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Day: 12 February 2018

Album review: Brian Fallon – Sleepwalkers

Brian Fallon’s second album sees him go further in marking a strong identity as a solo artist, and it showcases the very best of his song writing capabilities. Following The Gaslight Anthem’s hiatus, 2016’s Painkillers showed some truly great glimpses of how well Fallon could suit this role, but understandably with the split from his band happening so soon before, there were elements of an attempt to distance himself from Gaslight’s much criticised last album, Get Hurt (2014).

As a huge fan of all Brian Fallon’s work, I would say we have now entered the ideal world of a superb solo album alongside the recent news of the reformation of The Gaslight Anthem to celebrate their seminal sophomore record The ’59 Sound (2008). It is very much to Fallon’s credit that this record fills me with just as much, if not more, excitement than the latter of these two things.

Sleepwalkers opens with intent using two songs that Fallon released as singles in the build up to the album. ‘If Your Prayers Don’t Get to Heaven’ sounds like it should be played alongside a train journey through the mid-west, and this celebratory American sound continues throughout and is done to the very highest level.

‘Forget Me Not’ sees a common Fallon trait of singing to a girl (Stacey, in this instance, not Maria!), but also showcases one of many undeniable choruses the album has to offer. Moreover, it has the knack of so many of his songs that let you envisage your own interpretation of what he is saying. This also goes hand in hand with the classic American storytelling within song that he manages to achieve, that to this day can only really be rivalled by The Menzingers.

Brian Fallon manages to romanticise elements of the past, in a way that still sounds brilliantly relevant, and not dated in the way that nostalgia often can. In addition to this, Fallon gives tributes to his favourite artists, most notably in a highlight of the album, Etta James, with arguably his strongest vocal performance to date in ode to the late star.

The following track, ‘Her Majesty’s Service’ also sees Fallon seemingly pay homage to Bob Dylan and/or The Rolling Stones by referring to himself as a “rolling stone,” reaffirming his character as someone who is never afraid to cite his influences in his songs. This song in fact lends itself as a tribute to Britain in general, aligning with Fallon’s previously professed love of bands like The Clash and The Smiths.

The album ends fittingly, with Watson encompassing a romantic letter to London and a fear of being alone wrapped by a contagious hook that are omnipresent throughout Sleepwalkers. See You On The Other Side slows down with a tale of the ending of life, putting an end to an album that goes against any possible negative pre-conceptions about former band members going solo.

Sleepwalkers is the best album Brian Fallon has put his name to in some time, and it showcases his established song writing and storytelling, as well as pushing himself to new sounds he may not have been able to experiment with in the realms of The Gaslight Anthem. He brings this album on a touring cycle at the end of this month, and if he translates this form to the stage we can expect one hell of a performance to rival Gaslight’s shows this summer.

8.5/10

Activities Officer admits Pangaea does not cater for whole student body

Following from The Mancunion’s recent exposé of Pangaea’s astronomical financial losses, Acitvities Officer Kitty Bartlett has admitted that its financial situation is “not ideal” and that the festival polarises opinion as it “does not cater for all students”.

The Mancunion revealed that Pangaea had racked up losses of over £120,000 since at least June 2016, and various members of staff at the SU attributed this to lack of financial tracking combined with a decreased level of interest in the festival.

This is something Kitty denies, however. She told The Mancunion that “we still have a large group of students that care about Pangaea and who are working towards making the next edition amazing”, however conceded that opinions would differ depending on who we asked.

When asked why she thought the losses were so high, she responded vaguely that there “are a number of reasons why Pangaea has lost money in the past”, and also pointed out that the union is a in a strong enough financial position to support it.

The festival has already had indications of it being eased out, with the January instalment recently being cancelled, bringing its usual total of festivals down from three to two over the course of the academic year.

Staff at the students’ union have impressed upon The Mancunion the value of student experience, and the fact that students can get involved with the creation of the festival, as well as attending on the night.

 

Review: Hamlet at The Lowry

Shakespeare’s classic came to life in this vibrant and colourful adaptation by the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC).  It ran at The Lowry in Salford Quays from the 26th of January to the 3rd of February, and my only regret is that it wasn’t on for longer to be able to go again! I went to the final performance on Saturday the 3rd.  This special take on Hamlet finally made its way up north after being an outstanding success in Stratford-Upon-Avon in March 2016.

Hamlet is the story of the Prince of Denmark’s downfall after discovering his father was murdered by his uncle, who then becomes king and marries his mother one month after committing fratricide.  The Prince, Hamlet is driven mad by his hunger for revenge, which ends up being not only his downfall but also of his loved ones.  He is often considered a classic example of a ‘tragic hero’.

Paapa Essiedu owns the role of Hamlet like no other.  He deserves the accolades he has received so far. Hamlet’s tortured soul was clear for all to see through his expressive body language and facial expressions, yet it was not his psychological degradation that rendered his performance unique. Essiedu gave the Prince a touch of cheekiness, a sort of adolescent naughtiness that made the audience laugh even at the most inappropriate times.

This, as well as his procrastination in avenging his father, only made him a more relatable character — unlike some of the heartless bloodshed that takes place in many of Shakespeare’s other plays such as Titus Andronicus and Macbeth.  Essiedu made Hamlet feel extremely human, introduced by the opening scene where he is graduating from University.  My fellow course mates and I in the audience couldn’t imagine coming home after graduating to a murderous uncle and being given the pressure of avenging our father by his own ghost!

The set and props were kept relatively simple throughout the play, which allowed the costumes and colours of Hamlet’s tapestries to take centre stage, literally and figuratively.  This modern day Hamlet was shaped by African, Caribbean and European influences, making it a truly international play.  The brightly African-inspired costumes capture the audience’s attention from the moment we meet the Danish Royal family, and are a stark contrast to Hamlet’s all black outfit.  Hamlet’s clothes then become the symbol of his madness, as he goes from that simple modern all black attire to an all white yet completely paint stained suit.  In his hysteria he therefore becomes the typical crazy painter that uses art to demonstrate the emotional conflicts raging within him.

Seeing this performance of Hamlet at the Lowry has definitely made me want to explore more of the theatrical scene in and around Manchester, as well as more of the RSC’s works.  The rendering of a tragedy filled with death into a dynamic and exciting performance made it really stand out in my memory from other performances of classical tragedies that I have seen.  UK viewers can have high expectations for Paapa Essiedu’s presence on the stage and the big screen.

MIFTA Preview 2018: Yellow Icing

Born out of time and out of place Harper sits on a beach under the fucked sun and the sky — hot, yellow like icing. Shrunken and shrivelled, the world around her is decayed, with life absurdly clinging on to existence. Why?

Guided by Captain Robert Falcon Scott, Harper attempts to catalogue what she sees around her, as her family looms over her like a bad habit. And all the while the fucked sun burns.

A surreal piece of new writing from the University of Manchester Drama Society promises an uncanny, neglected world dealing with ideas about exploration, solipsism and ecological decay. Yellow Icing is an exciting and unusual play, not to be missed.

Written by: Rory Calland

Directed by: Ollie Norton-Smith

Cast: Molly Stedman, Jack Waterman, Sam Whitehouse, Georgia Brown, Joe Large.

Yellow Icing is the first play in the Drama Society’s 2018 MIFTA season. It runs from 14th-16th September in the John Thaw Studio Theatre, Martin Harris Centre. Tickets can be purchased from the Students’ Union website or on the door on the day of the performance.

Food waste from Biko Street to be donated to homeless

Food waste from the University of Manchester’s Students’ Union food outlet, Biko Street, is be donated to the homeless, shelters, and food banks.

The policy passed through Students’ Union Senate on the 8th of February with 100 per cent voting in favour of the motion.

A policy that did not pass was a motion seeking to ban single-use plastic water bottles from the Students’ Union shop submitted by student Sarah Hodgson. She added that she also supported a policy looking to instead sell reusable water bottles as an alternative, as tap water is available for free at the Union bar, and food outlets.

Some members of Senate felt that this would significantly affect cash flow, as the Union is a charity and in “a precarious financial posit”, according to one speaker.

Majid Ahmed, a postgraduate officer, questioned whether banning the sale of water bottles would be stripping choice away from students. The vote eventually did not pass, despite one impassioned speaker from the floor adding “We have to start putting our environment first because otherwise there might not be a world to live in [sic]”.

A policy to release exam dates sooner passed with 91 per cent of the vote.

NUS Parents and Carers rep Deej Malik-Johnson added that students with caring responsibilities are particularly affected by this and that he had to choose between an exam and caring for his daughter.

Some policies discussed evoked significant and contentious discussion, including a new staffing and pay review policy.

There was a discussion that ‘and pay’ should be removed from the policy, with working-class rep Joseph Clough saying “I believe that UCU and the workers have it right. They believe they have better clout at the negotiation table when they do it nationally rather than a policy like this that breaks every University into separate chunks where they’re all isolated and fighting for themselves.”

However, the policy was voted on with pay included, as the amendment did not pass. Alex Tayler, SU General Secretary added that it was important to look at pay, particularly as junior staff pay was not dealt with on a National Level.

Other policies passed include a motion to improve the Students’ Union policy webpage to make policy more accessible, a motion to have a ‘sexual assault advice page’ on the SU website and a policy that states that the Union should commit to only running on renewable energy resources by 2022.

Among motions included in the agenda that were not discussed was a policy submitted by SU General Secretary Alex Tayler that all policies should be referenced and fact-checked by the Steering Committee, and a policy about advertising graduate entrepreneur schemes for international students.

The widening gap between SU Exec officers and students

You see their faces on the Students’ Union website, plastered on the walls of the Union. Perhaps you’ve seen posters and banners hanging around campus encouraging you to vote for them, making pledges and promises in their manifestos. These are your Students’ Union officers, and as students at the University of Manchester, you have elected them as you elect them each year.

However, if I were to stand on Oxford Road and ask random students passing by if they can name at least three officers, and tell me what they do — or what they represent — I doubt that many would be able to.

The University of Manchester has eight full-time, paid officer roles: the General Secretary, and the Community, Diversity, Education, Campaigns, Activities and Development, Wellbeing, and Women’s Officers. These individuals, usually second or third-year students when they stand to be officers, take a year out or apply to be officers after graduating.

Their jobs are to represent the interests of almost 40,000 students by organising events, campaigning, and lobbying for policies to improve student life. They meet with student groups, societies and committees, senior members of staff at the university, other university reps and officers, and even members of local government, as part of their jobs.

It sounds impressive, but if students don’t know who they are — if only 16 per cent of students are voting in the elections — there is a problem.

As I know many of the current Exec officers personally, I have them as friends on Facebook and have noticed a trend… they all seem to know each other. Not just Exec officers at the University of Manchester, but officers at other universities as well. In between campaign posts and updates, their social media posts are peppered with inside jokes, tagging each other in pictures and status updates.

Although it’s great that the officers are connected, collaborating and supporting each other, and many of them are friends, a bubble begins to form. Officers remain connected to other officers, student activists, students on society committees or Union related projects, and the bubble is soon sealed.

Students who have no idea who they are or what they do are often daunted by their already established, close-knit community of more involved and active students. I speak from first-hand experience having been one of these intimidated, and disinterested students myself last year.

The only reason I know some officers is because I happened to see a post on a Facebook group looking for a student to report on the Student Union Exec election hustings for The Mancunion, which I live-blogged. It gave me insight into what exactly they were vying for and who they were.

Of the thousands of students in Manchester, a handful was present. Reporting gave me an excuse to speak to them and get to know some of them, and this connection has made me realise that more students need to care. More students need to be curious and ask questions, veering away from the disinterested, nonplussed attitude that student politics is somehow irrelevant to them.

The gap between SU Exec officers and students has created an unsettling lack of accountability. Although internal Union committees review and scrutinise officers’ progress, including officers having to produce a 2,000-word report, very few students have direct access to officers.

Students on Senate committees do have the opportunity to channel their opinions, ideas, and questions at officers, but due to the perceived distance between students and the Union, not many volunteer to sit on these committees. The process is hardly selective, which compromises the value and extent of wider student input and engagement in the accountability process.

Simply put, fewer students care about student politics, feeling that it is disillusioned and distanced from the people, and therefore are also apathetic to the process. This compromises the value of having a democratic Student Union. What is a democracy without the people? A bureaucracy.

Only students on ‘the inside’, those who manage to permeate the bubble, get involved in, and understand Union officer politics, roles, and decisions, are likely to have their voices heard. These insiders are more likely to run for such positions, and the bubble grows smaller. Fewer students vote, fewer students run, fewer students care.

This happens at a larger scale too with elected representatives of the National Union of Students often being former officers who were friends of former officers, and eventually, we end up with an organisation of people who have been in student politics longer than they have been students themselves.

How then, can they sufficiently represent students? Granted, this is a generalisation — albeit one based on a lot of observation — and many seasoned and experienced officers and representatives become who they are from being ‘insiders’. The gap is nevertheless growing bigger, and this is increasingly worrying.

Like global politics, student politics matters. In the past, Student Union Exec officers have successfully achieved getting the living wage and boycotting the NSS. They also campaign on safety in Fallowfield, sexual harassment on campus, supporting lecturers on strike, and improving education.

Student voices are important to make sure that these policies represent the majority, and to hold officers to account for their work. The recent Shakira Martin scandal is a perfect example of what happens when senior elected officials are not held to account.

The onus is on the Students’ Union to make sure that the word gets out there, and that their officers are actively engaging with students to promote their work, and the work of the Union. I was surprised by a poster I saw recently, encouraging students to stand in Exec elections – emphasising the pay, and asking ‘Are you tired of being a student already?’.

You know students are disengaged when you have to wave money in their faces and make an important democratic position seem like a break from studies. More students need to be engaged, and asking who their officers are and what they do. More students need to vote. This is your university, this is your Union, and these are your officers.

Last week to stand in the SU Exec Elections

This week is the last week to stand as a Students’ Union Exec Officer candidate for the 2018-2019 academic year.

The Students’ Union is encouraging people to put themselves or a friend forward as a candidate in the Students’ Union exec officer elections.

The deadline to stand is 5 pm this Friday the 16th of February. Eight elected, full-time paid positions will be available, including General Secretary, Education, Campaigns, Community and Citizenship, Liberation and Access, Welfare, Women’s and International Student Officer.

Students interested in becoming an officer can fill in the ‘stand’ form on the Students’ Union website, in the ‘student voice’ section, and upload a manifesto. They can also suggest a friend on the website, who will then be contacted by the elections team with guidance about campaigning, running, and the role.

Exec officers are paid £19,000 a year, and represent students, lead campaigns, and vote on policies to improve student life. According to the Union website, candidates will receive support from the elections team before voting opens for a week on the 1st of March.

Successful candidates will begin work at the Students’ Union on the 1st of July 2018.

Big, bad Vlad

It has almost been 27 years since the USSR collapsed and Russia, as we know it today, emerged onto the world scene. It was in the year 2000 that Vladimir Putin took power as president of the Russian Federation. Under his leadership, Russia has changed dramatically, and the crises that plagued Russia in the post-Soviet era have been tamed to large extent.

Since coming to power, Russia has risen once more and, while it is not the superpower the USSR once was, Putin has made it, once more, a serious actor in international politics. His interventions in Syria and Crimea have shown he is willing to take risks to counter the military might of the USA and the emerging economic power of China. Putin’s actions have greater implications for us in Europe and the Western world than many of us care to admit.

Russia under Putin is a very different country to that which many commentators predicted would emerge in the post-Soviet new world order. Under Putin’s predecessor, Boris Yeltsin, Russia seemed to be heading in a pro-European and Western direction.

However, when Putin took office, though it initially seemed as if the trend would continue — Russian even seeming to tolerate NATO’s expansion in Eastern Europe —, it has become clear how wrong the world was.

Putin has made Russia more nationalistic, confrontational, and militarily aggressive. As mentioned, under Putin, Russia has become involved in numerous foreign conflicts including Crimea, Eastern Ukraine, and Syria. His policies at home have entrenched his position as he controls various government institutions.

Unlike countries like the USA and the UK, whose governments faced a huge public backlash against their involvements in conflicts like Afghanistan and Iraq, Putin has, in fact, gained popularity and support from the Russian population. Russia’s annexation of Crimea on the 18th of March 2014 created a massive sense of pride and nationalistic sentiment within Russia and Putin became the figurehead for it, and further entrenched his own control over Russian society and politics.

Despite the sanctions being placed on Russia by the international community, Putin has remained a popular figure within his country. In 2015, Russia began direct military involvement in the Syrian Civil War to prop up Bashar al-Assad’s regime and as a result, Assad is likely to remain in power, whereas, at the beginning of the uprising, he looked certain to fall.

Now, any solution to the Syrian conflict requires Assad. Again, Putin faced criticism on the international stage, but at home, his popularity has surged, and the fact is, whether you like it not, Putin has achieved his goal in Syria and has kept Assad — a close ally — in power.

The fact that Russia has probably interfered in the American presidential election in 2016 shows how much has changed under Putin. It shows Putin has confidence due to the USA’s lack of global leadership in recent years and is challenging American global dominance. The fact that Putin is at the negotiating table in Syria’s peace talks — unlike Trump — shows how confident he is on the world stage.

Putin’s policies abroad have entrenched his position, despite Russia’s sluggish economy, and it is likely that he will win the re-election as president in March by a landslide — ignoring the fact he will probably rig the results anyway —, meaning that the international community will have to get used to another six years of Putin in power.

If the Russian economy further stagnates, it is likely he will take even more risky steps with his foreign policy, meaning more instability in Europe and the Middle-East.

For Europe, Russia’s return to aggression and military build-up is a worrying development. Putin and many in Russia see the European Union as a threat to Russian interests, especially a united one under the influence Germany and France. Putin’s actions in Crimea are a message to Europe not to expand or integrate any further as Putin knows that a united European Union is the biggest threat to Russia in recent years and is probably more of a threat to Russia than the USA.

Russia’s alleged funding of nationalist and anti-EU parties, like the National Front in France and the Freedom Party in Austria, are another signal of how far Putin is willing to go to block further European integration and expand its power.

Despite Putin’s famous topless photo-shoots, Vladimir Putin is not a joke. Russia’s aggressive foreign policy stance and America’s gradual withdrawal from the world stage have allowed Putin to take advantage and attempt to re-establish Russia’s foreign influence.

Russia’s interference in the US elections in 2016 and other European elections is a threat to liberal democracy across the world and Putin is threatening the Western dominance of the world from multiple angles. From Syria to Crimea, Russia’s creeping new influence and confidence are alarming many in neighbouring countries like Estonia, Finland, and Ukraine. Putin’s Russia is a threat to the stability of Europe and we better get used to another period of Russian interference in European affairs.

Album: Awolnation – Here Come the Runts

Seven years on from the release of their debut album, Megalithic Symphony, and their smash-hit ‘Sail’, Awolnation have proven themselves capable of keeping up with the times. Here Come the Runts, their third album to date, is marked by a deep dive into modern indie pop and indie rock.

This may be in part due to the fact that Aaron Bruno, or “AWOL”, is the only constant member of the band. The rest of the band changes on an almost yearly basis; the band features a new keyboardist for Here Come the Runts, with drummer Isaac Carpenter and guitarist Zach Irons joining shortly before the band’s 2015 release, Run.

Stylistically, the album — at first — seems to lack one common theme. It goes from crunchy pop-rock ballads such as ‘Handyman,’ to high-pitched rhythmic pop stylings á la Portugal. The Man, on ‘Sound Witness System’, to dance-inspired indie on ‘Jealous Buffoon’. The underlying theme here, however, is that the album sounds absolutely contemporary; a tour de force of the current indie and popular rock landscape.

The album feels very well produced, and despite the frequency of stylistic changes, feels very deliberate and snappy. The production is clean, and every track is nice to listen to. Even the occasional ‘glitch’ sounds on ‘Miracle Man’ are not unpleasant to hear.

The album’s title track experiments with interesting changes in tempo, combining these with sudden drum fills and overdriven guitars, and it’s this, combined with the relatable, modern themes, that makes Here Come the Runts a very listenable and very well-thought-out album, even if it does not appear so at first.

‘Table for One’ feels a little overcooked, however, almost as if Bruno was trying to make the song sound as comically dramatic as possible – the chorus features a little too much wailing for my taste.

The hit tracks from Megalithic Symphony are emblematic of their time; featuring robotic melodies, overtly electronic influences in instrumentation, and distorted voices. The standout tracks from Here Come the Runts may not be worldwide hits, but they are definitely emblematic of their time; clean vocals, with electronic sounds being used alongside real instruments, rather than replacing them entirely.

With the massive variety of tracks in this 14-track album, which of those are standout tracks will vary from person to person. This, to me, is the album’s greatest strength: providing something for — almost — everyone, without compromising on quality of song production or songwriting.

7.5/10

From £50 to free: the truth about monthly games

Not so long ago, I wrote a piece about ‘Remastering and Box-setting’, which touched upon the value of individual games when stacked up against a bundle, such as Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection, or Halo: The Masterchief Collection, for instance.

Well, when turning on my PS4 a couple of weeks ago and jumping on to the PlayStation Store to renew my PS Plus membership, I was quickly prompted to check out the free monthly games on offer before January came to a close. It was at this point that I became immensely excited upon seeing the line-up that awaited me.

Not only was there the usual variety that covers the various Sony platforms currently supported — PS4, PS3, PS Vita, as well as games that work across all three — but there were two games that I was genuinely stoked to play: Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Batman: The Telltale Series.

The point in me telling you this is that during the summer of 2016, when what became the second next-gen instalment of the Deus Ex franchise was released on the 23rd of August, it would have cost me around £50 — money that, I’m sure you’ll understand, as a student, I simply didn’t have at the time.

So, imagine my shock when I saw that a game I once couldn’t afford was now being simply offered to me for free — if we ignore the price of PS membership, which I would have been paying for, regardless.

In truth, shock is much too strong a word: in fact, it’s to be expected that although you might pay the full RRP for a game in its first week, you’re more than likely to see it for a tenner less the week after. Nonetheless, it was a welcome surprise.

The same was the case with Telltale’s Batman as well: having come out around a similar time to Deus Ex and having been impressed by everything Telltale had done up to that point (Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Tales From the Borderlands), I had, in what felt like no time at all, gone from utterly gutted that I couldn’t purchase it, to absolutely ecstatic that is was now somehow free.

This sparked the question in me of just how valuable our beloved games really are? And is it really worth anywhere close to what we pay for around release date, if I can log on to Amazon in a month, a year or two, to find it for a measly £7, or even just £12 in GAME?

I am specifically referencing that same Deus Ex game here and, yes, two years might seem like a long time, but in the world of gaming, its really not; you only have to realise that it’s coming up to 3 years since Fallout 4 was dropped to understand just how quickly time flies when you’re knee deep in base-building and singing along to the old-timey bangers coming out of your Pip-Boy.

I don’t wish to crack anyone’s rose-tinted glasses here, as I know how much we love games and certainly nothing’s going to stop me grabbing the nearest copy of, say, Red Dead 2 as soon as it comes out; but when we are so invested — quite literally — in this habit called gaming, if we looked at each title we own as an asset, their value doesn’t really seem to hold up at all.

When breaking down what would have been the supposed cumulative value of PlayStation’s monthly bundle for January, the figure I came in around £133 in total, yet I got them for £19.99 which would have been forked out for my online access anyway. Bargain, right?

Put even simpler: last year PlayStation gave out over $1287 in free monthly games according to a Polygon news piece, which translates to just under £920 — yes, you heard me right, that’s not too far off a grand’s worth of free games. Per person. Let’s not forget, you can buy an annual membership to PS Plus for just £50.

So, why then does the value of games depreciate so rapidly over the course of a few months, and why so drastically after a year or two? How can something we often see as a luxury turn so quickly into a mundane commodity? And why do we fall for the sales pitch every time? The key word here is we.

Of course, this isn’t such a revelatory discovery: the prices of products in every corner of every market start high and typically drop over time; but not, I would argue, at the rate we see in games. It is precisely because of how we, the gaming community, operate, that this is possible.

Though not exclusive to gaming, the industry is a prime of example of a consumer base which is obsessed with being first: first to buy, first to play, even first to review! We’re willing to pay what is evidently a largely inflated price compared to only a few months later, because of the simple reality that Kotaku writer Keza MacDonald touches upon: we’re not worried about wasting money, we’re more concerned with wasting time.

I’m sure you’ve all had that elitist moment where rather than simply enjoy the game itself, you get drawn into childish competition; all your satisfaction comes from getting online and achieving a high rank before your friends, or even racing to level up in single-player before them just so you can get bragging rights as they tell you their inferior stats and inventory.

That being said, the rationale appears to be that we almost pay a premium to get in there early: we are the equivalent of YouTube comment that simply reads ‘First!’. That’s an awful comparison we must reconcile ourselves with, one way or another.

Perhaps then, monthly games don’t just show us a more realistic valuation of what our games are worth in reality as opposed to in our gung-ho, tunnel-visioned heads, but what the overwhelming value of our time is.

 

Record Reappraisal: Neutral Milk Hotel – In The Aeroplane Over The Sea

A lot of albums that are labelled with the term ‘classic’ tend to be artists who have found considerable success. Acts like The Beatles, Radiohead, and Pink Floyd have found much praise with their works and have been in the limelight as a result.

But if you go look into more underground scenes on places like Reddit /mu/, you’ll keep seeing one album come up time and time again. The album? In The Aeroplane Over The Sea by Neutral Milk Hotel.

The obsession with the album can seem cultish at first. It won’t take you long before you start seeing people quote the lyrics from the album, or an argument if it’s a potato or drum on the cover. On the outside, it can seem quite bizarre and brings with it some intrigue. What is it about this album that makes people act this way?

On initial inspection, it would just seem that it is a simple folk album. The opening track ‘The King of Carrot Flowers pt1’ is a relatively straightforward song — it is just Jeff Mangum singing while strumming chords on a guitar. Despite the simplicity, there is something quite captivating about it. But it isn’t long before ‘The King of Carrot Flowers’ — parts 2 and 3 — start to turn everything on its head. Fuzzy punching guitars, horns, and more are thrown into the mix as the album starts to open its doors.

While it is a folk record at its core, it would be a disservice to label the songwriting as simple. A diverse array of instruments are all composed together in a perfect mixture. Nothing feels out of place or forced and the record knows when to tone it down or go all out. Songs like ‘In The Aeroplane Over The Sea’ demonstrate the ability to do both with a rather bare-bones guitar is slowly layered with soaring horns.

Even with this, it still paces itself incredibly well with much variety on show. ‘Holland 1945’ is a very driven song with blaring guitars, before cooling down with the ‘Communist Daughter’ with its noisy yet subtle atmosphere, they then strip it all down in ‘Oh Comely’ where Jeff lays it all bare. It experiments with different flavours constantly and helps the album stay fresh even to this day.

Lyrically, the album shines. Jeff paints bizarre intricate worlds with very vivid imagery. They often seem nonsensical but they rarely feel off-putting or distracting. It’s part of the enigma that is this album. He manages to expertly weave an array of narratives from love & loss, to rebellion. Fans have made theories about underlying themes of the album that are still discussed to this day. It just goes to show the staying power this album has.

The final moments of In The Aeroplane sees Jeff put down his guitar and walk out, and while it is a fitting end for the album, it mirrors what actually happened. After the success of the album the band had received considerable offers and while other members were keen to capitalise, Jeff wasn’t. He was tired of performing and explaining his art so he just quit. They did reform a few years ago for a series of shows, and there were rumours of a new album last year, but that has since faded away.

In The Aeroplane still holds up 20 years later, and it’s clear to see why it’s still held in high regard in underground music. It still manages to dazzle and surprise after all this time and its influence is still felt. If for some reason you have not listened to it then, it’s a must. There aren’t many albums like it.

Fallow Fights Back with Holly Ledger

The rise in popularity of the Facebook Fallowfield Student Group (FSG) has made the awareness of crime in Fallowfield, and specifically the targeting of students, more evident than ever. I caught up with Holly Ledger to talk about the event Fallow Fights Back which aims to raise awareness about the increasing crime rates and to help equip students. Holly is a second-year student at the University of Manchester.

Fallow Fights Back is an event taking place at Uni place on the 14th March, 1-4pm. It is a fun interactive event with a serious message to raise awareness and to bring together a community. Many students have been left feeling distressed or facing mental health difficulties because of recent crime spikes, and Fallow Fights Back aims to counter this.

“Me and some fellow course mates are planning this event as part of our ‘Live events’ module for the second year of our events management degree” Holly tells me.

“Planning started properly in October and we have been building up to it, we attempted a flash mob which we then used as part of our promotional video. Not as many people turned up as we hoped but the video still looked good. The next month we are really going to push the event. The more people that come, the more awareness we can raise, and the more successful it can be.”

With the recent heightened crime in Fallowfield, Holly and her course mates knew they should do something to help: “Its important topic and just feel there isn’t enough being done.” Holly states.

“Through our research, we felt that there hasn’t been anything solidly put into place especially for the mental health effects of it. The effect on mental health of these crimes is being overlooked. We have friends who have been targets of crime – including one friend who was violently beaten up at 6 am and had his nose broken.

“It was hard seeing how it’s really shaken him up and knowing he now has anxiety when having to go outside alone, even in the middle of the day. Uni is supposed to be a safe place. There are so many halls of residence in Fallowfield so it’s such a shame so many people feel so anxious.”

Photo: Holly Ledger
Holly Ledger and team

With student crime, it’s easy for blame to get pushed around in terms of who should be taking responsibility to keep students safe. Holly believes, however, that the University isn’t doing enough.

“I know there are some options for help in terms of Nightline, but this is such a big and current issue for students and the university could be doing more in terms of support groups or safe hubs for students.”

There will be stalls all around University place, with local MP Grace Fletcher-Hackwood invited along with others that are to be confirmed.

“We are in discussion with the Owens Park security team and hoping to have them present on the day along with some talks about current security in Fallowfield. We also are going to have information about insurance for students and related freebies such as rape whistles.”

“Smart Combat is also going to be putting on free self-defence sessions for students who can learn basic skills to help them protect themselves and feel confident. We have booked out some spare rooms for this to happen in. There will be glitter and local DJs from different societies throughout the day along with glitter and face painting. Despite the serious message we wanted this event to be fun and uplifting.”

Despite their best efforts, Holly and her course mates have been met with a few challenges along the way.

“We have been really let down by the Greater Manchester police who have been very unhelpful or reluctant to get involved,” Holly tells us. “It just goes to show how much of a problem it is and how important this event is.

“It is important to have the Police on board, so it’s definitely been disheartening that they have been so hard to work with. One of the biggest things have learnt from this is the importance of bringing the community together and working together — so many people are doing some really great things.”

The event is on the 14th March 1-4pm University place.
Buy your ticket here: https://www.facebook.com/events/764351680422668/?active_tab=discussion

Socially engaged art: the feminist genre of change?

On a trip conducted by Union Jewish Students (UJS) named Bridges not Boycotts, a group of UK students visited Israel and Palestine. The aim of this trip was to illuminate both Israeli and Palestinian narratives, and to humanise a conflict which often transcends understanding.

Having met with politicians, journalists, and activists throughout the tour of the region, one narrative stood out for me: that of the feminist activist, Yasmeen Mjalli, a Palestinian-American seeking to advance women’s rights in the West Bank.

In a Berlin-themed pub in the city of Ramallah, Yasmeen presented her past and current initiatives as an activist in the West Bank, namely the ‘Not Your Habibti’ campaign, and her most recent exploit, the ‘Dear Mr Prime Minister’ movement.

In a subsequent Skype interview, she outlined the aims of her initiative: “to illuminate the taboo surrounding gender-based issues in the Arab world through public and grassroots discourse, and secondly to create a safe space in which women can discuss these ‘taboo’ issues.”

The issue of women’s rights is often overlooked when considering the discourse surrounding the Arab-Israeli conflict: a delicate issue which has been the subject of international debate since the creation of the State of Israel in 1948. In fact, Mjalli admitted that “we [Palestinians] fucked up and let occupation be an excuse for not rebuilding ourselves”, letting social and cultural issues be “swept under the rug.”

Her means of activism, however, do not manifest themselves in the usual mechanisms of protest and civil disobedience, instead, she uses “socially engaged art” to spread her message. Mjalli described how she would set up a table in Ramallah with a typewriter in front of a banner which read ‘do not stay silent on harassment.’ The hope was that women would share their stories of sexual harassment whilst she typed them on the old machine.

In Palestine, the typewriter represents a symbol of movement, as travel permits to leave and enter the country are written on these machines. By using typewriters in her work, Mjalli creates a “sort of psycho-social permit allowing women’s freedom throughout the streets”, free from harassment.

When discussing feminism’s position in Arab Culture, Mjalli claimed that in Palestine the sentiment is that “if you are harassed you must be unrespectable” in a Nation in which domestic violence is ignored, and ‘honour killings’ often go unpunished as “the law is behind the husband.”

Despite cultural barriers, Mjalli is an advocate of intersectional feminism, claiming that “whatever shade of feminism you follow, it needs to exist and have a platform” even when it doesn’t conform to the ‘westernised white feminism’ that dominates in the UK and US.

Mjalli’s most recent campaign, ‘Dear Mr Prime Minister’, pressurised lawmakers to introduce the ‘Women and Children’s Act’: legislation which would provide greater legal protections for women from domestic violence. Mjalli collected 60 letters from both men and women, calling for a change to the status quo.

Given the announcement on the 5th February that the Ministry of Women’s Affairs in Palestine was close to finalising the ‘Family Protection Act Against Violence’, Yasmeen’s project is a driving force in raising grassroots discourse and awareness surrounding the law.

Whilst miles away from the West Bank, Manchester is no stranger to the ‘socially engaged art’ that Mjalli advocates. Protest art is a key feature of the Mancunian identity given its history of activism, highlighted by the ‘Cities of Hope Street Art Convention’ of May 2016.

The Convention showcased politically driven murals throughout Manchester. The People’s History Museum’s ‘NOISE: The Art of Protest’ competition in 2013 was another Manchester-based initiative which fostered art as a vehicle of political and social dissent, which was launched following the Manchester Riots of 2011.

Living in an environment with a legacy of political activism, it is easy to take freedom of speech for granted. What makes Mjalli’s project ever more potent is her brazen defiance in the face of a Government which limits freedoms, having not held elections since 2006. In the West Bank, it is necessary to apply for a permit to carry out public campaigns, which Mjalli admitted were a hurdle which she overcame by making her applications “sound flowery and nationalistic.”

In fact, Mjalli claimed that she has been “harassed by policemen” when carrying out such events, which occasionally “have had to be cut short due to the police.” Mjalli dryly remarked in a Skype interview that often this is due to a perceived ‘threat’ these feminist events pose to “a fragile male ego.”

Mjalli’s conceptual activism provides hope and an outlet for frank conversation for women who continue to live as the ultimate ‘Other’. Despite the “inextricable presence” of the partition wall and the perpetual toxicity of discourse regarding occupation, Mjalli is determined to shine a light on women, bringing forth personal narratives to highlight the scale of endemic sexism.

You can support Yasmeen’s initiatives by checking out her website: https://www.baby-fist.com/ or liking the page ‘Baby Fist’ on Facebook. 

Elon Musk’s launch was a good thing, here is why

It is impossible that you missed it, but just in case: Elon Musk and his company, SpaceX, launched the Falcon Heavy on Tuesday.

It was popular on social media because a car was on board the rocket and is currently being sent towards Mars. So there is now a Tesla with the message, “Don’t panic!” — a reference to Musk’s favourite series of books, ‘The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy’ — written on the dashboard somewhere above our heads.

“What was the goal of this stunt?” you might wonder. Well, this kind of launch was not seen in the US since the 60s, and Elon has the ambition to send humans to Mars as soon as possible. Thus, this is the beginning of a new space age for humanity. It’s just that this time there isn’t any, you know, ominous threat of the Cold War and nuclear annihilation lingering in the background.

But telling this story in the wrong way makes for some easy criticism. We can either frame what happened as a small — and fun — step towards the exploration of space by humanity, or as the crazy idea of a billionaire spending $90m to launch a $100,000 car in space.

You might have heard this argument before. It goes like this: “There are too many problems to be dealt with on Earth to care about space, and space exploration costs a lot of money that should be used somewhere else.”

Musk’s actions have been faced with criticism, as expected. In an article for The Guardian, for example, Nathan Robinson has argued that it would be better if we first dealt with the issue of poverty before spending $90m to launch a car into space and that the launch was indefensible.

At first sight, this criticism seems eminently plausible. It is surely morally superior to give $90m to charity than to launch a sports car towards Mars — just as it is better that you give £10 to a charity monthly rather than spending it on a Netflix subscription.

But still, I think it is important to keep two things in mind when thinking about space exploration.

First, this argument misses an important point. A lot of the technology that was first developed during the space race is now used elsewhere. You could make the further argument that though the technology did not decrease inequalities, it surely allowed a lot of people to live better lives.

My second point is a bit more philosophical. While there are countless examples of rich people doing useless things that cost a lot of money — just look at how much the current US president’s luxurious lifestyle is costing his taxpayers — going after Elon Musk and space exploration doesn’t seem like the right fight to pick, not least because of the wealth of alternative targets. Space itself, and what its exploration could mean to humanity, is important enough to keep it as a moral goal at all times, if it is possible to do so.

In Isaac Asimov’s short story, ‘The Last Question’, he touches upon the idea that, even if there is good to be done in the world, there is a simple fact that we should, in the long run, always keep in mind that the resources and energy of our solar system aren’t inexhaustible. Thus, exploring space is giving hope to humanity as a whole that, in the long and distant future, we will be able to keep progressing, as a species, for as long as possible.

And after all, it is surely worth trying to keep humanity alive, even after we run out of resources on Earth, and space exploration is the only way to have a chance of achieving that.

Now, all this may seem a little distant from a billionaire launching a car into space. But this is not the only thing the launch was about. It was also proof that humans, after years of technological stagnation when it comes to space travel, are able to dream once again about the great beyond. Space exploration gives us hope that there is something bigger to reach for that could offer answers to the deepest of our philosophical questions.

It is also very possible that this car launch was humanity’s peak — perhaps we’ll never reach Mars, and are doomed to die on Earth. But if launching a Tesla into space was a step towards knowing avoiding this gloomy fate, it was well worth it.

In the long run, if it keeps up its current rates of progression, space exploration can be justified and be a legitimate goal of humanity. Many others activities of the top 1 per cent of the population perhaps less so. Let’s pick the right fight.

Feminism and the F1 grid girls

The discontinuing of ‘grid girls’ from Formula 1 racing events has sparked a surprising backlash, with concerns being raised about the economic impact on those women who have now lost their livelihoods, and according to some, their occupational autonomy.

Whilst there is absolutely space for criticism of any simplistic eradication of jobs for lacking foresight and for those who feel financially victimised, this is still progress. It is progress towards a world where women’s contributions to sport are as legitimate as those of men, and just as estranged from their outfits. More broadly, it is progress towards a world where beauty is not the seen as the pinnacle of female achievement.

Given the recent spotlight on workplace sexual harassment and pay inequality, everyone should be applauding an institution as male-dominated and traditionally macho as F1 for virtually independently deciding to move with the times. Any labour market which is solely based on the sexualisation of young women is inherently misogynistic and, especially in the midst of the ‘Me Too’ movement, completely unacceptable.

In fact, it’s quite distressing that this ‘tradition’ has survived this long. It would be easy, therefore, to claim this as a victory and move on with our chins a little higher. However, the retaliation from numerous ex-grid girls shouldn’t be dismissed for it signifies the fracturing of modern social equality campaigns at a time when they should be more unified than ever.

It is now evident that criticism of the grid girls phenomenon ignored the individual experiences of the women and failed to account for what the loss of their positions would mean for them. Like many attempts at liberation, it has been top-down and led by a group of outraged outsiders.

No matter how legitimate or well-meaning such indignation can be, this change within F1 required support from the women it would affect as well as wider society. This is something which the ‘Me Too’ campaign should be breaking down by distilling broad movements into personal experiences and encouraging all women to engage with feminism.

It is important, though, to look at where the criticism is coming from. There is a legitimate stage for the newly unemployed women to contest their position, but when the first responses in a Google search on the subject are articles by Daily Mail contributor Rachel Johnson claiming this has taken the “glitz and glam” out of the sport, it’s hard to have as much sympathy.

Adding to this is criticism by Naomi Campbell who feels the career of being a ‘grid girl’ offers an opportunity for young women to boost their self-confidence. Perhaps it did make these women feel beautiful and appreciated, but shouldn’t that be a point for reflection, if not anger itself? That the source of female empowerment is the attention of thousands of spectators who deem your physical appearance to be of a certain calibre.

Those who have said abolishing models in sports celebrations is taking away women’s rights to choose their own career paths need to be reminded of the disparity in employment opportunities across the board that restrict women’s values to their physical appearances.

Perhaps when equity within employment opportunities is complete elsewhere it won’t seem such a kick in the teeth to have scantily clad models parading around a victorious man in response to his sporting achievement. As yet, however, it highlights how our culture still assigns value according to a gender status quo surrounding masculine brute strength and feminine submissiveness.

These critics want to turn this into a battle between feminists and models, targeting wholesome fun because of some fabricated jealousy. Engaging with this would poison an otherwise positive event. Rather than regretting the criticism, it should be seen as a tale of caution for future equal rights campaigns to be more sensitive to the individual experiences of oppression.

Top 5 Pancake Day spots

What exactly is ‘Pancake day’, and when is it?

Pancake day is 13th February this year, a day before Valentine’s to sweeten up your loved one. Pancakes symbolise Easter and new beginnings as we make our way into spring (although, right now it feels too cold to contemplate spring). Interestingly enough, eggs signify creation, flour the on-going cycle of life, salt the feeling of goodness while milk represents purity.

So, now you have the background, let me tell you the best places to find pancakes this Tuesday. Manchester, a vibrant city full of character has many events lined up this week and next for pancake day:

 

Bill’s Restaurant

Embrace yourself for an art deco, Great Gatsby experience with cocktail-infused pancakes. Be spoilt for choice with a selection of amaretto sour, bramble mojito, classic lemon and caramelised banana topped with salted caramel ice cream pancakes. Starting from just £5.95 it is a very affordable luxury. If you want to further impress your date or relax with some friends, add a glass of prosecco, which brings the fanciful meal to just £9.95. So why not make your way to Bill’s restaurant to enjoy this indulgent experience? This exclusive pancake menu is available now till 13th February. Try all the flavours and save the best one to pamper yourself/your date on pancake day!

 

Common

*FREE pancake alert*

Quoted as the “North West’s best brunch spot” by The Sunday Times, not only do they stack some scrumptious pancakes but they are offering a free pancake with any drink! If you’re looking for a heartier lunch/dinner, their eclectic menu ranges from Korean fried chicken, shawarma and for you vegans out, there is a wide range of options including their signature katsu tofu burger. Champion your inner child and show off your artistic skills at their weekly ‘Colour Club’ from 6-9pm which will also include a free pancake activity book. Honestly, where else are you going to find one of these?

 

Pen and Pencil

1960’s, New York.

American society and culture; civil rights movement, cigarettes, drinking, feminism.

Mad men; a nickname coined by advertising agents in the 1950’s. M(ad) Men.

Be transformed into the heady atmosphere of 1960’s New York City. With a sleek bar containing quirky cocktails such as “beer from the Bronx” and an elegant Don Draper feel making it the perfect place for after work drinks, come in for a classy pancake feast. Keeping in style with the experimental era of the “Swinging Sixties,” Pen and Pencil is offering a culinary twist on pancake day. Why not experiment by creating your own concoction of American pancakes starting from just £6.50? With an abundant list of toppings on offer including ‘boozy golden coffee’ or ‘vanilla honey liqueur’, you can truly go mad with your topping choices.

 

Foundation Coffee House

Trying to stay healthy and stick to your New Year’s resolution? Or perhaps you are a gym junkie? Or maybe you just want to enjoy pancake day without having a sickly-sweet feeling in the pit of your stomach?

Foundation Coffee House has the perfect solution — protein pancakes.

Indulge guilt-free into a stack of 6 protein pancakes topped with fresh berries, honey and the option of creamy Greek yoghurt. The pancakes are subtly flavoured with vanilla and melt into your mouth. Even if you aren’t looking to be healthy these pancakes taste so good you’ll want to try them! And if you are looking for a naughty treat, they also offer an extensive range of brownies which will make your mouth water just from listening to their names. Salted caramel or peanut butter brownies.  They have a range of cocktails including their famous espresso martini to help you unwind.

 

Chapter One Books

For you vegans out there, fear not, this place has your back!

Chapter One Books has a romantic feel to it, being a café and a bookstore. There are comfortable sofas, old bookshelves, typewriters (which you can use!), giving the place a homely feel. The vegan pancakes come with creamy yoghurt, berries and optional muesli. The eggless pancake batter is soft and dry which is complemented nicely by the yoghurt and crunchy muesli. So, tuck in to some lovely pancakes and relax in the tranquil atmosphere.

 

With this list on hand, you’ll be stuffing your face in no time! Now, have a great pancake day and remember that the best topping on a pancake are 2 more pancakes.

 

Facebook as a platform for cyber poaching

A recently-published paper by non-government organization TRAFFIC has revealed that Facebook is increasingly being used for the unregulated selling of bred and captured birds and reptiles in the Philippines.

Founded in 1976, TRAFFIC is the Cambridge-based strategic arm of the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). It monitors trade of plants and animals for the mitigation of the loss of biodiversity.

The group monitored twenty online forums specializing in the trading of live pets for 17 days in February 2017. They recorded more than 700 advertisements amounting to approximately $150,000 (£107,000). These included animals like the white cockatoo, Philippine hawk-eagle and the radiated tortoise, all classified by the IUCN as either endangered or critically endangered.

Although the IUCN classified the majority of the marked animals as ones of least concern, the researchers highlighted that photos posted by the sellers showed animals in poor captive conditions and oftentimes misidentified.

Some traders also reported smuggling wildlife outside the country using courier services like FedEx, despite not having any importation permits issued by the government’s Biodiversity Management Bureau.

In addition, because most of the traded animals were non-native to the country, it is feared that their unrestricted breeding could interfere with native species and contribute to the spread of animal-borne diseases like avian influenza.

Unfortunately, because of the difficulty in implementation of the country’s 2001 Wildlife Act, only six arrests were made concerning online wildlife trading in the country from May to July of last year.

The report goes on to recommend more concerted efforts between law enforcement agencies, conservation scientists and civil society. The IUCN also suggested reporting such Facebook posts to curtail their spread. Though this may still prove challenging, as sellers can employ virtual private networks to hide their location, making an arrest even more difficult.

This is, however, not the first time such an occurrence was reported. In 2016, TRAFFIC discovered that 62 per cent of online exotic pet ads in Vietnam “potentially offered commodities illegally”, including leopard cats, the endangered Seychelles magpie-robin and green peafowl.

Rhinoceros horns, ivory tusks and elephant tails were also for sale.  In Malaysia, 86 per cent of Facebook included internationally-regulated species like the sun bear, orangutan and white-handed gibbon.

Vietnam, Malaysia, and the Philippines have been classified as biodiversity hotspots by ecologists, containing the greatest density of flora and fauna on earth, making them viable targets for the export of exotic pets.

This, compounded with the consideration that there is more than a 50 per cent penetration of the social networking site within their populations, only increases concern over such practices. Overall, the three developing countries account for ten percent of Facebook internet traffic in Asia.

Sick and tired of the photoshop

Recently, Vanity Fair’s cover on their Hollywood issue of the magazine caused controversy because Annie Leibowitz’s photography featured some dodgy cases of photoshopping. The cover featured stars such as Tom Hanks, Claire Foy and Harrison Ford, but it shows Reese Witherspoon with three legs and Oprah with three hands…cue mass speculation on social media as to what went wrong.

Reese Witherspoon wittily responded via Twitter writing “guess everybody knows now… I have three legs. I hope you can still accept me for who I am” to which Oprah replied, “I accept your third leg, as I know you accept my third hand”. Whilst on this occasion the photoshop fail was dealt with in good humour and nobody was offended, it is a prime example of the extent to which drastically editing images occurs in the industry.

Stars such as Keira Knightley, Kate Winslet, and Jennifer Lawrence are actively against photoshopping and have spoken out in the past about magazines or campaigns that have digitally altered their images. Photoshopping has deeply negative repercussions: it suggests to girls and women alike that they are not as beautiful as their favourite celeb because they have a bit of cellulite or they don’t have a thigh gap.

Though when we consider the images more deeply we are aware that the images we see are mostly fake, it can still trigger feelings of inferiority and the need to strive for the perfection that we see across social networking sites and in the media as a whole.

Photoshop is not just reserved for the elite on magazine covers. It is now a massive trend on social media for celebrities and us mere mortals alike to portray a completely edited and unrealistic version of ourselves. Thanks to apps such as airbrush, facetune, and VSCO, our Instagram feeds are now full of edited tiny waists and large bums – we’ve got the Kardashians to blame for that one, emphasising that photo enhancement is the new norm and the way by which many measure their beauty.

Many celebrities are no strangers to editing their images. But with every good photoshopped image there comes five terrible ones which eagle-eyed fans are quick to jump on and criticise. Sometimes their mistakes are glaringly obvious. Poor Kris Jenner suffered a photoshop faux pas when she uploaded an image of herself and Gordon Ramsay to Instagram with Ramsay sporting a suspiciously smooth forehead. Ramsay later uploaded the same photo but the unedited version which showed his ageing in all its glory.

Lindsay Lohan is notorious for a badly edited Instagram upload and wavy walls and floors tend to be the main feature of her photographs.  Even superstar Beyoncé — who centres her performances on being an empowered, confident woman and is regarded as one of the ‘sexiest’ women in the world — has been caught editing her photos, from making her waist appear smaller to creating a thigh gap.

It is astonishing that someone of Beyoncé’s calibre still feels the need to have to doctor her images despite being recognised by many as having the ‘ideal body’. This only seeks to emphasise the deep-rooted body issues that are ingrained in our society. Despite seeming ethereal, Beyoncé too feels an immense pressure to only release an image that can be considered ‘perfect’ so that she avoids criticisms that she has put on weight or speculation that she is pregnant because she is bloated. It is a sad reality that women and men feel the pressure to look completely perfect or face an onslaught of criticism from either the press or ordinary people on social media.

It’s one thing if you choose to edit photographs of your own. It is completely your prerogative if you want to appear more tanned or reduce the look of your double chin. However, an image being edited without your consent is another ball game. This is probably unlikely for the average Instagrammer, but for big-named celebrities this is a problem that many of them face following magazine shoots.

We can assume that Gordon Ramsay took Kris Jenner’s photoshopping lightheartedly and not as an attack on his appearance. But in 2016 Rumer Willis spoke out against a Vanity Fair photographer who photoshopped her jaw line, she said in an Instagram post that she found it offensive that they changed her look so drastically and went on to say “I love the way I look and I won’t support anyone who would feel a need to change the way I look to make me beautiful. Whether or not they realize it, it is a form of bullying, which I won’t stand for.”

Zendaya also slammed her shoot with Modeliste magazine for slimming down and de-curving her body, she wrote that she was shocked that her 19-year-old hips and torso had been manipulated, stating that “these are the things that make women self-conscious, that create the unrealistic ideals of beauty that we have.”

The doctoring of these images sends out the message that only a certain body type can be deemed attractive which is damaging not only for the legion of fans, most of whom in the case of Zendaya are young teens but also to the celebrity who has been edited suggesting that their original photos were not ‘ideal’ or they did not look good enough.

It is through the media, and namely the fashion industry, who put completely unrealistic images on their magazine covers that show women without an ounce of cellulite or any other imperfection that not only makes others feel inferior but also, in the instance of Beyoncé, sends the message that these stars must look perfect at all times. Putting these women on a pedestal makes the everyday girl feel like she must strive for these unrealistic beauty standards.

However, all hope is not lost. Now, some brands are taking an active stance against photoshopping images. At the end of last year, mega brand Missguided refused to edit images of their models and instead released images that showed stretch marks across the model’s bum and breasts.

disneyabc@Flickr
disneyabc@Flickr

It was so refreshing to see a completely unaltered image that shows a woman’s natural body is nothing to be ashamed of but that your imperfections make you beautiful. Missguided was praised for its authenticity and refusal to adhere to beauty stereotypes thus sending out a message of body positivity to its young followers. Admittedly we still have a long way to go and ideally, we need the big name fashion magazines to shun photoshopping on their covers in order to send the message that ‘imperfections are beautiful’ which will hopefully in turn filter down into all aspects of social media.

Missguided’s campaign against photoshopping is a positive start and hopefully, other brands will start to follow suit to demonstrate that the perfect body is only constructed by the magazines and the film industry, lets finally start defining beauty on our own terms.

 

 

Our love for dogs has become cruel and inhumane

We love pugs. More than 10,000 are waddling around in the UK at the moment, and the Chinese New Year of the Dog gives us admirers the perfect opportunity to show appreciation for the pug’s squashed nose and dislocated kneecaps. A celebratory pop-up Pug Cafe in Manchester has already clocked in the interest of more than 600 dog lovers on Facebook, who will no doubt flock on the day to fawn over the beauty of the pugs and profess to each other just how much they love dogs.

We love pugs so much that we’ve inbred 10,000 British pugs from a gene pool of only 50. We apparently love them so much that they suffer acute problems as a consequence of our love.

Let’s be clear: this is not love for the dog, but the fetishisation of its individual body parts.

In 2008, a BBC documentary uncovered a line of Crufts pug champions with numerous health problems characteristic of the breed: dislocated kneecaps, collapsed larynxes, elongated soft palates, narrowed nasal cavities, inward rolling of lower eyelids, and curvature of the spine. Spine abnormalities are bog-standard in pugs— in fact, they’re the breed standard. Double-corkscrews are desired in pugs’ tails, which contort pugs’ vertebrae to put their whole spinal structures at risk.

RSPCA Chief Vet Mark Evans called the Crufts show “a parade of mutants”, and, “a freakish, garish beauty pageant that has frankly nothing to do with health and welfare.”

But we love their funny looks. We love tagging friends in videos of pugs falling asleep while sitting or standing— which they do because their airways close when they drop their heads. We love them. We love the noises pugs make as they struggle for breath and their eyes that are too big for their sockets to contain. They’re cute; breeding is a business of cuteness, and that must be a delight.

The commodification of dogs as style items is a recent, capitalist phenomenon. The Kennel Club is less than 150 years old, and most modern dog breeds are younger than this. Before then, dogs weren’t bred in Britain for their appearance. It was when dogs made the move from the farm to the armchair that breeding for functionality was dropped to focus on fashionable aesthetics.

As a result, health was compromised to achieve deformities. The German Shepard Dog of today looks very different from its Victorian forefathers; it now also comes with a good dose of canine hip dysplasia.

The Kennel Club’s small efforts to reduce the occurrence of genetic defects are meek. They certify German Shepards whose parents are clear from hip dysplasia, but breeders easily worm round this by breeding young dogs who are less than a year old before their genetic defects start showing. And so, thousands of sick puppies get born and sold with clean certifications of health from the KC.

This doesn’t even consider the uncertified puppy farms, which notoriously over-breed females in inhumane conditions. These only arose after World War Two, and have grown into a multi-billion pound business in the UK alone. Meanwhile, 20,000 rescue dogs are euthanised in UK shelters every year. Rather than adopt them, we shell out thousands of pounds to buy pedigree dogs from breeders, whose genetic defects cost UK dog owners over £10 million in vets’ fees each week.

On the other side of the world, in China, street dogs are beaten to death on a daily basis. In Oman, the police are ordered to shoot puppies on sight. Romania runs state internment camps for dogs where they aren’t fed and are destroyed after 14 days. This all might seem depressing, but none of our concern over here in the UK.

Shelters abroad, however, run multifarious programmes— such as Barking Mad Dog Rescue — that allow British citizens to adopt dogs from life-threatening situations around the world. This might be a more popular system if foreign-adopted dogs were as Instagrammable as their inbred cousins.

As it is, pugs are our trending fashion choice of the moment, and their lives aren’t much better than street dogs’. Pug breeding is animal cruelty, and without knowing it, we’re wooed into complicity by their big buggy eyes and asphyxiating muzzles.

It’s hard to imagine an aesthetic as sweet as the pug’s could possibly be so barbaric. That’s the first step we need to take: changing our perspective of the pug from the aesthetic to the animal.

This Chinese New Year, for the Year of the Dog, we need to each take some time to address ourselves — when we say we love dogs, do we mean it? Or do we only mean that we love how they look?

Indian tech company create 80 new jobs in MediaCityUK

Tech Mahindra, the Mumbai-based IT and networking company will establish a new branch in MediaCityUK later this year, launching an innovation and digital office, creating 80 jobs.

The Manchester-India Partnership (MIP) is part of Greater Manchester’s Internationalisation Strategy. This partnership will boost trade and investment whilst developing business opportunities, as well as the creation of direct flights between Manchester and Indian Cities.

During the introduction of this partnership at the House of Commons, the union was described as: “make in India, innovate with Manchester.”

The CEO of Manchester Airport, Andrew Cowan, is to chair this organisation and which will have dedicated staff in Delhi, Bangalore, and Manchester. “Forging closer relationships with the world’s most important markets is key to the future prosperity of Manchester,” says Cowan.

This move parallels Manchester’s relationship with China, which also saw the introduction of flights between Manchester and Beijing. This has already generated £138m into Manchester’s visitor economy in just one year. It is expected that the Manchester-Indian Partnership will echo this.

Direct air routes have proved to increase investment and research collaborations in Manchester. This is only set to increase, with Manchester Airport already being the sixth-largest European air link to India.

Other Indian companies have already invested in the region, including 42Gears, Hero Cycles, and HCL. Strategic partnerships with local universities have also been set up, leading to an increase in Manchester’s appeal to Indian students, tourists, and researchers.

Deputy mayor of Greater Manchester for Economic Growth and Business, Sir Richard Leese, said: “Manchester city region is famed for being at the forefront of industry, and continues to be a competitive destination for international investors.”

“There’s probably never been more attention on the economic relationship between the UK and India, as India undertakes significant market reforms and the UK prepares to leave the EU. It’s time, therefore, to put the spotlight on the huge contribution which Indian businesses make to the British economy,” says David Landsman, Chair of the CII India Business Forum.