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Month: February 2015

“De Profundis” by Oscar Wilde – review

Written by Alister Pearson on . Posted in Books.

Stephen Fry is currently spearheading the campaign to get the Queen to pardon those who were persecuted of the ‘gross indecency’ law that plagued the minds and the justice system of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for decades.

49000 men were wrongly imprisoned, made to suffer for no reason, and forced to live with undeserved shame and guilt that led some to end their lives prematurely. They were given hormone-changing drugs and were sterilised. All this simply because of their sexuality.

This petition needs to be heard. Its demands must be answered. No person should be subjected to this by their country on account of their sexuality.

Oscar Wilde is a literary hero of Stephen Fry. Hearing Fry talk about him in a recent show where he was promoting his new book, you realise what an inspiration Wilde is to him: His literary works enticed a young Fry, but it was his persecution of the ‘gross indecency’ law that helped Fry cope with his own homosexual feelings.

Wilde’s incarceration was just like any other, an innocent man thrown into jail, restricted of freedom and liberties all because he was gay. They took Wilde’s pen, and they took his books, but ultimately, they took his life. The harsh conditions of prison, where the slogan was “Hard labour, hard fare, hard bed,” led to the deterioration of health for Wilde and he would die shortly after completing his sentence.

However, in prison Wilde was granted access to several books, and was allowed to write. Of the books he chose, many had spiritual meaning. Dante’s Divine Comedy spoke to Wilde the most, as well as the Bible in three different languages. In between reading, and the hard labour, Wilde penned a letter to Lord Alfred Douglas, the man who he had once been intimate with.

The letter would later be published in full and uncensored, under the name De Profundis, and is autobiographical, detailing Wilde’s reflections on his life and what led him to being incarcerated, as well as the spiritual development that he underwent during his time in prison. The letter opens with a desperately sad statement:

“…Suffering is one very long moment. We cannot divide it by seasons. We can only record its moods, and chronicle their return. With us time itself does not progress. It revolves. It seems to circle round one centre of pain.”

The first half of the letter is dedicated to Wilde’s reflections on his time spent with Douglas where he reveals their tumultuous relationship, and how he traded a life of quiet intellect for his pursuit of “uncompleted passions, of appetite without distinction, desire without limit, and formless greed.” The letter reads like Wilde has a lot of angry regrets, that he blames Douglas for his descent into dedicating his life to carnal lusts which would lead to his imprisonment, but eventually he forgives Douglas.

The second half of the letter has more of an introspected focus that incorporates a religious awakening of Wilde, as well as a realisation of what life could be about:

“I have said of myself that I was one who stood in symbolic relations to the art and culture of my age. There is not a single wretched man in this wretched place along with me who does not stand in symbolic relation to the very secret of life. For the secret of life is suffering.”

This last remark just shows what prison can do to a human being. Once a man who loved life, who wrote fantastic plays, degraded to despairing about his own time on earth, and all caused by being accused of ‘gross indecency’ by inhabiting a particular sexuality.

Considered in the context of Fry’s petition, Wilde’s letter is beautiful and effective in achieving an aim that probably was only tacitly targeted by the author himself: Of detailing what it is like to suffer in jail for a breaking an unjust law.

A key aspect of the petition is that we pardon every man, not just those who achieved spectacular things for their country like Turing, or who were outstanding in their fields, like Wilde, but because to suffer for something that is blatantly not a crime is perhaps the worst thing a judicial system can inflict, and to pardon these men is the only way of even slightly making up for an awful wrong.

Yes, Wilde’s letter is unique, and perhaps he was the only man who was sentenced under the ‘gross indecency’ act who could write such a powerful message, but the message is universal of everyone who was imprisoned for the same reason, and serves as what I believe to be the most powerful reason why this petition must go through.

Please follow this link if you would like to sign the petition:

https://www.change.org/p/british-government-pardon-all-of-the-estimated-49-000-men-who-like-alan-turing-were-convicted-of-consenting-same-sex-relations-under-the-british-gross-indecency-law-only-repealed-in-2003-and-also-all-the-other-men-convicted-under-other-uk-anti-gay-la

YCHTT: Has Film Reviewing Gone Too Far?

Written by Tom Bruce on . Posted in Uncategorised.

Over the past few months I have come to question the relevance of film criticism in its purest form, the 500 word (or thereabouts) review. If someone is committed to watching a movie then they probably will, yet if they do place their trust in a reviewer that person will probably be found on YouTube anyway. Moreover, there are so many newspaper and blog critics out there that were you to run your any typical hatchet job or glowing endorsement through an internet plagiarism tester you’d probably discover two-hundred write ups that made the same points about the same parts of the same film. So, what has brought on this introspective examination on the value of cultural critique? Birdman, mostly.

Squawking and flapping its way into cinemas and awards ceremonies everywhere, this cunningly made one-shot (or rather very, very well-edited ONE-hundred-shot) drama has achieved global praise for its off-the-wall humour and gut-punch performances, to the point that saying anything negative about it would be as futile as ‘downvoting’ the next Age of Ultron trailer. Its Oscars are already waiting in the wings, and there’s nothing anyone can do about it. It’s not perfect, though: to use that most sinful of reviewing clichés, Birdman is not for everybody, but it is a tightly run ship which covers a lot of physical, psychological and existential material within an extremely confined setting.

One scene in Birdman really resonated with me; it made me not want to talk about the film at all – let alone review it – simply to avoid the inter-textual black hole which it would create. Main character Riggan Thomas (Michael Keaton) , in fit of jealous rage, accuses a revered theatre critic of being a coward, never ‘putting anything on the line’ and constructing an entire career out of capricious, superfluous sentences which have no higher function than to label and compare. Regardless of his crushing schizophrenia and playwright’s pretentions, Riggan has a point. It’s hard to rip yourself from the formula when writing about a film, especially one that has several Academy Awards attached to it along with 378 professional critic’s reviews roosting in its IMBd nest, a page which places it in the top 120 films of all time. What can all this mean? Probably, it means I should take a break from reviewing films.

TV Binge: Black Mirror

Written by James Moules on . Posted in Film.

We’ve all heard about the potentially harmful effects that technology may have on our society an abrasively large number of times. It is, of course, something we, for the most part, choose to ignore – whether it might come from Stephen Hawking, the Amish, or an overly enthusiastic conspiracy theorist, any hellfire and brimstone warning about how technology will destroy human civilisation tends to be shrugged off with a quick chuckle and clichéd quip.

Enter Black Mirror – it’s been hailed by many as our generation’s equivalent of The Twilight Zone. Only seven episodes have been broadcast to date, and each one of them – featuring a new premise and cast each time – is an exceptionally well-crafted and disturbingly relevant look at mankind’s relationship with technology. And it’s bloody terrifying.

Comedian Charlie Brooker – the show’s creator – gives us a series of stories that truly defy classification. The show isn’t preachy enough to be called a cautionary message, yet it’s too thought provoking to simply be a high-concept sci-fi drama. It’s too bleak and tragic to be a comedy, yet possesses too much of a sneer and air of ridicule to be a full-on drama. This is part of the show’s genius. It is, by any definition, a true black mirror – a dark reflection of humanity in the digital age, both through our ironic nature and the contractions that we have thrust upon ourselves.

As an anthology show, each episode treats us to a new setting to experience Brooker’s pessimistic outlook on life. The scenarios give us an assortment of twisted ways in which our obsessions with gadgets could develop, from devices that make us never forget anything to machines that allow us to artificially communicate with our recently deceased friends and relatives. The most recent episode – a Christmas special rather ironically titled White Christmas – throws us into a world where people can ‘block’ one another in real life and create artificial replicas of their consciousness to perform menial tasks at home. And yet, despite all the emphasis being placed on technology, Black Mirror remains at heart a story about the humanity of the situation. One could easily interpret Black Mirror as being more misanthropic than technophobic, showing us how depraved we humans can be in our innovations.

Despite having a mere handful of episodes under its belt, Black Mirror is one of the greatest works of modern television. If you’re in the mood for losing your faith in humanity (or for reinforcing your already non-existent faith in humanity), then it’s the show for you. It’s no horror story per se, but I have absolutely no hesitation in saying that Black Mirror is one of the scariest things I’ve ever seen. By the end, you’ll be asking yourself if that smartphone you got for Christmas was such a great present after all.

The first two seasons of Black Mirror are available to watch on Netflix and 4oD. The Christmas Special, White Christmas, is also on 4oD. Plans for a third season have been announced, but any details about it – including airdates – are yet to be revealed.

Classic Review: Paths of Glory

Written by Adam Waterfield on . Posted in Film.

‘There is no such thing as shellshock!’ This line, obstinately spat from the mouth of George Macready’s coldly belligerent General Mireau, rings unnervingly through the duration of Kubrick’s uncompromisingly bleak depiction of the French military in 1916. With the troops’ advancement and the generals’ tactics in states of miserable stasis, the men and boys of mainland Europe dig themselves into miles of trenches, zigzagging through the abject horror of a continent razed by war. As the sombre voiceover in the film’s opening sequence informs us, the remaining soldiers measure their progress not by the mile, but by the hundreds of feet.

Mireau’s dismissal of the psychosis suffered by the filthy private presented to him during a supposedly morale boosting inspection of a company relentlessly plagued by the whistle and boom of enemy ordinance fully encapsulates the ignorance and adopted impunity of the French top brass during the most stagnant period of the Great War. Burdened with the impossible task of seizing and holding a pivotal German stronghold dubbed ‘the Anthill’, Mireau eschews all doubt of victory and demands allegiance from the remains of his battered troops, threatening the ultimate consequence for those bold enough to choose mutiny over the glory of France.

In the face of this merciless injustice is the defiant Colonel Dax, played by the film’s lone star Kirk Douglas. His fee accounted for 30% of the budget and the film owes much to his portrayal of an officer still clinging to valour. The levelling thousand yard star he conjures as Dax performs his officer’s rounds makes for film’s most iconic scene; the weight of his charge realised in a hollow-eyed march, his gaze passing the defeated faces of rows of men doomed for a suicidal charge into a hell of wire and bullets, beautifully tracked by Kubrick’s trademark innovative camerawork. The muted procession is unwaveringly balanced, despite the film preceding the Steadicam by more than a decade. Through Douglas we glimpse the film’s central conflict. In war, what’s really more valuable; the life of one man or the fear of a hundred?

Adapting the story from Humphrey Cobb’s 1935 novel, Kubrick sought to produce the ultimate anti-war film, and was so successful in translating both the savagery of the trenches and the callousness of the generals that the film was banned in nations the world over for years after its release, the unbridled cruelty of the officers deemed an attempt to discredit the very notion of military. Regardless of your views on remembrance poppies or the role of modern military, the reality of the First World War was one of utter devastation. A hundred years since its outset, for us the trauma of civilisation’s first industrial conflict will forever remain unfamiliar. However, this film and its desolate fields of monochrome mud, broken men wincing under shell-fire and rage-inducing officers dining beneath ornate baroque tapestries – all meticulously and intimately framed by the 20th century’s most demanding filmmaker – make for a tragic and enthralling journey into a realm of terror and sorrow.

What has instant information turned us into?

Written by Charlie Spargo on . Posted in Opinion.

Last weekend the Internet was flooded with the news of the death of Tony Hart, the creator of the Morph animation, who died from ill health, aged 83. People posted links to his Guardian obituary and thousands remembered fondly his legacy and expressed their sadness at his passing.

There was only one problem. Tony Hart died from ill health, aged 83, six years ago. It apparently began with the absent-minded mistake of a 33-year-old from Kent, whose wife had seen it on Facebook, and so tweeted out “RIP Tony Hart.” He found out half an hour later and corrected his mistake, but by then it was far too late.

Even public figures such as Frank Turner and Conservative candidate James Cleverly tweeted about it, and eventually the character Morph himself stepped in to say “Tony sadly died in 2009.”

This is the Internet, and we can recognise that insignificant events such as this can get wildly out of hand extremely quickly. But has the Internet made us naïve?

These days, celebrities are rumoured to have died on almost a monthly basis. In the past few years alone, rumours of the deaths of Jon Bon Jovi, Eddie Murphy, Matt Damon, and scores more have torn through Twitter feeds, causing reactions verging on hysteria.

Often these are intentional hoaxes, unlike the Tony Hart incident, but the reach of this false information and the speed it spreads goes to show how dramatically the Internet has changed our means of communication.

Spoof news websites like the Onion and the Daily Mash are now extremely important in this age of instant information. It’s important not to doubt the power and influence of satirical news sources. In 2012 the Onion story ‘Planned Parenthood Opens $8 Billion Abortionplex’ caused outrage on Facebook. Thousands believed the headline and were enraged, sharing the link and proclaiming just how barbaric it was, including a US Congressman.

While these sites first and foremost provide entertainment and satire, I’m sure that a large proportion of us have fallen foul of reacting to a fake headline before realising our mistake. What they actually serve to do is encourage us to source our information reliably and check its accuracy.

I don’t think many of us are quite used to the sheer quantity of information available online, and this clearly leads to many believing things that a quick Google search would unequivocally show up as false. The speed of looking information up doesn’t help either; in the past, finding information in a book or physical newspaper made it more difficult to make drastic mistakes as people do now.

Being still a young resource, the Web holds an odd level of control over people’s beliefs. It seems very easy to believe something you read once on the Internet, even when you’re aware how unreliable it can be. Many would gladly believe a crackpot anti-vaccine conspiracist writing a blog post riddled with grammatical errors over mountains of dry and somewhat impenetrable scientific research into the benefits of vaccinating children.

The Internet is huge—in fact, unimaginably vast. There are at least 1.2 billion websites—that is individual, unique hostnames—so the amount of information available at the click of a button is practically unfathomable, and bound to trip us up now and again. It has skyrocketed, and continues to at an exponential rate. It has become far more than the sum of its constituent parts. Perhaps we’re not used to its potential yet, or perhaps we’ve created a sort of Tower of Babel and are doomed to failure.

Do outpourings of sadness for actually-not-dead celebrities show how insincere we’ve become? In short, yes. The responses to every ‘death’ number in the tens of thousands, showing it’s not just a vast amount of information we can access, but a vast audience. We’d rather be seen to be sympathetic to a potential few than heartless to potential millions, and the Facebook-era culture of earning coveted ‘popularity points’ serves only to fuel this.

Would you exaggerate a story, or even tell a white lie, for a lot of retweets? I don’t doubt you probably would—I know I would. The Internet, ubiquitous of the forward-surging modern age, also highlights people’s primal fears and desires. We are terrified of being left behind or disliked, and reduced to working for more friends, likes retweets, upvotes, and ever-newer versions of Internet currency.

But, in reality they mean nothing. Not that there’s anything wrong with the mass approval method of entertainment, a fair and effective way of finding the best content, for the record.

What the Internet can offer, on the other hand, is a diamond mine of information.

Of course, much of it will be lies. Much of it will be Chinese-whispers-style misinterpretation; much of it will be useless. But never before in human history has so much collective knowledge been available so incredibly conveniently to so many.

Social media may have turned us into popularity-craving, disingenuous, joke-recycling automata, but the Web itself is a resource of which we have barely scratched the surface. The possibilities of creation and innovation are, truly, endless.

So no, the Internet has not made us stupid, but at the moment the human race is like toddlers with an encyclopaedia. Give us time and we will thrive.

Feature: The Virtues Of Hip Hop Masters

Written by news on . Posted in Music.

As Louise Middleton walked into The Mancunion office last week, few would immediately dub her a hip hop enthusiast. Calm yet joyful, impeccably dressed though still very young-spirited, Middleton doesn’t fit the type which society would usually associate to the angry, belligerent songs emblematic of the genre.

Still, Middleton recently produced a research project into hip hop language which received local and national media attention and her passion for the musical style is as evident as it gets. Her intention in conducting the project was exactly to break the stereotypes surrounding the genre:

“I did the project because it made me annoyed that people thought that hip hop was so basic and so stupid. I was really fed up of hip hop being viewed so negatively because I don’t think there is much of a reason for that.”

Middleton examined the tracks of artists including multiple Grammy award-winner Eminem and Public Enemy, finding that the rhymes that make them superstars are so intuitive they are not within their conscious control.

She examined the rhyming structures in rap music looking at rhyming patterns, vocabulary size, rhyme rate and the position of the rhyme in or across lines. This was compared with the frequency of half-rhymes, which use similar but not identical sounds and indicate a more natural capacity for rhyming and rapping than the more traditional rhymes taught at school.

“You know when you’re a child and you get asked what rhymes with this or that? You say cat, and then what rhymes with cat? Mat, bat, et cetera. And you notice that they all have that same pattern.

“With half-rhymes that is not what you have at all. For example, you could have rock and hop. So that final consonant sound is different. It doesn’t match up.”

The high vocabulary score and high prevalence of ‘imperfect’ half rhymes and unique sentence structure, over and above the use of more traditional and deliberate rhyming couplets, proved the theory that rap’s biggest stars find their success in their ability to rhyme subconsciously.

“My research found that over 70 per cent of the time artists used half-rhyme. These imperfect rap rhymes are not something that you simply come up with on the spot but something that popular rap artists have the natural ability to create.

“I think that hip hop has the most sophisticated use of rhyme of any genre and when written down and it reads just like poetry.”

The project was developed for Quantitative Research Methodology, a third year module in the Linguistics undergraduate degree at the University of Manchester. Middleton initially suggested several different project themes to her lecturer, who accepted the hip hop one with enthusiasm.

“I couldn’t believe that he took me seriously, not in a bad way, but it was just so nice. Some people would just laugh at you or turn their nose down at you but he was just like ‘no this is cool, go for it!’ and then actually suggested some papers for me to read.”

Dr. Wendell Kimper, the lecturer who supervised the project, said: “Louise’s research helps us to understand how our brains process and understand sounds. It opens up other avenues of research which could allow us to find out why some kinds of rhyme come more naturally than others and why some kinds of sounds work better as imperfect rhymes than others.”

Asked about her plans for the future, Middleton is straightforward: “Hopefully I’ll be starting my Master’s in Linguistics in September here. I would love to write all about this and maybe I will, who knows?”

Celebrate the unsung #VoluntHero at the Union this week

Written by Lauren Gorton on . Posted in News.

This week, from Monday 23rd of February to the 1st of March, the Students’ Union and the University of Manchester have again teamed up to celebrate the work of student volunteers, this year in particular spotlighting the work of the ‘Unsung Heroes’ working hard under the radar.

They aim to encourage students to get involved and recognise those at the university and outside it who give up their time for a cause such as charity work without financial reward.

A variety of events have been organised every day this week, including this Monday’s ‘Fun Day’ with a superhero themed photo booth erected in the Students’ Union Foyer.

Tomorrow’s Tuesday ‘Choose Day’ will see, amongst other things, the Bogle Stall, organised by Manchester RAG, in the Students’ Union Foyer throughout the day, whilst later in the day ‘Hungry for Change?’, a student action homeless event and collection, will be held from 5pm.

Other notable events throughout the week will include, the Unsung Heroes thank you in the Students’ Union Foyer throughout ‘Winners Wednesday’, the Reclaim the Night March and after party from 7pm at Owen’s Park on ‘Throwback Thursday’, and the sponsored Fuse FM broadcast which will begin at midday on ‘Fundraiser Friday’.

For the full scheduled timetable of events that will be held throughout student volunteering week, visit the calendar of events which can be found on the University of Manchester Student’s Union website, under the volunteering section. Further information on individual events can also be found on the Manchester RAG Facebook page.

To be more involved in Volunteering Week you can also follow the events at @VoluntHero on Twitter and tweet your pictures and information about your volunteering experience.

The VoluntHero team will be looking out all week for students using the #VoluntHero hashtag to retweet to their audience.

Review: Vagina Monologues

Written by Aimee Grant Cumberbatch on . Posted in Theatre.

What would your vagina say if it could talk? And if it were a person, what would it wear? Vagina Monologues asked all these questions and many more. Women’s Officer Jess Lishak described the play as an act of “talking about the untalked-about,” and after the production’s hours were up, there wasn’t a single vagina-related taboo left intact.

With worrying rape rates in student areas plus cuts and closures threatening Manchester’s already strained women’s support centres, the production could not be more pertinent, and in her closing speech Jess mentioned some shocking statistics that are worth repeating. Manchester Women’s Aid faces cuts of up to 40 per cent, when even a 20 per cent reduction in funding would mean closure, while at Manchester Rape Crisis, the waiting list for counselling currently stands at 6 months.

Despite the seriousness of some of issues the production touches upon, it never lost its sense of humour. The performance began with some of the more lighthearted monologues, including a helpful reminder (for anyone wondering what to call their cooch) of the many different names for what’s down there. Lawrence of a Labia and the Grand Canyon of Fallowfield were some of my personal favourites.

Telling the stories of women from 6 – 60, the play was an utterly inclusive affair which took intersectionality and gender issues in its stride. As you sat back and watched each actor conjure up a vivid portrait of their character, the play guided you through the complex emotions having a vagina can cause, from pleasure to pain and back again.

Some of the most moving and thought-provoking monologues were those which tackled the struggles facing trans- and cisgender individuals. Written by a trans member of the cast especially for the production, the ‘My Impossible Vagina’ monologue was eye-opening and heart-breaking in equal measure. From invasive doctors’ appointments to constant questioning, the speech addressed the process of what its author called “waiting for permission to be myself.”

The production also paid its dues to what is undoubtedly the vagina’s greatest ever achievement, giving birth. Coming close to the end of the play, this particular performance left a lasting reminder of the vagina’s power to give life. In fact Vagina Monologues as a whole delivers a message that is as relevant now as it ever was: Every person on the planet has a vagina to thank for their existence.

So perhaps it’s time we straightened out our attitudes towards our downstairs mix ups and gave vaginas the lifetime’s service awards they deserve. Or at least a little respect.

Students to go to Mars to read books and leave behind “legacies”

Written by Andy van den Bent-Kelly on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

“Is there life on Mars?”

For centuries people have speculated about whether the planet is capable of hosting life.

But assuming that Mars One goes ahead as planned, we will have an answer in 10 years: Yes, there is life. Well, human life anyway.

Three British students have made the final shortlist of 100 volunteers for the four available places on board Mars One, which is due to depart on a one-way mission to the Red Planet in 2024.

Maggie Lieu, a 24-year-old astrophysics student at the University of Birmingham, 21-year-old Oxford physicist Ryan MacDonald and Hannah Earnshaw, a 23-year-old Ph.D. student in astronomy at Durham University, are among five Brits who could potentially become the first humans to set foot on Mars.

More than 200000 people originally applied for a place on the mission, which aims to establish a human colony on the Martian surface within the next decade. This was whittled down to just 660 last year, all of whom undertook online interviews with the project’s medical adviser.

Out of those 660 people, a final shortlist of 50 men and 50 women from across the globe was drawn up and revealed recently.

The aim is to send 24 people to the planet to establish the settlement, starting with an initial group of four. They will be preceded by several unmanned missions, which will identify the best place to set up camp. Habitation modules and life support systems will be sent to the Red Planet prior to the astronauts’ arrival.

The controversial Dutch project was first announced in 2011 and is expected to cost $6 billion. It is a not-for-profit organisation led by entrepreneur Bas Lansdorp, who financed everything himself until 2013.

The day-to-day life of everyone in the settlement will be filmed as part of a global reality television series, which will enable everyone on Earth to witness the progress of the colonisers.

Hannah Earnshaw said: “Human space exploration has always interested me so the opportunity to be one of the people involved was really appealing. The future of humanity is in space.”

Maggie Lieu was equally as enthusiastic, stating, “it’s always been my dream to explore space and advance space science so being given the opportunity to one of the first ever people to physically land on that piece of space rock would be a dream come true.”

Despite its hugely exciting nature, the project hasn’t been met with universal acclaim. Multiple aspects of it seem overly ambitious and there are many individuals and institutions that have their doubts about its feasibility.

Before making the shortlist, Ryan MacDonald admitted that he shared people’s concerns that the mission would never end up happening. However, he insisted that he is still desperate for it to go ahead and stated his reasons for wanting to permanently emigrate to Mars.

“The most important thing to do in life is to leave a legacy,” he said. “A lot of people do that by having a child, having a family. For me this would be my legacy.

“Everyone will remember who were the first four people who stepped onto Mars.”

Cost is a major concern. NASA, who are themselves exploring the possibility of facilitating human exploration of Mars with their planned Orion missions, estimate that the project will cost closer to $100 billion.

A study by researchers Massachusetts Institute of Technology found that any manned mission to Mars would result in the death of all the crew members within 68 days, due to the lack of protection from solar radiation. It should also be noted that only 50 per cent of all previous missions to Mars have succeeded.

But despite the widespread scepticism, Earnshaw remains optimistic about Mars One. “It’s a very ambitious mission and requires lots of things going right for humans to leave the planet,” she explained. “But this project is encouraging other people to talk about the wider implications.

“It’s definitely feasible. Space travel is risky but at the same time, there is a time scale in place.”

The three students are joined on the shortlist by Alison Rigby, 35, a science laboratory technician from Kent and Clare Weedon, 27, a systems integration manager living in Surrey. This means that an entirely British crew could be chosen to represent humanity on the surface of Mars, although it’s highly likely that people from different continents will be chosen.

All 100 candidates will now undergo testing to see how they can cope with stressful situations as part of team. The final list of 24 people is expected to be announced later this year.

Skirting around the issue

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

The This Girl Can ad campaign by Sport England aims to show that all types of women can participate in sports, and is a celebration of active females all across the UK. Interestingly, this example of empowerment in sport features a glimpse of a netball match in which a small minority of players are wearing netball skirts. The debate about women in sports is ongoing, but what part does dress code have to play?

Female athletes on the world stage such as Venus and Serena Williams have been seen wearing some outrageous outfits on court over the years, but this doesn’t detract from the fact that they are extremely talented tennis players. Although there is no overarching rule in tennis regarding skirts, a lot of players choose to wear skirts or dresses—and get plenty of endorsements for doing so. However, when female boxing was finally declared an Olympic sport in 2009, it was proposed that female boxers wear skirts to allow the spectators to distinguish them from men. Although this campaign gained a lot of support, after receiving criticism from boxers and the wider public it was scrapped. There are many other ways to distinguish a boxer than by a skirt—their face, their team colours, or simply by looking at the names of the players competing.

Years ago, women had to wear corsets whilst playing tennis; this was later abandoned because of the obvious restriction on physical activity. I personally believe that if the outfit allows you to be comfortable then go for it, but when it is unnecessarily forced then it becomes a tad ridiculous. Aimée Grant Cumberbatch reminisces about P.E. in secondary school, lamenting the stupidity of dress code rules, saying: “We used to be made to wear netball skirts over our tracksuit bottoms.” Seem a bit pointless to you?

Introducing sports luxe

Written by Sarah Kilcourse on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

As the AW15 runway shows take place across the fashion capitals of the world, it is time to draw our attention back to the here and now—SS15. The classic themes of summer bohemian and nautical were present in many a catwalk show, but sports luxe was a particular favourite. It is a trend that has been growing for a few seasons, but SS15 witnessed the sports luxe look take on classic shapes with a modern edge.

Alexander Wang showcased a multitude of sports-inspired pieces in his SS15 runway show, including neon scuba dresses, heeled trainers and sports mesh fabrics interlaced with sleek tailoring. At Topshop Unique they styled the models in scuba dresses and retro inspired cycling jumpers with flippy skirts, hot pants or trousers. Proving that the sporty trend can be styled in any way; androgynous or feminine, day or night—this is an easy look for everyone.

At the DKNY runway show, mesh fabrics breathed a youthful edge into 50s inspired midi dresses and skirts, crop tops with bomber jackets and flatform trainers amping up the show’s athletic edge. Akris made use of a retro sporting accessory, with models strutting down the runway wearing visors in an array of colours.

For students, footwear may be one of the easiest routes into the trend. Trainers have become frequent visitors to the catwalk over the last few seasons; the practical, comfortable shoe has been used as a high heel alternative and has become a favourite with street style stars. Across the high street there are various interpretations of the designer trainer at more affordable prices: Zara has a flatform style similar to DKNY’s, while River Island has most styles of trainer all at more affordable prices than their high end inspirations.

America and her rampant gun addiction

Written by Joe C. Evans on . Posted in Opinion.

It is a remarkable task to make Piers Morgan appear rational; it is even harder to make him seem anything akin to a moral compass. Despite this, resident gun nut and ardent republican Alex Jones was able to simultaneously achieve both in 2013 when he appeared on CNN’s Piers Morgan Live.

“Hitler took the guns, Stalin took the guns, Mao took the guns, Fidel Castro took the guns, Hugo Chavez took the guns… 1776 will commence again if you try to take our firearms.” As convincing an argument as this is, I think we all essentially agree that Jones is somewhat deranged. What is concerning, however, is that his views don’t serve as a binary to the mainstream.

Set this to the backdrop of the shootings of three young Muslims in North Carolina by self proclaimed ‘gun-toting atheist’ Craig Hicks, and this becomes quite disconcerting.

Statistics tell us that the United States loves its firearms. Take, for example, 100 Americans; average statistics dictate that they will possess between them 88 weapons. Taking into account collections—one person owning multiple arms—that is still a hell of a lot of ‘gun-toting’ civilians.

That’s a high percentage of normal people, like you and me, who possess an efficient and completely legal means of disposing of human life.

The argument still stands that, “guns don’t kill people, humans do,” but this is surely undone when considering as an example the War on Drugs: Drugs, which were already illegal, were clamped down on by the Nixon administration with a iron fist, and perpetrators of drug-related crimes were locked up.

While its successes are still somewhat hazy, it was essentially the intent to take away what we, the population, couldn’t be trusted with. The basic equation for the War on Drugs was that drugs ruin lives, and that as the public couldn’t regulate their use of drugs, they were ‘taken away’.

Agree or disagree with the outcomes and the need for a war on drugs, this is at least a consistent train of thought. Compare this to the US’s problem with guns however, and the failure of response is staggering.

In 2010, 9960 people were murdered with a firearm in the US. In the UK, this figure was 39. Murders with firearms account for 60% of all murders in the US, while the number of murders in the UK as a whole is 58% lower. The land of the free has a huge problem when it comes to violent crime.

Without too heavily hammering the statistics, 4.5 deaths per 100000 in the US is caused by a firearm. To put that into context, the US has a higher gun-related death rate than Pakistan, and is just 0.7% behind the Democratic Republic of Congo. Arms-related deaths in the US are not that far behind a country feeling the aftershock of civil war, where democracy is something that remains completely unfulfilled.

On a microcosmic level the issue becomes even more shocking. In a graphic published by The Atlantic online, Detroit was evidenced to possess the same murder rate as El Salvador. This becomes all the more incredible considering the fact that in 2012, El Salvador celebrated its first ‘murder-free day’ in three years. Detroit has the same murder rate as a nation where the armed forces are required to control the streets.

It is true that the US does have some regulation surrounding firearms. Unlike the certainty and coherency of the war on drugs however, the manifesto designed to control arms is nonsensical. Seven states have regulated the possession of an assault rifle, while, paradoxically, 30 states have regulated the possession of a handgun.

This evidences some progression for example in New York and New Jersey, where assault weapons have been banned outright. The paradox however is that a large number of states have assessed their gun laws and come to ridiculous conclusions. What rational individual would consider the regulation of handguns an issue worthy of dealing with, while allowing the perpetuation of lax licensing of assault rifles?

The clue is given away in their name alone. Assault rifles are designed with assault firmly in mind. How the possession of heavy duty weaponry like that is compatible with a safe environment seems lost on almost the entire world.

The popular response of gun advocates, such as Charlton Heston, is that Switzerland is never rebuked with such criticism. Despite all men between 20 and 30 storing their personal weapons at home the country was host to just forty homicides in 2010 related to firearms. Likewise they have one of the lowest homicide rates of any country.

A strong response then from the pro-gun campaigners. That is until you consider that all men in Switzerland are armed with a firearms in accordance with their conscripted military service and training. These are not arms bought and sold in Wal-Mart. These are trusted to those trained in their use and considered responsible enough to hold them in their homes.

An argument leaning on the Second Amendment is likewise as deeply flawed as Alex Jones’ capacity for reason. The conservatism that dominates American thought has a detrimental effect on the progression of their society away from widespread arms ownership. While the Second Amendment does declare the rights of all men “to keep and bear arms,” the Constitution must be considered an evolving document.

The originalists in American politics would disagree. Those such as Jones, who consider the Constitution a static document of prevailing truth, would, it would appear, have the right to bear arms maintained in the face of any objection.

This pseudo-religious treatment of an antiquated document cannot be shaken. A two-year-old child shooting his 12-year-old sister dead in Philadelphia cannot dampen the belief of such dogma. This is a system of belief so deeply entrenched that it cannot be deconstructed by statistics.

It must feel impossible that a society can progress in the face of such backward attitudes. Guns are totally incompatible with the suppression of aggression and the improvement of safety. Despite the seemingly irreversible attitudes prevalent in the US, widespread acknowledgement of the clear flaws in American gun legislation is making a difference. The world’s media is beginning to rebuke such ideas and, as already mentioned, there has been some progression.

What remains to be seen, however, is how contagious this progression can be.

Fitness beauty fixes

Written by Nikki Patel on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Activity: Jogging, ‘Mare: Chapped lips
Dry, chapped lips are often a sign of what’s going on inside your body, meaning that you’re probably dehydrated. Bump up the water intake and tone down your coffee and alcohol consumption (apologies) to hydrate from the inside out. Breathing through your mouth and licking your lips during your session also dramatically dries them out so try to tweak your technique. Failing that, a good slick of Burt’s Bees Pink Grapefruit Lipbalm, £3.69 before and after your workout will soften any flakes and leave them feeling supple.

Activity: Swimming, ‘Mare: Itchy skin
Diving into chlorinated water without some form of dermo-protectant is a skin sin, so think twice before you hit the Aquatics Centre. There are loads of ‘skin-shields’ out there for avid swimmers, but coconut oil slathered on the skin and hair works just as well due to its acidity. A post-dip shower is essential, as is nourishing your skin while it’s still damp. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter, £4.15, has never failed me.

Activity: Spinning, ‘Mare: Rogue tendrils
Despite our greatest efforts, that pre-workout bun/ponytail of steel never seems to behave, meaning a quick, extremely fuzzy sprint out of the gym doors and onto the Magic Bus. The Goody Simple Style Spin Pin, £5.49 grabs your hair from underneath for a tight hold and a flawless sporty finish as you spin to victory.

Activity: Aerobics, ‘Mare: Dry, over washed hair
If you’re an avid hairwasher because you can’t stand leaving the house with sweaty hair, it’s important to invest in a silicone-free hydrating shampoo. Kerastase Elixir Ultime Huile Lavante Bain, £16.00 is worth splashing out for to save your precious tendrils from overdrying and split ends. A weekly nourishing mask such as Kerastase Masque Nutri-Thermique, £21.00, is also vital as it gives our chance a hair to recover from the heat, sweat and over-washing that comes with your extremely admirable active lifestyle.

Activity: Yoga, ‘Mare: Frizz
All of that twisting, turning and grinding on your yoga mat can leave your previously sleek ponytail in disarray. To avoid any hair ‘mares, be sure to mist Batiste Dry Shampoo, £2,99 along your hairline and the nape of your neck as these are most fuzz-prone areas. Combing in a leave-in serum is also a good idea and means that you can go from the gym to uni without the trauma of brushing it through afterwards.

Sportswear: when to wear

Written by Kathryn Murray on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

In life there are rules. To save some confusion, I am going to write down a few guidelines on how to style sportswear.

You might think it is a good idea to go out in your gym kit but is it really? Think about it.
Places where you can go with your running leggings on:
1. Lectures, because who really cares?
2. The gym, because duh
3. Sainsbury’s Fallowfield, even pyjamas are acceptable here
4. Around the house, or someone else’s house
5. Wherever you are immediately before the gym

Places where it is not appropriate to be gym ready:
1. An interview—dress to impress, not to show your commitment to exercise
2. Formal occasions such as the Grammy Awards (Helen Lasichanh, take note)
3. Meetings with academic advisors or seminar leaders
4. Nights out—if you need a sports bra for support, you might be dancing a bit too hard
5. Restaurants, although sometimes leggings are needed for buffet-style events

Are you still feeling a bit unsure? Don’t worry, most people are. As long as you know your limits,you will be ok. Although, swimsuits on the street will never happen.

And if you are really struggling to keep pace with this sportswear as daywear trend, try to aim for a more luxe look. Less going-to-a-spinning-class and more just-off-the-runway. Simple, yet effective. Think slouchy jackets, mesh with chiffon, neon highlights, streamlined accessories. If you style yourself well; sleek hair, high heels, racing stripe all-in-one, then you just might be dressed to Grammy standard. Maybe.

Ask Adrienne

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Dear Adrienne,

I’ve recently had a realisation about my everyday casual dress sense. Almost all my daily outfits consist of black skinny jeans, of which I have several pairs. Although they’re appropriate for my daily shenanigans as a student, I’m starting to feel a bit repetitive and need some advice on how to switch it up.
The first thing to do is not to panic because at one point or another we’ve all experienced, or are still experiencing ECA (Emotional Clothing Attachment). Holding on for dear life to that one clothing item that suits our needs perfectly, that has grabbed our heart and refuses to let go. If you’re a casual dresser then jeans are likely to be one of your go-to clothing objects, especially with the unpredictable weather conditions that we’re currently experiencing. What I will say is that a little experimentation never hurt anybody. Why not try different colours and/or styles that fit your practical needs but also add a little edge to your outfit. Try pairing light blue mom jeans with a black belt and long sleeve crop top to channel Janet Jackson’s statement Poetic Justice look.
Finding the right pair of jeans is a strenuous but important fashion voyage for anyone who wishes to blur the distinctive line between ‘I made a conscious effort today’ and ‘I woke up 10 minutes ago’. The denim industry has recognised this and has styles to cater to all shapes and sizes. Boyfriend, mom, ripped (sometimes almost to shreds), distressed, acid wash, ankle grazer, high waisted or combinations of the above. Invest time and effort into jean shopping and soon you’ll have much more to work with than black skinnies.

Israeli Apartheid Week at the University of Manchester

Written by Charlie Spargo on . Posted in News.

Israeli Apartheid Week begins next week at the university (23rd – 27th of February), organised and run by Action Palestine, a secular society at the university concerned with raising awareness of the plight of Palestinians.

We spoke with Einass Bakhiet, Treasurer of Action Palestine, about the events and aims of the week ahead.

“Israeli Apartheid Week [raises] awareness of the Israeli occupation, and all the injustices and the suffering of the Palestinians,” she said.

“We want to educate students and raise awareness about Action Palestine, so people can get involved in our future events.

“In the week we have something exciting which we won’t disclose.” On Tuesday, the film ‘Five Broken Cameras’ will be shown in Club Academy from 6:30 – 8pm, a film about a Palestinian man who is protesting for the wall to be taken down.

“On Wednesday, we are holding a Palestinian Pub Quiz at Kro Bar [between 6 and 11pm], and on Friday we also have a talk by a really interesting activist called Danyah Jaber. She’s an activist in Palestine, and she’s talking about the importance of activism on campus.” She will be talking in the Catholic Chaplaincy from 5 – 7pm on Friday.

“Every day we’re trying to raise awareness, invoke some kind of change, [encouraging] students on campus to actually do something,” she said.

Israeli Apartheid Week is a series of events held internationally, among other things aiming to build support for the growing Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) campaign,

The overall aim is particularly to appeal to “those who don’t know or are misinformed, even those who are against the campaign, because it’s really important for them to understand. We’re often stigmatised as being anti-Semitic, and that’s not the case at all.

“The occupation is not even a political campaign. It’s pure injustice, and so that’s why we don’t say we’re a political society, just one raising awareness so we can help those denied the right to their freedom and self-determination.

“In many ways it’s true that the conflict has political, economic, and psychological implications, but we’re not a society that has a political aim. Action Palestine is first and foremost a humanitarian and campaigning society.

“Our aim is to encourage a greater consciousness of the apartheid policies, and to encourage even small acts which can have a significant impact on the way people perceive the occupation.

“Throughout the whole week we’re giving the opportunity for people to get involved, with stalls every day. [You can] sell refreshments, you can do anything to raise awareness. The main aim is to get [the conflict] back on the student agenda.

“In the first semester, we pushed forward for a referendum for the twinning with Al-Najah [University, Palestine] to be strengthened. We hope that we get lots of people interested, and then they’ll help us to implement the policies.

“Israeli Apartheid Week allows us to raise greater awareness of the conflict, particularly since it is a global movement in solidarity with all those who promote genuine human equality.”

All-male Oxford drinking society condemned for “homophobic” behaviour

Written by Charlie Spargo on . Posted in News.

Oxford Univeristy secret drinking society ‘The Abbotts’ has been accused of homophobic behaviour after tearing down LGBT+ flags from the walls of the Junior Common Room at Corpus Christie College.

Corpus Christie JCR was enraged at the “unacceptable” behaviour, condemning the society and allocating a further £75 for the purchase of new pride flags in the common room.

The private all-male, black tie drinking society, comprised primarily of privately-educated males with right-wing political views—according to the Oxford Student—had been initiating new members in a night of drinking and partying when the events occurred.

They have as yet refrained from publicly apologising to the JCR, and it is said that individual members have removed rainbow flags from the walls of the JCR before. At least one graduate leader of the society holds a high-status business position.

The motion to condemn the society was passed overwhelmingly by the JCR, who described the actions of the society as “an unacceptable way to tell us to get back in the closet.”

They also agreed to set aside £1000 of charity funds for LGBT+ charities out of their £3000 fund.

OUSU LGBT+ Officer Jenny Walker described the actions of The Abbotts as “incredibly childish, [and] also highly offensive, and demonstrates a clear insensitivity to the identities and values of other students.

“The reaction of the JCR members in support of LGBTQ-identifying students is, however, a heartening sign that the vast majority of students at Oxford will not tolerate such behaviour in their university.”

February is LGBT+ History Month in the UK, and the university and city of Manchester are hosting a variety of events across the month, celebrating the history and culture of the LGBT+ community.

Corpus Christi’s Equal Opportunities Officer, Jem Jones, told the Oxford Student, “Corpus JCR is a place where absolutely everybody should feel comfortable, welcome and safe. This ethos is not up for debate.

“The events of [the] night have been condemned by the rest of the JCR and the actions taken in in the JCR meeting on Sunday are indicative of the overwhelming majority of the JCR’s stance on the matter.

“I don’t care if it was meant as a joke, I don’t care if it wasn’t meant to cause offence; it is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our JCR.”

Live: Kate Tempest

Written by Will Ellis on . Posted in Music.

12th February

Gorilla

9/10

Wow. Not many artists would be able to perform the first 10 minutes of their set without a single note playing; the a cappella poem that Kate Tempest chose to open her set with provided the essence of what this Mercury-nominated artist is: Pure passion. Passion for storytelling, passion for performing, and a sincere passion for presenting her view of what could make this world a better place.

Now this could make Tempest seem a bit of a preacher, as she certainly doesn’t keep her opinions to herself. Whilst she walks the tightrope between social commentary and all-out preaching, sometimes she does stumble slightly towards the latter. With most artists this would be cause to turn off, roll your eyes and wait to hear the next song play, but it is Tempest’s passion that saves her. Whilst she speaks you are aware that her words come from a place of caring and genuine desire. A desire to empower the audience and inspire change.

Having left the sold-out crowd at Gorilla in a state of stunned silence after her opening poem, Tempest’s band bring their own element to her unique sound, with a futuristic mix of drum and bass with electronic and dubstep elements. This further adds power to the punch that each song packs. Emotion poured out of each song, intensifying as she went on with her tongue-in-cheek comedic observations alongside hard-hitting social truths, all playing out on her stage.

It’s clear from watching her perform that Tempest has her eyes set sky high and from hearing her talk, she wants to do it on her own terms, not pandering to the stereotypes of what women in the music industry have to be.

Live: You Me At Six/All Time Low

Written by Hannah Brierley on . Posted in Music.

13th February

Manchester Arena

6/10

You Me at Six and All Time Low performing together on the same tour… pretty much a ‘pop-punk’ 13-year-old’s idea of heaven. I was initially worried for what I had got myself in for when first turning up to the arena. Flocks of young girls in questionable attire, and every other person having an awkward mum or dad strung along unwillingly behind them. I sat down undecided as to which way this show was going to go.

Walk The Moon first took to stage with an exciting and energetic performance, playing new tracks such as ‘ Spend Your $$$’ and ‘Shut Up and Dance’ from their new album Talking Is Hard. Their childish performance got a really good reaction from the crowd, upping the excitement, which was a good set up as they passed the show on to All Time Low.

All Time Low exploded onto the stage opening with ‘A Love Like War’ from their most recent album. They continued to play their biggest songs from all of their past work, which went down really well.  In between songs there was a great stage presence and ongoing comedy between the members of the group. Their immature humour, including joking about side boobs, pepperoni nipples and dressing like Justin Bieber really charmed the crowd. It was clear that there was a great connection between the band and their audience.

Then it was time for You Me At Six to take the stage, and the whole atmosphere was then altered. Going from a fun upbeat one to a serious and dark one. Front man Josh Franceschi’s vocals weren’t really up to scratch, singing some quite poor bum notes and being totally inaudible between choruses. There was also a lack of stage presence with just a black out in-between songs.

Despite this, there were some truly amazing moments; songs like ‘Fireworks’ and ‘Crash’ had everyone’s lighters in the air and the whole room singing their hearts out. I also cannot fault the rest of the band’s musical performance; the guitar and drums solos were absolutely on point. The night on the whole was incredible to watch, and felt amazing to be a part of.

Album: Rae Morris – Unguarded

Written by Cassie Hyde on . Posted in Music.

Following guest vocals with Clean Bandit and Bombay Bicycle Club in 2014, Rae Morris takes centre stage with Unguarded. Overall, it is a pleasant listen, but not without its flaws.

The album’s first track, ‘Skin’, is the best song on the album. Opening with high piano keys intertwined with clock chimes, you can tell immediately how smart her debut is going to be. With so many twenty-somethings crying over their exes, it’s impressive to see someone come across as so authentic and sincere.

The range of the album’s scope is also a highlight. Morris is able to move from subtle ballads (‘This Time’), to pop singles (‘Closer’) with ease. By doing so, her confidence shines through.

However, Unguarded is not all roses. At times, the album feels overproduced. The song ‘Under The Shadows’ is a prime example of this. Too often, it feels like it is trying too hard to be the next Ellie Goulding single. All the interesting textures seen on tracks like ‘Skin’ are washed away here, leaving only a bland skeleton behind. While it is obviously radio-friendly, you get the impression it would have been so much better in another producer’s hands.

The album has a couple of dud tracks along the way too. ‘Cold’, a duet with Fryars, feels uninspired, as well as overproduced. So much in fact that the vocal effects on Fryars’ voice come across as jarring. ‘Love Again’ feels like a cynical checklist for the Radio 1 playlist, with generic lyrics such as “We could fall in love again,” as well as an IKEA-flatpacked Calvin Harris chorus. When placed next to genuinely authentic songs, it completely disrupts the album’s flow. It seems strange when great non-album tracks, such as ‘Grow’, did not make the final cut, but these two did. If Morris had gotten rid of these, she could have made an impressive 10-track, 40-minute album.

Let’s make this clear—for the most part, this is a really impressive debut, but Unguarded’s bad tracks and overproduction let the side down. A shame.