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Day: 20 November 2012

MMU first-year wins prize at Manchester Hackathon

Written by Anthony Organ on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

Winners have been announced for Manchester’s first open-data Hackathon, and they include a Manchester Metropolitan University student.

Manchester City Council (MCC) made data available to participants for an all-day event aimed at creating new applications which will benefit the city.

Bilawal Hameed, a first-year Computer Science student, won the “Best Under 21s Creation” category and £600 for his “Bus Tracker” app which will tell you exactly when the next bus will arrive.

He said: “It was really nice but the recognition is more important than the money.

“I want to launch the first student Hackathon for Manchester universities next year and I think getting my name out there is a great way to get Manchester involved.”

Mr Hameed, who was the main programmer for the popular website www.hottieinthelibrary.com which launched in January 2012, has been interested in computing from a young age.

He said: “I’ve been programming since I was nine. My mum bought me a computer so I played about with it and learned how to hack.

“I launched my first start-up when I was 13 and when I was 15 I got investment for a start-up. It didn’t take off, but it was my entry into a bigger commercial market.”

His original idea for the competition involved placing tracking devices on every bus, but the day before the Hackathon he was told that MCC are already working on a similar system.

He said that he is “working closely” with MCC to incorporate these devices into his app when they are introduced.

The overall prize of £1,000 plus £3,600 development funding was won by James Rutherford and Ashley Herriott for their “Data Crossfader”.

It is a tool which lets you compare important data in specific areas by displaying it visually on a map.

Mr Rutherford said: “It was great to see so many people involved; from the hackers to the council representatives.

“It’s not just about the creative stuff that gets built. It’s also about the tendrils that grow between the respective communities.”

Asked about the negative portrayal of “hackers” in the media, he said: “I think there’s great value in knowing that we nerds can take what might look like dry data and add a genuine use or meaning to it for public benefit.”

Other winners included John Rees’ “Sat Lav” app, directing the user to the nearest public toilet, and Matt Schofield’s “Taxi Rank Finder” app.

Councillor Nigel Murphy, MCC’s lead member for Digital Manchester, said: “This Hackathon event is just the first part of an ongoing challenge to ensure that Manchester is in the front rank of open data-friendly cities.

“It’s vital that this is not just a one-off event but an ongoing engagement with the developer community to ensure that we build upon what’s been achieved. More and bigger events are planned in 2013.”

60 seconds with: Studentbeans.com founder James Eder

Written by Zara Zubeidi on . Posted in Lifestyle.

How did you come up with the idea behind studentbeans.com?

Having grown up in the age of the Internet, we knew that when students arrived in a new city, they would turn to the web for help. Being in an unfamiliar city and living on a limited budget is tough. But we knew that the Internet and a little entrepreneurialism on our part could solve these problems. I wanted to create something of real value that people wanted to use. We’ve created the ultimate win-win environment where companies get increased awareness and students save money!

I started studentbeans.com back in 2005 when I was 22 and just a few weeks after graduating from the University of Birmingham. I did a business plan as part of my degree where I actually came up with the idea for studentbeans.com and after graduating it made sense to set it up. I co-founded the business alongside my business partner and brother, Michael. He actually came up with the name of our website, the name studentbeans.com is based around the idea that our website is as essential to student life as a can of baked beans – a staple part of every student diet. We became The Beans Group about two years ago and have recently launched a site morebeans.com, focusing on life after university.

How did you develop your idea?

In terms of funding, we were looking for an initial start-up loan to get our idea off the ground and had been rejected by the bank – in the end we received a low interest loan from The Prince’s Trust. We were part of the Prince’s Trust Business Programme and the advice and support from them in the early days was invaluable. It was not just about the funding, but the additional support structure. At first, we just had a holding webpage saying ‘coming soon’, but the money helped us to print promotional materials and get website up and running.The value of mentors can not be underestimated, especially those that have been there and done it before! Originally when we started, as part of our support from The Princes Trust we were assigned a mentor from the law firm DLA Piper who I would meet once a month to review our figures, successes, failures and our next steps – these were vital in the process of continual learning and development.

How difficult was it to establish Studentbeans as a brand? Did you ever feel like giving up?

We started in Birmingham going door-to-door speaking to businesses and were very quick to put our first deals and discounts on the site. Because we help make a difference to the lives of students and every student wants to save money, there is a lot of good will for the brand on campuses up and down the country. Word of mouth tends to spread quickly when we’ve got a particularly great deal on the site or a funny article. A year after starting out we went national and now we have over 1 million visits to the website every month.

There were certainly moments in the early days that were challenging. One cold Saturday I was up in Sheffield  and I got screamed at by this woman in a restaurant – it was back in 2006 and I just remember leaving this shop and calling a friend questioning why I was doing this as I was standing outside in the rain. She reassured me what great things we had done the year before when we had launched in Birmingham and not to worry – I got back in my car and drove home that day. Now most of our clients come to us and we’re doing some great things so I know it is worth it. I learnt that you can’t take “no” personally – I think there is a famous quote that goes the difference between success and failure is the ones that succeed are the ones that keep trying.

Do you have any advice for students who want to go down a similar route? 

My 3 Key Tips to making your own business happen

1) Don’t take no for an answer. When you’re growing up and you want something as a child, just because your parents say no your natural instinct is to ask again and keep asking. As we get older we tend to forget how persistent we once were!

2) Be prepared to work. Success isn’t just going to be delivered on a silver platter. Nothing worthwhile is easy. There have been times in the last 6 years whilst building up studentbeans.com that have been incredibly trying, but you get through them. For us the knowledge that we have a website that is valued by British students – that can make a bit of difference to their lives, really helps deal with the challenges.

3) Take responsibility. Whether you work for someone or you are working for yourself, people always find someone to blame and are full of excuses. The only common factor between everything you do is yourself. Instead of blaming people around you as to why things have and haven’t happened, it’s up to you to take control.

What does your role as an ambassador for Start Up Loans involve? 

Start Up Loans www.startuploans.co.uk is a fantastic scheme led by James Caan and Lord Young where young people who are interested in starting a business can apply for a loan of £2,500 and get access to personal support and mentoring. As well as the money, it’s important that young people see what other young people have achieved and understand that setting up a successful business is something that they actually can do. We need public figures like James Caan and Lord Young to bring entrepreneurship to the forefront. As an ambassador, I feel that I am there to support them and hopefully show students a real life example of someone who is working day to day to build a brand and grow a team around them. I am delighted to be able to share my story and inspire others to take the same leap I did when I set up studentbeans.com when I was 22.

Theatrical angst in an age of austerity

Written by Robbie Davidson on . Posted in Theatre.

Two Stars out of Five Stars

Theatre Uncut describes itself as “an international theatrical response to our current state of austerity, both at home and abroad, inviting participants all over the world to stage these unique plays however and wherever they want”. Unfortunately the quality doesn’t quite match the ambition at its staging in Manchester at the Anthony Burgess Foundation.

With just fifteen minutes to convey a compelling story and message, the four plays performed on the night demonstrated both the strengths and pitfalls of limiting stage time.

   In the Beginning by Neil Labute was a perfect example of a play with nothing particularly interesting to say. What it did say was far too obvious and told lazily. A conversation between a father and his son who needs cash to pursue his political activism (an Occupy-esque movement) was fleetingly funny but thoroughly disengaging as a piece of theatre.

250 Words by Stef Smith, inspired by a top banker who threw herself off a building earlier in the year, was a little more original in its presentation and ideas  but was let down by weak performances.

The second two plays displayed how a shorter time to convey a message can make for thought provoking theatre and even made me wish that all plays could be this brief. Blondie by Hayley Squires was a frightening but hilarious reflection on society’s obsession with sex and our culture of blame told through an interrogation of a former Prime Minister accused of genocide. Squires’ message was ambiguous and left me uncomfortable- just what a good play should do.

But Spine by Clara Brennan was the crown jewel in the quartet of plays. Bolstered by a fantastic performance by the University of Manchester’s very own, Esme Bayley-Knaggs, the play is a simple recalling of Amy’s experience caring for an elderly lady with dementia whose obsession with books rubs off on the earnest young woman. Brennan shows how the best messages are expressed when neatly wrapped in a touching, character- driven story. Whereas the writing in the other three plays had been let down by the amateur dramatic feel of some of the performances, Bayley-Knaggs’ performance allowed the writing to flourish and the subtle message about the importance of local libraries was clear but not crass.

So whilst it would be fair to say that this particular incarnation of Theatre Uncut was a pretty hit and miss affair, it should not go unnoticed what an impressive project is being undertaken. With similar productions taking place all over the globe, in dozens of different languages, the success of this project relies heavily on the quality of the writing that is produced. If this evening was anything to go by then there is still work to be done, but when done well it’s hugely satisfying theatre.

Theatre Uncut ran on the 14th November at the Anthony Burgess foundation

Philip Seymour Hoffman: the sexiest man in Hollywood

Written by Joshua Brown on . Posted in Film.

Talent is attractive and Philip Seymour Hoffman is full to the brim with it.

He has starred in many great films, from Hollywood blockbusters such as The Ides Of March to quirky British films like The Boat that Rocked. And Hoffman’s new film, The Master, looks set to take this year’s award season by storm.

In the Paul Thomas Anderson movie, Hoffman plays the charismatic leader of a new spiritual movement, who draws in a fragile World War II veteran, played by Joaquin Phoenix. This almost sounds a rather tame role for a man who has played a plethora of weird and deeply disturbed characters; in Todd Solondz’s Happiness, he is the dysfunctional creep tossing himself off to strangers on the phone.  Although a fantastic film, maybe not the best viewing choice for your next night in alone! Then there’s Capote, which won him the Oscar for his flawless impersonation of the great American author Truman Capote, a man full of self-loathing and deep-rooted narcissism.

Trawling through interviews on YouTube to research an actor who I believe is incapable of giving a bad performance, I was overcome with how likable he seems.

He seems genuine and grounded, both attributes that are not in abundance amongst Hollywood stars. In his 2006 Oscar acceptance speech, for instance, he thanked his mum for everything she’d done for him in his life. I know it seems cliche, but  Hoffman’s speech was different. He genuinely seemed to be talking from the heart.

Charlie Wilson’s War is one of Hoffman’s great films from the last decade. It saw him win another Oscar nomination for his portrayal of maverick CIA operative Gust Avrakotos and it is one of the few Tom Hanks films where Hanks is outshone and out acted by his co-star. Hoffman steals the film with a very powerful and funny performance.

Hoffman is to me, the sexiest man in Hollywood because of his beautiful consistency. ‘Sexiest’ and ‘consistency’ are not two words you often see in the same sentence but Hoffman is deserving of this paradoxical claim. His performances are varied depending on the character but they are always executed brilliantly. His choice of films are diverse and rarely weak. He systematically and ruthlessly steals the show in every role he inhabits.

Yes, Pitt and Clooney are good actors whose films I have enjoyed but they can never quite match Hoffman’s unerring ability to draw you into his character. That’s what makes Hoffman sexier than the more aesthetically pleasing actors of his generation.

Steel Panther

Written by Tom Ingham on . Posted in Music.

From humble beginnings as a hair-metal tribute act on the Sunset Strip to international hair metal gods, Steel Panther have given a resounding ‘fuck you’ to musical innovation and decided the best way in going forwards, is in-fact backwards. Selling out the Apollo without the help of mainstream media goes to show the power of the Internet and word of mouth.

Support act Falling Red got things off to a slightly shaky start – nothing to do with their performance, more so their sound guy who didn’t mic the majority of the guitar amps, making the set into one long drum/vocal solo. But of course, things looked very different as the curtain lifted for the main attraction. Manchester was one of the shows featuring Panther’s fancy screens and smoke machines. The opening video showing a game of battleship backstage put to rest any doubts that Steel Panther take what they do seriously, if there was any doubt there in the first place.

I’m now going to attempt to describe the set, and for anyone for unfamiliar with Steel Panther, you should quickly get the jist of what they’re about. Having only released two full length albums fans are treated to most of their favourites, however this time the Panther favoured some more obscure tracks off Balls Out like ‘let me cum in’ and ‘that’s what girls are for’ over affirmed Feel the Steel classics like ‘The Shocker’. Even these lesser known tracks really do put to shame actual 80’s glam rock bands, with Michael Starr and Satchel absolutely nailing the sound.

Unsurprisingly the highlights come from Panthers first album. The anthemic, Whitesnake-esque ‘fat girl’ brings the entire audience together in chorus, and then the completely ridiculous, and slightly controversial ‘Asian hooker’ brings about carnage with its killer chugging riff. The true spine tingling moment came with a semi-acoustic version of the heart-wrenching ballad ‘community property’, with the band all kicking in for that final explosive chorus, bringing a tear to the eye of even the manliest metal head.

Although Steel Panther are quite traditional in their regalia, they’re no slouches when it comes to technology. Singer Michael Starr took to making a special ‘boob cam’ to capture the relentless barrage of bosoms, although he did also revert back to the old school and just got a selection of ladies on stage for a spot of light entertainment.

The real joy in Steel Panther, for me, lies in the constant juxtapositions between cavemen-like masculinity and the clear homo-erotic visuals, and also the apparent lack of whit and charm which actually suppresses their extraordinary talent. I think the crucial thing to remember is they know it’s not funny or clever, and that’s what makes it work. The audience ranges from teenagers to older professional looking types, of both genders – not once did I see any female take offense to the over the top sexism. Once again Steel Panther has given me a night I’ll never forget, if you’re a rock/metal fan and have a sense of humour, you can’t help but love them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-9dZwE85TU

Manchester outdone by classy Loughborough

Written by Matthew Barber on . Posted in Sport.

In an engaging contest at the Armitage Centre, Manchester were unable to prevent league leaders Loughborough from continuing their winning run, as the home side still search for their first points of the season.

In the BUCS Badminton Premier North, each match is made up of eight individual games, with a point from each to play for.  The teams consist of six players: two doubles pairs and two singles players. Each doubles pair faces off against both pairs for the opposition, while each singles player faces both singles players on the opposite team.

The contest began with the first round of doubles games; Manchester’s James Kee and Nick Ardern faced Loughborough’s Martin Drabble and Ryan McCarthy, while Adam Southgate and Luiz Teh took on James Watkins and Rob Golding. Kee and Ardern battled hard during the first set, and were perhaps unfortunate to find themselves behind at its close. They rallied in the second, claiming a close victory to tie the score at one set each, but the powerful combination of Drabble and McCarthy proved too much in the deciding set, as Loughborough claimed the first point of the contest. On the next court, Southgate and Teh had spells of excellent play, but these were too few and far between as their opponents Golding and Watkins took control to win in straight sets.

With the score at 2-0 to Loughborough, Manchester looked to their singles competitors Ben Dolman and Andrei Donko to turn the tide, as they took to the court against Miles Milner and Aaron Cheng respectively. Dolman claimed the first win for the home side, thoroughly dominating his opponent Milner in a straight set victory. However, Donko was unable to add to the points tally as despite his best efforts he succumbed to the impressive Cheng.

The doubles pairs returned to action, with Kee and Ardern up first to face Golding and Watkins. The excellent teamwork of Kee and Ardern was evident, as they communicated well and worked for every point. But, much as in their first game, Golding and Watkins proved too strong for their adversaries and claimed a 2-0 win. On the next court, Southgate and Teh were back in action against Drabble and McCarthy, and the Loughborough men defeated their resilient opponents in another straight set victory.

With the scores at 5-1 to Loughborough, the singles players returned to the court simply playing for pride as the win had been sealed by the away side. This did not distil the quality of play as Loughborough’s Cheng, perhaps the best performer on the day, was required to work hard to defeat Dolman, the latter clearly frustrated with his loss. Donko, on the next court, endeavoured to soften the blow of defeat, as he produced his best badminton of the day to beat Miles Milner over three sets.

In the end it was a comfortable 6-2 victory for the renowned visitors, though there was plenty in the hosts’ performance, especially in the singles, to offer hope for the rest of the season.

Manchester Boat Club take to Thames for Head of the River Fours

Written by Matthew Naylor on . Posted in Sport.

On a drizzly Saturday morning, members of the Manchester University Boat Club took to the famous waters of Tideway on the Thames for the annual Head of the River Fours race.

A field of 500 boats, including participants from all over the UK as well as a splash of Dutch and German competitors, set out from Mortlake along the 6.8 kilometre course towards the finish line at Putney Bridge; a reverse of the route used each year for the world-famous Oxford and Cambridge boat race.

The boats present were made up of three different rowing categories, all of them racing simultaneously; the quads (four men, two blades, no cox), the coxed fours (four men, one blade each, with a cox) and the coxless fours.

This year’s race marks the first time for many years that our university has entered a team of quads, and they commemorated the occasion by finishing as the best of the Manchester bunch.

Last year’s event saw the coxed fours of UoM stroke home to a very respectable 160th finish, and topping that was marked as top of the agenda.

While this was not accomplished by the first of the coxed fours teams, who placed 188th, this was to be a day reserved for the quads, who snuck into the top 100 on debut.

Upon hearing the results, club president Simon Moss said he was very happy with the performance, although as a perennial hard-man-to-please, he conceded that the team “could have done much better”, adding “the quads certainly felt they had an unlucky race, and were hoping for a top 70 spot as a minimum”.

Moss, who is currently out of action due to shoulder injury, admitted he was “gutted” to have not competed himself, but is looking at the results from the Fours Head as a strong stepping stone for the rest of season.

The rowers will next perform nationally when they look to defend their crowns in Chester at next month’s BUCS Indoor Competition.

This year’s Fours Head event was ultimately won by Henley-based rowing club Leander for the second consecutive year, though the bragging rights of best finish of any University rowing team was the Oxford University coxed four, who placed seventh.

Brothers at War

Written by Andrew Georgeson on . Posted in Sport.

As I sat on the bus home after a match of Rugby League, watching the attempted courting of the Women’s football team who we were car-pooling with, I heard one of the women footballers saying ‘oh, rugby league, that’s the one that’s not on tele, isn’t it?’

Rugby League has always been living in the shadow of its older brother Rugby Union. The two represent an age-old class struggle; the Universities of Oxford and St. Andrews playing Union, contrasted with the labourers of Huddersfield and Yorkshire playing League.

The University of Manchester has its own unique take on this precarious relationship, and unfortunately it seems to be a relationship based on denying all together the existence of the other.

I will start from the outward appearances. First of all, even before I recently converted to playing Rugby League, I never particularly liked yellow chinos. Wearing your Sunday best to Tiger-Tiger on a Wednesday night, a club with a seemingly ‘no shirt policy,’ is a puzzling one. This has led to the affectionate name ‘chino wankers.’

‘Lad mentality’ is something that is often attributed to rugby. I experienced ‘Welcome drinks’ for the first time this year, and one string vest and yellow body paint later my initiation had begun. It was all in good fun though, the worst part of the night chewing 4 dry Weetabix in an allotted time, to the cheering of my fellow teammates.

Compare this to my union friend, however, who, after purchasing one £30 leather bondage suit was chewing on dog food and playing ‘Edward Cider Hands,’ an invention surely taken from the heart of the Lad Bible or UniLad’s twitter feed, was lovingly rewarded with the club tie, a nice touch.

Putting this aside, performance on the pitch is where it really matters.

It is clear that Rugby Union is the wider played sport, with the university boasting three teams and a development side, whereas the League team only has two. Both teams also play at a high standard. The Union team find themselves in the Premier North B, one step off the top of the Rugby Union league tree and playing in the same league as the Loughborough University 2nd team. The League team find themselves in the top Premier division, North West 1, and last season won the National shield, and have finished in the Top 3 for the past 5 seasons, cementing themselves as one of the top League university teams in the country.

Although League comes out on top in terms of BUCS league performance, there is undeniably only one sporting fixture that takes centre stage for the university: the Rugby Union Varsity. The stadium, atmosphere, genuine competitive nature of the game, Russell Group related chants and, of course, the occasional dignity stricken strippers create an excellent night of entertainment. It is a fixture that’s attendance is rivaled only by the Ice Hockey Varsity.

This, of course, is not to say that all other matches are redundant in shadow of the Varsity; the League team play both MMU and MMU Cheshire in league matches, so far obtaining a victory and a loss. The matches arguably have more meaning to the team as they can help in terms of league progress. However, compared to the hype of the Union Varsity, the matches seem to everyone who isn’t involved in them as being just another league fixture.

It is a battle which will rage on, despite claims from Union players that ‘we play your game for a warm up’ and the brilliantly constructed pun of Rugby ‘Yawnion’ from the League camp. Both codes should be respected, but as proud as Rugby League player I am, it is still a developing sport in this country, if not the world. For the time being, Union will be the sport that prevails.

 

Manchester into last 16 with victory over Sheffield

Written by Tom Acey on . Posted in Sport.

Manchester completed a fine turnaround to beat high-flying Sheffield and book their place in the last 16 of the BUCS Tennis 2012-13 Trophy.

Trailing 4-2 after the first round of games, the Manchester girls recovered superbly in the final round, with Andrea Louka and Emily Egan-Morriss winning their singles matches before doubles pairing Joanne Marsden and captain Lucy Darby sealed the crucial winning points.

In truth, the score could have been more convincing either way, with four of the eight matches going right to the wire in a tense afternoon of tennis.

The day started well for the home side, with captain Lucy Darby earning the first points in a comfortable 6-0 6-1 victory over Becky Davidson. The unfamiliar doubles pairing of Emily Egan-Morriss and Andrea Louka, meanwhile, seemed a little out of form, but battled well to drag their match against Katy Kelsall and Lizzie Jones into a third set tie-break.

Unfortunately, it was Sheffield who held their nerve to win the match, before Annabel Sidwell dispatched of Joanne Marsden to take the visitors into a 4-2 overall lead.

At this point, the home side could have been forgiven for feeling hard done-by, but they responded superbly in a closely-fought final round.

The one match that didn’t go the distance was that between Emily Egan-Morriss and Katy Kelsall. Frustrated by her doubles defeat, and forgetting any earlier problems with her serve, Egan-Morriss quickly dispatched of the fading Kelsall, her impressive 6-0 6-0 victory coming inside of an hour to the level the scores once more.

Andrea Louka, meanwhile, was involved in another thriller on court 4, as her singles match against Lizzie Jones went down to another championship tie-break. This time, however, Louka showed great nerve to claim the match point, as another fierce forehand return left Jones with a near-impossible recovery from the baseline of the court.

With the two singles victories confirmed, all eyes now turned to court 6 as Lucy Darby and Joanne Marsden sought to press home their advantage against Annabel Sidwell and Becky Davidson. After trading blows for much of the first set, Manchester again held their nerve to take the tie-break, before battling from 3-2 down in the second to seal their passage into the second round.

Why 2012 has been a fantastic year for tennis

Written by Jack Mollart-Solity on . Posted in Sport.

2012 ends another exceptional year for men’s tennis. With Novak Djokovic winning the season finale in London over Rodger Federer, the 25 year-old Serbian maintained his position as the world’s number one for the second consecutive year. Djokovic had started the year by winning the year’s first slam in extraordinary circumstances. After beating Murray in the semi-final in just under five hours, he returned two days later to dispatch Rafael Nadal in a staggering five hours and fifty-three minutes. This surpassed the record for the longest ever final previously set at Wimbledon in 2008.

It left Djokovic on the brink of greatness, with just the French Open in the way of him holding all four slams. He would have been the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold them all at the same time. However, the Spaniard was set for revenge in Paris, completing the victory over Djokovic in four sets. It was Nadal’s third French open in a row and a record seventh exceeding Bjorn Borg’s total. Incredibly, he has only ever lost once on the red clay of Roland Garros in the slam that remains the easiest to predict.

Then, on the luscious grass at SW19, the old Swiss master Rodger Federer returned to glory in the place where it all started for him. Despite his total domination of the game being removed by first Nadal and then Djokovic, the title returned Federer to world number one for the first time in two years. In the process, he equalled and then bettered the record of his boyhood hero Pete Sampras of total number of weeks at number one. This record is now set at 302, a truly staggering feat. Federer also matched the American’s number of Wimbledon titles, a record seven. His victory over Murray was brutal for the Scot, leaving him in tears and with four defeats from his opening four Grand Slam finals.

From this point though, the trajectory of Murray’s career rocketed skywards. Returning to the place where his emotions had been at their lowest and engulfed in the incredible Olympic spirit reverberating around the capital, Murray managed to claim victory at last: taking the Olympic gold medal from the grasp of Federer in an astonishing game at Wimbledon. Then, at the next major tournament in a tornado-hit New York, Murray achieved the ultimate prize: victory at Flushing Meadows and his first Grand Slam title. It was the first British victory since Fred Perry in 1936 and he became the first man ever to win an Olympic gold medal and the US open in the same year. Significantly, Murray had beaten the then reigning champion Djokovic proving he can beat the best in the most critical of games.

As the US open gave birth to a new champion, it was also saying farewell to an older, incredibly popular champion. Andy Roddick, the last American to win a Grand Slam, announced his departure from the game. The former world number one had won in New York in 2003 and had been unlucky not to win at Wimbledon as he reached the final three times. His game had declined in recent years but he was one of the most charismatic players on the tour, never afraid to give interesting answers to reporters’ questions. Following one defeat to Igor Andreev and asked where his lack of confidence emanates from, he answered that ‘it comes from playing shit’. His charm and honesty will be missed.

Ultimately, 2012 will be remembered as a year when multiple records fell for all of the top four players and one in which tennis continued to bring exceptionally high levels of quality and entertainment. As for 2013, hopefully Murray will win another major to further cement his place as one of the game’s greatest but most importantly, Nadal will be able to return from injury and recreate the form that took him to the first two Grand Slam finals of the season. All things being considered, the future looks very bright for tennis fans.

 

Fencing team secure top spot following victory over Edinburgh

Written by Ciaran Milner on . Posted in Sport.

Edinburgh University’s fencing team arrived at the Sudgen Centre last Wednesday brimming with confidence following their unbeaten start to the season. However, University of Manchester put in an excellent performance to end Edinburgh’s run and secure top spot of the BUCS Premier North division.

Manchester’s platform for victory was built with a strong opening showing in the foil-class fight that came first. Kareem dominated his opponent in the first bout, surging into an early 5-2 lead. However, Edinburgh’s Ed Riva looked dangerous throughout the round, and his opening match with Indy was a decidedly more even affair, with Riva looking like he might kick-start a comeback for the Scots by taking seven points with some sharp and fast fencing.

“Italians make everything look good”, Manchester captain Mike Salter said of Riva’s continental style. “They’re very fast, very quick”.

For Manchester, it was Mihai who was most effective. The Romanian oozed class and composure throughout; in his first fight, he took five points of Edinburgh’s CJ with no reply.

Naturally, it was his fight with Riva that promised to be the most interesting of the round. It was Mihai, though, who came out on top in a contest that was as much a clash of styles as a clash of swords.  The Romanian, in the words of Captain Mike Salter, made the most of his Eastern European “calculated pizzazz” to counter the “fast and messy” Italian style favoured by Riva. It worked; in a display of calm and effective swordsmanship, Mihai confidently dealt with Riva’s aggressive flurries and defeated the Italian without reply. Manchester won the foil round 45-20.

The second round, in which the sabre was used, was far more even. Here, Edinburgh could call on their secret weapon: Judge Julian Gosh, a fencing veteran studying his PhD at Edinburgh, and one of only three men in the last five hundred years to have taken the silk in both England and Scotland. The combination of Riva’s flamboyant style and Gosh’s composed experience reaped rewards for Edinburgh as they matched Manchester play for play: by the start of the final fight of the round, the scores were separated by a mere point at 40-39. Captain Mike Salter then put in a great performance in the final fight, seeing off the challenge from Adam and ensuring a tense 45-44 victory.

The final round, the Epee round, started with Manchester in touching distance of victory. Some composed performances from Indy and Pollock saw off the challenge from a more confident Edinburgh, who were buoyed by the resurgent form of CJ who looked far more comfortable using the Epee sword. Manchester kept attacking, though, and ran out winners 45-41.

The final score was 135 – 106 to Manchester, and this was enough to see them leapfrog Edinburgh in the table and secure top spot. “It was a great victory or the team, one that we really needed to give us a boost”, Mike Salter said after the match. “We’re top, but there’s much more to go”.

 

5 Songs in the field of…The Five Senses

Written by Tom Ingham on . Posted in Music.

The Doors – Touch Me

It’s no secret that Jim Morrison liked a drink or two, and when you combine Dutch courage with being a ridiculously famous rock star, you can forgive the fella for being a bit forward. However, I’d at least expect him to buy me dinner first before I consider touching anything! Sorry, Jim.

The Who – I Can See for Miles

Although Roger and Pete’s live fast die young plan kind of went out the window forty years ago, they’re still going strong. Well, apart from Pete’s tinnitus and Daltrey’s dodgy vocal chords, they’re practically as good as new. However, the claim ‘I can see for miles’ is one I can’t explain.

Nirvana – Smells Like Teen Spirit

Ah, the distinctive smell of teen spirit; more Lynx and dad’s aftershave than hopes and dreams if you ask me. I can imagine there were instances where Kurt probably forgot his washbag and stunk out the dressing room post-gig. Sadly, Kurt is in no longer with us to offer a denial.

Simon and Garfunkel – The Sound of Silence

The sound of silence, that unmistakable nothingness that strikes fear into even the most experienced joke tellers. The deafening silence you’d get if you bugged Union J’s dressing room and Louis Walsh wasn’t there to tell them what to think – I don’t think Paul and Arty ever had that problem.

The Verve – Bittersweet Symphony

Bittersweet pretty accurately sums up Richard Ashcroft’s time with The Verve. From the highs of forming a successful band with his school mates to the mounting tensions that forced their split in 1999. However, once you’ve released an album as popular as Urban Hymms, I’m guessing the lasting taste is probably rather sweet.

A new dawn for policing?

Written by Tom Danaher on . Posted in Opinion.

Last Thursday represented a landmark in our democracy. Each county in England and Wales elected a Police and Crime Commissioner – a new role introduced by the current government under the Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act. Police Commissioners operate successfully in the US, although they are appointed rather than elected. The primary objectives of this policy are to give greater control to each of the forty-one constabularies, and to have one individual who is directly accountable to the county’s electorate.

Police and Crime Commissioners have five major roles: to represent the community, to agree upon a Local Strategic Plan for the community, to hold the Chief Constable to account for implementing this plan, to set the budget, and to hire – and in some cases, fire – the Chief Constable. So, who carried out these tasks before? PCCs are replacing Police Authorities. Greater Manchester Police Authority has been in operation for seventeen years and is made up of nineteen individuals. A Transition Board will ensure that the progression from Police Authority to Police and Crime Commissioner is as smooth as possible.

Many of you will have seen the televisions adverts of the Home Office about the elections. For those who haven’t, the adverts show a series of crimes, including a mugging on a bus as well as a robbery at a corner shop. A cynical, but perhaps accurate, analysis would be that these adverts were an attempt to create a wave of interest in the elections, through scaremongering. The commercials almost suggest that the appointment of a PCC will miraculously put a stop to these crimes. It’s arguable that the Home Office could have used these adverts to convey a clear message explaining two things: the reason for the policy, and the roles of the Police and Crime Commissioner.

Here in Greater Manchester, there were six names on the ballot paper: Tony Lloyd (Labour), Matt Gallagher (Liberal Democrat), Roy Warren (Independent), Michael Winstanley (Conservative) and Steven Marcus Woolfe (UKIP). It is notable that there aren’t any female candidates standing for the office of PCC for this constabulary. A similar under-representation of women is true in many other counties. This suggests that more must be done to attract women to the role. In four years’ time when the first PCC’s term of office is complete, the Home Office must go further to encourage women to stand as candidates. This may even generate greater interest among female voters in local policing.

Labour Party candidate, Tony Lloyd, won the election as the overwhelming favourite to become the constabulary’s first Police and Crime Commissioner. Lloyd has stood aside from his position as the Member of Parliament for Manchester Central, seeing his colleague Lucy Powell succeed as the first Labour MP to be elected for this constituency. Historically, the Manchester area has been politically safe for Labour. For example, Manchester Central has voted Labour since the seat was created nearly fifty years ago. Mr Lloyd enjoyed a majority of 51.2 percent, although statistically this only represents 7.1 percent of the electorate.

Leading up to this election, there have been two key difficulties faced by the Conservative Party. Firstly, the coalition government is largely unpopular at the moment. YouGov released data last week, which showed that sixty per cent of people disapprove of the current government’s record to date. There is palpable concern, particularly in more deprived areas, that cuts to public services will damage communities in an irreparable way. The second national problem faced by the Tories is their failure to attract high-profile candidates to stand for election. This is partly due to the strict eligibility criteria, which means that individuals cannot run if they have committed the most minor criminal offence in their youth, for example. However, the Labour Party have managed to bring out the ‘big guns’ such as former Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott.

Is this election important for students in the city? Well, we know that one in ten students are victims of crime during their time in Manchester. However, the government is committed to twenty per cent cuts to the budget of each constabulary and this will unquestionably limit the effectiveness of the role of the PCC. The depleting resources, which will result in the loss of almost three thousand police employees here in Manchester, mean that a fall in crime is unlikely – regardless of who wins at the ballot boxes on Thursday.

Nationwide, less than fifteen percent of the country turned out to vote in the 41 English and Wales police force areas that held elections. The Electoral Commission watchdog has called for an investigation into the proceedings of the inaugural Police and Crime Commissioner elections. Only time will tell whether Police and Crime Commissioners are more effective than Police Authorities. At a cost exceeding one hundred million pounds, it is easy to see why there is disillusionment as to how worthwhile last Thursday’s elections were.