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Month: November 2012

Manchester PhD students make zombie film at CERN

Written by Anthony Organ on . Posted in News.

University of Manchester PhD students working on the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) have spent two years and £2,000 making a feature-length zombie film based at the facility.

In the film, radiation from the Higgs boson – often termed the “God particle” and thought to have been discovered earlier this year – starts to transform workers trapped in maintenance tunnels and a group of students are forced to fight for their lives as they attempt to escape.

Luke Thompson, currently in the final year of his PhD in Accelerator Physics, wrote and directed the film. He said: “It’s a bit of a gimmick but ideally people will also see that it’s actually an alright film.”

The film’s name, Decay, refers not only to the living dead, but also to the Higgs boson’s instability, which causes it to decay almost immediately.

Mr. Thompson explained that the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) site at Geneva, where the LHC is situated, is “a huge mishmash of buildings”, with some people “working in porta-cabins” and others in “the smartest offices you’ve ever seen.”

Most buildings are linked at basement level by networks of maintenance tunnels and it was in these that Mr. Thomson found his inspiration with friend Hugo Day, also a Manchester Accelerator Physics PhD student, who co-ordinated the film’s stunts.

Mr. Thompson said: “They’re dark and nasty, there’s dripping water, and we thought ‘this would be pretty cool for a horror movie’. Then six months later we thought ‘let’s actually do it’.”

They started discussing the idea seriously in February 2010 and recruited Clara Nellist, a Manchester PhD student working in Particle Physics, who became the Assistant Director. She is a fan of zombie movies and had independently thought that CERN would make a good setting for one.

Decay had a regular cast and crew of twenty, who had no real previous film experience, and many props were either scavenged or built by the crew.

The film will be available for free online under a Creative Commons Licence towards the end of the month and talks are being held to organise a screening in Manchester. Though they will not make money from the film, Mr. Thompson said the cost was “worth it.”

“It’s a serious chunk of money but the expenditure has been over two years and some is from other people so it’s not like I just have a £2,000 hole in my bank account.”

He stressed that his research had not suffered but said: “Post-production has been pretty hellish, I’ve been stuck in my room for the last 6 months, my social life has kind of disintegrated.”

Mr Thompson has now been left unsure whether to pursue a career in film or Physics, saying: “It would be very difficult for me to give any of these things up. If there are opportunities to make a living in one and to do the other as a hobby then it would be fantastic.”

Asked whether this scenario could happen outside of film he said: “I will say for the record that this will not happen.”

But he admitted: “I cannot say that as a fact, until somebody makes a zombie with the Higgs boson it can’t be proved or disproved.”

Although allowing the film to be released, CERN have in no way endorsed it.

£12.8m University funding boost for cancer research

Written by Anthony Organ on . Posted in News.

The University of Manchester has been awarded a £12.8 million government funding boost to help progress cancer research development.

The money will make up part of a £38 million partnership between the University, Cancer Research UK and The Christie hospital to develop the Manchester Cancer Research Centre (MCRC).

Professor Dame Nancy Rothwell, Vice-Chancellor of the University, said: “Cancer research is one of our high priorities, so this award is fantastic news for the University and for our partners.”

In 2008, the University was found to have the best cancer research of all UK institutions by the Research Assessment Exercise. It spends £23 million annually on such research.

Manchester is one of fourteen institutions to win funding from the Research Partnership Investment Fund, which is awarding a total of £300 million to successful applicants.

The scheme grants money to universities which are able to attract at least double the amount from businesses, charities or philanthropists, in an effort to “encourage strategic partnerships”.

Professor Nic Jones, MCRC Director and Chief Scientist at Cancer Research UK, said: “The MCRC is a wonderful example of partners working together to combat cancer.

“Cancer Research UK welcomes the news of this award, which will facilitate further progress of the MCRC’s efforts over the coming few years.”

The funds will be used to construct a new University cancer research building on The Christie site in Withington, full of specialist research equipment which will help develop new “personalised” treatments for patients.

Such treatments will be tailored based on the specific characteristics of each tumour to combat them more effectively.

Caroline Shaw, Chief Executive at The Christie, said: “We are extremely grateful for this funding which will help facilitate groundbreaking research right here in Manchester.”

Last week also saw researchers from the University’s Paterson Institute for Cancer Research identify a “molecular flag” which will help doctors predict the effectiveness of treatment on breast cancer patients.

The researchers hope to build on this discovery to develop new strategies to stop the growth of tumours and to overcome their drug resistance.

Orpheus may be descending but Imogen Stubbs is on the rise

Written by Hannah Lawrence on . Posted in Theatre.

Five Stars out of Five Stars

I’m not even quite sure where to begin, to be honest. One thing that I can definitely say is that this was one of the best things I’ve ever seen on stage. This performance of Orpheus Descending directed by Sarah Frankcom and starring Imogen Stubbs brought out the bitterness and passion of Tennesse Williams’ play of repression, alienation and small town snobbery in America’s deep south.

It was, essentially, Imogen Stubbs’ performance which particularly stood out. In fact, I spoke to another audience member afterwards who, in an almost trance-like state, simply said ‘Imogen Stubbs was just absolutely incredible’. Stubbs’ portrayal of ‘Lady Torrance’ – the play’s central female character – perfectly balanced the psychological complexity of the character without loosing audience sympathy for a woman caught in a loveless marriage and isolated within a repressive culture. Her performance kept pace throughout, gradually growing in intensity until the final act in which she gave a powerful performance of Lady Torrance’s demise, exposing all her insecurities following her husband’s revelation.

However Stubbs’ performance didn’t stand alone. Luke Norris, playing the male lead Valentine Xavier, matched Stubbs’ committed portrayal. His depiction of a young passionate wanderer created a perfect balance to Lady Torrance’s initial cold and hardened outlook. However as the play progressed Norris began to reveal the fraught complexity behind Val’s initially mystifying demeanor.

The stage setting was also cleverly executed, the use of a circular stage creating a feeling of inclusion for the audience. In fact, some audience members sitting in the pit were so close to the action that at one point they had to move their legs out of the way as a fiery Stubbs stormed towards a topless Val. Here the stage setting not only established the audience less as viewers and more as participators but it also added to the sense that the characters, within their own lives, were being constantly observed by others in society. Here the staging reinforced the idea of characters being under constant social observation; constantly under judgment against pre-established societal conventions.

To an English audience depictions of life in America’s deep-south often contain a certain mysticism. However, the production really brought home the raw side of this American community. The performance dealt with racism in a direct and powerful manner, giving a damning portrayal of the hypocrisy of ‘White America’ and their attitudes towards African-Americans, something embodied in the characters of Dolly and Beulah.

Williams himself described the play as being superficially ‘’the tale of a wild-spirited boy who wanders into a conventional community of the South and creates the commotion of a fox in a chicken coop. But beneath that now familiar surface it is a play about unanswered questions that haunt the hearts of people and the difference between continuing to ask them and the acceptance of prescribed answers that are not answers at all.” Certainly this performance of Williams’ classic brought out the deeper issues which lie beyond the play’s surface.

Orpheus Descending runs until 24th November at the Royal Exchange Theatre

Second-hand Chic

Written by Aimee Grant Cumberbatch on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

In the not so dim and distant past, vintage as a term for clothing just didn’t exist. Clothes with a history or a past were simply known as ‘old’, bringing to mind jumble sales and hand-me-downs. However, these days, vintage isn’t just a description for the clothing, it’s a call to arms for the fashion conscious. Those who in the eternal search for individuality are dissatisfied by the chain clothing stores with which we are all familiar or those disillusioned with how far their budget can stretch on the high street. Vintage clothing offers a myriad of attractions for intrepid fashion followers. The main difference is that, yes, it’s second hand, but don’t let that scare you: buying used clothes is not only environmentally sound, but celebrity endorsed, with the likes of Alexa Chung and Zooey Deschanel religious vintage buyers. But, the most attractive, vital thing that sets vintage apart, is the fact that it’s unique. What lays within the word is the promise that individuality is not only achievable, but affordable. Yes, it might smell like your grandma’s dustiest dresser drawer initially, but after a good wash the only way anyone will know it’s vintage is from your smug response to the chorus of ‘where did you get that?’ Here are my tips for those a bit squeamish about second-hand (it’s not just for indie kids, promise!):

1. Sharpen your elbows, great pieces can attract swarms of voracious hipsters and you’ll need them to fight them off and bag that bargain.

2.Variety is key, mix it up with charity shops, markets and your parents’ wardrobes (yes even your dad’s, which is great for denim/checked shirts and oversized jumpers).

3. Be prepared to rummage, often the best bargains are the fruits of extensive foraging and you may have to sift through some less than desirable clothes to get to the key pieces.

4. Look for quality, one of the main advantages of vintage is its age, which in the clothing world often means better durability than offered by modern vendors due to the cost-cutting of the contemporary clothes market. However, think carefully about buying damaged items; sometimes a piece suits a bit of wear and tear, other times an item might be a fixer-upper but if you like your clothes pristine and ready to wear, those holy jeans aren’t for you!

5. Make investments, go for pieces with style that can transcend the constant flux of trends, these are worth both time and effort and when you find them keep a tight hold.

6. Avoid ‘vintage’ sections at high-street shops as although these can be more accessible you’ll pay a premium for their place in the shop and better bargains are certainly to be had elsewhere.

 

Where to go in Manchester:

You’ll hear many an indie kid raving about the vintage haven that is Oldham street and it lives up to its status in terms of choice and variety but some shops can be a little pricy for my Dickensian pauper budget, happily though the street is home to Vintage Kilo Sales (£15 per kilo of vintage) where piling on the pounds is a good thing! The next will be held at Moho Live on the 3rd of December.

https://www.facebook.com/VintageBuytheKilo

One of the best shops on the street is Ryan Vintage, a veritable vintage treasure trove.

For the even thriftier, beauteous bargains are to be had in the charity shops of Withington, West Didsbury and Chorlton.

Vintage Galore!

Written by Ella Westall on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Shopping for vintage clothing can be a brilliant way to find unique pieces at a lower price, and Britain’s ever-growing passion for vintage, especially with this season’s focus on the heritage trend, has led to a huge growth in the numbers of shops selling vintage clothing. This week we have narrowed down a few of Manchester’s best…
Affleck’s Palace, 52 Church Street. A treasure trove of bargains and one off pieces founded in 1982, with countless small shops selling everything from fancy dress to fur coats: there is almost nothing that you can’t find in here. There are also lots of great ‘vintage inspired’ shops, for those of you who aren’t sure about second-hand! COW, Piccadilly Gardens. This fairly new addition to the scene is vintage shopping on a whole new level, without the dirt, the dark and the rummaging. The masses of clothes are neatly ordered by item, colour and gender, with gorgeous accessories arranged throughout the store. The low prices and friendly staff are also huge bonus.
COW, Piccadilly Gardens. Photo: Ella Westall
Others to check out include Oxfam Originals and Pop Boutique, both found on Oldham Street in the Northern Quarter and Mockingbird in Withington.
A little further afield lies Decades in Blackburn, an extraordinary little shop that is an absolute must for any serious vintage fanatic, stocking pieces from every decade since the Victorian era, this is definitely the place to go for vintage occasion wear and rarer pieces. If you don’t feel up to the trek, Decades often visits clothes fairs including Clothes Show Live and Manchester Antique Costume and Textile Fairs.
Me&Yu, Affleck’s Palace. Photo: Ella Westall
And finally, my personal favourites when it comes to vintage shopping are Manchester’s many vintage fairs, where traders come together to bringing their best pieces so that you can spend all day rummaging through rails of beautiful clothes. These happen fairly regularly and are definitely worth keeping an eye out for! Happy shopping…

Haute Cou-dumpster

Written by Natalie Clark on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

When searching tirelessly to discover the next big marketable trend, the fashion world rarely fears to find inspiration in some of the most bizarre of muses. Thus when ‘tramp’ or ‘homeless chic’ was flaunted on the catwalks (notably Galliano and Westwood) opinions seemed to swing in two directions. Some believed that this was an exploitation of the impoverished, a distasteful and crass way of grasping attention. However, many saw it as their latest winter wardrobe, celebrities and fashionistas taking the scruffy look in their stride and creating a style that as each season rolls by, continues to reemerge onto the fashion platform.

Homeless chic; fashion inspired by homeless people and the clothes they wear. Think grunge blended with scruff and mess. Think clashes, layers and rips. Rough, edgy and mismatched. The Olsen twins are of course, the poster girls for this look. Sienna Miller, Alexa Chung and the Geldof sisters have also experimented with this new take on chic; ripped jeans, fingerless gloves and ill-fitting sweaters supposedly ‘the height of fashion’.

Photo: Huffington Post

However, could the use of the word ‘homeless’ really be over stepping the line? Scruffy and messy will never go out of style. Visit any university campus and you will see evidential proof of this; if anything, a constant catwalk of the timeless rolled-out-of-bed-into-whatever-was-on-the-floor look. But perhaps the obvious exploitation of those who have very little pushes the boundaries. Even the 2001 film Zoolander pokes fun of the great Galliano, with the infamous ‘Derelicte’ collection. 2008 saw model-turned designer Erin Wasson tell NYLON.tv that her newest range was inspired by the homeless people at Venice Beach, exclaiming “The people with the best style for me are the people that are the poorest.” Sigh. Perhaps the designers of the world should take note that yes, scruffy will always sell, but having a male model wearing couture yet accessorised with a folded mattress or shopping trolley is just, tasteless. I’m talking to you Vivienne.

Nifty-Thrifty Nails

Written by Emma Richards on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Have you ever been flicking through your favourite fashion mag on a quiet afternoon when you spot the most amazing yet clearly impossible nail designs that leave you itching to replicate? However, without a personal A-list manicurist, and let’s face it, the sheer trickiness of that nail brush, the creation of such a masterpiece seems unattainable. Well fear not, for I went on a quest to find the best and easiest nail art trends bang in vogue right now

1. The Newspaper Nail:

Newspaper Nails. Photo: Tumblr

This style is certainly no novice to the world of nail art, however, it’s a simple, rather sophisticated yet edgy look that’s proving extremely popular among A-listers and the general public alike. The best part is, you can create this look effortlessly in a flash. Simply paint a base coat onto your nail (colour is optional), find a section of newspaper you want to transfer onto your nail, dip it in water and wipe away the excess, place it on your nail (once base coat is dry) and press firmly for approximately a minute and a half. Carefully remove the newspaper and voila, there you have it!

What’s more, this look can also be adapted to create versions using magazines or maps – you’ll never get lost on the London Underground again.

2. The Fabric Nail

Photo: ciaté.com

Renowned nail company, Ciaté, have welcomed a new addition to their ever-growing collection of trends with the introduction of the Velvet Manicure. It has already made it big on the catwalk at Monique Lhuillier’s Fall 2012 Runway Show and has been bagged by stars including Rihanna and Blake Lively. And at just £14 for the entire set including a paint pot, one pot of crushed velvet powder (in navy, plum or mink) and a little black brush, it’s not exactly hard to understand why. (A cheaper option could also be in the form of flocking powder, available at any craft store, creating the illusion of a shaggy woolen sweater.) Why not get creative with it as well?

Photo: Google Images

3. ‘Not Everything That Glitters Is Gold’:

Photo: Jenny @eBlogger (beautyRUSHx3)

The Fashion World has gone glitter mad this winter, so it’s no wonder that this made the cut. Firstly, this has got to be one of the easiest nail designs ever, plus, students, free glitter is NEVER going to be too far away if you want to be a little more creative than buying a glitter infused polish. But, quite literally the best thing about this design has got to be in its creation: hours of fun to be had on a Saturday night when it’s just too dreary to leave the house.

4. The Salted Manicure:

Photo: Pinterest

Even though the Caviar manicure gained many avid followers, at the end of the day, it was still overpriced and not as long wearing as you’d expect it to be for such a steep cost. However, a solution has been found…the salted manicure. Simply apply salt to wet nails and allow to dry. The moral is: when you’ve just got no fresh nail art ideas, go to the kitchen cupboard.

5. ‘Embellish Me Bold’:

Photo: Google Images

Got any odd buttons, poppers or crafty materials lying around somewhere under that mound of uni work? Well it’s time to put them to good use (and maybe shift that pile of books?) since 3D nail effects are suddenly becoming the new season must-do. You could use anything from rhinestones to parts of toys, or even punch a hole in your nail to attach chains… We’ll leave this one entirely up to you.

6. Lace Nails:

Photo: Diesel Factory

…Need I say more?

Tramp Iconic

Written by Grainne Morrison on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Attaining showbiz status whilst still in nappies has given Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen the time to perfect their famous looks. Creators of successful fashion lines The Row and Elizabeth & James, these fashion icons have more than earned their style credentials. Although it’s been some time since we’ve been graced with a classic Olsen made-for-DVD film (‘Our Lips Are Sealed’ was definitely my favourite), these twins are still on topic amongst the fashion savvy. The world has watched the petite sisters grow up on screen, whilst off screen we have witnessed the evolution of their signature styles. Long gone are the matching, wholesome premiere outfits of their earlier press appearances. These sisters are now more famed for their unique street style.

Mary-Kate and Ashley encompass the lasting success of the tramp-chic trend. Both as a pair and as individuals they emulate the ability to look oh-so expensive in the most bedraggled of fashions. In fact, these days Mary-Kate is better known for her ability to pass as a well-dressed Magic Bus Lady than for her and Ashley’s on-screen achievements. Ashley has a similar style but definitely resembles the more ‘chic’ side of tramp-chic. Together they bring together the best aspects of fashion by showing how dressing down can be so much more effective than constantly glamming it up.

Photo: Art Images (http://www.aolcdn.com/photogalleryassets/stylelist/954823/vogue-cfda-fashion-fund-awards-mary-kate-ashley-olsen-940ls111610.jpg)

Unlike the identical outfits of their younger days, they now dress to complement rather than copy one another. Take, for instance, their ensembles of choice for the 2010 CFDA awards: the hair that is shiny and expensive looking yet still tousled; the fur that shows they have no problem being controversial, and then we turn to the bags. Yes, they are both clutching Hermés Kelly bags, but let’s be honest- we’re only looking at one! Mary-Kate’s distressed, high end accessory shouldn’t work, but it does. Why? Here we have the perfect example of the contradictory nature of the tramp-chic phenomenon. Mary-Kate’s bag is not torn and old looking because she can’t afford a new one- she could buy millions more. No, this fashion mogul has chosen the worn-in look as a statement. Going against the mainstream is always on trend, and thus the Olsens forgo the prim and proper look meaning they stand out amongst the red-carpet masses.

It’s safe to say that with their growing fashion empire, the Olsen twins will continue to influence trends- whether it’s amongst the tramps or the chic.

Manchester RAG does East African Playgrounds

Written by Kate Bullivant on . Posted in Societies.

Manchester RAG has organised a trip to Uganda for 12 students as part of the East African Playgrounds (EAP) project, which aims to build playgrounds, create communities and give hundreds of children in Uganda somewhere fun, exciting and safe to explore and play. While play is fun, it is also a vital part of child development that is often overlooked.

The East African Playgrounds trip involves a team of Manchester students going out to Uganda for one month to live and work alongside one of their building teams and local communities. They build a brand new playground from start to finish and help to run arts and play sessions with hundreds of children. They even organise weekends away on safari, white water rafting or just chilling on the beaches.

To be a part of this each volunteer has to raise £700, all of which gets spent on the building of the playground. As a charity EAP feels that it is really important to be open with regards to donations. They keep all of their administration costs low and fund the running of the charity through direct donations for that purpose.

There are many ways to raise money and in the past volunteers have raised well over the target. They have used methods such as Just giving, Give as you live, asked friends and family, done three peaks challenges, bake sales, car washing, bucket shakes, auctions, date nights, quiz nights, pie nights, pub crawls amongst other things. Fund raising can be done in many ways and can be loads of fun!

The trip for Manchester students is between 8th June- 7th July. But for those who would like to come but can’t make those dates, EAP have two other dates where they can fit them in with another University group.

The charity and projects are not new to this year, they are however new to Manchester RAG.  They were set up in 2009 by two students at the University of Leeds. Since then they have run four summers of playground-building projects with nine different universities.

To sign up for this fantastic opportunity, email the EAP RAG project leader at [email protected] or contact the charity directly at  [email protected]. Hurry up, there are only twelve places and they fill up fast! You don’t need any previous experience, you will only be gaining some as EAP volunteers are trained up for the projects they work on.

Young Greens

Written by Rachel Heward on . Posted in Societies.

The Young Greens society is part of the youth branch of the Green Party. They discuss what they think the government at all levels should be doing. I spoke to Joel Smith from Young Greens and asked him about their aims, ideas and plans for the society.

How do you go about ‘organising students and young people to fight for a fair economic system, for good and free education and to stop global warming’?

We organise a wide range of events from film screenings to talks and discussions right through to political campaigning for the issues we are passionate about. We believe society can work better and that we can make it better if we work for it.
Our society was formed last year and we had many successes. For the local elections we campaigned for seven students to become Green councillors and came second in three, which was fantastic. We organised the food co-operative collaborating with other societies as well as lobbying the council to provide recycling bins to all homes. We also campaign with local green candidates in elections and believe we can get a seat in Manchester at the next council elections.

Do you have any other plans for the near future?

We are hoping to send people to the Demo2012 march in London along with many other students from Manchester protesting for a better future, so check that out. As a smaller party the Greens listen to the youth wing meaning you can have a real impact on the direction of the party.
 Also on the 6th December we will be hosting a talk and discussion called “Can the Free Market save the planet?” which should be a really interesting evening.

Who are you looking for and how can people get involved?

We want people to check out the Green Party website policy page (tinyurl.com/greenpolicy2012) and if you think that sounds like a better system then come along to some of our events! We promote and organise everything that’s going onto Facebook and Twitter and if you don’t use either of them then drop us an e-mail, we’re looking for energetic people who want to get more engaged with politics and meet some fun people. It’s free to join and you can come as little or as much as you want.
www.facebook.com/youngandgreenmanchester

 

Tramp Chic: Pour Homme

Written by Miles Zilesnick on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Tramp chic is a confusing trend: it presents you as part of a lower level of society, even lower than your current student status. For such a relaxed “I don’t care look” too, it can take an awful lot of effort to achieve it. Think about how some may style their ‘out of bed’ hair look for a good half and hour, so everyone knows they care about not caring.

Photo: Imgur

And for those lads who care about looking like they don’t, here my step by step guide to tramp chic…

Step 1: Before the clothes even come into question you need to think about your overall appearance. This can start by letting your facial hair grow for a bit. Don’t be afraid to trim and keep it a little neat. It’s tramp chic, not just tramp.

Step 2: With facial hair sorted, we turn the attention to the mop on your head. Nothing really to do here except grap a beanie and cover up. This style is all about keeping warm so a hat is perfect in this respect.

Step 3: Tops are next. Any plain t-shirt will do, make sure it’s clean though, you don’t need an accompanying smell to go along with the look. Then to go over this a knee length parka will do, especially in Manchester for that Gallagher effect. The fur hood is very much needed too just for the chic effect.

Step 4: Going down now we need to focus on trousers. My recommendation is going to be skin-tight skinnies, with some optional tears in the knees. My choice on colour would be black or grey, but this can be mixed up.

Step 5: Shoes. This one is pretty open, either some military leather boots would work well, or an old beaten up pair of Converse would be appropriate too.

Step 6: The finishing touches can add to it all, so get a pair of fingerless gloves to begin with, a nice watch and a couple of bangles or festival bands for your wrists and you’re set for that Tramp Chic look.

Now, you have the steps for the style go and trawl through Oldham Street for all the cheap vintage stores, and remember Afflecks too. One of my prized jumpers came from there and was a mere £2, in true tramp chic style.

Beauty in the Bigger Sense: Winter Warmers

Written by Jessica Cusack on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Here is a little slice of something good for you, dedicated to making you look and feel better from the inside out, rather than covering up with tricks of the beauty trade. Although those are also very essential right now because the permanent circles under my eyes are just not cool.

It’s November, the temperature is getting lower and the days are getting shorter. It’s deadline time and by now you know the library cleaners better than you know your own housemates. My guess is that we’re not feeling as sparkly as we would want – those winter blues are setting in pretty fast and we need some remedies…

Exercise is essential at any time of the year but in winter especially. You’re pretty much stationary, being stuck inside all day on account of the Arctic weather, and seek comfort in fast, cheap food which is not doing anything for the approaching party season body. Might I recommend heading down to the Manchester Aquatics Centre (or any other exercise establishment, but this one is conveniently located 5 minutes from the library…just sayin’) where you can participate in a wide range of exercise classes, join the gym, or go swimming, all of which will have you feeling fighting fit pronto. Those little things called endorphins (remember them?) make you feel great, giving your mental and physical health a big old boost in this dreary month. Join me and participate in how not to look attractive: getting red, hot, and sweaty.

Food is another issue this time of year, when after a long cold day all you want to do is whack something stodgy and comforting in the microwave and be done with it. Step away from the radiation machine I say! Taking an extra half an hour to make a proper nutritious meal will stand you and your digestive tract in good stead, plus you need all the nutrients available in order to get your immune system through the winter months. The Hemsleyandhemsley.com site has loads of great recipes which make you feel healthier by just looking at them. However, no amount of healthy food and exercise will prevent the inevitable sniffles rippling through the library. If this is you, take tissues and for God’s sake BLOW YOUR NOSE.

Speaking of the library, try to plan ahead and take healthy snacks with you, instead of buying Coca-Cola and chocolate when the afternoon slump begins. Having a latte and a banana, some nuts and raisins, or something filled with protein like bouncefoods.com energy balls, will fill you up and enable you to work more efficiently for longer. And whatever you do, do NOT miss breakfast. It’s a sure-fire way to feeling awful and once again reaching for a sugary substitute. You need to kick start your precious metabolism in the morning, and if you feed it badly, it will work badly, making you more prone to weight-gain and spots. Frightening, I know.

Lecturing over, it’s time to put a little more time and effort into your health this wintertime. So get some rest, wrap up warm, and thank me come the Christmas season and summertime, which does, contrary to current belief, actually exist.

Don’t Be Afraid to Be Thrifty: Outfit Recycling

Written by Chloe Letcher on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

I’m sure many people have, at some point, got into the terrible habit of thinking a new outfit is needed for every night out. The extensive social events at university can sometimes result in a looming pressure of what to wear, instead of simply going out and enjoying the night. Let’s face it, how many of us can say we are not guilty of trying to avoid pictures being uploaded that expose us of “Facebook repeating” outfits? However, having to buy multiple new dresses a week is not only unrealistic to bank balances (especially as loans slowly begin to dwindle), but is also unnecessary. Being thrifty by outfit recycling is not something that should be avoided, as even the most stylish of female celebrities do it.

The Duchess of Cambridge (see above) is without a doubt the prime outfit repeater. The responses to her re-wearing items such as this blue jacquard coat dress are mixed. Some praise Kate for her ability to recycle outfits, despite the fact that almost every designer in the world is desperate to dress her. Others have criticised the fact that she has sometimes snubbed wearing a new item, and has instead opted to recycle a piece of her mother’s or sister’s.  However, Kate always has the last laugh; she is the perfect example of how to outfit recycle and she looks great each and every time she does it.

Photo: cocoperez.com

As the Editor-in-Chief of American Vogue, it would be hard to believe that Anna Wintour doesn’t have a great selection of high end pieces at her disposable. However, she also rejects the “only-wear-once” rule, as is evident from her recycling this Balenciaga dress. If the Editor-in-Chief can do it…

Photo: blog.fantasyshopper.co.uk

The Made in Chelsea star has been photographed numerous times wearing this gorgeous coral leather jacket by Carven. With an already established collection for high street brand Lipsy, Millie is not only thrifty, but is incredibly fashion savvy, showing how with a few accessory changes or by wearing a different heel, outfit recycling does not have to be repetitive.

As nice as it is to buy a new outfit, wearing a piece you’ve previously worn is not a bad alternative. It’s easy to make a familiar piece look different, either by adding a belt or some dress jewellery, layering the item up with a biker jacket or blazer, or even doing your hair or makeup differently. And when all else fails, recycling the staple, classic LBD is always a guaranteed success and means that you don’t descend even further into the depths of your overdraft.

SIY: Stud it yourself!

Written by Tilly Miller on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

I think everyone can agree that when it comes to fashion, why spend more when you can spend less and still look just as good?

At the moment studded denim shorts, shirts and leather are all very ‘in’. The only problem is that they tend to be particularly expensive items to buy on the high street. But don’t fear! If you don’t have the money to splash out in Topshop, why not start studding your own stuff? A lot of people have jumped on this thrifty fashion trend simply because it couldn’t be easier, or cheaper!

1. Buy some gold or silver pyramid studs, as these tend to be the easiest to apply. You can buy these from Ebay or Amazon all are priced under a fiver for a pack of 100 studs. The ones used on these shorts are silver pyramid studs from Amazon.

Photo: Amazon

2.Decide where you want to place the studs on the item (I’m using shorts as an example); it doesn’t really matter where they go, as you won’t feel them once they’re in. Then push the back spikes of the pyramid all the way through the material like a pin.

3. Push the back of the spikes inward towards the hollow centre of the pyramid to clasp the stud in place, and voila! Home made biker-shorts.

Photo: Tilly Miller

If you have misplaced the studs or just fancy taking them out again, use a pair of scissors to lift the metal spikes back up and pull the stud out from the front. They don’t leave an obvious mark once removed either, so are perfect for those of you who love to mix-up your fashion trends every now and then!

Beauty and the Tramp

Written by Alice Tofts on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

The desire to look messy, dishevelled and slightly worse for wear has become more and more apparent during the last ten years. Much to the dismay of my grandmother, girls have a blatant lack of concern for having ladders in their tights and holes in their jumpers. I find it difficult to understand my dad’s frustration and irritation when I refuse to polish my shoes on a weekly basis and brush my hair daily. Different from our grandparent’s straight-laced generation who strived to emulate the rich, current trends appear to romanticize the poor, aiming to recreate a look warranting a money donation from a friendly passer by.

As loans are run dry, the weather gets colder and stylistic inspiration is lost as term drags on, naturally the smartness of our attire may decline. Therefore the good news is that tramp chic is ideal for student life and budgets. If holes in tights appear, there is no need to buy a new pair. Who cares if the knitted jumper you see in the bargain pile in a vintage store is 2 sizes too big as sizing does not deserve any consideration.

The tramp chic look is all about simplicity, practicality and a certain amount of carelessness and wildness in creating a look. Forget attention to detail when putting together an outfit. Mismatching, clashing patterns and textures and a lack of symmetry in an outfit should be encouraged not spurned. A tramp chic wardrobe should consist of heavy and chunky textures. One of the most practical items for any northerner is the chunky knit. However to give it a homeless edge, wear it oversized or with a longer skirt to make the outfit appear unbalanced. Sturdy, comfortable shoes are prescriptive in this trend. Doc Martins and creepers are practical for daily life in Manchester.

As for hair and make up, the less effort involved the better. Simple, natural shades should be used around the eyes. And finally, one of the most noticeable features of tramp chic style that should be adhered to is a lack of grooming. Keep hair brushing to a minimum and allow knots and dreadlocks to gradually build up just in time for Christmas when your grandmother insists on buying you a hairbrush and a nice new pair of tights.

Cocktail masterclass from The Liquorists

Written by Jessica Hardiman on . Posted in News.

Give me a nice glass of Pinot Grigio and I’ll be very happy, but give me one more glass of venomous paint-stripper vodka mixed with economy lemonade and you might send me to breaking point. It may at first glance appear to be the cheap option, but essentially you are still paying around £10 for a bottle of wince-inducing, unpleasant swigging and slurping. What’s the point in grimacing your way through life? The Liquorists suggest you simply make a few minor alterations to your drinking habits, and make way for another sensation to experience on top of your waves of tipsiness and sozzlement: pleasure.

The Liquorists are otherwise known as Jody Monteith and Tom Sneesby, who are Manchester-based bartenders specialising as drinks consultants. With a strong urge to teach others in the art of enjoyable drinking, their mantra is ‘drink less, but better’, which is more applicable to students than may be initially apparent. Encouraging people to follow this mind-set is by no means a hindrance to inebriation (au contraire, my friends) but simply the idea that moving away from the cheapest drink in the bar may actually do you a favour. “There’s no satisfaction in it whatsoever,” says Jody, who believes that one good cocktail can cost the price of two of its cheaper counterparts, but will arouse at least double the satisfaction and usually has the same alcoholic content.

One of the main teaching tools that The Liquorists utilise is their rum, vodka, gin, whisky and tequila trails, which take the pub crawl concept and elevate it up a notch to the glittery world of cocktails, bars, and premium spirits. As you hop from bar to bar, you are given a specially selected drink, which attempts to showcase the best that the spirit has to offer. As well as this, the evening includes a meal, food pairings throughout and neat samples of the spirit in question. Each of the trails cost from £35, where you’ll receive a night worth almost four times that. According to Jody, “Rum’s one of the biggest categories, because within rum there’s something for everyone. It’s a massive category, and it’s also made from sugar, which makes it very approachable.” Whisky, on the other hand, is a fairly recent addition to the trails, but the venture has surprised even the host. “I think it was a big turning point for us. We weren’t too sure if our demographic would buy into whiskey, and it was the biggest event we ever did.” Jody mentions how he and other organisers were of the opinion that the whisky trail would predominantly involve the older man, but “it wasn’t the case, it was about 60% female,” with a surprisingly youthful turnout to make up “a full spectrum of drinkers.”

However, these guys also believe the same mantra can be applied at home: “If you can make a cup of tea or beans on toast, then you can make a cocktail,” Jody assures me. He explains that all you need is ice and citrus, “Regardless of what kind of booze you’ve got – whether it be spirit, liqueur, wine or port.” He adds, “After that, it’s what you do with it. The principal of making a cocktail is exactly the same as cooking: it’s all about balance; it’s all about formula; and it’s all about understanding ratios of things.”

One example that he gave us was a simple way of making a strawberry daiquiri at home. His recipe uses two eggcups of white rum, one eggcup of fresh lime juice and one eggcup of strawberry jam, which Jody explains has “all the fruit content for the flavour that you get from a liqueur, and it has all the sweetness that you get from sugar syrup.” The genius of it is that you can then use the jam jar to shake it in.

All of these ideas embrace the concept of having the optimum drinking experience, which sounds uncannily like many a student’s ethos – does it not? As I sipped on the port Cobbler cocktail that had just been made for me, a strangely refreshing blend of port, cassis, bourbon, grapefruit juice and lemon juice, I found myself relishing each sip. Having never been a fan of port, it just showed what a bit of ice and citrus can do.

The Liquorists’ top money-saving tips

– Stock up with ice and citrus. These two ingredients comprise the bare minimum for a drink – along with your spirit of choice, these can be fashioned into something delicious with ease.

– Make use of what you have at home. No one expects you to go and buy expensive bottles of liqueurs or syrups, so improvise. Jams can make a great replacement for fruit syrup, and sugar syrup can be made simply at home by heating equal quantities of sugar and water. One barspoon is equivalent to one teaspoon measure, and rolling pins can make perfectly adequate muddlers.

– Go seasonal. This can mean anything from fruit to alcohol – port, in particular, is always on offer during the Christmas season and can be made into surprisingly tasty cocktails.

– Don’t buy the cheapest bottle of booze. Even if you just spend £3 more on the next one up, your taste buds will reap the rewards. Why not spend an extra few bob for a genuinely enjoyable drink? There are always exceptions to the rule, evident as Jody (rather reluctantly) tells us how he was “actually quite impressed” as to how good Asda Smart-price white rum is, but also recommends Aldi’s second-cheapest gin.

– Don’t go for the cheapest drink in a bar. As Jody says, there’s no satisfaction in it whatsoever. Look out for happy hours, where you can often enjoy half price cocktails with a lot more taste.

We are also teaming up with The Liquorists for a rum giveaway! To be in with a chance of winning a bottle of premium Brugal rum, just tweet @theliquorists with the answer to the following question, followed by #drinksavvy:

‘Brugal Blanco is a premium white rum from which Caribbean island?’

Both The Mancunion and The Liquorists promote responsible drinking. You must be over 18 to enter, and will be asked to provide identification. The prize is non-transferrable.

Website: www.theliquorists.com

Twitter: @theliquorists

Facebook: The Liquorists

We are not even citizens. We are a native ‘problem’

Written by Jessie Cohen on . Posted in Theatre.

Five Stars out of Five Stars

Rarely does theatre serve up a truly poignant experience in which a single actor grips the audience from start to finish and receives a standing ovation at the end. On 19 October one of AfroVibes’s seven touring productions, Mother to Mother, came to The Contact Theatre – the final stop in a long line of performances from Cape Town to Amsterdam and Cardiff, as well as showing in five major English cities before finishing the international tour  here in Manchester.

The play is set in 1993, a year before Nelson Mandela became the first black President of South Africa which marked the end of the apartheid. It tells the true story of the killing of white American student Amy Biehl in the Gugulethu township of Cape Town in which whites were forbidden to enter. To add to the tragedy, Biehl was a supporter of the African fight for equality. InMother to Mother, South African actor Thembi Mtshali-Jones delivers a profound portrayal of the event through the imagined perspective of a mother of one of Biehl’s attackers. Projections of South African news reels puncture this intimate insight, re-attuning the media-induced perception of a ‘black and white’ ‘villain’ and ‘victim’. The play takes the form of a monologue in which the audience are swept along by the stream of consciousness of a Mother of a young man who becomes the Mother of a killer and who  is in many ways is the biggest victim of all.

Mother to Mother begins by reporting Biehl’s murder before going back in time to an ordinary day in the life of a single African mother during the apartheid. Her eldest son has just returned from a ritual circumcision at the age of sixteen, from which point he is considered a ‘man’. By focusing on the perspective of the Mother who feels estranged from her eldest son in the lead up to Biehl’s attack, the play explores two major themes: the violent manifestation of masculinity among African youth and the impact on African women who were left to pick up the pieces. Following Biehl’s death, Mtshali shows how the attacker’s Mother is abused from all angles: raided and terrorized by the South African police (while her son is nowhere to be seen) and her neighbours turn their backs on her, calling her the ‘mother of satan’.

The set is minimally dressed: there is a table, a pot, a knife and blanket, which effectively convey base-line living without sensationalizing a poverty-stricken situation which could have tipped audience sympathy into a form of pity. Instead of relying on fellow actors and an abundance of props, Mtshali draws on personal resources to carry the production: she sings and jokes in Xhosa, shouts in despair and cries (actual tears) in pain.

When asked after the show, “How do you maintain the emotion every time you perform?” Mtshali replied, “I always feel physically sick during the performance.” For Mtshali, the issues of the play lie close to home: born into apartheid South Africa in Durban, Mtshali got pregnant at young age, dropped out of school and worked as a domestic worker. But Mtshali is not interested in evoking pity from her white, western audience at Contact. She emphasizes the importance of the angle that the production takes: ‘It is important for me to tell the story from the perspective of a mother because it is the mothers who are left to pick up the pieces. This is a universal story which I’d hope would speak to mothers in similar situations like the mothers with sons involved in the fighting in Bermuda.’

At the centre of the play is a realignment of audience sensibilities when looking at the cause of the attack and at its impact. The horror of Biehl’s death is never lessoned, but the play offers a unique insight into the reasoning behind the twisted expression of manhood amongst African youth who were deemed powerless as the ‘inferior’ race. Biehl’s attack is held up as a symbol of the unfortunate ways in which power was wielded when treated like animals and denied the status of citizens. In a brief interview after the play, Mtshali expressed that ‘the rightful anger of black South African men was often channeled in the wrong ways by taking it out on their wives and children.’ Mother to Mother reminds us that hundreds of black South Africans were killed everyday without mention in the media in contrast to the media fixation on Biehl’s death. Similarly, Mtshali reminds us that countless Mothers were the brunt of apartheid oppression and while Mother to Mother does not explore issues of domestic violence, it presents the death of Amy Biehl as a tragic case of reckless opportunism and gives a broader understanding of the social context in which she was brutally attacked.

The contrasting voices of the Mother and the white voice of authority in the form of news reels constitute the most powerful element of the production as the Mother’s cries are set against the booming announcements of the press which are so far removed from her destitute reality, demonstrating how the voices of those at the coalface of social conflict and oppression are so often the ones that go unheard.

Mother to Mother ran on 19th October at the Contact Theatre as part of the Afrovibes Festival

 

An American abroad: Obama’s re-election

Written by Luke Luttman on . Posted in Opinion.

In assessing the implications of an additional term for President Barack Obama, it does help to look to his first. Yet, while a lot of Americans and Brits alike have criticized President Obama for failing to deliver on the promises of the inspiring 2008 campaign, I am always adamant about defending him. Any democratic president faces tremendous obstacles. Firstly, the president has substantially less power domestically than many think. The American government is designed to be slow. There are enough stages in which a bill can be defeated to leave thousands dead every term, and of the ones that make it, those with noteworthy impact are relatively few and far between in any term. Even Democrats in congress are hardly progressive by the standards of other liberal democracies, especially when it comes to economic policy. More importantly, the tea party movement has ushered in a level of stubbornness that has left congress the most ineffectual it has been since the middle of last century.
Secondly, any Democratic president has to engage with highly prevalent views that might be outrageous elsewhere. Fox news is largely successful in reflecting the views that many actually hold, not just creating them. For example, it is not uncommon in America to blame the impoverished entirely for their circumstances. If a commentator characterizes the less fortunate as ‘the moocher class’, people will not just be unaffected by it, many will feel vindicated. Thus, it comes as no surprise that when Obama permitted a mild adjustment to the constraints of welfare by allowing more exceptions to the requirements, it instantly became fuel for him to be attacked. He was still re-elected, but it is easy to see that to go much farther would be politically dangerous. It is also important to keep in mind that welfare in America is meagre by British standards.
Democratic presidents also have to work with a country in which an argument against government involvement in anything instantly gains traction. The free market is not just something useful in America, it is part of our identity. The strange result of this is not just a strong aversion to business regulation, but also to the promotion of social good, even when the private sphere is failing fairly blatantly. Hence, in the phases where a public option was still considered, Obamacare was instantly couched as some egregious infringement upon the delicate relationship between a patient and their doctor. For some reason, this scares many more than being at the mercy of private healthcare institutions which are not only out of reach for millions of Americans, but morally indifferent to denying coverage if they can get away with it. When Fox News makes allegations of the institution of death panels, it aligns pretty well with how a lot of the public conceptualizes the government. Half of Americans rejected Obamacare without the public option.
An extension of this idea that the free market is intrinsically good becomes manifest in the perception that a good old-fashioned businessmen will be better at ‘running’ the economy. The contradiction in electing someone who is averse to the government even involving itself in the economy is lost on many.
These might seem like the views of the far right. The problem is they are not. Romney not only obtained the majority of Caucasian voters and men, but in a CNN poll, was also perceived by most Americans as better for the economy. Many of those who voted for Obama will not have done so because they reject the economic and fiscal principles of Republicans. They will have made a trade-off for the sake of rejecting the religious right and social conservatism.
Against this backdrop, how has Obama performed? Obamacare not only leads to coverage for an additional tens of millions of Americans, but it imposes taxes to do so in a country where such a measure is largely perceived as an overstretch of government power. In a country where homophobia is so prevalent that polls have just recently given the edge to same sex marriage supporters, the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy was repealed. In the face of economic catastrophe, Obama managed to push through a stimulus that independent sources claim averted a full-scale depression. He did this in a country where the government is largely perceived as an obstruction to the economy, not a catalyst for its improvement. It is easy to underestimate how important these sorts of measures are in a country like America.
With a Republican house, the next four years probably won’t be a golden age of progress. I am still relieved. In the face of adversity and hostility to liberal and progressive ideas, not only has Obama made strides in the way of policy, he managed to get re-elected.

 

How To Dress Well

Written by Jordan Thomas on . Posted in Music.

Having not been to an out right, definitive ‘gig’ in a while How To Dress Well served as unapologetic reminder of the format.

A small dark, dingy basement offering overpriced drinks and a modest stage. Tick.  A young, handsome man bashfully emerging from a crowd in which his ‘trendy’ attire had previously afforded him anonymity, being applauded rapturously by excitable fans. Tick. A small group crowded round the stage singing each and every word whilst staring adoringly at the project’s curator, Tom Krell and thus completely ignoring the unoriginal brooding image projections. Tick. An obnoxious heckler whose unintelligible, declarations, questions, or maybe even suggestions (?) are apparently collectively understood and considered to be very funny by everybody but me. Tick.  However the evening failed to tick one crucial box; an exciting experience created by an engaging performance.

Perhaps it is a the strain of the European tour promoting the new album Total Loss, or the pressure of immense hype from the likes of Pitchfork, but the band seemed tired and were incapable of reaching the emotional climaxes expected of the “chill wave” darlings. Krell’s insistence that the “beats” be blasted as loud as possible in order to create intensity backfired. The sound quality was poor and his voice was overpowered.

A far more captivating decision was his to sing a dedicated a capella version of ‘Clown Town’ as an encore. The beauty and fragility of his voice when stripped of any distraction was magical. An entire evening of hearing the simplicity and delicacy of his naked sound would have been far more successful in creating a sincere atmosphere. But the crowd were predominantly very happy and gushed to congratulate him and themselves, reminding me not only of the gig format, but a feeling that pervaded my entire teenage years; what have I missed?

 

What’s On: in spoken word this month

Written by Phoebe Chambre on . Posted in Uncategorised.

Tales of Whatever #14
7.45, 14th November, The Castle Hotel, Oldham St.
Free

This live storytelling night sees participants tell a true story off the cuff – no notes and no props. This one looks as if it will be as popular as ever, so get there early and hunker down with an ale or two and get ready for the halcyon comfort of storytime.

Bad Language’s Second Birthday
7.30pm, 28th November, The Castle Hotel, Oldham St.
Free

Champions of the spoken word, the local literature organization Bad Language has been holding a mike up to new writing talent for two whole years now. They began gathering language lovers together at the local to listen to a democratic blend of fiction, non-fiction, and poetry. And now they’re celebrating in traditional style, with readings from established Bad Language voices like Rodge Glass alongside the open mic acts – and there are still slots left, so one of them could be you.

Scroobius Pip
7.30pm, 4th December, The Ruby Lounge
£10 Advance

The genre-bending spoken wordsmith is taking his show on the road, and will be playing in Manchester in early December. His combination of wit and grit has propelled poetry out of its seemingly permanent resting place in the hands of GCSE English teachers, earnestly angsty teens, and beret-wearers, and onto CDs. Any day now it’ll get onto the World Wide Web.