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Month: February 2012

Pardon in sight for Alan Turing

Written by Gareth Lewis on . Posted in News.

An Early Day Motion in parliament has called for the posthumous pardon of Alan Turing, 60 years after his conviction for homosexuality.

Turing is widely considered to be the father of computer science and artificial intelligence. He worked as one of the Bletchley Park cryptanalysts who cracked the Enigma code during World War Two, but was chemically castrated following charges of ‘gross indecency’ with another man.

He committed suicide two years later.

John Leech, MP for Manchester Withington, submitted the Early Day Motion (EDM) calling for Turing’s pardon. Speaking last week, Mr. Leech said that, “Alan Turing was a Manchester hero and a national hero. He helped shorten the war and then was persecuted by the state for his sexuality.”

However, questions remain over what the EDM will achieve. The motion will have no legislative effect and merely reflects the opinions of MPs. As one of parliament’s most prolific proposers, John Leech will know that most EDMs never make it to a debate.

Mr. Leech was unavailable to respond to questions regarding what practical effect his efforts would have or how else he intends to achieve a pardon for Turing.

The call for a pardon follows an apology issued in 2009 by then Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

University Challenged? Society sells misspelt hoodies

Written by Richard Crook on . Posted in News.

The heads of the Civil and Construction Society were left red-faced last month when the hoodies they ordered arrived with a misprint, misspelling the word ‘university’ as ‘univeristy’.

No refunds will be offered for the £15 hoodies but CCS members are being given the opportunity to have them swapped for corrected replacements.

Chris Hyde, the chair of the society, admits that “neither the printing company nor the CCS can offer any form of guarantee on what quality the correction will be” and that “effectiveness… on different coloured hoodies may vary.”

Some members have reacted angrily. First year Civil Engineering student Ash Walker said: “I don’t feel its right that for their mistake, we’re being laden with a poor quality ‘make-do’ second best option.”

CCS maintain that this was a mistake beyond their control and blame the third party company involved with “image improvement”. Hyde insists that the spelling he passed on was the correct one, but that all legal avenues were exhausted in attempting to recoup the money lost.

Both the third party and the printing company claim they are not contractually obliged to reimburse the society’s members and are refusing to do so.

A total of 134 hoodies were sold, and Hyde says the corrected replacements are coming at “a considerable cost to the CCS.”

Societies receive funding from the Student Union, but Activities Officer Amaya Dent refused to disclose the amount of money lost, fearing the sum would reflect badly on the society.

Students create life saving software

Written by Ruth Wildman on . Posted in News.

A team of computer scientists at the University of Manchester have created smartphone software that could save lives and reunite refugees with their loved ones following a natural disaster.

The team, involving two undergraduates, Lloyd Henning and Peter Sutton, was led by Dr Gavin Brown of the faculty of Computer Sciences at the University.

The software REUNITE enables aid workers to record details of refugees and survivors of natural disasters, identifying missing people easily.

Interviews with survivors are transcribed and relayed to workers who are not at the scene of the incident who can add the information to an encrypted server. Information is then added to a server allowing details at and away from the scene to be relayed.

The research also included the development of a piece of software entitled ‘Where’s Safe?’ which tells people where safe areas are following a natural disaster or a terrorist attack. Survivors send a text message and information regarding their closest safe point is relayed to them.

Another element of the software was designed to calculate the malnutrition levels of infants at scenes of disasters by calculating their Body Mass Index (BMI), telling aid workers at the scene the amount of fluid or food administered.

The idea was first created when Henning and Sutton entered a competition run by Microsoft to use software designed to help in real world issues, such as disaster relief, poverty or the environment. The team was granted funding through the university’s Knowledge Transfter Account, an initiative to create more engagement in research funded by the Engineering Physical Sciences Research Council.

UK education spending falling fast as rival nations look to boost investment

Written by Joe Sandler Clarke on . Posted in News.

Public spending on education is declining at a faster rate than at any time since the 1950s, while countries like China and the United States invest heavily in higher education.

According to the Institute for Fiscal Studies education spending will decline by as much as 13 percent in real terms in the years 2010-11 to 2014-15; with universities, post-16 education and early-years schooling taking the biggest hit. Higher education spending, specifically, is set to be cut by 40 percent over the next four years.

The news comes two weeks after the Vice Chancellor of Oxford University, Professor Andrew Hamilton, warned that higher education spending cuts planned by the coalition government would see the UK falling behind its rivals.

In an address to leading academics in October, Professor Hamilton argued that graduate students would be put off studying in the UK due to cuts being made to research funding. He also pointed out that as the British government focused on introducing tough spending cuts on British universities, both China and the US had increased education spending. Meanwhile, the Chinese government have announced that they intend to create 100 new top class universities this century.

Following government cuts, the UK is currently spending 1.2 percent of GDP on higher education. The OECD average is 1.5 percent.

Ann Mroz, the editor of Times Higher Education (THE) magazine (who published a list last month that shows that the gap between top UK universities and the rest is increasing), stated that it was remarkable that British universities were able to maintain high standards despite funding constraints. “Given the disparity in funding levels [between the UK and the US] our performance is nothing short of staggering. Put simply, we spend much less on our universities than many of our competitors – less than the OECD average – and yet outperform almost all of them. These facts make the massive gamble that we are now taking, by all but abolishing public funding for university teaching and replacing it with tuition fees, all the more questionable.”

A spokesman for the Department of Education stated that cuts to education spending were part of broader austerity measures put in place to deal with the budget deficit. The government have also stated that despite the cuts, spending on primary and secondary school would be ring-fenced.

J. Edgar Review

Written by Lily Howes on . Posted in Film.

Clint Eastwood’s latest biopic surrounds the controversial career of FBI agent J. Edgar Hoover, exceptionally portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio.

DiCaprio’s performance cannot be faulted, as both a young J. Edgar and as a decrepit and somewhat delusional old man. The rest of Eastwood’s cast provide equally as credible performances; with Armie Hammer as Edgar’s right hand man and long term partner Clyde Tolson, Naomi Watts as the ever loyal Helen Gandy and Judi Dench as Edgar’s eccentric and overbearing mother. There is even a welcomed minor appearance from Gossip Girl favourite Ed Westwick.

It is a shame then that such a talented cast is let down by an overcomplicated and mind numbingly dull script. One that jumps all over the place and leaves you with a headache rather than the historical insight you might be looking for.

The decision, be it blamed on Dustin Lance Black’s script or Eastwood’s direction, to employ the classic and fairly predictable flashback technique may well have been selected as an attempted dramatic tool to add hindsight or highlight Edgar’s change in character. Instead, however, it causes the script to appear as unstable and irrational as J. Edgar himself looks in his final years.

Despite Eastwood’s claim that he would steer clear of Edgar’s alleged closet homosexuality it is not something that he leaves untouched. When Edgar employs Tolson regardless of his lack of experience or interest in the Bureau you immediately engage in this developing relationship.

The two become inseparable as both colleagues and close acquaintances until their relationship reaches a climax during a passionate kiss and jealous confrontation. But that’s it.

Eastwood quickly makes an almighty leap to an elderly Tolson and Edgar still as close as they once were and leaves us guessing about what on earth happened in between.

Far too many of the integral parts of Edgar’s life are hinted at and not dealt with in enough detail. Such is the case with his relationship with Tolson, many of the illegal strategies he employed and in general his unwavering influence upon America.

Audiences are given a glimpse at a holding of hands or eavesdrop the end of a phone call and then it’s up to us to fill in the blanks.

The absence of any Oscar nominations speaks for itself; after much hype Eastwood disappoints with this tedious and drawn out disaster that even Leo can’t save.

 

Director: Clint Eastwood

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Armie Hammer, Naomi Watts, Judi Dench, Jeffrey Donovan

2 stars

The big takeaway review

Written by Emily Clark on . Posted in Food & Drink.

When offered a free takeaway, one never says no. Especially during the exam period, when going to the supermarket feels like too decisive a form of procrastination. (Procrastination can never be overtly productive; it must appear useless and unfulfilling). So I accepted the offer of reviewing a few meals for hungryhouse – an internet portal for ordering takeaways – and celebrated the prospect of countless MSG-stuffed foil packages arriving at my door.  The menus are online; just choose dishes to place in your basket, decide upon a method of payment and await your food. All very easy, no human interaction and no frustrated repetitions shrieked down the phone.

If you would like to apply for the £25 voucher hungryhouse are offering, just follow THIS LINK and type in your details.

Sayuri at The Friendship Inn

Amongst other things, we ordered prawn toasts, crispy shredded beef, special fried rice and a vegetarian version of duck with hoisin pancakes. It was enjoyable, but nothing was all that special.

Tastiness – 7

Speed of delivery – 7

Hotness of food – 6

Pleasing portion size – 8

Overall satisfaction – 7

 

Indian Spice

A respectable peshwari naan, chicken korma and rice were delivered but only after an hour and half had passed – not good enough for hungry people!

Tastiness – 8

Speed of delivery – 2

Hotness of food – 6

Pleasing portion size – 8

Overall satisfaction – 7

 

Naz

This Indian was amazing! I had a delicious and massive keema madras, others had a lamb bhuna, pasanda and a chicken rogan josh that went down equally as well. I would order again, but be wary of the profound quantities of oil that exude from every dish.

Tastiness – 9

Speed of delivery – 7

Hotness of food – 8

Pleasing portion size – 8

Overall satisfaction – 9

 

Bite All

From this American takeaway we ordered a 14” meat pizza for £10.50, which I would recommend as a much cheaper alternative to Domino’s. It was the thickness of a doorstep and covered in meat; can’t go far wrong there.

Tastiness – 7

Speed of delivery – 8

Hotness of food – 7

Pleasing portion size – 8

Overall satisfaction – 8

 

Ming Chef

This oddly-titled Chinese is definite winner of the takeaways. This baby got me through a very late night of panicked coursework and fed us the next day too. Not only was all the food delicious, but we got free spring rolls, free fortune cookies and a free dragon calendar! They also do a few Japanese dishes, such as prawn dumplings, which were delicious although peculiar-looking. I’ll be ordering from Ming Chef again.

Tastiness – 9

Speed of delivery – 8

Hotness of food – 9

Pleasing portion size – 9

Overall satisfaction – 9

Album: Rodrigo y Gabriela – Area 52

Written by Daniel Jones on . Posted in Music.

Rodrigo y Gabriela
Area 52
Rubyworks Records
2 out of 5

Area 52 is without a doubt the most expansive record that Rodrigo y Gabriela has produced to date. Despite being comprised of nine songs from their back catalogue, the album marks a distinct departure from the duo’s rugged acoustic tone and style. With the help of C.U.B.A. – a 13-piece band, from, you guessed it, Cuba – the tracks are infused with horns, pianos and salsa-driven rhythms.

However, the layers of intricate melodies, and the sheer variety of sounds do not necessarily add to our enjoyment of the guitarists’ undeniable talent. The openers, ‘Santa Domingo’ and ‘Hanuman’ feel a bit muddled and songs such as ‘Logos’ are almost dreary. You may even begin to imagine yourself sitting in a low-budget tapas restaurant, sipping on a lukewarm Bacardi mojito. The raw passion that fuels Rodrigo y Gabriela’s live performances is diluted by lengthy and elaborate instrumental excursions. Their intention was clearly to bolster their simple two guitar set up, but the subsequent effect almost masks their own individual virtuosity, and chemistry as a pair.

‘Diablo Rojo’ and ‘Tamacun’ do stand out on their own as two memorable tunes that pack some sort of a punch. The rolling beats are easy on the ear and showcase the technical ability of not only Rodrigo and Gabriela, but the backing band as well. If you are keen to admire some outstanding musical technique and instrumentation then the album might be up your alley. For the casual listener, it might prove to be a bit much.

Credit is due for the daring nature of the record, and the skill involved in its production. The group has moved in an adventurous direction, and despite the shortcomings of the tracks on offer here, it is clear to see that they are unafraid to take risks as a growing collective. In my eyes though, to get a full impression of how good Rodrigo y Gabriela actually are you have to see their live performances. It’s a shame that you cannot rely on their albums alone.

Rodrigo y Gabriela – Diablo Rojo (live)

Live: The Drums @ HMV Ritz

Written by Jonathon Lewis on . Posted in Music.

The Drums
HMV Ritz
10th December
3 stars

Finding a position at a gig used to be simple, usually involving getting as close to the front as possible, mistaking cramped dance moves for some form of sexual initiation rite, before finally getting covered in what you hoped was just a pint of warm lager. It is a credit therefore to The Drums appeal (even if it does leave me having a post-teen crisis) that I find it difficult to decide where to stand, the front stalls packed with teenage girls and the rear taken up by an older crowd, all of whom seem to be sporting Smiths shirts (“original, not a copy” as one such wearer explains to me).

The Drums come on to a rapturous welcome and as they burst into ‘What You Were’, it’s instantly apparent why they appeal across the age ranges. Catchy melodies and up-tempo beats get the crowd moving, with vocalist Jonathan Pierce keeping the crowd enraptured by his easy yet odd manner. Drawling on dark subjects in between songs, Pierce lets slip a wry smile, a more relaxed side to the band’s usually uptight front shining through with this being the last date of a lengthy tour.

New tracks such as ‘Money’ stand up with old favourites ‘Best Friend’ and ‘I Need Fun In My Life’, yet many tracks sound rushed and dangerously similar. The set ends abruptly as, after a brief gap and a resulting encore, the band finish with ‘Searching for Heaven’, a bleak Thom Yorke style yowl, during which most people dash to the bar in preparation for the anticipated ‘Let’s go Surfing’ ending that sadly never arrives. A sense of disappointment lingers on leaving, yet what The Drums have achieved so far is impressive. One can only hope that time can now be set aside to fulfil their potential.

To see our review of The Drums’ most recent album, Portabello, click here

The Drums – Me and the Moon (live)

Live: Thin Lizzy + Interview with Jean-Paul Gaster of Clutch

Written by Tom Geddes on . Posted in Music.

Thin Lizzy W/Clutch

Apollo

28th January

4.5 stars

Given the names following them tonight, you’d be forgiven for expecting Belgian openers Triggerfinger to play a safe set and just get the job done. You would also be wrong. Storming, and in frontman Ruben Block’s case dancing, through a sometimes groove laden, sometimes erratic set, Triggerfinger’s infectious hooks pull you in one moment and, with a quick flourish, toss you aside the next. An impressive, but perhaps cocky set.

Clutch, however, are no nonsense. Bursting right into a long support slot brimming with Neil Fallon’s casual yet commanding swagger, it doesn’t take long to get the crowd going. Opting for a song choice more rooted in the band’s later, bluesy style, clearly trying to win over new fans. It works. With early unconvinced head-bobbing evolving into foot-stomping and then into a frenzy to rival any headlining band anywhere. With a closing punch including ‘The Mob Goes Wild’, ‘Cypress Grove’ and ‘Electric Worry’, they leave Thin Lizzy with one hell of a warmed up crowd, but also one hell of a performance to beat.

Before the band even appears, I hear numerous rumblings of, “No Phil Lynott, no Thin Lizzy.” Despite paying for a ticket, it’s clear that many are unconvinced with this incarnation of the band, featuring drummer Brian Downey as the only original member. This is an opinion the band refuses to let stand. After bursting through a set of Lizzy classics with some of the most technically able players in the world, nobody in The Apollo could be left with any doubt of the members respect to the legacy of the band. People can argue all they like about whether they’re really Thin Lizzy or just a glorified cover band. The fact of the matter is, they still absolutely smash it.

Jean-Paul Gaster Interview

MUSEA & Lomography Manchester join forces at Pangaea

Written by Ceri Wills on . Posted in Societies.

Pangaea was a huge success, with 4,000 student revellers enjoying all the delights of the circus, with many societies contributing to its success – Hip Hop, Drum ‘n Bass, Fuse FM, MUSEA… To name but a few!

To make sure that everyones fancy dress efforts were not forgotten, MUSEA (Manchester University Society for Emerging Artists) teamed up with the new Lomography Gallery Store on Oldham Street to snap away at the party goers on a snazzy Diana Mini camera in a photo booth in the union.

If you want to find the photos, ‘like’ the Lomography Manchester page at www.facebook.com/lgsmanchester  where the Pangaea pictures will be uploaded once they’re developed.

If you fancy getting your hands on one of their cameras, why not pop along to the Student Lock-in they’ll be holding on Thursday 9th February, where you can get 15% off all purchases on presentation of your student card. You can find the event at https://www.facebook.com/events/361845523827292/.

To RSVP email your name to [email protected].

Local campaign stalls plans for new cancer research facility

Written by Solomon Radley on . Posted in News.

Plans to construct a £20m cancer research centre run by the Christie Hospital have been scrapped following a campaign from locals opposing the design of one of the car parks.

Council planners rejected the application for the multi-million pound facility amid concerns over the size and location of a staff car park and building on Withington Green – a small grassy area used by people living near by.

Around 150 campaigners turned out to greet members of the council’s planning committee when they visited the area before the meeting last month.

Locals claim that the structure would have clogged up the currently quiet residential roads with traffic.

Plans to replace the structure with a smaller, single story car park are now being considered.

Campaigners have presented hospital officials with an alternative car park design in the past, but the idea was deemed unacceptable.

A spokesman for the Christie Hospital said that representatives have met with the architect behind the alternative design three times, but that on the third meeting it was acknowledged that the proposal did not meet the requirements of the brief.

“The capacity for the car park has been calculated to re-provide the existing car parking and provide extra car parking required for future needs. We are taking a prolonged approach: provision of a realistic level of car parking allied with initiatives to reduce demand.”

However, Withington councilor Chris Paul argued that the current plans are excessive.

He said, “Residents don’t want a 750-place staff car parking among homes. The Wilmslow Road junction is often clogged anyway. There are two primary schools. Christie must get staff on bikes busses and trams, and living local so they can walk. Cars are a health risk here.”

The Christie is the largest cancer treatment centre of its kind in Europe and an international leader in research and development. It registers 12,500 new patients and treats about 40,000 patients every year.

The hospital is attempting to expand further in order to become one of the largest clinical trials units in the world.

“Poorer students are not discouraged by higher fees,” says Ucas

Written by Joe Sandler Clarke on . Posted in News.

The number of applications to UK universities has fallen by 8.7 percent – yet figures suggest that the tripling of fees for most courses has not deterred people from disadvantaged backgrounds from applying for university.

The coalition government’s decision to raise fees to £9,000 last year led to a series of violent clashes between police and students, while Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg was called a “hypocrite” after he decided to support the policy.

Ucas figures published last week show that the number of UK applicants fell by just 3.6 percent, a drop of only 8,500 people.  The total number of applicants, including EU national and foreign students, was down by 8.7 percent.

The news will be a welcome boost to the government, who last year were warned by organizations like the National Union of Students that the decision to triple fees would have a disastrous impact on social mobility.

“Our analysis shows that decreases in demand are slightly larger in more advantaged groups than in the disadvantaged groups,” said the chief executive of Ucas, Mary Curnock Cook.

“Widely expressed concerns about recent changes in HE (Higher Education) funding arrangements having a disproportionate effect on more disadvantaged groups are not borne out by these data.”

Wendy Piatt, the director general of the Russell Group, which represents the top research universities in the country, stated that the Ucas figures proved that demand for high education remained strong despite fee changes.

“Demand for higher education is not only strong – it’s actually rising over the long term. This year 540,073 prospective students have applied, which is 16% more than the 464,167 who applied just three years ago in 2009,” she told The Guardian.

“More than half a million potential students have rightly recognised the benefits of going to university. Prospective students know a good degree remains a smart investment.

“It’s not surprising the number of applications is lower than last year, but there are a number of reasons for that. Demographic changes mean there are fewer 18-year-olds in 2012 than in 2011 and we also know there was a peak in applications last year as fewer people chose to take gap years.”

But there were some individuals who chose to treat the figures with more trepidation. Nicola Dandridge, Universities UK’s chief executive, said that more research needed to be carried out to assess the true impact of fee changes.

“We will have to look now in more detail at whether students from certain backgrounds have been deterred more than others,” she said, adding.

“We will continue monitoring the impact of the new system on students and specific subjects.”

Liam Burns, President of the NUS was similarly skeptical.

“At a time when jobs are in short supply and youth unemployment has increased dramatically, the full impact of the Government’s changes to higher education funding cannot be fully understood until we know which groups of students have applied and been accepted to particular types of university,” he argued.

Burns also alluded to the fact the number of mature students applying for university decreased dramatically compared to last year. In total, the number of over-30s applying to universities was down by more than 3,000 compared to last year.

Where are they now? – Itzik Zohar

Written by Jan Metcalf on . Posted in Sport.

Itzik Zohar was one of the influx of Israeli players who graced the Premier League in the mid 90’s. He signed for Crystal Palace in 1997 for a fee of £1.2m. With Palace struggling badly in the league, they were looking to Zohar with his reputation for taking a superb free kick to inspire them to their first home win of the season, and ensure a miraculous climb out of the relegation mire. However, it was a set piece of another kind, a penalty, which ultimately defined Zohar’s ill fated stint in south east London. With only minutes left against fellow strugglers Southampton, and the game balancing on a knife edge at 1-1, Palace were awarded a penalty and a chance to secure a priceless win. Up stepped Zohar, with confidence exuding from him, only for the Israeli to comically miss and deny Palace a crucial three points, a feat which has seen him forever scorned by Palace fans. Zohar only managed 9 appearances for the Premier League side, before returning to his native Israel to play for a variety of clubs in the Haifa area. However, a series of injuries, and racism allegations made against him by a fellow professional resulting in a fine and ban, put paid to any real resurgence of his career that ended in 2005. Since his professional football career ended, Zohar has become heavily involved with Israeli beach football, starting up the first Israeli national team and playing for various other sides. As well as this, Zohar has become somewhat a media personality in his home country, featuring as the face of many advertising campaigns including Gillette, whilst also pursuing an acting career in an Israeli drama imaginatively named ‘The Show’. Whilst Zohar has not pursued a further career in football via coaching, he has established a successful career as a pundit, acting as the Israeli Gary Lineker on highlights show ‘Israel 10’. Ultimately, Zohar remains a respected football figure in Israel, however, here in England he will always be remembered as the man who missed the penalty, and has been immortalised into Crystal Palace folklore by being nominated as one of their top 10 worst ever signings.

Conte nurses ‘The Old Lady’ back to winning ways

Written by Thomas McMahon on . Posted in Sport.

The all-conquering Juventus sides of the late 1990s were packed with star names: Alessandro Del Piero, Edgar Davids, Filippo Inzaghi, even Zinedine Zidane. Antonio Conte was never one of these names. An undemonstrative, industrious midfielder, he was nevertheless a favourite of Marcello Lippi, and was given the captaincy in 1996. In the summer, after a dismal season in which the Bianconeri finished seventh under Luigi Del Neri, the Juventus hierarchy once again turned to Conte. The appointment of the 42-year-old as manager was widely mocked outside of Turin, with Conte’s relegation at Atalanta thought to outweigh his good work in Serie B with Siena.
However, under Conte’s stewardship, Juventus have secured the ‘winter championship’ and top the table ahead of Milan by a single point. The new manager has made subtle tactical alterations to the system imposed by Del Neri, moving from the 4-2-4 which frequently left the defence exposed to a more balanced 4-3-3. With no Juventus player yet reaching double figures in the league, victories have largely been based upon hard work, with the team built in Conte’s own tenacious image. Even Mirko Vucinic, the laconic former Roma forward, has been converted into a defensive right-winger in the Dirk Kuyt mould. The acquisition of Chilean midfielder Arturo Vidal has proved pivotal, with the former Bayer Leverkusen man adding bite and pace to the centre of the park. Veteran playmaker Andrea Pirlo, meanwhile, provides the team’s creative spark after his summer move from Milan.
While much of the club’s fine work in the transfer market can be attributed to sporting director Beppe Marrotta, Conte undoubtedly deserves a great deal of praise. He has dealt with the squad’s biggest egos skilfully, offloading Italo-Brazilian flop Amauri to Fiorentina for a nominal fee and silencing Eljero Elia’s twitter outbursts, but also coaxing Fabio Grosso back to his best form. Youth team graduates, meanwhile, have been gradually integrated into the first team, with attacking midfielder Luca Marrone looking particularly promising. The Old Lady has also benefitted from the move to the new Juventus Stadium in central Turin, with the more compact ground producing an atmosphere unrecognisable from the Delle Alpi.
Juve’s closest rival for the title seems to be Milan, who sit just a point behind them in the table. Massimiliano Allegri’s champions have not quite produced the magical form which saw them storm to the Scudetto last season, but remain a formidable unit. Zlatan Ibrahimovic tops the goalscoring charts with 15, while former Juventus midfielder Antonio Nocerino has helped himself to seven. Much may depend on the Rossoneri’s ability to adequately replace Antonio Cassano, whose continued absence in the wake of brain surgery has robbed the team of its most potent creative outlet. Udinese, six points adrift of the leaders, head up the chasing pack. However, the Umbrians have a small squad, and their continued reliance on Antonio Di Natale for goals and creativity is likely to see them fall short. Inter’s charge, meanwhile, has hit the buffers after they ended a run of seven consecutive wins with a 1-0 defeat Conte’s hometown club, Lecce. Come May, the 42-year-old Juventus manager may have a great deal more to smile about.

Tiger tamed as the Rock rises

Written by Jack Burke on . Posted in Sport.

Robert Rock went into the final day’s play in the Middle East holding a joint lead with Tiger Woods. After birdying three of his first six holes, Rock faltered on the 13th but held his nerve to finish impressively despite the presence of Woods, which Rock admitted was “a special honour in itself”. Such a performance is undoubtedly the highlight of Rock’s career thus far. A member of the European tour since 2004, the former club pro had only managed one title prior to this victory which was the Italian Open in 2011. Yet that tournament did not have a playing field of the quality on show here with the likes of Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell also finishing high up the leader board. Indeed prior to this display Rock was more known for his perfectly formed haircut which gets regular exposure since he does not wear a cap or visor while on the course, a rarity amongst golf’s elite. He also gained publicity at the 2011 US Open after taking a $1000 dollar cab ride to the tournament from the airport after visa problems delayed his arrival. Victory here propels the self confessed ‘swing nerd’ into the top 60 of the world rankings, giving him an excellent chance of playing at the Accenture Match Play championships in Arizona later this month. It was a new high for a man who began his professional career as an instructor at the Swingers Golf Centre in Lichfield.
Yet for all Rock’s heroics inevitably it was former World Number 1 Woods who was the centre of attention throughout the tournament. It was the first time Woods had opened his season on the European tour, with the American usually usually begins his season at San Diego’s Torrey Pines but was swayed by a large appearance fee from the tournament organizers clearly looking to cash in on his popularity which for all his recent mishaps remains high. Tiger looked to be back to his best at points during the tournament. An excellent third round in particular having all the commentators and analysts proclaiming the return to form of the greatest player the game has ever seen. Yet much like his performances in other tournaments over the past two years, Woods could not maintain such a high level in the final round, allowing Rock to pull clear of the field. Yet under the guidance of new coach Sean Foley, Woods swing in particular is looking more comfortable than it has for some time.
However it was not enough for the Tiger, allowing Robert Rock to seal victory, a deserved reward for a man who has worked right from the bottom of the professional golf pyramid to achieve success.

Blind date: Will and Ellie

Written by Lily Howes on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Will Brockbank, Fourth year, Russian and French

What were your expectations for the evening?

I was expecting your typical ugg-boot sporting, fake-tan smothered, red brick university student (i.e. a southerner) and plenty of awkwardness.

First impressions?

She wasn’t the type of student described above at all, so I was pleasantly surprised. She seemed chatty, interesting, and up for a laugh.

What did you talk about?

Clichéd topics of conversation aside, we talked about how odd it was that we live literally round the corner in Manchester and not much further away back home, as well as nights out at Twist and Shout at Venue, and a shared love for listening to The Beatles on vinyl in the small hours.

Best thing about them?

I would have to say her sense of humour and her ability to weave a really good story.

What did you eat?

Naturally, the most expensive thing on the menu: the beef steak with sweet potato wedges.

Any awkwardness?

Not at all!

How did you part ways? 

With a friendly hug and a frantic legging it to get off the bus at my stop.

Out of 10?

8

Would you see them again?

Given that she lives round the corner, chances are I won’t have any say in the matter! Hah! But, yes, I would.

 

 

Ellie Robertson, Third year, Drama

What were your expectations for the evening?

Marriage

First impressions?

Wow, you’re tall. I’m not.

What did you talk about?

Everything and anything. Mostly about where we’re from and how drunk we can get.

Best thing about them?

He talked back and laughed. Laughing is extremely important.

What did you eat?

Everything.

Any awkwardness?

Course there was, it was a blind date. Idiot.

How did you part ways? 

Got the bus. Good hug.

Out of 10?

A solid 7.

Would you see them again?

Yeah he knows my mate Woodsy. I’m sure its bound to happen at some point.

 

Also, a blind date at The Deaf Institute? Who organised that?!

 

 

Will and Ellie ate at The Deaf Institute, Grosvenor Street, Manchester. Thanks to the guys down at Grosvenor Street for getting involved. To check out their menu, gig listings and have a look at what club nights are coming up visit their website www.thedeafinstitute.co.uk

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

Ask Keir: Ecstasy

Written by Keir Stone-Brown on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Ask Keir is a column aiming to answer all your health questions. If you want to know about that funny looking lump that won’t go away, why your GP won’t give you those antibiotics or anything at all to do with health get in touch at: [email protected]

All questions will of course be kept confidential and anonymous


Q: Hi, I’m really enjoying going out in Manchester but the only thing I find a bit weird is that we went to the Warehouse Project in December and quite a few people were taking Es? Essentially I just want to know if they’re safe for me to take or not?

A: Well the short answer to that question is we don’t know. Even with the thousands of studies done on the effects of Ecstasy (aka MDMA, MD, pills etc.) there is no conclusive evidence of any long term positive or negative effects. The findings range from it having cancer fighting properties to them causing long term depression and anxiety.

The main short term effects are

– An energy buzz that makes people feel alert, alive, in tune with their surroundings, and with sounds and colours often experienced as more intense

– Users often develop temporary feelings of love and affection for the people they’re with and for the strangers around them

– Short-term risks of ecstasy can include feeling anxious or getting panic attacks, and developing confused episodes, paranoia or even psychosis

– Some people have been known to take another `E’ when they haven’t yet felt the expected `high’ of their first `E’. The danger then is that both Es kick in at once and you’ve got a double dose of effects to deal with.

 

The most stand out danger with ecstasy is that more often than not it is `cut’ with something else.

This `something else’ can be another recreational drug such as cocaine or ketamine but it’s much more likely to be something cheaper like talcum powder, in some cases even rat poison has been found, so those peddling the drugs can make the ecstasy go further and make more money for their pockets.

Another thought to take into consideration is that ecstasy is a class A drug and if caught by police in possession of it you can get up to 7 years in jail and a fine. Caught supplying it can get you life imprisonment. Any form of prosecution can limit your future job opportunities and may affect you being able to travel to some countries like the USA.

So all in all the risks go further than those to your health.

 

University museums win £2 million grant

Written by Gareth Lewis on . Posted in News.

Manchester’s museums have won approximately £2 million from the Arts Council England (ACE) despite many regional museums being stripped of government support.

The money will be used to expand Manchester University’s volunteer training programme for the long-term unemployed.

The purpose of the volunteer programme is to “get people back into work”.

University spokesman, Tim Manley says the programme will help the ill, disabled and long-term unemployed develop their “people and communication skills” as part of the University’s 2015 vision commitment to community outreach.

Whilst many students do volunteer for the museum and galleries, the core of the Partnership’s 150 volunteers are members of the local community. Often, these people are disadvantaged through disability or a lack of job history.

Recruiting more volunteers will make galleries more accessible through tours and visitor interaction and forms part the Manchester 2015 vision of increasing University attractions visitor numbers to 1 million per year. Currently the Partnership receives 850,000 visitors a year.

Dame Nancy Rothwell has praised ACE’s Renaissance Major Partners scheme for recognizing the “regional and national excellence” of The Manchester Museums Partnership, recipients of the grant. The money will be shared between The Manchester Museum, The Whitworth Gallery and Manchester City Galleries, which comprise the partnership. This investment is particularly significant against a backdrop of major cutbacks to arts and culture funding. Only 16 of the 29 organisations that applied won grants.

Yet Manley was keen to emphasise that “it’s not all new money”. Some of the grant comes from funds already promised to regional museums under the soon to be defunct Museums, Libraries and Archives Council.

Any museums that missed out on this three-year stream will receive a single year of transitional funding before central government support is cut off for good.

This change forms part of the government’s quango cutback, and includes a reduction in the amount of money available, which now stands at £20 million. The biggest loser in this policy is Museums Sheffield, which has described as being “bitterly disappointed” at the news by its Chief Executive, Nick Dodds.

Manchester’s sum, yet to be finalised, has already been allocated to salaries for staff supporting access to more of the collections held by the partnership.

Besides the volunteer programme, two other accessibility and outreach programmes include a sensory programme to interest babies in art and arts lessons and tours for older people.

 

Fitness the “fun” way

Written by Lily Howes on . Posted in Lifestyle.

For the general population new year resolutions begin on a hungover January 1st but for students who have to endure a painful few weeks confined to the library, with only comfort food and energy drinks to get them through revision, it’s much more practical to postpone new starts until February comes around.

Now exams are over, there is no excuse. Put the multipack of biscuits down and get up. With most of your student loan probably already blown on post-exam celebrations a gym membership is out of the question. Instead, stick with exercise at the click of a button and from the comfort of your front room: fitness DVD’s. Here are the latest tried and tested.

 

The Only Way is Essex: The Essexercise Workout

The sight of Sam, Billie and Lydia(who?!) in bikinis on the front cover is enough to make you want to give up and eat yourself to death. Watch a few minutes of the three twenty minute workouts that follow and you can understand how they look that good. A mixture of dance, combat and toning you’ll see the effects in no time – providing you do it more than twice. It isn’t easy being reem. With bonus features that give you a guide to get the full Essex look, it’s exercise and entertainment all rolled into one.

3 out of 5 stars – much more effective if put on mute, those accents are just too much.

 

Pussycat Dolls 2 Dancer’s Body Workout

Robin Antin, founder of the infamous PCD, has upped her game since her first fitness DVD in which “exercises” included rubbing a feather bower between your legs. Aptly titled ‘dancer’s body workout’ Robin makes the assumption that we all have the bodies and fitness staminas of dancers, or olympic athletes. The moves are quick, difficult to follow and for safety reasons you’re recommended not to do them in 4 inch heels a la the dolls. One move Robin repeats from the last DVD is the seductive biting of the finger. How many calories that burns I do not know, but combined with an overload of PVC and raunchy lunges this could be mistaken for a DVD of a totally different kind.

3 stars – this is one for the boys

Jennifer Ellison’s Fat Blaster Workout

Remember when Jennifer Ellison was really obese? No me neither. But apparently she thought she had some fat to blast and is now a mentor to those looking to do the same. Under the traditional format there’s three parts: tone blaster, box blaster and power blaster. If the repetition of ‘blaster’ isn’t enough to inspire you there’s a six foot illuminated sign that says ‘hot’ in the background through out. You’ve got to hand it to Jen though this is bloody hard, a little too hard. My inner slob struggles to put up with her motivational pep talks but if you’re less of a cynic than I am this might just be for you.

4 stars – for the positive and pro active among us

 

 

Davina: The Ultimate Target Workout

As if there could be a fitness feature without Davina making an appearance. In what feels like her four hundredth fitness DVD she’s back with personal trainer pals Jackie and Mark. This time the focus is “ultimate target” so whether you’re trying to shift a beer gut, tone up bingo wings or get rid of unloved love handles Davina’s got the moves for you. Supposedly it only works if you ditch the stuffed-crust pizzas and Mars bars – who knew?! – so make sure that’s a sacrifice you’re willing to make.

5 stars – serious gym goers only, Davina takes no prisoners

Death of Manchester’s powerful Green activist

Written by Ellen Conlon on . Posted in News.

Gayle O’Donovan, a General Election candidate and leading Green Party activist in Manchester died last week.

Gayle served as Local Party Support Co-ordinator for the Green Party from September 2010 to December 2011 and was involved with a variety of green campaigns in Manchester, including the Save Hasty Lane campaign opposing the expansion of Manchester Airport.

She was the co-founder of “Call to Real Action,” which aims to reduce Manchester’s carbon emissions and prepare for the changes climate change will bring and the co-ordinator of BRiM (Bike Recycle in Manchester) which supports people in Manchester becoming confident cyclists and stops bikes going into landfills.

She played a key role in helping Salford Green Party set up independently.

Anne Power, Membership Secretary of Manchester Green Party described Gayle as: “clearly a dynamic person, attracting people and invigorating them.” Her presence at Green Party meetings and Climate Change events was always accompanied by “laughter and serious debate.”

Gayle’s campaign to be Manchester’s Green Party MP stated that she was concerned about Manchester’s “traffic congestion, the lack of quality green spaces and the low level crime currently blighting the community.”

She believed that Manchester needed: “more investment in neighborhood policing, far better provision for youth activities, and more social health resources.”

Power states: “The Green Party and environmental movement have lost a powerful activist and I personally have lost an amazing friend.”

The funeral took place on Wednesday in Gayle’s hometown of Limerick.