAE systems is cutting 2,287 jobs at it's Brough, Warton and Samlesbury sites. The job cuts have been denounced by unions and community leaders, as damaging to communities as well as Britain's industrial expertise. The government has responded by creating new enterprise zones in the affected areas.

Beanie Business

They sold 1,000 units to the University and decided there was national potential for the beanies

However, they soon found it was necessary to work through the National Union of Students in order to sell to other universities and discovered only a handful of universities were available to trade with: “it wasn’t as successful as we wanted.” Since then Inigo has sold his share of the project to Andrew with the intention of moving into different products. His newest product in the works is a Manchester Snapback cap. When asked for advice to any future student entrepreneurs he offered: “Always reply to an email by the end of the day...and concentrate on your current idea, just do it and learn from your mistakes”.

Society Spotlight

SOFAB Faheem Amdani SOFAB President The Society of Finance, Accounting and Business (SOFAB) is a silver status society for anyone interested in the business world. SOFAB works alongside top employers who come and present to their members, detailing the different schemes they offer for internships and graduate jobs. In addition they deliver CV and interview skills workshops that help students to develop key competencies for any company. SOFAB also organises a number of socials for its members. After obtaining IBM as their sponsor, SOFAB has big plans. SOFAB’s major event for the year will be led by Melody Hossaini, who featured in this year’s hit BBC show ‘The Apprentice’. She will be delivering a skills development session in the coming months.

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Website: www.sofab.ac.uk E-mail: sofab@umsu.manchester.ac.uk

order to encourage business growth. By decreasing red tape and bureaucracy surrounding companies, they are argued to naturally encourage progress and development. The second aspect of how Labour would plan to fill the gap is the increasing of interest rates on the student loans of higher

paid graduates. This is under debate as it may be seen to undermine the effort put in by university students who worked hard to obtain high paying jobs. It also leads them to pay twice for their efforts. Once nationally, on increased income tax from their wage, and then again with increased interest payments.

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Andrew Williams Politics & Analysis Editor

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Guess who’s back? Back again – Putin’s back! Christopher My Political Hero:

Catherine Hanson Vladimir Putin has one almighty CV. A former KGB agent, exPresident, and current Prime Minister of Russia, Putin has the look of a man with the conceivable ability to slam a revolving door. There would be little surprise if he were airlifted via helicopter into the Kremlin astride a growling Harley Davidson with some unruly political opponent in a headlock. As such, the recent announcement of the ambitious 58-year-old’s intention to once again run for the Russian presidency in 2012 – inexorably taking the reins from his protégé, Dmitri Medvedev – was hardly a bolt from the blue. The news stemmed from the recent United Russia annual congress, where a beaming President Medvedev proceeded to welcome Putin to the stage amid rapturous applause. Should he win the election (as some believe is inevitable), it would be Putin’s third stint at the presidential helm – and following recent constitutional changes, he could be set to hold the position for as long as 12 years. What is perplexing is to how the world ought to react. Thus far, the international reception has predominantly been lukewarm – a few blithe words from certain quarters rejecting the oxymoron of a ‘managed democracy’, but little in the way of outright condemnation. Why the indifference? Of course, Putin has been a key player on the world

stage for well over a decade, and one can only admire the audacity of a man who is willing to shake hands with Fidel Castro and Condoleezza Rice at virtually the same time. However, the significant monopoly he holds over Russian politics is causing some unease. Putin’s United Russia party is the predominant political force in Moscow, with its’ rejection of traditional left and right-wing ideals in favour of pragmatism earning the party a comfortable 315/450 seats in the State Duma. Clearly, therefore, many will be delighted to see his return – with the obvious exception of high-profile liberal nemeses such as former Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov. Yet this evident groundswell of support fails to conceal the more undemocratic elements of Putin’s premiership – namely, accusations of censorship, limited freedom and the elimination of potential rivals. It is precisely these factors that have strained relations with the West and prompted accusations that Russia could be reverting back to its grainypictured Soviet days. Another cause for anxiety in the corridors of the UN is that Putin, the master of persuasion, is notoriously unyielding when it comes to international discussion, making it all the more difficult to address the aforementioned problems. David Cameron’s recent trip to Moscow gave us a glimpse into the slippery nature of dialogue with Vladimir; setting out with the intention of tackling the poisoning of former Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko, the Prime

Hitchens

Andrew Williams, Politics & Analysis Editor

“I’ll be back”: Terminator Putin has made good on his promise to return to the top of Russian politics

Minister instead came away with confirmation – from Medvedev himself – that yes, Cameron might have got along quite nicely in the KGB if he had actually been recruited. So at least one burning question had been laid to rest, but perhaps it’s not quite the indicative, fiery sermon of democracy which we hope Russia is aspiring to. Speaking of President Medvedev, what will become of the man once described as ‘Robin to Putin’s Batman’ once he stands aside for The Great Man? Medvedev had previously shown glimmers of liberal reform, claiming that he would, “strive to protect civil and economic freedoms”. Alas, his ties to Putin are binding, and few reforms have been enacted. Putin himself looks set to maintain his popularity for a while yet – especially if current criticisms of him give way to tangible improvements. But why is Putin adored by so many Russians? It seems that our answer will ultimately be found in the history textbooks of the mid-2040s. He might even still be the President by then.

Rudderless EU is stifled by bureaucracy Kevin Bennet Considering our geographical position, it seems bizarre that we in Britain are so ready to snigger at the ongoing Eurozone debt crisis. We might be removed from the mainland – separated from Calais by the protective moat which we call the English Channel – but long before the conception of the Channel Tunnel, the futures of Britain and its major European counterparts were inextricably linked. From the establishment of the ECSC in 1951, to the creation of the Euro, prosperity through liberal economics and free trade has been the European Union's driving force. Not content with economic co-operation, there are an increasing number of Europhiles on the continent who are keen to engender closer political integration; however, the severe economic difficulties which have engulfed Europe have served to highlight the fact that any real increase in the political power of the EU's institutions is still a long way off.

On the face of it, one would think that the onset of a massive debt crisis would provide our representatives in Brussels with the perfect opportunity to show that they have the ability to fight to help improve the lives of ordinary Europeans without prejudice or favour shown to individual member states. However, top EU politicians such as President Herman Von Rompuy, who are calling for more power to be handed to various EU institutions, are putting the cart before the horse. The EU has been, and continues to be, a primarily economic union, and if they want to increase Brussels’ political clout they not only need to show greater leadership during this current crisis, but they must reduce the ludicrous layers of bureaucracy that leave the EU open to so much ridicule from the tabloid press and others. The EU's biggest ‘white elephant’ is a monthly event which sees the entire European Parliament travel to Strasbourg at a cost of £160 million per year. This charade is even protected by articles embedded in EU treaties. Whilst

the EU is prepared to waste such an extraordinary amount of money purely to stroke France's ego, even the most absurd tabloid claims will continue chime true. The sheer complexity of the plethora of EU institutions is an additional stumbling block to further political integration. Until this organisational hotchpotch is reformed into one simple, efficient system that is seen to positively impact upon the day-today lives of European citizens, there will never be a groundswell of support for the extension of existing powers. Whether the leaders in Brussels have the will or political skill to push for positive reforms to solve these endemic problems is currently unclear. It would, however, be a good start to take the lead in tackling the current economic crisis – something which they have categorically failed to do thus far. Before we can even begin to consider giving up further powers, the leaders of the European Parliament are going to have to step up and be more vocal on streamlining operations in Brussels and eradicating such wasteful jaunts as Strasbourg.

Nobody has better encapsulated the vitality of Christopher Hitchens’ contribution to modern political discourse than the novelist, Joseph Heller. “Christopher Hitchens is a remarkable commentator. He jousts with fraudulence of every stripe and always wins. I regret he has only has one life, one mind”, he lamented. Tragically, his remarkable life looks set to be cut brutally short; the 62-year-old is currently undergoing a punishing regime of treatment for oesophageal cancer. He has said that he will be lucky to be alive in five years time. As such, this seems to be an appropriate time to look back at the impact of arguably the greatest polemicist of this or any generation. Like myself, Hitchens was a PPE student. During his time at Balliol College, Oxford, he turned to socialism, to some extent in response to what he saw as the horrors of the Vietnam War and the escalating race to stockpile nuclear weapons. This was the start of a complex political journey during which his philosophy would be in constant development. Whilst it may sound like an oxymoron, Hitchens now considers himself to be, “a very conservative Marxist”. I am no ‘conservative Marxist’ (there can’t be many of those around, after all); yet Hitchens is my political hero not because I necessarily sympathise with the myriad of views which he has so eloquently espoused, but rather for the way in which he conveys his fierce intelligence and searing honesty through the pages of his essays, and during often-ferocious debates. No political philosopher that I have ever read (perhaps with the exception of the late John Rawls) sets out his argument so logically, forthrightly, or with such vigour. Hitchens’ genius lies in his determination to challenge long-held orthodoxies time and time again. Where most are prepared to accept the status quo, Hitchens is constantly questioning himself and others. His scathing 1995 critique of Mother Teresa argued that, far from being a saintly figure, Teresa was “no friend to the poor” – merely a tool manipulated by the Catholic Church to further political ends. Perhaps this controversial stance was infused by his long-standing atheistic point of view. Whilst he has been accused of being particularly anti-Catholic, Hitchens is equally dismissive of all organised religion, describing it as, “the main source of hatred in the world”. Indeed, he opened his seminal work God Is Not Great by branding Christianity, Islam and Judaism collectively as, “violent, irrational, intolerant, allied to racism, tribalism, and bigotry, invested in ignorance and hostile to free inquiry, contemptuous of women and coercive toward children”. Strong stuff, indeed; Hitchens does not hold back, but even when I vehemently disagree with his analysis I cannot help but respect his tremendous conviction. Over the past decade, Hitchens has collided with the mainstream once again, this time by publicly and fervently arguing the case for the war in Iraq. It was over this issue that he perhaps came in for the most criticism – yet, even for the staunchest of opponents to the war, he reasoning was more persuasive than most. Hitchens, a masterful orator, met his match during a debate with George Galloway, a leading critic of the war. Galloway’s characterisation of him as a “drink-soaked, former Trotskyist popinjay” would have fatally wounded many, but not Hitchens. “I can still hold a Martini without spilling it”, he responded in print. Chriostopher Hitchens does not only possess devastating logic – he has a sense of humour, too.

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Manchester Edition: Monday 10th October 2011

Better off Ed? In defence of Ed Miliband Calls for an economic alternative have grown over the past 12 months, and following his keynote party conference speech ‘Red Ed’ is looking more far-sighted than far-left

Rob Fuller

There are three ways to judge a political leader. First, judge him on what he believes; second, on his actions; and third, on whether or not he can ultimately win an election and return his party to power. It has now been a year since Ed Miliband won the leadership of the Labour Party and, given the manner of his victory, it is hardly surprising that he has faced criticism from across the political spectrum. Led by The Sun, the right-wing tabloid press branded him ‘Red Ed’ because of the support he received from trade unions, and his apparently radical left-wing agenda. Within his own ranks, he was seen as disloyal for running against his older brother David, and perceived to be ineffective for focusing on bringing about an end to the New Labour era rather than an end to the Coalition government. But one year on, is this criticism valid, or is Labour better off with Ed after all? In order to accurately evaluate Miliband’s first year in office, we must consider the events which have shaped Labour’s first year in opposition. The unrelenting media narrative has been that Labour is a party in decline; Ed has been an instant failure as leader and the party has lost its’ way. When it came to May’s local elections, the SNP swept to

victory in Scotland when many had expected a Labour win. Miliband was lambasted for Labour’s apparent failure. However, the triumph of the SNP was not the direct result of mistakes made by a dysfunctional Labour Party – none of our political parties have been able to arrest the rise of a party that believes the United Kingdom is on its last legs as a nation. The rise of the SNP began long before Miliband took the helm last September, and in any case the anti-Ed narrative ignored the massive victories Labour won (returning to government

in the Welsh Assembly and winning huge numbers of council seats across England). Indeed, almost every poll since Miliband became leader has seen Labour hold a convincing lead over the government. So what exactly does Miliband believe? The day before the leadership election, Ed came to the University of Manchester as the underdog to answer the questions of our students. He was criticised for a number of bold things he said on that day. He said that New Labour was dead and that capitalism was broken; that the economic system had to be made better; that we need our system to work for the people who make up our society rather than the financial institutions that govern it. For those on the right, such statements were akin to showing a red rag to a bull – to them, it sounded like dangerous left-wing ideology. Blairities considered his views sacrilegious. How could the party abandon the winning strategy of New Labour, with its unabashed commitment to free market economics? But the Blairite agenda is outdated and simplistic. New Labour IS dead, regardless of what its supporters say. It died when it was dumped from power last May. It was fatally wounded from the moment that the unregulated financial system, which it so proudly endorsed, collapsed. On the economy, Miliband has been proved right. Austerity measures undertaken by the

government have failed to kick start a recovery; indeed, the economy has worsened over the last 12 months. Admittedly, Miliband did not walk into University Place and propose a striking new doctrine that evening. There was no huge ideological overhaul, no bold programme for government. However, he got his party thinking about a postNew Labour politics, and this is crucial; it took three leaders prior to David Cameron and over a decade of opposition before the Conservatives managed to re-brand and re-energise – Miliband has begun this arduous process in just a few months. In this context, Ed’s reorganisation and intellectual stimulation of his party seems positively heroic. None of this mattered to his unrelenting critics until the phone hacking scandal erupted this summer. The government was crippled by its previous support for News

International and Cameron’s own cosy relationship with the key players in what now seems to be a deeply suspect organisation. With renewed moral authority, Miliband managed to take Parliament by storm. Labour submitted a motion condemning phone hacking, and the government were forced to support it. For a brief moment, Labour seized the agenda and looked like a party that might be ready to govern again. The jury is still out on Ed Miliband. His opponents may yet prove correct, but this first year has been nowhere near as bad as many feared. Miliband has quickly put Labour back on the road to recovery. Contrary to tabloid spin, Labour has not lurched to the far left – it has merely abandoned the failing New Labour project. He might not be on his way to winning an election just yet, but to me it seems that Labour may well be better off with Ed after all.

            

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Richard Crook looks at the origins of our building names. Who are the people being honoured by Manchester and why? As week four of university kicks in, most first year students will have by now figured out where their lectures are held and noted the names of these buildings. But how many of them know the story behind those names? For that matter, how many second and third years do? I’m going to explore the origins of some people we refer to daily and yet know nothing about them. After all, if the last date you went on was with John Rylands (and according to a Facebook group that is over 1,000 of you), then it would be a bit rude not to know a bit about him.

John Rylands (1801-1888) keen eye for trading, he was able to accumulate such a large fortune. Rylands became part of a trade with a world-wide network of commerce. With his 17 mills and factories, he employed over 15,000 people and produced over 35 tons of cloth a day. At the time of his death in 1888 aged 87, his estate was worth £2.5m (£213m today). Despite amassing such a large fortune, John Rylands remained a modest man. He rejected the chance to join the social circles of landed gentry and aristocracy in London, preferring to focus his attention on business. His Christian beliefs were unwavering however, and the majority of his philanthropic work was driven by religion. This included the building of orphanages and houses for aged widows and public baths for his hometown of Stretford. Indeed, he never forgot his roots, and

Sir Joseph Whitworth (1803-1887) much of his philanthropy took place here in Manchester. John Rylands is one of the best examples of the emerging ‘Manchester men’ of the time. With few advantages to facilitate growth, Manchester’s early boom relied on these ambitious businessmen and traders. It is the place it is today because of innovators like this one. So why the library? Well, the University links are merely incidental. With the money left to her, Rylands third wife Enriqueta founded a public library in Deansgate in her husband’s honour. Opening in 1899, she continued to privately support it, donating hundreds of thousands of pounds for published works and expansions. It was not until 1972 that it was merged with The University of Manchester. The library in Deansgate remains a popular attraction today due to its architecture and wealth of resources. Photo: Tom Wilson

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‘John Rylands’ is perhaps the name we all refer to most. Rylands was Manchester’s first multi-millionaire. Born in Lancashire in 1801 in humble circumstances, he was the third son of the cotton manufacturer Joseph Rylands. Clearly something in his blood then, as it was in cotton that John Rylands also made his own fortune. In 1819, at the age of 18, he joined up with his father and two brothers to form Rylands and Sons. Selling cotton and various other textiles, the business started well and they became manufacturers as well as merchants. The company continued to develop and John became the sole proprietor in 1838. It was then that, using his extraordinarily shrewd business mind and

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Sir Joseph Whitworth was one of the great mechanical engineers of the Victorian era. His name can be found dotted around Manchester, such as at Whitworth Park, Whitworth Art Gallery and of course, the Whitworth building at The University of Manchester. As Whitworth Hall hosts the annual clapping marathon that is graduation, it might be interesting to know a bit about him. Sir Joseph Whitworth was born to a schoolmaster in Stockport, 1803. By the time he reached his teenage years, he was working for his uncle’s cotton mill and his enthusiasm for mechanics was clear. A man of great ambition, Whitworth left this job against his family’s wishes at the age of 18 and took up a position at Crighton and Co., a leading mechanics company in Manchester. By 1833 he was showing no signs of slowing down. After working under tool inventor Henry Maudsley in London, he returned to Manchester and started his own company. It focused on machine tools, which Whitworth realised was in great demand there because of the expanding railway network. During this time, he invented a new way of creating flat surfaces that became the standard method within industry. Whitworth also developed the world’s first standard for screw threads, offering new levels of precision. Enormously influential, it came to dominate British manufacturing and railway networks, drastically improving the capabilities of mass production. The Whitworth thread, or

variations of it, is still commonly used today. In the latter stages of his career, he worked for the military and developed the Whitworth rifle, intended to replace the Enfield. However, despite its obvious superiority, it was deemed too expensive and a disgruntled Whitworth instead controversially sold it to the Confederates for their Civil War across the pond. But as Whitworth grew older, he would spend more of his time in Monaco. It was there, in Monte Carlo, that the great engineer died aged 83. Though today not carrying the name recognition of one of the greats of the Industrial Revolution figures such as James Watt or Richard Arkwright, Sir Joseph Whitworth is undoubtedly a major player when one is looking at industrial growth not just in Manchester, but all of Britain. He was perhaps the greatest mechanical engineer Britain ever produced. Manchester duly pays its respects to Whitworth, but there are reasons behind the building selections. In his lifetime he emphasized the value of technical education, starting up the Whitworth Scholarship and helping found the Manchester School of Design. The University honour him today with the Whitworth Building and Whitworth Hall because this devotion. After his death, philanthropy in Whitworth’s name continued, for he directed his trustees to spend his fortune on philanthropic projects. The Whitworth Art Gallery was founded from this, as was Whitworth Park.

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shoulders of giants The story of mathematician Alan Turing is both enthralling and heartbreaking. Unlike the previous names, the building here is named after him perhaps less for his contribution to the University or the city, and more to serve as a reminder that the freedom enjoyed here today did not come without sacrifice. Alan Turing was born in 1912 to a middle class family. By the time he reached 10 he was already expressing interest in science. This enthusiasm continued into his education. Attending the independent Sherborne School, Turing initially felt lonely and isolated. However, his ability shone while developing his first love interest for his friend and fellow science enthusiast, Christopher Morcom. Devastatingly for Turing though, Morcom died from Tuberculosis during his first year at Cambridge. It would scar Turing permanently, proving a barrier in future relationships and kick-starting his fascination with Artificial Intelligence. He attended Cambridge also, obtaining a first-class degree in 1934. Three years later, Alan Turing had his first major breakthrough with the ‘Turing Machine’. Designed initially as a thought experiment, it proved that such a machine could perform any mathematical computation if representable as an algorism. The Turing Machine was a giant leap in the evolution of computing. When World War Two broke out, he turned his attention to cryptology. With this, Alan Turing was about to become not just a great innovator of mathematics and technology, but a British war hero of epic proportions. The Germans were anxious not to allow their communication lines to become compromised and used the Enigma machine to scramble messages. Alan Turing and a team of experts were recruited to work at now-famous Bletchley Park to decrypt these machines. Here, Turing invented the Bomba, a specially designed machine intended to do just that. Intelligence gained was referred to as ‘Ultra’, and by 1941 the Bomba successes were paying serious dividends. The anticipating Allied forces ambushed German U-boats again and again, helping to keep Germany out of Egypt. Turing’s war heroics led to an OBE and a position here at the University of Manchester in 1948. However, by now Turing was focusing his attention on the more abstract idea of Artificial

Photo: Patrycja Marczewska

Alan Turing (1912 - 1954)

Ernest Rutherford (1871 - 1937) Though the fifth of thirteen children, Ernest Rutherford was certainly a unique mind. His contributions to nuclear physics were historic, and much of his greatest research was completed while working at the University of Manchester. Ernest Rutherford was born in New Zealand where he was educated, thanks to a scholarship, at the prestigious Nelson College. He showed early interest in physics, and was not hesitant to study it at university. Having achieved a double first in Mathematics and Physics at The University of New Zealand, Rutherford took up positions at Cambridge and then Montreal. It was at Montreal where he developed his disintegration theory. This treated radioactive phenomena as atomic - not molecular - processes. Several radioactive substances were discovered and Rutherford’s work here would win him a Nobel Prize. But unusually, Rutherford’s best work was completed after Intelligence. He wrote pieces on the potential of computers and what constitutes ‘intelligent behaviour’. It is a debate that rages on today. Relatively speaking, Turing had long accepted his homosexuality. But post-war Britain was a different world for gay people. In 1952, while still living in Manchester, Turing embarked on a sexual relationship with a man named Arnold Murray. Murray betrayed him though, attempting to burgle his house. He believed that Turing would be too fearful of having to reveal their criminal sexual behaviour to the police. Murray underestimated Turing. A man of immense personal integrity, he admitted to the affair in order to prosecute Murray. What happened next was pure tragedy. Turing was charged with gross indecency and faced the choice of prison or

castration. He chose the latter, knowing prison would cost him his job at Manchester. Two years later, he committed suicide by biting an apple filled with cyanide. His work and mood had begun to suffer somewhat, but it remained a shock to his friends and family. Historian Andrew Hodges says of his motives: “To ask what caused his death is like asking what caused the First World War.” Alan Turing’s story is unique in its ability to provoke simultaneous feelings of both immense pride and absolute revulsion towards our nation’s history. It is the story of an eccentric, homosexual mathematician who took on Nazi Germany. A man Winston Churchill once remarked had made the greatest single contribution to Allied victory during World War Two. A man Winston Churchill’s government condemned to misery and reclusion.

this honour. In 1907 he accepted a position at The University of Manchester and irreversibly enhanced the Physics department here. His attitude and determination flowed through the department and his disarming yet firm personality brought resources and supplies previously unattainable. Rutherford’s research shifted focus from radioactivity to atomic structure and in 1909 he proposed the Rutherford Atom. It came from the research done alongside Hans Geiger and Earnst Marsden and disproved the ‘plum-pudding’ model. The Rutherford Atom theorized the existence of an atomic nucleusthe importance of this discovery to nuclear physics needs no explanation. But Rutherford was still yet to ‘live the first line of his obituary’ for in 1917, he theorized the splitting of the atom by converting nitrogen to oxygen. It was - according scientist Manjit Kumar – the true dawn of the nuclear age.

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As a man, Rutherford was as engaging as he was brilliant. A tall figure with a loud laugh, his friend Mark Oliphant described him as jovial, humble and energetic. He had a capacity for great compassion, too. In the 1930’s, Rutherford served as President of the Academic Assistance Council, a group that assisted Jewish scientists escaping Germany. He would go to great lengths to assist them, scraping money together for them until they found permanent posts. In 1937, Ernest Rutherford died aged just 66 from a partially strangulated umbilical hernia. His wife Mary survived him, but sadly not his daughter Eileen, who died in 1930. Rutherford lectured in the building holding his name, a reminder that the University was graced with the greatest nuclear scientist in history.

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Model Behaviour? Claudia Canavan Fashion Editor Controversial behaviours have long been synonymous with the creative industries. The music, film and fashion worlds have enjoyed a lasting affinity with activities that have outraged and appalled the general public, whilst simultaneously cementing the otherworldly allure of the decadent and debauched. And whilst this behaviour is expected, certainly, rarely is it entirely accepted. In recent years, a slew of prominent fashion figures being exposed as all too less than perfect has revealed the extent to which an individual’s career and legacy can be blemished. From an exalted position as an icon, to shunned and disgraced, the fashion carousel has witnessed its fair share of falls from grace. Is it, however, fair to allow nonideal behaviour in an individual’s private life to seep into and tarnish the professional? Take, for example, the ‘Cocaine Kate’ scandal of 2005. When The Mirror obtained footage of Miss Moss chopping up and consuming numerous lines of coke, they

From an exalted position as an icon, to shunned, the fashion carousel has witnessed its fair share of falls from grace deplored her behaviour and Kate went on to lose a number of high profile campaigns in the aftermath. Certainly, dabbling in the world of Class A narcotics when you are the mother of a dependant young child is morally dubious behaviour, and a terrible precedent to set as a primary role model in an infant’s life. But did anyone truly suppose that the then girlfriend of notorious substance abuser Pete Doherty was livin’ la vida sober? The world of modelling has long been associated with the consumption of illegal drugs, and for a seasoned hack at a publication such as The

Beauty

My ultimate beauty icon Mirror to bleat that Kate was setting a poor example to legions of young girls is ridiculous- a fashion model is not, by default, a role model to all exposed to her. Whilst Kate is answerable to her daughter for her past behaviours, it doesn’t seem correct to use this instance as an impingement against her iconic status. Should, however, allegations of an even more unsavoury nature have any bearing on how we view the status of a deceased icon, with no means through which to redeem themselves? A new book detailing Coco Chanel’s relationship with a senior intelligence officer in the Nazi Regime, Sleeping with the Enemy: Coco Chanel, Nazi Agent’ by Hal Vaughan, sheds more light on the speculation that one of history’s most esteemed figures in fashion was a fierce antiSemitic. That the late Chanel’s status will ever be called into dispute is highly doubtful- she is far too firmly cemented and celebrated for that to be the case. But for many, the association of the House of Chanel with the atrocities committed earlier in the century will tarnish the image of one of fashion’s most influential designers. In a similar vein, the infamous British born

designer John Galliano was notoriously caught spewing a racist verbal tirade which was captured on video and obtained by The Sun. Having been recently brought to trial, found guilty and given a suspended sentence by an outraged French judicial system, his publicist has claimed that he is working on alcohol and substance addiction problems, and hopes to defeat these to come to a place of ‘understanding’. In the ensuing fracas following the release of the footage, Galliano was sacked from his position as Head of Design at Dior and openly shunned by various influential media personalities. The racist views and acts of Chanel and Galliano most definitely warrant punishment via the legal system, which only one of them is alive to have handed down to them. However, they both evidently possess some extremely harmful and offensive opinions, the facet of their person which comprises their talent and achievement can be compartmentalised and assessed outside of this. For fashion to qualify every achievement recorded by the late Coco Chanel, or for the industry to forfeit the talent of Galliano, would be a terrible negation of a pair of visionaries.

Isabelle Dann Beauty Editor 1st place: Gemma Ward I’ve been infatuated with the Australian model Gemma Ward for years now quite simply because, unlike any other human being I have ever spied, she truly looks like she hails from another dimension, an entirely compelling effect. Adorned with a wide-set sober stare, porcelain complexion and bee-stung pout, Ward has graced countless magazine covers, including Vogue (all national

varieties), W and i-D, played a space alien for Alexander McQueen’s autumn / winter 2005 show, and starred in a plethora of campaigns from Prada to Yves Saint Laurent. More recently, she’s turned her hand to acting, having been performed the minor yet most enigmatic role of the mermaid in the last Pirates of the Caribbean film, plus she’ll be making an appearance in the upcoming Baz Luhrmann adaptation of The Great Gatsby. An intoxicating chameleon, Ward continues to transfix the world with her ethereality.

Anti-Fashion icons Roisin Dervish-O’Kane Fashion Editor When musing over my muse for this week’s issue on icons of style, I struggled to pinpoint the personification of my aesthetic inspiration. I racked my tired and ailing brain for options, decided against constructing a 400-word espousal of my seemingly undying adoration for Chloe Sevingy, and eventually determined that to discover the truly iconic; I would look to the ordinary people of the past. If I’m completely honest, I find the inherent vapidity of the repetitive turnover of the seasonal collections often dull and fundamentally uninspiring. I find true style clout to be inherent among those individuals with strength, originality, and passion: people who have something to say, and whose whole aesthetic makes a statement of purpose. Ironically, those individuals, to whom I have always been drawn to, quite often couldn’t care less about their collective role as icons of style or setters of trends- and therein lays their innately irresistible appeal.

Sub-cultural movements have unwittingly yeilded huge artistic influence upon the fashion world Where better to look, for such proponents of ‘anti-fashion’ than to modern history’s most iconic protest movements. Images of these individuals have long since permeated our collective style consciousness, and the sub-cultural movements they belong to have unwittingly yielded huge artistic influence upon the fashion world. From the American hipsters who fled west to ‘tune in, turn on, and drop out’ in the Haight Ashbury, to the 1970’s English punk scene; frustration with the homogenous norms of the establishment

has created some of the most fertile environments for the cultivation of new and genuinely exciting revolutions in street style. Rather than seeking to emulate the hottest new ‘super edgy’ trustafarian whom the fashion pack are lauding as their newest style crush, I find my most influential icons whilst devouring some well thumbed history books, or looking through old faded photographs. Perhaps my personal fascination with these bygone sub-cultural protest movements is due to the rose-tinted retrospect through which we inevitably view an idealised yesteryear. Regardless, I can’t help but admire the passion that these individuals held for their cause and their brazen, communal disregard for the accepted aesthetic rules of their respective eras. Coco Chanel once said that “fashion fades; only style remains the same” and to an extent I agree. Fashion indeed becomes swiftly insignificant, and those whose style was once celebrated will inevitably cease to become cool and current. However, those who aren’t afraid to challenge assumed authority with independent spirit will remain, for me at least, eternally iconic.

Runner-up: Courtney Love The “Lady Macbeth” of the grunge scene, Love is arguably the most fascinating personality to emerge from 1990s pop culture. An aesthetic of anti-establishment “kinderwhore”, Love’s public identity of stripper-turned actressturned Hole front woman-turned fashion muse-cum heroin usage contrasted with her Mensa-leve IQ combined with some serious baggage resulted in one big hot mess – bleached blonde hair, criedoff mascara, kissed-off lipstick – and whispers everywhere she walks.

My style icon...

Anyone interested in getting involved and joining The Mancunion's fashion writing team can contact editors Claudia Canavan and Roisín Dervish-O'Kane by email on fashion@mancunion.co.uk or join our facebook group by searching for "The Mancunion: Fashion and Beauty 2011-2012". We are really excited about the fashion and beauty pages this year and would love to get as many enthusiastic and talented writers on board as possible.

What I love about fashion is that it is constantly moving; constantly fluctuating and transforming so much that sometimes it is hard to keep up with it all. It is this movement that I find endearing because it gives power over perceptions the rest of the world form of you. For instance, if you were to sport a diamond- studded headband with a matching school uniform ensemble, then surely you are showing everyone around you that you are an angelic and immaculate school girl? Well, the answer is no. It is thus that I have chosen fictitious character Blair Waldorf, of the series Gossip Girl, as my principal style icon. Despite possessing a rather calculating personality, her pristine and preppy image acts as a fantastically deceptive tool for masking her true nature.

Roisín and Claudia

Jake Pummintr

Personally I do not see a style icon as someone whose clothes I want to imitate, but rather as someone who I admire and who inspires me. Tavi Gevinson, a 15 year old American high school student and blogger creates varied looks that perfectly encapsulate the changing moods of a teenager. She has a perfect eye for ‘style’, rather than simply copying catwalk fashions. Her looks are illustrated with popular culture references, which I find much more relevant than catwalk photographs; whilst she successfully mixes high street with charity shop and DIY accessories with the odd designer gift for a truly unique look. www.thestylerookie.com Elizabeth Linsley

Zoe Kravitz is fast becoming my style crush as she pulls off to perfection the eclectic style that I always try to emulate. With access to some of the world’s best designers Zoe has a wardrobe to envy, but it is the distinctive manner in which she pulls together an outfit that makes her an icon. Exuding effortless chic in all that she wears, she mixes a variety of looks which consistently retain a vintage element. Stepping out of the shadow of her famous parents, Zoe will soon be the Kravitz that everyone is talking about. Clare McKinstry

Former manager of Daft Punk and king of the French electro scene, Pedro Winter (a.k.a. Busy P) is without doubt one of the most stylish men about. Consistently decked out in graphic tees and varsity jackets, Winter epitomises interesting yet effortless street style. Of course, this is all made easier when you´re co-owner of Paris based on-line boutique CoolCats (www.coolcats.fr), with its fun selection of SoMe designed products (check their recent addition of snap-back caps). To top things off, he´s even collaborated with Nike on a limited edition version of the Air Max 90. C'est cool, non? Joseph Tyrrell

My style icon is Lux Lisbon of ‘The Virgin Suicides’. Yes, she is a fictional character, but this in no way diminishes her clothing credentials. Blessed with sky blue eyes and golden locks that wave in all the right places, she would admittedly look good in anything, but somehow even in her simplest of ensembles, she manages to make Grace Kelly look like Ann Widecombe. Whether she’s wearing her trademark flared jeans and pastel hued folksy blouses, or her home made prom dress, her ethereal look is always accessorised with delicate gold jewellery, a cheeky wink and a comehither smile. Jenny Novitzky

As a classic, understated yet elegant English rose, Keira Knightly is my choice of style icon. Though sneered at by many for her ‘pouty’ acting, the star’s style is usually faultless. Whilst admitting she is influenced by Bjork, she has traditional taste accompanied with an edgy twist, as seen when she wore a Miu Miu ensemble with a nude motif printed across the shirt. Whilst being a celebrity all designers want to dress she also shops on the high street - the perfect style icon who mixes clothes from the catwalk with attainable fashion. Lucy Jamieson

What I love about Olivia Palermo is that she knows exactly how to mix designer clothes with high street labels. She gets the balance just right and isn’t afraid to wear Topshop on the red carpet. She knows exactly what looks good on her and isn’t afraid to take risks. Her clothes are always relatively simple wardrobe staples, unless she is wearing a statement outfit, and she accessorises better than any celebrity to make her ensemble stand out. From picking the right jewellery, to the best arm candy (and I’m not just talking about her super hot boyfriend) she makes sure every outfit is finished off perfectly. Elizabeth Harper

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Asia Triennial Manchester 11 has begun! The launch party is over, the fun begins See arty Asian goodness in no more, no less than the Bury Art Museum, Castlefield, Chinese Arts Centre, the Cornerhouse, CUBE gallery, the Holden Gallery, International 3, The John Rylands Library, and the city at large. Until 27th November As always, more content will be available on our website. Check it out @ www.mancunion.com

Arts & Cultre Meetings at 5pm, Tuesdays in the Whitworth Gallery café. arts@mancunion.com Twitter @dani-middleton

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Cord Dani Middleton Arts & Culture Editor

The price of art The night began at 4pm, as all good nights do, but the sheen of heat that hung in the air stuck us to our seats. Finally the haze settled and we gathered our strength. We lost, then found the free bus, but too late, we decided to cut our losses. First venue be damned we were hot. Luckily this meant we were in plenty of time for venue 2 and took a leisurely stroll Northern Quarter bound. Venue 2: Cord, Dorsey Street. We were late. A ‘live performance/installation’ was presented to us in a hushed corner. It was actually just a man with a guitar, which confused Dani. We cornered the musician slash artist; I asked a seemingly insightful question meditating on the nature of performance. The musician looked confused, scanning the crowd behind us nervously. ‘Um, yeah…I think we’re going for a few drinks afterwards’. After scoring this date, we left. Back on the street the haze descended once more. A stream of cyclists swam by, blocking our path. ‘What are you doing?’ ‘A critical mass…once a month’ a gentleman with a boom box strung to his bike shouted back to us.

It ran on liquid, and brought us to our knees Venue 3: Piccadilly Place In amongst the office blocks, we found art. We drank a nice refreshing cup of Kopparberg, proud sponsors of Free Art. We spent much time pondering the significance of the collection. We talked to Mrs. Mill, of Mr. and Mrs. Mill, who reliably informed us that Arnie and the Egg was one of her favourite pieces. We entered a brave new world in room 2. One that required blue polythene shoe protectors and a tussle with some overbearing sheets. The curator was going for ‘Narnia’. We exited the new world to look for a toilet. But we couldn’t leave quite yet; fascinated by this world where the doormen are artists, and the bartenders are critics, and the critics are drunk. We swayed on into the night, in search of more art and more sponsorship. Venue 4: Urban Outfitters. We were ushered upstairs. I had a Kopparberg from a plastic cup. It was warm. We were somewhat confused where the art stopped and the urban trinkets began. A kindly girl showed us to the door, she wasn’t an artist as far as I could tell. Venue 5: AfterParty We hustled to the Soup Kitchen for a nourishing bowl of wine. The girl in front was thrashing her head about and batting her lashes in the hopes of buying the bartender a drink. He took a shot on her. The crawl ended much like any other kind of crawl. It ran on liquid, and brought us to our knees. We felt the real personal cost of all that art the next day.

The first of our Free For Arts, arts crawl after our catastrophic combined lateness led to our missing the actual first one at Islington Mill, we made our way to the Northern Quarter to Cord. We were met with a room full of artists and their work on Community: Consume and Collaborate, in the 21st century. The work seems fairly unimpressive at first glance, though after you’ve had a quick read of each artists blurb, most become quite a feat of commitment and ingenuity, fully making the most of the technology available to them. The theme was to use Twitter, Facebook, email and all that jazz to bring artists together from around the country, hence Collaborate, and see what they would create. Possibly the best use of Twitter amongst the group was the Come Print With Us display. Remember potato printing as a child? We discovered it’s still fun at 21 as we delved into the array of coloured paints provided, and the mermaid, cat and seal shapes to press onto the huge sheet of white paper in the middle of the room. The pair set up a Twitter account under the name @comeprintwithus, inviting

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Photo: Adriano Digaudio

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Audience get printing @ comepaintwithus followers to come up with ideas for the shapes they would use in their work. One of our favourites because of its simplicity and charm, the Eschaesque print art won our hearts. What should’ve been disturbing but we instead adored, was the piece Shadow of a Horse. Picture in your mind a barn door, saw it in half and put it back together in an Lshape and you have the foundation for this piece. Covered in a selection of wonderfully colourful drawings of people and creatures, and the

ominous horses head snarling at the base on one of the reassembled doors. On the blurb we were invited to open said door, revealing the horses skull and the skeleton of the person on the outside of the door, falling into its open mouth. The exhibit was rounded off with a performance from a guitarist and light-technician man displaying their skills in ‘ambient’ music. When asked about the lowbeat theme of the performance, said guitarist simply stated, “It was what it was”. That cleared that up then.

Piccadilly Place Phoebe Chambre & Dani Middleton Arts & Culture Editors Free for All (Part 1) showcased the best of the festival’s open submissions. The varied and eclectic works pieced together by curator Emily Songhurst, showed an Aladdin’s Cave for the viewers delight. There was video installation, painted portrait, photography, sculpture, interactive sound-art, and all in one barren, concrete vacuum. The room was divided into a complex maze that encaved the works and created an almost semi-private capsule for each artist. The nooks to be discovered were perfect for displaying the deeply personal pieces. If there was an overarching theme this was it: soul-bearing. Some of it was confusing, some of it bad (in our opinions) and some of it funny. We craned to read the small print of a sculpture’s title: the miniature pram with tubes coming out of it feeding into big bourbon bottles – ‘Wet Nurse’, and laughed. Apart from these witty titles, it was the smallest photographs that downright stole the show. Ines Elsa Delal’s photographs: personal, beautiful, and almost missable; the man handing us our beers hit it in one – ‘they got me’. We had heard tell of the polystyrene balls before we entered room 2. Fortunately the anticipation did not breed disappoint when we finally peeled back the curtains on Child’s Play, and skated off in our polythene shoes, tiny, packaging filler balls underfoot. Full of child-like glee

From exciting, to contemplative this room threw up a whole load of sweet nuggets for the audience to chew over the aptly named exhibit stole our hearts, as we raced off like a kids in a candy shop. From exciting, to contemplative this room threw up a whole load of sweet nuggets for the audience to chew over whilst moonwalking on polyballs. The tone of the exhibition was reset when the monkey-bar on tree trunks installation in the centre of the room, a piece by Sonny J. Barker entitled Gemini, was explained to us. It charted the death of the artist’s twin in his childhood, and just like that the fantasy of being a child splintered away from us. Childhood is really the least of the issues facing you in Child’s Play. The use of a theme is a jumping off point for exploring how different artists, and therefore different people,

interpret the same thing. This itself is a jumping-off plank for how art documents the human experience. Is art itself child’s play? And if so does the exhibition subvert or add to this notion of art? Like most ‘good’ art, the room created more questions than it answered, much like childhood, the more you might reflect on Child’s Play, the more disturbing it appears to be. The final exhibition we had to encounter on our Piccadilly Place jaunt was the least enthralling, we were presented with a mass of furniture that could easily have been mistaken as IKEA’s junk room. This furniture was described to us by a clearly deluded man, we were told a musician, that this was “well different to all the other rooms”, the brother of the artist it turned out. Got to have respect for that family loyalty, though for us the urge to laugh as he pointed out the elastic holding a chair together with such pride in his voice was tricky. We saw what was literally some orange elastic, about three inches thick, wrapped around a quite ordinary wooden chair. That’s decoration dear, not quite art. A wise man once said that art ‘is supposed to make us confront things’. A lot of issues that need confronting aren’t palatable, or fun to look at it. Some of it is. The Piccadilly Place Free For All presented us with a wide scope of reality, as much of it from the art as from the people looking at the art. We were bumped up cheek to wall with people of all brush-strokes and veins of art but what we found ourselves looking at was ourselves.

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Manchester Edition: Monday 10th October 2011

Phoebe Chambre Arts & Culture Editor By the time we made it to the fourth (our third) stop on the crawl, we felt we had consumed more than our fair share of art for one evening. We had read one too many cue cards explaining artists’ mission statements and modus operandi. In fact, I now feel confident enough in the art of the blurb to make bold generalizations about the categorization these cues fall under. There is the PR bullshit, which either makes no sense and/or seems to bear no relevance to the art on show. There is the ‘Aha’ card, which shakes your heart with the insight those few words afford you into the mind

A fittingly trendy exhibition, introduced a new, wildly left-field approach to the cue card of the creator. There is the blurb that you really don’t want to read because you’re enthralled by not knowing what this art is

Photo: Adriano Digaudio

Urban Outfitters about, and yet you can’t stop yourself leaning over and learning about the processes by which this mysterious piece was conceived; and the mystique is shattered. Urban Outfitters: Basic Shapes, a fittingly trendy exhibition, introduced a new, wildly leftfield approach to the cue card: confusion. The placing of a card on a wall or beam, around which there is more than one contender for the recipient of this informative insight. We could have been looking at, and now reviewing, art, or we could have been transfixed pondering home furnishing. This made it very difficult to concentrate with one of us uttering the phrase “Is this part of it?”, every few minutes, and the other looking back in befuddlement.

Theatre

Not going all the way Andrew Campbell Theatre Editor

It is appropriate that this new play from Salford-born playwright Ayub Khan-Din, best known for writing East is East, is having its premiere at The Lowry, surrounded by Salford Quays and the burgeoning Media City. All the Home Way is a glimpse into the communities that have been ‘regenerated’ over the last ten years. The unseen Frankie lies dying in bed, his breathing supervised through a baby monitor, while his family gather in the kitchen beneath contemplating the impending death of their brother/ nephew/ cousin and the demise of the Salford community that they have grown-up in. There is clear affection for Salford and its people but too many characters are close to caricatures. Carol (Kate Anthony) is the sibling who has moved out of Salford and now lives in ‘Didsbury Village’, cue references to Waitrose, petty snobbery and sniggers of recognition for, its fair to guess, a overwhelmingly middle-class audience. Philip (Paul Simpson) the semi-literate younger brother who pours endless spoonfuls of sugar into his tea is an embarrassing parody. Ayub Khan-Din has said that All The Way Home is autobiography and Brian (Sean Gallagher) is a successful London-based photographer who is reluctantly returns to Salford is one outlet for selfportrait. The character is unrelentingly dull and so contrived and stilted that he comes across as not simply emotionally and culturally dislocated from his siblings but entirely alien to them. Janet (Susan Cookson), the dependable centre of the family and Sonia

All The Way Home The Lowry Until Saturday 15th October Tickets are available from £11 for students.

( Julie Riley), the troubled recovering drug-addict, do add some balance. Their performances capture both a sense of hopelessness and resilience in the community. But overall the characters are not sufficiently engaging to justify the plays emotional climax. Neither do they have the depth to

Thrashing about give an insight into the complexities surrounding the breakdown of white workingclass communities. The various characters’ illiteracy, alcoholism or casual racism is rarely explored or contextualised and is often simply used as an excuse for a one-liner. The Salford setting is largely convincing but there are occasional superficial references that are unnecessary. Apparently Manchester United tickets are quite expensive. Who knew? It is a credit to the Library Theatre Company and The Lowry that they are willing to stage vaguely political theatre that does attempt to explore and reflect Greater Manchester’s communities. It is a shame that All The way Home ends up having so little to say.

The Library Theatre Company production of All The Way Home

Jane Kilpatrick

Conor McKee’s Thrasher seemed even from the foyer to be fit the Royal Exchange Studio’s image of being slightly ‘younger’, and edgier than what one might expect to find in its theatre space and it certainly delivered what it promised, a challenging play. Thrasher was created by McKee out of three short plays written separately, and came together as an interesting look at how people interact within and without their chosen relationships. The original script included 12 characters, as opposed to the six in this production. The smaller cast allowed the audience to grasp the characters’ dependence on their existing situations; although they were unhappy, it was clear that they had run out of other options. We follow six characters through one day in Manchester, exploring their motives and emotions and how they affect each other. McKee’s script, although rather miserable, did very skilfully set up three or four very believable, relatable relationship dynamics. The question of why each character remained in these relationships was cleverly emphasised by a sparse, uncluttered set that did not physically distinguish between scenes. There was a distinct lack of personality on set which focussed the audience on understanding the actions of each character, and made it visually more understandable that they thought they had cut off any alternative. The dynamic between the

Thrasher Royal Exchange Studio Ran from Wednesday 28th September to Saturday 1st October

six characters, Lee, Jenny, Vic, Colin, Chloe and Frank, presented three who were much easier to blame for the unhappiness onstage, and three who appeared much more passive and victimised. Throughout the performance we are reminded that each of these characters has cut themselves off through the choices they have made; it comes across as quite a frightening prospect that even the ‘victims’ have got themselves into such unhappy situations. Set in Manchester in the context of drinking, drugs, office jobs and parties,

Thrasher makes quite a clear point about communication and motivation in modern life. Throughout the play the most common prop is a mobile phone, and much of the dialogue is made up of ‘half conversations’, often two such conversations happening simultaneously. The actors make these conversations very convincing; fortunately this technique does not at all fall flat and is actually quite effective. Thrasher is an unrelenting look at modern life and its relationship with money, age, sex and innocence. Each character is isolated by one aspect, Chloe’s faith in God is unrelenting but she feels as though she doesn’t ‘understand’ anymore, that she is cut off from reality and craves ‘warmth’, by which, it is clear, she means sex. Jenny’s apparent agoraphobia increases her dependence on Lee but also her awareness that he is rarely there for her, while his lies about their financial situation show that he is motivated by money, but also by maintaining their relationship however he can. McKee’s script quite cleverly establishes the habitual relationships of the characters even while turning them on their heads to portray people’s real motivations and priorities. Despite being a rather unhappy watch, Thrasher delivered a positively challenging and brave performance. Luckily this was followed by a very lovely recital on the double bass by composer Michael Cretu, which emphasized the happier outcomes of the final scene.

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Music The Academy this week... Black Veil Brides – Tuesday 11th – Academy 1 Kerrang! have been praising them. Festival crowds have bottled them. Are the scene version of Mötley Crüe, style over substance? Only one way to find out. Brett Anderson – Tuesday 11th – Club Academy The former Suede frontman returns to the Academy with his latest solo album Black Rainbows. The Feeling – Wednesday 12th – Academy 2 Remember that overly cheerful song from about four years ago? That was probably The Feeling. Why not go along and try to cheer yourself up. Noasis – Saturday 15th – Academy 3 What better way to spend a Saturday night in Manchester than seeing Oasis? Well, seeing as they split up, why not have a beer, go see Noasis and sing along to the same songs anyway.

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“What Warehouses are you going to this year? Have you heard about Warehouse Project? It’s like, under Piccadilly train station! What! Really? No way! What are you studying!?” Just another classic example of excitable fresher chat, but for once it’s not about which foam party that girl from your halls is going to and which shit club in the Printworks it happens to be taking place at, it’s about Warehouse Project. Not so much a club night, but more a movement, a special event that graces the cobbled streets underneath Manchester’s biggest train station for six months a year, offering those that

This will be its last at the legendary Store Street venue, no more will be students struggle to explain to taxi drivers where exactly to drop them off, because the Project is moving, to where? No one knows.. know a night of stellar music and an atmosphere that is unmatchable throughout the rest of the city – which is certainly saying something when you consider that city is ‘Madchester’. Alas, this year is the last time you will

have to concentrate hard on not vomiting when you see the burger van that is perpetually parked in the smoking area at Store Street, because Warehouse Project, the toast of Manchester, is moving house.

Clubbing

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Where to? You all shout at once, well it’s a secret – and because of this instead of thinking about what renovated warehouse space the gang will rent out next, it seems fitting to think about what they’ve got planned for the Store Street finale. Some of you reading this when it goes to print will be still be recovering from the mega weekend featuring Calvin Harris and Nero, feel rough? You should do. Two of the most refreshing acts in dubstep and dance should be too much for your tiny little minds. Residents this year include Julio Bashmore, Jackmaster and even Skream. There’s a growing crowd of young things who reckon that Jackmaster is the most talented DJ in the UK, that’s a big shout – something you should perhaps decide for yourself ? Bashmore has been a stalwart of the electronic music scene for a few years now, meddling with all sorts of house and garage too – he’s sure to smash the nights he plays. We don’t really need to talk about Skream, possibly the biggest name in dubstep anywhere, ever. Nights devoted to indie music are sure to have a whole new mass of kids heading to Warehouse too, with The Horrors and Foals both hosting events, promising a whole new kind of gig experience – showing there is always space for skinny jeans and Doc Martens somewhere. US hip hop visionary Jay Electronica has fans of clever lyrics and even cleverer beats licking their lips, especially as he’s playing alongside Jamie xx, possibly the most forward thinking producer in bass music at the moment. Not to mention other acts to grace the Warehouse this year – James Blake, Aphex Twin, Boys Noize, Carl Cox, High Contrast, Cut Copy, Fake Blood, Skrillex, Andy C, Skream & Benga – I don’t know about you but I’m out of breath just writing this. Nobody quite knows what’s going to become of Warehouse after Laurent Garnier’s closing show on the 1st January, but one thing is for certain, it’s going to go out with a bang.

Live

Welcome to the Warehouse Saturday’s WHP certainly did welcome us to the warehouse, as a superb reintroduction for me to all things house and techno. As always on these nights, the crowd was key, and this was no exception as the hoards really showed a united love for the music, filling out both rooms one and two, and conjuring up a fizzy atmosphere for the whole event. First up, playing an early set was, who many (including myself ) had come to see, the darling of underground house: Maya Jane Coles. It was a hugely atmospheric performance as visual effects came from a single red spotlight that shone down and backlit the diminutive DJ. Needless to say Maya Jane put on quite a show, making us all go wobbly-kneed with her sensual and eclectic taste in deep house. Room 2 also boasted a huge line-up, with the highlight possibly being Montreal-born Jacques Greene, whose short live set of R&B-infused house brought a touch of well-received bass to an otherwise completely house and techno filled bill. Visionquest, the collaboration between friends and Detroit

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Warehouse Project 24th September

Visual effects came from a single red spotlight that shone down and backlit the DJ residents Seth Troxler, Ryan Crosson, Lee Curtis and Shaun Reeves was an act that I approached somewhat warily, and with low expectations.

Having seen Troxler a few times before, he had been, shall we say, a tad messy. However, the collective act was sublime. All playing back-to-back, the artists’ inspirations bounced back and forth as they treated us to a fine selection of rare and obscure psychedelic beats. Indeed Visionquest were the highlight of the evening and will take some bettering for this WHP season in terms of the party atmosphere that they emitted, a by-product of four ice-cool guys at the height of their game, doing what they love. It was left to bald-pated Neapolitan techno baron Marco Carola to see out the night. His echoing and industrial sounds were doubtless skilfully-spun, but perhaps left a little to be desired in terms of the warm soulfulness which had been showcased by the other artists. Despite this slightly disappointing close, it was a truly unforgettable night of music with an unbeatable atmosphere.

Ferdinand Simon

Beth Jeans Houghton Beth Jeans Houghton stumbles anxiously onto stage, crashing into her own equipment along the way. An extra large Star Trek t-shirt swamps her tiny frame and she sports a woolly hat, in spite of the autumn heat wave. The first words she utters are “fuckin’ hell”, but it’s soon down to business. Joined by an all-male band, she stands centre-stage, small but defiant. Houghton’s voice is angelic, yet haunting and beautifully complemented by deep harmonies. She’s at her best with crowd pleaser ‘I Will Return, I Promise’, from her 2009 EP Hot Toast Volume 1. It’s got an on-the-road feel to it, the jaunty drum rhythms and folk guitar sounds giving the impression of time passing by. The punkier tracks are a welcome contrast too; ‘Prick aka Shaun’ is a comical punk pop thrash and the raspy whispers of ‘Shampoo’ are reminiscent of punk-poet legend Patti Smith. Although sweetly charming and chatty, Houghton is still honing her skills as a performer. She is initially coy and her attempts to connect with the crowd backfire.

Beth Jeans Houghton Deaf Institute 1st October

In particular, the impromptu burping competition is met by the mature crowd with bafflement and disgust. Very few people join in with the collective belch, but that doesn’t stop Beth letting rip down the mic. Nevertheless, at only twentyone Beth Jeans Houghton has plenty of time to grow and the crowd gradually warm to her quirky personality, as she shares band in-jokes and stories of Travelodge altercations. Not that the stage presence need really matter; with a collection of songs as accomplished as these, she might as well pipe down and let them speak for themselves. Hannah Mead

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Blink 182 Seven years on, with their personal woes (including a near-death plane crash and the death of their friend DJ AM) behind them, Blink 182 have set aside their differences and picked straight back up from where they left off in 2003 with their self-titled album. Bursting in with Travis Barker's typically manic drum work on 'Ghost on the Dancefloor' and an unmistakably Blink guitar riff, the trio prove very quickly that they haven't missed a beat. Displaying a positive and unimposing progression from their last album, not only do they sound good, but their song-writing hasn't suffered. Neighbourhoods on the whole sounds more like lead-singer Tom Delonge's side-project Angels and

Blink 182 Neighbourhoods Label: Cargo Music

Airwaves, there's no absence of reverb and indulgent atmospheric guitar riffs, and his presence is greatly felt throughout the album. Even so, singer/bassist Mark Hoppus stands out as having some of the highlights of the album, most

notably on 'Kaleidoscope' and 'MH 4.18.2011', delivering unabashed sentimentality in the lyrics and a brash, no-nonsense quick-fire chord song-writing style. ‘Hearts All Gone’, penned to be their next single, draws on the harsher, older punk sound to deliver a powerful chorus and an exciting performance on drums. Long-gone are the days of lighthearted high-school romances and immaturity; on Neighbourhoods there is seldom a moment free of ominous brooding. The album is not without its flaws: there are some weak tracks; such as 'Love is Dangerous,' which is atypically drawling and seemingly uninspired. However, on the whole, Blink 182 have showed that despite their old age, their fire has not burned out. The chemistry of the three-piece that was shown in the late 90's, as they burst into the mainstream is still there - albeit altered - and here they're not disappointing long-term fans. Not bad at all. Aymen Saleh

Lisa Hannigan Being nominated for a Mercury Music Prize, while being an honour, can also be something of a millstone round a musician’s neck, particularly if it’s their debut release. As a result, follow-up work is often subjected to intense scrutiny by critics, looking to see if they're deserving of the accolade for a second time. Irish songstress Lisa Hannigan, perhaps most well known for her haunting vocal on Damien Rice's '9 Crimes', inevitably falls into this difficult category. Her 2008 debut Sea Sew was nominated for the prize, losing out to Speech Debelle. Whilst her latest record Passenger continues her trend of slightly left field, strange folk it has an altogether more melancholic, serious feel. Opener ‘Home' begins with words "Oh, so far from home/so far to go and we've only just begun". Backed by a

Lisa Hannigan Passenger Label: Hoop Records

sumptuous string section Hannigan's vocals soar with incredible strength at times, while at others dropping back to give a delicate feel to the song. There's a wide range of influences noticeable throughout Passenger. 'Knots' has an almost blues feel, while still possessing an Irish folk feel, while 'O Sleep' is a quiet, thoughtful duet with Ray

LaMontagne, with some beautiful harmonies between the pair. In contrast, the title track is almost a country offering, an ode to the USA reminiscent of an American roadtrip. ‘Safe Travels (Don’t Die)' is one of the stranger moments on the record and one that possesses a lot of the same elements as her debut. It's a list of warnings that Hannigan is, presumably, singing to a loved one. Lines like “And I would be sorry/If due to your hurry/you were hit by a lorry, my friend" are delivered in her soft voice with a delicate backing. While it's not the best track on the record, it's one of the bizarre songs that distinguishes Hannigan apart from many other artists and makes Passenger a beautifully diverse album, Mercury nomination or not.

Death Politics Tom Geddes Music Editor Music and political campaigns, despite no lack of trying, never seem to go well together. From the Labour Party, who back in 1997 decided it would be a good idea to dancing about embarrassingly to ‘Things Can Only Get Better’ all the way to Tom Petty threatening George W. Bush with legal action for using his song in a campaign, it has always ended embarrassingly. Last week however, Poland brought us perhaps the most embarrassing political campaign video ever, when Democratic Left Alliance candidate Jedrzej Wijasm decided the best way to win an election was to sign up a death metal band. No matter what you thought of when you read that sentence, it’s funnier and more embarrassing than that. The video sees a suited Wijasm stood in a black room with a scraped together, stereotypically metal band, before he proceeds to mime over the following lyrics. “End of the useless talking/Enough of the stupid wars /Secular government, dignified life /Freedom is my goal /Vote I wisely.” Whilst few could argue

Whatever your views on death metal, this makes you a little ashamed for music with the sentiment of those words, it is a little hard to take them seriously with the awkward look on Wijams’ face and the embarrassing mimed death roar that precedes it all. Whatever your views on death

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Deep Thrills Vol. 1 Released earlier this month, Deep Thrills Vol. 1 is a stomping new fourteen-track compilation of “UK garage, broken two-step, deep house and dubstep”, featuring established names as well as some newer producers. Coming from Joshua ‘Hervé’ Harvey’s Cheap Thrills label, which brought us celebrated EPs such as Fake Blood’s ‘Fix Your Accent’ and Jack Beats’ ‘Revolution’, the album, despite the previous high standards already set, does not disappoint. The first disc opens with Welsh quartet C.R.S.T.’s twitchy dubstep number ‘Heartbeat’, a highlight which displays brilliant use of the Burial-esque snipped vocal interjections so prevalent in these genres. Hervé - who it’s clear has

metal, this makes you a little ashamed for music in general. Wijasm, in fairness does have his justifications. Speaking to Polish news site TVN24.pl, he says “During the election campaign, there are always spots being released where politicians are trying to show that politics is a fun, enjoyable process that is set to the political rhythm of disco music. In my spot I’m talking about serious issues that are important to me and do not sing that SLD is the best. I am trying to wake people up with this intense message.” After reading that, it’s hard to argue with the man; He’s just trying to shake things up a little. Whatever the outcome of the election, it’s a brave and, as far as I can tell, unique move. But more so than that, it’s a hilarious fifty seconds on Youtube.

volunteering for a hi-hats and straight crotchet kickdrums under wistful pitch-shifted vocal repetitions and mirage-like synth lines. A personal favourite is ‘When You’, powerful and full of hazy ambience, punctuated with crisp snares and marching bass drums. Another highlight on the album is Lil’ Bo Tweak & Young Lovers’ stomping track ‘Keep On’, which gets your head nodding and your foot stomping as much as any good intelligent dance track should, with a weighty, driving bass-line and punchy percussive syncopation. As if it were needed, value is added by C.R.S.T., who expertly mix all fourteen tracks over on CD2.

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Big screen review

Hide and seek Harry Robinson John Madden’s outstanding espionage thriller is a triumph. Three young Mossad agents travel to 1960’s Berlin in an attempt to capture war criminal Dieter Vogel ( Jesper Christensen), “The Surgeon of Birkenau”, and bring him to trial in Israel. This juxtaposes with their story thirty years later, when a dangerous secret from their past threatens to surface. The pace of the film is thrilling, building the intensity with every clever scene. Jessica Chastain, Sam Worthington and Marton Csokas portray the operatives. As

we follow them though their ordeal in Germany, their devotion to this mission becomes increasingly clear, as do the strains that it puts on them and their relationships. The story demands exceptional performances from these young actors, and I assure you that you won’t be disappointed. Chastain’s portrayal of a young Rachel as a woman whose strength outdoes her years, but whose character is laced with emotional vulnerability, is flawless. Csokas and Worthington play Stephan and David respectively, and deliver strong performances as the male leads. Helen Mirren, who plays Rachel thirty years on, achieves impressive symmetry with

Chastain’s character, maintaining the theme of emotional instability. Another standout performance comes from Jesper Christensen who depicts war criminal Dieter Vogel. He conveys a sense of pure, calm, sinister evil that sends shivers up and down the spine throughout. Artistic camerawork coupled with a chilling soundtrack work to create a dark yet inviting atmosphere. The audience is drawn into a world that flits between

The Debt Director: John Madden

bleak Berlin and modern Israel, also visiting Ukraine at one point, a world that is not easy to take yourself away from. The intensity of the film is palpable, one identifies with the characters and their situation. We, like them, become immersed in the mission and its outcome. I cannot recommend this film enough, it is a veritable must-see. Films such as this do not come around very often, and if you get the chance to get away from your busy student schedule for a couple of hours, seeing this in the cinema would be a worthy investment. Finally, at the end of this shower of praise, one question remains... Oscar?

Starring: Helen Mirren, Sam Worthington, Ciarán Hinds

Intimidating Film Monologues

5. Taken Upon finding himself on the other end of the phone from his child’s kidnapper, Liam Neeson (you know, the guy who mentored Obi-Wan Kenobi and Batman) coolly explains at length that not only is he expertly trained for this exact situation but also “…I will find you, and I will kill you.” 4. Full Metal Jacket Sergeant Hartman welcomes his ‘maggots’ to their first day of marine corps training with an improvised, expletiveridden brow-beating. It speaks volumes for this scene that the least profane quote I can offer is: “How tall are you, Private…? 5”9? I didn’t know they stacked shit that high!” 3. Taxi Driver The hairs on the back of my neck stood up when watching Robert DeNiro’s career-defining portrayal of the sociopath Travis Bickle, as he stares into the mirror and delivers the line “You talkin’ to me?” 2. Dirty Harry When Clint Eastwood’s detective Harry Callaghan apprehends a serial killer within grabbing distance of their weapon, he slowly raises his .44 Magnum, “the most powerful handgun in the world”, and asks: “Do you feel lucky? Well, do you, punk?” 1. Pulp Fiction “…And you will know my name is The Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee.” Samuel L. Jackson’s wide-eyed recital of Ezekial 25:17. It’s the last thing any criminal wants to hear. Unfortunately for them, though, it probably will be.

On the trail of a war criminal: Jessica Chastain and Sam Worthington as Rachel and David

Quote of the week The multimedia revolution

All fun and games As technology progresses, media intertwines, and nowhere is this better expressed than in the development of film. Colour, CGI and 7.1 surround sound replace monochrome, monster suits and a live band. There is always intellectual value to great film, but for most, entertainment lies in escapism. So how does big cinema better appeal to such an audience? Having already absorbed music and visual art into film, the future will see it take the key property of the latest artistic medium: the interactivity of video games. There are already trends towards such a fusion. We see video turning towards audience interaction through the likes of television and YouTube – scaling it up to the big screen isn’t a huge leap. Likewise, games are becoming increasingly cinematic, with devices like quick time events across lengthy cutscenes. Even in action-oriented games plot is taking a leading role. The question is not whether film and video games will merge, but how and when they will do so. Currently, ambiguity and reliance on convention allow movie-goers to project themselves easily into the leading role of a movie, but in games the freedom with which one can control protagonists voids this necessity. Assimilating the best of each form would give scripts room to develop novel and fantastic plots without sacrificing the hyper-realism of film, but will we see the budgets to construct vast non-linear storylines? And film is watched by scores at once - could audiences interact within the new medium, even working as a group to bring the plotline to its conclusion? Would we see contrarian cinema whose patrons enjoy being pushed along a linear path, forced to see things from outside their own perspective? I’ll leave that to the producers to decide. But the similarities between film and games are unavoidable. Robert Muirhead

”

“Gentlemen, you can’t fight in here! Peter Sellers – Dr. Strangelove This is the War Room!” Comedy at the Oscars

Sad Clowns Elizabeth Harper As Will Ferrel so eloquently put it, “A comedian at the Oscars is the saddest, bitterest, alcoholic clown”. Mr Ferrell aside, the internet has become a plethora of commentators moaning about the lack of comic films that are honoured by the Academy Awards. One declares that, ‘There are a lot of great comedies out there — movies with the sole purpose of making people laugh. But the academy doesn't tend to see it that way.’ He then provides a list of ‘comic’ films that didn’t make the nomination lists, such as The Forty Year Old Virgin and The Wedding Crashers.

Herein lies the issue. Comedy is incredibly subjective. I cannot think of one comic film that is universally liked or considered well-made. A lot of people may think Knocked Up is hilarious, but that doesn’t mean it should win an Oscar. Although it makes many people laugh, it also leaves many people out in the cold. The institution would become a mockery. I think it’s refreshing when comedians like Jim Carrey and Steve Carell leave their MTV Movie Awards at home and undertake more serious roles. They demonstrate some versatility and are instantly more likeable when they aren’t cracking jokes all the time. In 1997 it was a pleasant surprise to see Robin Williams

playing a dignified and touching part in Good Will Hunting, for which he won an Oscar. It is also naive of said internet whiners to claim that Oscars never go to comic performances. Did they not see Whoopi Goldberg in Ghost? Arguably, Heath Ledger as the Joker in The Dark Knight was humorous, in a dark and twisted sort of way. Therefore, the Academy has shown its funny bone in select cases where the comic performances have been truly outstanding. If members of the comedy world haven’t made films that reach this level of unanimous enjoyment which have been achieved in the past, then they’ll just have to settle for presenting the awards show instead.

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I don’t mean to be bitter but I hate...

Big screen review

Making sense of it all Rachel Longworth Imagine a world where your chemical senses are lost one by one, until all your perceptions are gone. Perfect Sense tells the story of a chef and a scientist who fall in love while an epidemic sweeps through the human race (think Notting Hill meets 28 Days Later.) There’s no explanation for the outbreak, and it’s not clear if anyone can stop it. Heavy stuff.

Quentin Tarantino

Smell and taste are the first senses to go. In a scene which is both disgusting and superb there is a moment of hunger: the world appears to have gone mad, and people start

Perfect Sense Director: David MacKenzie Starring: Ewan McGregor, Eva Green, Connie Nielsen

indulging in slabs of butter, fish heads and raw meat, flowers, shaving foam and toothpaste. This weird binge shows a realisation from the masses of their disappearing senses and, with it, comments on the over-indulgence of our society. Eating out is no longer about the taste or smell of food, but about the temperature and consistency, the texture and how it feels on the tongue. Chew on that for a moment. Oh wait, but it gets worse. Hearing suddenly becomes a distant memory. We see a club without music, music without sound and a sense of darkness descending on the world. This film contains brilliant and moving performances from Ewan McGregor and the beautiful Eva Green. Theirs is a story of love and life going on against attack, in a world filled with anger, rage and hatred. We are shown a story of human resilience in an impossible situation. You lose your senses when you fall in love. Is the apocalyptic backdrop simply a metaphor for this? Perfect Sense comments on a lack of appreciation that society has of life. In a world where two movements exist side by side - those who want to take everything they can (riots anyone?) and those believing that life will go on somehow - this film will leave you thinking, “my god, what if this actually happened”. Throughout, the film carries strong moral messages about appreciating nature, love, life, the self and others. This film will split opinion: it will either make you want to kill yourself or go out and hug a tree. Some will savour the experience; the rest will spit it out.

I can hear it already: “a film student who hates Tarantino?? Who is this buffoon? How could he possibly talk such rubbish?” Well, shut up, valued reader, and I’ll tell you. Firstly, every Tarantino character talks like Tarantino (i.e. a sarcastic, drawling, bit-of-adick). This is fine for characters like Mr White, or Vincent Vega (characters from Tarantino’s only two good films), but when you get to Uma Thurman’s appalling Bride in Kill Bill, the result is laughable. The only reason Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction worked so well was because the dialogue flowed readily in these seedy criminal underworlds. It flows less eloquently from the mouth of a sword wielding psycho bitch intent on killing the population of China. And as for WWII Jewish resistance fighters… “Oh but it’s a homage!” I hear you scream. “They’re homages to the forgotten cinema genres!” Bollocks. The only way Death Proof (the dead hedgehog at the bottom of Quentin’s cinematic compost heap) is homage to “Grindhouse Cinema” is in its scratchy film effects, which are just irritating. Now, I genuinely like Quentin’s first two films. In fact, this is what I hate most about him. The fact that a young director, who once showed so much promise, could get so caught up in his own fan boy image that he now thinks he can film whatever trash he considers “retro” and expect standing ovations at Cannes, just because he’s Quentin Tarantino, makes me want to vomit all over my keyboard. So he made two decent films. Michael Bay made one decent film, I still hate his guts. (For more of my views on Michael Bay, I can usually be found crouching in a puddle of my own spittle and loathing just outside the UMSU.)

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Literature

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24 Review

Brutal honesty The Granta Book of the African Short Story Edited and with an Introduction by Helon Habila Reviewed by:

Katharine Seymour

This collection of 29 short stories contrasts newer and more established African writers from all over the continent. It describes itself as “postnationalist” writing, a concept best defined by one of its contributors, Dambudzo Marechera, who wrote “If you’re a writer for a specific nation or race, then fuck you”. This defiant tone runs through the anthology. Habila questions the idea that African writing is obsessed with nation and with national politics, and instead focuses on the concerns of a new

Review

Walk the Lines

Mark Mason Reviewed by:

Carys Lapwood

Essential reading for anyone with an interest in African literature. generation of writers. There is huge diversity of subject matter in these short stories. Gender, class, sexuality, travel and individual identity are among the themes dealt with. Stickfighting Days is a violent story of extreme poverty, about young boys living in rubbish dumps. In contrast, Promenade is about the unexplained connections you have with people you pass in the street. Missing Out and Homecoming, as their titles suggest, are concerned with characters that have left their home countries, and the

"Walk the Lines" describes itself as a book that "contemplates London's contradictions as well as its' charms", as discovered by a man who walked all 403 miles of the London Underground system, overground. Perhaps the most tedious thing about this book, although it's a competitive category, is that in order to understand and enjoy it, the reader must have a pre-existing and thorough knowledge of London. A non-Londoner

Review

Semi-idealist drunks 'Stasiland Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall Anna Funder Reviewed by:

Alice Williamson

Steve Jones Literature Editor

Get ed! lv o v in E-mail me at literature@man cunion.com

Book Club

From semi-idealist drunks grudging the current retail price of packaged meat, to KarlEduard von Schnitzler still raving from when he left the set of the anti-Western television show; ‘the Black Channel’ and poor Frau Paul blind to her selfsacrificing heroism, all bear testimony to the sheer scope of voices in Anna Funder’s Stasiland – Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall in her attempt

at redefining not only life in East Germany under Communism and life after it, but more generally, life under a tyranny. A poignant, but often comic depiction of the absurdities, agonies, and ironies of living under a regime where microphones are disguised as flower petals, and official spy documentation instructs “Watch out! Subject is coming – touch nose with hand or handkerchief”. Indeed, one of the book’s fortes is its lack of any overt strong moral judgments, but rather, an open insight into what it is to live in a controlled-state and the consequences, good or bad, for those who live in it. Characters are described honestly, and it is this real strive for attainable truthfulness into their lives which makes the book convey

Steve Jones Literature Editor difficulties they encounter living abroad. Préférence Nationale is a brutally honest account of contemporary racism in France. As you can probably tell, each story is distinct in its content, style and tone, but all are well-crafted and beautifully written. Habila’s design is to represent African writing in its entirety, not an easy task given that Africa is a nation bigger than Europe, the United States and China combined. The result is a collection that focuses on writing, rather than region, and showcases the potential of the short story. Often described as the most difficult genre, this book proves how powerful it can be. The introduction itself is also well worth reading, as it clearly explains the aims of the collection, and places it within its social, historical and literary context. This is an exciting and impressive anthology, and essential reading for anyone with an interest in African literature.

would find that the city is not nearly well enough explained, either geographically or culturally. The writer indentifies himself as an anorak, a lover of useless trivia. This would be fine, even endearing to our nation of QI enthusiasts, but all of the nerdish details seem artificial. As if copy-and-pasted in or Wikipedia-ed. For a man who has travelled more extensively on foot around the capital than most Londoners will ever do, Mason still doesn't seem to have anything uniquely interesting to say. Credit where credit is due,

so fully the different effects great political and social upheavals can have on ordinary people. This is not just about freedom fighters or fanatics, but about you, and me, and what we would do to live. Funder is also quite ambitious with her historical detail, and it therefore makes excellent reading for anyone with a keen interest in post-war German history. Having said this, the narrative is occasionally disrupted by this severe interest in any minute detail of its proceedings. Perhaps an overly-researched book, whose need for ‘deepness’ in examining the psychology of the past could have been more successfully achieved by fewer rhetorical questions, and quasiphilosophical messages. However, the wonderful interplay between past and present, light and dark, good and bad, the forgotten and memory creates a lasting impression of the gulf left when a great system comes to an end.

This week Chris Gaduzo, a second year Social Anthropology student, tells Philippa Hughes about the sci-fi thriller he’s immersed himself in to stave off the boredom of living in a house with no internet. What are you reading, who’s it by and what’s it about? ‘Transition’ by Iain Banks. It’s about a group of people who can travel between worlds controlling everything that happens. The story tells us what happens when one of them goes renegade. It sounds cliché but I think it’s really a bit of a fable about the consequences of too much power centred in one place. Can you follow the storyline all the way through or do you occasionally need to Google it? I do get it but it is hard to follow. The book switches between different characters in first person narrative, and different worlds, and different

Mason does touch on some interesting points. In the Bakerloo chapter, hanging around a tube station in the early hours, he observes that all those entering are from ethnic minorities on their way to (he assumes) low paid jobs, and all those leaving are white, middle class 20-somethings on their way home from a night out. But without any follow-up, this statement does not have the potency that Mason intended. It falls flat, rather than leading into a discourse on a hugely important aspect of London; its immigration. I don't feel that Mason learns

times. You definitely need to give it your full Do you fancy any of the characters? Yes, one of the main characters is like a sly sexy bond girl. Any complaints? Yes, while the concept surrounding the story is fantastic, and the story is good, the writing just doesn’t tie it all together smoothly enough. I don’t think he’s a good enough writer to pull it off. Why did you pick it up? I bought it for my mum for her birthday, so I picked it up after her. Did your mum like it? No. Would you recommend this book to other students? Yes, if you like sci-fi and you’ve got time to commit to it, like a long flight, or Boxing Day. It takes a while to get into the story but once you’re hooked it’s hard to put down.

much about the places previously unknown to him, besides how to walk down the main street, and what the tube station looks like. Instead of peering through Londoners' windows, Mason could have knocked on doors, and instead of saying that a certain area appears run down or wealthy, he could have tried to understand why. This book is so disappointing because it had the potential to be a brilliant social commentary. And now, at best it's a mediocre stocking-filler for that London enthusiast in your life.

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Apple in court again VIA, the world’s largest independent motherboard manufacturer based in Taiwan, is suing Apple this week for copyright infringement. VIA are claiming that Apple have infringed the copyright on a series of patented microprocessors that are used in the iPod, iPad, iPhone and Apple TV. VIA have issued a complaint with the US International Trade Commission and the American district court over the alleged infringement of the way the chips in the Apple products manipulate and transfer data. Wen Chi Chen, CEO, VIA Technologies Inc. in a statement said “We are determined to protect our interests and the interests of our stockholders when our patents are infringed upon.” Apple has not released a statement concerning the lawsuit at this time.

The lawsuit is believed to be connected to an on-going series of legal battles between Apple and the smartphone company HTC, also based in Taiwan and co-founded by the boss of VIA’s wife. So far Apple has won lawsuits against HTC which state that HTC have infringed on two of Apple’s copyrighted patents. HTC are planning on appealing that ruling and have three other lawsuits filed against Apple at the moment. Similarly Apple and mobile phone producer Samsung are having legal battles in Europe which have caused the ban of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Germany as well as bans on three different types of smartphone in Holland due to the successful claim by Apple that they used Apple’s intellectual property. These are just some of the most recent of a series of mobile phone lawsuits, concerning the patents of the hardware and software of top of the range smartphones across the world. Lawsuits have been filed against and by Apple, HTC, Samsung and Nokia as well as others.

David Lack

Nobel Prize winners earn acclaim for seminal research Aryan Safavi Science & Technology Editor After waiting expectantly for months with bated breathe, science revellers across the globe now have a new team of elite academics to behold at the top of their field. The winners were elevated to glory in the scientific community by the venerable Nobel Prize committee who announced the winner of the illustrious awards last week. Since 1901 the Swedish Nobel Foundation have been acclaiming the world avant-garde in the fields of medicine, physics, chemistry, literature, peace and, since 1968, economics. This year, three researchers credited with discovering that the expansion rate of our universe is accelerating have had their formidable intellectual pursuit recognised with the Nobel Prize for Physics. Saul Perlmutter (US), Adam Riess (US) and Brian Schmidt (Australia) will divide the prize for their shared research. The researchers were involved in competing teams, studying type 1a supernovae. These supernovae are the intense, resplendent, explosive ends to dense white dwarf stars. Observations that more distant supernovae were speeding up suggested that the Universe is not only expanding but that this expansion is relentlessly increasing in rate. As with all momentous discoveries in science, more questions have been posed than answered, to explain this phenomenon. Cosmologists have cited the unfathomable depth and mystery of dark energy, which acts to drive the expansion through opposing gravity, as a potential explanation of these observations.

“For the discovery of quasicrystals”, Daniel Shectman (Israel) was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, findings so controversial that he was asked to leave his research group when his theory was heavily disparaged. Shectman is credited with a stimulating discovery in 1982; an image appeared on his electron microscope that was counter to our understanding of the laws of nature. It was believed that all atoms were symmetrically packed in solid matter, creating repeatable crystals. However Shectman identified, battling an obstinate community, that some solids could be formed through unrepeated patterns that still follow mathematical rules. Scientists have used aperiodic mosaics in medieval Islamic structures in Iran and Spain to understand quasicrystals at the atomic level, as these mosaics also follow mathematical rules but do not repeat. The arcane ‘Golden Ratio’, a concept that intrigued the ancient Greek philosophers, which is found in mathematics and art has been used to describe quasicrystals. These quasicrystals have been found naturally occurring in mineral samples in a Russian river, and recent laboratory exercises have manufactured quasicrystals to explore the applications of these esoteric and curious structures. Academic venture in the occult domain of the human immune system has yielded a new understanding of how the body fights off infection, as well as an exquisite Nobel Prize medal for three pioneers. Bruce Beutler (US), Jules Hoffmann (France) and the late Ralph Steinman (Canada) all share the prize in medicine. Professors Hoffman and Beutler are credited with discovering

the mechanism through which the body’s first line of defence is activated whilst Professor Steinman discovered the dendritic cell, which helps defeat infection. The immune system is divided into two main parts: innate (immediate response) and adaptive (clears infection and provides long lasting protection). Hoffman and Beutler both worked on the innate part of the immune system; in 1996 Hoffman discovered the “toll” gene which is essential for inducing the innate system in fruit flies, whilst later in 1998 Beutlar discovered a comparable toll-like receptor in mice. This toll gene enables the flies to “sense” the infection, which is necessary for them to then fight the infection. Over 10 toll-like receptors have been identified in humans, ensuring the scientists’ endeavours are not relegated to the relative redundancy of fruit flies and mice. Professor Steinman discovered, in 1973, the dendritic cell. This acts as a bridge between the two parts of the immune system, deciding whether to activate the adaptive system. The Nobel Prize committee said: "Together Bruce Beutler, Jules Hoffmann and Ralph Steinman have revolutionised understanding of the immune system by discovering key principles for its activation”. This year’s Nobel Prize winners have advanced human understanding of the world, probing and pushing the boundaries of science ever further. The revered awards have continued to remain respected, admired and relevant for over a century, with the current winners joining those pioneers of the past in celebration of humanity’s incessant compulsion to know more.

Investigators baffled by spontaneous combustion death Melissa Surgey An inquest into the puzzling death of a pensioner in Galway, Ireland last December has concluded with a verdict of spontaneous combustion, the first such recorded case in Irish history. Forensic experts were bemused when they were called to the home of Michael Faherty to investigate his sudden death. They found severe fire damage to his body and the ceiling and floor directly above and below the deceased, despite no traces of an accelerant or an ignition source. Although Mr Faherty was found near to an open

fireplace in his home, the assistant fire chief officer told the court he was convinced that the fireplace was not involved in Mr Faherty’s death. Since there was no other adequate explanation for cause of death, Kieran McLoughlin, the West Galway coroner, therefore returned a verdict of spontaneous combustion: the first of its kind in the country. The phenomenon of human spontaneous combustion has long been a source of fascination amongst scientists and the wider public. A wide variety of explanations have been suggested, including the “wick effect” whereby the subcutaneous fat is exposed to a small external ignition and catches alight,

consuming the body and the immediate environment. Many believe dropped cigarettes are the cause of such events, although critics point out that cigarettes do not burn at a temperature high enough to cause such aggressive flames. One such critic of the spontaneous combustion phenomena is Mike Green, a retired professor of pathology. Speaking about the Michael Faherty case, Professor Green claimed that the term spontaneous combustion is redundant, as some form of ignition is always necessary. He discredited those who believe such events are divine intervention, instead choosing the “practical, mundane explanation.”

Embryonic stem cells treatment for blindness Lauren Melleney Exciting new clinical trials are to take place at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London, with British surgeons leading the way into a possible new therapy for degenerative blindness using human embryonic stem cells. The process will involve injecting 50,000 to 200,000 stem cells behind the retina of patients suffering from Stargardt’s Macular Dystrophy disease using a fine needle. This permanent eye disease is an inherited condition that causes progressive sight loss, usually from an early age. Vision for these sufferers is mostly impaired in the centre of

the visual field, leaving some limited vision around the periphery. Twelve patients will undergo the preliminary procedure, which at this stage is a trial to evaluate its safety. If it proves to be safe then the numbers of stem cells will increase to assess effectiveness. It has not yet been predicted if the effect of these stem cells will stop the deterioration of the disease or if they have the capability to reverse the loss of sight completely. A successful treatment would promote the growth of the stem cells to replace the degenerated retinal cells, re-establishing a healthy and functional retina. It is hoped that this will restore sight.

The therapy however, is viewed as somewhat controversial amongst the public. It involves the use of cells from embryos that have been grown within a laboratory, that have the potential to differentiate into any one of hundreds of different cells types. Objections to embryonic stem cells may be due to religion or ethics. With the subject of human rights being frequently questioned, and the greater good ‘means to an end’ attitude not always easily accepted. Although it is currently very early days in terms of the potential of this treatment, it allows excited anticipation of progress within this medical field.

Science & Technology

News

Write for Science & Tech Contact us at scienceandtech @mancunion.com

Coloumn

Comment & Debate

Food & Drink

Recipe

Get into the Greek Lasagne, fajitas, stuffed peppers for the vegetarians. Tired of serving up the same thing to your housemates? Fancy breaking out of the stereotype but don’t fancy putting the effort in? Problem solved – follow these basic recipes to adapt the dishes you already know and transform them into Greek dishes fit for a Mediterranean mealtime.

From lasagne… to pastichio The three main components of lasagne remain in this recipe switch: a béchamel sauce, a ragù and pasta. Whether you buy your sauces in jars or make them yourself, the only difference to your shopping list is to pick up a packet of dried macaroni instead of pasta sheets. Cook the macaroni according to the instructions on the box and when you assemble the three parts of the pastichio, layer in macaroni instead of sheets of pasta.

Science & Tech

Feature Page

Beanz Meanz Heinz? With eight discerning bean critics, two cans of six different types of beans, two loaves of bread, butter, a playlist of bean-themed songs e.g. ‘Since You’ve Bean Gone’, we set about our poll. To make it fair, the judges were not told which brand of bean was which. The results were fascinating – it appears that Branston, Tesco and Marks and Spencer beans have overtaken the mighty giant that is Heinz. Tesco’s turned out to be a favourite considering their beans are significantly cheaper than the big names. Emily Clark

Brand of beans

Price

Average mark out of 5

Favourite comments

Branston

59p

4.6

Melts in mouth

Heinz

69p

2.8

Like eating beans from a swimming pool – chloriney

Marks and Spencer

53p

3.4

Beantastic

Sainsbury’s Basics

24p

1.3

Lots of bean skin, tastes like bad curry

Spar Value

35p

0.6

Mouldy flavour, tastes like horrible sausages

Tesco

37p

1.3

Satisfactory, has potential

From fajita… to souvlaki Sliced meat, sauce and veg wrapped up in a flatbread - not that difficult to master. Adapt the classic fajita to souvlaki by substituting fried strips of chicken for pork strips. Add to that the customary peppers and onions with mint and oregano to taste. Then instead of sour cream, try tzatziki. Buy it ready-made or just mix a minced clove of garlic, some dried mint (or even mint sauce) and finely chopped cucumber into natural yoghurt.

From stuffed pepper… to yemista Add a bit of flair to the unoriginal stuffed pepper by including it alongside a whole host of other stuffable vegetables, creating yemista. Courgette, aubergine and tomato all work, for example. Scoop out the vegetable inners and save the tops. Add diced onion to the veg pulp with parsley, long-grain rice and some olive oil. Put the hollow veg in a baking tray and fill with the mixture - only about three-quarters full so the uncooked rice has room to No longer must your stuffed peppers expand. Cover each stuffed sit lonely in the oven – start stuffing vegetable with its top, drizzle courgettes and tomatoes too over olive oil and bake until the vegetables are tender. More detailed recipes can be found at www.greek-recipe.com

Recipe

In season: apples

Chloe Williamson

Drinks Corner

Oliver Bruce Taylor

Just email foodanddrank@ma ncunion.com or come to our weekly meeting Tuesday’s at 1pm in Jabez Clegg

Politics & Analysis

Survey

Grapes of wrath

Fancy writing for Food and Drink?

Business & Finance

Lambrusco Di Bianco is described on the bottle as a characterful white made from grapes grown in the Modena region of Italy. It can be enjoyed with any meal or simply on its own. However, most students know it as vinegary swill that should not be enjoyed with anything – assuming you don’t want to regurgitate the partially digested content of your stomach. They call it Gaffs' One Pound Special. After initially sampling the wine, I now admire the audacity of the wine seller to allege that something which is a perfect substitute for my own urine came from grapes, let alone can be attributed with any positive characteristics other than its low price. However, as a duty to my readers, I drank on. On the nose the aromas lacked complexity. I could only detect one scent in the medley and whatever that was it could only be generously described as pungent. Unfortunately, I finally reached the critical tasting. There are three stages involved when tasting a wine: the attack phase, the evolution phase and the finish. All I can say about this wine is that the attack phase seemed to last forever and that it certainly finished me off! Honestly though, a second tasting wasn't really necessary when it became apparent the wine’s only flavour was regret.

The prospect of further tasting this wine appalled me, so I recruited some unsuspecting tasters at my ‘friend's’ 21st. After everyone had had a few beers I took advantage of their mildly drunken state and passed a few glasses round. Responses included “is this even wine?” and “it hurts to drink more of it.” To conclude, I'm a man with low, and I mean low, standards which even this wine failed to maintain. Now every time I open a bottle of wine I live in constant fear that it could be this bad. I still bought six bottles.

It is with great pleasure that I can say the season of the apple is upon us. It has come to that time of year when shops and markets nationwide are brimming with wonderful Worcester, Discovery, Crab Apple and other varieties that are all harvested in early autumn. Year-round international imports render our local varieties underappreciated but autumn is the season to change this and savour the honest English apple. Whether for cooking or immediate devouring, now is the moment to discover your favourite brand (personally I choose Russets – delightfully crisp!). To give you some encouragement, here’s an extraordinarily simple recipe for stewed apple that can be eaten as a pancake filling, apple crumble base or with yoghurt for breakfast.

Ingredients Apples, butter and sugar in the ratio 10:1:1 (e.g. 300g apple, 30g butter, 30g sugar). Cooking apples, such as Bramley, will stew easily but normal apples will do just as well if a potato masher is used – an excellent way to use up old fruit. Optional extras are raisins, cinnamon and lemon zest.

Method Peel and core the apples and chop into small chunks. Melt the butter into a saucepan and add the sugar. When the sugar has gone a light brown colour, tip in the apple, adding lemon zest if using. Leave to soften for about 5 minutes. Mash if necessary then mix in the raisins and cinnamon if desired. Elyssa Mckeown

Egg news

The Manchester egg? Jemma Gibson

Taste: Value: Hangover factor:

British favourite and picnic staple the Scotch Egg has been given a thoroughly Mancunian update. The Manchester Egg was created by web designer and amateur chef Ben Holden. The snack comprises a pickled egg, wrapped in sausage meat and Bury black pudding, coated in breadcrumbs and deep fried. As well as being occasionally available at venues in the Northern Quarter and

Chorlton, city centre favourite The Mark Addy has just added the Manchester Egg to their bar menu (it’s £4).Denise, Assistant Manager at the Mark Addy said “it’s really popular; there is a lot of hype about the egg so it’s proving really successful”. Fortnum and Masons invented the original Scotch Egg in 1738 and since then it has undergone a number of revivals. The Manchester Egg will surely be cracking a wider market soon, so there’s no excuse not to give it a try.

Fashion & Beauty

Arts & Culture

Music

Film

Food & Drink

Lifestyle

Manchester Edition: Monday 10th October 2011

Tom Basley, Third year, Civil Engineering What were your first impressions? Good, she looked really nice and seemed friendly What did you talk about? A lot of random crap really, everything from spearfishing to Fred West Best thing about them? She’s really interested in food, always a good thing in my book! What did you eat? Sea bass with chorizo spinach and potato, followed by chocolate brownie. Any awkwardness? Not really, only a little bit at the start when I realised the photographer was a guy off my course! Oh and when the guy running the pub quiz came over to wind us up because we weren’t going to join in. How did you part ways? Got her number and then headed off home. Out of 10? Hmm let’s go with an 8.5 Would you see them again? Possibly!

Naomi Proszynska, Second year, Linguistics What were your first impressions? Confident, friendly and smiley. What did you talk about? Turning into our parents, being Welsh and why we chose not to go to a Welsh university, traumatic experiences with farm animals, his summer of travelling and my lack thereof, good sausages and bad facial hair. Best thing about them? Hard to point out just one, but he was was very easy to talk to. It felt like I'd known him for much longer. What did you eat? Since I wasn't paying, I got steak: perfectly done with very tasty mustard sauce! I had sticky toffee pudding for dessert. It was a nice big generous portion too. Well done Deaf Institute. Any awkwardness? After we'd finished eating, a pub quiz started up. The host tried to get us to join in and we didn't want to, so he started cracking jokes about how he'd take our names and then heckle at us throughout the quiz. I think he was trying to be funny or something but he wasn't. How did you part ways? We ended up getting the bus in the same direction but because I was chatting away his stop rolled up sooner than I was anticipating, and he had to make a hasty exit. I managed a wave and yell a lame 'thanks!' Not even sure if heard me! Massive fail. Out of 10? 8. Would you see them again? I'm sure we'll bump into each other sometime! He got my number anyway...

Lifestyle at The Mancunion has teamed up with The Deaf Institute to bring you blind date. Thanks to the guys down at Grosvenor Street for getting involved. To see what The Deaf Institute has got going on visit their website www.thedeafinstitute.co.uk Or to sign up for blind date e mail lifestyle@mancunion.com

Off the beaten track Pippa Stannard My interrailing trip started off in Belgrade, as my best friend and I thought we would stray from the European places that interrailers typically visit. We thought we were being pretty edgy, but actually found ourselves surrounded by other Western European students in the hostel who had the same idea. With low expectations for daytime activities we arrived in Serbia and were pleasantly surprised. We visited the Belgrade fortress in the Kalemegdan Park, a favourite with tourists due to its amazing views of the Sava river and picturesque walks. The fortress

itself was refreshing to visit as it hasn’t been “national trustified” it is completely open to the public with no entrance fee and few informative signs, making our morning there a relaxing breakfast picnic. If you fancy something more adventurous, then you should visit the Ada Ciganlija, an island turned into a peninsula in the Sava river, with a 7 kilometre long beach. The island has been conceptualised as Belgrade's centre for mass sporting activity and recreation, with excellent facilities for sports ranging from water skiing to alpine skiing, or just sunbathing... In terms of nightlife too Belgrade is full of options. Skadarlija, the city’s bohemian

quarter is well worth a visit to try typical national food and drink, visit galleries and listen to traditional Serbian brass. For a big night out the KST (Klub Studenata Tehnike), located in the basement of the university’s faculty of electrical engineering has excellent value for money and plays good music. For a student, funds play a huge part in planning a holiday, and Belgrade’s cheap prices are certainly beginning to reel in more and more backpackers. Belgrade’s mixture of culture and activities make it a winning destination for the young traveller, which should become a typical stop on the student interrail trip - not just saved for my edgy self.

Lifestyle

Date

Photo: Pippa Stannard

Blind

Travel

Naila Missous Lifestyle Editor

Lily Howes Lifestyle Editor

The hitch-hikers guide to Prague Cliff Fleming In April 2011 I took part in ‘The Hitch’, a charity run event where pairs hitch-hike to either Prague or Morocco. I chose the route to Prague and travelled with my flatmate. I can say with confidence that the hitch-hike was a brilliant experience. It was exhausting at times, but the lows helped the highs seem so much higher! I’ve never done anything like this in my life, with only going abroad once before and I would definitely advise travelling to

anyone who is thinking about it. Seeing Europe has made me want to travel much more. Prague is an amazing city for food. The first night we went for pizza, and it was delicious. One of the best meals I’ve had in a long time. Prague has such a nice atmosphere, very bohemian (we were in Bohemia so what can you expect). We seized the opportunity by taking many photos and being proper tourists. One night we even went for a drink in Old Town and the bar had such a vibrant atmosphere; everyone was enjoying

themselves in this city. Prague is quite big, and has a lot to offer. A few tips if you travel through Europe: it’s expensive, even in the Czech Republic. Bring money, as you’ll need it. It’s not so much the hostels, but for food and drink. Also, if you hitch-hike make sure you bring a sleeping bag and go with your instinct. Plan your route loosely, and go with the flow. The memories of my trip shall stay with me for a long time, and I am so glad I had the opportunity to do it, as well as raise such a huge amount for charity.

Parisian paradise Georgia Stevenson So you’ve finished your first year of uni. You’ve flown the nest and gained independence. After a year of waking up at midday and eating cereal at 9pm just because you can, the prospect of returning to your loving (suffocating) parents for a summer at home couldn’t seem much less appealing. So I didn’t. I booked a one way ticket to Paris with a friend – au revoir parents! It was certainly different. In fact

that was the first thing we learnt; everything that doesn’t go well is put under the “experience” category. From figuring out the French bureaucracy system, mastering the Parisian glare and most importantly learning exactly how many kisses to give to which people on arrival at work. “Just say yes”: one of the most over-used phrases to anyone going anywhere new (yes, you freshers should recognise this) couldn’t have been more useful, or more cursed, putting us in some very

strange situations - a blind date with a middle aged French man met on couch surfing?! But it also led us to late night drinks on the Seine, popping one Euro champagne, feeling swag and yes the time old cliché of meeting some great people. So I didn’t go tubing in Laos, find myself in India or even come back to uni smug after a summer of working and earning. But I pushed passed tourists with a snooty sigh getting on the Metro by the Eiffel Tower...and that thrill will last a lifetime.

Have a question to ask? Or an idea to share? Then contact us at lifestyle@mancunion .com or come along to our section meeting on Thursday at 4:30 in Bikos Café .

Absolutely appalled by the patently illinformed and foolishly brash opinions of Student Eye? Send your heavily worded emails to lloyd@mancunio n.com

The extravagance

of staying in

Tight shirts and short skirts flock to the cash points and then onwards to the bars of Fallowfield. Another big night. Once again - not to be missed. And of course, every one is coming out. Well, everyone apart from the stay-inner. Lloyd Henning Columnist Down a quiet suburban road, in a room unstained by fake tan and lip gloss lies the creature that does not go out, but curiously stays in. Not the staying in that follows the statement "I'm going to take tonight off", where the participant is found spread out like a Jabba the Hutt on the sofa in its comfiest slippers, using a slice of Domino's to spoon Ben and Jerry's down its gullet and squealing with delight as it watches Mean Girls for the billionth time. I'm talking about staying in as in sitting at your desk and doing something incredibly foreign to most students - getting shit done. The stay-inner will be sat at their desks knowing that if they start taking care of this studying business earlier rather than later, then they can ensure that they will be familiar with the texts, have a good grasp of the key concepts and be prepared to ask any questions they have on some of the more advanced topics. Resisting the temptation of having a pint with your humorous, yet delinquent, friends to ensure that you have read a chapter of a book written

Fuse FM is YOUR

student radio station.

We are now broadcasting LIVE from the Students’ Union. You can tune in online at www.fusefm.co.uk Don’t forget our club night FUSE PRESENTS at Revolutions in Fallowfield on the 10th October. www.facebook.com/fusefmmanchester @FuseFM Hattie Pearson

BROADCAST 23 HAS BEGUN. The “on-air” switch was hit on Sunday at 8am which now means we are broadcasting LIVE for the next ten weeks from our studios in the basement of the Students’ Union. The last week has been full of anticipation, sweat and tears - if you’ve ever been down to the studio and experienced the climate you’d understand why. The week before broadcast starts

The party's back at my place

is always a little bit hectic to say the least. Over the last few days we’ve seen Head of Programming, Dean Webster, run wild pretending to be the next Simon Cowell as he “ummed” and “ahhhed” over which applications were going to make it to onto the finalised schedule, presenters in the studio learning the ropes and committee members straightening their metaphorical ties preparing for the epic adventure that is ten weeks of broadcast number 23. For the first time ever we’re broadcasting all year round so if

by a revered, yet dull as a pack of ready salted crisps, old git is not an easy path to take. "Woah, woah, woah! Staying in? What about my social life? What about the 90p red bull flavoured afterbirth I could be drinking? What about the bog bowl that won't be wiped clean with my face? What about the pictures of me staring unconsciously into the hollow lens of a camera that won't be smeared over my online profile? What about the kebab that won't be fired out of my arse?" I'm afraid by staying in you will have none of those amazing things. You will just have to be satisfied with expanding your knowledge of the world, deepening your understanding of the universe and learning what will one day enable you to use your creative powers to help further push the human race to the stars. The point of the first world and moreover civilization is so that society offers services for us for the things that we don't want to do: like take care of the goldfish we flush down the toilet (and the other non-goldfish objects we flush down there). We have a layer of abstraction that gives us the time to be able to do productive, intelligent activities

you didn’t manage to bag yourself a show this time we’re having a ‘refresh’ period in five weeks time where everyone will have the chance to reapply for a show. Presenting isn’t the only way you can get involved. If you’re into all things music whether it’s heavy metal or the top 40 why not join the music team? Head of Music, Sammy Lyons is there to help you organise interviews with your favourite bands, give you advice on what questions to ask as well as get you free gig tickets so you can write a smashing review for our website. If you want to find out more send her an email music@fusefm.co.uk Perhaps you’re a budding journalist and want to put your hand to producing news and reporting live from events as they happen? Well then the news team is for you. Jamie Ross, Head of News, will teach you everything you need to know about editing audio clips and writing and reading news bulletins. Get in touch with Jamie news@fusefm.co.uk Maybe you’re more of a promoter and want everyone to know about Fuse FM? Working with Head of

Photo: Peter Sutton

Column Get ed! lv o v in

Student Eye

What about the 90p red bull flavoured afterbirth I could be drinking?"

that test us as owners of highly functioning cranial matter. However, the same freedom to spend our time as we please also allows us to indulge in what is essentially primal functionality going out of the house to a club (leaving the cave and heading to

Marketing, Clifford Fleming as part of the street team and developing our brand is a great way to get Fuse known. Most importantly it’s fun because you get to do crazy things like stick pegs on people... ok maybe that’s not so crazy but you can come up with even crazier things to do that will get Fuse’s name out there! Like running around the Uni naked with a Fuse FM banner! That would get certainly cause a stir. Any volunteers? I’m joking of course, but you name it and we’re up for it. Apart from nakedness perhaps. Drop Clifford an email marketing@fusefm.co.uk Fuse FM would not be possible at all if it wasn’t for our tech team. If you’re good with technical things like computers, servers and other clever stuff and you want to learn how the studio runs as well as help maintain all the equipment then Dean Pythian, Head of Tech is your man tech@fusefm.co.uk The best bit of all which ever aspect of Fuse you want to get involved in, no previous experience is required. So no matter how uncreative you think you are or how much you hate your voice on radio it’s no excuse!

the communal fire pit), socialising with friends (sniffing the rectal regions of same species companions), dancing to a temporally consistent noise (performing precoital rutting) and then trying to secure someone to share an awkward feeling with the next morning (ensuring the continuation of your genetic makeup). All of which seems rather silly and pointless to the stay-inner, so they buy a tweed jacket, sew on some leather elbow patches and start pursuing the life of an intellectual. But their agoraphobic crusade comes at a most damning of costs. In the brave struggle to become educated, they will no doubt end up completely alienated from everyone they know and more worryingly far less aware of the current state of the kebab in the Greater Manchester area. You can't tell someone a "legendary story" of how last night you stayed in and found some great material for that literature review

Meet The Committee Leanne Fata

Course and year: “Law, fourth year.” Where are you from?: “Worcestershire” Committee position: “Head of Outside Broadcasts” What does your role entail?: “I’m responsible for co-ordinating live broadcasts that we do outside the studio. This includes everything from making sure we’ve got presenters on hand to sorting out all the logistics of moving Fuse to another location.”

due in two weeks time Years later at their desk job working for Mega Corp Inc. whilst escaping the tyranny of the other half and the disappointment that are their offspring, they will wonder whether it was worth taking the hard road of working at university. Whether they should have enjoyed the prime of your life, deposited their body fluids around town and done anything but their degree. Then as they begin to drift off on their leather office chair, day-dreaming about that cute undergrad they almost had a thing with and all that could have been; the years of caffeine abuse from overworking on coffee catch up with them and their heart is thrown into a violent thumping. The sporadic jolts strain their pulmonary artery and in one final bulge their heart explodes. All they leave behind is a suited corpse of a nothing being - maybe they should have tried a better balance of both work and play.

like interviewing some great bands, presenting my own shows, producing content and heading up the business side of the station. Oh, and it introduced me to my best mates in Manchester! Oh yeah!” What's your favourite cheese? “This is such a hard question. I love Brie, because it’s really creamy, but then equally camembert is quite creamy but a bit pungent so is quite jolly. But then again, I'm partial to a bit of blue, especially over a salad. However, for a lunch time snack, you can't go wrong with a cheese string. So really, I love all cheese.” What are you most looking forward to over the year being a part of Fuse? “Hopefully, after having such a successful outside broadcast with Pangaea last year, we can think about organising a broadcast from a huge event, like a music festival or something MEGA!” A band we should all be keeping our eyes on: “Dry the River! A few of us saw them recently and they were AMAZING. Definitely going to be something big.” What do you want to be when you grow up? “A media lawyer.”

How can members get involved in your area?: “The outside broadcasts take a lot of organisation and we have a big team working together. If you want to help out just email me outsidebroadcasts@fusefm.co.uk”

Favourite Manchester night out. Where is it and what is it? “Juicy at Joshua Brooks, because they play Nicki Minaj.”

I love Fuse FM because... “It’s given me loads of opportunities to get involved in radio related things,

Name a radio show that you listen to every day and why it's so amazing: “Crazy, Exciting, Fun!”

28 News

01-05

Society Spotlight

Column

Union Corner

Purple Page

Sport

31-32

Manchester Edition: Monday 10th October 2011

Jeremy Buck Communications Officer Often students will wonder or ask: “How can I be a part of making decisions at the Union?” Every student has this opportunity, by coming to Bright Ideas: Have your say this week. Every student that comes to Academy 1 on Thursday at 5 pm will have a chance to speak up. Every student that gets involved will be able to vote. We already know which issues will be discussed, these were supported online over the last week and now we have the finalised list. These issues have all been submitted by

The Bright Ideas Should the Union introduce freedom of the press in its publications? Should the Union campaign to enable students to be ably to buy car parking permits? Should the Union provide more free water outlets in its buildings and venues? Should the Union bring back gender neutral toilets? Should the Union have a regular student club night? Should the Union have a Men’s Officer? Should the Union change the way it supports, rewards and funds societies? For full details please visit www.tinyurl.com/UMSUideas

students, and have gathered support online, make sure you come along to Bright Ideas:

Have your say in Academy 1 on Thursday at 5 pm.

Union News

In Brief

Liberate Yourself is online. Many students have already submitted questions to the Liberate Yourself website (www.liberateyourself.co.u k), and the website’s volunteers are working to answer them right now. This website, set up by Welfare Officer Hannah

Black History Month has begun! The Black Students’ Campaign, made up of students at Manchester, have begun organising a series of events to celebrate Black History

Students join TUC’s March for the Alternative Sunday’s march was a success – there was a good turnout and it was largely very peaceful. As on previous demonstrations, the UMSU Executive Officers marched with Manchester Metropolitan’s

Nominations are in! Students frantically filled in forms on Thursday in order to get their applications in for elected positions. These students want to represent you on Council, and nationally to the National Union of Students, so please check out what their views are and how they want to perform in

Community

Paterson and a team of student helpers, aims to be an online gateway to knowledge and help regarding liberation issues, and students can ask any questions they have that they might be too embarrassed to ask elsewhere. For more information, and to help with the project, just email hannah.paterson@manche ster.ac.uk

Month. The first of which, a film showing of ‘X’, the life story of Malcom X, is coming up on Tuesday 11th October at 5 pm in Academy 2. There will also be a discussion and some snacks for all that attend, and you can feed into the planning for the month and all the exciting events coming up

officer team, this time under their giant ‘culture vulture’, showing the importance of students and Unions working together on campaigns relating to national issues. Many students showed just how they feel about the government’s agenda, and uniting with families, working people and students from other Unions is building a great campaign.

their role, and choose which people you would like to win by voting online next week. There is a Meet the Candidates event at 6 pm on Wednesday in Kaled Said room on the top floor of the Steve Biko Union Building, if you want to meet them in person before making your decision. You can vote from Friday 14th October at 10 am, check it out!

COUNCIL POSITIONS AND NUS DELEGATES MEET THE CANDIDATES: 6 pm Wednesday 12th - Kaled Said Room (Room 2) VOTING OPENS: 10 am Friday 14th - Online on MyManchester

Get involved!

Word

OF TH This week it’s Community and E WEE Student Action week at the K Union. It’s pretty common knowledge that some local residents of Manchester do not see students living in the community as a good thing. This is a real shame and something that we need to fix.

UNION ELECTIONS:

Union Corner

Will you be there?

We devote a week to two main goals. The first is trying to help students to be as responsible as possible within their communities, through the ‘Know your neighbour’ and ‘Rave the right way’ scheme. These aim to get students thinking about the other people on their street, and making sure that student life does not cause upset or difficulty with local residents. These volunteers help with disabled children, the elderly, in afterschool clubs and more, helping students give back to the communities they live in and love. You can get involved too, just email action@umsu.manchester.ac.uk for more information.

My Union is Online:

umsu. manchester. ac.uk Twitter: @UMSUnion Facebook: University of Manchester Students’ Union

Purple Page

Club Showcase

Netball Jodi May

The hard work and effort put in by all during the 2010/2011 season saw the University of Manchester Women’s Netball Club awarded AU ‘Club of the Year’. What have we done to earn this title and how are we going to progress and maintain this achievement? We have over 60 members in the club; the 1st team are newly promoted to the BUCS Premier North league, the 2nd team maintained their position in BUCS Northern 1A, the 3rd team were promoted to BUCS Northern Conference 2A and the 4th team finished in the top two of the BUCS Northern Conference 4A last season. This is a huge improvement on last year, can only be put down to our commitment and positive attitude towards both training and matches. As well as teams in the BUCS league the club boasts a development squad coached by 2nd year members, out of which the club intends to enter two teams in to the University’s campus league this season. For members of the BUCS squads, their training and match schedule consists of a two hour skills session on a Monday night, a 1 hour fitness session on a Thursday night

Feature

Where are they now? Ugo Ehiogu Jack Burke Sports Editor

Ugo Ehiogu was always an interesting player to observe, having a lethargic style that would often see supporters close their eyes in fear when he received the ball. However, the towering defender enjoyed a long career at the top of the English game, thanks mainly to a substantial aerial presence which few opposing strikers could match. The lanky centre half began his career at West Bromwich Albion, before joining local rivals Aston Villa in 1991. In 1996, Ugo was part of the Villa side that lifted the League Cup while also picking up his first England cap. 2001 proved to be a huge year in Ehiogu’s career as joined Middlesbrough for a fee of £8m, a record fee for both clubs at the

time. Despite numerous injury setbacks, he became something of a cult hero on Teesside. He collected his second League Cup winner’s medal in 2004 and was a crucial component of the team in their first foray into European competition the following year. Sadly over the next few seasons, injuries began to catch up with him, leading to him leaving Middlesbrough after he slipped down the pecking order. After a brief spell at Leeds, the centre half joined Glasgow Rangers. Despite finding his

which can include sprints, circuit training or a Boot Camp session, as well as matches on a Wednesday with teams travelling as far as Edinburgh. As a tier 1 AU club the 1st team squad receive an additional strength and conditioning session with Nick Jones at the Sugden Centre to enhance their performance and ability to compete at the top level. The development squad train for an hour on a Tuesday evening involving some ball skills and match play, in preparation for their campus league match on a Wednesday afternoon. A further session organised by our club this year is Pay2Play netball on a Tuesday evening 67pm which is open to anybody at the university wanting to get involved with netball at a more social level, as understandably to many, the competition surrounding team sports and netball in particular can seem a bit daunting! The cost of this is only £2.50 per session so if you’re interested come and get involved! The UMWNC also has an ongoing partnership with top Superleague team Northern Thunder which we are fully committed to again this year. We are scheduled to play in a curtain raiser match in January and aim to show an increased attendance at Northern Thunder matches too. This year was kicked off with a week of intense pre-season fitness. From concentrating on sprint work with the AU’s strength and conditioning coach Nick Jones on the astroturf , to “crucifying our abs” in a boot-camp fitness class run by Shelagh, infamous on the

opportunities limited, he did manage to bag the Rangers goal of the season award after scoring an emphatic overhead kick! Ehiogu left Rangers shortly afterwards, finishing his career at Sheffield United. Not content however with a c o m f o r t a b l e retirement however, Ehiogu has broadened his horizons, setting up the record label, Dirty Hit. The label is still in its infancy, however the tall brummie has already shown an eye for spotting new musical talent, recent signing Benjamin Francis Leftwich has received airplay on Radio One, while label mates the Little Comets, released their debut album to much acclaim earlier in the year. Footballers such as John Barnes and Andy Cole have made forays into the music industry, yet the quiet Ehiogu, always a gentle giant on the field may prove to be the most successful if his label continues to grow.

Photo: Nick Whiting

The netball club will be looking to take their performances to the next level in the coming year.

The club has really set itself up to hit the court running this season

fitness classes scene for her no sympathy approach. Also organising friendly matches against local teams, the club has really set itself up to hit the court running this season! As well as the competitive and more serious sporting nature of our club, the social aspect is also a big part of what we do with our main event being AU socials every Wednesday at Tiger Tiger! Our annual netball tour is also a big deal and is undoubtedly the most looked-forward to event of the season. Last year our trip to Lloret de Mar was unbelievable and a week that nobody will forget!

The elected committee for this season are eager to put in a lot of their own time and effort to ensure that the UMWNC continues performing to their full potential. The UMWNC has something for every level of netball player and anybody interested in getting involved don’t hesitate to check out our website (https://sites.google.com/site/t uomwnc/home) and contact our club captain: Jess Maughan. This season we are looking to improve on our achievements from last year and hopefully maintain our title. Watch this space!

can't think of anything worthwhile so sack it off? It nearly happened to me then! – Michael you’re making this far too easy for us…

The Mancunion

Tweekly

@WayneRoutledge - So @nandosofficial has been #ruined for me... I found 2 fly's in my chicken pitta #feelsick – How will Wayne survive without the footballers staple diet? @WayneRoutledge - So I'm wondering shall I give @Nandos_Official another try... #surelyitwasaoneoff – He soon doesn’t seem too perturbed… @themichaelowen - Anybody ever sit there thinking of something to tweet but

Wayne Routledge – coming to a Nando’s near you

@Joey7Barton - Fight finished early, accidental headbutt to the nasal passage. Ill have to watch Kenny Powers, eastbound and down on dvd till MOTD comes on – It’s about time Joey B received a taste of his own medicine… @rioferdy5 - @SnoopDogg shout me when you arrive to hook up. I'll take u for some food to make sure your ready+set for your show! Looking forward to it! – Rio and Snoop are best pals… @MarkCavendish - I had to change the channel when the ADVERT for The Only Way Is Essex came on. A very very unwatchable programme. – Super Cav is a man of impeccable taste… @ChrisAshton1 - day off 2moro in auckland. whos got ideas for me and @ben_foden for things to do 2mora. as long as it doesnt use up alot ov energy!!!!! – How about a spot of midget throwing and some lewd banter, Chris?

28 News

01-05

Society Spotlight

Column

Union Corner

Purple Page

Sport

31-32

Manchester Edition: Monday 10th October 2011

Football

Manx Missile

Football and

Sprints to World Championship.

‘The Big Society’. Can modern football embrace the concept of ‘The Big Society’? The Mancunion headed to Manchester Grammar School to Investigate. Patrick Madden Sports Editor

Britain’s football family could offer a rare example of Prime Minister David Cameron’s Big Society idea in action. That was the consensus at a Conservative Party conference fringe meeting – “Football and the Big Society” – held at Manchester Grammar School last week. Over 100 people attended the forum, including Jesse Norman - author of ‘The Big Society’alongside numerous representatives of the FA and fans groups to discuss the much-maligned concept of ‘The Big Society’, and how football offers a key example of how it can work. Remarkably, with the London Olympics just 10 months away, the forum was the only event to cover sport throughout the three week party conference season - which in itself is a sad indictment of current political priorities. This apparent lack of political attention and support for sport – particularly at grassroots level – was a key issue for a number of panellists. Jim White – Daily

Football needs to embrace the concept of the ‘Big Society’ before the game is lost to its audience forever. Telegraph columnist and author of the highly regarded ‘You’ll Win Nothing with Kids’ was particularly vehement in his criticism of the facilities available for young footballers nationwide. Tracy Crouch, MP for Chatham and Aylesford and an FA qualified coach also lamented the state of the infrastructure available in amateur football. An overriding theme throughout the forum was the

Mark Cavendish rounds off a golden year with victory in the Road Cycling World Championship – but have his exploits received the exposure they deserve James Gilbert Are the Big Society and football the perfect fit? idea that the ‘Big Society’ is an intrinsic part of football’s make up, whatever the level. The ‘Big Society’ is the concept of the social contract between society and the state, and the institutions – sporting or otherwise – which link the two. Tom Hall, head of policy and development at Supporters Direct, a group campaigning for ‘…the wider recognition of the social, cultural and economic value of sports clubs’, argued that whilst football at the top level may reflect a lot of society’s ills, it also presents a pertinent example of the ‘Big Society’ in action – especially the huge volunteer and community involvement in amateur football. Whilst the panel gave a lot of credence to community-level football, there was also keen debate on the state of domestic top-flight football - particularly the growing disenchantment of football fans as they become increasingly alienated by commercialised clubs. Sandip Jobanputra, a member of the Manchester United Supporters

Golf

Trust – M.U.S.T – talked of a desire for fans to become enfranchised in their football clubs, believing the energy and passion they would put into running their club would far surpass that of plutocrat owners. Whilst this is clear, especially in the case of Manchester United and their crippling Glazer ownership, Norman – MP for Hereford and South Herefordshire – argued that much sort after government intervention to regulate the ownership of football clubs would be politically unrealistic given the expenditure owners often make to procure their assets. Despite Robert Sullivan, the Football Association’s head of Social Affairs, championing the numerous schemes the FA have deployed to stimulate grassroots football, the overriding feeling from the panel and audience was that football needs to embrace the concept of the ‘Big Society’ before the game is lost to its audience forever.

Can Woods produce his sublime best for America at the President’s Cup?

Captain’s picks set up a star-studded contest Tiger’s return a point of contention as the USA prepare for battle with an International side in November’s President’s Cup. Joseph Rivers

The 2011 President’s Cup is being held at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club in November, but the drama started last month as the captains of the USA and International teams made their wildcard picks. Outside of the golfing world the President’s Cup has a relatively low profile - unlike the Ryder cup, its famous older brother. A biennial competition, the President’s Cup adopts a similar format to that of the Ryder Cup, with four days of match play golf. The USA have won every contest bar one since it was founded in 1994 and have had a predictable hold over International teams which have regularly boasted a wealth of talent -

the illustrious likes of Ernie Els, Retief Goosen, Angel Cabrera and Vijay Singh have all appeared in the past. However the American team has been continually strong – the great Jack Nicklaus has captained the side on four occasions. Hype for the tournament accelerated with the announcement of the Captain’s wildcard picks. International captain Greg Norman picked experienced President’s Cup player Robert Allenby – winner of 13 Tour of Australasia titles and the first to claim the ‘Triple Crown’ of the Australian Masters, Australian PGA and Australian Open in the same year – and fellow Australian Aaron Baddeley. American skipper Fred Couples gave places to recent FedExCup winner Bill Haas and the great Tiger

Woods. The selection of Woods, who courts attention wherever he goes, has split opinion around the golfing world. English legend Nick Faldo was surprised when he heard Woods was picked : ‘'I was quite surprised he got picked for the Presidents Cup. He's only had six competitive rounds since the Masters and still obviously a lot's going on, still struggling to find the swing.” Woods, who failed to make the cut at Atlanta in the PGA Championship, has recently fallen out of the world’s top 50 for the first time in nearly 15 years. Captain Couples is a good friend of Woods and obviously shows a trust in him that many have lost during Wood’s traumatic past few years.

Although he might not deserve his place in the American team his presence at the event will undoubtedly raise TV ratings and general viewer interest. Having been a spectator at the 2011 Open without Tiger Woods, it was clear that whilst some brilliant golfers have plugged the huge gap he has left the X-Factor he provided remains sorely missed. Throughout the field there is a wealth of talent – from young starlets such as Ryo Ishikawa and Jason Day to very experienced team golfers - the likes of Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk. The President’s Cup should prove to be an electrifying contest – and maybe, just maybe, Tiger will be on the prowl once more.

Something quite extraordinary happened in late September. One of Great Britain’s sportsmen lived up to his billing as the favourite of a competition and successfully became a world champion. In a gruelling 266km race around the streets of Copenhagen, Mark Cavendish became the Road Cycling champion of the world, beating a field that included cycling superstars such as Thomas Voeckler, Frank Schleck, Andre Greipel and defending champion Thor Hushovd. An integral part of a strong British team, Cavendish had found himself isolated and bunched up with opposition riders 2km from the races’ end, but he blasted the field away with his trademark acceleration - confirming his reputation as the most destructive sprinter in world cycling. It was a remarkable victory. ‘Cav’ managed to squeeze his way through groups of riders content to block his path and manoeuvred himself into an outside line where he could sprint for the finish line and win in impressive fashion. Victory makes Cavendish the first British Road Cycling world champion in 46 years since Tom Simpson won gold in 1965. Furthermore, the “Manx Missile” did it having been crowned the winner of the Tour de France's Green sprinters jersey - a double that hasn’t been achieved in 30 years. At the age of 26 he already has 20 Tour de France

stage victories to his name. He is, quite simply, the quickest man on a road bike in the world. Cavendish’s meteoric rise to the top of the cycling world has gone largely noticed in mainstream media. It is ironic that a sport in which Great Britain thrives and dominates remains out of the spotlight. Fellow British rider David Millar likens Mark Cavendish to the 'Beckham of cycling, just not in Britain'. Cycling gets limited publicity in Britain whereas in cycling hotbeds such as France, Italy, the USA and Spain Cavendish is deified. He remains a household name throughout Europe, despite the continent’s vast array of sporting preoccupations. Whether Cavendish is as fond of the attention as Beckham himself is doubtful, but it is astounding that Britain has such a pedigree in cycling yet many of us are unaware of it. On the verge of an Olympic year, and with a wealth of world-class cyclists at Britain’s disposal, surely it is only a matter of time before cycling receives the domestic attention and exposure it’s deserving of. Sir Chris Hoy’s memorable exploits at the 2008 Beijing Olympics made him a national hero and earned him a Knighthood, yet Cavendish’s achievements haven’t received the same acclaim – not because they aren’t as special, but simply because they lacked the same exposure. Britain is one of the world’s best cycling nations – It’s about time people knew about it.

The new hero of British cycling is targeting two gold medals in London next year.

Sport New Zealand fly half Dan Carter has been ruled out of the rest of the Rugby World Cup after sustaining a groin injury. It is a huge blow for an All Black team that are looking to lift the trophy for the first time since 1987.

Amir Khan has announced that he will fight American Lamont Pieterson in December. The Bolton fighter will be defending his WBA and IBF light welterweight titles in Washington DC, his opponent’s hometown.

Former England cricketer Graham Dilley has died the age of just 52, the fast bowler played 41 tests for England taking 138 wickets. He was part of the Ashes winning squads of 1981 and 1986-87.

Get involved! To contact Jack and Paddy please email sport@mancunio n.com and also join the Facebook group www.facebook.c om/groups/Man cunionsport/ We’re always on the lookout for writers.

Photo: Nick Whiting

Sport in Brief Lacrosse is one of the fastestgrowing sports on the University scene and Manchester are looking to lead the way.

Report

Sheffield Lacrosse silenced by

Manchester’s magic University of Manchester 22 University of Sheffield 2 Ruth Dacey

Lacrosse is becoming increasingly popular in universities all across the country and Manchester is no exception with the university now fielding four teams. The sport is certainly not a game for the faint-hearted with its fast-pace and full contact, perhaps it is these thrilling elements that keep drawing in freshers. This year has seen 200 new faces sign up for the men’s squad alone with a minimum of 50 turning up for the each of the four taster sessions that were held at the end of September. Hopefully the influx of new talent will help improve the Men’s 1st team who performed fantastically last year finishing 3rd in the league behind Durham and Sheffield Hallam. They also reached the SemiFinals of the BUCS Championship. Other highlights of the year included a successful tour of Dublin and victory over Liverpool and

Leeds in the Christie Cup. This year the team is looking to improve on last year’s achievements with the help of coaches Dan Defrancesco and Pat Acone. The first team is currently a mixture of players who played before university and people who picked the sport up when they came to Manchester. Many of the team also play for Timperley Lacrosse club and other clubs around Manchester at weekends. High standards have been set and 1st team Captain Sacha Oliver Stout is determined to keep the bar high stating - “We are aiming to win the premiership this year, there is no reason why we can’t.” Sacha also hopes the team will perform strongly in the Cup this season and bring home silverware for the club. “We have the players and the motivation we just need to score a few more goals. Defensively last year we had a good record and this is something we hope to maintain under the guidance of Dan and Pat who specialise in defence coaching.”

Manchester went into Wednesday’s highly charged derby game against Sheffield with confidence after a solid 117 win over Loughborough the previous week. Coach Dan Defrancesco praised the defensive work he has seen from the team but also wanted to be able to bring American flair to the English game; “We have a solid defence which is something as coaches we push for but here in England we need to push the offensive side of things, there is talent in the team to do this and the goals will come.” Flair was certainly not lacking against Sheffield for both the men’s 1st and 2nd teams. In the men’s 1st’s game the first quarter started strongly for the home side, with American Steve Caditz scoring within minutes with a powerfully strike catching the Sheffield defence off guard. The away team seemed stunned by the quick passing and speed Manchester showed and by the first quarter were already 8-0 down. There had certainly been the ‘American flair’ coach

‘The away team seemed stunned by the quick passing and speed Manchester showed’

Defrancesco had been looking for, especially demonstrated by attacker Zach Cecil who had grabbed himself an impressive hat trick. The second quarter fared much better for Sheffield, who fought hard for possession however any hope of a comeback was squashed

by the combination of the Americans Cecil and Caditz who once again found the back of the net. The half time whistle couldn’t have come sooner for Sheffield who found themselves trailing 13-0. Sheffield rallied in the third, scoring early. However the home side was now in full flow and there was nothing the defence could do to stop the likes of Ben Stringer and Cecil bearing down on goal. The attackers had well and truly got into the grove of things and began taking spectacular shots from distance. The end of the 3rd quarter saw Manchester coming in with a comfortable 16-1 lead. The last 20 minutes was all Manchester, with Sheffield struggling to find a way past newly recruited keeper Tom Poffley. A solid and well organised Manchester defence worked Sheffield’s attack hard and Stringer was able to smash home several more goals and saw his total come to an impressive 6 for the match. By the end Manchester cantered in with an impressive 22-2 score line. It was a dazzling display from Manchester leaving Sheffield sullen faced after also losing 90 in the 2nd team game that had kicked off earlier. An impressive start for Manchester, hopefully Sasha Oliver Stout and his players can keep the performances at this level during the season. Durham the league favourites need to watch out, the Manchester magic is coming.