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Day: 10 March 2014

Review: The Pillowman

Written by Alex Webb on . Posted in Books.

In an interrogation room, we meet Katurian, Tupolski and Ariel, the main characters of Martin McDonagh’s The Pillowman. Acted out in one scene, similar to the stage versions of R.C. Sherriff’s Journey’s End, this 2003 play will have you reconsidering the sides you take while taking you on a sickening emotional rollercoaster.

The premise of the play is that there has been a murder that Tupolski and Ariel seem to have wanted the writer Katurian to commit. With much of the narrative based around Katurian’s stories, any reader will be drawn in instantly.

McDonagh’s entry into the drama world is by far one of the best plays I have read. The dark, horrifying themes and ideas explored by the characters, who you will soon learn are not to be trusted, will teach you to question everything. As Katurian realises, just because someone tells you something, it does not mean it is true.

It is McDonagh’s ability to create a tense atmosphere from the first line that makes this such a brilliant piece of literature. Throwing you straight into the story with nothing to grab onto leaves you just as confused as Katurian, who has been incarcerated for reasons unknown to him, and it is with him that you learn about his controversial and disgusting children’s stories. Unfortunately, these are not stories made for children but tales of sudden unjust endings of infants’ lives in order to tell some sort of moral. The most interesting of these is the title story that features heavily in the plot progression and, even for just a moment, has you reconsidering your understanding of the world.

McDonagh’s skill in characterising four people, including Katurian’s brother Michal, so well in the space of 100 pages is only a fraction of the talent shown within the covers. While the plot may be lacking in depth, you will find yourself astounded by the world that McDonagh lays before you. Enter into his world at your peril and find yourself asking questions like ‘what kind of criminal could be worse than a rapist or a murderer?’. It’s a narrative that will have you reading The Pillowman all in one sitting.

Students show solidarity with lecturers’ marking boycott

Written by Jonathan Breen on . Posted in News.

University staff and students have signed an open letter to the University of Manchester Vice-Chancellor after lecturers announced they would stop marking any exams, dissertations, or other coursework, in an escalation over a pay dispute.

The University and College Union (UCU) – the lecturers union – announced they would start a marking boycott from 28th April, the first day of term after Easter break, and the deadline for many students’ dissertations.

The open letter to Vice-Chancellor Dame Nancy Rothwell, made as part of a petition on ipetitions.com, reads, “I believe that all employees at this great university deserve your support and recognition for the role we play in delivering high quality research, education and services for our students.”

The threat from university lecturers – which could ultimately impact graduations – follows further industrial action this academic year, with six strikes since October 2013, over a one per cent pay increase offer, rejected by university staff.

Unions, including UCU, Unite, and Unison, are campaigning for a better pay deal after the last four years have seen lecturers suffer a 13 per cent pay cut in real terms.

Lecturers have also been angered by university vice-chancellors’ pay rises, which average five per cent, and who they say now earn an average of £235,000.

In an email to student society leaders, University of Manchester Students’ Union Education Officer Rosie Dammers called for students to support staff and to “take action” by signing the open letter to Dame Nancy.

“As students I believe we have a responsibility to make sure the staff who teach us are paid a fair wage,” said Dammers in the email. “If we are taught by over-worked and underpaid staff, it is our education that will suffer.

“We also have a responsibility to stand in solidarity with the Postgraduate Research students who teach, who are often those who are most exploited and, in some cases, don’t even get paid a living wage.

“You can take action now to stop this boycott from happening by signing this petition and getting your friends and family to do the same. It asks university management to support us as students and stand up for what is right in order to stop this marking boycott of our assessments.”

676 people had signed the petition as of Monday 10th March.

Commenters on the petition showed support for staff, and questioned the University’s financial decisions, “The Staff at this university deserve BETTER (sic),” said Francesca Saunders.

“How can you justify a £1 billion investment on facilities whilst not even paying your staff a living wage?” Asked Claire Laxton.

Nicholas Byres wrote, “As a student rep, I will be making my fellow students aware of this matter.”

The UCU last used a marking boycott as a tactic in 2006, which saw a deal worked out before any action was enforced.

If implemented, the boycott would see lecturers refuse to attend meetings in preparation for exams, meaning the disruption of final year exams for those graduating this year.

Dammers also said, “The marking boycott…could have a real impact on our education.

“I have spoken personally to the trade unions, and they are adamant they do not want [the] boycott to go ahead. They feel they have been forced into taking this action because their employers have so far refused to enter into negotiations with them.”

The Universities and Colleges Employers Association, who represent higher education institutions – including Manchester – in pay negotiations with staff, have agreed to enter “exploratory” talks with UCU.

UCEA declined to comment further until the exploratory talks take place later in March, but said in a statement last month, “staff carrying out such a ‘damaging course’ could face a full withdrawal of pay.”

The UCEA also said the union’s campaign had lost support, with recent strikes having little or no effect, and said it was “disappointed” at the marking boycott, which it called action “once again aimed directly at students’ education.”

UCU general secretary, Sally Hunt, called a marking boycott “the ultimate sanction, but an avoidable one if the employers would negotiate with us over pay.

“No member I have spoken to wishes to see this dispute escalate, but in the continued absence of meaningful negotiations from the employers, we are left with no alternative.

“I fail to see how any university can claim to have students’ best interests at heart if it is not pushing for talks with the union to resolve this dispute.”

She added, “The strong support for our action so far demonstrates how angry staff are at the hypocrisy over pay in our universities.

“The employers cannot plead poverty when it comes to staff pay and then award enormous rises to a handful at the top.”

‘Lost City’ Pangaea makes loss of £4,000

Written by Michael Williams on . Posted in News.

Pangaea made a £4000 ‘operational loss’ in January – despite a significant part of the £16.6k Activites & Development Officer role being dedicated to running the event.

The event, entitled ‘The Lost City’, suffered from a lack of interest compared to previous incarnations of the festival, with tickets failing to sell out as they have done in years past – despite the capacity being reduced by 1,000 from the September and June festivals.

General release tickets for January’s event, headlined by a DJ set by Hot Chip, cost £25 – a price point that was defended by a post on the event’s Facebook page.

“Before you dare complain about the price of tickets please ask yourself where else you get the same level of line-up, creative input and production value for less than £25”, a post by the event read.

The bar profits from the event were healthier – £22,000 was raised on the night.

However, the bar profits go into a separate budget, whilst Pangaea’s budget is a rolling budget with money made at preceding events going into the next event.

A meeting of the Trustees of the Students’ Union on the 12th February noted that January’s event made a loss.

Activities & Development Officer Liam Mayet downplayed the loss.

“We anticipate that our overall Pangaea budget will balance”, he said.

The position of Activites & Development Officer for next year was advertised on Twitter during the nominations with a post that read, “Could you organise a Pangaea even better than @Exec_Liam?”.

When asked for more detailed figures, Mayet declined to provide any further information, citing confidentiality clauses in the contracts of artists signed to perform at the event.

He issued the following statement to The Mancunion,”Pangaea is a not for profit event run by students, for students. Any surplus income made at each individual event is reinvested into the annual, overall Pangaea budget.”

Working classes must ‘fit in’ to ‘middle class world’ to go to university, says government adviser

Written by Pippa Allen-Kinross on . Posted in News.

Working class children must learn to act more middle class if they want to apply to the best universities, according to a government adviser.

Peter Brant, head of policy at the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission, has said that in order for working class children to “fit in” to this “middle class world”, changes need to be made in their cultural experiences, relationships, clothes and food.

In his blog post, Mr. Brant said fear of “not fitting in” was deterring working class children from applying to top universities.

“It probably contributes to lack of confidence amongst those who are upwardly mobile as they struggle to adapt to their new social environment with a detrimental impact on their ability to reach their potential,” he said.

However, Tom Geddes, a final year English Language student, described himself as “working class with ease”, and argued that rather than being detrimental having a working class background “gives you the drive to get out of the situation you’re in”.

He said, “I think such a privileged view is not helpful, it just causes resentment. To say the places you go and pursuits you follow aren’t helpful to you is a horseshit perspective.”

Martin Browne, a second year Theology student, described himself as middle class but with parents from working class backgrounds.

“Cultural experiences would have made a difference when I was younger,” he said. “Things like that can inspire you, but being working class shouldn’t mean that you enjoy those things any less.

“You shouldn’t be obliged to take your children on expensive trips. Some games and books can be just as valid for cultural experience, and are more accessible.”

Mr. Brant identified “barriers” between the working class and middle class, including a lack of shared cultural experiences like theatre trips and hobbies, different lifestyles including clothing and choice of restaurants, different cultural reference points, a lack of career role models for the working class and different attitudes to relationships, describing “more subtext, nuance and casualness in middle class relationships”.

Mark Ramotowski, an MA student studying Bioinformatics and Systems Biology, attended a fee-paying school and did his undergraduate degree at Oxford University. He described himself as middle class.

He agreed with Mr. Brant’s view that his background made him more willing to apply to the top universities, “If I was from the north and came from a farm I would want to be a farmer.

“If you live in that environment you aspire to it.”

Recent research carried out for the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission showed that those educated in private schools are significantly more likely to be in the highest status jobs three years after graduating than state-educated students with exactly the same qualifications from the same university.

Mr. Brant described the “critical importance of educational attainment in determining future life chances and the large gaps by social background we know exist in early years’ outcomes, attainment in primary school, GCSE results, the chances of staying in full-time education post-16 and the chances of entering university, especially at the most selective institutions”.

He added, “One helpful thing would be more awareness of this as a potential issue – it can often be unappreciated by policy makers who mostly come from middle-class professional backgrounds.

“This often means that debate can all too easily assume that if educational inequalities can be reduced and aspirations of young people from working-class backgrounds raised then that alone will be enough to tackle the problem.”

However, James Birchenough, a third year English Literature student, said that he felt he was leaning towards being middle class because of his university education, despite being from low-income family.

“[Brant’s] view is really stupid, and it shows how out of touch the government are with reality and with real people,” he said. “People from a low-income background are helped by going to university, and we need to do more to encourage that.”

QS to fund MBS scholarships

Written by Dan Harold on . Posted in News.

Quacquarelli Symonds, the education information and services company which publishes annual world university rankings, has announced that they are to fund two scholarships at Manchester Business School, the largest constituent department of the University of Manchester.

The two scholarships, which are being offered in partnership with QS’s World Grad School Tour, will be worth 50 per cent of the tuition fees for any masters program at MBS.

Rachel Tufft, head of postgraduate marketing at MBS, said the school’s mission was to “give everyone the opportunity to transform their lives and, in doing so, help them transform the organizations they work for and the wider communities in which they live.

“We will be looking for students who can contribute original thought and enrich the diverse academic and cultural profile of the masters class.

“We understand the financial strain that students face when considering further study and do not want this to be a barrier to applicants.”

To meet the criteria for the scholarship any candidate will have to have attended the QS World Grad School Tour and be predicted to achieve at least a 2:1 in their undergraduate degree.

The University of Manchester was ranked as being the 33rd best in the world and the 8th best in the UK in the rankings most recently published by QS.

Fallowfield caterer reaches Food and Farming final

Written by Charlie Spargo on . Posted in News.

Head of catering for Fallowfield Campus’s Ashburne Hall Deborah Kermath has reached the final round of Radio 4’s Food and Farming Awards 2014, in a year of a record-breaking number of nominations.

Deborah has made it to the final three of the Cook of the Year section. Her competition comes from a chef at Ravenscliffe High School, Halifax, and a team of caterers at an Inverness Hospice.

She is the head of Ashburne Hall’s Food in Residence, and provides two meals a day to the 180 residents of the hall.

As well as providing breakfast and dinner for the students, Kermath has worked with organisations to create opportunities for local producers and growers to sell their produce.

Deborah said she was “tremendously honoured to be nominated for this prestigious award.

“The inclusion of high quality sustainable products on my freshly-prepared menu from local growers and farms is undoubtedly a fundamental passion of mine and it is fantastic that my students can celebrate such good food every day!”

The finalists for the eight categories were announced at the end of February and appeared on a special episode of Radio 4’s Food Programme on Sunday 10th March.

Overall, the twenty-four finalists vying for the eight Food and Farming Awards come from a wide range of regions from East Sussex to the Isle of Gigha, Scotland.

Contestants include a street food vendor marketing unpopular cuts of meat and fish, a social supermarket selling low-price surplus to those claiming benefits, and a fifth-generation butcher from the Wirral.

Chef, writer, presenter, and chair of the judges Valentine Warner said “the scale of the public’s response has been overwhelming.” There have been over 6,000 nominations for the Awards, a record-breaking amount.

The Food and Farming Awards are held to celebrate Britain’s local food scene and the people behind it. It aims to “honour those who have done most to promote the cause of good food”.

Categories include Best Food Market, Best Food Producer and Best Street Food/Takeaway.

The Awards have been running for fourteen years and cover producers, chefs and initiatives both large and small. In recent years seven categories have increased to ten to reflect the rising popularity of things such as brewing and distilling.

The nominations, sent in by the general public, are narrowed down to three by a panel of judges, this year including chef Raymond Blanc and public health officer Gabriel Scally.

After this the judges travel to visit and meet the finalists before meeting to discuss and agree on a winner.

The Cook of the Year is described as “someone who is preparing tasty, healthy meals on a budget in a hospital, school, care-home or other workplace and deserves to be celebrated.”

Winners of each category will be announced at an awards ceremony held in Bristol on the 1st May 2014.

The winners of two further categories—the Derek Cooper Lifetime achievement award, which goes to an individual or organisation who has changed our relationship with food, and Food Personality of the Year 2014—will be announced at this ceremony.

Students occupy University of London as protests continue

Written by Aidan Gregory on . Posted in News.

Dozens of students stormed the University of London last week, in a display of upheaval against the metropolitan police and management of the students’ union.

The demonstrators called for the resignation of Adrian Smith, the University of London’s Vice-Chancellor. There were no police in attendance, and James Pestell, a spokesperson for the University confirmed that “No significant damage was done, although some confidential files were thrown into the street below”.

Students walked into Smith’s office and left a letter which read, “Please resign immediately. Give us our union back. Pay all your staff and get the cops off campus. Thanks very much. From London students.”

This action is the latest in a series of protests which began towards the end of last year.

University of London president, Michael Chessum, reflecting on the latest disturbance at the University, has warned of an “end game”, which might bring with it more “militant” protests and occupations.

Chessum has however called for negotiations with the University, saying that “the ball is in the University’s court”.

He added further that “This wasn’t a ULU demo. It’s much more hectic and superfluously all over the place.”

In response to Chessum’s remarks, Pestell said, “Michael Chessum has regular meetings in the diary with senior University staff and if he turns up to them he’ll be welcome”.

Earlier in the same week as the storming of the University a student was fined £1,010 for drawing protest slogans on university property.

The troubles started last December when more than a thousand students marched through the streets of London in a demo which led to a police van being attacked and vandalised.

At the same time, the University of London took out an injunction preventing “”violent and intimidating” protests on its premises.

Exeter students agree tuition fees may have to rise

Written by Anna Phillips on . Posted in News.

Exeter University’s vice-chancellor announced “tuition fees may have to rise again”, in a debate held by Exeter University’s debating society last Tuesday.

Sir Steve Smith went head-to-head with Toni Pearce, president of National Union of Students in a debate over contentious student issues; including tuition fees and the recent privatisation of the student loan book.

Smith managed to convince the student audience to vote in favour of the view that tuition fees would eventually need to increase.

In 2010, the coalition government was met with overwhelming student protests throughout the country after the motion to triple existing tuition fees from £3,000 to up to £9,000 was passed.

Yet despite an initial overwhelming response in favour of ‘This House Believes Tuition Fees Should Not Increase’, the debate at Exeter resulted in the motion’s defeat.

The vice-chancellor defended his position by pointing to the need for increased funding, and suggested his main priority was to increase the standards of the University.

He then proceeded to reveal, ‘My personal preference would be for income tax to pay for university fees [but] it is unrealistic to hope for the public to pay.’

NUS president Toni Pearce spoke against Sir Steve, drawing some of her argument from the recent Parliamentary report in which it was revealed the government was underestimating the future debt of unpaid student loans.

Pearce highlighted fears that students will have to pay more due to the potentially crippling value of outstanding loans, which in the report is estimated to increase from £46 billion in 2013 to £200 billion by 2042.

An article in The Independent explained how students within Exeter’s society are advised to vote ‘on the merits of the arguments they have heard’, which may explain the debate’s outcome.

Student caught using university computers to ‘mine’ Dogecoin

Written by Anna Phillips on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

A student at London’s Imperial College has been banned from use of all computing facilities after using his university’s computers to mine 30,000 ‘Dogecoin’.

The anonymous student had been accessing Imperial College’s computer lab at night and leaving machines to run, using their core-power and resources in an online currency mining operation.

The student told online forum Coindesk, “It seems they don’t have anything set up to bring attention to the fact I’m maxing out the CPUs, which is nice.”

The joke-alternative currency derived from the ‘Doge’ internet meme has also been the source of a similar incident at Harvard University in February.

An Ivy League student was permanently banned from access to all of Harvard’s research computing facilities after similarly using them to mine Dogecoin.

Harvard’s prestigious supercomputing system had been scheduled by the student to be used for the mining operation, and was reported to university administrators after unusual activity was discovered.

An internal e-mail from the institution, which was posted on Reddit reads, “Any activities using our shared resources for any non-scientific purpose that results or does not actually result in personal gain are also clearly and explicitly denied.”

Harvard University, upon banning the student from all research facilities have said the student’s actions were “strictly prohibited for fairly obvious reasons”.

An article in The Guardian earlier this year revealed how a group of supporters raised $250,000 in Dogecoin, in order to help the Jamaican bobsleigh team to enter the Sochi Winter Olympics.

Also, a burger stand in East-London’s Brick Lane has become one of the first places in Britain to accept the Dogecoin virtual currency.

The increasing popularity for cryptocurrencies has led to a demand for computer systems to engage in mining operations to bring Dogecoin into existence.

Managerial Hunger Games

Written by Andrew Georgeson on . Posted in Sport.

It’s finally time to organize this. Which manager is really the best, and by best, I obviously mean the hardest.

We will only consider Premier League managers, but a few honourable mentions before we begin. First, Neil Lennon, any man who is sent a bullet and then releases his own calendar is a winner in my book. Secondly, there is Roy Keane. Without even discussing how hard he is, his put downs would be enough to make you cower in fear. Finally there is Mancini. Just to have a nice break from the melting pot of the Premier League, and a highly confrontational time at Manchester City, he decided to go to Galatasaray, a team that is renowned world over for its placid fans.

This is how it will pan out; first to go would be Tim Sherwood. The arrogant prick would go all guns blazing and hopefully be picked off early enough. (#TEAMAVB). Mark Hughes will be on the same boat. Fulham won’t have a pledge to offer. But if it were still Jol, one would presume he would remain totally ambivalent to the whole situation and, despite lasting an alarmingly long time, would eventually fade away, and no one would be that surprised.

Cowering in the corner would be the likes of Solskjær, Moyes, Wenger. The problem is that despite being district 2 or above, their scripts and fate were already predestined- they are bound to fail. The first has a poor team, only made to seem like they were doing better than they were because of what happened to their previous pledge, one has been sold a mid-table lie, and the other one will probably crack under the pressure.

Then you have the tactically inept. Yes they may do well at first, but don’t be fooled, they will soon enough fall by the wayside. I’m talking about the Pardews and Houghtons of this world. Yes, they may land a few blows on their opponents, but just as they are doing well punching with their right hand, they will try kicking with their left foot, and if it doesn’t work? Forget it. We will keep trying until it does.

Obviously there needs to be a quota filled for the games to have any sort of semblance of a competition. Therefore, welcome the filler pledges. In Hunger Games these pledges usually come from district 7 or 8 that the camera would never really focus on. Yeah they can be good, perhaps get a decent run going picking off a few lower pledges, but they were never in danger of winning, nor of dying first. In this category we have Steve Bruce, Gus Poyet, Sam Alladyce and Paul Lambert. Basically the teams that you look at and wonder how they are still 13th despite seemingly never winning a match since 2005.

Pelligrini is losing it. His alarmingly mental comments after the match with Barcelona are evidence enough for that. He is the one kicking off on top of the cornucopia in the last scenes before being pushed into the wolves. But who has sympathy for him? Just as the volunteer pledges from District 1 & 2, he knew what he was getting himself into, and he saw what happened to his predecessor.

In comes Jennifer Lawrence. This role, for me, will be played by Brendon Rodgers. Although she is not Scottish, she is as arrogant and generally annoying. ‘Liverpool can’t win the title’ rings the same as ‘I didn’t deserve the Oscar for Silverlinings.’ Both cases are true in my opinion, both shouldn’t happen, but both have either happened or will happen. This is because they are tactically astute, and are also fiercely loyal. Keeping Suarez in the summer is as smart as looking after Peta that is, he always has someone who can pull him out of sticky situations and win him matches he had no right to win. Their goal difference already this season could make a massive difference when the season ends.

Finally we have the game maker. Welcome to the stage Jose Mourinho. He will cause problems, play mind games, but he will have the season snatched away from him, and finish second to the formidable Jenifer Lawrence, and although not facing the same fate as previous failed game-makers, he won’t have that many chances to correct his mistakes.

That is how the season will unfold. For many of the managers involved the fate of their team was set already writer. Pardew and high team were never going to do anything except balance the books, Moyes and co. were going to struggle. Yet, Rodgers is the true success story. Should he be able to make it through the 20th Annual Premier League games, it will be as unlikely as it was for someone from district 12 to win the Hunger Games. May the odds be ever in your favour, Brendan.

Bets over Blade-Runner’s bullets

Written by Thomas Dowler on . Posted in Sport.

The opportunist bookmakers Paddy Power caused outrage last week by taking bets on the outcome of the Oscar Pistorius murder trial.

For them moral decency, respect for the judicial process and a lack of awareness about the dangers of promoting violence against women were inconsequential, with the publicity stunt going so far that the Advertising Standards Agency requested its removal.

The 27-year-old double Paralympic gold medallist is accused of murdering his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp on the night of the 14th February 2013. He claims to have mistaken her for an intruder. Without contemplating the implications, Paddy Power offered 7/4 for a guilty verdict and 2/5 for not guilty, with a money back offer guaranteed ‘if he walks’. This is arguably one of the most distasteful advertising campaigns in the history of publicity as it shows now concern for the Steenkamp family, no consideration about the wider implications concerning violence towards women and ultimately, it has significant implications for the judicial process – which has already been questioned by some as the media circus descends on South Africa.

Social media outrage began with a vengeance immediately after reports about the scandalous bet filtered over Facebook and Twitter. A Change.org petition was shared rapidly across the internet and a staggering 126,000 signatures were added within a couple of days at the time of printing. This is a clear example of people power working to bring organisations to account. Last week saw a far less useful petition gather momentum – that of England fans begging manager Roy Hodsgon not to pick Tom Cleverley for the World Cup in Brazil, but that is a completely different matter. Thankfully the social media generation saw sense and were horrified with the tasteless Paddy Power publicity stunt and they piled the pressure on the Advertising Standards Agency who in turn forced the Irish bookies’ hand.

In response, the ASA made the following statements:

“We consider the ad may be seriously prejudicial to the general public on the ground of the likely further serious and/or widespread offence it may cause.”

“We are also concerned that the good reputation of the advertising industry may be further damaged by continued publication of this ad.”

It’s certainly not the first time that Paddy Power has been making headlines for the wrong reasons. In fact, they thrive on making headlines, relying on the saying that there is no such thing as bad publicity. In the past we’ve seen them cause offence to: the transgender community with an advert playing spot the mares from the stallions at the Cheltenham races, the religious community were upset with their depiction of Jesus gambling at the Last Supper with his disciples and animal rights activists and disability groups were angered by an advert in which blind footballers mistakenly punt a kitten while playing a game of five-a-side.

Betting on the Pistorius case isn’t the only morbid and judicially troubling publicity stunt the Irish bookmakers have pulled – in President Barack Obama’s first term in office Paddy Power offered odds on whether Mr Obama would be assassinated. As with many of these other cases, half-hearted apologies and a promises to remove the offending adverts allowed the disgraceful marketing department to get away with the most distasteful and disrespectful practices in advertising history.

I would advocate three solutions to this shocking publicity stunt: firstly, Paddy Power should wholeheartedly apologise to the Steenkamp family, secondly, they should make a donation to a charity that helps prevent violence against women and thirdly, they should refrain from creating tabloid filling publicity that promotes violence of any kind or any discrimination. These steps would go some way to repairing the damage caused by irresponsible campaigning.

If you want to sign the petition go to www.change.org and search ‘Paddy Power.’

Manchester archaeologists win national award

Written by Aidan Gregory on . Posted in News.

Ever wondered if in 11,000 years people will be digging up your house, looking through your belongings?

This is what a team of archaeologists from the universities of Manchester and York have been doing in East Yorkshire for the last nine years. The team have been piecing together the use of the Star Carr site by hunter-gatherers at the end of the last Ice Age around 9,000 BC.

Directors of the investigation, Professor Nicky Milner, from University of York, Dr Chantal Conneller, from University of Manchester, and Dr Barry Taylor, who now works at the University of Chester, were shocked but overjoyed when they discovered they had won  “Research Project of the Year” at the national Current Archaeology Awards 2014. The award was decided by a public vote.

“It has been a real privilege to excavate such an exciting site and to communicate our findings to the public. It’s great news that our work at Star Carr has caught the public imagination. We hope that our work will inspire future generations to continue to study this period”, Dr Conneller said.

The digging at Star Carr has revealed the oldest house discovered in Britain, along with some of the oldest carpentry in Europe.

The site was inhabited by hunter gatherers from just after the last ice age, for a period of between 200 and 500 years.

Professor Milner said, “We are delighted that so many people are interested in Star Carr and the lives of our ancestors who lived 11,000 years ago.”

Dr Taylor added, “This is a fantastic award to receive. The Mesolithic is a neglected period of our past, so it is great to see the work that we’ve been carrying out at one of its most famous sites receiving such an endorsement from the public.”

The team have published a book, and will also present their findings in a yearlong exhibition at the Yorkshire Museum.

Siemens Executive awarded honorary professorship

Written by Aidan Gregory on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

Juergen Maier, Managing Director of Siemens UK and Ireland Industry Sector and a member of the Siemens UK Executive Management Board, has been awarded an honorary professorship by the University of Manchester.

Maier, an outspoken advocate of industry in the UK economy,  is due to take up the five year post within the faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences.

Born in Germany, Maier moved to the UK with his family at the age of ten. He went to school in Leeds before going to Nottingham Trent University to study a Siemens sponsored degree in production engineering.

After graduating, Maier immediately began his career with the company at the award-winning Drives Factory in Congleton, Cheshire. He then held posts in Germany and the UK, rising through the ranks to become Director of Industrial Controls, Divisional Managing Director, and most recently Managing Director of Siemens UK and Ireland Industry Sector.

In a statement to the University, Maier said, “I am delighted to be awarded a professorship with The University of Manchester. It will be a privilege to be directly involved in the education of our next generation of highly skilled engineers. Critically, this builds on the relationship Siemens shares with the University as a strategic partner, further embedding our commitment to share resources and knowledge.

“Together, we will work on promoting the benefits of a career in high value manufacturing and green engineering, which of course can only be enhanced by the excellent R&D reputation the University holds.”

Professor Colin Bailey, Vice-President and Dean of the University’s Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, said, “We are very pleased that Juergen has accepted an Honorary Chair at the University. His knowledge of the engineering and manufacturing sector will support us in the education of the next generation of engineers to ensure that they have the required skills to address the challenges facing society now and in the future.”

Siemens are one of the world’s leading engineering and manufacturing companies. Based in Munich, Germany, they employ around 13,500 people in the UK alone.

Simply fad-u-lous

Written by Skye Scott on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

image: topshop.com

Pool Sliders: Topshop: £55.00

You may think that fashion fads are just for fashion industry insiders, crazy bloggers and attention seekers. But this summer season try to be braving some of fashion’s fad trends. By introducing just a few and styling them with your classic items, you can look fashion forward without looking like you’ve fallen out of an edgy fashion magazine.

If you’re not very brave, start of with something that is just a twist on a normal item in your wardrobe. Think of the culottes as just a wide leg trouser or long length shorts. Culottes are available in leather, satin, cotton and jersey, making a pair suitable for everyone. They are sported by some of fashions most stylish people and along with being fashion ‘it’ items are comfortable and practical. This navy satin pair will look sleek paired with black tights and loafers for the colder months, or with a striped top come summer.

 

image: zara.com

Pool Sliders: Zara: £39.99

Think back to your mum’s Birkenstocks, she’d wear in the summer with knee length shorts. They’ve had a fashion update; they are glam, cool and exactly what we want to be wearing around the pool on our summer holidays. It may not be sunny enough just yet, but once the sun comes out these are the sandals you should be wearing. These metallic ones from ZARA add a touch of glam whilst being practical and comfortable. Topshop also have plenty of coloured and floral patterned options already in stock. Wear them with your favourite denim shorts and crop top or with your swimsuit for a cool holiday look.

 

image: asos.com

Bomber Jacket: ASOS: £28.00

Sportswear is key this season, a lot of the fashion fads for summer are based on glamming up sportswear: being practical but beautiful. You may already own a pair of New Balance trainers or patterned plimsolls, but try upping your fashion game by donning a bomber jacket. The bomber jacket is fun, edgy and versatile. Available in numerous colours, fabrics and patterns they are suitable for all occasions. This patterned one from ASOS can be worn in the day with boyfriend jeans and trainers or at night over a silky camisole.

Sleeve it yeah!

Written by Charlie Dick on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

In 20 years time a new breed of men will emerge. These men will never sport a t-shirt and shudder at the thought of the gym. They will avoid holidaying in warm climates and refuse to visit public swimming pools. If this doesn’t sound like your ideal future husband, fear not. There is a way these modern men can be identified; their sleeve.

Once reserved for hard-core biker-boys and worthy workmen, the sleeve is now another accessory for the bearded, top-knotted creative crew at your local advertising agency. Even my hairdresser got a sleeve at the weekend. However, as the tattooed arm continues to gain popularity, the reasons behind this craze are becoming increasingly unclear. One may be the need for our generation to constantly express our beliefs. A tattoo is a permanent change to your body, so it should represent something you really believe in. Religious? Get a tattoo. Patriotic? Get a tattoo. Vegetarian? Get a tattoo. They give us an opportunity to show the world who we really are. For example, nothing says ‘fighter of the bohemian revolution’ more than a selection of dice, hearts and sepia faded flowers doodled down your arm. A sleeve represents an attitude to life; carefree, creative and generally cool. It gives us an opportunity to show our individuality and uniqueness. I can only imagine the joy someone feels from knowing that 25% of the UK’s population has something very similar.

Has the crave to be kooky turned into social conformity? Are all members of the 25 percenters really that individual? My experience has taught me that after the lure of an edgy sleeve has worn off, the man behind it tends to be more boring than the tattoo-free majority. It is the same phenomenon as that of a girl with short hair; they believe a ‘different’ haircut will give them an edge, whereas actually it just provides more entertainment to those playing ‘is it a he or a she?’ on the Megabus.

Instagram: @littletattoolove

Don’t get me wrong, not all tattoos fit this category. It is socially acceptable to get a tattoo for sentimental reasons, just ensure strength in the legitimacy of these reasons. For example, I must admit there is a hidden hypocrisy to this article; I have a tattoo. It compromises of three dots on my ankle as if someone had written ‘therefore’ in shorthand. Very hipster. When asked for its relevance I used to tell people that it’s meaning of ‘ma vida loco’ lies in prison tattoo history. However, the truth is buried in a blurry alcohol stained memory of a Thai beach. Not so hipster, but a lot more believable. Similarly, I once met a girl who felt the urge to share with me her latest body addition; a heart with wings across her lower back. She then preceded to explain how the heart represented her troubled background, with the wings symbolising her struggled escape. This was, of course, complete pretentious fabrication. If you have a bad tattoo, admit it. As a result of a bet gone wrong, a friend of mine has another friend’s surname in ink across the sole of his foot. When asked, his explanation is that he is an idiot; believable, truthful and straight to the point.

Instagram: @littletattoolove

Luckily, these tattoos are all able to be hidden. A sleeve, however, is guaranteed to provide far more difficulty in concealment when the inevitable regret sets in. Like most fashions, the sleeve is a fad. This fad will disappear in due time, but the evidence of it will remain. Once a symbol of rebellion to social norms, the inked-up arm is soon to be to the young man what the tramp stamp has become to the young woman. When the boy becomes a man and tackles responsibilities such as fatherhood and mortgage repayments, he may question whether he was ever that kooky and individual. With a pair of scissors and a blade the top-knot and beard can be dealt with. However, the sleeve will cling to its owners conscience forever, serving as a regular reminder of just how ordinary he really is. Oh, for a beach holiday.

Top 5: Immortal fashion pieces

Written by Scarlett Whittell on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

My annual spring clean is underway, and as a result I can’t get in my bedroom due to overflowing drawers. Having realised that I haven’t worn half of the items strewn across my floor, I am going to make a resolution. Never again will I fritter away my student loan on clothes that go out of fashion before I’ve managed to get out of the shop. I will be sensible(ish) and invest in fashion that doesn’t have an expiry date. Then, with the pennies that I save I’ll buy champagne and Lindt chocolates. Sounds good doesn’t it. Right, so let’s have a look at the 5 pieces which will always look good, regardless of the decade.

1. LBD

If you don’t own a little black dress, you seriously need to rethink your principles. It’s sexy, demure, classic … basically it is everything you will ever need. Don’t know what to wear on a night out? Cue the LBD. Feel like wearing something pretty whilst you shovel ice cream into your face during the cold, lonely nights? LBD! Do you understand the point I’m trying to hammer home girls? If you don’t own one, buy one.

Harrods.co.uk

2. Red Lipstick

It really is amazing what a coat of the red stuff can do. In mere seconds your whole look is transformed. This Tom Ford shade is my absolute favourite – it’s worth the investment just for the thrill of skipping down Market Street with a designer bag swinging at your side. Make sure that you never leave your precious lippy unattended, however. I learnt the hard way that little sisters don’t understand what Tom Ford means, and think it’s funny to smudge it across their faces. Yes, four years on and I’m still holding a grudge.

 

zara.co.uk

3. Leather Jacket  

You can hardly tell the difference between faux leather and the real thing these days, which is great news on two fronts. Firstly, we save a cow. Secondly, we save some dollar. Every high street store has a variety of jackets to offer, but for me Zara is the winner. The simple design will ensure that you still love your leather friend in years to come.

 

dorothyperkins.co.uk

4. Black Heels

Finding the perfect pair of black heels is so difficult, it’s actually a joke. Earlier this year I lost one of my long-standing favorites whilst socializing in Manchester (don’t ask). Since that heartbreaking evening, I have marched into town on three separate occasions, determined to find a new pair. I didn’t have any luck, and ended up knocking back pricey cappuccinos in a desperate attempt to cheer myself up. Eventually I resorted to the internet because, frankly, my bank balance can’t afford any more high-end coffee. And look what I have found! The perfect pair of black heels. Thank you Dorothy Perkins.

 

tiffany.co.uk

5. DIAMONDS

A little optimistic on a student budget, yes. But you’ve got to take Shirley Bassey’s word for it on this one – diamonds are forever. When the glorious day arrives, and you are partnered with a big shiny rock your immortal fashion collection will be complete.