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Month: September 2012

The importance of allowing idiots to have their say

In the wake of the offensive amateur film Innocence of Muslims there have been calls from some quarters for new blasphemy laws in the UK.

Whilst there can be no doubt as to quite how offensive this film is, to Muslims, or anyone who has ever seen a half way decent film before, the re-introduction of blasphemy laws could surely only have negative consequences for us all.

The crime of blasphemy was formally abolished in the UK in 2008, under the Criminal Justice and Immigration act, a relic of the old dark days of British history, where Quaker’s could be branded and flogged (poor James Naylor in 1656), Protestants burned at the stake (see Mary Tudor’s rule) and Jews flung down wells (as punishment for their perceived causing of the Black Death).

The last person to be sent to prison for blasphemy was John William Gott, in 1921, he was sentenced to nine months’ hard labour, despite suffering from an incurable illness, and died shortly thereafter. The case became subject to widespread public outrage, and since then there has been only a few other cases of blasphemy and the courts.

In 1976 the newspaper Gay News published the poem, ‘the love that dares speak its name’, a poem written from the perspective of a Roman Centurion that describes him having sex with Jesus after his crucifixion alongside a verse mentioning Jesus having sex with his disciples, Pontius Pilate and Herod’s guards.  Mary Whitehouse, a socially conservative social activist of the time, took objection to it and launched legal proceedings against the editor and the paper.

To give a little context about Ms. Whitehouse, she also despised Doctor Who and campaigned against it, describing it as “teatime brutality for tots” and the coverage of the terrors of the Vietnam War, fearing it could encourage pacifism and “sap the will of the nation to safeguard its own freedom, let alone resist the forces of evil abroad”.

Salman Rushdie’s infamous novel ‘The Satanic Verses’ sparked anger and protests in Muslim communities across the globe in the late 1980s, for the feeling that the book insulted the prophet and their holy text the Qur’an.  When a prosecution was attempted to be brought against the novel for blasphemy it was clear that it was no possible, as the blasphemy laws covered only Christianity.

Whilst it might been seen by some as a conflation of ideas when people describe insults towards religion as merely ‘freedom of speech’, as it would seem to serve no positive purpose for the public discourse to have cartoons of the prophet Mohammed published, for instance, it is a necessary, though perhaps uncomfortable, part of free speech.

Some might regard such a measure as merely a pragmatic attempt to limit public unrest, but a logical and sensible attempt to minimise distress and upset and maximise a situation of happiness where there aren’t mass protests against the West flaring up across the globe whenever a slight of Islam is published it is also quite wrong to think that that is the problem that we have to deal with.

If we were to have some form of curtail on freedom of speech based on when people are insulted, it would be fairly impossible to find any metric by which this could be done. When would the required level of anger and distress need to be hit? And what would it be? Presumably, it would have to protect non-religious interest groups also, such as the LGBTQ community in which case there seems to be a fairly large clash of what people would then want to protect and prevent.

There is a reason why people hold the value of free speech so highly. Whenever you have a situation where one person, or one group indeed, decide what is or is not permissible for publication you run into an awful lot of trouble. How could some sort of consensus be reached on what is or is not permissible?

For one thing, the various interest groups involved. Whilst with blasphemy laws you would say that this is only concerns religion, so you would legislate to protect the major religions in a country. In the UK, we have many religions (including Jedi Knights, which became an officially recognised religion in the UK in 2001) many of whom would have fairly conflicting ideas on various topics that would involve making logically consistent blasphemy laws that protect all religions fairly equally surely impossible. Then there are also other groups, such as the LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer) community. To try and reconcile protecting certain religion’s rights to criticise certain ‘lifestyle choices’ as they might refer to them in a fire and brimstone manner with the LGBTQ community’s right to exist without constant attacks from hate speakers is one that could not be done easily.

Of course, we should protect religious communities’ right to exist without fear of hate based attacks, which is why in 2006 the Racial and Religious hatred act was passed. It made it a crime to incite hatred of a certain group or individual on the grounds of their religion, thus protecting against an awful lot of the problems that we would not want to see.

There is a difference between insulting a religion, even insulting believers, and inciting hatred against a religious group.

There are certain minority groups such as the Muslim community who are treated poorly within our society, but it does not seem sensible to pursue such a regressive policy as an attempt to tackle this.

There does need to be tolerance even of absolute idiots saying absolutely idiotic things if we are to have a situation where the state does not interfere with what its citizens say.

News in brief – 1st October

 

Vigil held for two dead police officers

Mourners gathered on Tuesday, exactly a week after the incident, to pay tribute to the two female police officers who were shot on duty.

Addressing the mourners, including hundreds of members of the public, Chief Constable Fahy said: “Greater Manchester Police is one big family.

“We know what a great community it is and we are determined to continue that work.”

 

New frozen yogurt shop gets “appy”

A new frozen yogurt and smoothie outlet has opened in Deansgate which allows customers to personalise their beverage choices and then order them on an iPad.

In the future, customers at The Fruit Exchange will also be able to personalise, order and pay, all via an app on their own iPad or iPhone.

“It saves our staff time and is a brilliant and innovative device,” said Thomas Osbourne, owner of The Fruit Exchange.

 

£1.5 million lottery win funds new archive centre

A new archive centre will be created in Manchester’s central library after winning £1.5 million lottery money.

The new service will improve access to the city’s archive and family history collections and fund viewing stations for film archives.

Sara Hilton, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund North West said: “Every aspect of Manchester’s development as the world’s first industrial city is captured here in these collections, and thanks to this project visitors from near and far will be able to learn about the city’s history.”

 

Lib Dems call for public postgraduate loans

The Liberal Democrats have adopted a policy calling for increased funding in science and research.

The policy, named ‘developing a future – policies for science and research’, calls on the Coalition Government to increase the already ring fenced science and research budget at a rate above inflation, and to make a commitment to this for the next 15 years; for there to be increased provision of science and maths education in schools and for a public system of income contingent loans for post graduate study.

Proposed by the Member of Parliament for Cambridge Julian Huppert, a former researcher at the University of Cambridge, the policy also encourages that immigration laws be revised so that “bona fide international students can continue to come to the UK to study, that the best and brightest can stay in the UK…after graduation, and that … academics, scientists and other chartered individuals (can be encouraged) to work and settle in the UK”

Commenting, Liberal Democrat MP for Cambridge and former research scientist at the University of Cambridge, Julian Huppert said, “Despite low levels of funding, the UK has outperformed other countries, some which invest almost twice as much in research and development.

“There is clear evidence that government investment in research and development incentivises and creates the conditions for additional private sector investment.

“Today Liberal Democrats supported increased investment in science and research. We want to develop an education and training system to produce a highly-skilled workforce that supports research and innovation. Improving science and maths education in schools must be a priority if we are to inspire the next generation.

“We also need an immigration system that actively encourages top scientists and academics to come to the UK, otherwise they will go elsewhere.

“These proposals challenge the way the Government thinks about science, redirecting money to where it benefits the economy, improving our ability to attract the brightest minds and giving the next generation the skills they need to compete in an ever-changing world.”

Luke Newton, Education Officer at the University of Manchester Students’ Union commented, “I welcome the commitment the Liberal Democrats have made to provide a fair loans system for postgraduates; however given their record on promises to students I’m not ready to believe they’ll carry through on this pledge.”

Speaking to Times Higher Education, John Martin, a professor at University College London and Yale University, supported the motion though stated a wish that it had come sooner, feeling that the UK has “failed in its potential to produce wealth from science over the last 20 years”.

My Political Hero: Walter Rodney

If the academics amongst political activists possess the theoretical bite and the orators and revolutionaries supply the bark, Walter Rodney embodied a remarkable blend of both. Unwaveringly committed to the plight of the oppressed in the politically-tumultuous post-colonial Caribbean, Rodney’s life is testament to both incredible guise and dogged spirit.

The power of Rodney’s intellect was evident from the start. From a working-class home in 1940s’ Guyana to a Ph.D awarded by the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, Rodney showcased his passion for and masterful understanding of the histories and plights of the oppressed.  His most influential work, ‘How Europe Underdeveloped Africa’, came during a formative period of lecturing in Tanzania in the 1970s, notably a time at which the Eurocentric and imperial narratives which he chose to confront were much stronger than they are today; still undergoing the process of being challenged and dismantled. An incredible understanding of the mechanisms of power, coupled with the assurance to address formidable narratives of history, Rodney demonstrated the intellectual tools he would later use to challenge entire political landscapes.

However, upon entering Jamaica in 1968 to assume his first major teaching appointment at the University of the West Indies, it wasn’t just his intellectual prowess which demanded attention. He was a vocal opponent of the economic suppression suffered by the poor, non-white population at the hands of the tiny capitalist class and an active advocate of the growing Black Power movement. But it was Rodney’s dogged zeal and determination to take his message further than the confines of academic circles which really put his head above the parapet. Entering the ‘dark, dismal places with a black population who have to seek refuge there’, Rodney reached much further than his student and middle-class audiences; right into the heart of deprivation in West Kingston. The bark to his meaty academic bite, Rodney spoke at sports clubs, churches and rubbish dumps to engage and galvanise the oppressed swathes of society for whom he stood.

Dependent on a political system which divided the oppressed minorities that Rodney sought to unite, the Jamaican government were quick to recognise the threat to their survival. After only eight months in the country, Minister of Home Affairs Roy McNeill had described Rodney as the biggest security threat to the nation he had ever encountered and the University was asked to terminate his contact. After the University refused citing insufficient grounds, the government seized their opportunity when Rodney attended a black writers’ conference in Montreal and prevented him from re-entering the country. The protest and unrest that ensued was sparked by student groups (but quickly spilling over into the areas of Kingston that Rodney had sought to reach), and was a watershed moment in Jamaican history. For the first time, inspired and bound together by the Black Power narrative of Walter Rodney, the ‘Rodney Riots’ of 1968 saw the socially and economically deprived in Kingston find their voice and bring post-independence inequality to the fore.

His determination to resist and elude the full force of governments, his phenomenal capacity to perceive the mechanisms of oppression and his unwavering commitment to go out and address them made Walter Rodney a multi-faceted hero. A brilliant mind relentlessly pursuing the oppression amidst which it was awoken, Rodney constituted a constant threat to the colonial legacy of entrenched economic and racial divisions in the twentieth-century Caribbean. A hero with a bark, a hero with a bite.

Politics on campus: Labour Students and Young Greens

Arthur Baker – Manchester Labour Students 

With over 600 members, Manchester Labour Students is the largest Labour club in the country, and we are one of the most active student societies at the University of Manchester. We campaign in the Students’ Union and across the country, as well as holding stimulating speaker events and welcoming socials. MLS is affiliated to the Labour Party and we campaign for them in elections, but we’re an autonomous organisation with the ability to make our own policy and set our own priorities. Anyone who shares our values of equality, democracy and social justice will be at home in Manchester Labour Students.

We are the political organisation for students on the Left who want to get stuff done, and it’s never been more necessary than now. The Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats are implementing the most aggressive and unfair programme of public spending cuts in living memory; they’re targeting the poorest and most vulnerable along with young people and students, as well as privatising our NHS. In the face of these attacks we need to be active more than ever. Last year we linked up with Labour clubs from dozens of universities and campaigned hard in elections across the country to keep the Tories out. We went down to London to take part in the NUS and Trade Union Council demonstrations. Meanwhile, back in Manchester we were busy winning a ‘living wage’ for all employees of the University of Manchester. This year we’ll be back in London for more protests, fighting for the living wage at Manchester Metropolitan University, as well as campaigning to get students registered to vote. This is especially vital as the government is trying to stop students from voting by stopping university halls from registering them automatically.

With campaigns like these, it’s possible to make a real difference to the lives of people who’ve been targeted by this government. Whether it’s guaranteeing workers at the university (including students) a fair wage to help them out whilst fees are being raised and benefits cut, or ensuring local people have a strong Labour council to protect them from the worst of the government’s cuts.

As well as campaigns, we organise lively debates and discussions with great speakers. Last year we had shadow Business Secretary Chuka Umunna, as well as a host of other speakers. This year we’ll be having many more such events, as well as going to the fringe at the Labour Party Conference in October where we’ll be discussing a huge range of issues with top cabinet ministers, MPs, journalists and political commentators, and we’d love for you to join us.

Whether you’re a Blairite or a Bennite, if you want to do your bit to help keep the Tories out, to help make our Universities and communities fairer places, or if you’re just interested in political discussion, Manchester Labour Students is the place to be. It’s only a quid and you can join online at http://www.labourstudents.org.uk/

 

Clifford Flemming – Manchester Young Greens

Our society represents the student body of the Green Party at the University of Manchester, and we want to introduce ourselves; so a huge hello from us! At the Young Greens we campaign for a sustainable and fair society; our aim is to harness the energy and enthusiasm of students and represent the leftist ideas that have disappeared from mainstream politics. The Manchester Young Greens need your involvement to help create a sustainable future for everyone, and to ensure that the momentum behind the Green movement on campus keeps growing.

The Green Party are focused on creating a new, fairer economic system based on sustainability, free world-class education and investment in new, world-leading technologies. It’s important to look further ahead into our future, beyond the current economic climate. We need to act now in order to create a better society and environment for this country and the world. The short-sighted views of the current and previous governments have led to a generation facing unprecedented levels of unemployment, huge debts and the near impossibility of a secure future. The UK needs a new voice.

In the latest poll of voting intentions in the next general election, the Green Party were on 5% and we expect this to grow. We are rapidly growing in council members across the UK and have a solid presence in the European Parliament. The Green Party are now the third-largest party in London, and for a party that started in 1990, we’re doing very well. Last year we stood six members of the Manchester Young Greens in the Manchester council elections, coming second in places like Fallowfield, beating both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.

On Friday October 26th we plan to attend the national Young Greens convention, and to have our voice heard. There we will all work together on increasing the power and spread of our message. Later on in the term we plan to hold debates with other political parties, offer training sessions on campaigning and lobbying and support Manchester Green Party with their work in the local area. We will also be part of organising a talk on ‘Climate Emergency’ in advance of the Doha Climate Change Conference in November.

As one of the fastest growing societies on campus, we want you to be a part of our movement. It is really easy to get involved and we have lots of fun. It’s a great opportunity for anyone interested in politics or looking to meet like-minded people.

Email: [email protected]

Twitter: www.twitter.com/MCRYoungGreens

Facebook: www.facebook.com/youngandgreenmanchester

 

Do we really need another hobby awareness week?

It was International Book Week, some Internet-worms whispered to Books. The social media-generated ‘awareness’ week that garnered little notice was comprised of a ‘meme’. International Book Week’s medium and method of generating this awareness meant, as Ali Khaled of The National said, making gimmick-y and confining to doomed curiosity object that which real bookworms already treasure: books. So to, very quietly, subvert, watch as we print the entirety of International Book Week here (take that Internet!):

“The rules: Grab the closest book to you, turn to page 52, post *read* the 5th sentence to [friend/relative/person next to you on the bus] as your status. Don’t mention the title.”

Our Country’s Alright

Three out of five stars

The play was a multi-rolled piece recounting the true story of a group of convicts putting on a production of The Recruiting Officer in a 1780s penal colony in New South Wales. Despite severe opposition from the other naval officers, director Lieutenant Ralph Clark goes on with the show, giving the tormented convicts hope through the morale and unity created.

Although based on true events and people, Wertenbaker definitely has a talent for writing characters, particularly female ones. Whilst all the characters had their own strong individuality, it was the scenes with the women in that I always looked forward to. A poignant piece of acting and writing came in the scene in which prostitute Duckling Smith confesses the feelings she never told her dying and unconscious Midshipman lover Harry Brewer. Lisa Kerr gave an unbearably paining performance as she tearfully told Harry ‘If you live I will love you. If you die I will never forgive you’, before breaking down completely.

Our Country’s Good was warm, gentle and had a few good laughs. The frequent theatrical ‘in-jokes’ make the subject a little inaccessible, but were great if you were ‘in’. The painted canvas backdrops and wooden scenery gave the show an old-school, quasi-epic feel to it, but the Brechtian technique of summing up the events of the scene to come made little sense as it only occurred thrice in about twenty different scenes.

This of course is not the fault of the director, Max Stafford-Clark, (who collaborated with Wertenbaker on the original production in 1988), which brings me on to my overall opinion of the play. Whilst not a bad play, or indeed production, I feel that this and other plays of its kind bear little relevance in today’s world: both theatrical and societal. The contexts of imprisonment and 1780 make for something not very relatable at all.

Although the play may not sound like everyone’s cup of tea, it is well directed and humorous. On the whole, Our Country’s Good wasn’t bad.

Our Country’s Good ran until September 22nd and is now on a UK tour.

Man reveals drug empire during murder trial

A man who revealed details about his drug dealing empire during a murder trial has been jailed.

Milad Finn, 24, made extensive admissions regarding his drug dealing activities in a trial for the murder of Junaid Khan, for which he was charged but later acquitted.

Finn admitted to conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine, the production of cannabis, converting criminal property and encouraging or assisting the commission of offences.

He was jailed for six years at Minshull Street Crown Court on 24 September.

Detective Sergeant Mark Lucas, said: “By his own admissions Finn started dealing drugs at 15 before expanding and setting up on his own.

“He quickly established himself as a prominent dealer across our region and is worryingly at ease sourcing and distributing large amounts of class A drugs and adulterants.”

Following the first trial, court transcripts were obtained and detectives from the Major Incident Team launched a thorough investigation.

The transcripts revealed how Finn told the court his first contact with illegal drugs was at the age of 15 when he had dealt heroin and crack cocaine on behalf of someone else.

Finn explained how he went on to set up his own drug dealing empire, going into detail about mixing agents he would buy to maximise his profits.

As his orders grew, Finn told the court how he imported large quantities of caffeine and Benzocaine from China to be used as mixing agents, as well as sourcing similar products from within the UK.

He did not disclose how much cash he had made from is criminal enterprise, but told the court he earned and spent large amounts of money. The figures he gave during his testimony put the amount he received from his criminal endeavours at more than £340,000.

Following his acquittal, detectives were able to corroborate the details provided by Finn during his testimony.

An investigation into Finn’s financial affairs is ongoing.

DS Lucas added: “While we can’t quantify the amounts of drugs or cash that passed hands while he ran his criminal enterprise, the figures for both are undoubtedly substantial.”

US universities increase efforts to recruit UK students

Universities in the United States are seeking to recruit greater numbers of British students now that higher tuition fees have come into effect.

Around 9,000 UK students studied in the US last year, but experts predict that this number will increase this autumn and then again in 2013.

Although US universities tend to be regarded as expensive, the tripling of UK tuition fees has reduced cost differences. Coupled with more generous scholarships and grants than British equivalents, studies in the US could become cheaper than in the UK.

The UK applicant website for Harvard College demonstrates that total fees involved for a UK student can reach £36,000 a year, but financial aid can reduce this to as low as £1,500. They estimate that total costs for a UK undergraduate course are now £15,000 a year.

Dr. Natalie Zacek, a US born lecturer in American History at the University of Manchester, stressed that Harvard have more money to spend on grants than other universities and also warned that American student loans have higher rates of interest than British ones.

But she sees the US education system as “more flexible” than in the UK where “sometimes secondary school students get steered in particular directions.”

She argues that because American students spend their first two years at university doing a wide range of subjects, they have “more of a free hand” when they specialise in later years.

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, J Robert Spatig, assistant vice-president for admissions at South Florida University in Tampa, saw this as a “carpe diem moment for recruitment of UK students” and a “once in a generation opportunity to attract prospective British applicants across the Atlantic.”

Seven marathons in seven days in memory of Manchester student

A 180 mile fundraiser run took place last week in memory of Natalie Kate Moss, a former student at the University of Manchester.

Natalie studied Textile Design and Design Management at the University from 2004-2008, but died suddenly of a brain aneurism in December 2011, at the age of 26.

Last Sunday her brother Sebastian Moss and family friend Ashley Collins began the trek to raise funds for a trust set up in Natalie’s name.

The 180 mile challenge, which started in Manchester and ends in London, is the equivalent of running a marathon every day for a week.

The trust aims to support individuals who have suffered a brain injury through university life and the family hopes to use the proceeds of this fundraiser to award two undergraduate scholarships to new students suffering from injuries brought on by stroke or brain injury.

They hope that the Natalie Kate Moss Scholarships will be awarded on an annual basis and that the fund will also be able to aid further research at Manchester into brain injuries.

Sebastian said: “The Trust will offer students who have suffered a brain injury financial support, providing them with the opportunity to complete a degree at the University.

“Many people with such disabilities are unable to attend because they cannot afford the additional support they require due to their condition, anything from help taking notes to specialised accommodation.

“The Natalie Kate Moss Trust looks to give people a chance to fulfil their potential.”

“The route from Manchester to London was chosen because that was the path that Natalie had taken just before she died. She went to The University of Manchester and then spent many happy years living in Manchester before moving down to London to progress her career.”

Sebastian and Ashley have so far raised £7,737, close to their £10,000 target and are being sponsored in their challenge by top clothing brand Karen Millen, where Natalie was working as a Brand Manager when she died.

The fundraising Facebook page – 180 miles for Degrees, currently has 134 likes and is being used both by Sebastian and Ashley to keep supporters updated with their progress during the training and the run itself and by well wishers to offer good luck and advice to the long distance runners.

Wearing matching t-shirts and armed with Haribo starmix, multipacks of lucozade and boxes of cod liver oil tablets, the pair hope to finish the run on Saturday 29th September, ending in Hyde Park.

Nothing left untouched

In Hollywood, an established star can often save a weak plot from financial meltdown. But when you’ve got the likes of Emma Watson playing a “wallflower”, you know it’s all gone a bit mad – perhaps the film industry is in need of a wake up call.

This came on 21st September with the release of the French film Untouchable, which tells the real-life story of a quadriplegic millionaire and his ex-convict carer.

The film is not what you might expect. Whilst topics such as these have been deemed ‘untouchable’ in the past, it doesn’t beat about the bush, confronting the issues head on with full-frontal comedy.

This approach seems to have done the trick. The film has already had huge success all over the globe, grossing higher than the last Harry Potter installment in some countries. Picked as France’s next entry for the 2013 Academy Awards, it has even inspired no less than Harvey Weinstein and Colin Firth, who are set to make an English language version of the film. Judging by the rave reviews, it’s going to be huge in England too.

Quite clearly, this story has already touched millions, marking cinema’s growing ability to challenge, inspire and teach; and showing audiences’ willingness to go to the cinema and learn something new. It’s all well and good for the film to go on and for us to switch off, but sometimes we’re looking for something more- and for our eyes to be well and truly opened.

Although Untouchable might be the first film to tackle such issues and hit the mainstream, it’s not the first to bring life with disability into the spotlight and onto the big screen.  The Diving Bell and the Butterfly in 2007 moved audiences with its depiction of the true story of Elle editor Jean-Dominique Bauby and his life with locked-in syndrome.

Arguably even more exciting and powerful is the emergence of films that have gone even further by casting actors with special needs and disabilities. Watch Girlfriend, Yo También, or The Memory Keeper’s Daughter– films about people with Down’s Syndrome, starring actors with Down’s Syndrome.

Films like these and like Untouchable are a welcome sight to the film industry and to us, proving that film can not only be watched by everyone, but include everyone too.

Hollywood loves time-travel

The legacy of time-travel in Hollywood films is constantly growing. It’s no surprise when you consider this idea conceptually and how it can be employed to accustom any plot line, however ridiculous. Each film tends to set its own rules and structure for the phenomenon. In Terminator, time-travel is a one-way street in which you arrive indecently exposed in some kind of electrified sphere. Back to the Future on the other hand, has a more reasonable form of transportation, allowing you to freely to travel back and forth fully-dressed and in the comfort of your own car. One of the first time-travelling films, Planet of the Apes (1968) probably holds the most ‘scientific’ explanation; astronauts who are travelling at light speed end up progressing thousands of years in a matter of months.

One actor who is no stranger to the idea is Bruce Willis, who starred in the critically-acclaimed box office smash 12 Monkeys (1995). In it he travels from a post-apocalyptic future back to the ’90s to save the earth from a deadly virus outbreak. Clearly Willis is a fan of time-travel, as he revisits the concept this autumn in Looper, accompanied by Hollywood’s new golden boy Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Whilst the film’s plot may sound ridiculous – future crime syndicate disposes of rivals by sending them back 30 years to face Levitt’s shotgun – it is already set to be one of this year’s most successful films. It seems that no matter how many years go by, time-travel always resounds well in cinema.

RAG

RAG (Raise and Give) is a fundraising organisation that has been active in Manchester since 1965, and year after year raises thousands of pounds for charity by sending students out on hair-raising adventures across the country and the world.

I caught up with Jo Mortimer the publicity officer who explained how RAG works, and some of the exciting events they have on offer this year. “It’s a student based organisation so we’re all third and second year students. Then there is one fully paid member of staff Lauren, she is amazing and sorts us out when we get stressed and cry!”

The organisation is definitely growing in size. Last year they raised £471,000 for their various charities, and this year they are aiming to raise a whopping £500,000. ‘It’s awesome how much money we raise, and soon we’ll have to start increasing the size of our committee to keep the ball rolling’. Although Rag is ever growing, there are still lots of people who don’t know about RAG especially in student halls and within societies themselves. ‘Our aim is to get every fresher to think that RAG is a normal thing to do, so at some point everyone will have been involved in one of the events and challenges we have to offer’.

 

MT KILIMANJARO

Photo:Jamie Oliver

 

The challenge most people have heard of is the Mt Kilimanjaro climb. Each year students are flown out to Tanzania in East Africa to overcome extreme weather conditions, altitude sickness and fatigue in order to raise money for either the Meningitis Research Foundation or Practical Action. ‘It’s the best and worst thing that I have ever done in my life’, says Ella Tyler who completed the climb this summer, ‘as it’s mentally and physically rewarding but it was quite tough at some points. The reason I loved it was because you get so close to the group you do it with, you’re together every step of the way. The porters were fantastic and they were so supportive even though some of them couldn’t speak English!’

Chris, also from Practical Action, explained how vital the money raised by Manchester students is. ‘Last year, student’s  raised over £70,000 for Practical Action, this is an absolutely colossal amount of money, and helps Practical Action make a genuine difference to the lives of the world’s poorest women, men and children. With this Practical Action could build six solar powered water pumping systems in communities in northern Kenya with no access to basic sanitation, and teach these communities basic hygiene skills, changing the lives of thousands of people. We spend 89p in every £1 donated directly on our project work.’

It’s such a great opportunity and you’ll probably never get the chance to climb Kilimanjaro once you leave university. It’s organised during the summer holiday, which means after the climb you can take time to travel round Eastern Africa – you’ll definitely deserve a break having climbed a 19,341ft mountain (technically it’s three volcanoes, two that are extinct but the third and highest summit is dormant so could erupt again).  A few people may read this and think they wouldn’t have the fitness to face such a challenge, however the main feat is altitude sickness and this you can’t train for. All you need is enthusiasm and determination.

BOGLE

Photo:Katherine Lawson

If the thought of climbing Kilimanjaro or attempting the other challenges doesn’t appeal then RAG runs a host of smaller events. However, don’t underestimate them because they are still challenging! One of these is Bogle, a 55mile walk around Manchester on the 1st and 2nd of March. It was started in the 1950s by people who got stranded in the Lake District, instead of paying for a taxi they decided to walk back to Manchester and get sponsored to do it. It has now evolved into Bogle.

Walkers meet at the RAG office in north campus at 7pm, and then walk through the night. The route takes you all around Manchester so you get to see parts of the city that students would never normally see.  It is extremely challenging – nearly half end up dropping out as half way as the route loops back through Fallowfield and for many right past their doorstep.

Kat Lawson did the Bogle Ramble last year; this is a 26mile walk that takes ten hours. She explained how it was no walk in the park.

‘In all honesty it nearly killed me doing 26 miles. I had the worst blisters they were the size of cherry tomatoes, we now have a personal joke whenever we do anything that nothing is as bad as Bogle! Although it was tough we ended up having so much fun, and finishing was just the best feeling!’  However don’t let the blisters put you off because it isn’t just about the walk, especially if there is a large group of you.

If you do it in two or threes it’s hard to keep up morale, its much better and a lot more fun to attack the walk in a group. So if you are a member of a society that supports a charity, then getting involved would be a perfect way to raise money and to raise your society’s profile. With the money raised half will go to the selected charity by Rag (yet to be announced) and the other half will go whichever charity that is special to you.

‘In the end we managed to raise £200 for Childreach International which we are so proud of.’ So get talking amongst your friends to be walking and raising by the 1st and 2nd March.

For more information on Bogle then visit the website: http://www.manchesterrag.com/bogle/

 

JAILBREAK and LOST

Photo:Lauren Neal

 

Another really popular event is the Jailbreak, the aim of which is to see how far away from manchester you can get in thirty hours, without spending a penny. It may seem impossible but you’d be surprised how far you actually get. In previous years people have made it as far as Dubai and Hong Kong, and the furthest destination last year was Croatia. People blag their way onto all means of transport from buses, taxis, planes, cars and sometimes just do some good old fashioned walking.

The Publicity Officer Jo told me how she had taken part in Lost, which is Jailbreak’s sister event. ‘Everyone meets at Owens Park at midnight, and clamber onto the coach which has its windows taped up with bin liners. You are then driven through the night for three or four hours, chucked out and told to find your way back without spending any money’.  It’s a crazy idea, but great fun and perfect for raising money. On previous years students have been taken as far as Newcastle and Oxford. ‘When you’re dropped off everyone looks at each other thinking the same thing: where the hell am I.’ It seems that there maybe some safety issue that need to be addressed for both Jailbreak and Lost, but Jo assured me that RAG keep a close eye on its participants. ‘It’s not dangerous, because we make people text us the moment they get into a car giving us the registration number and again when they get off, this goes the same for trains and buses. This way we can keep track of everyone’s progress and don’t lose any students.’

If any of these challenges have caught your attention then look online to find out more, plus see all the other challenges that are on offer. These range from Everest Base Camp to Beer Fest.

Rag website: http://www.manchesterrag.com/

 

“The truth is out today. Justice starts tomorrow”

The 23rd of September saw Liverpool’s first home game since the publication of the Hillsborough Independent Panel’s report.  Their opponents, almost inevitably, were Manchester United. It’s a fixture which proves a constant reminder of just how far their footballing stock has fallen.

Gone are the days when Liverpool were revered worldwide as Britain’s most famous footballing export. According to the current league table, they aren’t even the best team on Merseyside.

Gone, also, are the days where the events of the 15th of April 1989 are attributed in any way, shape or form to the actions of Liverpool fans on that day. Gone are the obstacles to the truth, perpetuated by those with only self-interest at heart.

The lies have been exposed and the truth, as unearthed by one of the most thorough inquiries in British judicial history, is that journalistic integrity, corporate liability and policing responsibility were abandoned.

Abandoned in the run up to the game when, despite numerous warnings, the Football Association declared Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough stadium suitable for the FA Cup semi-final.

Abandoned by Superintendent David Duckenfield, whose incompetency led to 3,000 fans being shepherded into a part of the ground built for no more than half that number.

Abandoned by several senior policemen, who refused to allow 42 ambulances onto the pitch as people lay dying for want of basic medical attention.

Abandoned by those who sought to erase the honest accounts of hundreds of rank-and-file officers, a cover-up which began even as the disaster was still unfolding.

Trevor Hicks, to whom the headline quote is attributed, lost both his daughters at Hillsborough. He and all the families have had to endure not only the loss of their loved ones, and a stream of unanswered questions, but an incessant tirade of slurs, lies and fallacies about the actions of the police, the actions of the emergency services and even the actions of the fans themselves.

Thanks to newspaper editors, journalists and senior politicians, the lie has been continually perpetuated that this was not only Liverpool’s tragedy, but Liverpool’s fault.  The self-pity city once again looking for someone else to blame. At last, these fallacies have been put to bed.

At last the world might understand that this isn’t just Liverpool’s tragedy. Nor is it merely football’s tragedy. The families never wanted pity; they waited 23 years simply to hear the truth. They should not have to wait another 23 years for justice to be done.

Dan Jones is a lifelong Liverpool supporter, who regularly attends matches both home and away; his passion has taken him to over ten countries following his team.

Retro Corner: Crash Bandicoot

I have never been a gamer. When my housemates disappear upstairs for several hours to play COD, I choose to leave the ‘campers’ and ‘K/D whores’ to it. Instead, I combat the ten thousand rounds of staccato gunfire reverberating through our floorboards by turning The One Show up to eleven in the hope that Gyles Brandreth will drown out the bloodshed.

As a result, a typical confrontation between myself and a gamer consists of a fruitless back-and-forth until we agree that I am a Luddite. The reason why lies in the form of a small but surprisingly resilient marsupial: Crash Bandicoot.

Certainly the best game I have ever played, it is a triumph of simplicity. At the time, Crash had jaw-dropping graphics and a vibrant aesthetic that enlivened the Bandicoot bonding experience. Sixteen years on, Crash looks dated compared to its unnervingly lifelike successors, but the gameplay itself has lost none of its appeal.

The object of the game is refreshingly straightforward: negotiate your cobalt-trousered friend through 32 levels across three islands, collecting as many boxes as you can on the way. Lying in wait are the ‘bosses’: Papu Papu, Ripper Roo, Koala Kong, Pinstripe Potoroo and finally the Doctors – Brio and Cortex. The malevolent sextet variously employ boulders, chemicals, a shotgun and a mace in an increasingly desperate series of attempts to prevent Crash from reuniting himself with his beloved Tawna.

Crash can run, jump, spin and duck, but unless he stumbles across a box filled with TNT he has no real weapons as his disposal. As such, this is not a game that is likely to be completed at the first attempt; progress requires an intimate knowledge of the landscape and an eye for patterns. How fast do the steps move? Which of those planks are the least stable? How many jumps does the dragon at Sunset Vista take towards Crash before ripping his little orange head off?

In some ways it is a feat of endurance, but the investment of time necessary to take Crash through to the end ensures that you forge a relationship with the game and its characters.

Introduced to us in the same year, Tomb Raider’s Lara Croft was gutsy, brassy and kick-ass in a way that Crash wasn’t, whilst comparative characters – take Nintendo’s Mario, for example – are arguably more iconic. But like a good wine, Crash has matured with age. It is an unspoilt game from a time before the gaming market was saturated with Hollywood spin-offs and celebrity cash-ins: quaint, unpretentious, and brilliantly effective.

Experience… Sorrento

Fancy some winter sun? Head over to Italy’s West coast and sample the serene town of Sorrento, just across the bay from Naples. It makes the ideal location for a long weekend away.

Arriving

Jump on a bus from Naples airport straight to Sorrento or, if you arrive at an unsociable hour, get a taxi to Naples bus station and head over to Sorrento via one of the buses there. Skirting along the Mediterranean coast through the curving roads provides the perfect prelude to what should be an exhilarating weekend away.

Day 1

Once you have arrived at your hostel, avoid the beaches and head straight over to the pontoons. At only nine euros a day, not only do they give you great views of Sorrento balancing impossibly high above you, and also Mount Vesuvius watching over Naples far across the bay, but they also give you a feeling of privacy and exclusivity in Sorrento where this means everything. From your lounge the degree of activities is up to you but I would recommend at least dipping yourself into the ocean to do a bit of snorkeling to sample the local wildlife on offer. For lunch you have a couple of options, either indulge yourself with a beautiful fish course, where you will be shown the catch of the day for your perusal, or grab a couple of euros and head up the tiny side streets that criss-cross the town to explore the shops to purchase a baton of bread and any one of the variety of cheeses, meats, oils or tapenades. Then sit yourself down on a bench in one of plazas and see if you can spot the rich and famous. For the evening, try one of the many restaurants along the seafront and engulf yourself in the Italian lifestyle with a bottle of vino and a basket of bread.

Day 2

Wake up early and jump on the train (by far the easiest and quickest way) to Pompeii or Herculaneum. Both provide a fascinating insight into the lives of the Romans a yonder ago. Pompeii is the more famous of the two but I would personally recommend escaping the hordes of tourists and heading to Herculean for a relatively more laid back experience. Either way both are fascinating as they provide a snapshot of a time long ago and if you’re feeling up to it you can see both, as they are only a couple of train stops apart. Finish off your day by taking a stroll through Sorrento’s harbour and once again sampling the excellent seafood on offer.

If I have one word of warning it is that this is a holiday of luxury and although it can be done on a modest budget, be prepared to spend a little more than your average backpacker’s holiday. But trust me, this is most definitely worth it.

Stay – Seven Hostel from £7 per person per night

Fly – Liverpool to Naples with Easyjet from £85 return

Banks to give forgetful customers their money back

You might find yourself with extra money in your account this week after some banks promised to reimburse customers for money they drew out but never collected from the ATM.

RBS, Natwest and HSBC are saying that customers should be prepared for an £80million windfall.

They are now searching their archives to identify the thousands of forgetful customers that have walked off without their cash and never claimed it back. Previously customers would only receive their money back if they contacted their branch.

Now RBS, Natwest and HSBC are all reporting that they have introduced systems where the ATM automatically identifies who the money belongs to if it is not collected.

Officials are saying that hundreds of thousands of people, including students could be affected. Records dating back from 2005 are being checked to see how many people are owed money.

A spokesman for RBS told the Manchester Evening news: “We are in the process of proactively contacting our RBS and NatWest customers who, according to our records, at some point have not collected all of their dispensed cash.”

“We will be refunding the value of their transactions in full, with an additional goodwill payment.”
HSBC also commented that “they are in the process of repaying £8 million to customers”.

RBS and Natwest suffered a recent hit to their reputation when a computer glitch caused by a junior technician in India resulted in a system melt down.

Thousands of customers were unable to draw out money from their banks accounts. Money transfers were also affected meaning some people had to make late payments on bills. The fiasco forced the banks to extend opening hours and open for the first time ever on a Sunday.

HSBC have also been damaged over revelations that they were money laundering for drug cartels, terrorists and pariah states in a corrupted culture that had persisted for years.

Day trips

Manchester is a fast moving city and sometimes it can get a little too much to handle. For the days when you wish to escape the bright lights of the city there is a massive amount of things to do in the area around Manchester and further afield. Close to the city and only a short bus journey away is the UK’s longest indoor snow slope at Chill Factore. Ski and snowboarding lessons may be a little pricy but are probably advisable for beginners. Access to the slopes is more reasonable and even better comes with a handy NUS discount.

A fierce rivalry still exists between the North West’s two famous cities but Mancunians would be foolish not to head over to Merseyside to enjoy Liverpool’s revitalised city centre. 2008’s Capital of Culture has enjoyed a boom of late with an influx of restaurants and great additions to its already varied nightlife. A new favourite among locals and visitors is Central Perk taken right out of the iconic US sitcom Friends. The café is almost an exact replica of the famous hangout that was a favourite of Joey and co. and has a number of NYC inspired coffees. Music fans can learn more about the legendary Beatles at The Beatles Story at the city’s Albert Dock. Concession rates start from a reasonable £9. Meanwhile football fans have a choice between the red and blue sides of the city. Both clubs run stadium tours, the more popular being Liverpool FC’s Anfield Tour where you can marvel at the club’s ever-growing trophy cabinet. For those looking to shop head to Liverpool One the city’s shopping and entertainment complex opened in 2008. Shops include John Lewis, Apple and Harvey Nichols (opens Autumn 2012).

York is another city close enough for a short visit from Manchester. At only an hour and twenty minutes away both by car or train, the historic city offers an alternative to modern Manchester. York Minster is one of the country’s most celebrated works of architecture and the scream inducing York Dungeon is great fun. It offers a vivid retelling of York’s gruesome history. Sightseeing buses are a good way to see all the sights in a short amount of time, allowing you to hop on and off as you please. In the evening head to Vudu Lounge a Cocktail Bar and Grill with a great reputation. Food is simple and fairly cheap and the place has a great atmosphere. Or if you want to continue learning more about the city then join a Viking Tour or a Ghost Hunt of York that depart early evening.

Lancashire’s famous seaside resort Blackpool is an hour away from Manchester and served by trains on a frequent basis from Piccadilly. Blackpool Pleasure Beach is as popular as ever. The Pepsi Max Big One is not for the faint hearted but if that’s a bit too much for you then there are a lots of other rides that are less daunting. A trip to Blackpool would not be complete without a trip up the famous Blackpool Tower. Blackpool isn’t the popular holiday destination it once was but that has a good side. Cheap B&B rates mean it isn’t too costly to stay over night to see a bit more of the town and is suitable for a student budget.

Manchester has green spaces all over the city but none compare to the size or beauty of the nearby Tatton Park. The Cheshire park is a short drive from the city and is a great picnic spot for one of those rare sunny days in the North West. Lyme Park, near Stockport is also a good picnic spot and although it is a bit further away it is worth the trip. It is no wonder the hall has been used on both television and film and it acts as the perfect backdrop to a day spent in the park grounds. Both Lyme and Tatton Park are part of National Trust and therefore a small admission charge will apply. Heaton Park is closer to the city and regularly hosts events such as open-air plays and concerts. The park has a boating lake that has boats for hire during the summer months.

If that’s not enough open space for you then the Peak District is the answer. For the adventurous types it is perfect for climbing, hiking or cycling but it can also be enjoyed in quieter ways too. The views from the peaks are worth the effort it takes to get to the top! Lying between Manchester and Sheffield the Peak District can be accessed by train or National Express coach. Meanwhile, Go Ape! have adventures in Rivington, Lancashire and Delamere, Cheshire. Rivington is a 30-minute car journey down the M61 whilst Delamere is approximately 45 minutes away. The tree top adventures costs £30 per person and take around 2-3 hours.

Getting around

So you’ve settled into your new halls, checked out the local drinking establishments, and loaded yourself up with enough free Domino’s vouchers to last the whole year (bad news: they’re only valid at certain times of the year, and he pizzas don’t freeze well), so now you’re thinking about straying outside of the campus area. You could of course walk, but who wants to do that?

For many students the most common destination away from main campus will be North campus, where such delights as the giant magnets statue and wooden vimto bottle are to be found. The easiest there is via the 147 bus, which is free to anybody with a student card – just make sure to show it to the driver when you get on. You can flag down the 147 towards North campus at the bus stops outside the student union and opposite University Place; it comes through every 10 minutes and will drop you off right outside the Renold Building – number 8 on the campus map). It will even take you back after class from the same spot (on the other side of the road, obviously).

You can get pretty much anywhere else in Greater Manchester by bus too, and the most popular routes are plied by an almost constant stream of these mechanical marvels. Although prices have been increasing at a rate which might see them qualifying for the 2016 Olympics, getting around is still fairly affordable. If you’re on a budget, look out for Finglands or Magic buses which will charge you £1.10 and £1.20 respectively for a short journey; a Stagecoach bus will run you £1.60, whereas First will take you the same distance for £2. If you’re going to be getting the bus a lot, which is particularly likely if you live in a house or halls off-campus, you can get a Unirider bus pass for £199, which is valid on any Stagecoach or Magic bus in Manchester. You can pick one up at the Welcome Fair, or order it online – but make sure to check your bus route first! Get on to Traveline and make sure that your first day won’t kick off with an argument because you’ve blown two hundred quid on the wrong ticket.

Buses will also take you outside the centre / campus area, but if you’re going a long way it might be best to give the tram a try. The network is currently still in its infancy, but it’s useful for getting to certain parts of the city, although there’s no stop on campus – the nearest is in Piccadilly Gardens, where pretty much all of the buses into the city centre terminate. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to hop onto one of the shiny new bright yellow trams, but the dingy old green and white ones will still get you where you want to go. Assuming that you want to go to Eccles, Altrincham, Bury, or Oldham that is; you’ll find a route map on the tram website at Metrolink or plastered onto the ticket machines at every stop (alongside the obligatory ‘buy a ticket or die’ warnings). If trams aren’t your thing, there’s always the train. We are the proud owners of four train stations here in Manchester, the largest and nicest is Piccadilly, which sends out trains to the south, whilst the considerably less well looked after Victoria train station will take you further north. There is also a station on Oxford Road, and one on Deansgate. Train times and information can be found at National Rail.

You can find more information about travel within Manchester on the Transport for Greater Manchester (formerly GMPTE) website, or pop into the Students’ Union where somebody will be more than happy to help you out.

Why I Love/Why I Hate

Why I love: Alan Bennett

Without doubt the master of comedy on the stage. From The History Boys to Habeas Corpus, he can make even the printed words in the hard copy hilarious, never mind the on-stage action. And Bennett’s constant collaborations with the National Theatre’s Artistic Director Nicholas Hytner not only means the staging is consistently and simply brilliant, but also the adaptations to the screen. There is literally nothing I would rather do than sit and listen to his flat Yorkshire tones in an interview, never mind sit in a plush red seat and watch his characters knock the theatre dead. His one-liners are on a par with Woody Allen’s, but rather than the ‘neurotic Jew in therapy’ stereotype that Allen has down to a gilded T, we get the Yorkshireman turned Oxford graduate that we find so very addictive.

 

 

Why I hate: Wicked

Hate is a little bit strong, but my brief is ‘love and hate’ not ‘I don’t mind it’ or ‘it’s a bit crap’. In all honesty, I just think that Wicked is ‘a bit crap’. I’m a hardcore musical lover, but I much prefer the classics like West Side Story and Chicago and Cabaret. I like seedy, dark undertones, not a woman with a green face being paraded around as ‘hideous’ when in fact she’s one of the most radiant people I’ve ever seen on stage, she just happens to look like Kermit the Frog. The plot is clunky, the score is instantly forgettable (despite the fact that I re-listened to it on Spotify in an attempt to give it a chance) and it left me stone cold. What makes it worse is the fact that The Wizard of Oz is such a famous and wonderful film, plus it has Judy Garland at its helm. What moron decided that this was a good platform to bounce another musical off? I don’t care that Idina Menzel has a jaw-dropping voice, she can bow down at the mere thought of Judy.