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Month: September 2014

No one is sure how to solve the problem of sexual harassment

Last week the NUS released statistics showing that more than one third of women have faced sexual harassment at university. The NUS seems to blame the prevalence of sexual harassment at university on what it calls ‘Lad Culture’ which it defines as “behaviors and attitudes that belittle, dismiss, joke about or even seem to condone rape and sexual harassment.” Yet these are so widespread that it is impossible to pinpoint a specific place where lad culture asserts itself. And then how do you explain the 12 per cent of male students who also reported being sexually harassed?

A female student I spoke to said that sexual harassment is everywhere: “All of my girl friends have experienced sexual harassment at some point in their university life.” Yet she finds that this harassment has been normalized: “It is often brushed off as banter. I was catcalled five times last night walking back home.” After speaking to female students, the NUS statistics seem shocking only in how few girls they found to have experienced sexual harassment at university. Nearly every female I spoke to had a story: from the club bouncer who put his hand up a student’s skirt because he knew that “you all like it really,” to a guy who asked a friend of mine “how drunk are you?” before groping her in a club. What separates these two examples is how seriously they are viewed. In the words of one friend, “When it happens from older men people realise it is sexual harassment, but if it happens from guys our age it is brushed off as banter.”

This banter is what the NUS is keen to expose as unacceptable. Yet so far, the rhetoric from those campaigning against sexual harassment at universities has too often been confusing, contradictory and condescending. A national newspaper made the enlightening revelation that “you don’t have to be laddish,” whilst one commentator came out with the killer line, “We are the lads and we must take responsibility.” When the campaign against sexual harassment sounds so feeble it is not suprising “bantz” prevails.

There are some better examples of what those campaigning against sexual harassment have done, in so far as making it easier to report incidents. The ‘We Get It!’ campaign launched in conjunction with the University of Manchester and the Students’ Union has established two dedicated Sexual Harassment Advisors in the Equality and Diversity Team. Also, a reporting system for sexual harassment is launching on the homepage of an online portal for the issue in November.

If we can establish anything from the statistics released by the NUS it is that sexual harassment at university is a problem far more complex than the buzzwords thrown around, such as ‘Lad Culture’ and ‘Zero Tolerance’. Sexual harassment is normalized: it is happening every day; it is not confined to the habitat of the sports team and heavy drinking where the NUS in its ‘That’s what she said report’ have said it exists. It is happening to both male and female students but a lot more to the latter. The ‘We are the students and we must take responsibility’ approach seems to be the only way forward, it just needs something catchier.

 

Sexual Harassment Help at University of Manchester:

 

  • We Get It! Campaign Website
    http://wegetit.nationbuilder.com/
    Campaign set up by University of Manchester and Students’ Union. Get support, get informed and join the campaign against sexual harassment.

 

 

The Charity Shop Challenge

Your overdraft is threatening to eat you up and your loan has long since been kindly donated to Manchester’s neediest clubs, bars and chicken shops. A bit like central heating and booze that isn’t own brand, new threads seem but a distant dream. However, I’ll let you in on a little secret that only the savviest of shoppers know. Clothes that are as cheap as chips and indeed chicken strips are sitting waiting for a kindly second owner to give them a loving home. Look no further than your local high street charity shops.

Last week’s issue gave you our guide to all things shopping in Manchester, singing the praises of the city’s well-stocked charity shops. So this week we’ve put our money where our mouth is, scouring the second hand stores of Fallowfield, Withington and Didsbury to find an amazing outfit for under a tenner:

The chazza shop haul, photo credit: Aimée Grant Cumberbatch

Entirely sourced from Mind, Cancer Research and Oxfam, not only would this outfit look at home on a rail in Topshop, it’s also a little how to guide to wearing those fancy dress purchases in real life (yes, I did wear that skirt to Pangaea). Bought for only £3, this A-line gem is the perfect way to get your claws into this season’s trend for all things leopard. Teamed with a sleek black polo neck £2, you can keep the northern chill at bay in sweet 60s style.

Key to any showstopping look is of course accessories and this black faux leather satchel (£5) takes this outfit from cheap to chic, with plenty of space to stash your stuff.

Outfit = £10

That smug look on your face when your friends ask you where you got that corker of an ensemble and you respond “What, this? Oh just a little something I picked up down the chazza shop.” = Priceless.

Style points = 1000000

As seen on my bank statement

You know that friend who always takes things too far? Well that’s me. A housemate recently labelled me dangerous to go shopping with; I never leave empty handed and encourage the same attitude in those around me. Even sober, my levels of self-control are dire. Sooner or later though, something has to give. In my case it’s always my bank balance and standard of living that take the hit.

I’ve always adored shopping but the boom of online shops in recent years has meant the said adoration has developed into something more sinister. In truth, my life is shadowed by my addiction to online shopping.

ASOS came into my life and changed me forever. It’s pretty shallow as far as addictions go but it’s hard to beat the exhilaration that comes from waking up to a present your past self was considerate enough to send you. If a greater felicity exists, I’m yet to experience it.

So what is it about online shopping that is so irresistible? Well real life shops close in the evening, and that’s just cruel. ASOS is there for me 24/7: whether it’s to look hot on a night out, to look smart in a seminar, to stay warm in my student house or to cheer myself up after a particularly gruelling day. Seriously, that’s a good friend right there.

Online outlets always have your size in stock, which is usually a sign that you should definitely buy, buy, buy. But the major draw is the fact that online shops like Missguided, Nasty Gal, Boohoo and ASOS have a greater variety and much faster overturn of stock. The ‘New In’ section is basically a daily doorway to a better you.

In this world of damp houses, dodgy oven food and Sainsbury’s basics vodka, online shopping offers a non-toxic escape. So yes, I sacrifice groceries, I buy new loafers instead of books for my course but I’m happy. Isn’t that the key to life? Well I’m happy for the day or two after I open that beautiful silver parcel of dreams. Then I start to feel just as un-chic as I did previously so I have to buy something else to fill the void and so it goes on.

There is no rehab for shopping addicts; there are only advertisements left, right and centre promising you a better life. And of course, it doesn’t help that ASOS sends me beautiful love notes every day. How can I break it off when they haven’t even done anything wrong? I’d tell you I’m working on it, that I’m battling this addiction each day at a time but that would be a lie. It’s a problem I’m willing to live with.

Well, at least it’s not heroin.

The Criminal Negligence of Non-Intervention

It is clear that humanitarian aid is needed to counter the Islamic State (IS). It is of the utmost importance that aid is given in order to, or at the very least, allow for the restoration of the Iraqi and Syrian governments, and to pacify escalating conflict.

IS is a prominent extremist jihadist group in Syria and Iraq that is currently fighting government forces and opposing rebel groups alike. In essence, this is a conflict between two sects of Islam: Shia and Sunni, the former with which IS is aligned.

Even so, IS represent a very extremist view of their religion, so far removed from it that I would claim it as no longer representative of Islamic teaching. It seeks territory between the two aforementioned countries, hoping to conquer Mediterranean states as far as Spain, in order to force their sect of Islam upon citizens of these nations, which in its nature harms the livelihood of those around them.

Whilst unlikely that they would ever reach as far west as Greece, let alone Spain, there is every risk that they continue expanding in Iraq, Syria and countries currently uninvolved such as Turkey. This cannot be allowed to take place.

I would argue that this is just stating the obvious; these are human beings who need urgent assistance from those who can give help.

Statements such as “IS do not concern us,” or “nothing would have happened to us if we minded our own business,” are wrong—no more, no less. The Western world is already involved, purely from living in a globalised world where blurred borders are the norm, and it is no longer the case that we so easily brush aside the issues of those from the other side of the world.

It is evident that the danger of the situation to both Arab and Western civilians is great. Islamic State is very much a global threat, no longer exclusive to Iraq and Syria, and is torturing and murdering huge swathes of these nations’ populations. Humanitarian aid is necessary to protect the safety of not only Iraqi and Syrian citizens, but also the rest of the world.

British and American citizens are, wrongly or rightly, already fighting for or against IS in the Middle East. The all-pervasive internet and social media hosted by western servers are being used to further the aims of IS. The convoluted and confusing nature of the global economy means that we are indirectly funding IS bit by bit, no matter how hard we try to avoid it and no matter the sanctions we impose.

In 2012, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development reported that the UK donates £8.57 billion to humanitarian aid. While this may sound like a lot, this constitutes only 0.56% of our nation’s GDP.

We owe more to the global society. British and American reporters have already given their lives to broadcasting the cruel nature of fundamentalism and of IS; if humanitarian intervention is not seen as necessary for Iraqi and Syrian citizens, then it must at least be seen as necessary for our own.

It is understandable how further intervention could be counter-productive; anything more from America may fuel further anger from IS and beget anger and increased violence. Some would go so far as to say that there has been enough violence already.

Humanitarian intervention also has the potential to ease existing and potential tensions between Western and Middle Eastern states.  The Secretary of State of the US John Kerry also advocates humanitarian intervention and stated that IS was the “single greatest threat” that the people of Iraq and Syria now face. It was recently announced in the news that Mr. Kerry was in talks with various Middle Eastern nations in order to co-ordinate relief for the humanitarian crisis in Northern Iraq.

There are ten nations that have offered their help: Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Within this hitherto alliance, there are nations that have had for themselves a difficult history.

The obvious one to note is Iraq, whose occupation by America has only subsided fairly recently. An alliance however allows for peace between Western and Arab nations. Cooperation and negotiation allows for a greater understanding and this will hopefully bring light to the fact that this war is as much a problem for the Arabian Peninsula as it is for America.

The discussion on humanitarian aid will always be difficult. It is much easier to sit on the fence rather than actively contribute. After all, we are all fully aware of the consequences of intervention. Nonetheless, there is one purely fundamental reason to help out in Northern Iraq and Syria; there are lives at risk and people are suffering through no fault of their own. Families, children and defence forces are being tortured, murdered, mutilated and torn apart. If this were happening in our own nation, we would then all intervene.

It is never permissible to allow the suffering of the innocent. George Santayana’s famous quote, “Those who do not know history’s mistakes are doomed to repeat them,” should be enough; for we have stood by and watched before in Rwanda, Cambodia, and Bosnia. There are countless more examples where the idleness of the international community and the undue hesitance towards intervention led to the slaughter of innocents; repercussions of which are still felt today by the people of these places.

If we want to build a better world, a world of peace and tolerance, then we cannot allow criminal extremism to take hold, let alone allow a fundamentalist and destructive force such as IS rise unopposed.

Ignoring this would only encourage terrorism, encourage hatred and destroy the foundations of the peaceful world we are trying to build as an international society. Non-interventionism may be popular—governments don’t want to lose votes—however, it is criminally negligent to use non-intervention as a political tool.

We cannot ignore the basic rights that we as humans possess and we cannot ignore the plight of those suffering around us. We may not be able to see them, to hear them, or even to understand the horror of their suffering but it is happening, and we can never permit it.

Students’ Union launches workshops to teach the Skills for Change

A series of workshops coordinated by the Students’ Union, ‘Skills for Change’ launches on Tuesday 30th September 2014, 6:00 pm, Club Academy at the University of Manchester Students’ Union.

The training programme is a rework of last year’s ‘Activist Academy Workshops’.

There are many sessions already planned including; An introduction to campaigning, Creative campaigning, Graphic design, Direct Action and the Women’s Campaign training event.

The Campaigns and Citizenship Officer, Conor McGurran hopes the event will be “the beginning of a more collaborative atmosphere for campaign groups.

“The aim is to equip students to campaign for change whether that is to lobby the University on an issue or raise awareness of global problems”.

The workshops present the chance to meet the whole range of Manchester Students’ Union’s campaigning societies, hear from passionate speakers and get involved.

The launch welcomes speakers from numerous successful campaigns around the country, including Sheila Coleman, spokeswoman for the Hillsborough Justice Campaign.

Many more high profile speakers are due to be announced in the run up to the event. The event will also hear from campaigners who were involved in Manchester student campaign groups last year.

In a final comment McGurran said, “whether you’re involved in a campaigning group or not, come along to find out more or pick up useful skills. Many of the events will be helpful to show students how to plan successful events, manage projects, campaign effectively and more”.

If there are any students who wish to start a campaign there is funding available and the Students’ Union can help—see http://manchesterstudentsunion.com/funds for more infomation.

To find out more about ‘Skills for Change’ as it is announced, visit manchesterstudentsunion.com/skills.

Or if you would like more information or have any ideas, email the Campaigns and Citizenship Officer at [email protected] or the Campaigns Coordinator at [email protected].

Any campaigning societies or groups who wish to have a stall at the launch should also get in contact with [email protected].

Manchester’s Top Art Secrets

China is undoubtedly a breathtaking country with years of traditions and rituals which form a truly unique identity for the people who live there. However within our modern world, China is in danger of losing all of this as international travel and immigration becomes easier.

Manchester has the largest Chinese community in the UK and one of the largest Chinatowns in Europe which makes it the perfect place to explore this traditional and unrivalled culture through art and trans-cultural debates which affect the country’s future.

The Centre for Chinese Contemporary Arts is like a secret haven. Down some back streets in the Northern Quarter it sits quietly and undisturbed by students. This is what makes this place so unique. When walking through the front door, you are suddenly hit by the exoticness of China and you are able to get a real sense of the dynamic and ever-changing Chinese culture from the galleries of art displayed.

The Centre, which has been a starting point for many exceptional artists who go on to receive international acclaim, has been displaying various works of art for almost 30 years. Not only does this centre act as a gallery, but also holds many projects for visitors to take part in and is a venue for many festivals throughout the year.

Next week, the Asia Triennial Manchester festival opens and the Chinese Centre for Contemporary Arts will be one of the six major venues across the city to host this new festival. The theme this year is ‘Conflict and Compassion’ and the Centre will host an exhibition entitled ‘Harmonious Society’.

In the past three decades, China has seen unprecedented change. Gross domestic product has risen by 536 per cent triggering huge changes in society and rapid urbanization has produced an ever growing gap between rich and poor. Political reform and instability adds to the struggles of everyday life in the country. This is the message that the exhibition will target with the inspiring work of 30 Chinese artists.

Manchester holds many art secrets and the Chinese Centre is worth a visit for anyone who has a Chinese heritage or even just an interest in the dynamically diverse culture of the country. Learning through native artists provides a further insight than any textbook or history essay ever will.

The Book vs. the Kindle

The popularity of Amazon’s Kindle is ever growing in size and the temptation for students in purchasing this pocket-sized gadget has never been greater. But it comes down to something of a war between the people of the book vs. the people of the Kindle. The Kindle has been designed with the new modern reader in mind, and with the lowest price being just £69 for one of the older models, there is a mass temptation to trade all of your course readers and novels for this one small handy Kindle. I, however, will be holding onto the old-fashioned route and maintaining my visits to the local charity bookshops and libraries alike. With the Kindle comes the loss of the social side of reading. Books are no longer passed onto friends and family members, as we simply purchase from the suggested novels page after reading our recommended bestseller from our Kindle app. While I may sound very cynical here, it is much more to do with the loss of the lifestyle of reading and lifestyle of books rather than the books themselves that irritates me. With this new reader comes the loss of the attachment to the book and its author.

For most of those who would choose the Kindle it is to do with both the reduction of price and, of course, room space, as I know very well books can take up a whole lot of space. This is understandable and it is the biggest selling point of the Kindle itself. However it is the attitude towards reading that comes with the simplified aisles of the Kindle’s store that upsets book readers like myself. But the truth is that books are simply not something we covet anymore, and the dusty shelves of the library are being obliterated by the clean and simple online aisles of Amazon’s book shop. So who are you going to be siding with this September: the people of the book or the people of the Kindle?

Review: Hohokum

Hohokum is a 2D exploration game which puts you in control of a psychedelic sperm that harbours visions of cosmic worlds and alien monkey playmates, allowing you to meander playfully through a timeless and effulgent dimension presided over by nothing. Ostensibly an arty-farty indie offering with plinky-plonky music, the designers at Honeyslug have nevertheless managed to distinguish their game by keeping their noses out of the player’s business; no context is given in the opening, no instructions are plastered over the screen to tell you what to do and there are no voice-overs to guide you through the experience. Instead, you spawn in an abstract level hub and travel through portals into mystical environments, interacting with background scenery, oddball characters and various little mechanisms and contraptions as you go with no overruling objective in mind. The game employs a free-form, experimental structure, from the very fluidity of the spermy snake’s movement (imagine Snake but without the dodgems-esque rigidity) right down to the level design which encourages self-governed exploration and trial and error.

The game gleefully trades in minimalism and catharsis, qualities which won’t appeal to all gamers in equal measures. Those looking for a puzzle-driven adventure replete with intricate platforming elements and a twee plot will come away from Hohokum in a bewildered grump. If, however, you’re of an altogether calmer disposition and you can entertain the idea of a game whereby the very act of playing is considered an object in and of itself, then this might just interest you. There’s no denying the marriage between soundtrack and art style is spot on here. The simple and cutesy character sprites are complemented perfectly by jingling bells and chirrupy whistles, and what’s more the music functions dynamically in tandem with the player’s actions, acting as a feedback mechanism whilst layering on the dreamy vibes. Occasionally you will marvel at the overall effect the game produces when firing on all cylinders, spitting out vibrant explosions and pulsating rhythms as you glide from foreground and background.

Unfortunately for Hohokum the effect does wear off. Level progression becomes tedious when the next environmental trigger cannot be located, and this is bound to happen a handful of times in a single play through because the player cannot always rely on their logic alone to reach the next cue, with some puzzles bordering on the opaque. Sometimes the player must exhaust the entire layout of a level in the hope of connecting with the next vital switch or character, and if this takes more than five minutes or so, the magical spell is broken. I also wish to warn you if your parents supervise your playtime. My Dad walked in on me when I sat down to play the game in the living room. Being an ex-gamer who only deigns to enjoy the hobby when slipping into a Tomb Raider-fuelled relapse, he observed me colouring in circles with the pink snake as if I was a peasant chewing at a pair of genital buboes. It was much worse than cast-iron scepticism—it was sheer disgust. Unless you have artistically-minded parents who are capable of suppressing their reactions, make sure you play Hohokum in private, for if they catch you in the act, they’ll take the mick and get you on the defensive. But far more unbearable is the niggling feeling that they might just have a point.

Hohokum is now available for download on PS3, PS4 and PS Vita.

Politics and Students of Today

A point was raised in a book I was reading, a nonchalant point that was quickly passed over but nevertheless made me think a little about its validity. Is politics less important to students of today?

We’ve seen the traditional relationship between students and politics through history. The Vietnam war inspired thousands of students to condemn and oppose America’s involvement in the war but why are Manchester streets lacking this type of action when serious events are happening around the world such as the Gaza and Israel conflict?

Is this because of a general lack of interest in world issues or is it that people are getting their messages across through different ways so an old fashioned protest is pretty much a wasted effort?

If you’ve been on the internet for long enough, it’s definitely not hard to find someone ranting about something and this sparking debates and arguments. Maybe the reason that students are not as much out there as inside is that modern creations such as social media have become a very useful tool for getting thoughts across, something that was missing in the 70s. A status update on Facebook is easily done and the ability to comment on that status means that people exchange their opinions in a simpler and easier way. Furthermore, with Twitter, hashtags can be used to promote focus on certain topics. Just because interest in politics may be more online-based, it doesn’t mean that it lacks influence.

There can also be the point that students are, arguably, a lot more cared for than our parents were as students. Living as a student and not having a necessarily easy time can increase empathy and a desire to change a situation. Student Life said that universities now are focusing more on the quality of student living therefore the relatedness to tough situations may be decreased.

Then again, there may be a lack of interest. Universities have became open to a more diverse group of people over the years, which means that people have different interests, and things they feel passionate about. Also, with many different degree programmes being introduced, a student’s focus tends to be restricted to that area so politics may not be such a dominating thought.

The Huffington Post found that the majority of students spend 30 minutes or less following political news over a three day span and that while students do read about politics, they don’t really engage with or discuss what they’re reading.

I’m not sure how I would have approached politics in the 1950s. I’m not someone to bring up a political topic just for the sake of debating about it, but I think that’s just the type of person I am and nothing to do with the time I’m in. There may be just more people like that nowadays.

Is it an issue though? I don’t think so, people aren’t keeping quiet about what they stand for or what is happening in the world, the development of the internet has simply improved the ability to share opinions. It may even be a good thing since it can allow people who are more shy and reserved to get their point across in a less confrontational way. A debate is healthy, but it can easily escalate to something personal and by removing that face to face confrontation, you are able to set out what you think and move on once all that’s needed to be said is said.

Minecraft – The $2.5 Billion Cultural Phenomenon

When Markus “Notch” Persson started Minecraft in 2009 he was on his own. Minecraft began as a small and relatively unknown indie-game, developed by one man and inspired by a combination of other obscure games such Dwarf Fortress and Infiniminer. The game became known when Notch wrote the basic game code and casually mentioned it on a site for independent game players and creators. A month later he was charging people $10 to download the game, selling 40 copies in the first week. Notch has now sold his company to US tech giant Microsoft for a mammoth $2.5 billion. Prior to its sale on September 15th, Minecraft has sold nearly 54 million copies, becoming a cultural phenomenon in the process.

At its core, Minecraft is a sandbox construction game that has also been dubbed ‘digital Lego’. However, to categorise Minecraft into a game genre does a disservice to its spirit. The game drops the player into a randomly generated world made from blocks, allowing the player to either explore the expansive map or become creative. Every block in the world can be harvested and “crafted” onto something else. All the while there is a looming threat that, once the sun goes down, the creepers come out and it becomes a survival game. Minecraft is an immersive experience that is entirely player-driven and the players’ enjoyment of the game is dictated by their own imagination and sense of adventure. Game designers such as Peter Molyneux have called Minecraft “the best game of the last ten years”.

That Minecraft has become globally iconic is in part due to its unique “blocky” art style. By May 2012 over $1 million had been made from the sale of merchandise alone, with creepers and grass blocks adorning everything from shirts to socks. Much of Minecraft’s initial popularization revolved around its spreading through social media. YouTubers such as Pewdiepie and Yogscast promoted the game with Let’s Play commentaries and sites such as Reddit and 4chan also helped the growth of the game’s popularity.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in a statement, “Minecraft is more than a great game franchise—it is an open world platform, driven by a vibrant community we care deeply about.” This highlights how Microsoft sees much of their $2.5 billion valuation of Minecraft. Not just in the game itself but through the ‘cult’ and social media surrounding it.

However, this is the same ‘cult’ that Notch wanted to escape. In a recent statement he said, “it’s not about the money. It’s about my sanity… I’m not an entrepreneur. I’m not a CEO. I’m a nerdy computer programmer who likes to have opinions on Twitter.”

This helps to emphasise an increasingly worrying trend in the gaming industry. Namely, that game developers and YouTube stars alike have become sick and tired of enduring criticism and abuse from the internet. YouTube sensations such as TotalBiscuit and Pewdiepie have both removed their comment sections, claiming that they felt they were unable to connect anymore with their fans in a meaningful way.

Boogie2988, famous for his viral video of a nerd raging about having had his World of Warcraft account hacked, also states that, “Notch learnt the hard way, that being an internet persona—you get a lot of hate—you get a lot of harassment and you have to deal with a lot of bullsh*t.”

Whilst there is unquestionably an unsavoury exposure that comes with the creation of a cultural phenomenon such as Minecraft, there is also a youthful appeal to the franchise that Microsoft sees a lot of value in. Amongst Minecraft’s huge fan base lies a young demographic of largely 8 – 15 years olds that could emerge as a hugely valuable consumer base for the company.

The future of Microsoft also revolves around mobile and cross-platform applications. Such an enthusiasm for cross-platform IPs was reflected in their recent acquisition of Skype for $8.5 billion. Minecraft similarly gives Microsoft a property that plays well on a desktop, iOS and Android. There is a fair chance that Minecraft could be the next Lego-like franchise, with the potential to spark the imagination of a generation and deliver the huge monetary profits which would accompany this.

With Microsoft’s acquisition of Minecraft many fans have become worried that their beloved franchise may be over-monetised by a company that is renowned for its profit first approach to business. Such fears are justified but it is likely that little will change. Microsoft has kept much of the same staff in Mojang employed on the game and it is likely that Microsoft knows the Minecraft community well enough to keep its intervention to a minimum.

What comes next for Minecraft is largely unknown, but one thing we do know is that it will not involve its creator. For a game that claims its only limit is your own imagination, it has become such a cultural phenomenon that it has even outgrown Notch himself.

Beauty Starts in the Kitchen

Egg and Olive Oil Hair Mask

If your hair is damaged and frazzled from years of straightening and brushing, extortionate Kerastase treatments aren’t necessarily the only option. Simply whisk two egg whites with four tablespoons of olive oil and apply to dry hair, leaving to soak in a shower cap. After 30 minutes, rinse out with warm water. Use this treatment a few times a month to restore damaged hair to its original glossy state, leaving it feeling soft and hydrated.

 

Berry-Yoghurt Sun Repair Mask

For those of you lucky enough to have had a summer of sun, sea and sangria, chances are your skin is feeling a little sun-stricken. Instead of investing in expensive and unreliable sun rescue treatments, just mash 10 blueberries and mix with a tablespoon of natural yoghurt before applying to your face for 15 minutes. The vitamin-rich berries help to fight fine lines and dryness caused by sun exposure and the lactic acid of the yoghurt exfoliates the upper layers of the skin, repairing UV damage.

 

DIY Salt Spray

Just because the holidays are over doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice your mermaid-esque locks.  Bring a bit of the beach to Manchester by mixing two cups of warm water, two tbsp of sea salt, two tbsp of vodka and a blob of hair gel and pouring into an empty spray bottle. Next spray onto damp hair, scrunch and let it dry naturally for perfectly textured tresses this semester.

 

Green Tea and Grapefruit Toner

This toner, which works wonders for oily/combination skin helps to tighten pores, stunt sebum production and calm enflamed acne. All you need is two green tea bags steeped in water, the juice of half a grapefruit and a ¼ cup of witch hazel. Bottle up and refrigerate for daily use.

Sexual harassment rife at UK universities

NUS president Toni Pierce has called on university authorities to tackle ‘lad culture’ at universities following a recent NUS survey.

The survey revealed that one in four UK students have experienced unwanted sexual advances at university. One in three women surveyed reported they had experienced harassment in the form of inappropriate groping and touching.

More than a third of women and 16 per cent of men also said they had experienced unwanted sexual comments about their bodies.

More than a third of respondents were also aware of promotional material around university depicting sexualised images of women.

As well as this, 37 per cent said they had seen students put up with unwanted sexual comments.

Lad Culture National Strategy Team Ambassador Laura Bates said, “students are experiencing sexism, sexual harassment and assault within the university environment. It is worth mentioning that one category of such experiences: ‘inappropriate touching and groping’, actually constitutes sexual assault under UK law.”

She said: “Though many students would not label it as such, this normalisation and lack of awareness is a major part of the problem.”

The study also revealed a lack of awareness or provisions in place for students, with 60 per cent of respondents admitting they were unaware of codes of conduct implemented by their universities regarding reporting of incidents.

75 per cent of students said they were familiar with online communities such as “The Lad Bible” and “Uni Lad”, however 63 per cent of women and 43 per cent of men agreed they show an unfair representation of women.

Lad culture is defined by the NUS as a set of widespread attitudes and behaviours that “belittle, dismiss, joke about or even seem to condone rape and sexual assault.”

NUS president Toni Pierce said: “Sadly, all of these elements exist in campus life, we know because we hear it from students. They told us in the Hidden Marks report in 2010, they revealed the depths of lad culture in ‘That’s what she said’ last year, and they’ve spoken again.”

She said: “These stats show that harassment is rife on campus, but we still we keep hearing from universities that there is no fear, no intimidation, no problem—well, this new research says otherwise.”

As a result of the results the NUS is launching a pilot scheme for five to ten UK Students’ Unions to investigate what lad culture is like on their campuses and assess the measures in place to tackle it.

The University of Manchester’s Students’ Union is an accredited zero tolerance union. Staff and students are asked to take the We Get It pledge, to demonstrate the commitment to create a welcoming and inclusive university community.

Women’s Officer Jess Lishak said: “We want to ensure that all staff and students are aware of the campaign and their responsibility as members of our University community to not participate in ‘lad culture’ and to call it out when they see it.”

“The campaign will also be improving the way that students access support by creating an easy and accessible online reporting system on the homepage of the online portal which will be launched as part of a wider We Get It campaign against all forms of bullying and harassment in November.”

Any student who experiences verbal or physical sexual assault on the premises are encouraged to alert any member of staff, who will refer you to a specially trained duty manager immediately for the relevant support.

The university also has several harassment advisers trained to help if students need someone to talk to, whose contact details can be found on the Students’ Union website.

Review: Zadie Smith’s White Teeth

Zadie Smith’s debut novel, White Teeth, is both epic and intimate. It is completely compelling piece of literature that is rid of the qualms and introversions of any other debut novel. It is Smith’s unafraid approach to her debut and her evident ambition that caused White Teeth to receive unprecedented approval from both critics and readers alike. It is both the winner of the Guardian First Book Award and one of TIME Magazine’s 100 best English-language Novels from 1923 to 2005.

White Teeth‘s quirky take on the lives and histories of two North London families takes on big themes for a debut, considering gender, faith, race, history and culture and she triumphs. White Teeth follows the lives of both Archie—a cockney—and his best friend Samad Iqbal—a Bengali Muslim. This is a pairing that is both rare and poignant, and it is Smith’s breadth of vision that allows us as readers to follow the two histories of these intertwined families, from the battlefields of WWII to the streets of North London. However it is her mockery of the ideas of roots and heritage that allow this depiction of the multicultural Britain to be so comical. Smith uses a plethora of different characters to depict the multiple different cultural viewpoints of society today, it is a wicked play of characters and plot that takes us from the opinions of a Jehovah’s Witness to a Eugenicist. Her confident accuracy and portrayal of the diaspora of multicultural Britain allows for us as the reader to become immediately attached to each character, as we sympathise with their need to find just exactly who they are. She hits the nail on the head with this book of self-discovery as Smith jests at the idea that we are who we are simply because of our genetic background.

Although it could be expected that from a debut of such epic proportions it would only skim over the surface of each of the characters, whilst Smith’s novel does cover a vast array of themes, we as readers have an unprecedented amount of omniscience for each character. We know every detail of their family history and their pre-set archetypal family traits and this allows us to truly connect with each and every character. While it is evident that Smith as the author connects more so with some of her characters, namely Irie Jones, the half-Jamaican half-British teenage girl, which allows for an essence of autobiographical flourish that creates an authenticity in her depiction of each plot point. It is the odd mix of characters that enables Smith to square up to the big question at the forefront of many minds: “who am I and why am I here?”

Smith’s wit and rich plot allow her to set up some interesting takes on the modern day Britain. Something that has multiple layers of meaning throughout the duration of the novel follows the trials and tribulations of ‘Future Mouse’. This is a question of a genetically altered mouse whose role is to prove that the power of science and intellect can triumph over the randomness of genes and DNA. But ‘Future Mouse’ himself has a bit of attitude like many of Smith’s characters as he gladly seizes his freedom and runs with it, this occurs before his impending genetic programming. This is Smith’s way of pulling all the characters back together at the end and showing that this small brown laboratory mouse cannot be genetically programmed to be albino-white. It is Smith’s endearing take of symbolism on issues like this that link to her view on the big themes in this novel, namely racism. Smith’s warm hearted novel takes on big questions and makes them appear ludicrously old-fashioned and it this that makes this Dickensian epic about modern Britain able to make every reader laugh from cover to cover.

Comment: Nostalgia is a damaging force in football

Nostalgia seems to be the in fashion at the moment. Many now opting for retro shirts over the latest mass produced shirt with giant sponsors. Perhaps this is because everything looks better is retrospect. The reason that everything does, simply put, is because when you look back at a fond memory you only remember the good bits, not the bad bits.

No one epitomized this more so than ‘This Morning’ presenter Eamon Holmes over Twitter after the news emerged that David Moyes had been sacked. The lifelong United Fan tweeted his longing for all the greats of United’s past to get involved in the team again, citing he wanted Nicky Butt, Scholes, Beckham, Neville to be part of the coaching staff.

His request was, of course, ridiculous. But he presumably wasn’t alone in his desire to have any player who ever scored a goal for Manchester United back at the club. He just wanted things to return to easier times, Fergie times.

In recent times, however, Manchester United’s fixation with replicating the ‘Fergie’ era and the ‘Class of ‘92’ is stopping them from progressing.

For example, the appointment of Moyes as the ‘Chosen One’, the son anointed by Christ incarnate himself was in reality the first step to his downfall.

He wasn’t selected for his merit, how could he have been?

Instead he was selected on recommendation. He clearly wasn’t the best candidate for the job when Mourinho and Klopp were presumably waiting in the wings. The reason these men weren’t selected was simple. Manchester United couldn’t have anyone who would implement a new system and eclipse the memory of Alex Ferguson so quickly, whereas Moyes was seen as continuation.

The modern football club, however, can’t be run on a philosophy of gung-ho tactics of a charismatic Scotsman.

The appointment of Louis Van Gaal is a step in rectifying this problem, however, the lingering presence of Ryan Giggs is still a sign that there is work to be done. Kluivert, one would have thought, would have been the suitable replacement for assistant manager role at Manchester United, having previously worked with Van Gaal during a successful spell with Holland.

Instead, they have Giggs, who, as far as I can see, is there simply because he has played for Manchester United for a long time.

United’s activity in the transfer market also signified a change of pace for the team who weren’t willing to buy success, and a team that was desperate to nuture home grown players as they broke the British transfer record for Angel Di Maria as well as signing Falcoa before shipping out two home grown players in Tom Cleverly and Danny Welbeck.

A similarly dangerous situation is emerging at Newcastle United as the isolation and eventual loan of playmaker Hatem Ben Arfa to Premier League rivals Hull City is causing great fan unrest.

Ben Arfa is now being used as a poster boy for the ‘revolution’, and is the catalyst for renewed anti-Pardew/Mike Ashley zeal.

This was notable at the match against Crystal Palace when a Che Guvara style poster of the Frenchman was unfurled with the word ‘HOPE’ printed below it.

The actual contribution of the player, however, can be debated. Some say he was a luxury player that a mid-table team, some say he was one of the most naturally gifted players in the Premier League.

Either way, one of the most promising players to ever emerge from the Clairefontaine academy never proved throughout his career that he was capable of maintaining his sometimes mesmerizing form as even in his league winning seasons with Marseille and Lyon he was in and out of the team.

He had a series of disciplinary offences to his name that ultimately cost his place in the Newcastle team, which as a whole are curiously ignored by the fan base, however, because he took to social media to register his love for the club, all was seemingly forgiven by the Toon Army who are now calling for the manager’s head after a 9th place finish in the Premier League last season.

Football is desperate to return to a simpler, better time, I understand that as much as anyone.

Nostalgia is the only conceivable reason I can see for the longing to return to the standing in many English clubs. There is little financial benefit, there are overwhelming safety concerns; yet when you stand at a football match, you feel more like you’re watching a game of football.

For Manchester United fans it is easy, they want to win again. Newcastle, on the other hand, wants flamboyant French wingers and exciting players to replicate ‘the entertainer’ squad of the 1990s.

Every fan up and down the country has an era they wish they could relive, and very few will pick the season they finished 9th, rather they pick the times when they were exited and in love with the club.

However, this longing for the past shouldn’t defer progress.

Review: Before I Go to Sleep

Few things can make a passionate lover of cinema’s blood simmer more than when a filmmaker wastes a great premise. What’s even worse is when it happens so often in such a sort space of time. Transcendence managed to be guilty of this abominable sin earlier this year, and now Before I Go to Sleep has managed to continue this beastly trend.

The movie tells the story of Christine Lucas (Nicole Kidman), who wakes up every morning not knowing where she is or what has happened. Her husband Ben (Colin Firth) informs her each day that she is an amnesiac who, for the past few years, has forgotten everything about her life every time she goes to sleep. She also keeps on getting calls from a scientist (Mark Strong), who claims to be studying her memory patterns while trying to cure her. Not knowing if she can trust anyone, Christine seeks to find any possible way to keep a track of her life while attempting to establish the truth about her condition.

I expect that any self-professed connoisseur of cinema will likely be quick to spot the plot similarities between Before I Go to Sleep and Christopher Nolan’s 2000 masterpiece Memento. I also anticipate that absolutely no one would walk in to a cinema with this in mind and expect Before I Go to Sleep to be any better. And, inevitably, they’re not wrong. Before I Go to Sleep is one of those cinematic ‘remakes’ that seemingly forgets what made the original great in the first place.

The main problem that Before I Go to Sleep has that Memento avoided is it’s inability for us to connect with the central character. When Christine wakes up each morning, she’s forgotten everything—we, the audience, have not. This results in a tiresome sequence of frustration inducing moments when we are forced to endure halts in the narrative to allow Christine to catch up with us.

Christopher Nolan solved this problem in Memento with his genius handling of the film’s ‘backwards’ narrative. Before I Go to Sleep seems all too aware of the fact that it’s standing in Memento’s shadow, which I assume is why they chose to follow a more conventional narrative pattern. I don’t think I need to elaborate as to how big a mistake that was.

While I’m not trying to spoil the plot for readers here, I think it’s a fairly safe assumption that any viewer would expect a large number of plot twists in a narrative like this. If you were switched on enough to make such a causal leap, then you’re in luck, for Before I Go to Sleep has what can only be described as an abundance of such plot devices. Again, this is where the filmmakers were trying to be too clever for their own good. While there are one or two effective rug-pulls, most of the occasions in which they try to trick us are so obvious and/or so insignificant in the broad scheme that by the time of the final reveal, we just don’t care. We know not to trust anyone, and therefore we don’t root for anyone either.

For all the promise that Before I Go to Sleep had with its interesting (albeit familiar) premise and its stellar cast, it pretty much manages to define a missed opportunity. If there’s one thing I love the most about this movie, it’s the irony that a movie about memory loss manages to be so forgettable. I’m guessing this irony wasn’t intentional, though.

2/5

Classic Review: The Deer Hunter

War movies are far from being an uncommon sight in popular culture, so it’s easy to let loose a groan of weariness when presented with the opportunity to watch another—while it is true that the filmmaking institution likes to squeeze every possible ounce of creative potential out the recent military conflicts of our time, if I were to name ten war movies that are essential viewing to even the most ardent sceptic of cinema, The Deer Hunter would certainly be one of them.

One thing that will probably surprise most first time viewers of this film is how little time we actually spend in the warzone. This is because The Deer Hunter is not so much a war movie as a movie about war and, more specifically, its impact on the lives of ordinary people.

Before Vietnam, we see the characters played by Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken and John Savage living their lives as normal Americans in a normal American town. By the time they’re back from the war, these three actors are playing completely different people. Anyone who has seen the film knows how much of an emotional gut-punch we get from this transformation. Everyone else can but speculate.

Although The Deer Hunter has come to be overshadowed by the cinematic colossus that is Apocalypse Now—which was released one year later—the two movies are entirely different experiences. One is a technical tour de force that gives us a haunting portrait of the war. The other is a harrowing emotional journey through the lives of people like ourselves in extraordinary surroundings. Neither of them can be missed by anyone.

Why does it always rain on me?

Rainy walk to bus, sweaty journey on bus, rainy walk from bus to lecture theatre, equatorial heat or subarctic temperatures in lecture theatre, rainy walk back to bus, repeat. If you aren’t already familiar with this gruelling cycle then you soon will be. This epic voyage through desert-worthy extremes of temperature and meteorological madness is what we call getting to uni. Yes, it’s fair to say that Manchester presents a clothing conundrum that takes a fair few drowned-rat moments to surmount. So “how to do it?” I hear you cry from beneath that barrage of broken brollies. Well first of all the key is layering. Yes people, it sounds obvious but good layers are a subtle art. Invest in high quality knitwear, well-fitting shirts and jackets that you can keep cracking out every winter until you graduate.

Now to the tricky subject that is the umbrella, unless it’s made from reinforced steel and industrial-grade tarpaulin, it won’t be long before Manchester’s made mincemeat out of yours. For the days when drizzle is as dire as it’ll get, then a small black umbrella is both chic and practical. However, when the grumpy old northerner’s in a stormier mood, it will laugh in the face of your feeble Accessorize offering. On days like this you want a raincoat with a hood, yes I said it, raincoat. But fear not fellow fashionistas, dispel those visions of macs in sacks and school trips to forsaken corners of the country, I don’t mean that kind of raincoat! Look out for navy blue duffle styles or a classic trench coat.

Right, let’s not wander around the issue, footwear presents a bit of a problem in the veritable washing-up basin that Manchester frequently resembles. Now being something of a wellington purist (that is to say festivals only), I don’t advocate that you take the wellie route, I can’t deny their practicality but they will never scream chic. However, nor do I condone the nonsensical sporting of flip flops, you know who you are, stop it. The sight of hairy toes on the morning bus is not a hangover cure. Instead I’ll level with you, last year I put my boots on in October and didn’t take them off till March; this means that your pair need to be delectable, or else you’ll just be depressed. Also, it’s wise to invest in an array of cosy wool socks which provide warmth but also a cheeky bit of decoration when left peeking out over the top.

Fresher’s Week Makeup Look

1. After priming your lids to create a smooth base, apply a rich mahogany shade allover the lid with a fluffy brush, blending out towards the brow bone.

2. Define your inner creases with a more intense shade and firmer brush, blending well to avoid patchiness. Bring this same shade underneath the eye  before highlighting your inner corners with an illuminating pigment and applying mascara and liquid liner.

3. Finally fill in you your lips with a crimson matter liner, enhancing the areas that you choose. This will ensure that your perfect pout stays in place for the entire evening. Finish off with a lick of your favourite deep red, set everything with a mattifying powder, and you’re good to go!

There’s more to Manchester than United and City

You could be forgiven for thinking that Manchester is a city where the only sport is football, and the only teams are Manchester United and Manchester City.

However, Manchester is one of the leading sporting cities in the UK, and there is a lot more sport to be found if one scratches the surface and looks past the Premier League giants. Much of this sport will be found at the University of Manchester.

The growing strength of sport in Manchester began with the 2002 Commonwealth Games, when world-class facilities such as SportCity, the Armitage Centre and the Manchester Aquatics Centre were constructed. In the decade since, sport in the city has got stronger as a result of the Games’ legacy, and the turning over of these facilities to aspiring athletes.

At the university, there are loads of ways to get involved in sport, whether you have previously played competitively or want to try something new. The Athletics Union has 42 teams that compete in the British Universities and Colleges Sport system, and 36 of these teams offer beginners’ programmes. The University of Manchester finished tenth in 2013/14, and will be looking to improve upon that this year.

All of the AU teams will be at the Freshers’ Fair in the Students Union on Tuesday 16th and Wednesday 17th September, where information on how to sign up will be available.

Students can also take part in sport in inter-hall and inter-course competitions, which is a more casual environment than the BUCS competitions, but are still a great way to compete and keep fit. Student memberships at the Armitage, Sugden and Aquatics Centres are subsidised, while the Hall Sport programme run by the university provides free sports and activities every week. More information is available at http://www.sport.manchester.ac.uk/sport/hall/.

If watching and learning about sport is more for you, Manchester again provides a huge variety of opportunities to do this.

The National Football Museum is home to the world’s largest collection of football memorabilia, including Fulham’s Michael Jackson statue, Robbie Savage’s ponytail and the Football League’s original transfer window. It is based in the city centre, and admission is absolutely free—perfect for student budgets.

Cycling has become an increasingly prominent sport in the UK as a whole—and Manchester in particular. You need only observe the amount of people cycling down Oxford Road on a weekday morning to see how popular cycling is in Britain.

The British National Track Championships will be held at the National Cycling Centre at SportCity between the 26th and 28th September, with tickets costing just £11. The venue contains a state-of-the-art velodrome, which has been credited by many for the amazing success of British track cycling since the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

Excitement is guaranteed in track cycling, and this event is a great way to see the next generation of Brits looking to follow in the golden tyre tracks of Sir Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton.

For something completely different, head down to the Thunderdome in Oldham and watch the Northern Series Roller Derby. Greater Manchester is represented by the Rainy City Roller Girls, and they compete against the best teams from across the UK in fierce, full-contact sport.

The Roller Girls are a not-for-profit organisation, and all money made from ticket sales and membership fees goes back into the skating. The next slated bouts at the Thunderdome are on 27th September in a double header; with Leeds taking on Newcastle before the Rainy City girls take on the Middlesbrough Milk Rollers. Tickets cost just £8 in advance, and once you have the taste for roller derby you are sure to get addicted.

You can even get involved in this unique sport, with new skater training held at the Thunderdome on Mondays.

Manchester is one of the most sportingly diverse cities in the country. At the university and throughout the wider city, there are loads of ways to get involved in sport beyond shelling out up to £950 for a season ticket at one of the Premier League sides. Whether it is doing it yourself and representing your university, hall or course—or going to see something more unique—Manchester is the perfect place to have fun with sport.

2014 Welcome Week Events Completely Sell Out

For the first time ever at the University of Manchester, every event in this year’s Welcome Week completely sold out.

According to a Students’ Union representative, 4200 first years attended the opening event, called Facehall, at Deansgate Locks last Sunday.

Facehall was the opening event for which each guest was given a t-shirt on which they write their name, course, relationship status, and hall of residence.

It is expected that 6500 students attended Welcome Week’s Pangaea event, which contrasts with the cancellation of 2012’s M13 event due to lack of interest.

Joel Smith, the Students’ Union Activities and Development officer said, “It’s absolutely amazing that this year’s Welcome Week events have sold out.

“It is testament to the hard work of the Residents’ Association (RAs), Junior Common Rooms (JCRs) and staff team in the Union. It is the first time that the Students’ Union has had direct control over the Welcome Week events, as in previous years it had been outsourced to a private events management company.

“This year, any money raised during the events will be reinvested into the Students’ Union.”

A representative of the Students’ Union predicted that the week was set to break even, although full details of any profit made during Welcome Week will not be available until mid-October.

Based on the runaway success of this year’s events Joel said, “We are hoping that welcome week can become more and more student focused. The Welcome Week package was designed to have bigger, more fun nights rather than smaller nightly events as in the past with the off-nights organised by the halls. Due to the sheer number of first years and the popularity of the pack it limits the venues we can use around the city, but there are already some great plans for next year’s pack under way.

Speaking to The Mancunion, Emma Stansfield, Head of Residences, Catering and Bars, said that 5000 Welcome Week packs were released and all sold.

“We used data from last year to work out how to split it; we knew how many people were coming and roughly how many people would be interested.

“This year we sold packs online for arrival, which contributed to the success of the events. The packs and wristbands were then delivered to the students upon arrival in Manchester.”

In order to manage the large number of packs ticketing was divided between the Fallowfield campus and other campuses. This was done in order to split some events as roughly half of this year’s first years live in Fallowfield.

To fit all of the party-goers into venues, nights such as the Albert Hall event were split with 2300 students attending Albert Hall on Tuesday and Thursday respectively.

Stansfield added, “There was an excellent turnout throughout the week; there was a bit of a drop off on Thursday. This was because societies such as MedSoc held their first socials; next year we hope to avoid this.

“The clash between events led to a problematic choice for students.

“All other events were fabulously attended. The level of collaboration between the university, RAs, bars and the Students’ Union was unprecedented. Between all the events organised, it has given new students a welcome week to remember.

“Previous years had been much of a muchness. The focus on collaboration among organisers allowed for very smooth running.”

Joel added, furthermore, “The events this year have been much better and it is the first time the Students’ Union has ever had direct control over events.”

Regarding the splitting between campuses Joel continued, “It would be nice if we didn’t have to split the nights between venues to allow a better mix of students, however the splitting worked very well.

“We tried to keep the division of wristbands more planned this year. Previously the tickets for events were divided inconsistently with some freshers in the same flat being forced to go to different events because the ticketing was not properly organised.

“We were never expecting that the Welcome Week events would completely sell out; it is a huge success. And I hope next year that we can get even more students involved in organising the pack to make it.

Commenting on the behaviour of the incoming students, Stansfield said, “The freshers were extremely well behaved, we really focus on welfare during these events.”

Emma Stansfield stayed at the events from start to finish in her management role. Staying at the events in their entirety allowed her to keep an eye on party-goer welfare.

“Of the 5000 students on the package, less than the number of fingers on my hand were sent home because of their welfare.”

Stansfield then added, “Welfare has been impeccable this year. I am really, really, happy with how it has all gone.”