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Day: 23 September 2016

Preview: Norfolk

Norfolk is BAFTA-nominated director Martin Radich’s latest feature length film, starring, amongst others, Denis Ménochet (Assassin’s Creed, Inglourious Basterds, Robin Hood) and Barry Keoghan (Dunkirk, Trespass Against Us, ’71).

It tells the tale of a teenage boy and his father living in the picturesque Norfolk countryside when their lives are changed forever as his father—who is a mentally unstable mercenary—is called away on a final mission, threatening their peaceful, idyllic life.

Stills from the film, as well as the trailer, can be seen on norfolkthefilm.com and it is clear from these alone that Norfolk is set to be an art-house masterpiece, with each shot carefully built to match the harrowing story that unfolds. The contrast between the country and technology is explored, as is the bond between family. The isolated countryside setting eerily houses the secrets and horror that are revealed, providing a brilliant background to the rest of the film.

Norfolk premiers in Manchester at HOME on the 26th of September, and a Q&A afterwards with the filmmakers will make this a screening not to be missed. Touching both the drama and thriller genres, the film has been described as “striking [and] dreamlike” by Screen International, and “riveting to watch” by Variety.

The writer and director, Martin Radich, has already won several awards for his short films, as well as having attended Edinburgh College of Art, so expect beautiful cinematography, as well as a brilliant portrayal of raw emotion.

The music for Norfolk is a collaboration with JG Thirlwell, who has worked with the likes of Nick Cave, Marc Almond, The The, Karen O and Spike Jonze previously, and if his 25-year long career is anything to go by then the soundtrack to Norfolk will match the aesthetic of the film perfectly.

For more information, and to book your place at the screening on Monday, visit homemcr.org.

Testing out the new £5 note (ignore this)

The new polymer £5 note began filling cash machines on the 13th of September and bears a number of new features intended to make it more durable and secure. £5 notes are the most frequently replaced due to damage, the new notes should last at least 2.5 times as long and the Bank of England believes that the new version will be more environmentally friendly as a result.
One of the security features is the transparent window on the left of the note.

Over the last 2 days, I put the note through a series of tests that could easily crop up in any student’s typical week.

Starting with the general durability, the new note is supposed to be very difficult to damage and my first test confirmed this: trying to rip it does no damage other than causing a small crease (which goes away after a while).
Trying to rip the note was no use – Note: 1, Mancunion: 0

To try and make a more believable scenario, I crushed the note up, stuffed it in my pocket and kept it there all day while I was moving around at work. Once again however, the note was up to the challenge and although it came out with some fairly prominent creases, was otherwise OK.

Once again, the note came out ahead – Note: 2, Mancunion: 0

Half way through my experiment the note had an established lead, it was time to begin the real punishment: cola, my logic being that if it’s bad for your teeth, it should be bad for your currency.
Other than making the note slightly sticky, 3 hours partly submerged achieved nothing and neither did putting it in with my towel wash – Note: 3, Mancunion: 0 (N.B. The Bank of England is keen to stress that ironing the new note will likely destroy it, but temperatures less than 120 C should be fine)

The final test of course is whether or not the note still works. One thing I noticed during my rigorous testing is that the corners of the note don’t stay folded in the way they used to on the old £5 note, meaning that self-service machines should reject them (slightly) less often.
My purchase went off without a hitch, making the new £5 note the clear winner – Note: 4, Mancunion: 0

United Player Ratings: Northampton Town vs Manchester United

At the end of August, United fans were rightly optimistic about their chances of Premier League glory this season. The month of September has brought expectations back down to the worryingly low points it reached under Moyes and Van Gaal. The loss against Manchester City was not detrimental as United looked like a good team, however, the recent performances against Feyenoord and Watford have rightly given fans cause for concern. Rooney, Pogba and Mourinho have taken the majority of the criticism but the problems run much deeper than individuals. United lack identity and the midfield imbalance is an issue which Mourinho will need to address quickly if he wants to maintain a title challenge.

A visit to Northampton Town may been seen as an easy confidence booster, but the League 1 side gave West Bromwich Albion more troubles than they expected in the previous round, knocking out the Premier League team on penalties. Mourinho started a second-string team with the likes of Fosu-Mensah, Rojo and Depay keen to make an impression on the manager and fans. The performance was by no means straightforward; United opened the scoring through a fine Carrick goal but finished the half on equal terms when Alex Revell tucked home a penalty. A more positive second half saw Herrera and Rashford’s strikes seal Northampton’s fate. A 3-1 score line justifies United’s dominance, but the performance was not completely convincing.

 

Romero: 5

The Argentinian goal-keeper will not be threatening De Gea’s starting spot any time soon. While he started the game positively with a fine clearing punch in the 18th minute, his aerial abilities looked shaky when put under pressure. His uncertainty was visible to the Northampton fans who leapt onto the opportunity to unsettle him further, chanting and “ooh”ing whenever the ball was passed back to the Argentinian. Probably would not have been able to save Revell’s penalty even if he had dived the right way and was not tested further.

Fosu-Mensah: 5

Like Romero, started the game well with a brilliant interception in the 11th minute which led to a good chance. The promising youngster also marshalled his opponents well in the opening 20 minutes and was unlucky not to score from a fantastic leap and header which cannoned off the bar. As the first half wore on, the Belgian was becoming increasingly exposed when caught in one-on-ones with Gorré. He gave Northampton’s tricky left winger too much space at times and was beaten whenever marking too tightly. His poor clearance in the 41st minute led straight to the Cobblers’ penalty and the youngster was hauled off by Mourinho shortly after half-time. Hopefully Fosu-Mensah will be given another opportunity to prove his immense talent and not be judged on this one appearance this season.

Smalling: 7

A very quiet game for the English international, which, as a general rule for a defender, is probably a good thing. Was tasked with the physicality of Revell and dealt with him without a problem. The opposition of Vardy and Slimani on Saturday will be a much more testing job.

Blind: 6

In contrast to Smalling, was much more visible on the pitch. Gave away the penalty for a rushed challenge but did have lots of positive impacts too. Dealt surprisingly well with the physicality of Revell who was clearly trying to expose Blind’s lack of height. The Dutchman also had to constantly cover for Rojo who was caught out of position too many times. His most influential impact on United’s play was his surging runs from deep and impressive passing range which restarted the Reds’ attacks. Probably not a good enough performance to displace either Bailly or Smalling from a central defensive role against Leicester on Saturday.

Rojo: 5

It is a real shame that Mourinho decided to let Cameron Borthwick-Jackson go on loan to Wolves, where he has shined thus far, and keep Rojo as the back-up left back. The Argentinian is known fondly for his adoration of Manchester United, not his performances on the pitch. In offence, Rojo has decent cross in his locker, however, his primary function (defending) is not up to the standard of a typical United player. He struggled to clear the ball twice early on and ended up needlessly gifting Northampton a corner. His poor positioning made Blind a much more busy man than he needed to be. The problem with Luke Shaw’s injury is that Rojo is closer to the starting eleven than most United fans are comfortable with, although it is likely that Blind will cover for Shaw on Saturday.

Schneiderlin: 6

Photo:Wikimedia Commons

As an almost forgotten man after a number of poor performances last season, the Frenchman retained some credit in his performance against Northampton. It was his excellent cross which led to Fosu-Mensah’s effort coming off the bar and his smart interception led to Herrera’s goal. His general play was not as crisp and smart as either of his midfield counterparts and, unfortunately, Schneiderlin is so far down the pecking order that he is unlikely to feature regularly for United.

Carrick: 8

Named Man of the Match on his first start since the Charity Shield, and fully deserved it. Carrick’s qualities are so often overlooked and sneered at, but the senior midfielder can completely run the show when given the opportunity. His range of passing was shown inside the first minute when he pinged the ball out to Depay without the Dutchman having to move his feet. His goal was brilliantly taken, calmly and instinctively side-footing a powerful shot into the top corner. His performance may encourage Mourinho to consider using Carrick as an anchor midfielder ahead of the erratic Fellaini.

Young: 6

Young’s talents have not been seen at United for a very long time. His creativity is almost non-existent and his driving runs no longer frighten fullbacks like they used to. What he does provide is industry; under Van Gaal, Young was transformed into an unorthodox wingback with reasonable success. At United, however, fans and Mourinho want specialists, no just someone who is going to run a lot. The Northampton players gave him a tough time in the final ten minutes and Young did not look adequately equipped to deal with the threat of League 1 attackers when switched to right back.

Herrera: 8

Herrera, like Carrick, has various qualities which are often overlooked by football fans. The Spaniard has such great spatial awareness and movement that allow him to up the tempo of United’s attacking fluidity. Against Northampton, he and Carrick’s passing ran the show, with the latter the more static of the two and the former more industrious. Against Watford, United learnt that late midfield runs into the box can be deadly. Herrera’s drilled finish from the edge of the area was a perfect example of what Capoue executed so effectively last weekend. Fans will hope that Herrera can partner up with Pogba and one other player regularly in midfield to create an industrious and talented core.

Depay: 6

The Dutchman’s time at United is rapidly running out. His talents are clear, (see his beautiful jinking run in the 6th minute) however, his consistency is reminiscent of the fans’ frustrations with Nani. Depay is clearly suffering from a lack of confidence, and it is unlikely to get any easier for the mercurial winger to get into the side with the talents of Rashford and Martial ahead of him.

Rooney: 5

Things around Rooney are getting a bit odd now. The United and England skipper has so clearly been under-performing consistently for the last three seasons, yet Moyes, Van Gaal and Mourinho have all persisted in protecting him and starting him unjustifiably. Even odder is the backing Rooney gets from the majority of pundits and ex-players, leaving many United fans having to agree with Robbie Savage’s opinions (something that no-one should have to admit). Rooney was sluggish and his touch was awful as usual. His end product was no better either, missing three very decent opportunities to open the scoring. When Rooney was switched to the right wing later in the second half, Northampton targeted his and Young’s poor defensive nous, putting in a number of dangerous crosses from their flank. There will come a stage when Rooney’s poor touch and slow build-up play outweighs his ability to produce the spectacular, and the United captain will be dropped for the more consistent Mata or Mkhitaryan.

 

Subs

Rashford: 8

The Midas touch is strong with Marcus Rashford. The youngster seems to be unable to do any wrong. His introduction for Fosu-Mensah in the 55th minute added much more threat to United’s attacks. His assist to Herrera was perfectly weighted and so nonchalant for a man of his age. His grit and determination was summed up when he chased down Herrera’s hopeful lump, to nick the ball off Smith and smash the ball into the empty net. This 18 year old really is something special.

Ibrahimović: 6

Really struggled to play up front with Rooney, as both players continuously got in each other’s way. Should have made a better effort of his header in the 93rd minute. Did not impact the game as effectively as Rashford.

Fellaini: 6

His physicality was useful against O’Toole, but, other than that, failed to have any real impact on the game.

Note From the Music Editors

The first issue of the semester, and first music section brought to you by your new music editors is here, and we thought we’d better introduce ourselves and give you an insight into how you can get involved with upcoming issues.

We are always looking for contributors on our Facebook group, so the first step is to join us at The Mancunion Music Section 2.0. This is where we will be posting any upcoming gigs and album releases we think should be covered in the paper for anyone eager to cover. You can also request to get press for any set or new release that you especially want to get your opinions published on. When you write an article for the paper, an editor will create you a WordPress account to upload it to, where it will then be edited and published.

We hold weekly meetings on Mondays at 5:30 on the first floor of the Students’ Union building, where we will be discussing everything that will be going into that week’s issue. You can also follow our Twitter and Instagram feeds (@MancunionMusic) to make sure you’re always up to date on what has been getting us excited.

The main thing is to get in contact. We want to get as many of you contributing as possible, regardless of music taste or levels of experience. And don’t be shy—every first article is scary, but each subsequent one gets easier.

The point is that this is your paper and your music section. As long as you have a passion for journalism and a love for live music then you’re already the kind of person we want.

Preview: Wonder Materials: Graphene and Beyond

Graphene, the world’s first 2D material, was isolated by Sir Andre Geim and Sir Kostya Novoselov, both professors at the University of Manchester, back in 2004. Since the discovery, graphene is now at the forefront of the enhancement of current technology, including techniques for water purification and more durable mobile phones.

The Wonder Materials: Graphene and Beyond exhibition is a collaboration between the Museum of Science and Industry and the National Graphene Institute at the University of Manchester, with Haydale working as the headline sponsor. It is acting as the flagship event for Manchester’s tenure as European City of Science 2016, but with the intention to tour nationally and internationally.

The Mancunion spoke to Sarah Baines, Associate Curator at the Museum of Science and Industry, about the motivation and thinking behind the exhibition and how they have playfully managed to merge art, history, and science.

She said: “We were inspired by the fact that graphene was born when some Manchester scientists decided to follow their curiosity”. Graphene was surprisingly discovered when Geim and Novoselov used scotch tape to remove graphene from graphite.

“The zones of the exhibition are very different, taking the visitor on a journey from how we got to graphene right through to an imagined graphene future.”

The space is split into three zones: past, present, and future. The central interest of the ‘present’ zone is the use of ‘clean rooms’, which are used to transport visitors into a scientist’s workplace. Ms Baines noted they added this aspect to show there is “no barrier between you and scientists”.

It is used to showcase individuals using graphene in fields such as bioscience, theatre, and climate change. The zone also incorporates case studies of companies now using graphene, including mobile phone company Moxi as an example of “how technology can influence ethics”.

Visitors are given the opportunity to dress up in coveralls to fully immerse themselves in the experience. The museum is also running a photo competition alongside this, which you can enter on Twitter using the hashtag #graphenepower.

Ms Baines spoke of the initial struggle when creating the exhibition due to the inability to see or touch graphene. However, she spoke of how the intrigue of such properties “inspired us to look for creative non-scientific responses to graphene. Musicians, poets and visual artists have been inspired by graphene, and we wanted to reflect that in the exhibition.”

The flagship art piece commissioned is from Random International, a world renowned art collective, and demonstrates graphene’s “unstoppable force”. Lemn Sissay, Chancellor of UoM, has also contributed to the exhibition.

As an atmospheric exhibition it allows visitors to “come and find out how sticky tape, an Elizabethan cannonball, historic pencils, Alice in Wonderland, graphene pompoms and graphene kirigami fit into the story.

She continued: “Science and art are actually really similar – both involve creativity and inspiration” and by using such creative outlets the museum have managed to “bring out the personality in graphene”.

The exhibit runs until 25th June 2017.

Survey shows student loan £250 too little to cover living costs

Soaring living costs are beginning to have a serious impact on students, the majority of which now say that their student loan isn’t enough to live off.

Research by financial advisory website Save The Student (STS) has shown that while the average maintenance loan sits at just £540 a month, students’ average monthly spend has reached £790.

Nearly half of this goes on rent, with the other amount spent on utilities, phone bills, socialising, and food, among others. This shortfall in funding means that while nearly 80 per cent turn to their parents to support them financially, a significant number have resorted to credit cards, gambling, or even selling their body.

STS’s survey of 2,217 students in May and June of this year found 70 per cent of them don’t think the maintenance loan is enough to live off. Furthermore most students (55 per cent) don’t believe that going to university has been worth the money.

In times of crisis students have reported resorting to desperate measures. One told the survey she takes payment to write others’ essays for them, running the risk of expulsion from university. Marie says “I have no other choice to pay for my own education,” and expects to make around £15,000 this year from this.

Others have said they did erotic webcam shows, sold used underwear, or even sold sex. In fact, one in ten students say they use gambling or sex work to make ends meet.

Photo: savethestudent.org

This raises questions about why they have nowhere else to go when times get tough. Only 20 per cent say they find it simple to seek advice from their university, while 80 per cent wish their financial education had been better.

More than two in every three students don’t even understand their loan agreements, with the extensive small print and contractual obligations imposed by Student Finance, passing many by.

Owen Burek, Editor-in-chief of STS and former University of Manchester student, said: “We get contacted by far too many desperate students struggling to live off their maintenance loan, some on the verge of being forced to quit their studies altogether.

“Unfortunately it’s not always simply a case of landing a part-time job and many parents aren’t in a position to make up the ongoing shortfall.

“While maintenance loans have increased, they continue to fall far short of rising living costs: 2016’s new starters are likely to find it even harder to get by.

“If you’re finding it hard to make ends meet, speak to your university welfare office: most will have Hardship funds you may be eligible for.”

If you are struggling, the University of Manchester offer a Hardship Fund which can be applied for by students who need financial support. The Students’ Union’s Advice Service can also help you with further assistance on where to turn in a difficult situation and can offer Emergency Loans of up to £100.

Volunteering Abroad — good or bad?

Imagine the scene: you’ve just moved into your new flat, and you’re meeting your flatmates for the first time. The talk turns to what you’ve spent your summer doing; most have either been working or enjoying their last months of freedom. Suddenly, someone pipes up that they spent their summer volunteering abroad. The inevitable jokes about ‘gap yahs’ and ‘finding yourself’ aside, the popularity of so-called ‘voluntourism’ has grown in recent years. University students are the perfect audience for companies to target; but is it really a good idea?

Google ‘volunteering abroad’ and you’re bombarded with websites offering opportunities all over the world—from Africa to South America to Asia, we’re not short of places to get that perfect Instagram shot. Recently, some of these destinations have come under fire for being less than ethical; Thailand, for example, has been criticised for encouraging tourists to ride their elephants despite the permanent damage it does to the elephant’s spine. Similarly, there have been reports of volunteering opportunities set up just to take advantage of rich tourists looking to gain some good karma and superiority; opportunities that don’t actually provide any benefit to the local economy or community, and may in fact damage it.

The perception that volunteering gives you that edge above others who haven’t, making volunteers more likely to be chosen for jobs in the future may have some truth. It’s important to stress to those thinking about volunteering that research is essential. Those who want to volunteer should research the organisation that they’re thinking of signing up with thoroughly. This involves more than just a Google search—previous volunteers recommend talking to others who have gone with the same company, to get a bit more of a sense of their aims or objectives. What did the company, ultimately, hope to achieve through organising these volunteering opportunities? This is particularly important if you want to volunteer with animals or conservation centres; it’s useful to find out about the treatment of the animals, and whether the animals are going to be released back into the wild or kept for tourism. A friend who has volunteered abroad said that researching the project that you would be expected to carry out whilst volunteering was also an important part of the choosing process. What sort of work would you be expected to do? How much free time to explore the area will you have? Take some time before you go to really think about what you want to achieve from your volunteering, and then tailor your research to this.

Despite all the doom and gloom about volunteering that make the headlines, many people have such positive experiences that they return, year on year, to carry on improving communities across the world. The friends that can be made through volunteering are often friends for life, regardless of nationality or age. It’s one of those unique situations where complete strangers come together in a different country just to help others.

Everyone who has had a positive volunteering experience has stressed how hard it is. They work long hours, in difficult and different environments, often with a lot of responsibility for the short time that they are volunteers. However, the skills they learn from their experience are invaluable, and set them above and apart from other people. Therefore, volunteering abroad doesn’t necessarily deserve the negative press it has. Volunteering itself doesn’t make you a better person. The skills and life lessons you learn through volunteering do, and that is not something achieved through your ‘voluntourism’ holidays.