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Day: 18 October 2016

Racial slur written on student’s campaign poster

In the run up to the student officer elections there have been a series of concerning incidents regarding the posters of students running for the Students’ Union’s Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) part-time officer roles.

On Monday the 17th of October, an anonymous prospective part-time BME officer discovered that several of her posters had been defaced and vandalised with the racial slur ‘Paki’ in red marker.

The student told The Mancunion that she was too embarrassed and anxious after seeing the first use of the offensive word on one of her posters to come forward, but after her friend alerted her to other posters of hers which had been similarly vandalised, she then decided to report it.

This incident follows a similar one which occurred on Friday 14th of October, in which the posters of two prospective BME officers were allegedly shown to be cut with scissors and removed from the front of the union, where campaigning posters are normally placed.

Both students commented that the posters were placed there to try and ensure no vandalism would occur, since they were aware of the incident last term where a student’s banner was defaced with a Swastika, and hoped the heightened awareness from this incident would mean it would not happen again.

One of the prospective officers from Friday’s incident stated that they have not been put off campaigning but will channel their upset and anger into campaigning more. CCTV footage is not available of the incident so the perpetrator(s) remain unknown.

Numerous political societies have offered their support. Manchester Labour Students issued this statement:

“Manchester Labour Students condemns a series of racist incidents that have occurred during the UoMSU part-time officer elections. MLS are shocked by these incidents, of racist language and disruption to campaigning materials like banners and posters, it is totally unacceptable and has affected members of our society in MLS and the whole BAME community. MLS is disgusted and sickened that this kind of attitude exists on our campus and in society and we are totally committed to stamping out all forms of racism. We call on the University and the Students Union to thoroughly investigate these incidents and will be pushing them to take action against any person found responsible for these incidents.”

The University of Manchester’s Student’s Union has released this statement: “Over the weekend it was brought to our attention that BME candidates running in the Student Officer Elections have had their campaign materials vandalised around campus.

“At this stage we have not been able to identify the culprit(s) as CCTV is not present in the areas in which the vandalism has taken place and so it has been difficult to follow up on specific allegations; therefore we will be liaising with each candidate separately to see how they would like to pursue each incident.

“Discrimination or vandalism of any kind will not be tolerated and we will be working closely with each of the candidates to ensure their individual needs are met and receiving the correct support going forward.”

If anyone has any information about the above incidents please do not hesitate to contact The Mancunion.

Flat fire prompts warning for students to test smoke alarms

Students living in Manchester are being advised to test all smoke alarms in their place of residence after a flat fire on the 18th of October.

There was a small fire in the bedroom of a flat on the second floor on Bombay Street, Manchester, at 5:06am where firefighters rescued a student after a neighbour called the fire service.

Watch Manager Andy Simister stated: “It was a neighbour in the next-door flat who called the fire service after their own smoke alarm sounded. When they went to investigate, they noticed smoke coming from underneath the door of the adjacent flat and did exactly the right thing by calling 999.

“The property was occupied by students and although there was a smoke alarm inside, it was not working. This is a timely reminder to all homeowners, and especially students who have just moved into accommodation, to test their smoke alarms are working by simply pressing the test button. Every floor of a rented property should have a working smoke alarm that is tested regularly.”

Four fire service crews from Moss Side and Manchester Central were called out to the flat. The crew forced their way into the residence, wearing breathing apparatus, using a hose reel and a positive pressure ventilation fan to extinguish the fire and clear the smoke in the air.

The student suffered from the effects of smoke inhalation, but did not need to go to hospital after being treated on scene by paramedics.

The fire service were at the scene for one hour.

The cause of the fire was accidental; it is believed that a storage heater may have been the source.

Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service have reminded students to keep the area around storage heaters clear, and not to block them with any clothing or other easily combustible materials.

DayTrippers are back: Visit Chester Zoo

On Wednesday 26th of October, the Students’ Union activities team are organising the next in the run of DayTrippers. For only £20 a ticket you can visit Chester Zoo.

The trip takes you from campus straight to the zoo. The ticket price includes the coach costs and is open to students, friends, family and children. All at the same cost.

DayTrippers began last year, due to popular demand amongst students for the Students’ Union (SU) to deliver more trips across the UK. Last year they ran two sell-out trips to Alton Towers and Blackpool.

The Chester Zoo trip is intended to tie in with the SU’s Global Week,  as Chester Zoo offers students the chance to see the animals of the world.

Chester Zoo houses over 20,000 animals covering 125 acres of zoological gardens. The Students’ Union has chosen to run the trip as they believe “it’s a great chance for students to visit one of the biggest zoos in the country and meet other students along the way”.

You can follow all things DayTrippers on their Facebook page.

And buy tickets for the Chester Zoo trip here. 

The Students’ Union hopes to make DayTrippers any entirely student led project, so if you would like to get involved you can email [email protected] for more information about how to get involved.

A reply: Teach First stands for equal education

I recently read an article in The Mancunion, titled “What do Teach First ambassadors actually promote?” As a Teach First teacher, I would love to answer that question and clear up a few misconceptions.

I began the Teach First Leadership Development Programme (LDP) in 2013 and am currently teaching Maths in a school in Oldham. I completed the programme last year, and have chosen to stay in the classroom as a qualified teacher.

Teach First is an educational charity with a mission of ending education inequality between pupils from low income backgrounds and their wealthier peers. Teach First teachers are trained throughout a two-year programme which places them in schools serving low-income communities.

Since it was founded in 2003, Teach First has placed ten thousand teachers into schools who have collectively taught over a million pupils. The majority, like myself, continue working in the profession after completing the LDP. In fact, of the ten thousand or so that Teach First has recruited since it started in 2003, the majority (56 per cent) are still teachers. A recent independent report by the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) found that these teachers are three times more likely to be teaching in disadvantaged schools and seven times more likely to be in leadership positions.

There is a recruitment crisis in school teaching at the moment. A charity providing ten thousand new teachers—and placing them in those schools that often struggle the most for recruitment—can hardly be accused of contributing to this problem.

A further 12 per cent of those who complete the LDP remain in education more generally—working in charities, for example. 49 charities have sprung up in just over a decade from former Teach First teachers. One example is Frontline, which trains its applicants to become social workers. Their founder, Josh MacAlister, a former Teach First teacher, was inspired to set up Frontline following his experiences in the classroom.

Admittedly, some—though just 14 per cent of those who completed the LDP since 2003—have gone in to business. However, many of that 14 per cent still have strong links to education. Whilst tackling educational inequality means excellent classroom teachers and head teachers , it also means politicians, entrepreneurs, business and charity leaders working in their own arenas to address it.

The article also suggests that schools choose to take on Teach First participants as they will inevitably be cheaper than someone with years of experience. Actually, schools choose to engage with Teach First because of the benefits it brings and the quality of teachers—not least because these schools in deprived areas often struggle to attract new teachers in the first place.

Additionally, it is not correct to say that Teach First teachers only receive six weeks of training with a lack of support and no practical training. The LDP begins with an initial intensive five weeks of training over the summer—including hands-on experience in schools—but this is just the beginning.

Those on the LDP then get two years of non-stop support from university tutors, in-school mentors, and Teach First Leadership Development Officers, during which they study towards a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (though from next year they will study towards a Post Graduate Diploma in Education, which is actually worth more credits than the PGCE). The support I received was excellent. It is no surprise that Ofsted rate Teach First’s training as Outstanding.

The article is correct to note that many schools in low-income communities face challenging behavioural issues. However, Teach First teachers are dealing with this every day and are trained to handle difficult classrooms right from the beginning. If you were to ask students in these schools how many years of experience a teacher should have, they likely would not care, because their teacher cares about them.

Teach First has never suggested that it is, or implied that it should be, the only pathway into teaching. Teach First has a unique role in recruiting and developing leaders in communities that need them the most. There are many excellent routes into teaching and Teach First is proud to be just one.

Finally, one thing I definitely agree with in the article is the author’s suggestion that, “If you see Teach First ambassadors on campus, ask them about these issues and listen carefully to their responses.” Who knows, it could be you walking into the classroom next year.

 

Andy Milne graduated from the University of Manchester in 2011 and currently teaches maths at a school in Oldham.

Manchester is tenth most expensive city for students

A recent article in The Telegraph stated that Manchester is the tenth most expensive place to study in the world. According to data provided by Savills, a real estate agency.

Bristol came in at sixth place for domestic students and ninth for international, whilst London was at fifth place overall.

The average monthly costs for domestic students in Manchester came in (at the time of writing) at around £1,846 per month and £2,438 per month for international students. It breaks down as follows:

Living costs: £389 per month

Accommodation: £642 per month

Tuition fees: £817 per month for domestic students and £1407 per month for international students.

Even with the recent increase in tuition fees, the cost of a student attending a university in the UK is still considerably lower than for our North American counterparts. The four most expensive universities in the world are all within the USA and vary in fees from around $2433 per month in San Francisco up to $3833, in Boston, the number one spot.

Despite being an expensive city to study in, the number of students choosing to come to Manchester has remained fairly consistent over the past few years.

According to university websites, the University of Manchester has 38,590 current students; Manchester Metropolitan University has over 36,000 students; and the University of Salford has more than 17,000, which means the total student population in Greater Manchester 2016 is nearly 100,000.

Marcus Roberts, director of student investment and development at Savills, attributed the large international student population of cities such as Manchester to two major causes. Firstly, to the fact that courses are taught in English. Secondly, that many UK, US, and Australian universities sit at the top of the global ranking tables.

However, this could be changing as he continued: “With greater commercial focus, more courses taught in English, and alignment to the bachelor system; European universities are on the rise.” This means that competition is increasing between universities to attain the top rankings and students, and that this will only grow as European universities develop further.

Additionally, Paul Tostevin, associate director of research at Savills, commented: “Although at the moment the majority of students are still heading to more expensive institutions, we expect the trickle of students choosing value over traditional reputation to increase—particularly when so many of the universities in these cheaper cities now have the credentials to rival the old bastions of education.”

The University of Manchester is currently the UK’s largest single campus university and it has close ties with a number of the city’s cultural events, such as the Literature and Science Festivals. With ongoing large-scale investment in University facilities and city wide infrastructure, Manchester remains a popular choice and its yearly influx of students undoubtedly contribute significantly to both the city’s revenue and its rich cultural heritage.

Live: Blossoms

Manchester Academy, September 30th

5/10

Going to a Blossoms gig feels a lot like that night you drank too much when your older brother’s band played the local dive: There is something homely about it.

I was not lost in a Remake Remodel-esque sea of open shirts and flared trousers; the aesthetic of the crowd was as unpretentious as the band. I knew what I was getting both visually and sonically.

But I didn’t want them to play it safe. More than anything, I wanted Tom Ogden to care that he was playing to a sold-out crowd at the Academy, but I may as well have been pint in hand at Stockport’s Bakers Vaults.

Ogden opened their set with the line “we’re Blossoms from Stockport”. These are local lads through and through. I felt a world away from Zachary Cole Smith’s usual “we’re DIIV from New York City.” If you know, you know.

Three years into a band, complacency should not be a thing, at least not yet. You could have sold-out arenas and stadiums but don’t make me feel like it’s just another night, no biggie. There is something heartwarming about a band who are genuinely appreciative of their audience and I just did not get that from Blossoms—and when they don’t care, why would I?

I know it’s your first record and you have lost count of how many times you have played it, but I want every time to feel like the first or at least let me feel like you’re not just going through the motions. I could not help but feeling like this as they meticulously worked their way through their eponymous debut album.

They just didn’t seem that into it.

They played well, as I suppose they always do, but it did not make me feel anything, and is not that the point of making music? I thought, perhaps, Toy had been watered down and sent to the Van McCann school of performance. Also, memo to the sound guy—I’ve never been to such a quiet gig, can you turn it up?

Their music brings people closer together, that much is obvious—it’s a movement for sure, but at the same time, not one I am entirely sure I want to be part of. They are set to be what Arctic Monkeys were to the noughties and Stone Roses were to the 90s Madchester scene—but as Turner once said, don’t believe the hype.

Seoul Kimchi

“Where’s the bathroom?”

“Through the kitchen on the right.”

“OK.” I turn right before the kitchen and try and go down some stairs.

“No no, through the kitchen.”

“Oooh, OK.” I literally walk through the kitchen.

I find it. I go to wash my hands and next to the soap there is some face wash— I used to use the same brand. There are cups in cup-holders with toothbrushes in. Is someone living in the kitchen? More likely someone is living above the restaurant but still, it looked like someone was living in the kitchen. Bedding down every night between the defrosting chicken and the slowly fermenting cabbage.

I went to Seoul Kimchi with the ever brilliant Mr. Mcarthy and Ms. Duncan, both hailing from that wonderful slice of England, Kent. It is a little-known fact that all Kentish people love being taken out for dinner, as they are far too shy to go by themselves. They are a kind people, the Kentish. Who better than to take eating at this Korean Japanese restaurant, takeaway, and shop?

Situated on the wasteland that is Upper Brook Street (sort of behind Lidl) Seoul Kimchi sits on a street corner. It was funny walking in, the open plan kitchen is as big as the dining room, and there are a bunch of mirrors which make you think the dining room is bigger than it actually is. There were waiters and chefs prepping something on a dining room table. Later on, when the waiters weren’t busy with customers, you could see them delicately peeling garlic cloves. Incidentally, the waiters also peel the garlic at The River Cafe, part of Ruth Roger’s familial philosophy. And that same kind of all-in-it-together, family sensibility is something that Seoul Kimchi has in abundance. From the toothbrushes in the bathroom, to the sharing of the kitchen’s workload.

That sensibility, that familial quality, is best personified in its homemade plum ice cream. If you have no particular yearning for the foods of Korea and Japan, got to this restaurant simply for the ice cream. The braised beef was wonderful, and the sauce was the linchpin that commanded dips with rice laden spoons. The prawn bibimbap was a kind of utilitarian lunch option. If you had to choose a lunch with little portions of vegetables and a choice of meat or fish, over rice, under egg, that would fill you up and be healthy, then bibimbap is great. But it was underwhelming in terms of flavour. Chicken katsu curry, again, left a little to be desired, the panko crust was nice but the katsu sauce did not convey that classic peanut flavour but instead a sweet, plum like air.

Korean barbecue is one of the greatest things on earth. I have spent many a happy meal sizzling thin cuts of meat over tabletop grills. Although the cooking for Seoul Kimchi’s barbecue is done in the kitchen it was a must order. We chose that classical marriage of pig and seafood with a pork and squid dish. It was fine, with a course heat. The squid was well prepared but its texture was unpleasant. The plate was adorned with chopped peppers and chilies that gave a positive accompaniment to the dish.

The menu was large —not scarily so— but noticeable. We stuck to the “Korean favourites” section for the most part and our final plate was a sweet and sour chicken. It had the kind of tasty, home-style flavour that characterised most of the meal. But the crunch on that chicken deserves special accolades, it was a deeply serious crunch.

The whole evening was tied together with three scoops of iced hope, creamed faith, the kind of pudding that cures diseases and dissolves stress. The maddest part is we nearly left without trying it, being extremely well fed off five dishes for £45.00, with rice and miso soup. To avoid regret we got some ice cream despite not feeling we had the room for it. Luckily the ice-cream doesn’t actually take up space in your stomach but seeps into your every pore, it gets into the blood stream and starts doing things to your brain. Plum seemed like the right choice at the time, maybe that katsu gave us a taste, but they also had flavours like ginger and cinnamon.

Seoul Kimchi is the neighborhood restaurant I’ve never had.

275 Upper Brook St, M13 0HR

Food 3/5

Service 4/5

Value 5/5

Ice Cream 5/5

 

Review: Under The Shadow

Set in post-revolution Tehran during the War of the Cities, Babak Anvari’s Under The Shadow incorporates the devastating reality of living through a war with the supernatural suggestion of being haunted by creatures hinted at being “djinn”, demons that appear in Islamic mythology. Rather than these monsters being simply there for genre’s sake, they are interwoven more deeply into the other themes explored in the film—religion and politics.

It is made clear from the offset that the protagonist, Shideh—played by Iranian-born Narges Rashid—has little time for the strict Islamic, right-wing Iran in which she is living. At times this comes across as heavy-handed, with the film beginning with Shideh being informed that she is unable to return to her studies due to her involvement with radical groups during the revolution, and ending with her almost being smothered by an invisible figure in a chador, as well as Shideh being scolded for leaving her house without covering her head or body appropriately. Perhaps this can be seen as a manifestation of Shideh’s personal anxieties around religious and political oppression, however it occasionally feel overplayed.

Despite this, the film is not only deeply harrowing, but interesting in its own right. It is certainly a horror, and there are scenes which shock but the ‘jump-scare’ technique is not overused and does exactly as it should without cheapening the film. It produces the feeling of waking up from a nightmare, which is exactly what appears to happen to Shideh in one scene, although it is always unclear what is reality within the film. Under The Shadow is truly chilling because it layers the supernatural threat over the very real threat of war—nothing is quite as forbidding as the sound that the alarm makes every time there is a missile threat.

Death within the film is not bloody and gruesome, but sad and realistic, showing a frantic daughter crying for help as her father has suffered a heart attack. His body is carried out on a stretcher, under a white sheet, which is far more emotionally touching than in many horror films where victims are hacked to death and then forgotten.

The claustrophobic setting of the family home further adds to the overarching feeling during the film of entrapment—although some scenes do show the outside world, there is a sense that the home must be returned to and lived in, no matter how unsafe it is. The home itself appears authentic, and yet the skilled camerawork and cinematography mean that Under The Shadow is visually pleasing throughout. The attention to detail and use of tropes and symbols cannot go unnoted, with masking tape being used to fix anything broken. Whether this is representative of the mother’s futile attempts to keep the family and their home together is uncertain, but it definitely stands out as a memorable piece of imagery.

Under The Shadow has already been acquired by Netflix, and it is not difficult to understand why. It is the perfect balance of tension and pure terror, with excellent acting and direction coming together to portray both the sad truth of civilian life during war and the psychological terror of the supernatural.

4/5

Album: Slaves – Take Control

6/10

As leaders of British punk, it can be hard to stay one step ahead. While Kent duo Slaves have had enough to write about—from Brexit to Syria—they fail to shock. Their new album Take Control seems more of a punk stalemate than revival.

Opening the album, ‘Spit It Out’ throws you straight into the deep end with the chaotic vocals and drums we are so familiar with from their debut album Are You Satisfied? Under 3 minutes long, the track appears to be following its mantra and getting straight to the point. However, with a 16-track album it was clear something had to give. Thankfully, it was not their humour as they provide two skits, ‘Mr Industry’ and ‘Gary’, to conjure a chuckle during the heavy album.

Owing to guitarist Laurie Vincent’s broken wrist, the band explores a slower tempo than we have heard from Slaves before. ‘Cold Hard Floor’ stays true to punk roots with the blunt message that you cannot run away from your problems, “hiding from the rain but you’re gonna get wet some day”. It also features an obligatory freak out scream in case the pace was distracting from the messy feel Slaves tracks are known for. This exploration did not work out for all songs as the strange ‘STD’s/PHD’s’ is reminiscent of an Oasis song on a hotbed of acid-fuelled synth.

Rebelling, as they do, against the upper classes, ‘Rich Man’ takes clear inspiration from Blur as they sing of a man with “a big house and a shit load of land”. If there was a point to get across, it is completely lost by the anti-climactic chorus.

The highlight of the album is ‘Lies’, with a guitar riff so melodic that it does actually surprise. Written after the government’s decision to bomb Syria, Isaac Holman’s raw and gritty vocals draw you in to the darkness of it all as he sings, “you do as you are told even though you knows it’s not right”. What makes this track different to others on Take Control is how genuine this message feels. In other songs the only thing that comes across clearly is an air of pretentiousness.

Produced by former Beastie Boy Mike D, this power team create a genuine punk album. Unfortunately, their loyalty to the genre has meant that rather than anything groundbreaking, we are given a long and cliched album that is everything you’d expect.

Knowing and doing: fighting UK poverty

As I sat down to attend a panel discussion on poverty reduction at the Tory Party Conference last week, the chair, Fraser Nelson of The Spectator, made an interesting and poignant remark. He noted that while there were only a few talks on poverty reduction at this year’s conference, with most of the time being taken up by Brexit, it still vastly outstripped the Labour Party Conference’s zero discussions on the issue.

At first, this seemed to confuse, as what could be a better judge of the quality of a government than how it has helped the least well-off? But once one thinks about it, it makes perfect sense.

There is nothing more archetypically conservative than wanting to lift someone up and have them make what they will of their own destiny; free from nannying or being talked down to, it was part of the conservative DNA to liberate. This has been the case at least since Disraeli railed against the two nations that existed within this United Kingdom and called on his party to unite them.

Over 100 years later and it has been a winning battle, though the work is not yet done. Who could conceivably prefer the life of even the richest of noblemen in the middle ages to that of the working poor today who benefit from clean water, easy access to food, central heating, televisions, new technologies, easy access to transport, wonderful new medicines, a low child mortality rate, and a considerably greater knowledge of the world than possessed throughout history. There are however a few key steps to getting over the last hurdle, to see the last homeless person off the streets, the last working poor to go malnourished, and the last poor woman who puts up with an abusive husband in order to survive. The way to move forward is not to ask why is poverty prevalent, for we have always had poverty, but why is prosperity prevalent, such that we can spread that prosperity to all.

Three key identifiers were made to social mobility at the conference: house building, enterprise expansion, and education, though the proposals exhibited a varying degree of feasibility. When it comes to house building, there was an almost unanimous agreement that in order to meet the growing demand and plug the rising cost of housing—the biggest barrier to social mobility—building on the greenbelt is a necessity. This, however, is a politically untenable move, as there are lots of vested interests fighting to restrict the housing supply and get rich off of the development rights. Government initiatives, such as giving priority to owners as opposed to letters, and expanding right to buy, are demand-side solutions to a supply-side problem, and as a result destined to fail.

Enterprise building is another key area which could help alleviate poverty as Britain’s non-existent productivity growth, and lack of scalability within businesses, has prevented salaries from rising and better jobs being created. While there is record employment in this country today, the social mobility afforded by one’s job can only be utilised as new firms and products enter the market, driving wages up. In this department, there again seemed to be a consensus around the need to invest more and lower the risk burden to investors in order to develop new and potentially lucrative firms, but this was not the route the government has taken. The industrial strategy route harking back to the 70s style “picking winners” philosophy is an egregious move towards socialism, which can only serve to enrich special interests at the expense of the sectors that are not in the government’s favour.

Finally, in education, the tide began to turn against the highly academic, pro-university culture that has permeated in Britain since the Blair-era, in which a University degree is seen as an essential characteristic of a good job. This culture, however, has led Britain’s youth to be ill-prepared for the job market and indebted, with a high proportion of recent University graduate’s doing non-graduate level jobs. It was clear that expanding trade schooling and apprenticeships and encouraging more hands-on approaches to work are major ways of improving salaries and social mobility. The free school’s initiative has shown great success in improving the quality of schools across the country, and it is in education where the current government’s biggest success stories lie.

Outside of policy however, there was much discussion about the social means to ensure poverty reduction. I am one of what I am sure is a large number of people who do not believe that governments act effectively at helping the poor, and that it is up to each and every individual citizen to take the initiative to improve our neighbours’ lives.

The rise of food banks and other major third sector players in helping those in need is a great first step in building the community bonds that were once much stronger. The rising number of people with mental illness in my humble opinion is a symptom of major social breakdown, with people losing their families and sense of community, being overburdened by a highly individualistic world.

Cameron’s Big Society project, which he has gone back to work on now that he has left politics, is indicative of the kind of social cohesion necessary to maintain the gains we have made in fighting against poverty. Decentralising responsibility to local authorities and giving more freedom to the third sector to act in these issues will help build the community spirit and individual responsibility that has all but disappeared in recent years.

While there may not be a lot of political capital currently available for expenditure on poverty alleviation, the interest shown at the conference for preparing a prosperity tool-kit are a cause for optimism. It is important that a discussion on poverty is consistently occurring in order for us to not be complacent with the successes we have made, thereby neglecting what still needs to be done.

The more we talk in a meaningful and pragmatic way about major social issues, even if unable to act immediately, we act in a way that develops a community culture that we all strive to inhabit. It takes strength and unity to push forward the gears of real change, something that was clearly present during the talks throughout the conference.

Take notes Jeremy.

Look Up – there is more to see than you might think…

There are a lot of people with amazing stories in Manchester and thanks to Jamal Jameel, 3rd year Photography student at the University of Salford, and the Journeys Festival, some of those stories have been told in the city centre.

In the Look Up Project, the subjects of the photos are telling their own story — not the photographers. From the setting to the way they portray themselves, each part is organic and represents the refugees and asylum seekers in a real way — resulting in some incredibly powerful images.

The first image is of a normally formal man in a vest in his own bathroom performing an everyday task, shaving, and tells the tale of a man starting afresh in a new country and with a new life. It was beautiful in its simplicity, and that somehow added a depth by being photographed in a very personal way.

This personal touch was the most striking part about the tour, as each photograph was accompanied by the story of the person in it. Whether the story was about the love of reading or of long hair, or the story of the struggles that have had to be overcome—some of which have yet to be overcome; each one took my breath away. Jameel noted that the story behind the photographs are the most important part, it is the key to trying to understand why each person decided to have their portrait taken.

This idea of the story being more important is refreshing. Yes, art is about creating a thing of beauty, but sometimes I feel as though you can spend so much time trying to make something look perfect that you lose the quality that imperfections bring. Each of the photographs in the exhibition were beautiful, but some took only thirty minutes in the home of the refugees. To my untrained eye they looked perfect and planned, but as you listened to Jameel talk about them they are very spontaneous and that is the most inspiring part.

The photographer himself was incredibly passionate about the final pieces though retained an admirable sense of modesty throughout the tour, thankful that he had had the opportunity to be a part of the Journeys Festival. Speaking with him between the pieces, I was incredibly humbled by his sense of gratitude to the people that helped him when he first came to Manchester—hoping that the project would be part of a thank you.

The featured photo shows Awan, a refugee from Basra who wrote these words to go with her self-portrait: “I am Awan. I came to the UK from the Middle East. My journey was safe but other people did not have it so easily. I have completed a community interpreting course so I can help Arabs people who don’t speak English.”

It is these simple pieces that accompany the photographs that bring them to life, give them a back story and give them a spirit that will touch Manchester’s many communities.

Personally, I cannot think of a better exhibition to have in a festival celebrating the rich culture and personality that refugees bring to Manchester. When looking at the photos you are seeing a glimpse into the soul of the subjects, sometimes parts of the soul that the subjects may be hiding not only from others but from themselves.

The Journeys Festival will be returning to Manchester next year after its successful first year and I will definitely be attending, you should too. You can check out more from The Beholder series on the Journeys Festival website.

Should doping be legalised?

Athletes doping in sport is as old as sport itself; Ancient Greek sportsmen and women ate and drank various substances that were believed to have enhanced performance, giving them an advantage over their opponents. Humans have always striven to push the bounds of what is possible—that is what is beautiful about our species.

However, doping as we know it nowadays is undeniably cheating and therefore, immoral. Performance-enhanced athletes are deceiving spectators who are prepared to be dazzled by the beauty of a human’s natural ability, by breaking the rules. With scandals like Russia’s state sponsored doping scheme and Maria Sharapova’s medical ‘slip-up’ emerging in the press all too often, is it not time to alter the rules to incorporate this overwhelming number of athletes? Until technology is advanced enough to successfully catch all doping athletes, this may be the only solution.

If rules were changed to make doping transparent, then it would no longer be deemed cheating. Allowing this would arguably get rid of the beauty of sport and the chance for an audience to watch an athlete pushing themselves to the limits of un-enhanced human capability; you would no longer be watching the ultimate Wimbledon final between Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, but a clash between Zeus and Mars. But would this be a bad thing though if it meant that months down the line you did not, as a spectator, feel totally deceived by a sporting event that you thought was real but has just been deemed a total lie by the front cover of the tabloids?

Anti-doping agencies have banned across all sports certain substances that are believed to enhance performance, in an attempt to ‘level the playing field’. Even if these regulatory bodies were successful in their attempts to clean up sport, the playing field would still very much not be level. Athletes can seek advantage over their opponents in multiple ways that are deemed legal; hypnosis, acupuncture, sleeping in oxygenated tents, not to mention constant technological advancements. What happens then to the less wealthy countries who cannot afford to ‘tweak’ their athletes as close to the legal line as possible? Are they then supposed to rely on pure natural ability in order to just keep hot on the tails of their opponents—surely a dated concept?

A professional athlete’s livelihood depends on winning and for those that are clean, facing drugged-up opponents pretty much eliminates this possibility. Athletes are then faced with a moral dilemma: stay clean and have almost no chance of success, or dope. To add to the pressure of doping is the likelihood of not getting caught, one survey in 2015 estimated only a 2 per cent chance of being caught out—and psychologist’s studies have shown that the less likely you are to be caught, the greater number of cheats there is. This would regretfully suggest that the doping scandals we hear about are only the tip of the iceberg.

At the moment athletes are prepared to go to any means possible to enhance their performance in order to keep up with the opposition, often self-administering the drugs they or their trainers have obtained from unknown sources. If doping was to be legalised then drugs would be properly administered and athletes would no longer have to delve into this perilous underground world, risking their long term health and reputation.

Not only would legalising doping eliminate the risk factor, it would actually make sport fairer. Although this may sound counter intuitive, if an international body was to distribute performance enhancers, then everyone would have access to the same drugs in the same quantities, therefore levelling out the playing field.

Doping is a complex moral issue but one which increasingly needs addressing or we risk totally losing the enjoyment we get from watching organised sport or perhaps, which nobody wants, losing it altogether. While the rules that stand are continually being broken therefore leading to injustice, they should be changed.

Feature: Indie Music Week

“It’s kinda hard for bands like us to break through, we’re just sad sons of bitches playing rock ‘n’ roll” opines Andy Bianculli in his Texan drawl towards the end of his Americana-influenced set at the launch party for Indie Music Week.

Sad sons of bitches or not, it would be hard to deny his point—getting signed is, and has been for some time, a challenge for up-and-coming bands. The rise of Spotify and the like has not helped; while it may be easy to dismiss the effects on more opinionated superstars such as Taylor Swift as near-negligible, record labels are becoming increasingly nervous about the risk of signing new acts.

To land a record deal in these difficult times therefore takes not only great musical skills, honed through gigging, but also a good insider knowledge and business acumen. But where does a band more focused on catchy choruses and riffs pick up these skills? Enter Indie Music Week.

Indie Music Week started in Toronto in 2003 and combined a series of gigs for bands to showcase their talent with music panels and master classes to help them out business-wise. Having operated a similar outfit in Dublin for several years, the first Manchester edition took place in 2015.  In addition to crucial gigging and business experience, the event offered one winning band to play in Toronto and sign a record deal, with the honour going to Sweden’s very own Victoria & Jean. It’s no surprise that the return to Manchester in 2016 would warrant a launch party, featuring a range of local and international artists.

The launch party is at Live Manchester, a well-hidden underground venue at the end of Grosvenor Street. Once inside, LED screens above and behind the band display patterns in blue and purple as well as regular displays of Indie Week, setting the relaxed scene. The evening kicks off with a trio of Texan musicians –the singer-songwriters Andy Bianculli and Elijah Ford— who play folksy and electric American blues with a decidedly laid-back approach (one couple decide to waltz to Bianculli’s set), who then form a trio with singer Jai Malano. Although her powerful, soulful voice rightly gets a great reception, Bianculli lays a solid foundation of suitably bluesy chords and solos, all kept in place by Ford’s solid bass playing. This first section earns rapturous applause from an audience who stomp, clap, and dance along in true Deep South style.

However the next act, The Elder Fawn, provide as much of a contrast as possible. Heavy rockers, featuring a shirtless guitarist and plenty of melodic screaming, yet allowing for math-rock and prog sensibilities, the Manchester band draw a large and involved crowd and earn a well-deserved reception. Similarly, the following US-UK act Killing Floor provide simpler heavy riffs with anthemic choruses, somewhat akin to early 2000s Foo Fighters or AC/DC, and crowd-pleasing interaction galore. Although the evening has taken a heavier turn by this point, the bands still feel sufficiently different that the event comes across as a showcase for the different  genres to be represented across the week.

The launch party wraps up with a slimmer crowd and a set from Psyblings, who despite their long hair and tie-die attire prove themselves perfectly capable of setting down heavy, frenetic riffs with plenty of crowd interaction once again. In a way it’s almost a shame that they were picked to headline the venue on a Wednesday as their set would have gone down a storm with a larger crowd. Still, they manage to deliver a rapturous performance in a half-empty venue with several obviously dedicated fans at the front.

Overall, the launch party was a showcase of not merely great but also diverse talents – ranging from the low-key Texan blues early in the evening to the frenetic psychedelia offered by Psyblings. Although the lineup seemed heavy on American acts (which admittedly makes sense for a festival originating from Canada), a cursory glance at the rest of the bands set to perform in familiar venues such as Joshua Brooks, O’Shea’s Bar, and Factory, shows that the organisers have gone above and beyond in promoting UK and, particularly, Mancunian acts. If they can meet the high standard set at the launch party, then the business knowledge these bands will hopefully pick up from the panels and master classes offered as part of the festival can only be a good thing.

 

Album: White Lies – Friends

7th October 2016 Via BMG

6/10

The problem for many established acts is how to keep themselves sounding fresh and interesting once they’ve found the sound which works for them, and White Lies are no exception. Having set themselves up as a solid post-punk act complete with dramatic, story-like lyrics, driving basslines, and synthesised strings on their first two efforts, 2009’s To Lose My Life and 2011’s Ritual, 2013’s follow-up Big TV felt as if it wanted to move away from this without knowing how this new direction wanted to sound. Their new album, Friends, cuts these ties more radically with an 80’s pop sound and more intimate lyrics, but doesn’t completely solve the problem.

Perhaps the sleek packaging sums it up best—it’s White Lies, but brighter and wrapped in retro synthpop. The lead single, ‘Take It Out On Me’ coincidentally is only two words away from a certain 80’s hit which seems to have influenced many of the chiptune-esque keyboards on the record. Musically, this is certainly a far cry from upbeat early singles such as ‘Death’ or ‘Farewell to the Fairground’. New tracks, ‘Hold Back Your Love’ and ‘Is My Love Enough’ are built on pulsating layers of synthesisers, disco-styled basslines, and genuinely heartfelt, intimate lyrics and are—shock horror—actually quite danceable. The new electro approach really comes into its own for ‘Swing’, a slow-burning, minimalistic track, building up from a simple bassline and drumbeat into the familiar, chorus-heavy band we know.

Inevitably, there are filler tracks, and in some respects there is a lack of diversity between tracks once the new sound is more familiar—a similar problem to that which plagued Big TV. The big choruses and interesting music is there, but sandwiched between acceptable, yet unremarkable songs. Despite this, we should commend White Lies for a genuinely bold step forward, both musically and lyrically. Friends is a good album and several tracks merit a few re-listens at worst and a place to get stuck in your head at best. Let’s hope that White Lies continue to put out more of these types of tracks and fewer unremarkable filler tracks on future albums.

The pill and depression: what we know

A link between hormonal contraceptives and depression has been confirmed for the first time, following a new study published in September from the University of Copenhagen, which has contributed definitively to this long-running global debate. The research arrived just before World Mental Health Day on the 10th of October, having tracked one million Danish women between the ages of 15 – 34 for over 13 years, becoming the largest study of its kind.

Women taking the combined oral contraceptive were found to be 23 per cent more likely to be diagnosed with depression, and those using progestin-only pills—also known as “the mini-pill”—were 34 per cent more likely. Adolescent women are at the greatest risk of developing depression, with an 80 per cent increase seen in those taking the combined pill—the risk is doubled for those taking the progestin-only pill. More worryingly, alternative hormone-based contraceptives often offered to women—such as the hormonal coil or IUS, the ring, or the patch—could increase depression at a much higher rate than either type of oral contraceptive. 

This calls into question the NHS’ emphasis on providing these ‘pill alternatives’, to young women in particular, over recent years. The principle is that they eliminate the risk of pregnancy as there is no need to remember to take a pill every day, but it could well be that the increased risk of depression outweighs this need. However, it is important to note that the study does not show that hormonal contraception directly causes depression, but only indicates an association.

The pill has been commonly linked to other problems such as: higher risks of deep vein thrombosis; weight gain; loss of libido; acne (both an increase or decrease), and nausea. Otherwise, it has not previously been usually linked to depression. Despite this, most pill brands do include depression and anxiety in their ‘potential side effects’ list.

A local female GP describes how in medical school, she was taught to be aware of the association between depression and the pill. She went on to explain that in a “historically male dominated field, depression was ‘dismissed’ as minor issue to deal with in comparison to unwanted pregnancy”. However, in this day and age, understanding the side effects —both mental and physical—is becoming increasingly important, particularly when it comes to communicating these to the general public so they are fully aware and can make decisions themselves.

One student spoke to The Mancunion about her experiences, after she was on the pill for over a year. She says she found herself “incredibly down all the time; the smallest thing could make me burst into tears. I didn’t see it until I came off the pill altogether.” She went on to explain how it influenced both her social and work life: “My housemates were worried about me and thought someone had died. I struggled concentrating on school work, and ended up having to resit two exams in my first year of university.”

Since coming off the pill, her moods are “much more stable and predictable”. She advises: “Talk to your doctor about anything that could possibly indicate depression. If you don’t feel like yourself after you start a new pill just change it. There are so many options and you don’t have to stick to something that makes your life miserable.”

According to The Guardian, one of the study’s authors, Øjvind Lidegaard, plans to next study the possible “association between taking hormonal birth control and attempting or committing suicide”.

In light of this latest research between the pill and women’s health, it is important to always read the package leaflet that comes with your prescriptions to fully understand the potential side effects yourself. If you are in any doubt, ask your doctor or refer to sexual health websites.

Where do our course fees go?

Humanities students pay the same amount as those studying sciences. For a long time, I believed this to be absolutely fine. But then I thought about it for about seven seconds and realised that it makes no sense.

I have very few contact hours, I buy books which are not subsidised, and my department is not in need of any highly expensive new equipment to really see what Finnegans Wake means. Well, though it might be in need of such equipment, it sadly does not exist. It seems strange that I should be paying the same amount as a student for whose course is far more expensive to run.

Walking past and noticing the extent of newly-demolished buildings throughout the university campus, you might not be surprised that one billion pounds is being spent on this round of redevelopment.

If the new Business School screens are not a clear lens facing the heart of corporate strategy itself, then they need not have bothered. You have not seen a spreadsheet till you have really seen a spreadsheet. Certainly, we know that, on screens, we can rely upon the university planning committees to deliver—as it has been well demonstrated by the remarkable improvements in our collective quality of life since the biggest screen this side of Printworks was attached to the learning commons.

The overall ten-year campus masterplan aims to improve common areas such as the library, union and health facilities. More fundamental, however, is the goal of moving the north campus nearer the south campus. This means that it will be easier to navigate the university.

As well as joining the campuses together, by 2022, the centres for the School of Law, the Manchester Business School, the Medical School, the School of Computer Science, Environmental Sciences, Mathematics and Chemistry as well as the Manchester Engineering Campus will have been improved or redeveloped.

Meanwhile in the School of Languages and Cultures, the blackboards will be gently cleaned—perhaps even polished. Furthermore, it has been promised that 90 per cent of the chairs in the History Department will still be there by the end of the academic year.

Of course this is not to say that redevelopment in the fields of study and research that require it more than humanities departments should be forgone. These projects to renew facilities are highly valuable.

Yet, it may be worth observing what the road to this golden future looks like at present. There is something uncanny about the redevelopment of the university and cityscape that resembles its very disrepair. Once one project is nearing completion, another will begin. It is a cycle whose marks in the present are sites of damage.

This tension can be felt elsewhere in Manchester, as the vague ‘Circle Square’ building site is surrounded by graphics proclaiming: “a place to think, create, achieve the extraordinary,” whilst the moving of mud behind the barriers spreads into eternity.

Aside from the question of buildings and equipment, one wonders where humanities tuition fees could possibly go. Limited contact hours for arts students either mean that our lecturers have the highest hourly rate of pay on record, or that our money is redirected elsewhere.

If I had been taught by someone off the telly, then I at least would have known where the money had ended up. If Tim Lovejoy took my seminar on Slaughterhouse 5, I would be confused but satisfied with some tangible evidence of money being spent; tangible in so far as I could touch Tim Lovejoy, if I so wished.

I grant that this is a silly example, but within a department where we cannot ask for new equipment to improve research, it becomes difficult to think how money could be spent. On the contrary, it is not as if the School of Physics, for example, would have this problem. They are surely redundant of the need to employ some celebrity-scientist for lecturing.

Of course, when assessing the relative value of different areas of study, the discussion is lead into a game to which there can be no winner. By arguing for the lowering of fees of humanities subjects, you implicitly argue that these academic areas have less value in today’s society. Then, in arguing that these areas of study are just as useful or important as the sciences it seems necessary for equal fees across disciplines.

A former English Literature and Language student of the University of Manchester Anthony Burgess wrote in 1988 in his younger self that he “dimly felt then, and feel very strongly now, that there is something wrong with an education system that takes no account of passion.”

Perhaps the higher education system now does account for passion. Or rather, it relies on the blind passion of humanities students in their acceptance of paying excessive fees.

López Holds Nothing Back in his New Film, Sin Filtro

Chilean director Nicholas López’s new film Sin Filtro (No Filter) is a lighthearted comedy that offers audiences a laugh or a bit of reflection, depending on the way one interprets the film’s message.

The film follows Pia, a 37-year-old woman who seems to “have it all”, yet still suffers from stress-induced panic attacks. She has a well-paid job, a husband, a good home and friends, yet her psychiatrist continues to prescribe her increased doses of antidepressants. “¿Qué me pasa, Dios mío?” she wonders aloud as she questions her unhappiness.

To the audience it’s clear. Pia, as it turns out, does not have it all. Her co-workers in an advertising agency see her as the grandmother of the office; her husband is an unemployed artist looking for inspiration while he and his son live comfortably off her earnings; her friends consist of a social media addict, her 10-year ex and her cat-loving sister, all of whom seem to place Pia in second place among their priorities. Does it therefore come as a surprise when she seeks alternative medical treatment at a possibly unlicensed Chinese doctor’s storage room?

Once summited to a more than dodgy acupuncture, Pia lets loose. True to the film’s title, she begins living life with No Filter, telling everyone exactly what she thinks of them. If the beginning wasn’t comic enough, this part will certainly entertain audiences, especially women who have been accused of going through “that time of the month” when speaking their mind in a brutally honest manner.

López in this section takes advantage of the comic element to poke fun at a generation obsessed with the projection of a certain image through social media. His frustration is most palpable as Pia snaps her colleague’s selfie-stick in two as well as dunking her friend’s phone in orange juice, explaining that she is simply “saving” her friend from her own “mental illness”. It is no coincidence that Pia works in an advertising agency that is increasingly hiring model-esque employees that are perfectly capable of filling out their bras but seem to struggle with administrative forms.

Her office becomes a symbol of the shallow value placed nowadays on an image rather than on substance, especially an image which will eventually be posted or uploaded on YouTube. We all know that one person (in some cases more than one) that is continuously worried about their Facebook profile or their Instagram account. This is why it comes as a relief when Pia tells the cable man exactly where he can stick up the cables which give her access to her Wi-Fi and her social media. As a viewer, you can’t help but feel a small bout of joy as the router, which at this point has been thrown at the cable man, hits the wall with a triumphant crash.

As stated before, Sin Filtro is a light-hearted comedy with a message that the viewer can take or leave. Each character is presented as the hyperbolic version of themselves which makes this film as unrelatable as it does relatable. There is no character which will fully remind one of oneself, or friends and family, but there are certain characteristics in each one that make us laugh as we recognise them in the people we know. After all, don’t we all have our small manias and obsessions that make us all just that little bit crazy?

The route to university has improved, and so must we

As part of Manchester City Council’s billion-pound ‘Grow Project’, the majority of students’ route to the University has got a whole lot safer. But now we all need to know our place on the road or pavement, and stick to it. As many will have noticed (see, the never-ending roadworks) the project has had a focus on the cycle and bus lanes of Wilmslow and Oxford Road, one of the busiest public transport routes in Europe.

Due to this business, amongst other factors, the route can often be very dangerous to cyclists—as my mum will never let me forget. These changes are much needed, and so far we are seeing a great improvement, but there is still more to be done from all that use the roads either behind the wheel, in the saddle, or on foot.

The conflict between cyclists and drivers has really blossomed over the past ten years, as made clear by the hours of YouTube footage dedicated to disgruntled drivers and righteous riders; the new Mods vs Rockers, some might say.

Due to a combination of arrogance and ignorance, the two groups don not seem to be able to share the road harmoniously. With the introduction of these new cycle lanes, you may think the problem would now cease to exist.

Given such clear separation provided by bollards, kerbs, and bright green paint, the two groups are hardly sharing the road. However, the problem still remains, and pedestrians are adding to it, using the green strip as if it is their own VIP fast lane.

The council are doing their bit, but now it is our responsibility to recognise this and change our own habits. The easiest, and most common group to take issue with are the drivers. Though they are less likely to be reading this, it is still worth pointing out the issues.

Incidents have certainly reduced since the cycle lanes have been introduced, most likely due to the separation of bikes and cars. But at junctions, where the separation ends and the two are forced to cross paths, is where arrogance and ignorance collide.

Often the ignorance comes from the driver—though not always, of course. Now that the cycle lanes are more obvious than ever, the issue of being pushed up against the kerb is almost non-existent. However, it seems these clear boundaries have done nothing but encourage the mindset of the unaware driver.

The clear separation seems to encourage a vacuum of awareness to the left of the car just before making a lurching turn, and in doing so, cutting off the oncoming cyclist and forcing a dramatic escape. Occasionally, the cyclist is not so lucky and is sent flying from the bike into the severe pain of tarmac. This is far from the case with all drivers. In fact, I would like to praise the bus drivers, who always seem to have one eye on every inch of the road. But it still happens often enough to make an interruption-free journey through the Curry Mile a rarity.

As a cyclist myself, I know that we are far from innocent. Often, we act like the rules of the road don not apply to us. Clearly this does not do much for the harmony of road users. If a driver were to see a cyclist speeding through a set of lights when they have been waiting patiently for it to turn green, it will of course cause feelings of resentment.

Though it is often safer to set off before the cars do, drivers equate these actions to arrogance. It is effectively spitting on the sacred British past-time of queuing.

If we cyclists are looking to be treated with respect and with the same rights as all other road users, then we need to act that way. There are also a great number of occasions where cyclists are ignorant too, by failing to indicate or cycling at night without lights. It is small things like this that encourage a divide between the two parties.

The pavement walkers have never been an issue for us road-using cyclists. They have kept themselves to themselves and all was well. But since the advent of the protected cycle lanes, some have decided to venture off the safe haven of the pavement, stepping out into the bright lights of the green strips.

These paths seem to allow pedestrians to stroll past others as if they were on an airport conveyor belt. It seems like a wonderful solution to the problems of the pedestrian, but what a commotion it causes for cyclists.

Just as the driver might makes a rogue turning, cyclists are constantly aware of the pedestrians with their backs turned, teetering on the kerb, in case they make a break for it in their new ‘fast lane’. Once again, we are often forced to slam on the brakes, and squeeze past with a cautionary “Woah, watch out”, hoping that will stop them from doing it again.

The recent changes are such a positive step, but we must check ourselves before we wreck ourselves—or those around us.

The call of the sea

The oceans have always been a great friend to Britain. As an island nation, we owe our very survival to our status as a sceptred isle. We were saved by the sea from Spain in 1588, from Napoleon’s European conquest and from the Nazi war machine. It has kept us free from tyranny and allowed us to continue our way of life unhindered by our enemies and with no foreign troops darkening our doorways to oppress and enslave our people.

Then why is it I ask that for the last twenty years or so, Britain has been comfortable to relegate itself to the cusp of losing its status as a major naval power. Why did we turn our backs on the sea as a tool for trade and prosperity? Our maritime prowess has suffered from our ignorance.

The fact that Britain has voted to leave, and by the looks of things is heading towards a breakaway from the common market, means that our nation will be more dependent on the seas for trade than it has been in many years. But there is a long way to go before we can confidently look to those very seas and say that we have dominion over them.

If you need look for the best physical example of Britain’s retreat from the seas you need look no further than the current size of the Royal Navy. Since 2010 our navy’s surface fleet has been cut by almost a third and its personnel numbers drastically reduced. And while yes it is true that the government are investing in more high-quality submarines, frigates, patrol ships and aircraft carriers, we still lack the significant combat-ready vessels that are needed to protect our interests. Suppose tomorrow that there was a crisis in the Falklands and at the same time a crisis in the Mediterranean that both required British naval firepower. What would we do?

We have just 19 frigates and destroyers, and as good as these ships might be, they cannot be in two places at once. We would have to focus on just one theatre and sacrifice the other. Britain used to be able to maintain fleets in every ocean of the world. Now we can barely maintain one at home. We need this navy because the people of the country depend on food imports to survive. If we went to war and our navy was vanquished, the price of food would skyrocket. Now while the wealthy would be able to afford this hike in cost, the poor would suffer immeasurably.

Now cast your eyes on the sorry sight of the once great Royal Yacht Britannia. This was the yacht that would transport Her Majesty and members of the Royal family around the globe. It was a symbol of Britain’s affinity with the sea. A sign that our head of state would rather take to the water than to the skies. But what happened to it? Like most governments since the war, the Labour government at the time were particularly harsh to the navy and to Her Majesty. They decommissioned Britannia without a replacement and consigned the ship to be nothing more than a museum, and in doing so managed to embody the retreat of Britain’s naval power in just one ship.

Thankfully, however, there is talk of a return of the royal yacht. What a glorious day that will be! Once again, the world will come to affiliate Britain with the sea. It will be an invaluable tool in helping to strike up new trade deals with nations across the globe. From Bangladesh to Barbados the red ensign will fly, and people around the world will immediately know that Britain is open for trade.

Now I know that for the last few hundred words I have sounded like something of a sourpuss, or that I will never be happy with the current situation, and to an extent you are right. However, there is change in the air. The government has signalled that it will seek to increase the number of surface combat vessels and our new herculean aircraft carriers are nearly complete. The consensus is shifting but it’s not over until the fat lady sings; and right now she is backstage practising her scales, preparing for her aria. We must hold the government’s feet to the fire over this. So if we want to keep this country as a blessed plot and utilise properly this moat around our island, we must once again look to the seas as our best source for trade and for defence so that we can remain that precious stone set in the silver sea.

Did they really “have it coming”?

The robbery of Kim Kardashian has dominated news platforms and social media over the recent weeks. Why should it not? The news coverage of an attack on a celebrity should be expected, given their potential status. What was not expected was the public’s response to the attack. Kim Kardashian has become a victim of victim blaming, something that has become so sickeningly common and acceptable within our society.

To recap on the attack, Kim Kardashian was visiting France to attend the fashion shows of the Paris Fashion Week. Whilst staying at one of the apartments of the highly-exclusive Hôtel de Pourtalès, she was bound, gagged and held at gunpoint by robbers dressed as policemen as they stole millions of pounds worth of jewellery.

A lot of negativity towards Mrs Kardashian was immediately plastered all over the internet. The most common phrases included “she got what was coming to her,” “she was asking for it,” and “she got what she deserved.” There were a few reasons as to why people made these claims. Some of these negative comments derived from people’s general dislike of the star. A lot of negative stigma still to this day exists because of the leaking of her sex tape many years ago.

However, the primary reason that people have used to justify these shocking opinions is the fact that Kim Kardashian openly shares her expensive and lavish lifestyle and possessions with the public, whether it is on her family’s reality TV show or on her social media accounts.

This justification seems frighteningly familiar to me. To blame Kim Kardashian for her attack because she, as some would say, ‘shows off’ her wealth is the same as saying a female rape victim “got what they deserved” because she decided to wear a short skirt to show off her legs or to wear a low cut top to show off her cleavage. The principle of both these situations is the same, and the sooner that people start to realise this, the better.

No one should have to be the victim of a crime because someone else desired what they have. No one should have to restrict how they live their life with the fear that someone else might try and take it from them. It appears that, as a society, we find it easier to look for a much simpler explanation to such crimes, rather than addressing the real problem at hand. To blame the victim has become a common answer because they are the ones that are publicly exposed, as opposed to the perpetrator. This is an absurd concept.

This idea of victim blaming can be brought closer to home if we use this idea to address the number of rapes that have occurred recently in Manchester. I moved to Manchester in September 2014, and within the first month of me living here, over thirty student rapes were reported to the police.

This problem has not been adequately tackled. A few weeks ago, a woman was raped in the city centre. Women are constantly being urged to follow particular precautions, whether it is by friends, parents, members of university staff, or even the police. Women are advised to travel in groups, to walk in well-lit areas, and to let someone know that they are on their way home.

I understand that we do not live in a perfectly peaceful world and that sadly, there are some people out there that strive to hurt others. It is because of this that we are sometimes left with no other option than to attempt to take our protection into our own hands. However, this advice given to women insinuates a few things: if you walk home alone and you are raped, it is your fault; or, if you walk down a dark street and you are raped, it is your fault. This should not be the case.

Members of our society can claim that a woman walking alone down a quiet street after having a few cocktails in a bar whilst wearing her favourite mini skirt and high heels was “asking” to be raped. Such as crime is the fault of no one other than the person that committed it. Why is this not so blatantly obvious?

To not address victim blaming as a common value of our society allows it to continue. It forces further suffering onto victims—someone who instead should be receiving our support and help. Regardless of your personal thoughts and opinions on Kim Kardashian, she did not deserve to experience the attack that she did. None of her life choices or actions are justifiable reasons as to why she was the victim of such a hateful crime. She did not deserve what happened to her just as no rape victim has ever deserved what happened to them.

Victim blaming must be put to a stop. But before it can be stopped, it must be recognised. Do you recognise it?