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Day: 5 April 2018

Photo: StockSnap @Pixabay

Manchester’s sex toy spend hard to beat

Written by Amy Wei on . Posted in News.

Students from the University of Manchester are beating the rest of the country away in their purchasing of sex toys.

Manchester University students spent £8,549 on sex toys in 2017, according to new data from Ann Summers, making them the fourth biggest spenders in the nation.

Oxford University nailed the top spot, spending a total of £11,266 on sex toys and bondage, despite only having around half the student population of the University of Manchester. The University of Cambridge rounded second base with £9,410.

Four of the five top-rated universities in the UK made the top buyers table, which Ann Summers asserts may suggest “a link between intelligence and sex drive.”

They reference a study which apparently claims: “sex can actually help you develop stronger cognitive skills, including verbal fluency, number sequencing and recall”.

A second year student at the University of Manchester speculated that Oxford and Cambridge students might have come up on top for sex toy purchases because “they’re too busy with work to flirt, so they have to please themselves.”

The Rose Gold Pebble Vibrator was the most popular toy by purchased by Manchester students at Ann Summers.

A University of Manchester student who owns the Rose Gold Pebble Vibrator said: “I feel like it’s very good value for money, it has lots of settings. I would definitely recommend it to anyone. It’s like the best first vibrator.”

The sex toy retailer also revealed that 9-11pm was the most popular time to shop, which they say suggests “students are taking a break from their late night study sessions to indulge their fantasies.”

A Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) student said: “they’re probably all virgins”.

MMU did not appear on the league table of top sex toy spenders.

The University of Leeds and the University of Liverpool straddled Manchester at third and fifth place respectively in the top buyers table, spending £8,633 and £7,128 at Ann Summers. The University of Hertfordshire came last.

UoM politics and sociology student Heather Proctor told The Mancunion: “While the whole thing is hilarious, there isn’t necessarily a correlation between intelligence and sex drive. People who go to more prestigious universities tend to come from more privileged and wealthier backgrounds and therefore are more likely to have the disposable income to spend on fancy sex toys.

“The idea that this shows that intelligent people have a higher sex drive is interesting, because it’s in complete contrast to the media narrative of uneducated, working class women being ‘breeders’ who pop out babies all the time having a high sex drive. These are two completely conflicting accounts that show how ideas about sex are constructed depending on who is saying it, but more importantly, who we’re talking about.

“Sex seems to be cute and quirky when it’s the middle and upper classes, but completely unacceptable and shows a lack of intelligence as soon as a working class mother is in the picture. Of course, these juxtaposed narratives are coming from two different sources, but still highlights how we perceive different social groups.”

An Ann Summers ‘Sexpert’ stated: “we’re pleased that our sex toys are helping students to work hard and play harder. It’s interesting that spending is highest at the top universities, but we’ve found that… all over the UK people are becoming much more relaxed and empowered in their sexuality.”

Lecturer admits to false cancer and MS claims for PhD extensions

Written by Lucinda Obank on . Posted in News.

A registered nurse and lecturer in Infection Prevention and Control at Manchester University falsely alleged to having inoperable brain cancer, ovarian cancer and Multiple Sclerosis to extend time for her PhD thesis.

Over four years, Deborah Jane Ward,repeatedly misled colleagues about the state of her health and has been struck off the nursing register as a result.

During a disciplinary hearing with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) on the 26th of March, it was also revealed that the GP website she used to support her claims was fake.

The NMC commented that Ms Ward’s “elaborate and complex deception'” since 2015 “failed to act as a role model to student nurses.”

The fitness to practise panel ruled that she should be struck off following an 18-month interim suspension order to cover the statutory appeal period, although she was not present nor represented at the hearing.

In October of 2013, Ms Ward emailed her line manager explaining she had a brain tumour and that more time was required to complete her PhD due to the side effects of radiotherapy.

She contacted again in March of 2014 claiming to have ovarian cancer and that surgery and chemotherapy treatment thus owed her extensions.

In both instances false GP letters were given to support her claims.

In May of 2015, Ms Ward informed the NMC panel that her brain tumour was ‘”inoperable” however was accepted onto a clinical trial in Leeds. Later in 2015, she made the announcement of a Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis.

In August of 2015 when referred by her line managers to occupational health officers, permission to contact her GP was requested. She provided a consent form which included details of a “fictitious GP practise” and then “created or arranged the creation” of a fake GP website.

An occupational health doctor became concerned about the authenticity of the documents as their ‘”length and style” didn’t seem “genuine”. When it was suggested to Ms Ward the documents had been fabricated in a follow up appointment she became “very upset”.

She filed her resignation the following day and in subsequent appointments ‘admitted that the cancers and multiple sclerosis had no medical basis’.

In a statement to the NMC Ms Ward commented: “Dishonesty in any form is inexcusable and unacceptable as a registrant and reflects badly on the nursing professions so I understand and agree that this cannot be tolerated by the NMC.”

She went on “Obviously this saddens me as I worked diligently as a nurse and nurse teacher for over 20 years but there is no one to blame for the situation that I find myself in but myself.”

In their concluding remarks, the NMC said “her dishonesty was carried out to secure an advantage for herself… this was not dishonesty undertaken on the spur of the moment nor could it be described as an isolated act or a momentary lapse… It was a course of conduct which she maintained over a long period and required elaborate preparation.”

“Ms Ward must have had multiple opportunities to tell the truth in the course of four years and report her genuine health condition(s) but did not do so… Only when directly challenged did Ms Ward finally admit her deception.”

The University of Manchester were contacted but refused to comment.

Valve axe Steam Machines from storefront

Written by Danny Jones on . Posted in Games.

In 2015, game distributors and developers Valve released the long-rumoured Steam Machines — a gaming platform that promised to unify the laid-back, “pick up and play” philosophy of consoles, with high-end performance PC hardware. Just three years later, they have been taken off the Steam homepage completely.

When the head of Valve, Gabe Newell, first pitched the ‘Steam Box’ as it was then called, the aim of the project was to reel in a new audience and generation of gamers that no longer feared the big undertaking of running a gaming PC: instead they could purchase a one-size-fits-all bit of kit that would exist as a baseline from which to run any game you like.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

The rhetoric had always been one of elitism and the whole ‘PC Master Race’ movement that found such traction on sites such as Reddit; there were too many components, too many modules, specifications and variables to consider, and this alienated many who found the prospect more of a chore or a long-term investment than a way to blow off steam — no pun intended.

There had been a lot of build-up and hype since their initial announcement in 2013, including a series of delays and setbacks in production, as well as some evasive marketing that teased 14 different variants of Steam Machines, as well as a valuation of just under $2,000 worth of components per console. Then, finally, the first version of the supposedly revolutionary game system was released in November of 2015.

To explain this slightly convoluted production process a bit more, the most relative context you can compare it too is that of the Chromebook: a piece of tech that centres around its software but its manufactured by various different companies who handle the hardware — hence the 14 different options we already mentioned above. In the Steam Machines case, the first variant was built by Alienware and unfortunately, the debut console got mixed reviews and little else. Until now, anyway.

Photo: Wikimedia Commons & Flickr
Photo: Wikimedia Commons & Flickr

Last week, despite being at the top of the list on the hardware section and one of the most frequently featured links on the site, it was noticed that Valve’s Steam Machines have now been removed from all homepage tabs. Much like the aftermath of the console’s shaky launch period, the company has done little to comment on the future of the console, other than diverting attention by explaining the delisting as simply ‘based on user traffic’.

Whilst they have not been removed completely, the console has been assigned to proverbial witness protection and is hiding out in the darkest recesses of the website. Moreover, there has been little in the way of communication from the Valve Corporation, which with the recent scandal surrounding Steam’s sheer lack of moderation — so much so that it has allowed for empty game folders to be sold to unfortunate customers — is of little surprise.

It is still unclear whether under-performing sales and a spout of diversionary tactics spells the discontinuation of the system altogether; however, with this most recent cover attempt to obscure the Steam Machine’s withdrawal from the homepage, it seems as though the company might be going back to the drawing board, or at least into damage limitation, for the foreseeable future.

Image: Vita Student @ Flickr

New wave of strikes to affect Manchester students

Written by Lauren Goodfellow on . Posted in News.

University of Manchester staff will go on strike during the first week of teaching after the Easter break.

The UCU announced on Thursday 29th of March that 12 UK universities would be affected by a full week of industrial action, to be carried out between the 16th and the 20th of April. The University of Manchester is among the 12, which also includes the University of Oxford, the University of Leeds, and the University of St Andrews.

A UCU news release stated that these strike days could be extended and expanded to 65 universities, “aimed at targeting the last weeks of teaching, and the exam and assessment period.”

14 days of strikes took place at the University of Manchester before the Easter break, between the 22nd of February and the 16th of March, seeing hundreds of teaching staff cancel lessons, postpone practical sessions and push back deadlines.

On 13th March, staff from the University of Manchester unambiguously decided to reject the ‘transitional benefit arrangement’ agreement that had been proposed by UUK and UCU.

The UCU pledges to continue with strike action until the dispute is resolved. If an agreement is not reached in the coming weeks, they stated “there would be action targeted to hit teaching and the exam and assessment period at all 65 universities, to be confirmed at a later date.

“How many strike days institutions would face during the exam and assessment period would depend on any earlier action in April aimed at teaching.”

Despite the university emailing students with reassurances that they “will seek to ensure that the impact on students is minimised while at the same time maintaining high academic standards,” the general consensus from students is that they are worried about their futures.

Lauren Coleman, a second year Genetics student, stated: “We’re having to teach ourselves subjects that lecturers can’t guarantee are not going to be examined, which is really stressful and frustrating.”

Dorian Loetzer from the Take Action! UoM campaign, which now has over 600 members on its Facebook group, said: “We continue to stand in full solidarity with staff” regarding the newly announced strike action.

He went on to say, “considering the severity of the cancellations at hand, we have also elected to escalate our response.” This amplified response is a way to ensure that “students will not be the voiceless victims of this process.”

The university has been approached for comment regarding the impact this newest wave of industrial action will have on students.

Live Review: Niall Horan

Written by Elizabeth Gibson on . Posted in Music.

Thursday the 15th of March, O2 Apollo

It would be easy to arrive at the gig of an ex-One Direction member with expectations of pop and cheese. However, with Niall being one of the two members who have seemingly found their own style and sound within the group — Louis being the other — and having heard several of his solo songs and enjoyed them, it was clear he could deliver a night that was his alone.

He did. From the sweet ingénu of the band, Niall has blossomed into a confident presence whose rawness, honesty, and sense of humour are very encouraging.

Far from huddling in his old mould to please the many screaming girls in the audience, Niall chatted and joked between songs and could be quite blunt, having the guts to ask before an emotional song to “take your phone and put it in your pocket, and let’s make some memories. Real ones”. Not everybody obeyed, but the number of annoying white screens did reduce for a few lovely minutes.

Gone are the days of standing and smiling demurely behind a mic with his bandmates. Niall danced and rocked out with his guitar, embracing the music and exuding pure energy and joy. His guitar skills were promising, and the overall folksy image suited him down to the ground.

He also sat briefly at the piano – he admitted he isn’t hugely proficient at it but believes it is the best way to share a certain song with us. Not many could have minded how patchy some of the early notes are: Niall was accepting his vulnerability and turned it into a display of strength, and he owned the moment. His band was talented and cohesive, especially the fiddle player, who really added something special.

The stage design generally really worked. There were a few instances of unnecessary strobing, and towards the end, the background lights spelt out Niall’s initials in a way that was slightly tacky. However, mostly he was bathed in a warm, reddish glow and there was a sense of intimacy — as if the crowd were sitting around a fire listening to him play. With his album entitled Flicker, this seemed very appropriate.

On the downside, a lot of the songs were samey. However, through his performance, Niall did make each number that little bit different and memorable, and through his introductions, there was a sense of what each means to him, which helped us to connect to them, too.

Overall, he gave off a vibe of cosiness and hope. He is able to embrace who he is, what he wants to play, and how he wants to make people feel. Great things are ahead for Niall Horan.

8/10

Photo:Przemek Pewik

Students demand voice in debate over strike mitigation and compensation

Written by Nicole Wootton-Cane on . Posted in News.

A group of around thirty University of Manchester students met for the first public meeting of the Take Action! UoM Campaign, demanding mitigation and compensation for students in light of recent UCU strike action. The group is led by first year Politics and Anthropology student Jack Swan, and included a variety of undergraduates and postgraduates.

The campaign, which now as over 600 student members on its Facebook group, met in Squirrel’s Bar. They covered a spectrum of opinions regarding financial compensation, with Masters students feeling particularly strongly that they should receive some money back from the university. However, the goal of the Take Action! UoM Campaign is for students to look past their differences and work together towards the one thing they all agree they want: mitigation.

Swan voices two major requests from the group: firstly, that students get a voice in any decisions made regarding mitigation, and secondly that they are involved in any decisions regarding the allocation of funding and financial compensation.

Speaking later, Swan told The Mancunion: “My main concern is that although everyone in the team has their sympathies with the strike action, it’s currently between the lecturers and the university, and regardless of who wins between the lecturers and the university, it’s the students who have lost out.

“I feel it is unfair for students to be acted upon in such a way and for our loyalties to be taken for granted in such a way. We have an opportunity and a responsibility to organise ourselves and push for our own interest, which may involve compensation, but certainly involves mitigation.”

There was a verbal consensus of support for lecturers. The majority of students’ anger was directed at the university, with many expressing disappointment that the university had the power to stop the strikes, but chose not to.

One student fighting for financial compensation was David, an MA International Relations student. David told The Mancunion that he had missed dissertation meetings and core content lectures due to the strikes. Referring to the university’s response to calls for compensation, he stated: “It’s invalid to say that you can’t put a price on it. My degree costs £1,500 more than a Masters degree in Politics. They’ve put a price on it already, so they cannot say that it is impossible to put a price on what we have missed.”

The University of Manchester has so far refused to compensate students for lost tuition time. A spokesperson previously stated that “since we charge a composite fee for our courses, we cannot reimburse for specific elements of missed teaching and assessment.”

They emphasised, however, that the University will “consider the impact and consequences of the industrial action for each student retrospectively and take any necessary corrective action where possible.”

David is not the only Masters student to demand compensation. Sam Warrenger, an MA Politics student, said he has already withdrawn his final instalment of fees to the university in hope that others will follow.

“Money talks,” a fellow student added, although she admitted she was undecided about withdrawing her fees.

“I’m worried about the repercussions”, she clarified, “and it won’t be worth it unless a lot of people do it. But the whole strike is about money. It feels like it’s the only action we can take.”

First year Anatomy student Phoebe expressed anger at missing her labs, stating: “It’s active learning. It isn’t something I can teach myself or catch up on.” Similar feelings were shown from other students who shared stories of missed research and publication opportunities.

The group filmed a message to Vice-Chancellor Nancy Rothwell, with Swan requesting a face-to-face meeting. Speaking to the camera, he offered this meeting as a chance to “work constructively.”

To find out more or get involved join the ‘Take Action UoM’ group on Facebook.

Photo: Argonne National Laboratory @Flickr

Graphene takes flight

Written by Fiona Batchelor on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

A paper published by researchers based at the University of Manchester’s National Graphene Institute and the Aerospace Technology Institute has explored the potential use of graphene in aerospace.

Graphene is a material made from a single layer of carbon atoms, and has many unusual properties. It is the strongest material ever tested and conducts both electricity and heat with incredible efficiency. The material was first isolated at the University of Manchester in 2004 by researchers Geim and Novoselov, who consequently won the 2010 Nobel Prize in Physics.

The recent paper has collated an aerospace-industry perspective of the benefits of working with graphene, and the market opportunities for UK aerospace companies.

The two-dimensional material has potential to improve aircraft efficiency and reducing running costs by incorporating graphene into the materials currently used in aircraft construction and thus reducing aircraft weight. This could also help to reduce carbon emissions.

The article, launched at the 2018 Materials Research Exchange, was introduced by Sir Richard Branson, who spoke with enthusiasm about the potential uses of the material:

“The potential for graphene to solve enduring challenges within the aerospace sector presents real opportunities for the material to become disruptive, and a key enabler in future aircraft technology. We need to accelerate the opportunity for the UK to realise the benefits from graphene by creating a portfolio of graphene-related research and technology projects which if undertaken would lead to real impact in our aerospace industry.”

This research was lead by Mark Summers, Head of Technology for Manufacturing, Materials, and Structures at the Aerospace Technology Institute, and James Baker, CEO of Graphene@Manchester.

Summers said: “the material has the potential to bring exciting applications and efficiencies into the sector. Although its exploitation into the aerospace sector is still in its infancy, it is anticipated that the scope of potential applications will continue to expand.

“We will seek to accelerate the maturation of graphene technology opportunities through our R&T programme, in a bid for the UK to remain ahead of the challenge and continue leading on the research and exploitation of the material in aerospace.”

Baker also noted the new opportunities, saying “major generational improvements in the aerospace sector have been associated with embracing new materials. Aluminium and carbon fibre have seen planes become faster, greener, cheaper with more functionality. Now graphene and related two-dimensional materials can mark the next step-change.

“By incorporating graphene into the existing materials used to manufacture planes, performance properties could be improved across a number of key areas. By utilising the multi-functional properties of graphene and through collaboration between industry and academia, there are significant opportunities which can accelerate the next-generation of aerospace technologies.”