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Day: 28 November 2017

The Green Party are the future of progressive politics

Written by Patrick Ryan on . Posted in Opinion.

The Green Party has a problem.

In the 21st century, the party has grown in popular support and professionalism; from a small fringe party, the Greens have somewhat blossomed into one of the nation’s major parties with a well-respected MP in Caroline Lucas and, in 2015, a million votes at the general election.

Left wing, radical, and ecological, its growth was undeniably fertilised by the more right-wing nature of Blairite Labour; looking for a new political force, many on the left of the Labour party, especially students, were attracted to the Green alternative.

But this ‘Green surge’ is in danger of collapsing prematurely. With Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership, the shadow of the Labour Party has fallen across the Greens; previously the only real left-wing option, they now suffer from the fact Labour also calls for much of the same things and has a genuine chance of getting into government, attracting many votes away from the Greens. In parts, it is hard to discern between the Green 2015 manifesto and Labour’s much hailed 2017 one.

Perhaps more worrying for the party than the fall in votes from 2015 to 2017 is the fall in membership. With an exciting and resurgent left in Labour headed by Momentum, parts of the Greens membership have made the switch. In the opinion of some, the Greens as a separate, progressive party are now irrelevant; they should instead affiliate to Labour, in the way the Co-operative party is, so that the left of Labour could be bolstered, Caroline Lucas could become a major cabinet minister, and Green ideas could be implemented through Labour.

Yet this view is a short-sighted, arrogant, and ignorant one, blind to the ideological and practical uniqueness of the Greens.

The harbingers of truly progressive politics, the Greens often first discuss and propose policies in the modern age which Labour (eventually) adopt. Take the 2017 Labour Manifesto– the nationalisation of rail and energy, the abolition of tuition fees, and high levels of investment in renewables are examples of policies whose modern form have roots in the Green Party.

They have acted almost as a lab for progressive, left-wing ideas to grow and develop. They continue to be such– the increasingly popular Universal Basic Income has long been a policy of the Greens, and they have resurrected the idea of a four-day working week as well as been fine-tuning ideas around the socialisation of the energy industry, not just its nationalisation.

The Green Party have, and will continue to play, a key role in the progressive cause as the real vanguard of the next generation of left-wing ideas and the place for their maturation into policy.

This also feeds into the fact that the Greens are much more radical than Labour. The Labour manifesto was, despite being the leftmost it had ever offered since 1945 — notwithstanding 1983 —, is not radically left wing, or Marxist as the hysterical right-wing commentariat dubbed it. Against the modern hegemony of neoliberalism perhaps it could be seen as such, but in the grand scheme of things, it was no more than a beginner’s guide to social democracy.

Compare this to the Green’s ambitions; only they fundamentally challenge the system, rejecting the idea that an economic model built on unlimited growth, huge levels of inequality, and morally unethical production was environmentally sustainable and socially just. Labour just tackles the symptoms, the Greens offer to do this and challenge their systemic causes. Furthermore, Labour can do more than what they offer now — the right of the party will simply not allow it and will not be disappearing anytime soon.

Environmentally speaking, the Greens are the only party who put climate change front and centre of their political agenda. The Greens would renew the Green Investment bank, not just nationalise but socialise the energy firms and invest in wind, solar, and other renewable energies on a huge scale.

Capitalism is inherently anti-environmental and whilst the neoliberal capitalism we have now is a particularly grievous offender, even the predominantly Keynesian economics of Labour is not much better, pandering to the dogmatic idea that unending growth is necessary for prosperity, ignoring the fact that this is mutually exclusive with environmental sustainability. Climate change requires tackling the status quo in every way and only the Greens do this.

Brexit is another area where the Green Party is significant. The Lib Dems are seen as the pro-EU party but, especially under Vince Cable, their economic policies can’t be considered progressive or enough so. Labour, on the other hand, may well hold progressive policies, but they have sacrificed a close relationship with the EU.

The Green Party, however, doesn’t make individuals choose between the EU and progressive policies, instead supporting a ratification referendum once the terms of leaving are known which would include an option to remain in the EU. The party passionately believes in access to the single market, and the Greens are also the only party that stands up for our freedom of movement, not only as an economic necessity but as something that is socially desirable.

It may be that now is the time of the Green Party. A Corbyn-led government could well be a good one, yet it would not truly affect social change in the long-term and build on its reforms. The Green Party, however, is the party of the future — it is where the next generation of progressive ideas are first moulded and shaped into policies, the only party with new ideas to old problems and the only one willing to seriously attack the status quo and dismantle the system.

The doors that kept truly progressive and radical policies away from the mainstream have been pushed ajar, but only the Green party can blow them off their hinges.

United forced to work hard for their three points

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Sport.

If Mourinho’s team can win this game it will equal the record of 39 games unbeaten at Old Trafford set by Sir Matt Busby in 1966. He will be facing a strong test from Chris Hughton’s side who currently sit in ninth place, an impressive start to the season from the newly promoted team.

There are five changes from the side that lost 1-0 to FC Basel in the midweek, the same 11 that beat Newcastle though. De Gea takes over goalkeeping responsibilities behind Valencia, Lindelof, Smalling and Young. Pogba and Matic make up a strong defensive partnership with Mata, Rashford and Martial playing in front. Lukaku once again is the lone striker.

Hughton said that it is games like these they got promoted for and in the open exchanges you can tell they are really making a go of it. Brighton have only beaten United once in their history and he will be hoping that will all change today.

Some good passing play between Martial and Lukaku gives the Belgian a very presentable opportunity. He completely fluffs his lines though and the ball goes closer to the goals in the Etihad than here. Rashford seems to be playing next to Lukaku with Mata on the right hand side. A more traditional 4-4-2 formation for the Red Devils.

Less than a minute later a lovely little one-two from Knockaert puts him into a very tasty position. He had the option to slot it into the far corner or pass it across to Glen Murray and he seemed to choose a combination of the two. You don’t know how many chances Brighton will get this game so they need to make the most of them.

Brighton are doing a fantastic job of keeping United from penetrating the defence. The have two rigid defensive lines of four with one player floating between the two and Murray alone up top. It means that Untied commit a lot of players forward to try and find a way through and as soon as they lose the ball Murray holds the ball up brilliantly and set off the counter attack.

Martial receives the ball on the edge of the penalty area and makes a run into the box before tumbling down. The referee Neil Swarbrick isn’t swayed by the shouts for a penalty. Upon watching the replay there was certainly contact but the way in which he made the most of it definitely didn’t help his cause.

United have had 63% if possession in the opening 20 minutes but there is no sign they’ll convert that ball time into any goalscoring opportunities. With Rashford playing as a striker it means Brighton have an extra man in midfield when they turnover the ball, helping them to quickly move the ball into the opposition half.

Mourinho seems to have noticed this problem and has moved Rashford over to the right hand side and Mata is now playing just off the shoulder of Lukaku. Even still they can’t seem to hold the ball in the middle of the pitch at all.

The Seagulls had a free kick in a very promising position and committed most of their squad forward, with defenders like Dunk who are very good in the air. When they ultimately lost the ball they managed to get all their players back behind the ball before Rashford could even get into the Brighton half. This team is very well drilled and I can see them grabbing a neat set piece goal.

Valencia gets the ball on the edge of the box with cries to shoot from the fans. He winds up but then works the ball round the defender and crosses the ball in. Matic is in a perfect position to head the ball towards goal but a backwards jumping Lukaku snatches it from him and misses. In a position like that Matic should have really called for it, a goalscoring opportunity wasted.

Just on the stroke of half time Matt Ryan makes a fantastic double save. Rashford cross the ball to the far post, Lukaku heads the ball straight at the keeper then Pogba pokes the ball with an outreached leg which is also saved. He gets a kick for his troubles and the physio comes on but thankfully he gets back up and plays on.

At half time Chris Hughton will be very impressed with his teams performance. They have restricted Manchester United’s attacking opportunities to crosses and long shots while looking dangerous on the attack as well. Mourinho will have to find a way to break this team down or face the gap between his side and City increasing.

In the opening exchanges of the second half there seems to be more gaps forming in the Brighton defence. Mourinho are trying to pick up the pace and work the ball forward faster than they can get back into position. It is working too as they have come quite close to breaking through.

Lindelof makes a strong tackle on Knockhaert to win the ball. Knockhaert stays down injured but United play on for a couple of minutes, trying to take advantage of the extra man. Boos from the Brighton supporters are deafening when the ball finally goes out but the tackle was clean. When play does resume the away fans boo again as United kept the ball rather than returning it. Murray gets a yellow card for taking issue with the referee over it.

Manchester United can’t seem to find a way to break the deadlock so in the 61st minute Juan Mata comes off for Zlatan Ibrahimovic. At least initially he and Lukaku play up top together. There is a danger that there are too many forwards on the pitch for United now, and with them all wanting to run into the same areas, they could cause their own problems.

Before the game Chris Hughton said his team will have to play well and get lucky. Unfortunately his team just got very unlucky. The ball comes out to Young on the edge of the box and his shot is deflected massively away from Ryan’s gloves into the back of the net. They will be disappointed to concede this way given how strong they have been in defence.

In the background though you can see Lukaku kicking out twice at the player behind him in frustration, connecting once in the groin. If the player went down it would have been a straight red card. Even still it will probably be looked at by officials after the game and he could be facing a three game ban missing the Manchester derby. A stupid move by the player.

Anthony Martial makes way in the second substitution for United to make way for Mkhitaryan. The Armenian has a point to prove after Mourinho dropped him from the squad because of a string of bad performances.

Brighton haven’t quite been able to challenge the United defence as much as they had in the first half but in the final 15 minutes they are committing more and more players forward in an attempt to come away from Old Trafford with some points.

The final substitution is Rashford for Fellaini. I would have thought Pogba would make way because he looks to be tiring quite a lot in the closing stages of the game but nonetheless Fellaini will sure up the team in the midfield area.

With both sides tiring the game is getting sloppy and either side could realistically grab a goal. Mourinho is telling his full backs to stay back on possession to maintain their defensive strength. Duffy gets a yellow card for an incredibly late tackle on Ibrahimovic, highlighting the tiredness and wavering concentration of the players on the pitch.

There are five minutes added on at the end of the game but neither side are able to hold possession of the ball for long enough to threaten in attack. It looks like the game will end 1-0 and United will equal the record of Sir Matt Busby for longest undefeated streak at home.

Neil Swarbrick blows the whistle for full time. It was a hard fought victory for United, who can’t afford to drop points if they want to keep within touching distance of Manchester City. Their next game is away at a Watford side that is sitting in eighth place under Marco Silva. It won’t be a simple match for Mourinho either.

The next game at home is against CSKA Moscow on the 5th December. If they avoid defeat then Mourinho will set a new record with the club.

A new wardrobe for your skin

Written by Kitty Mitchell Turner on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Winter is a great time of year, but the cold, harsh weather undeniably wreaks havoc on skin. So alongside buying a new winter wardrobe to keep you snug this year, why not consider giving your skin a new wardrobe too…

Tinted moisturiser: If your skin is quite sensitive, sometimes wearing foundation can accentuate dry patches and areas of sensitivity. Instead, opt for a tinted moisturiser you can wear this on its own or even mix it with your usual moisturiser. BB and CC creams also play a similar role, so it is a case of finding what is best for your skin type. Another benefit of tinted moisturisers is that they usually contain an  SPF of at least 15 or above.

Sun cream: It is so important that you make sure you wear a moisturiser with an SPF of at least 15 every day. I personally always wear factor 50, as I am particularly fair. Whilst it is easy to forget the importance of an SPF moisturiser when it isn’t burning hot outside, winter sun is still very strong and can exacerbate any sensitivity you may already be experiencing.

Exfoliator: While exfoliating is important all year round, it is most definitely something to be wary of during winter months. Cold weather and harsh winds can leave your skin red, raw and dry and the last thing you want to do is combat this with a harsh scrub.

Invest in a gentle chemical exfoliator which is far gentler on the skin, and always make sure to apply a hearty layer of moisturiser afterwards, to avoid aggravating your skin further. Exfoliating your body is also crucial at this time of year, although far less skin is on show, unexposed skin can get flaky and scaly, so using a nice sugar scrub (like Soap and Glory’s Flake Away) will ensure you are silky smooth all over.

Fake tan: Tan always makes everything look better, and hiding in the library writing essays isn’t the best way to get a healthy glow… so get it out of a bottle instead! I love St Moritz fake tan as it works well on all skin tones and is so budget friendly, plus it’s sold in Fallowfield Sainsbury’s when crisis strikes.

Lip Balm: So important! Nothing ruins a nice matte lipstick like chapped and cracked lips. Investing in a good, hydrating lip balm can really make a difference. The general rule of thumb is if the balm is in a tub or tin rather than a stick, it will be thicker and therefore more moisturising. Spending a little more on lip balm will really make a difference and it will last you all through the year. My favourite is Lush’s ‘Honey Trap’.

Most importantly, make sure to hydrate from the inside out with lots of water, and remember to use your moisturiser, especially a nice thick night cream to rehydrate and plump your skin while you snooze.

 

Is Star Citizen the biggest game ever?

Written by Danny Jones on . Posted in Games.

When I first heard the name Star Citizen, I quite foolishly assumed that this was yet another space-bound MMO, like EVE: Online or Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. I have never been so astronomically wrong. This game isn’t just massive — it’s positively gargantuan, and it’s not even finished yet…

For those of you completely out in the vacuum of space, Star Citizen is an ongoing PC project headed up by Chris Roberts, the man behind Wing Commander series: a 90s space-flight simulator with dog-fighting gameplay. Nearly 20 years later, Roberts embarked on the pioneering mission that is Star Citizen, with a nigh-on impossible objective: “I don’t want to build a game. I want to build a universe.”

The premise of the game is two-fold: on the one hand there is the single-player campaign, entitled Squadron 42, which will consist of both flight-simulation mechanics as well as a boots on the ground, first/third-person shooter experience. On the other hand, the star of the show is what is being dubbed the “Persistent Universe”; this is comprised not only of the massive multiplayer format but upon completion is designed to be the biggest game map ever.

Photo: Glenn Batuyong@flickr

Not only do the current builds feature several planets for the player to visit, all of which are designed to match a true planetary scale—we’re talking vast expanses, towns and cities, all with fleshed out interiors — but the ultimate goal is to create a virtual solar system for players to disappear into for weeks on end.

Photo: masbt@flickr

The sheer gravity of this project is mind-blowing and the approach itself is worthy of note too. This game’s production is very much like the construction of a spacecraft itself, in that it is being described as “modular”, meaning that sections and versions of the game can be purchased as and when available.

Roberts Space Industries is the umbrella that envelopes both Cloud Imperium Games — situated in Manchester of all places — and Foundry 42 (Frankfurt). It is this team of developers that are making video game history and they’re taking you along for the ride.

I’m sure you’ve heard of Kickstarter and other crowd-funding sites. They are platforms for creative people to finance their projects through funds generated by the fans and for the fans. Star Citizen has taken this to the next level.

Whilst most top off their own money with that made through crowd-sourcing, Roberts’ vision for Star Citizen was to develop a game entirely from the donations made by fans and respected peers within the industry who understood what this game was all about. The fans.

As of 2011 (the official start date for production), the project has been 100 per cent crowd-funded. The team initially expected to raise around $4 million. This has become merely a drop in the pond, with the current estimation of total funds raised clocking in at a stellar $150 million – give a take a million or so…

So, what does $150 million in funds get you then? Well, nothing finished as of yet; in fact, as of right now there is no official release date. This has become a bit of a running joke amongst the gaming community but has also lead to a great deal of backlash amongst those who donated their hard-earned cash for a game that was supposed to be here three years ago.

In truth, it has come to the point that there is little use for a release date, as the original projection was 2014 and it is still no clearer when the game will be actually finished. Though there are rumours that the target is now late 2018, the issue is that so much money has now been pumped into the game that the community, as well as Roberts himself, feel that there is the capability to push this further: “If I can build a bigger and more robust experience, I will.” (NY Times).

It is not just that this game promises to be the biggest game ever, as we’ve been done dirty by that phrase before (No Man’s Sky), but more so that the level of time and effort being put into the project is backing that statement up. Furthermore, this game is huge in significance purely because of the showcase it has given for crowd-sourcing, with the scrutiny being part and parcel of it too – it almost has to the biggest game ever now.

 

 

 

 

Review: Fazenda — A meat lover’s paradise!

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Food & Drink.

The true embodiment of its provision, ‘a feast of the senses’, a theatrical presentation of fine cuisine.

Fazenda is a truly indulgent space. In keeping with the impressive architecture of Spinningfields, it seeks to provide high culinary sophistication, alluring the stream of businessmen and corporate bodies surrounding it. However, its interactive and carnival-like  approach to dining is truly a novelty experience brought from its vibrant Brazilian origins.

Fazenda is sure to excite the senses of any students acutely accustomed to the monotony of meal deals to explore the fantasy of food beyond the variance Sainsbury’s has to offer, into a world of animated food provision and endless variation.

Upon entering Fazenda we were warmly greeted and shown to our table. They explained the menu and kept up the impeccable table service all throughout the duration of our meal. The reception is highly formal whilst also maintaining a level of intimacy in introducing the Brazilian Rodízio style of eating to the enquiring food fanatic.

The cost of the meat inclusion is £31.20 for an all-you-can-eat experience, and there is also a vegetarian, vegan and fish option for £23.60. This menu offers a selection of dishes ranging from blue cheese and pumpkin risotto as well as fish mains of tuna steak with a beautifully creamy Béarnaise sauce. In this regard, Fazenda does its best to cater outside of its meaty Brazilian food concept by incorporating eurocentric food and promoting a high sense of Latino hospitality in doing so.

The buffet table is the chief spectacle of the restaurant, the raised bar offers a wide range of platters ranging from staple olive, breads, cheese, cured meats, and even shellfish as well as the more tailored intricacies of duck tabouleh as well as panado cheese and truffle baby corn, a personal favourite!

Vegetarian diners relying solely on this may be disappointed by the lack of hot dishes and their small size, however, they will surely appreciate the aesthetics of the presentation. A bed of crushed ice holds the delicate and colourful kaleidoscope of platters which competes for attention against the impressive flames from the roaring churrasco just behind.

Our top tip: don’t get over excited with this mouth-watering sidebar. Save enough stomach space for the forever circulating spits of succulent meats!

The green card and red card system for the meat eaters indicates to the constant flow of waiters whether you would like to be given another helping. The meat selection is sure to impress! Ranging from absolutely beautiful honey roasted pork belly and the most tender of lamb to beef fillet seasoned to perfection.

All of which are cooked perfectly and cut thinly so as to accommodate an appetite for its range. They even offer chicken hearts, a Brazilian delicacy to the more adventurous diners which are strong in flavour and very ‘meaty’ tasting — we recommend to enjoy them at the start of your meal!

Disappointingly their meat is not local and sourced from New Zealand, Poland, and Denmark which seems disheartening considering the quantity of meat it offers. Yet perhaps this is part and parcel in the acknowledgement of the type of lavish and exotic dining experience this one entails.

With the vegetarian option — and perhaps wholly compensatory for any qualms on the salad selection — you are given a dessert which was presented beautifully. The marquis de chocolate topped with dulce de leche undoubtedly earns its position as their signature dessert which is sure to send any customer home with a sweet sense of nostalgia, begging a return to the carnival feasting experienced in the world curated by Fazenda. It’s a world perfect for birthdays, parental visits, and even graduation dinners!

Thicc: body positive or objectifying?

Written by Holly James on . Posted in Opinion.

By now, most of us will be familiar with the term ‘thicc’ and its various spellings (thick/thic/tic). It’s become commonplace for anyone who spends any time whatsoever on the internet.

For those of you who for some reason aren’t familiar with it, Urban Dictionary defines the word as “referring to a usually black female whose curve resembles one of an hour glass plus even more booty than a regular hoe.”

Despite this deeply problematic description, the term has been seen by many as having largely positive connotations, marking a shift towards an acceptance and appreciation of bigger bodies, especially those of black women.

Speaking to Huffington Post, several women described their own experiences with the term and their feelings towards it. It was variously described as denoting a body that is “[p]owerful, capable of amazing things”, “strong, healthy [and] sturdy”, and as referring to “a woman who is sexy and confident.”

These descriptions demonstrate exactly why the term is so appealing. It signifies a move away from the glorification of the emaciated, super skinny ‘heroin chic’ bodies of the 90’s and 00’s and towards an appreciation of women whose bodies are nourished and strong. This is a move away from the fetishisation of starvation and instead towards acknowledging the beauty of healthy and well-fed women.

It is also a move away from the monopoly of white women over body standards; no longer is the slim white frame the default, but black and Latin-American body types are also being recognised and represented in mainstream culture and spaces. Bigger women are also receiving this kind of recognition and representation, demonstrated by the increased exposure of ‘plus-size’ models such as Ashley Graham. For many, ‘thicc’ is a long-awaited celebration of a more diverse array of body types, especially those of ever-excluded bigger and ethnic minority women.

Not everybody sees it this way though. In the same Huffington Post article, one woman described ‘thicc’ as “demeaning”, a “term used to describe plus-sized women’s bodies in a sexual way.” Another woman stated “it’s rude and disrespectful… you’re just sizing me up and undressing me with your eyes.”

Even those who defended it seemed to show that it is objectifying and implicitly sexualising, saying that it describes a woman who is “curvy in all the right places” and has “outstanding proportions…a small tummy, but big hips and breasts”, or put more crudely, “a woman with an attractive ass-to-waist ratio.”

These explanations demonstrate that, although the term may have positive features, there is something inherently problematic about it. Acknowledging it properly, it becomes clear that it is fetishistic and objectifies women’s bodies.

Although it does indeed champion black and larger women’s bodies, it is still geared towards policing the ‘right’ kind of body, idolising women with large busts, hips, and bums while reproaching women with ‘less desirable’ proportions as ‘fat’ or unsexy.

What does this kind of fetishisation lead to? In my opinion, the idealisation of ever more impossible bodies; bodies with huge boobs, bums, and thighs but almost meticulously trim elsewhere.

The evidence of this lies in the figures; statistics from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons show that in 2015, both butt lifts and implants were up 36 per cent from 2014. However, the amount of liposuction and boob jobs performed still exceeded the number of butt enhancing surgeries. If anything, this shows that ‘thicc’ is not evidence of the body revolution we might hope for but, rather, simply another addition to the already unachievable standards imposed on women’s bodies.

Also, women’s bodies should not be subject to change according to trends. In the last two decades, society has gone from worshipping emaciated frames to drooling over almost impossibly large bums. And what was before that? Looking from Marilyn Monroe to Kate Moss to Kim Kardashian, it becomes clear that for every decade there has been a new standard for women to conform to or face being labelled as undesirable. As much as I would like to believe that the appreciation of ‘thicc’ bodies is a move away from policing women’s bodies, the sad truth is that it is just this decade’s body trend.

Women’s bodies are not commodities, nor should they constantly be subjected to being sized up, assessed, and commented on. Although the proliferation of ‘thicc’ bodies and the appreciation of them may be a step in the right direction, we’re still a way away from truly embracing bodies of all shapes and sizes.

Review: Justice League

Written by Tom Hunter on . Posted in Film.

The DC Extended Universe is a mess. However, if you’re an optimist, or DC sympathiser like myself, it’s a hot mess: 50 per cent hot, 50 per cent mess. I liked Man of Steel, I liked Wonder Woman, and half of Batman v Superman. Suicide Squad had some excellent solo performances by Margot Robbie and Will Smith, but is widely (and rightly) recognised as an editing nightmare with a Swiss Cheese plot. Thus, DC’s record wasn’t great, but it wasn’t disastrous, and a glimmer of hope remained.

Justice League snuffs that glimmer out. If you ever thought that lessons would be learned, or that maybe it was all a horrible dream and Christopher Nolan is still making Batman films to this day, you’re a naïve fool. Justice League is a slap round the face to DC fans the world over and as good a reason as any to stop the Extended Universe in its tracks and forget it ever existed in the first place.

However, before we get too carried away with the film’s many, many (God, there’s so many) faults, let’s look for the redeeming factors because, trust me, they do exist. Newcomer Ray Fisher puts in a relatively compelling performance as Cyborg, and Ezra Miller as the Flash seems genuinely happy to be on screen, even if all his lines are a terribly unfunny attempt at levity… Oh! If you sit through the credits, there’s also a half-decent teaser for a future film that you might want to see. There, I think that’s it. See? I told you they existed. Let’s move on to the sheer mountains of s*** that constitute the rest of this movie.

For me, Justice League’s greatest crime is ruining Batman, and ruining the Batfleck. Ben Affleck was the single greatest feature of Batman v Superman, giving us an excellent portrayal of an ageing, grizzly Caped Crusader, battered and bruised after 20 years of crime-fighting in Gotham City. The warehouse scene in BvS is better than any fight Nolan could envisage. It’s savage, it’s violent, it’s graphic and ultimately cements Affleck’s Bruce Wayne as the best yet — a veritable diamond in the rough.

In Justice League, not a single scene goes by in which Batman isn’t either getting battered and bruised, relying entirely on his technology, or (in a criminal turn of events) just totally absent from the fight. For me, to see such a beloved character fall so far was genuinely heart breaking. My only hope is that Affleck gets his own, standalone outing before hanging up the cape. Fingers crossed.

As with any ‘save the world’ narrative, there needs to be someone to save the world from. Enter the biggest baddie you’ve never heard of, Steppenwolf. He’s a grunting CGI monstrosity that’s equal parts boring and ugly. Seriously, the entire film’s special effects leave a lot to be desired, but Steppenwolf takes the horrible, stony-faced biscuit. He’s looking for the three cubes of power and you know that if he gets them, s***’s going to hit the fan.

Except it doesn’t. For all the promises of global destruction, Steppenwolf’s master plan results in a small Russian village needing some mild refurbishment. And thank god for that, because after watching the League for 90 minutes, you don’t get the sense they could have handled anything larger. Let’s work out why.

Is it because The Flash is a bumbling fool who barely has control of his own powers and needs to be told what to do in any given situation? Maybe. Is it because Aquaman spends half the film far, far away from the sea and so is limited to jumping high and spewing surfer one-liners like “I dig it” and “My man”? Perhaps.

Or it could be the fact that all of them, barring Wonder Woman, are useless together and spend the entire film waiting for Henry Cavill to remember he’s Superman and do their job for them. Yeah, we’ll go with that. It’s like that boss in a video game that repeatedly defeats you, before you come back later in the game with a better character and wonder why this guy was ever a threat in the first place. The film spends all its time waiting for Superman, without realising that, as soon as he arrives, any stakes or excitement are rendered null and void. The man can kill anything, even a plot.

My relationship with DC films had always been a sort of Stockholm Syndrome: they held me hostage with my devotion to the franchise. I’d be there rain or shine, forking out cash for a ticket, happy to take the gamble between expected disappointment and moderate satisfaction. I never expected great things from Justice League and with the bar set so low, I thought the only way was up. How wrong I was.

1/5

Coppafeel! calls for you to feel your breasts

Written by Tertia Rollason on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Coppafeel! takes the crown for being the very first breast cancer charity in the UK to target young people. We’re all about spreading boob love around campus to help instil the wisdom required to “know you’re normal”. We are notorious for our light-hearted and fun-filled way of broadcasting such a poignant message.

As this year’s uniboob team leader, my aim is to empower and educate people around campus. From speaking to a variety people at fresher’s fair, it occurred to me that people are innocently ignorant to the importance of checking their boobs and more importantly, are unaware of what exactly they should be looking for. Have no fear — we are here to enlighten you.

From dressing up in vibrant boob costumes, nourishing people around campus with delicious cakes to hosting a variety of events and many more, we are armed and ready to show breast cancer the door.

What does Coppafeel! mean to us, you may ask? I spoke to a couple of lovely members of my boob team who sum it up pretty well:

Eli: “I joined the Uniboob Team for Coppafeel! this year because Kris’s concept is so inspiring, in that her main focus is positivity. Kris takes the sadness of cancer, and turns it around to empower young people, all the while keeping the promotion super fun. After having gone through breast cancer with my Mum a couple of years ago, I know how much difference early detection, followed by a heap of positivity and happiness can make, as now my mum has been cancer free for two years.”

Lara: “To me it’s about supporting a cause close to my heart, in a practical and fun way. I love the ethos and attitude of the charity and think it’s a really important health issue. Not to mention being part of the boob team gives me the opportunity to prance around in a boob costume!”

Are you passionate about helping others whilst simultaneously having fun? Do you enjoy, quite literally, making a tit of yourself? If your answer is yes, Coppafeel! Society is the one for you. If you are interested in joining my team or have any boob-related questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me at [email protected] or you can find me on the Coppafeel! website at coppafeel.org.

Oh, and whilst we’re at it, don’t forget to text UBTMCR to 70500 to receive your free monthly reminder!

Here’s the big problem with young people volunteering abroad

Written by Alex Hope on . Posted in Opinion.

Having come from a teaching background and now currently studying International Disaster Management, I spend an awful lot of time reflecting on the value of humanitarian intervention, volunteering abroad, charity work, and even altruism itself. A group at an event I attended was called Project Trust.

They send vetted individuals, fresh out of school, to impoverished countries to take part in such charitable work — mainly in the educational sector. Some of the ‘returned volunteers’ who had done a year of volunteering with the organisation talked of longevity, needs, and sustainability.  One volunteer spoke about volunteering as teaching assistant as well as at a care home in Chile.

These are the types jobs where if you have a decent secondary school education, have strong work ethic, and are sensitive to the needs of people, you can contribute a lot. But I became more critical when other returned volunteers spoke of their involvement in full teaching at schools in rural areas of developing countries.

Surprisingly, an 18 or 19 year old school leaver with no formal training or qualifications and limited work experience is allowed to teach full lessons in a primary or secondary school.

In the UK, you need to have completed four years in tertiary education before you’re qualified to teach. There are constant lesson observations, targets for improvement, and most of the time, you’re only just about competent enough to teach by the end of your PGCE. You receive constant monitoring thereafter, and only after a year are you actually left alone to teach.

So why are the standards presumed to be lower abroad? Indeed, less developed countries might have a comparatively lower quality of education — primarily due to a lack of resources — but that does not mean standards should be lowered too. This reveals one of the key tenants that you should always ask yourself when volunteering abroad — are you qualified to do this in the UK?

Chatting to some other returned volunteers, they expressed discomfort upon reflecting on their experiences with Project Trust. They were unclear about the extent to which they were actually helpful. At the time they didn’t really think about it, and why would you? You’re 18 years old, wide-eyed, bushy-tailed, and in wonderment of the world. You believe what you are doing is good, and you don’t yet possess the full critical ability to question your value in being there, or your impact on the people that you are there to serve.

And here it becomes even more questionable: it is precisely this age group that Project Trust targets, volunteers who do not effectively question the value that they are providing, and will happily go about raising £6,200 pounds to fund their experience for 12 months. This pays for flights, stipend, accommodation provided to a host family, health insurance, and lastly the ability to provide a service to the recipients of this aid. A self-organised experience in Kyrgyzstan would cost less than £3000.

A counter argument to this is that if volunteers never had the opportunity to go abroad they might not get around to raising the money required. You could compare it to a bake sale, where people are more likely to donate money to a charity if cake is involved.

However, in this case, the money is going directly to the charity, not the individual in order to pay for their own experience of baking cakes. If we look closer at the breakdown of cost, charities generally spend between 70 to 80 per cent of their budget directly on recipients, with roughly 20 per cent going on fund raising and less than 10 percent on administration.

If it’s difficult to define in the case of Project Trust what percentage of funding is going directly to the recipient, and that is in itself problematic.

Upon questioning of the volunteer coordinator present at an event, a returned volunteer went into primary teacher training based on her volunteering with Project Trust, but it would make much more sense for her to do her training in the UK first and then go abroad.

In a school in a rural African country for instance, Project Trust Routinely sent four volunteers out every year, coming to a sum of £22,000 per year (or more) and the school relied on this constant influx. This is a clear example of palliative aid — it is short term, not addressing root causes or structural problems.

A quarter of this sum could be used to pay for a local teacher full time, so perhaps training locals — who speak the local language — in primary or secondary education might be a better use of those funds, and one that has greater longevity as well as impact.

I see the value in Project Trust: the awareness raised about problems in impoverished countries, the lasting personal connections made, and individual projects set up after this. But if you’re going to do something, do it right.

Volunteers should be trained properly, not for a week on the Scottish island of Coll. This means taking something like a TEFL course (self-funded) or spending several months working or volunteering in schools or youth centres in the UK.

Volunteers should be used in more supportive roles, such as teaching assistants in schools. The organisation is already doing some of this, but the funding structure of these expeditions needs to be questioned. There is nothing stopping volunteers from paying — through work — for their own flights and health insurance.

If this were fund raised money, it’s not going to the recipients. Instead, it’s charitable donations going straight to the volunteer.

I invite Project Trust to critically assess this aspect of volunteering and charity, especially in a humanitarian context, and be more up front about what the organisation is really about — an opportunity for young people to build their skills and experience using less developed nations as a training ground, and that the benefit appears to be far in favour of volunteer than the recipient.

I personally think this programme is hugely valuable to young school leavers as work experience but not volunteering. I also question the ethics, even morality, of using donations fund their experiences as well as using children in poorer countries as experiential training. You could argue that the aid money was always meant to go to the volunteers in the first place.

As for myself there have certainly been aspects of volunteering that I have undertaken that have led me to reflect on the value added to the world. I am partially guilty of engaging in the type of volunteering mentioned here.

It’s important the we continue to question these values and try to make volunteering more about serving the needs — and rights — in the best possible way of those who need it most and not serving our own.