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Month: October 2011

Benicassim Festival 2011

Written by Tom Hickman on . Posted in Music.

Benicassim

14th-17th July

Benicassim (near Valencia), Spain

Standout Act

A tough one to call; The Strokes came to Beni with a lot to prove and I would go as far to say that they blew Saturday’s spectators away and Mumford & Sons brilliantly bedded new singles into their trustworthy set. But Arcade Fire pipped them both, by providing the most serene ending to a fantastic week, showcasing The Suburbs in all its glorious beauty.

Biggest Flop

Elbow. The Mancunian old-timers have been hitting the high notes for so long, but looked out of their depth on the main stage. Desperate attempts to encourage crowd participation fell on deaf ears and failed to disguise an embarrassingly mediocre back-catalogue.

Surprise Package

Tame Impala. The latest in a recent surge of burgeoning Australian talent, this psychedelic quartet stomped a bass-ridden beat across the east coast of Spain. Arriving on the main stage early on the Saturday evening, Tame Impala wonderfully exhibited the much applauded debut album Innerspeaker, most notably the funk filled ‘Solitude is Bliss’.

Atmosphere

Possibly the only downside of Benicassim must be the number of shaven-headed, union-jack clad morons you have to feast your eyes upon each morning. In spite of this, the masses were hugely friendly and the venue’s locality to the Mediterranean provided a great way to spend your hungover daytime.

Worth the Money?

The leading four-day festival has never failed to draw some of the biggest headliners since its inception in 1995. With a week in the sun and four days of music for the same price as 3 days in the English rain, Benicassim must be seen as one of the best value-for-money festivals going.

 

The importance of Black and Ethnic Minorities Week

Written by Fahim Sachedina on . Posted in Lifestyle.

With the anticipation of Black and Ethnic Minorities Week, and the numerous social and political issues which are prevalent in our society, it has become increasingly important to justify the significance of this poignant week in reflection of society today.

There are an inextricably huge amount of factors impacting the under-representation of certain communities in not just corporate industries, but on the political platform and public services, such as the police force. A recent survey indicated that only 3.7% of the police force are from ethnic minorities, emphasizes the so-called negative discrimination which is currently embedded in our public culture. Futile attempts to reverse this trend have had knock-on effects to the next generation, with mixed ethnic groups seeing the biggest increases in youth unemployment since the recession began, rising from 21% to 35% in the period, and as graduates, black people are three times more likely to be unemployed than white people within six months of graduation. Within five years of graduation, black students earn up to nine per cent less than their white peers for the same work.

When the TUC themselves are blaming the employment gap on firms discriminating against candidates from ethnic minority communities then this requires reformation of not just a social culture, but affirmative action to address the deep racism at the heart of our education and student life.

Why is this week so important? It is a compilation of influential events which help to expose the problems faced by ethnic minorities with commonalities of shared suffering and deep-rooted discrimination. The aim is to fight racism and under-representation and expose the shortages faced by victimised students who are treated unequally to their counterparts, as well as to empower these groups to learn about how integral they are in a developing multicultural society, by celebrating the contribution of Ethnic role models, such as Gandhi and Malcolm X, who held a meeting in our very own Student’s union Hall on the 3rd of December 1964, months before he was assassinated.

Unjustified inequality has been rife in our society for a long period of time, while efforts by many groups and movements have aimed to bridge this void, we still hear of the 72 per cent of Muslim women have experienced verbal abuse and threatening behaviour relating directly to their visible Muslim presence.

This week is so important to help engage with groups from an array of backgrounds and disciplines to tackle these issues head on. Our constant drive to lobby and campaign have insofar helped to raise fundamental issues facing back and ethnic minorities, but more needs to be done to empower these communities, less as ‘ethnic minorities’ but as global majorities and foster a sense of solidarity in common struggles.

Not only will these inequalities be addressed, but united on an equal front, we can also celebrate our rich heritage of the positive contribution made throughout civilization from the Civil Rights struggles to strongly featured history on the acts, culture and beliefs of self determining Ethnic groups and people such as Marcus Garvey and Steve Biko, staunch proponents of black equality a shining symbol represented in our very own union, something which we should take great pride in.

Granted, these issues have contended with short-term fixes, now is the time to empower these groups into substantive action, immerse yourselves and support progressive campaigns that aim to tackle deep-rooted abuses in reality and fuel change by observing the inequalities around you.

Blind date: Rob and Rosie

Written by Lily Howes on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Rob, Accounting and Finance (and BA Econ Society President!), Third year

What were you first impressions?

Friendly and nice smile

What did you talk about?

A whole bunch of stuff: travels, good nights out in Manchester, the embarrasement of going the wrong way to find the loo, and working out how we could get a Wills & Kate calendar off the crazy beardy quiz guy

Best thing about them?

Really easy to have a chat with almost like we had known each other

What did you eat?

As it was paid for, obviously the most expensive thing! Steak with a brownie for dessert

Any awkwardness?

Managed to catch my drink after nearly knocking it out of my hand….though, I hope she didn’t write anything here!?

How did you part ways?

Did the standard gentleman approach by waiting at the bus stop until the Magic Bus came..glamorous but there was a casual hug at the end

Out of 10?

8

Would you see them again?

Hope to see her around

 

Rosie, Politics and Modern History, Second year

What were your first impressions?

Oh, that’s not the photographer then.

What did you talk about?

Everything, where we wanted to go travelling but hadn’t, what we wanted to do in Manchester but hadn’t. His penchant for fancy dress and our mutual appreciation of BOP. Families and what it’s like to grow up in the middle of nowhere and how we both clearly need to improve our geography as we had no idea where the others home town was.

Best thing about them?

He was so easy to talk to, and his being comfortable made me much more comfortable which definitely helped. He also stole a wagon wheel and didn’t judge me for drinking a pint.

What did you eat?

We both ordered the most expensive thing on the menu- steak salad, and a massive sundae I couldn’t finish.

Any awkwardness?

I don’t think so; I went the wrong way to the toilet which was vaguely embarrassing.

How did you part ways?

Classic hug.

Out of 10?

8

Would you see them again?

Probably will, in BOP, or one of the millions of places we convinced ourselves we’d actually go to this year.

 

Rob and Rosie ate at The Deaf Institute, Grosvenor Street, Manchester. Visit their website www.thedeafinstitute.co.uk to check out their menu, gig listings and have a look at what club nights are coming up.

To sign up for blind date please e mail your name, year of study and course to [email protected] with ‘blind date’ as the subject.

Model Behavior?

Written by Claudia Canavan on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Controversial behaviours have long been synonymous with the creative industries. The music, film and fashion worlds have enjoyed a lasting affinity with activities that have outraged and appalled the general public, whilst simultaneously cementing the other worldly allure of the decadent and debauched.

And whilst this behaviour is expected, certainly, rarely is it entirely accepted. In recent years, a slew of prominent fashion figures being exposed as all too less than perfect has revealed the extent to which an individual’s career and legacy can be blemished. From an exalted position as an icon, to shunned and disgraced, the fashion carousel has witnessed its fair share of falls from grace. Is it, however, fair to allow non- ideal behaviour in an individual’s private life to seep into and tarnish the professional?

Take, for example, the ‘Cocaine Kate’ scandal of 2005. When The Mirror obtained footage of Miss Moss chopping up and consuming numerous lines of coke, they deplored her behaviour and Kate went on to lose a number of high profile campaigns in the aftermath. Certainly, dabbling in the world of Class A narcotics when you are the mother of a dependant young child is morally dubious behaviour, and a terrible precedent to set as a primary role model in an infant’s life. But did anyone truly suppose that the then girlfriend of notorious substance abuser Pete Docherty was livin’ la vida sober? The world of modelling has long been associated with the consumption of illegal drugs, and for a seasoned hack at a publication such as The Mirror to bleat that Kate was setting a poor example to legions of young girls is ridiculous- a fashion model is not, by default, a role model to all exposed to her. Whilst Kate is answerable to her daughter for her past behaviours, it doesn’t seem correct to use this instance as an impingement against her iconic status.

Should, however, allegations of an even more unsavoury nature have any bearing on how we view the status of a deceased icon, with no means through which to redeem themselves? A new book detailing Coco Chanel’s relationship with a senior intelligence officer in the Nazi Regime (‘Sleeping with the Enemy: Coco Chanel, Nazi Agent’ by Hal Vaughan) sheds more light on the speculation that one of history’s most esteemed figures in fashion was a fierce anti- Semitic. That the late Chanel’s status will ever be called into dispute is highly doubtful- she is far too firmly cemented and celebrated for that to be the case. But for many, the association of the House of Chanel with the atrocities committed earlier in the century will tarnish the image of one of the century’s most revolutionary designers.

In a similar vein, the infamous British born designer John Galliano was notoriously caught spewing a racist verbal tirade which was captured on video and obtained by The Sun. Having been recently brought to trial, found guilty and given a suspended sentence by an outraged French feudal system, his publicist has claimed that he is working on alcohol and substance addiction problems and hopes to defeat these to come to a place of ‘understanding’.  In the ensuing fracas following the release of the footage, Galliano was sacked from his position as Head of Design at Dior and openly shunned by various influential media personalities.

The racist views and acts of Chanel and Galliano most definitely warrant punishment via the legal system, which only one of them is alive to have handed down to them. But whilst, they both evidently possess some extremely harmful, offensive and outright ‘bad’ opinions, the facet of their person which comprises their talent and achievement can be compartmentalised and assessed outside of this. For fashion to qualify every achievement recorded by the late Coco Chanel, or for the industry to forfeit the talent of Galliano, would be a terrible negation of a pair of visionaries.

Does Galliano have a future?

Written by CarolineRimmer on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

In March 2010 when John Galliano was spectacularly suspended from Dior following allegations he had made anti-Semitic comments in a Paris bar, the world questioned the future of one of fashion’s most creative and eccentric talents. Having headed couture fashion house Dior as chief designer for nearly fifteen years, Galliano’s downfall was as sudden as it was shocking and threw to light the question: what will become of John Galliano?

Galliano’s outburst not only deeply disturbed but divided both the fashion and celebrity worlds. Somewhat surprisingly, due to the severity of Galliano’s comments, many loyal friends jumped to his defence claiming him ‘ill, not racist’. Kate Moss stuck by her long standing friend and symbolically asked Galliano to design her wedding dress when she wed Jamie Hince in July this year.

However, despite many friends rallying around Galliano, others publically criticized the shamed designer, including Karl Lagerfeld who declared he was ‘furious’ at the ‘horrible image’ Galliano had created. Hollywood actress Natalie Portman, who is both Jewish and the face of Dior fragrance ‘Miss Dior Cherie’, also publically spoke of her disgust and disassociation with Galliano, which is understandable considering Portman lost her great-grandparents in the holocaust.

Although many condemn Galliano’s intoxicated outburst, very few can criticize his talent which will undeniably be missed by the fashion world. His collections, season after season, showed real imagination and creative talent barely rivalled by any other designer, each catwalk show seemed to tell its own story, each outfit depicted a character.

When the highly anticipated Dior Spring/Summer 2012 catwalk show opened in Paris, the audience were finally shown a hint of life post-Galliano. The clothes- though beautifully crafted by Galliano’s former right-hand man Bill Gaytten- seemed to lack the energy, the fantasy and the controversy that embodied John Galliano. Where Galliano had pushed the boundaries, Gaytten played it safe, where Galliano had created a story, Gayttenscollection seemed to lack coherent flow. And when the final curtain came down, the audience were not left questioning Galliano’s future without Dior, but instead questioning the future of Dior, without John Galliano.

To drink, or not to drink? Some students share their experiences

Written by Ceri Wills on . Posted in Societies.

Below some students share their experiences of being a non-drinker at university and beyond.

 

James, a 3rd year French and Arabic student

“Personally, I haven’t really had many problems. I enjoy going out anyway – the only thing is that I end up having to go home when people get too drunk to realise who I am. But apart from having to leave separately to other people some of the time, it doesn’t really bother me. What I think the main problem is is that a lot of societies (mainly rugby to be honest) go out with the sole aim of getting pissed, so I can’t join in from the beginning with drinking games and whatever, so I’m kinda counted out of those.

“As if I’m the rugby society sort though, let’s be honest. I think one problem is that a lot of people who don’t drink also don’t like the social side of going out, and that’s what puts them off. Yes it’s true that a lot of societies go out with the intention of just getting smashed, but with most societies (from my experience anyway) if you’re with like-minded people, that wouldn’t be the aim.”

 

Sarah, a 3rd year linguistics student

“I have been heavily involved in societies throughout my time at university, where I admit most of the socials held are often at bars/clubs. Having said that, I have never felt isolated at socials, or peer pressured to drink to be cool, so when I’m at the bar I will just order a coke. As let’s face it, a lot of students drink to give them the confidence, they lack without it. But aren’t we missing the point, society socials are about being social? Besides, it’ll be a waste of a night, if you can’t remember it!”

 

Laura, a 3rd year student

“Nearly all socials focus on drinking and drinking games and club nights. The ones that don’t are just seminar based or academic societies.

“It’s uncomfortable being around drunk people because you’re more inhibited, and end up as the ‘responsible’ one who walks them home and ends up looking after people. And not being able to drink does leave you behind in a lot of the drinking games that happen in initiations. Sports societies are the worst for it, and a lot of teams (not only based on skill) pick people who ‘get actively involved with the team’ which I was told by the president of one society meant doing the socials with them (all at vodka revs).

“You get labelled as boring if you don’t drink or as though you think you’re ‘above it all’ so as soon as people find out they get a bit awkward. Funnily enough, even though you explain it’s not out of choice and just for health reasons, they think you’re just being a prude and go ‘COME ONNN, ONE WON’T KILL YOU!!’ and it’s quite awkward trying to decline a wasted person at a bar.

“Flat parties are slightly better, but again if you’re sat with a glass of coke or lemonade you feel self conscious that everyone can somehow notice you’re not drinking. It feels like having a big sign above you saying ‘I’m not cool. Kick me.’ On the plus side, avoids all of the university mishaps associated with drinking, and being sober in lectures and not buzzing from the night before (although slightly less fun) means I actually understand the work.”

“I drink, but as of late I have decided to not drink alcohol extensively as getting ‘wasted’ and not remembering what happened the night before, no longer interests me.

 

Shefali, 3rd year Business Management with French

“I think socials can definitely compromise the needs of non-drinkers, without totally withdrawing the ability to drink at a social. I think events should accommodate both drinkers and non-drinkers by not focusing on the drinking aspect. Pub Crawls for example, are clearly targeted at those who plan on drinking. If another aspect were added to the Pub Crawls, i.e. a challenge or the like to be completed during the pub crawl, then non-drinkers could get involved through that. This is just an example of how socials can be non-drinker friendly.

“There could also be events put on that don’t include drinking entirely, so non-drinkers can meet and make friends so they can socialise outside of societies also.

“Let’s not forget our non-drinkers because they want a university experience too.”

 

Justine, a graduate from Urban and Environmental Planning, now living and working in Malta

“I finished my 8 year university career last year, 3 as a very light drinker then 5 teetotal.

“I never felt excluded from anything by my non drinking – I was active in many societies, from Warped (sci fi/fanctasy soc)to the Burlington Society (postgrad soc), fencing to CAOS (choir and orchestra), and none of them made me feel that I was some kind of freak for not drinking. Sure, the AU socials were always focused on drinking, but I never went as I couldn’t stand the music, not because I felt excluded as a teetotal person. CAOS after show parties had a ‘Boat Race’ about which team could drink a pint the fastest – I didn’t mind these, and I think other drinkers that didn’t like beer but wanted to take part felt more excluded than I did!

“I have quite a strong character and will never give in to peer pressure, but I never ever felt that at student events. I have felt it much more now I have begun to work, with people repeating ‘but WHY don’t you drink? It’s ace!’ throughout the evening and not taking my explanations as enough, or not inviting me to parties as they think I wouldn’t like it as I am not drunk but they are. I don’t find this a problem – I am happy enough around drunk people, they are quite amusing, but I do tend to call it a night when they start repeating themselves again and again!”

Debate 1: The time for false mediation is over

Written by Fahim Sachedina on . Posted in Opinion.

“With our souls, with our blood, we will defend Palestine,” cry those for whom Western rhetoric has become a rare beacon of hope in the ongoing battle for Palestinian statehood. Tired of the empty rhetoric of Barack Obama and others, and determined to bring an end to this most enduring of conflicts, President of the Palestinian Authority (PA) Mahmoud Abbas has now made a formal application for Palestine to be admitted to the United Nations Security Council as a full member. Despite President Obama’s repeated declarations of love for the Arab world, his supposed affection is clearly false – as proven by the impudent tone taken by him at recent summits in Istanbul and Cairo. Old habits die hard, especially for US presidents.

While the virtues of hope, pragmatism and co-operation have been extolled by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his controversial (to say the least) government, the Palestinian Diaspora have suffered unjustly – not only through the expansion of Israeli settlements across what is clearly Palestinian territory, but as a result of the introduction of a segregated system to the West Bank and Jerusalem that in essence ended the option of a two-state solution. Western leaders, seemingly eager to advocate the Wilsonian liberal principles of self-determination and justice – but only when and where they see fit – have neglected the Palestinian peoples’ fundamental right to statehood.

Throughout the past two decades, countless negotiations have taken place between Israel and the PA: from Madrid to Oslo, from the Wye River to Taba via Camp David to name but a few of the ceaseless yet fruitless discussions. Obama’s promises for a settlement freeze (Cairo, 2009) were unsurprisingly hollow; the 44th President is seen by many as a mere puppet in the negotiation process, to the point where one Republican Congressman reportedly commented that, “Netanyahu has more credibility in this Congress than Obama”. Meanwhile, the Palestinian people are confronted with the harsh reality of brutal military occupation on the ground and Israeli intransigence at the negotiating table. Whilst the Oslo agreement set out to restore equal rights and an independent state to the Palestinian people, further negotiations proved to be frustrating and ineffective.

President Obama is guilty of a shameful hypocrisy. How can one be an ardent supporter of the Arab Spring and simultaneously allow the Palestinian nightmare to continue? For a man of such highly principled ideals, Obama has shown categorically that he is far more concerned about his ailing bid for re-election than the future of the Middle East. Siding with the Palestinian cause would cause uproar amongst the omnipotent Israeli lobby in the United States, thus alienating millions of potential voters; to change course now would simply not make political sense for an already under-fire President who needs every vote he can get.

This courageous call for statehood will not only be a significant point in history for the Middle East, but could potentially tear apart Western alliances. France and Germany seem to have a difference of opinion on the issue, with the Germans siding with Israel and the French apparently sickened by the treatment of Palestinians. When it comes to taking sides, Britain is unlikely to follow the French lead – instead, David Cameron has urged the UN to “show a united front”.

But with President Obama stuck between a rock and a hard place, it is left to our European leaders to fight for the ideals which have endlessly been flung around since January, when Tunisian President Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali was ousted in a move that kick-started the Arab Spring. The time for false mediation is over; radical action is needed and, whilst Cameron is right to advocate a united front in the face of adversity, our politicians cannot afford to abstain from an historic opportunity to revolutionize the Middle East forever.

 

 

See the other side of this debate.

What’s your opinion? @Mancuniondebate.

To drink, or not to drink?

Written by Ceri Wills on . Posted in Societies.

Drinking culture is a large part of university life. Yet a large proportion of students choose not to take part, and thus can feel excluded from many social events where they know drinking is on the agenda.

Making the decision not to drink may be down to a number of reasons. It is often cultural or religious, or sometimes it is purely personal; someone may not like the taste, or they may not enjoy the feeling of being drunk. Whatever the reason, their decision should be respected and they should not be treated differently on that basis.

For some, it’s not a problem and they do not mind being around people who are drinking while they remain sober. Sarah, a 3rd year student who drinks a little but has never been drunk, has never had a problem about not really drinking. “To be honest, a lot of students drink to give them the confidence they lack without it. But aren’t we missing the point, society socials are about being social? Besides, it’ll be a waste of a night, if you can’t remember it!”

However, it is understandable that for many this is not an enjoyable or comfortable situation as, let’s face it, we may not be the most lucid or entertaining bunch whilst drunk.

The practicalities of being the non-drinker can be tiresome. Laura, a 3rd year student, says “It’s uncomfortable being [sober] around drunk people because you’re more inhibited, and end up as the ‘responsible’ one who walks them home and ends up looking after people.” And whilst a drinker’s memory of a night may be that everyone had a great time dancing, the sober one’s (probably more accurate) memory of the night may be that between slurs and hiccups their friends spent most of the time dry humping the nearest member of the opposite sex.

There is also a stigma attached to being a non-drinker that you are boring, or ‘above’ the people who do drink. Laura describes the feeling like “having a big sign above you saying ‘I’m not cool. Kick me.’”

So what are the implications for societies? All societies want to, and have an obligation to, let anyone get involved. It’s impossible to keep everyone happy all of the time, and this is not what I’m suggesting you aim to do. The key is balance. This means holding a range of different socials throughout the year, respecting the varied needs of your members.

Events like pub-crawls are perhaps one of the most obviously alcohol focused socials. This is not to say you shouldn’t ever do them, but be aware that some may feel immediately excluded. Shefali, a Manchester student, suggests adding another aspect such as “a challenge or the like to be completed during the pub crawl, then non-drinkers could get involved through that.”

Also be aware of how you publicise your events, being careful about the language you use and the impression you’re giving.  The event you’re holding may not have an alcoholic focus, but if the first thing you mention is the cheap bar then you might have got off on the wrong foot.

Why not look into holding some events in an alcohol free space? This is especially important for key society events, such as elections, where everyone should have equal access to participate. For a list of venues that have an alcohol free space you can look at the Manchester Venue Guide compiled by the UMSU Welfare Officer. Using rooms at the Students’ Union is also a good option as it is a well known and accessible venue.

The key point to remember is that it’s not always about alcohol, more often it’s about exclusion. Non-drinking students will be aware that being at university means a level of exposure to people who will want to drink, but this should not mean that they are then excluded from the things everyone else has access to. The challenge is to ensure that the activities we provide do not exclude anyone and that everyone feels able to participate and make the most of their time at university, whether they drink or not. It’s only fair!

Society Spotlight: Drama

Written by Ceri Wills on . Posted in Societies.

Written by Emma Fernell

 

The University of Manchester Drama Society has always been massive (the university’s biggest non-sporting society) but this year we’re determined to make it bigger and better than ever, and so far we’re doing pretty darn well. Our autumn showcase is already underway with three amazing shows, and this year there’s a bit of a twist. For the first time ever, there is a special prize at the MIFTAs (Manchester In Fringe Theatre Awards) for Best Autumn Showcase play. This should inject an extra something special into the Showcase, hopefully making some brilliant plays even more extraordinary.

The first play, ‘Overspill,’ follows three girls whose night out in Manchester takes a turn for the worse when the city is bombed. It runs from the 16th to the 18th of November at Club Underground.   This year’s John Thaw Studio production is new student writing play, ‘Not My Cup of Tea’, running from the 23rd to the 25th of November. This play explores ideas of escaping Capitalism and the dream of living for free. Finally our second new writing play, ‘Solve,’ set in an anonymous totalitarian state, runs from the 30th of November to the 2nd of December at Club Underground. Tickets for all plays are £5, £4.50 for students, £4 for Drama Society members and are available from the Martin Harris Centre Box Office and the Box Office in the Student Union. Performances are bound to sell out so book fast to avoid disappointment.

An exciting first for us this year is that we are able to offer an amazing opportunity to perform in the professional space; the Contact Theatre. In line with the work of the Contact this production will be a devised, physical performance, providing Drama Society members a chance to get involved in a wider variety of theatre. This is a really unique and exciting opportunity, so reach out and grab it with both hands!

We may be bringing in a lot of new things but we haven’t forgotten the old favourites – the time for submitting MIFTAs proposal forms is nearly upon us. If you’ve ever thought about being a director, if you’ve written something you really want to get on the stage, or maybe you just have a play in mind that you’d love the chance to put on then this is your chance. We will be putting on seven plays, each of which will be submitted by Drama Society members. All you need to do for a chance to get your play into the festival is to think about your vision and a breakdown of what you will need in terms of budget, tech and rehearsals and when the time comes put it together to make a cracking proposal form.  There will be a panel of four theatre and film professionals judging the plays so this is a great chance to get your work noticed.

And last, but certainly not least, we have teamed up with Eurotrips to treat our lucky members with a trip to Berlin! We will be going in early February, so bring your duffle coats and thermals, and it will be for a ridiculously cheap price, including transport and accommodation for four nights.

If you are not yet a member but want to get involved, contact us via our Facebook group: University of Manchester Drama Society or Twitter: @umudramasoc. This is where you find out about all our latest opportunities and events, speaking of which we have our amazing Christmas Party coming up in early December, so keep your eyes peeled for that. If you have any questions feel free to contact us at [email protected].

Debate 1: Palestine reaches for statehood, but is it ready?

Written by Ben Green on . Posted in Opinion.

On 23 September Mahmoud Abbas, leader of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and head of the Palestinian Authority, officially submitted a bid to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon for Palestine to be recognised as a state and granted full membership of the United Nations. This bid has precisely a zero per cent chance of succeeding. In order to achieve recognised statehood Mr Abbas needs to sway a majority of the 15 member Security Council and then two thirds (129) of the 193 member General Assembly, the gathering of all UN member states. However, five Security Council members have a veto power which allows them to unilaterally stonewall any Resolution – USA, UK, France, Russia and China. Thus far, the UK and France have indicated that they will abstain from any vote; it is to be assumed that Russia and China would support Mr Abbas as they already recognise the Palestinian Authority as a state. The USA has shown itself to be the stumbling block as Barack Obama has made clear his intention of vetoing any Resolution which would allow the Palestinian Authority to join the UN as a member state.

Of course it is galling in the extreme that, should the Palestinian cause be successful at a democratic vote – and there is good reason to think that it could be, the US (or any of the other four permanent Security Council nations) is capable of  single-handedly shutting down the whole process. Nevertheless, is the US perhaps right in this instance; is Palestine really ready for statehood? The nightmare for Israel is a re-run of their experiment with self-rule in the Gaza strip. In 2005 the Israeli Defence Force withdrew from Gaza, leaving the Hamas movement in charge, who swiftly proceeded to denounce Israel whilst their paramilitary wing set about launching rockets into their neighbour’s territory. In 2009 the IDF was forced to re-occupy the strip in order to prevent the attacks. Were the West Bank to obtain recognition as a Palestinian state, it would increase the pressure for Israel to withdraw from the territory and would even grant Mr Abbas’ administration access to the International Criminal Court at The Hague to seek indictments against Israeli leaders on the basis of the occupation. If the IDF were to withdraw in response, many in Israel and amongst Israel’s supporters fear a similar reaction. Memories are not so short for those intimately involved in the conflict as they are internationally; it has been less than a decade since the Second Intifada, a mass uprising of Palestinians pushed by Yasser Arafat which involved protests, riots, rockets being launched into Israel and suicide bombings.

Yet possibly the best reason to oppose Palestinian statehood is that they have been offered exactly that in negotiations with the Israeli government twice, including all of the concessions which they asked for – East Jerusalem as a capital, a retreat to pre-1967 borders and a removal of Jewish settlement from the West Bank – by Prime Ministers Ehud Barak in 2000 and Ehud Olmert as recently as 2008. The only sticking point was the issue of refugees. The Arab-Israeli War, known to Jews as the War of Independence, of 1946 – 48 created a large number of displaced Palestinians; approximately five million according to the UN Relief and Works Agency. The PLO asserts that these people should have the right to settle in Israel under any peace deal and will not budge on the issue; it was on this basis that the Israeli offers of 2000 and 2008 were rejected. The entire current population of Israel stands at around 7.7 million; the return of five million Palestinian refugees would demographically destroy Israel, effectively ending its status as a Jewish state. This is clearly something that no Israeli could ever accept. The Palestinians are asking them to throw away their very existence and everything that they have fought for since 1946. The issue of refugees has been played as a bargaining chip and has secured serious concessions, but the PLO is intent on Israel accepting the unacceptable.

Although the high-handed way in which the US has pronounced it will veto the Palestinian bid if necessary certainly rankles, it can only be the correct move here. Mr Abbas and the Palestinian Authority at large have failed to demonstrate that they are ready for statehood and the responsibilities that entails.

 

See the other side of this debate.

What’s your opinion? @Mancuniondebate

 

Jailbreak! Last chance to sign up

Written by Ceri Wills on . Posted in Societies.

Written By Angela Neary
How far from Manchester can you get in 30 hours without spending a penny? Blag, hitch or charm your way onto planes, trains, cars, horses, or boats with nothing but the clothes on your back. Previous Jailbreakers have found themselves in Hong Kong, Dubai, New York, Amsterdam, Berlin, Bruges and even Didsbury to name a few.
At 4pm on 28th October you will begin the adventure. This is conveniently placed at the beginning of reading week giving you more than enough time to get back from or take a mini-break in your yet unknown destination. This is a Manchester RAG event which means that not only will you be having huge amounts of fun but also raising money for a very good cause; KidsCan, who directly fund research into children’s cancer.
To find out more come along to one of the information sessions: 3pm 11/10/11 in Room 1. Alternatively have a look at the website www.jailbreak.org.uk and find us on facebook ‘Manchester Jailbreak 2011’. Come join the fun!

Manchester is my heaven

Written by Ben Moore on . Posted in Opinion.

Following the recent plummet in University league tables and celebrity criticisms, it feels like Manchester is under siege. Fear not, I am here to tell you why Manchester is one of the best places in the world to live- and study.

Carlos Tevez, Manchester City and former Manchester United footballer, claimed this year that he was never going back to Manchester, “not even on holiday, not for anything”. What on earth could leave someone, paid (some claim) as much as £286,000 every week, to lament such a wonderful city in this way? It may be a starting point that he also says he’s the “stay at home type”, meaning he hasn’t experienced the wonderful vibrancy of the city. But, more importantly, you only get out of Manchester what you put into it and Tevez is one of the most miserable characters in professional sport; for him to detest Manchester is, perversely, a tribute to the warm, diverse people that live here.

On the theme of miserable, overpaid men, we have an informed and ever cheerful opinion from Jeremy Clarkson, who described the regenerated and vibrant hub of Salford on Quays as “a small suburb with a Starbucks and a canal with ducks in it”. The BBC has planned to relocate to Salford in Greater Manchester, identifying it as an exciting location to reinvigorate a weary British Broadcasting Company. Clarkson rejects this idea as, “in short, Salford is ‘up north'”.  Hopefully, the Darlington born presenter sees sense.

Despite headline grabbing news stories such as “Worst University in Russell Group”, the University of Manchester is internationally held in good stead. The poor performance of the University in domestic league tables is largely a result of the poor ‘pupil satisfaction’ data the University receives, in particular the weighting attributed to satisfaction on academic feedback.  A look at the international rankings however, and Manchester is as high as 30th in the World (QS) and consistently rated the 7th best University in the UK. If you’re worried about the prestige of the University, you should not be.

The specific factor that is bringing Manchester down in the league tables is also not one which will make you less employable or intellectually unchallenged, which is why it is hard to take the latest rankings without a pinch of salt. So if you’re an egotist or just worried that Manchester isn’t highly regarded by employers- don’t worry, it is.

In fact, let’s look at areas in which the University of Manchester does excel. For starters, we have 25 Nobel prize winners among students and staff from the past and present. The only two universities in the UK which better this are Oxford and Cambridge. Manchester is a breeding ground for award winning academics and four of the Nobel laureates are currently employed by the University. Throw in the fact we have Brian Cox on the payroll and I’d say the University boasts an impressive staff!

After being rejected from Oxford, I had a choice between Durham and Manchester. I had applied to, what was sold to me as, the most liberal college at the University of Durham. Upon visiting, I looked at the graduates from this college from the last four years, of which one was black. Upon further enquiry, this man did not actually attend the University and was on a sabbatical from another University. Contrast this with Manchester, where we have a dynamic and active African-Carribean Society, and where there are various different active cultural and religious societies within the University.

Then there is the city itself. One trip to Rusholme and you already have more choice, a more extensive experience of the UK’s diversity than any of the other top British universities.

The city also happens to be excellent for sport. The University of Manchester has fantastic sports facilities, but more broadly, Manchester is home to arguably the two best football teams in the English Premier League. In Old Trafford, we have the largest club-owned capacity football stadium in England.  You can even take a swim in the Commonwealth games pool for £2.50! Manchester is also home to the county cricket champions Lancashire, with the Old Trafford cricket ground being renovated this year to increase the capacity and modernise the facilities as demand for the sport increases.

As if I haven’t demonstrated already why Manchester is, as Benjamin Disraeli said, “as great a human exploit as Athens”, then there are the wider social benefits Manchester provides. Shepherd’s Bush Westfield may be the UK’s largest shopping centre, but it is not the best. That accolade hands down goes to the Trafford Centre; anyone who has visited the food court alone will testify to the range of cuisines available to all.

Can’t get any better can it? Well, consider the fact that every day there’s at least five student-orientated nights out in Manchester. Unlike getting in to a good night in London, you don’t need to know the organiser or have a proclivity to wearing pretentious clothing and snorting expensive table salt.

When I say I’m from London to people, it is always greeted with an expectation that I feel superior to them, but on the contrary, I’d happily call myself a Mancunian. I remember having scepticism about how Mancs would act towards me as a Southerner, but they’ve been the warmest people I have ever met. Even the bus drivers all say bye as you get off. What more could a student want? Manchester is my heaven!


BROADCAST 23 HAS BEGUN

Written by hattie pearson on . Posted in Societies.

FUSE FM is YOUR student radio station.

We are now broadcasting LIVE from the Students’ Union. You can tune in online  at www.fusefm.co.uk

 

Don’t forget our club night FUSE PRESENTS every second Monday at Revolutions in Fallowfield.

 

www.facebook.com/fusefmmanchester @FuseFM

 

BROADCAST 23 HAS BEGUN. The “on-air” switch was hit on Sunday at 8am which now means we are broadcasting LIVE for the next ten weeks from our studios in the basement of the Students’ Union.

 

The last week has been full of anticipation, sweat and tears – if you’ve ever been down to the studio and experienced the climate you’d understand why. The week before broadcast starts is always a little bit hectic to say the least. Over the last few days we’ve seen Head of Programming, Dean Webster run wild pretending to be the next Simon Cowell as he “ummed” and “ahhhed” over which applications were going to make it to onto the finalised schedule, presenters in the studio learning the ropes and committee members straightening their metaphorical ties preparing for the epic adventure that is ten weeks of broadcast number 23.

 

For the time ever we’re broadcasting all year round so if you didn’t manage to bag yourself a show this time we’re having a ‘refresh’ period in five weeks time where everyone will have the chance to reapply for a show.

 

Presenting isn’t the only way you can get involved. If you’re into all things music whether it’s heavy metal or the top 40 why not join the music team? Head of Music, Sammy Lyons is there to help you organise interviews with your favourite bands, give you advice on what questions to ask as well as get free gig tickets so you can write a smashing review for our website. If you want to find out more send her an email [email protected]

 

Perhaps you’re a budding journalist and want to put your hand to producing news and reporting live from events as they happen? Well then the news team is for you. Jamie Ross, Head of News, will teach you everything you need to know about editing audio clips and writing and reading a news bulletins. Get in touch with Jamie [email protected]

 

Maybe you’re more of a promoter and want everyone to know about Fuse FM? Working with Head of Marketing, Clifford Fleming as part of the street team and developing our brand is a great way to get Fuse known. Most importantly it’s fun because you get to do crazy things like stick pegs on people… ok maybe that’s not so crazy but you can come up with even crazier things to do that will get Fuse’s name out there! Like running around the Uni naked with a Fuse FM banner! That would get certainly cause a stir. Any volunteers? I’m joking of course, but you name it and we’re up for it. Apart from nakedness perhaps. Drop Clifford an email [email protected]

 

Fuse FM would not be possible at all if it wasn’t for our tech team. If you’re good with technical things like computers, servers and other clever stuff and you want to learn how the studio runs as well as help maintain all the equipment then Dean Pythian, Head of Tech is your man [email protected]

 

The best bit of all which ever aspect of Fuse you want to get involved in, no previous experience is required. So no matter how uncreative you think you are or how much you hate your voice on radio it’s no excuse!

 

Meet the Committee – Leanne Fata

 

Course and year: “Law, fourth year.”

 

Where are you from?: “Worcestershire”

 

Committee position: “Head of Outside Broadcasts”

 

What does your role entail?: “I’m responsible for co-ordinating live broadcasts that we do outside the studio. This includes everything from making sure we’ve got presenters on hand to sorting out all the logistics of moving Fuse to another location.”

 

How can members get involved in your area?: “The outside broadcasts take a lot of organisation and we have a big team working together. If you want to help out just email me [email protected]”

 

I love Fuse FM because….: “It’s given me loads of opportunities to get involved in radio related things, like interviewing some great bands, presenting my own shows, producing content and heading up the business side of the station. Oh, and it introduced me to my best mates in manchester! Oh yeah!”

 

What’s your favourite cheese?: “This is such a hard question. I love brie, because it’s really creamy, but then equally camembert is quite creamy but a bit pungent so is quite jolly. But then again, I’m partial to a bit of blue, especially over a salad. However, for a lunch time snack, you can’t go wrong with a cheese string. So really, I love all cheese.”

 

What are you most looking forward to over the year being a part of Fuse?: “Hopefully, after having such a successful outside broadcast with Pangaea last year, we can think about organising a broadcast from a huge event, like a music festival or something MEGA!”

 

A band we should all be keeping our eyes on: “Dry the River! A few of us saw them recently and they were AMAZING. Definitely going to be something big.”

 

What do you want to be when you grow up: “A media lawyer.”

 

If you could be a celebrity for a day who would you be: “Nicki Minaj.”

 

If you could interview anyone in the world who would it be: “Nicki Minaj.”

 

Favourite Manchester night out. Where is it and what is it?: “Juicy at Joshua Brooks, because they play Nicki Minaj.”

 

Your earliest Fuse memory: “My first studio training! It was so daunting, but immediately loved it.”

 

Have you ever had a show on Fuse FM – how did you feel it went?: “I’ve had four shows on Fuse now. The Chart Show was probably my favourite but it took a lot of work because of all the production that goes into it.”

 

Favourite place on campus to sleep: “I GO HOME TO SLEEP.”

 

Fuse in 3 words: “Mental, Exciting, Fun!”

 

The Manchester Beanie

Written by Scott McEwan on . Posted in News.

Meet Inigo Jerome Kelsley, he’s a second year student studying Economics and Finance and offers fine example of student entrepreneurialism. Inigo is one of the brains behind the popular Manchester Beanie hat sold on campus last year and now found in the official repertoire of university merchandise. He was only one semester into his first year at Manchester University before he decided to try his hand in business.

“Revising in December I was quite bored and I personally wanted to buy something from Manchester, a hoody or something, but I didn’t really like any of it and it was quite expensive.

“But it seemed apparent to me that everyone was wearing beanies at the time.”

With a business proposition in mind, Inigo approached Andrew Jervis, a friend he met at Reach Out, a mentoring charity, to take the idea forward and establish their trading moniker Pieboy Clothing.
“I started looking around on the Internet for suppliers, emailing around and seeing how it works, I found it difficult working with them.

“But after about three weeks to a month we had a sample that we were really happy with.”
Like with all business ventures, recognising the risk was important. Inigo explained that suppliers were only available for large orders: “We ordered 250 at first, so it was a bit of risk and when they came I was quite scared.

“But the next day I was like ‘let’s just do this’.”

By blagging a table from the union Inigo and Andrew began trading outside and went on to sell their first 250 beanies in three days. By spring 2011 they had employed a few friends to work the stand, sold their second batch and caught the attention of the university’s merchandise team.

“While I was at the stall Andrew went to ask for the manager in the shop and they were already really keen.

“We managed to sign a contract with them, in exclusivity so we only sell to them.”

When Pieboy sold 1000 units to the University (a deal they hope to annualise), they decided there was national potential for the beanies. Over the summer Pieboy Clothing launched a website and located at the Innospace office building on Chorlton St to work on a pitch to other universities who were interested in producing their own beanies.

However, they soon found it was necessary to work through the National Union of Students in order to sell to other universities and discovered only a handful of universities were available to trade with: “it wasn’t as successful as we wanted.”

Since then Inigo has sold his share of the project to Andrew with the intention of moving into different products. His newest product in the works is a Manchester Snapback cap.

When asked for advice to any future student entrepreneurs he offered: “Always reply to an email by the end of the day…and concentrate on your current idea, just do it and learn from your mistakes”.

Youth unemployment highest since records began

Written by Chloe Glover on . Posted in News.

Youth unemployment in the UK has hit a record high, statistics released last Wednesday have revealed.

Almost 1 million 16-24 year olds are now without jobs in the UK, the biggest figure since records began in 1992.

Data from June to August shows that 991,000 young people are unemployed, equalling a jump of 74,000 since May 2011 and taking the youth unemployment rate to 21.3 percent.

The news puts doubt on the coalition’s claims that they are doing enough to combat youth unemployment and has increased worries amongst young people about their prospects of finding a job in the current economic climate.

Irene Robinson, a student at Manchester Metropolitan University, is worried about the prospect of getting a job after university, especially one relevant to the skills she has learned:

“I wouldn’t go to university if we had to pay more in fees when people are coming out of the other end now and not being able to get a job anywhere, let alone in a field they are interested in. I think they should put more money into good training schemes for young people and ensuring there are jobs out there for us.

“I feel like young people have become a forgotten generation.”

Sam Redmond, who did not want to give his real name, has been on job seekers’ allowance since he finished his university course in Manchester last June:

“The position I’m in now sucks, it’s kind of tricky because there are never as many jobs as there are people so it’s taking me a lot longer than I thought to find something.

“Creating more jobs, as well as maybe encouraging economic growth could make the UK a much happier place; people feel a lot more happier when they have a purpose in life.”

Tony Lloyd, Labour MP for Manchester Central, said, “Its actually frightening, young people are sadly being treated as a commodity to be dismissed at will.

He said sharp increases in fees and the “collapse of the job market” were making it even harder for young people to find work.

“Things like the removal of EMA have made it harder for young people to reach higher education. We’ve got to provide increased, adequate training and support for young people.” Lloyd suggested  opening up flexible working for the long-term unemployed.

He also described the experience of graduates unable to find work as “soul destroying”.

The conservatives pledged to create 100,000 apprenticeships during their first year in government and an additional 10,000 higher level apprenticeships are being introduced.

But honouring that pledge may prove difficult while implementing swingeing cuts.

Sheffield Lacrosse silenced by Manchester’s magic

Written by Ruth Dacey on . Posted in Sport.

Lacrosse is becoming increasingly popular in universities all across the country and Manchester is no exception with the university now fielding four teams.
The sport is certainly not a game for the faint-hearted with its fast-pace and full contact, perhaps it is these thrilling elements that keep drawing in freshers. This year has seen 200 new faces sign up for the men’s squad alone with a minimum of 50 turning up for the each of the four taster sessions that were held at the end of September.
Hopefully the influx of new talent will help improve the Men’s 1st team who performed fantastically last year finishing 3rd in the league behind Durham and Sheffield Hallam. They also reached the Semi-Finals of the BUCS Championship. Other highlights of the year included a successful tour of Dublin and victory over Liverpool and Leeds in the Christie Cup. This year the team is looking to improve on last year’s achievements with the help of coaches Dan Defrancesco and Pat Acone.
The first team is currently a mixture of players who played before university and people who picked the sport up when they came to Manchester. Many of the team also play for Timperley Lacrosse club and other clubs around Manchester at weekends. High standards have been set and 1st team Captain Sacha Oliver Stout is determined to keep the bar high stating – “We are aiming to win the premiership this year, there is no reason why we can’t.” Sacha also hopes the team will perform strongly in the Cup this season and bring home silverware for the club. “We have the players and the motivation we just need to score a few more goals. Defensively last year we had a good record and this is something we hope to maintain under the guidance of Dan and Pat who specialise in defence coaching.”
Manchester went into Wednesday’s highly charged derby game against Sheffield with confidence after a solid 11-7 win over Loughborough the previous week. Coach Dan Defrancesco praised the defensive work he has seen from the team but also wanted to be able to bring American flair to the English game; “We have a solid defence which is something as coaches we push for but here in England we need to push the offensive side of things, there is talent in the team to do this and the goals will come.” Flair was certainly not lacking against Sheffield for both the men’s 1st and 2nd teams.
In the men’s 1st’s game the first quarter started strongly for the home side, with American Steve Caditz scoring within minutes with a powerfully strike catching the Sheffield defence off guard. The away team seemed stunned by the quick passing and speed Manchester showed and by the first quarter were already 8-0 down. There had certainly been the ‘American flair’ coach Defrancesco had been looking for, especially demonstrated by attacker Zach Cecil who had grabbed himself an impressive hat trick. The second quarter fared much better for Sheffield, who fought hard for possession however any hope of a comeback was squashed by the combination of the Americans Cecil and Caditz who once again found the back of the net. The half time whistle couldn’t have come sooner for Sheffield who found themselves trailing 13-0.
Sheffield rallied in the third, scoring early. However the home side was now in full flow and there was nothing the defence could do to stop the likes of Ben Stringer and Cecil bearing down on goal. The attackers had well and truly got into the grove of things and began taking spectacular shots from distance. The end of the 3rd quarter saw Manchester coming in with a comfortable 16-1 lead. 
 
The last 20 minutes was all Manchester, with Sheffield struggling to find a way past newly recruited keeper Tom Poffley. A solid and well organised Manchester defence worked Sheffield’s attack hard and Stringer was able to smash home several more goals and saw his total come to an impressive 6 for the match. By the end Manchester cantered in with an impressive 22-2 score line.
It was a dazzling display from Manchester leaving Sheffield sullen faced after also losing 9-0 in the 2nd team game that had kicked off earlier. An impressive start for Manchester, hopefully Sasha Oliver Stout and his players can keep the performances at this level during the season. Durham the league favourites need to watch out, the Manchester magic is coming. 
 
 
 
 
 


Super League comes to dramatic close

Written by Lisa Murgatroyd on . Posted in Sport.

Leeds Rhinos secured their fourth Engage Super League title in five years at the Grand Final held at Old Trafford at the beginning of the month, and seven of their players have been picked for England in the Four Nations Series which begins shortly. A remarkable turnaround, considering their finish at fifth in the league table. It’s been a rollercoaster season all around, with drama on and off the pitch.

The league finished with Warrington Wolves beating Wigan Warriors to the top by one point, both teams having pulled away from the crowd some six points below. Wigan had hoped to do the double after smashing Leeds Rhinos earlier in August, the first return to Wembley for Wigan in 13 years. Yet, it was St Helens and the Rhinos who fought their way to the Super League final. St Helens have now been defeated five times consecutively.

For the new season, it has been announced that Widnes Vikings will join the thirteen existing Super League teams. This news came as, in July, the attempt to break out of the Northern mould of Rugby League was lost when Welsh Crusaders withdrew their licence for the new Super League round up. With serious financial difficulties, an uncertain future lies ahead of the club which has also seen its Championship bid rejected by the RFL board.

Whilst Super League hopes floundered in Wales, across the Channel, Trent Robinson, coach of Catalan Dragons, has given a breath of life to the French team. Since their entry into the British league in 2006, their path has been a difficult one. In 2007, they became the first non-English side to reach the final of the Challenge Cup Final. Since losing in that final to St Helens, they’ve yet to achieve any significant honours, but hopes are high for the next season.

Reason for optimism can also be found in the academies across the country which continue to churn out exciting new British talent, such as Wigan winger Josh Charnley or St Helens stand-off Jonny Lomax who featured at Old Trafford. Yet, there is still a distinct lack of English coaches to take the helm that is becoming a cause for concern for many people.

As no official sponsor has yet to be named for next year, rugby league continues to struggle commercially and fall into the shadow of its flashy brother; Rugby Union. Not only does union continue to dominate popular TV and media, but there is a lucrative business to be made in coaxing young stars to the dark side.

On the shoulders of giants

Written by Richard Crook on . Posted in Features.

As week four of university kicks in, most first year students will have by now figured out where their lectures are held and noted the names of these buildings. But how many of them know the story behind those names? For that matter, how many second and third years do? I’m going to explore the origins of some people we refer to daily and yet know nothing about. After all, if the last date you went on was with John Rylands (and according to a Facebook group that is over 1,000 of you), then it would be a bit rude not to know a bit about him.

John Rylands

‘John Rylands’ is perhaps name we all refer to most. Rylands was Manchester’s first multi-millionaire. Born in Lancashire in 1801 of humble origins, he was the third son of the cotton manufacturer Joseph Rylands. Clearly something in his blood then, as it was in cotton that John Rylands also made his own fortune.

In 1819, at the age of 18, he joined up with his father and two brothers to form Rylands and Sons. Selling cotton and various other textiles, the business started well and they became manufacturers as well as merchants.

The company continued to develop and John became the sole proprietor in 1838. It was here that, using his extraordinarily shrewd business mind and keen eye for trading, he was able to accumulate such a large fortune.

Rylands became part of a trade with a world-wide network of commerce. With his 17 mills and factories, he employed over 15,000 people and produced over 35 tons of cloth a day. At the time of his death in 1888 aged 87, his estate was worth £2.5m (£213m today).

Despite amassing such a large fortune, John Rylands remained a modest man. He rejected the chance to join the social circles of landed gentry and aristocracy in London, preferring to focus his attention on business. His Christian beliefs were unwavering however, and the majority of his philanthropy was driven by religion. This included the building of orphanages and houses for aged widows and public baths for his hometown of Stretford. Indeed, he never forgot his roots, and much of his philanthropy took place here in Manchester.

John Rylands is one of the best examples of the emerging ‘Manchester men’ at that time. With few advantages to facilitate growth, Manchester’s early boom relied on these ambitious businessmen and traders. It is the place it is today because of innovators like this one.

So why the library? Well, the University links are merely incidental. With the money left to her, Rylands third wife Enriqueta founded a public library in Deansgate in her husband’s honour. Opening in 1899, she continued to privately support it, donating hundreds of thousands of pounds for published works and expansions.  It was not until 1972 that it was merged with The University of Manchester. Today the library in Deansgate remains a popular attraction due to its architecture and wealth of resources.

Sir Joseph Whitworth

Sir Joseph Whitworth was one of the great mechanical engineers of the Victorian era. His name can be found dotted around Manchester, including Whitworth Park, Whitworth Art Gallery and of course, the Whitworth building at The University of Manchester.  As Whitworth Hall hosts the annual clapping marathon that is your graduation, it might be interesting to know a bit about him.

Sir Joseph Whitworth was born to a schoolmaster in Stockport, 1803. By the time he reached his teenage years, he was working for his uncle’s cotton mill and his enthusiasm for mechanics was clear. A man of great ambition, Whitworth left this job against his family’s wishes at the age of 18 and took up a position at Crighton and Co., a leading mechanics company in Manchester.

By 1833 he was showing no signs of slowing down. After working under tool inventor Henry Maudsley in London, he returned to Manchester and started his own company. It focused on machine tools, which Whitworth realised was in great demand there because of the expanding railway network. During this time, he invented a new way of creating flat surfaces that became the standard method within industry.

Whitworth also developed the world’s first standard for screw threads, offering new levels of precision. Enormously influential, it came to dominate British manufacturing and railway networks, drastically improving the capabilities of mass production.  The Whitworth thread, or variations of it, is still commonly used today.

In the latter stages of his career, he worked for the military and developed the Whitworth rifle, intended to replace the Enfield. However, despite its obvious superiority, it was deemed too expensive and a disgruntled Whitworth instead controversially sold it to the Confederates for their Civil War across the pond.

But as Whitworth grew older, he would spend more of his time in Monaco. It was here, in Monte Carlo, that the great engineer died aged 83.

Though today not carrying the name recognition of Industrial Revolution figures such as James Watt or Richard Arkwright, Sir Joseph Whitworth is undoubtedly a major player when one is looking at industrial growth not just in Manchester, but all of Britain. He was perhaps the greatest mechanical engineer Britain ever produced.

Manchester duly pays its respects to Whitworth, but there are reasons behind the building selections. In his lifetime he emphasized the value of technical education, starting up the Whitworth Scholarship and helping found the Manchester School of Design. The University honour him today with the Whitworth Building and Whitworth Hall because this devotion.

After his death, philanthropy in his name continued, for he directed his trustees to spend his fortune on philanthropic projects. The Whitworth Art Gallery was founded from this, as was Whitworth Park.

Ernest Rutherford

Though the fifth of thirteen children, physicist Ernest Rutherford was certainly a unique mind. His contributions to nuclear physics were historic, and much of his greatest research was completed while working at the University of Manchester.

Ernest Rutherford was born in New Zealand where he was educated, thanks to a scholarship, at the prestigious Nelson College. He showed early interest in physics, and was eager to take up further study. Having achieved a double first in Mathematics and Physics at The University of New Zealand, Rutherford took up positions at Cambridge and then Montreal. It was at Montreal where he developed his disintegration theory. This treated radioactive phenomena as atomic – not molecular – processes. Several radioactive substances were discovered and Rutherford’s work here would win him a Nobel Prize.

But unusually, Rutherford’s best work was completed after this honour. In 1907 he accepted a position at The University of Manchester and irreversibly transformed the Physics department here. His attitude and enthusiasm flowed through the department and his disarming yet determined personality brought resources and supplies previously unattainable.

Rutherford’s research shifted focus from radioactivity to atomic structure and in 1909 he proposed the Rutherford Atom. It came from the research done alongside Hans Geiger and Earnst Marsden and disproved the old ‘plum-pudding’ model. The Rutherford Atom theorized the existence of an atomic nucleus- the implications of this to nuclear physics needs no explanation.

But Rutherford was still yet to ‘live the first line of his obituary’ for in 1917, he theorized the splitting of the atom by converting nitrogen to oxygen. It was – according scientist Manjit Kumar – the true dawn of the nuclear age.

As a man, Rutherford was as engaging as he was brilliant. A tall figure with a loud laugh, his friend Mark Oliphant described him as jovial, humble and energetic. He had a capacity for great compassion, too. In the 1930’s, Rutherford served as President of the Academic Assistance Council, a group that assisted Jewish scientists escaping Germany. He would go to great lengths to assist them, scraping money together for them until they found permanent posts.

In 1937, Ernest Rutherford died aged just 66 from a partially strangulated umbilical hernia. His wife Mary survived him, but sadly not his daughter Eileen, who had died in 1930. Rutherford lectured in the building holding his name, a reminder that the University was graced with the greatest nuclear scientist in history.

Alan Turing

The story of mathematician Alan Turing is both enthralling and heartbreaking. Unlike the previous names, the building here is named after him perhaps less for his contribution to the University or the city, and more to serve as a reminder that the freedom enjoyed here today was not without great sacrifice.

Alan Turing was born in 1912 to a middle class family. By the time he reached 10 he was already expressing interest in science.

This enthusiasm continued into his education. Attending the independent Sherborne School, Turing initially felt lonely and isolated. However, his ability shone while developing his first homosexual love interest for his friend and fellow science enthusiast, Christopher Morcom. Devastatingly for Turing though, Morcom died from Tuberculosis during his first year at Cambridge. It would scar Turing permanently, proving a barrier in future relationships and kick-starting his fascination with Artificial Intelligence.

He attended Cambridge also, obtaining a first-class degree in 1934. Three years later, Alan Turing had his first major breakthrough with the ‘Turing Machine’. Designed initially as a thought experiment, it proved that such a machine could perform any mathematical computation if representable as an algorism.  The Turing Machine was a giant leap in the evolution of computing.

When World War Two broke out, he turned his attention to cryptology. With this, Alan Turing was about to become not just a great innovator of mathematics and technology, but a British war hero of epic proportions.

The Germans were anxious not to allow their communication lines to become compromised and used the Enigma machine to scramble messages. Alan Turing and a team of experts were recruited to work at now-famous Bletchley Park to decrypt these machines. Here, Turing invented the Bomba, a specially designed machine intended to do just that. Intelligence gained was referred to as ‘Ultra’, and by 1941 the Bomba successes were paying serious dividends. The anticipating Allied forces ambushed German U-boats again and again and helped keep Germany out of Egypt.

Turing’s war heroics led to an OBE and a position here at the University of Manchester in 1948. However, by now Turing was focusing his attention on the more abstract idea of Artificial Intelligence. He wrote pieces on the potential of computers and what constituted ‘intelligent behaviour’. It is a debate that rages on today.

Relatively speaking, Turing had long accepted his homosexuality. But post-war Britain was a different world for gay people. In 1952, while still living in Manchester, Turing embarked on a sexual relationship with a man named Arnold Murray. Murray betrayed him though, attempting to burgle his house. He believed that Turing would be too fearful of having to reveal their criminal sexual behaviour to the police when reporting him. Murray underestimated Turing. A man of immense personal integrity, he admitted to the affair in order to prosecute Murray.

What happened next was pure tragedy. Turing was charged with gross indecency and faced the choice of prison or castration. He chose the latter, knowing prison would cost him his job at Manchester. Two years later, he committed suicide by biting an apple filled with cyanide.

His work and mood had begun to suffer somewhat, but it remained a shock to his friends and family. Historian Andrew Hodges says of his motives,

“To ask what caused his death is like asking what caused the First World War.”

Alan Turing’s story is unique in its ability to provoke simultaneous feelings of both immense pride and absolute revulsion towards our nation’s history.  It is the story of an eccentric, homosexual mathematician who took on Nazi Germany. A man Winston Churchill once remarked had made the greatest single contribution to Allied victory. A man Winston Churchill’s government condemned to misery and reclusion.

Not going all the way

Written by Andrew Campbell on . Posted in Theatre.

Two stars out of five

It is appropriate that this new play from Salford-born playwright Ayub Khan-Din, best known for writing East is East, is having its premiere at The Lowry, surrounded by Salford Quays and the burgeoning Media City. All the Home Way is a glimpse into the communities that have been ‘regenerated’ over the last ten years.

The unseen Frankie lies dying in his bed, his breathing supervised through a baby monitor, while his family gather in the kitchen beneath contemplating the impending death of their brother/ nephew/ cousin and the demise of the Salford community that they have grown-up in.

There is clear affection for Salford and its people but too many characters are close to caricatures. Carol (Kate Anthony) is the sibling, who has moved out of Salford and now lives in ‘Didsbury Village’, cue references to Waitrose, petty snobbery and sniggers of recognition for, its fair to guess, a overwhelmingly middle-class audience. Philip (Paul Simpson) the semi-literate younger brother who pours endless spoonfuls of sugar into his tea is an embarrassing parody. Brian (Sean Gallagher) is a London-based creative professional who reluctantly returns to Salford. The character is unrelentingly dull and so contrived and stilted that he comes across as not simply emotionally and culturally dislocated from his siblings but entirely alien to them. Janet (Susan Cookson), the dependable centre of the family and Sonia (Julie Riley), the troubled recovering drug-addict, do add some balance, their performances capture both a sense of hopelessness and resilience in the community. But overall the characters are not sufficiently engaging to justify the plays emotional climax and neither do they have the depth to give an insight into the complexities surrounding the breakdown of white working-class communities. The various characters’ illiteracy or alcoholism or casual racism is rarely explored or contextualised and is often simply used as an excuse for a one-liner.

The Salford setting is largely convincing but there are occasional superficial references that are unnecessary. Apparently Manchester United tickets are quite expensive. Who knew?

It is a credit to the Library Theatre Company and The Lowry that they are willing to stage vaguely political theatre that does attempt to explore and reflect Greater Manchester’s communities. It is a shame that All The way Home ends up having so little to say.

All The Way Home is on at The Lowry until Saturday 15th October.

Tickets are available from £11 for students.

Lost World Competition

Written by patrick cowling on . Posted in Film.

On Sunday 16th October at 4pm, Cornerhouse will be screening the 1925 version of The Lost World with a live piano score by JJ, keyboardist of the Scissor Sisters. Details here. Cornerhouse have very kindly offered to give away 5 free pairs of tickets to this incredible one off event. All you have to do is answer this simple question and this amazing prize could be yours:

WHO DIRECTED THE 1925 VERSION OF THE LOST WORLD?

A) James B. Renaulds

B) Harry O. Hoyt

C) Toby T. Goodge

D) Curtis J. Jackson

Email your answers to [email protected] GOOD LUCK!!!!

Triceratops Family from John Garden on Vimeo.