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Day: 16 March 2018

Photo: The Mancunion

Revealed: Students’ poo-nion

Written by Kirstie O'Mahony on . Posted in News.

The Mancunion can reveal why the Students’ Union building has been smelling of faeces for the past three months.

Outgoing General Secretary, Alex Tayler, told The Mancunion that it’s being caused by the new heating and cooling system that has been installed as part of the ongoing refurbishments.

He explained: “we have had a drainage company come on-site to inspect the sub-duct (trust me, that is as nice as it sounds) below the building in various locations, and as a result of this inspection they’ve identified a number of areas where there are caps missing (which would keep the smell in the drains) to the main drain.”

He added that the work to replace the caps would take place over the Easter Break, so as to cause minimal disruption to students.

When asked if staff were aware of the smell, he insisted that they very much were. As are students; second year Law student Mark Gibbons told The Mancunion, “I’ve noticed the smell as you come right in… I’ve grown accustomed to it though.”

Fatima Abid, incoming General Secretary of the Students’ Union, found it a bit more invasive.

“I’ve noticed it, and I don’t feel good about it. I tend to avoid certain places, like usually I would avoid this place [Biko Street]… but yeah, it’s really bad”.

When asked if other people had mentioned it to her too, she said that whenever she asked people to meet her at the Union, they would respond by saying “oh but it smells!”

She also said that she was put off from eating there whilst using the building for her volunteering projects,

When her predecessor Alex was asked what he personally thought of the smell, he conceded that it is clearly “unpleasant”.

He continued: “it does keep us on our toes, as you never know where the smell is going to strike next.”

He also mentioned that the SU have so far been unwilling to invest in measures to mask the smell. The Environmental Protection Act 1990 states that persisting bad odours constitutes a statutory nuisance and is punishable by a fine of up to £500 a day.

When asked why the Union had not yet made any efforts to mask the smell, a spokesperson told The Mancunion that, “some of the smells have been easier to tackle and the vast majority of them have now been removed by the new, more efficient extraction system. The remaining smells can only be dealt with whist the building is in less use over the Easter Holidays as it will require us to close large portions of the basement floor and Club Academy.”

Alex Tayler said that whilst they hadn’t done anything up until now, “if the smell persists then we will consider mitigating action particularly as we move into the warmer months.”

On a more optimistic note, he also said that the Union is “looking forward to welcoming students back into what should be a slightly less smelly building in April.”

Photo: Daisy Tolcher

Recipe: Tahini Chicken and Tabbouleh

Written by Daisy Tolcher on . Posted in Food & Drink.

Ingredients:

  • One tbs Tahini
  • One tbs cumin seeds/ whole cumin
  • One lemon
  • One tbs olive oil
  • One finely sliced chilli
  • One finely diced onion
  • One pack parsley
  • Half a pack of mint
  • One salad tomato finely chopped
  • One handful of pomegranate seeds
  • Two chicken breasts

Method:

  1. Begin by marinating the chicken. Add to a bowl the zest and juice of half the lemon, the chilli and the tahini.
  2. Meanwhile, dry toast the cumin in a pan for two mins to release the flavour and then add this to the bowl with the chicken.
  3. Mix together the chicken and seasoning and leave for an hour or so in the fridge.
  4. Once the chicken has marinated, fry it over a medium heat until cooked through. This should take around ten minutes.
  5. To make the tabbouleh, place the herbs in a food processor and blitz for a few seconds until finely chopped.
  6. Mix the herbs with the onion, tomato and pomegranate, then squueze the remaining lemon on top.
  7. Add a generous amount of olive oil and a pinch of salt and mix together until it is all incorporated.
  8. Add the chicken and serve!
OP Tower Photo: Flickr@ Firing up the quattro...,

Should I live at home or in halls?

Written by Tayyibah Shah on . Posted in Uncategorised.

There are many benefits to both living at home and living in student halls. Some might prefer having an independent life of ‘freedom’, whereas some might prefer to save money to buy a car or have their parents do their washing. Whatever reason there may be, there are both conveniences and disadvantages of where students settle down.

Why might a student decide to live in student halls at campus? Like I said, there are many benefits to living in halls. A main one is the independence the students gain from this new freedom of leaving home. Halls give students an boost to become independent and, with that extra step, students are more set for the future as they are forced to make friends with their roommates or find friends elsewhere. Also, living on campus gives students an opportunity to socialise more often and go out more. In addition, activities led by the University, Students’ Union, or external organisations can sometimes be targeted to those living on campus — unfortunately leaving those who live a domestic life out.

However, what happens when the smell from the halls becomes too much? Or the extra cash you could have saved is slowly slipping from your fingers? There can be some disadvantages to living in the halls which might encourage others to live at home. Keeping a budget as a student can be difficult: you are paying a lot of money simply for your education and extra resources, which is why many decide to stay at home to save that extra cash.

At University there are many types of people from different ages and backgrounds. Mature students might find it uncomfortable or difficult to live in halls. Relationships with family, friends, or partners might be very important for some students, who might wish to hold onto that instead of having the obstacle of distance in relationships.

Nevertheless, since these students won’t be living on campus there might be fewer opportunities to socialise. It could be reasonably contended that those living from home miss out on the ‘University life’ and lose out on that sense of freedom and independence.

Nonetheless, these arguments don’t completely define who you are or how you live your life as a student.

Whether you are having difficulties at home or on campus, remember the Students’ Union will always be there to help. You can get in contact with Exec Officers or visit the Advice Service on the ground floor of the SU building. 

Photo: Fibonacci Blue @ Flickr

‘Punish a Muslim Day’ is a disgrace to our society

Written by Aminah Alsharit on . Posted in Uncategorised.

Over recent weeks, letters have been distributed throughout Bradford, Leicester, London, Cardiff, and Sheffield announcing the so-called ‘Punish a Muslim Day’. It is not known who started it or when it started.

Within the letter there is a long paragraph saying that this event will take place on the third of April 2018, and points will be awarded for certain acts of violence (that are being encouraged to be carried out in any way  possible): from 25 points for removing a woman’s headscarf, to  2500 points for nuking mecca which is absolutely and utterly outrageous.

These letters have been spread to embed hatred, and to manipulate and bribe people into ‘punishing a Muslim,’ through a series of malicious and spiteful acts that have shook society in a negative way.

So, are you going to sit back and let this happen or are you going to stand up?

When are people going to open their eyes and see these sorts of acts do not bring society together but instead destroying it and create chaos and conflict. Seriously… when? The letters also say that Muslims have caused society “pain and heartache.” What about you?  What are you going to achieve by writing stuff like this? All you are doing is increasing tensions, and making Muslims seem like the bad guys. The people distributing these letter are also causing society “pain and heartache.”

Really, the people who are causing all this damage are extremist — terrorism has no religion. The letter is not something to be proud of — it is something that you should oppose and ignore, as we should be trying to work together to stop extremist acts, such as terrorism. And who are we to judge? We have all caused destruction.

After conducting interviews with some of Manchester Students’ Union staff it seems that many people agree with me in thinking that this letter is outrageous. Jess, Becca, and Mirium all had strong opinions and thoughts about this letter. For example, Jess believed that it was “weird and disgusting.” She also said that if she was in the position of a Muslim, she would be “terrified as you do not know if these offences are going to take hold.”

Becca exclaimed that, “terrorism is more political rather than religious, as this stereotype about Muslims has just emerged over recent years.” Finally, Mirium said that she was fearful for the direction that our society is going in” and she feels “more frustrated than angry” about “not being able to talk down people’s beliefs.”

When I finished conducting these interviews I came to the conclusion that the letter is somehow rooted in its writers’ hatred and desire to find revenge for all they have been through. But what frustrates me the most is  that we shouldn’t be following the path towards revenge, as that just proves that we are incapable of working together and that extremists can easily tear us apart and make us turn against each other. Is that really what you want? I certainly hope not. So, what are you going to do?

Photo: CollegeDegrees360 @Flickr

Life after university – choosing your graduate home

Written by Anon on . Posted in Uncategorised.

Graduation is around the corner, uni life is coming to a close, and the realisation that it’s time to put on your adult pants and enter the real world is slowly sinking in. You’ve had the best years of your life, made some lifelong friends, and created some even crazier memories, but now it all seems to be changing.

Not only are you now searching manically for your dream job, you’re also having to re-think your living situation. After three years of sharing a house with your BFFs — dishing up your finest spag bol to loving housemates and lounging together on the sofa binge-watching Netflix — everyone is going their separate ways. So what now?

Well, we’ve come up with a list of options available to you, and their pros and cons, to help you figure it out.

Option 1: Stay in a student house share

You may well want to stick with the same friends in the same house that you’ve lived in for years, especially if some of your housemates haven’t yet graduated. The upside of this is the familiarity is comfortable. The downside? You could end up feeling like you haven’t moved on from being a student and might find that once you start working, your housemates’ student-y ways (not getting up until midday and late nights partying) aren’t compatible with your new professional lifestyle.

Option 2: Move back in with your parents

The pro of this (apart from an on-site cook and cleaner) is you will save yourself money — very appealing when you aren’t yet earning. The cons on the other hand… do we really need to spell them out to you?

Option 3: Find a new professional house share

If you’re planning on staying in Manchester but aren’t quite ready to rent an apartment all by yourself, there are plenty of professional house shares available on the market for you to rent. One example is idealHouseshare, a property management company who organise and maintain shared houses for young professionals, just like you. They have a large portfolio of houses and flats to choose from, everything between four to six bedrooms. They’re also all within prime locations (think Withington, Didsbury and Chorlton), so they’re sure to find you your next place to call home.

You won’t need to worry about what your new housemates are like: at idealHouseshare they’re all about the personal touch. They personally get to know each and every individual housemate, so when a room in one of their houses becomes available, they are able to connect potential new housemates with their existing sharers based on age, interests, sociability, even their working schedule. Cue a harmonious and contented household — perfect after a long day at work.

If you’re on a house hunt, this is most likely to be your most cost-effective option too: not only are they currently offering 10 per cent discount to all university graduates, there is no deposit to pay on any of their rooms.

Once you’ve found your new gaff with idealHouseshare, the fun doesn’t stop there! IdealHouseshare offer more than just a room but also a social experience. All housemates receive free membership worth £240 to Social Circle, one of Manchester’s premier events company. With this membership, you gain free access to daily social activities including cinema trips, pub crawls, comedy nights, gym passes and much much more. IdealHouseshare also regularly organise their own social nights and sports teams, allowing them to get to know their housemates even better and enabling their housemates to meet more new people.

Photo: idealHouseShare
Photo: idealHouseShare

If you need yet another reason to choose idealHouseshare and their affordable accommodation consider this: they’re keen supporters of the local community — something which you may want to get involved with. Last summer, the idealHousehsare team joined forces with a bunch of housemates and headed to the Lake District to take on the Total Warrior challenge. Taking part allowed them to collectively raise almost £3000 for The Christie, the local cancer care hospital. This summer, they’re ready to commence their next challenge and have signed up to do the Manchester to Blackpool 60 mile bike ride, hoping to raise even more money for The Christie charity.

So if you’re graduating from university and looking for a fun, inexpensive living situation which doesn’t mean moving back home, try idealHouseshare.

Image: Vita Student @ Flickr

University of Manchester not ruling out exam disruption

Written by Cameron Broome on . Posted in News.

The University of Manchester has not ruled out disruption to summer exams after University and College Union (UCU) and Universities UK (UUK) failed to come to an agreement in the ongoing pensions dispute.

“Detailed preparations” are being made for 14 days of strikes to be held during the exam period of May and June, according to union leaders.

On Thursday the 15th of March, University College and Union called for members who currently hold external examiner positions at the 65 institutions involved in strike action to resign and not accept any new posts until the dispute is resolved.

A University spokesperson said: “We expect all eligible students to be able to graduate or progress to the next year of study as planned. We will continue to review the situation as it develops.”

UCU said external examiners resigning would cause universities a number of specific problems around the setting and marking of exams.

UCU general secretary Sally Hunt said: “We are calling on external examiners to resign their positions at those universities in dispute over plans to slash staff pensions. External examiners ensure the rigorous quality standards in our universities, which must be upheld.

“No student or university will want the quality of their degree called into question, so we advise universities’ representatives to get back round the table with us as soon as possible to get this dispute resolved.”

External examiners agree the setting of questions, moderate exam results and ensure that institutions’ assessment procedures are rigorous.

The union has issued guidance and a template resignation letter for members and said they must provide the relevant institution with due notice of termination, as specified under the terms of their contract.

The dispute centres on UUK’s proposals to slash the benefits of the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) pension scheme, which UCU claim leave a typical lecturer almost £10,000 a year worse off in retirement than under the current set-up.

Thousands of students across the country have signed petitions demanding compensation for the loss of teaching.

Many have also begun to e-mail University management teams to express concerns about the impact the disruption will have on their grades and have made inquiries about mitigating circumstances requests.

In a response given to various students through e-mail, Michael Greenhalgh, Director of Communications and Marketing at the University of Manchester, said: “I appreciate and understand your concern about the potential impact of industrial action on your studies.

“As you are aware UCU and UUK are now meeting with ACAS.  UUK has offered to meet at any time and it was agreed at the meeting on the 6th March that USS would need to cost the latest UCU proposals.

“As a University we would be prepared to consider an increase to the already very significant employers’ contribution as part of an agreed solution, although we realise that this could be difficult for some other universities.

“I can assure you that we want to see a resolution to this difficult situation and as was stated publicly on Friday 2 March, the President will do everything she can to protect the interests of all current and future generations of staff and students.”

Photo: Liberal Democrats @Flickr

Bin to be named after Sir Nick Clegg

Written by Cameron Broome on . Posted in News.

A bin in the Students’ Union building could be named after former Deputy Prime Minister Sir Nick Clegg.

A motion has been proposed for the SU Senate on the 22nd of March to name a rubbish bin on the ground floor of the SU building after the former Liberal Democrat leader.

The number of rooms available in the SU building to name after important figures is decreasing, the motion claims, following the re-naming of Academy 2 to Academy X at a Senate earlier in the year as a tribute to human rights activist Malcolm X.

The policy proposal reads: “Sir Nick Clegg’s actions have caused significant impact on the students of Manchester. He helped usher in £9000 tuition fees which has helped us to focus our minds on us being consumers of a product, the “student experience”, “employ-ability” and seeing higher education as a marketplace where unprofitable courses, or those teaching ideas not necessary for the marketplace are closed and those who teach them sacked.

“Sir Nick Clegg’s actions have caused significant impact on the political landscape of Manchester. Before he was Deputy PM, the Liberal democrats had 1 MP in Manchester and a third of the councillors. Now they have 1 councillor.

“This Union believes…naming a rubbish bin after Sir Nick Clegg would be a suitable tribute to his impact on the
student experience.”

Nick Clegg has so far not responded to requests for comment.

Two other motions have been proposed for the upcoming Senate.

One motion has been proposed to that states that “Fuse FM should have a dedicated space at every Pangaea festival.”

The proposal argues that this was a past successful policy and that it would continue to strengthen the bond between the Students’ Union and student media.

It notes: “Their theme for the room, will, like everything else, go through the Pangaea committee for approval. However, they will be in charge of the musical offering and decoration. This would ensure that current students at this university get a prime space to demonstrate their skills and dedication to Union media.

“UMSU has given priority to external groups and promoters in the past, to the detriment of current students.”

The other motion relates to The Mancunion and proposes created a separate dedicated team to focus on print and online respectively. The online team will work on a day-to-day basis creating and uploading content for The Mancunion website, whereas the print team will design the paper at the end of the week.

The proposal argues that “The Mancunion’s current working structure is outdated and not fit for purpose.”

It notes: “At the moment we are struggling to keep up with our competitors, such as The Tab and the MEN as our news cycle does not always allow for an immediate response.

“As a publication, we should be responsive to news and events and give updates to students in a timely fashion. Working week by week currently does not allow us to do that.

“We also believe that The Mancunion should be modern and accessible for all students. Lastly, we think that this restructure will encourage more contributors to join, particularly those interested in design and news.

“The final product will largely remain unchanged, in that we will have 20 issues a year with 32 pages in each issue. However, the proposed restructure will allow the quality and quantity of content to drastically improve, thereby giving our readers improved value.”

Live Review: The Wailers

Written by Stan Norris on . Posted in Music.

The Wailers, which was originally composed of Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Livingston, has been through many changes to become what it is today.

It is now rallied by the original Wailers band bassist Aston “Familyman” Barrett, a master musician who earned his nickname for his crucial role as a band leader. The band is also continued with original guitarists Julian Junior Marvin and Donald Kingsey. With them is drummer Aston Barrett Jr., who picked up the Wailers drumsticks in tribute to his uncle, the influential reggae drummer Carlton Barrett. His performance on Friday night successfully emulated his uncle’s thundering style and the ease with which he plays renders obvious his decades of experience in playing and performing with various instruments.

As the show went on to be a remarkable performance and the venue progressively warmed up, the lead singer Joshua Barrett took to centre stage and dazed the crowd with his raw voice and natural charisma. The band chose to play the landmark and best-selling reggae album of all time, Legend.

Voicing the words of the legendary Bob Marley without lurking behind his shade is by any standards a tricky task, but Joshua handled this more than adequately; his voice roared through the crowd and vividly evoked Bob himself. Another remarkable performance was given by the laidback keyboardist Tyrone Downie, who came onstage rocking a yellow tracksuit and a contagious passion for the music.

After indulging in a wild guitar-like solo he briefly paused the show to give the Mancunians a chance to chant for a passion they shared with Bob: football. In a similar manner, the Wailers asked for the participation of the audience in singing ‘Stir It Up’ which added to the enjoyment of the crowd. The backup singers graced the crowd with a pure voice to accompany the lead vocals and Shema McGregor demonstrated that she was a singer in her own right when given the chance to sing a short but impressive solo.

This collection of talented individuals which descend from families of famed musicians is the perfect fit for the return of The Wailers. As Bob requested of them, Familyman and Junior Marvin are breathing life into The Wailers to keep him alive through the music.

Photo: The John Rylands Library

The Alchemy of Colour

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Books.

From arsenic to mercury, blackened bones to beetles, The John Rylands Library’s new exhibition The Alchemy of Colour explores the curious recipes used throughout the centuries to bring vivid colour to manuscripts.

Visitors to the exhibition will explore the lengths artists went to add colour and the processes of making the pigments. Often nature was used for the palette: vibrant yellows were obtained from cows urine, bright blues from crushed precious stones and inky blacks from the tree growths caused by wasps.

Elaine Sheldon, Conservator at The John Rylands Library and Co-Curator of the exhibition said: “Creating The Alchemy of Colour has enabled us to explore the Library’s incredible collection of manuscripts from a wholly new perspective, and appreciate them as exquisite works of art as well as feats of writing, thinking and learning. The exhibition brings to life stories of colour-making from across time periods and cultures, and visitors will be fascinated by the diversity and beauty of the items on show.”

Carol Burrows, Heritage Imaging Manager at The John Rylands Library and Co-Curator told The Mancunion: “The idea was to tell some of these stories of the pigments in the manuscripts, as a way into manuscripts that isn’t often talked about. The stories behind the colours are often very interesting. The first thing we did was to identify the colours and so for that we used microscopy. We took tiny pigment samples and studied them under a microscope to find out from their optical qualities which pigments they were. We also used a fibre optic and a multispectral imaging technique.

“When we knew specifically what colours we had, we could then talk in the exhibition about how they were produced and made and the interesting tales behind them. For the exhibition, we’ve grouped the manuscripts into cases where a particular colour is strongly used so for instance the yellow case has examples of vibrant yellows.

“What is interesting is that the colours used are sometimes specific to that area. For example, there is an Armenian manuscript here which uses the Armenian cochineal to produce the pink. That insect is only found in a very small area of Armenia so that specific colour can’t be found anywhere else. We wanted to show the huge geographic range in the exhibition so our manuscripts are from all over the world.”

The Alchemy of Colour starts on 15th March and runs until 27 August 2018. There will also be a programme of events to accompany the exhibition. For further information about the exhibition, the programme and the library itself, go their website.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

A brief history of Stephen Hawking

Written by Jordan Ross on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

On the morning of 14th March, Professor Stephen Hawking, a prominent theoretical Physicist and cultural icon, died peacefully, at home, aged 76.

At 21, Hawking was diagnosed with the fatal degenerative motor neurone disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Although this rendered him permanently severely paralysed, he outlived doctors’ initial 2-year life expectancy prediction by 53 years, refusing to allow his physical ailments impair his scientific endeavours.

Through this fierce and relentless rebuttal, Hawking transcended the ‘rational’ and ‘plausible’ to defiantly achieve scientific greatness. In doing so, he showcased the enormous capability of the human mind and inspired millions.

The former Cambridge Lucasian Professor of Mathematics, a role also previously held by Sir Issac Newton, authored the bestseller ‘A Brief History of Time’ and has penned many scientific theories and discoveries in his time, including ‘Hawking Radiation’, where black holes leak energy. This phenomenon occurs close to the edge of the black hole, in an area called the event horizon and is caused by quantum interference. Hawking, along with Roger Penrose, also showed that if the ‘Big Bang’ occurred, it would have originated from an infinitely tiny point known as a ‘singularity’.

He theorised ‘mini-black holes’, which form during the ‘Big Bang’ and eventually lose mass and disappear in an energy-releasing blast. He became embroiled in a disagreement with Leonard Susskind known as the ‘information paradox’. Hawking argued ‘information’ pulled inside a black hole such as particles or light is forever lost if that black hole is destroyed. But eventually, Hawking accepted that information was not permanently lost.

University of Manchester Professor Brian Cox said: “He (was) a truly brilliant scientist and also a brilliant communicator.”

So farewell Professor Hawking, you are a real inspiration and an irreplaceable loss to the planet. In the words of Barack Obama: “Have fun out there among the stars.”

Photo: Daisy Tolcher

We love Turtle Bay’s rum collection

Written by Daisy Tolcher on . Posted in News.

This week I was fortunate enough to be invited to Turtle Bay Oxford Road, to try a sample of their extensive – and I mean extensive! – rum collection. As someone who occasionally orders a rum and coke on a night out I must admit my knowledge about the spirit was limited. However, as a big fan of Turtle Bay’s happy hour, I could not give this opportunity a miss.

Turtle Bay’s rum collection is sourced from all over the Caribbean, from St. Lucia to Cuba to Jamaica and Bermuda. I was surprised to learn that there are many different rum types depending on where the rum is distilled, and Turtle Bay serves a whopping 40 varieties! The menu is split into four categories – good, better, best and fabulous – so that customers can decide which sort of rum they want to sample.

Photo: Daisy Tolcher
Photo: Daisy Tolcher

Upon arrival we were greeted with one of their most popular cocktails, the Reggae Rum Punch. Having tried a traditional Rum Punch in the Caribbean before this was a really nice twist to the classic citrus flavours, with the addition of strawberry and pomegranate.

Although we were there for the drink we were also offered some light bites from the menu which included some delicious panko coated okra fingers, crispy whitebait and beef pattys. Despite having been a bit disappointed with the menu on previous visits, this selection of starters certainly won me over.

Photo: Daisy Tolcher
Photo: Daisy Tolcher

After our cocktails and nibbles we were taken upstairs for a rum tasting. Now, I know that rums come in different varieties – such as dark and spiced – but I did not know just how many different shades and flavours rum could be. We were offered seven samples which included: Wray and Nephew, Appleton Estate Signature Blend, Appleton Estate Reserve Blend, Appleton Estate Rare Blend, Koko Kanu, Santa Teresa 1796, and Plantation Pineapple.

As someone who is used to drinking Rum with a mixer I was pretty apprehensive about drinking all of these samples straight. However, I was amazed to find that despite them all being the same type of spirit, they tasted very distinct from one another and really embodied different flavours and aromas.

My favourite was the Plantation Pineapple which had pineapple notes running through it and was actually enjoyable to drink on its own. There was a significant lack of agreement amongst the group with regards to which rum we liked best which really demonstrated that different rums suit different palates.

Following this taster, we were presented with a Rum Sharing Board that Turtle Bay sell at a starting price of £14.50. You get four different rums to try and your choice of mixer, we opted for Ting (a popular carribean soft drink). This mix went down very well and we were happy to learn that the ‘Ting Wray’ cocktail (Ting with Wray and Nephew) is one of their most popular cocktails.

As someone who did not know a lot about rum before the night, I left feeling a lot more informed. And perhaps this knowledge is becoming important as Rum sales topped Gin last year. Whether you are a rum lover or not, with a happy hour that starts at 11.30 am and runs until 7pm only to restart at 10pm on weekends, Turtle Bay is definitely the place to try it out.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Live Review: Julien Baker

Written by Ciaran McLaughlin on . Posted in Music.

Monday 12th March, Bridgewater Hall

Supporting a band is always difficult. You’re playing a bigger venue to a crowd that will largely be unfamiliar with your material. You have to make a bigger impression as you’re there to show yourself off and try to gain new fans along the way. Even the greatest of performances may not resonate as well if neither elements works in your favour.

So it was a shame to see that The Bridgewater Hall is quite sparse and whilst sitting there I just get the feeling that most people couldn’t care about Julien.

That being said, Julien proved that she is an incredibly talented musician. Utilising loops pedals she was able to flesh herself a bit more and fill the emptiness and get overlapping parts either on the guitar or keyboard. She could have added an another performer for the whole performance but it would have slightly ruined it. The main appeal, for me anyway, is that is just her. It makes it more personal and gives that emotional punch a bit more sting.

The first few notes of ‘Turn Out The Lights’ and ‘Appointment’ put her off to a great start. While the venue was not right for her she didn’t let it stop her. Bridgewater Hall is not meant for her isolating and intimate style but Julien put up a good fight and ended up leaving a good impression though at times she didn’t quite break through.

She switched it up halfway through when at the end of ‘Rejoice’ she put her down guitar still resonating with the last note to go to her keyboard for the more ballad driven ‘Televangelist’. It added more flavour to the short set and showed that while her music is relatively simple, she quite diverse.

At the end of ‘Sour Breath’, the last cries of “The harder I swim, the faster I sink” were just enough to penetrate the barriers presented by the venue. It was little moments like this that really showed what she is truly capable of both as a songwriter and performer.

She wasn’t on her own all the time. She was eventually joined by a violinist for the last two songs. It gave the performance a bit of depth but it was not overpowering, still allowing Julien to shine through. It also added a little twist to her final song ‘Something’ and gave it a little extra flavour, ending her set on a high note.

At the end of the day, it wasn’t the place for Julien to be. She needs to be in an intimate venue, where her emotion can effectively be felt throughout.  That isn’t to say that she was bad. That’s far from the truth. She still managed to pull out an impressive performance and considering the circumstances she excelled. Now I’m just left desperate to see her again in a proper setting.

7/10

Photo: Arthur Salisbury @ Mancunion

Abbott, Enderwick, and Cunliffe seal Manchester’s survival

Written by Arthur Salisbury on . Posted in Sport.

When a collective of disgruntled merchants decided to build the Manchester Ship Canal in 1894, and in doing so compete with the the city of Liverpool, they could not have known that the rivalry would last 124 years. Of course, it is in the symbolic world of sport that such inter-city beefs are most felt, and rarely have the two met in a more important occasion than that which defined them on Wednesday afternoon at the Armitage Centre.

Liverpool, sitting pretty in first place, needed a win to seal the Northern 2A title and promotion to the first division. Manchester, in misleadingly reassuring third place (in a six-team table) had to win to guarantee survival.

Any onlookers arriving two minutes late would have assumed they were witnessing a particularly good pre-match warm-up, but in fact Manchester had taken the lead within a minute after kick-off. Olivia Abbott, who all afternoon exuded calm and class in a trequartista role, jinked past Daisy Purcell at left-back to deliver a cross that looped over Liverpool ‘keeper Hannah O’Sullivan, tucking itself into the net off of the far post.

Often an early goal can produce a tedious game, but not so this time. Manchester defended confidently, the full-backs Leah Winstanley and Evie Foster moving the ball out onto the wing, and dominated the early stages. Nevertheless, it was the leaders who struck next, Kiah Collins’s shot rebounding off Eza Doortmont in goal to leave Olivia Askam with an easy finish.

But that was as good as it got for the Scouse, who were unable to thread one through defence for a second time, the pinball of balls on shins inevitably being scooped up by Smith and redistributed to the wing. It was from Abbott again drifting out right that produced the third goal, crossed low and bobbling, Beth Enderwick getting just enough on it to inch it over the line.

As a boy, I was self-conscious about taking photos of the women’s football team on my phone, so was delighted to discover that a camera crew was already in attendance, filming for a programme disconcertingly catch-all titled The Football Show. If they remembered to remove the cap off the lens they will have plenty of excellent goalmouth scramble footage to sift through, but presumably over the final credits will roll Grace Cunliffe’s fantastic curler into the top right-hand corner, the stand-out moment of the match leaving the score Manchester 3-1 Liverpool at half-time.

The wind grew unbearable in the second half, and truth be told so did the game. Manchester were content to sit on their two-goal lead in difficult conditions, where Liverpool seemed resigned to defeat. A couple of stoppages for pains and strains broke up the rhythm. In such circumstances it is no surprise Liverpool began to deploy the long swirling ball, and from time a ball kicked out from goal reached Collins, but she was unable to beat the excellent Doortmont in a one-on-one.

The whistle blew not long after with the score still at 3-1 to Manchester. The result means another year’s Northern 2A football to look forward to. Obviously I’ll have moved back down South by then, mind. Elsewhere in the league, Manchester Metropolitan beat the University of Central Lancashire 4-2 at home and Liverpool John Moores triumphed 6-2 at Chester. In all likelihood Manchester will finish the season in third place, and one wonders what giddy heights they might have reached had they not lost their opening four.

Photo: UMRLFC

Season round-up: University of Manchester Rugby League Football Club

Written by Torran Lochhead on . Posted in Sport.

It has been a triumphant season for the University of Manchester Rugby League Football Club (UMRLFC). The club finished joint top of the league, having only lost one match all season. New coach Matt Valentine has helped strengthen the club both on and off the field, whilst captain Adam Heal has led them on the pitch.

During a long cup run, the team travelled all around the North of England, defeating strong opposition sides such as Sheffield and Northumbria in order to make it to the cup final. They went on to beat local rivals Salford in the final to win the BUCS Northern Conference Cup for the first time in the club’s recent history.

UMRLFC have been stellar in all aspects of their gameplay, as they have not only won the cup title in 13’s but are the undefeated champions of the North-West 9’s trophy. They will travel to Nottingham in April to compete in the national 9’s championship to defend their title.

One final crucial game remains for the team at the time of writing. Friday the 16th of March sees them yet again take on Salford University in the varsity match, with one win a piece this season it promises to be another gruelling encounter.

Though the season is almost over after varsity, UMRLFC still hope to give a good showing of themselves in the few games they have left. Christie Cup is to look forward to as well, where the club hope to defend their title again, and help the University of Manchester defend its overall Christie title again.

Photo: @allocine.fr

The Big Lebowski at 20: the story of a rug

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Film.

The Coen Brothers’ The Big Lebowski turns 20 this month, but the cult classic wasn’t always as popular as it is now, garnering mixed reviews in 1998. A film that begins with a mistaken identity quickly becomes a complex, interwoven web of storylines that the protagonist Jeffrey Lebowski, or The Dude as he prefers to be known, wants no part of yet finds impossible to escape. The reason for that is simple, his rug. First soiled then stolen, it not only tied the room together, but also the narrative.

And yet, what is going on in the front of the scene is often irrelevant. The kidnapping plot which we, the audience, feel should take centre stage is never fulfilled because of The Dude’s lack of ambition or motivation to pursue it. He would much rather go bowling with his friends Walter or Donnie and so the plot must come to him, but after each advancement of the story, each bit of new information that comes to light, The Dude continues his life as if nothing happened.

This is because he simply doesn’t care. He lives in a simple house, with no job, no goals and most importantly to him, no stress. However when his rug is stolen from him he is thrust into a complicated story that doesn’t really need him at all. Once he goes to find the real Jeffrey Lebowski and takes one of his rugs in return, that should be the end of The Dude’s involvement in the film. His journey is complete and the ending is satisfactory, but nothing is ever that easy.

The rug’s role in the film is a MacGuffin. A plot device in the form of object or goal that our protagonist pursues with little narrative explanation. You see them often in crime or spy films. James Bond is always after some object, that if in the wrong hands would spell disaster. More often than not the audience doesn’t care about the object itself, but for the action it catalyses. The Dude wouldn’t go find Jeffry Lebowski if his rug wasn’t stolen, just like Bond wouldn’t have fenced with Madonna in Die Another Day if it wasn’t for the Icarus Satellite. Well, he might have.

“It just seemed interesting to us to thrust that character into the most confusing situations possible. The person it would seem on the face of it least equipped to deal with it. That’s sort of the conceit of the movie.” Ethan Coen is saying here that it’s not the situations themselves which hold value to the audience but how The Dude reacts to them, how he copes with this influx of stress that tries to steer his life off course.

Joel Coen said in that same interview how the film was loosely based on the works of American writer Raymond Chandler. Episodic in nature, Chandler’s detective novels follow the protagonist as he interacts with lots of characters on his way to solving the case. The Big Lebowski’s main narrative is very similar to this, although it has a staccato rhythm from jumping between fast-paced investigation and the relaxed everyday life of The Dude.

Coming back to the rug, it’s importance to The Dude stems from what the rug itself represents, it’s stability and comfort in his life. Without that presence, he finds it difficult to relax, to be The Dude. While we see him go bowling with Walter and Donnie several times we never actually see him bowl. The closest he comes is in his imagination laying on the floor of his house listening to a tape of the Venice Beach League Bowling Playoffs from 1987, shortly before his second rug gets stolen.

“This is when we figured if things are becoming a little bit uncomplicated of unclear it doesn’t really matter. This is similar to Chandler in that the plot is secondary to the other things that are going on. If people are getting confused it’s not necessarily going to get in the way of them enjoying the movie.”

It is ironic that The Big Lebowski, a film whose protagonist works so actively to leave behind no legacy, has one of the biggest in cinema. From an annual festival to a religion, there is a surprisingly large following of dedicated fans, those who simply wish to abide by the same carefree lifestyle as The Dude.

Photo: University of Manchester estore

Preview: Street Drugs in the Northern Powerhouse

Written by Niall Johnston on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

Conversations about the use and regulation of recreational drugs have always been wrought with controversy. The dominant narrative in the mainstream media and from the government is one of protecting the public through stricter legislation on drug users and suppliers. The argument goes that these substances cause harm to the body and society. But an upcoming symposium at the University of Manchester aims to look at such drugs in a totally different way, which could provide benefits that are currently inconceivable.

The symposium, being held on the  28th March, invites you to rethink ‘street’ drugs and explore their use in the medical setting.  Hosted by the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health in collaboration with the British Association of Psychopharmacology, ‘Street Drugs in the Northern Powerhouse: Perspective and Policy’, will bring together leading experts in drug research and policy for a day of talks, discussions and Q and As.

The event will brief the audience on the clinical benefits of ‘street’ drugs such as cannabis and psilocybin, the active chemical in LSD and magic mushrooms, which have increasingly come under the lens of scientific study.  Through the work of scientists like Professor Val Curran, who will be at the symposium, these drugs or their derivatives have been found to be effective against a range of diseases and conditions from depression to chronic pain.

Current drug laws, however, mean it is hard to envisage medicines containing these drugs becoming accessible to patients anytime soon. In 2016 the Psychoactive Substances Act put a blanket ban on any substance said to have a stimulatory or depressive effect on an individual.

This event will look closely at ramifications of legislating against drugs and explore the interaction of prohibition with their risks and potential benefits. Andrew Costello of the Greater Manchester Police and Neil Woods, a former undercover drugs officer and chair of LEAP, both have frontline experience of putting drug legislation into practice and will be speaking at the event.

A high profile speaker also on the line-up is Professor David Nutt who currently works at University College London. Professor Nutt is a well-known figure in drug debates, famously highlighting statistics that show horse riding to be more dangerous than taking ecstasy to advocate for a more scientifically driven drug policy, the topic of his talk.

This event is poignant as it comes amidst a wave of legalisations for the medical use of cannabis in countries such as Canada, Australia and several states in the US. Although the UK is very far from such legislation at the moment, this symposium reflects a growing number of voices calling for a different approach to drug policy in the UK.

This event will take place on Wednesday, 28 March 2018 in Roscoe Building, from 9.30am to 16.30pm and provides a unique opportunity to hear from leading experts on this controversial and very important topic.

Tickets (£10 for students, £15 for others) and a more information can be found on this website.

Photo: Open Mind Manchester

Open Mind Manchester launch peer mentor scheme

Written by Aliya Ismangil on . Posted in News.

Open Mind Manchester, a student society set up last year, have recently launched a new Peer Mentor Scheme which aims to provide students with extra peer-to-peer mental health support.

The scheme is open to any who feel they may benefit and is designed to be a supplementary support system alongside the University’s Counselling Service and other external health services.

When asked why the scheme is important for students, Lauren Goodfellow, Communications Officer of the society, told The Mancunion, “whilst the uni excels in providing academic peer support, the emotional support can be lacking. It can be difficult for students to get a Counselling Service appointment, and the NHS waiting lists are drastically long due to underfunding.

“With this scheme, we hope to be able to support students from a relatable place and facilitate them in seeking professional help either through Uni or through other avenues.”

Though this scheme is in no way a replacement for the University of Manchester Counselling Service or other professional services, Open Mind have worked closely with the Service and the mental health charity, Manchester Mind, to develop the scheme.

“[The Counselling Service] were really supportive of the scheme, offered me some training in managing groups,” said Caitlin McWilliams, a coordinator of the Open Mind. “I was aware that because we wanted to support students around their mental health, we would need the Mentors to have training in supportive techniques specific to mental health issues.

“Open Mind was then able to commission some Peer Mentor training from Manchester Mind. I am proud to say that we now have a fabulous group of Open Mind Mentors who are ready to be matched [with] any current student who would benefit from some peer support or guidance.”

A recent report by the Higher Education Statistics Agency has revealed that University dropout rates in the UK have risen for the third year in a row. Figures show that 6.4 per cent of students who started university in 2015, didn’t make it to the end of their second year, an increase from the 5.7 per cent in the year before. Among the worst affected universities, up to one in five students drop out before their second year.

Nick Hillman, the director of the Higher Education Policy Institute think tank, suspects that these rising rates could be due to the increase of in the intake of students from underrepresented groups that may not be getting the extra support they need. A peer to peer scheme like this one could be the missing link.

Lauren Goodfellow said: “pressure, loneliness and isolation are key factors for students dropping out of University. Hopefully, the programme will support students who have these feelings and the Mentor will be able to alleviate some of these factors.

“In my own experience, just having someone listen to you can be extremely helpful when it comes to mental health. We want to be there to listen to students.”

Jessica Hill, also coordinator of the Peer Mentor scheme, shares some optimistic sentiments over the scheme’s launch: “it’s so exciting to see everything coming together in this scheme! We have a great team of volunteer mentors and couldn’t have asked for a better level of enthusiasm and passion for the scheme. I cannot wait to see it grow and develop and I believe it’s going to be great!”

Open Mind are currently taking applications for individuals who would like a mentor, and those interested can sign up here. If you’d like to become an Open Mind mentor for the next academic year, you can email your interest to [email protected].

Photo: The University of Manchester

Manchester river has world’s highest level of microplastics

Written by Meredith Sherock on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

Researchers from the University of Manchester’s Department of Geography recently measured the world’s highest microplastic pollution in Manchester’s Tame river. These pollutants, they argue, were flushed from urban rivers into nearby oceans after major flooding events.

Microplastics include small plastic debris, such as microbeads, microfibres, and plastic fragments. They are derived from various sources – including certain cosmetics, clothing, and industrial waste. Once these microplastics enter ecosystems, they can transfer harmful chemicals into the food chain.

“If the bed sediment matrix is contaminated with microplastics, it poses a significant threat to the health of the entire riverine ecosystem,” the research team — Rachel Hurley, Jamie Woodward, and James Rothwell — explained.

Until now, microplastic contamination has only been tied to land sources. This study is the first to consider the roles of water storage and movement. Professor Jamie Woodward, head of the Department of Geography, states: “Microplastics in the ocean have recently attracted a lot of attention, but until now science knew little about the major sources of this pollution and the transport process involved.”

After sampling 40 sites across Greater Manchester, the team found substantial plastic contamination in all but one location. These areas included all types of sites, from seemingly safe rural headwaters to urban rivers in city centres.

The researchers also analysed how floods affect microplastic movement. They sampled these sites before and after the major flooding events of 2015-2016, which included the largest recorded regional flood during Boxing Day that winter. They found that the floods removed 70 per cent of plastics from riverbeds and totally eradicated plastic pollution in seven sites.

But where did these microplastics go? The team discovered that when microbeads are flushed from rivers during flooding, they move into nearby oceans. Here in northwest England, river channels drain into the Irish Sea.

This study links microplastics from urban river channels to growing oceanic pollution. With this new knowledge at hand, the team called for stronger regulations on urban water waste management.

This study adds another perspective to discussions on plastic policy.  The UK recently passed restrictions on microbeads this year, the US put these restrictions in place in 2015. Such proposals are currently pending in Canada, Australian, and across the EU.

Photo: Cansu Cender @ Flickr

Beautifully hairy

Written by Aisha Al-Janabi on . Posted in Opinion.

With summer coming, I’m preparing to tame both my overgrown leg hair, and my now free-growing stomach hair. I will, inevitably, spend an evening waxing my legs, only to see it re-appear a couple of weeks later and start the process all over again.

Women’s body hair feels like a secret that we must keep between ourselves. Of course, men are aware this is part of our beauty regime, but considering how few women I’ve seen with hairy bodies, be it legs, backs, or faces, it can sometimes feel like a myth.

I used to enjoy the yearly cycle of wild hair in winter which I could keep hidden, and my smooth legs in summer that I felt were ‘worthy’ of showing off. But recently I’ve become more aware that the worth I place on being hairless is merely because I grew up seeing this is what it means to be feminine, or beautiful.

Both teenagers and adults alike, unquestionably pursue this ideal of beauty despite the pain and time required. Many girls as young as 12 begin to do so, which is too young to navigate through hair-removal options and be self-conscious about their bodies. Society starts objectifying girls too young, especially as we go through puberty earlier than boys. Girls are altering their bodies to fit ideals of what it means to be an ‘attractive woman’, rather than enjoying childhood.

Increasingly, women are choosing not to remove their body hair, but this choice is often surrounded by controversy, not to mention the stares. As soon as this decision is made, it appears to be some sort of political statement which others feel they are allowed to have an opinion about.

Why is it that a man’s choice about body hair, be it hairless or hairy, is accepted to be due to personal preference, but we women are not allowed that same level of command over our bodies. And it hurts; waxing, razor cuts, hair removal cream burns, or epilation; none of these are pleasant experiences.

Hairlessness is still seen as a defining characteristic of being feminine– men lacking in body hair are, wrongly, considered feminine and women who have it are considered masculine. Masculinity and femininity are perceived to be polar opposites, and this is a requirement that is used to categorise and label.

Artist, Helen Plumb, recently made a short film about this topic with poet Anam Cara titled, “Feminism: A Prickly Subject.”  Through the poem, Anam Cara acknowledges the emotional conflict when one goes unshaven: of liberation and the shame which can ensue. Anam Cara describes the fear that summer brings, which resonated with me as when I was young, I used to wear jeans in the boiling sun until I waxed and was hair free, instead of being carefree as one should be during summer.

Helen Plumb elegantly portrays hairy women as feminine, beautiful, and normal, representing us in this way will hopefully be a step towards changing both men and women’s perception about what it means to be feminine or a hairy woman. And, it should mean nothing.

As an Arab woman, I have luscious, thick, very dark hair. This does mean I love my eyebrows, but I am also blessed with a moustache. Sometimes, if I’m feeling confident, I will leave my moustache alone and embrace it. But, it doesn’t take long for me to look around and realise that no other women around me has one, and I end up caving in by waxing it all off.

When boys become teenagers and their moustaches first grow, it’s praised and celebrated; it’s a natural part of puberty and growing up.  Ours, which is also a natural part of puberty, is still shrouded in judgement.

When reading women’s experiences with their body hair, and thinking of my own, words such as shame and fear are repeated, thus preventing us from acting how we wish to. Discussions around body image and confidence rarely consider body hair.

While retail brands are (very) slowly using a more diverse range of women in their advertisements, they are yet to cast hairy women as their models, unless the hair is Cara Delavine style eyebrows. If this were to be done, it would normalise the idea, and stop the vulnerability associated with having ‘excessive’ amounts of hair.

I hope this summer more women will feel the decision is theirs, to choose if they want to wax, shave, or grow their hair, and that they still feel feminine.

Why Britain desperately needs a four-day working week

Written by Holly James on . Posted in Opinion.

This week, education secretary Damian Hinds announced plans to cut teachers workloads in the face of shortages that are leaving schools paying £835m a year on supply agencies to cover lessons. At a conference in Birmingham last week, Hinds stated that long hours and large workloads were exhausting staff and putting potential teachers off the profession, something he cited as being the main reason for schools failing to recruit and retain an adequate number of teachers.

This comes in the wake of the latest Royal College of Nursing survey that paints a picture of nurses that are chronically overworked, with figures showing that many nurses work in wards that are understaffed to the point of compromising patient safety. This is no surprise; with 40,000 nursing vacancies in the UK, many nurses are now working in chronically short-staffed units, creating an environment in which they receive little support and face an undue amount of responsibility on top of their already excessive workloads.

This kind of exhaustion is unsurprising; the TUC estimated that workers clocked up a whopping £33.6bn worth of unpaid overtime in the last year alone. Nor are these the exclusive epidemics of teaching and nursing; last year, 12.5m working days were lost due to stress, depression, and anxiety, with 44% of all cases being due to workload. High workloads create the chronic stress that has been linked to an increased risk of health issues ranging from high blood pressure to strokes as well as the onset or exacerbation of serious mental health issues.

In an economy built on the backs of a chronically exploited workforce, it’s time to get strict on overtime and give people a working schedule that fits around their lives and not the other way round. How can we do this? The answer: slashing working hours and introducing a four-day working week.

Not only will this alleviate the chronic stress of an overworked population, this solution also addresses both unemployment and underemployment. With over 4 per cent of the population currently unemployed and a further 3.3 million ‘underemployed’ (those not receiving enough hours at work), a four-day week would redistribute hours, taking pressure off those overworked and giving unemployed and underemployed people more opportunities, and ultimately creating a population with significantly more leisure time.

Not only this, a four-day working week could potentially increase productivity. Studies have shown that working fewer hours encourages greater focus and enhances productivity, meaning that people work better hour for hour. Less time at work also means less time off work. As workloads are eased, the pressure taken off workers will benefit health and mean less absence.

It could even be better for the planet. The New Economics Foundation believes that a four-day week could also reduce carbon emissions and ease climate change. The think tank suggested that countries with shorter workings weeks are less likely to produce excessive carbon footprints as the move would reduce gas-guzzling commutes and leave workplaces powered down for an extra day per week.

Despite these evidently rich economic benefits, the true need for and benefit of a reduced working week is for the people. In a corporate climate that increasingly treats people like machines, fighting for a reduction in working hours is essential in order to reclaim the kind of autonomy that defines us as human. A four-day week must be the first step towards reclaiming the time for leisure, rest, and recuperation that is a fundamental prerequisite for good health and sane mind.

Indeed, fighting for the improvement of working conditions and the reduction of working hours was at the very core of the original Labour movement. In the wake of the last year’s elections, which saw an unprecedented amount of support for the labour party under Jeremy Corbyn’s new leadership, it is clear that much of the UK’s population is frustrated by the stagnant political climate and eager for social reform. Thus, working toward a four-day week must become part of a larger drive for positive, people-focused social change, including a push to introduce a Universal Basic Income and shorten the working day. These goals are essential in order to create a society that allows people to flourish as individuals rather than be broken by an economy that saps their life force for profit.