Skip to main content

Month: November 2012

Top 5: H&M Collaborations

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

1) Marni – 2012

This recent collaboration was a hit with the fashion crew. Such a hit, in fact, that on its first day in store the London shop had to limit shoppers to ten minute slots each. The New York store had sold out of the collection in less than an hour.

Lanvin for H&M ad campaign. Photo: H&M

2) Lanvin – 2010

In November 2010, Lanvin provided party goers with bold frocks and statement looks. Giving those on less than A-list budgets a taste of Parisian, high-end fashion. The success of the collaboration saw H&M’s sales rise by 8%; so, apart from the unlucky latecomers, everyone was happy.

Roberto Cavalli for H&M. Photo: H&M

3) Roberto Cavalli – 2007

One of the more glamorous collaborations, Cavalli brought a splash of Italian style to the Swedish chain store. Leopard print and glitter won over dazzled shoppers. There were even reports of physical fights breaking out over the sought after items in the New York store!

Stella McCartney for H&M. Photo: H&M

4) Stella McCartney – 2005

This Brit favourite’s contribution to high street fashion came under controversy when Kate Moss( star of its ad campaign) was snapped taking cocaine. The line made its own headlines though for quality designs and happy customers.

Karl Lagerfeld for H&M. Photo: H&M

5) Karl Lagerfeld – 2004

The scandal loving designer caused a furore when he said of his line “What I designed was fashion for slender and slim people”, upset by the store’s decision to produce his line in sizes up to (shock horror!) 16. Despite his controversial comments, the line lived up to Lagerfeld’s Chanel credentials.

5 Academic Sartorial Stereotypes

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Sleepy Student

Shuffling about like an extra from the latest low budget zombie film, you’ll find this student species napping at the back of the lecture theatre (when they bother to turn up) or snoozing in a secret corner of the library. Their uniforms are barely disguised sleepwear teamed with beanies (doubles up as a pillow).

Business Guy

Out of Oak House and into the office

This breed of student belongs more in the boardroom than in the classroom. Suave and sophisticated at all times, jacket and shirt are a must, briefcase glued to one hand, blackberry to the other.

Trustafarian

Often found roaming Oldham Street clutching an Urban Outfitters satchel and raving about how they’d been a fan of Alt-J way before they were even nominated for the Mercury prize.  Most Trustafarians would ask if we could please retake the above photo, using Instagram instead.

Leavers

You can take the student out of Sixth-Form…

We all know them; we also know what school they went to and what year they left. These are the (mainly female) students that love the ‘I didn’t put any effort into this outfit’ look whilst wearing so much mascara they find it hard to blink. Can be identified by the fact their face and neck are two different shades, the former usually being a vibrant shade of orange.

Gap Yah

The Gap Yah student is easily spotted in the remnants of their travelling attire, finding it hard to accept they are no longer hiking in South Asia. Often sharing their enlightening tales of the life changing experience the Full Moon party in Koh Phangan gave them. But be nice, a Gap Yah student means well – like, they’ve worked with orphans, yah?

From the vault: Manic Street Preachers – Generation Terrorists

Written by Tom Ingham on . Posted in Music.

The effect of time and age on a band is a joy to behold. Generation Terrorists, the Manic Street Preachers brash statement to the world is now celebrating its 20th Birthday. And from their initial manifesto of releasing one album, taking over the planet and then imploding, to performing  soft-rock ballads on Strictly come dancing – the Manic Street Preachers are essentially the same politically charged punks, but just a tad more grown-up.

The working title for the album, Culture, Alienation, Boredom & Despair is pretty damn effective in covering all the bases for the album. The Manics in themselves were ‘Generation Terrorists’ if you like; highly politicized nutters with no regard for establishment –thankfully they favored guitars over grenades.  Take the opening track ‘Slash ‘n’ Burn’ straight away it’s a cold hard slap in the face. The Guns N’ Roses style riffs coupled with the bitterness in the lyrics “Madonna drinks Coke and so you can too, Taste’s real good not like a sweet poison should”.

Nicky and the late (we assume so anyway) Richy provide most of the ammunition for the album, however the real credit for me goes to JDB for crafting actual songs given lyrics such as – “Obedience to the law is free desire, Under curfew from neon barbed wire, Wasting away this country, wearing like a born dead, Free heroin shots for those who never beg”.

As a whole piece, my first encounter with Generation Terrorists was a difficult one. Over faced by the sheer audacity and arrogance, tracks like ‘You Love Us’ I’m ashamed to say kind of passed me by. On first impressions the abrasive nature and no-frills production was quite overwhelming, but the album is actually pretty varied in its styling. From the amalgamation of Rage Against The Machine and Guns N’ Roses-esque tracks like ‘Another Invented Disease’ to the lush softer sounds found on ‘Little Baby Nothing’, James Dean Bradfield really excels as the sole musical contributor, and shows why many consider him the guitarist of his generation.

To most, the creme de la creme of the album is the anthemic  ‘Motorcycle Emptiness’ – comfortably taking the title of ‘that song you know, but aren’t sure who it’s by’. It epitomises the whole album, and in many ways showcasing the best of what the Manic Street Preachers have to offer. 20 years on and Generation Terrorists is still as potent and relevant as ever.

 

Deciphering Dreams

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

Following the typical student lifestyle, we have all undoubtedly spent too much on *insert here* at one point or another, only to spot an amazing addition to our wardrobes, guaranteed to make you stand out from the manic Mancunian crowds. However, you now inevitably simply cannot afford the luxury (not even with that looming overdraft…)

THINK THRIFTETTE.

Having started out travelling between Vintage Fairs and fuelled by their dreams, Thriftette’s founders, Lucie Benjamin and Grace Avery, began their own market stall in 2011 and have already managed to open their first shop, which can be found in Affleck’s Palace, in under a year. An astonishing success for a business that has been in existence for such a short period of time, as well as providing a highly inspirational example for anyone out there to take note of.

Having met while at University, the trendy duo realised that they both shared a passion for everything vintage, already with the ability to stand out, and could offer a product and ideas that differ from every other, while still staying bang in vogue. Having studied the fashion industry it was inevitable that these two fashion super-savvies would create something stylish yet equally affordable.

In addition to this, unlike a lot of other stores, the girls effortlessly create an incredibly welcoming, friendly and sociable atmosphere with an eagerness to help their customers, something which I definitely felt when I paid them a visit for an interview. Here is what they said:

Did you always know that you wanted a fashion-orientated job?

We always dreamed about it but never actually believed that it would happen. One night Lucie and I just sat up talking and sharing ideas, then we began doing vintage fairs. It was a good place to start because apart from the clothes, all you really need is a car! We did that for quite a while, but it did start to get boring doing the same thing every weekend and we also found it to be too focused on money-grabbing as they charge stalls to attend, which just seems ironic! When we realised we wanted to open our own store, we each gave an input of £150, so it really can be done. We also model our own products for our online store, as that helps to cut down the cost as well. Although we did have a photo shoot yesterday and the model we got was really good. Of course now we have earned that money back…and more.

Is the fashion industry as stereotypical as people immediately think?

At uni we felt like the losers, it was always just the two of us, we did everything together, lived together. There really was a lot of bitchiness on our course, especially because there were sixty girls! People used to laugh at us or just not really want to get to know us because we were different. I still have some of them on Facebook and it makes me laugh now because a lot of people now, even after they have graduated, work in supermarkets and things like that.

What was the reason you moved back to start a store in Manchester having studied in Leeds?

I [Grace] grew up in Manchester and so I suppose I always knew that I was going to come back after I graduated, and when Lucie and I had the idea that we did want to start our own store, we looked around and found this shop space in Afflecks really quickly. Too good to turn down!

A lot of people would love to do what you have achieved, but worry at the thought of having and managing their own business. Have you had any major setbacks or difficulties on the way?

It’s still really hard to know. We have only been here for eleven months so we do not really have any previous figures to work by. Not that long after we moved here, a lot of customers would come in and ask us where other (vintage) stores were, and when they left we would think, “come and try our stuff!”

We were already established here for the post-Christmas madness in January, and I suppose, for us, we didn’t really know how well we were doing since it was all new to us, any time customers came in and bought something, we thought it was great! There is a lot of trial and error involved. It will be interesting to compare the figures at the end of the year.

Where do you get your clothes from?

Well, we do pretty much all of the design work ourselves. We get a lot of things from Wholesalers and then revamp the products ourselves. My [Lucie] parents also moved to France so I often travel there to the flea markets, they are a great place to find new ideas and I always come back with loads of things. The only thing is, whenever I go to France I get a lot of French people shouting ‘Lady Gaga’ at me (which she pronounced in a perfect French accent). I think it is because people in France must not see people with blonde hair!

How would you describe your style and/or the style of your product?

We definitely create things that we would wear. [They both demonstrate their outfits, which in some cases, can either be identified hanging on the walls or have a very similar look]. We really don’t like it when we see what some models wear on the catwalk and you just know that you would never dream of wearing that on the street, especially since a lot of people do not like to look too different. We are of course also providing for a target audience similar to ourselves. If you come in store you will often see us wearing our own products. The things we sell are one-of-a-kind that you would not find anywhere else. We are very pro self-expressionism and try to inject our own personality into everything we design. I [Grace] wouldn’t say that we ever stick to a particular style rigidly, we always change, it just happens at the moment that we have a bit of a grunge theme. Whatever style it is, we definitely wear it with a purpose, we know why we like that particular look at that particular time, that is something that is really important to us. Lucie often changes her hair too. At uni you’d never know what colour it would be the next time you saw her! I [Grace] am in the process of growing out my blonde and returning to my natural, brown. We don’t even know what we will do next.

On my way to Thriftette this morning it was hard not to notice the vast amount of vintage stores all in such a close vicinity to yourselves. How do you deal with that sort of competition and does it affect your business?

[Grace] I don’t think we have ever noticed it really. I mean we have our own stand-out ideas. For example, as we said all our products are 100% original so you won’t find them in any other of these vintage stores. We also offer T-shirt printing within the store, so that of course is something else that makes us unique. We also have a Loyalty Card system, so you get a stamp every time you buy something, then after five stamps you get £10 to use in store. Oh, and 10% student discount, which, actually a lot of other independent stores will not offer.

So, now that you have made it so far, where do you see yourselves in a couple of years time?

We would like to branch out and maybe develop into a chain store in locations all over the country, but obviously also where there is a good space for fashion. London or Birmingham would be good. And since I [Lucie] am from Essex, maybe that could help to get us going in different places. I’d like to open a store in the South. Developing our online store is also a big issue for us.

What do you both enjoy doing in your free time?

We work in the store an awful lot since it is just the two of us, but on our days off we do a lot of designing, updating our blog and do enjoy guilty pleasures such as TOWIE, oh, and Made In Chelsea.

 

If you haven’t already, a visit to Thriftette is an absolute must. Not only will you be spoilt for choice in great fashion, you will also get a lovely chat from two very talented young ladies. SOLD!

Students disciplined for Savile social

Written by Michael Williams on . Posted in News.

Students at Durham University have been disciplined after holding a Jimmy Savile-themed social.

St. Cuthbert’s Society Men’s Rugby Club asked freshers to dress up as young girls, second years as Jimmy Savile and third and fourth years as policemen and Panorama reporters.

Members of the group also reportedly tried to steal a dartboard from one campus bar, and one person stripped naked in another.

In response the club has been banned from all fixtures for the remainder of the year, and the social secretaries and club captain are being made to undertake 20 hours of community service. Every person who attended the social will also be fined £50.

The club has requested that if the fine is to be paid, that the funds go to the Hospice of St Francis in Berkhamstead – the charity the club is supporting for ‘Movember’.

The college rugby website lists the A and B teams in the bottom two positions of the league tables. The A team were runners up in the Floodlit Cup last year, and the B team were First Division champions. Their seven games still to play this year will be counted as 40-0 losses.

A University spokesperson said: “The University has been made aware of an incident. We take such matters very seriously.”

“The students’ college has investigated the incident and disciplinary action is being taken.”

‘Mafia Twitter trolls’ and my morbid obsession with celeb gossip

Written by Sophie Donovan on . Posted in Music.

Gossip is an activity we partake in almost every day. Usually but not exclusively of a sexual nature, we are fascinated by what everyone else is doing. Apart from affirming our feelings of superiority by sniggering at the mishaps of others, the purpose of gossip is usually to impress.

 
Not unlike endlessly repeating quotes from Alan Partridge, we blather the hearsay of others in the hope that our audience will fall about laughing; duped into thinking that we are hilarious and interesting.

 

But the more tenuous our link to the subject, the less interesting the tale – so why am I so fascinated by the relationships of pop stars I don’t even like?

 
I was genuinely upset to hear that Taylor Swift had gone out with leather-choker-enthusiast Ed Sheeran and I didn’t know about it. But why would I know? I don’t buy their records, I don’t follow them on Twitter and I don’t even like them (although respect to Sheeran for writing a lyric that describes a face as “crumbling like pastries” without anyone noticing). I would understand my interest if I adored them artistically or loved boys with ginger bum-fluff.

 
It would make sense if I was passionately anti-Swift and detested Eds – then I could jeer at the Daily Mail website and spitefully remark “you deserve each other!” But what baffles me is why I expect to know the personal details of people who, otherwise, I have no interest in whatsoever.

 
More Swift news that I was shocked I didn’t know was that she’d been spotted holding hands with pube-less heart-throb Harry Styles and had received a barrage of Twitter-hatred from furious fans. One Direction’s Louis Tomlinson referred to their terrifying online troll mafia as aggressive “extremists” in a recent interview, and suggested that it was a “minority offence”. The viral crimes of these offenders have meant the permanent abstinence of Burberry model, Edie Campbell from Twitter, after she posed with the band for a photo-shoot and was ironically told she “looked like a troll”. More extraordinary tweets from 1D fans include the remarkably medieval “I WILL KILL YR FIRSTBORN”, and the simply put, “If u dating my harry, i kill u’.

 

Now, it’s clear that these maniacs have a vested interest in this gossip. They’ve publically announced their plots to murder a celebrity and their future children. They care. And despite myself, so do I.

 
I happened upon “Cheryl – Coming Home Cheryl” on ITV, and like my bewilderment at the title’s extra “Cheryl”, I was confused at the audible gasp that passed my lips at the candid announcement that ‘Tre’ wasn’t just a background dancer featured in the documentary, but was in fact her boyfriend as well!

 
Why hadn’t anyone told me? I have no interest in Cheryl and clearly I’m unaware of Tre’s work, but I was visited by the same inner turmoil that plagued me at the Swift news. I have faith, at least, that I will not be using this gossip to impress nor affirm my superiority, as clearly spreading the news of the ordinary relationships of happy rich celebrities will achieve neither. But, I’m unsure if this voluntary hysteria will pass soon.

Is it us or them?

Written by Ellie Riley on . Posted in Theatre.

Four Stars out of Five Stars

Blue/ Orange, Joe Penhall’s award winning play comes to the Opera House on a typically wet and bleak Manchester evening. Sporting a fairly star studded cast, that is if you’re a fan of Hollyoaks and Downton Abbey. It is a highly realistic story questioning the relationships between psychiatry, race and insanity, with a satirical twist running throughout.

 

It tells the story of Christopher, played by Oliver Wilson, who delivered a highly engaging and believable performance, he believes his father is military dictator, Idi Amin, and has been sectioned under the Mental Health Act. The ultimate power and ego struggle ensues, as his doctor, Bruce, played by Gerard McCarthy, believes it is too soon for Christopher to be released, diagnosing him with Schizophrenia. Whilst consultant Psychiatrist Robert, is keen to release him back into the community. Played by Robert Bathurst, Robert, best known for his roles in Downton Abbey and Wild at Heart, delivers a thoroughly entertaining performance, whose dry and satirical delivery provided light relief and humour at such a complex issue.

 

Through research like The Human Genome project, it has been discovered that in 90-95% of cases genes are not the cause of Schizophrenia. Therefore Blue/Orange addresses the more controversial, confusing, potential underlying causes; race, environment and culture. Issues that, as we see portrayed in Blue/Orange, can evoke extreme opposing views, and throughout the play my perceptions of the two sparring medical professionals continued to intertwine. At one moment I had labelled Bruce as genuine and good, and Robert as arrogant and obnoxious. At one point I was questioning their sanity! Are the medical professionals probing and thinking too deep? However as the performance progressed I found myself wavering and I could understand both sides of the arguments and issues raised.

 

The sparseness of the staging was extremely eye catching upon first glimpse of the stage, I heard utterances of, “well, they haven’t spent much money on the set”. With just a desk, water cooler small table, fruit-bowl and 3 chairs, the set was minimalist to say the least. This along with the fact that there were only ever 3 actors on stage created a really engaging performance for the audience, as it drew all your concentration to the extremely complex topic being dealt with.

 

By the end of the play, we are still questioning who is right and wrong, and trying to resolve certain issues. This to me represented the limited and differing insight into mental illness and in particular Schizophrenia, in today’s society. It leaves you questioning sanity, we blindly assume we know what ‘sane’ is. Penhall has blurred the boundaries between what and who we believe to be sane and insane, forcing you to question your own opinions. This is a deeply thought provoking performance, which I found really intriguing. It may not be to everyone’s taste, it requires concentration throughout, discussing a fairly taboo topic.  Nonetheless it is fast paced, engaging, brilliantly acted and will leave you questioning your perceptions of the two debating sides.

Blue/Orange runs until 24th November at the Manchester Opera House

No Women Bishops? No Bishops in the Lords

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Opinion.

In the wake of the Church of England’s decision not to let women become Bishops, what place does the Church have in our political system? Currently with twenty-six automatic seats in the House of Lords, the bishops of this country have significant political presence. The recent vote of the church to not allow women to become Bishops shows further that the church is an outdated, sexist organisation – with no right to influence politics in this country.

The decision of the vote is not supported by those most influential in the Church. But one glance at the tweeted response of Justin Welby, the soon-to-be leader of the Church, and it becomes pretty clear that religious bodies have no place in politics. He tweeted that it had been a ‘very grim day, most of all for women priests and supporters’. Welby also spoke of the need to ‘co-operate with our healing God’. It’s hard to imagine David Cameron emerging from a political vote bemoaning a result in which the vast majority of the country and its political representatives had been thwarted by such a small a minority of unelected, unrepresentative misogynists. Welby may say that the problem lies within the voting procedures and not within the institution as a whole. However, no Prime minister can hide behind a ‘healing’ third party, rather than tackling the issues at hand. If the House of Lords acts to challenge the government and ensure that the will of the electorate is represented in the Commons, what place have the leaders of an institution which can’t ensure that the voice of its own majority is heard?

In response to the decision of the vote, MPs have begun an e-petition to remove the right of the Church of England to have automatic seats in the House of Lords. Their petition is as follows:

The Church of England on 20th Nov 2012 voted not to allow women to be Bishops. Though that is within its rights to do, this should worry the Government as Church of England Bishops are awarded legislative power through seats in the House of Lords.

The Church has chosen to be a sexist organisation by refusing women the right to hold highest leadership positions and therefore should not be allowed automatic seats in the House of Lords, as this clearly does not comply with the spirit of UK Equality law.

We call on the Govt to remove the right of the Church of England to have automatic seats in the House of Lords, in line with its commitments to equality and non-discrimination, set out in the Equality Act (2010) and the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (1979)”

The e-petition can be found at : http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/42117

Arguments of democracy, equality and secularity are the strongest for this case. In practical terms, the Bishops have little influencing power. It is hoped that this petition will encourage the removal of Bishops from the Lords due to their symbolic presence, more so than their power in practice.

Out of the 760 seats overall in the House of Lords, the Church holds only twenty-six of them. This is compared to 212 Conservative, 225 Labour, and 90 Liberal Democrat peers. So in practical terms, if turnout were 100% in the House of Lords, and party lines held all the time, the Bishops would never influence law – the vote would go to the coalition every time. However, allowing Bishops automatic seats in the House of Lords undermines the credibility of our democracy. We are a highly developed liberal country, and this appears to contradict our morality. An organisation that is exempt from some aspects of the law, such as the Church of England is with the equality legislation act has no place in our parliament.

Speaking to students unaware of the issue, it was surprising how many were shocked and appalled that such an undemocratic practise was still operating in this country. Laurence Jones-Williams, a member of Manchester Universities Humanist Group, told The Mancunion ‘It’s a wonder how in the 21st century we still allow seemingly 18th century practices. The recent decision of the Church further shows the illegitimacy of the Bishops’ presence in the House of Lords’.

If you agree with the arguments above, I urge you to sign the petition. The fact the argument is in the political spectrum at all in the 21st century is unnerving, a stark reminder of one of the many obstacles we still have to overcome to become a truly liberal progressive society. The recent vote has shown that sadly the Church is not moving with the times, let alone reflecting the vast majority opinion in this country.

 

Breakthrough in search for arthritis cure

Written by David Burch on . Posted in News.

A major breakthrough has been made by University of Manchester researchers looking for a cure for arthritis.

The groundbreaking study, published in the journal Nature Genetics, involved scientists studying the DNA samples from more than 27,000 patients with the disease.

Researchers already know environmental factors such as smoking, diet, pregnancy and infection can cause the disease, but new research shows that genetic disposition also influences the likelihood of developing it.

14 new genes were discovered that can lead to rheumatoid arthritis – a disease that affects around 70 million worldwide, and over 400,000 people in the UK.

Alongside 32 genes already linked to the disease, the researchers now feel they have discovered nearly all the genes that contribute to the disease.

Study author Dr Stephen Eyre stated the potential of the findings to be used for the development of drugs to help those afflicted with the disease.

“This work will have a great impact on the treatment of arthritis. We have already found three genes that are targets for drugs, leaving 43 genes with the potential for drug development”.

At present a third of patients don’t respond well to medications that have been developed for the disease.

Professor Alan Silman, medical director of Arthritis Research UK, hopes that these discoveries will lead to a “greater understanding of the disease and allow us to develop targeted drug treatments for the people currently living with rheumatoid arthritis.”

The study also reveals the genetic association between rheumatoid arthritis and the X chromosome, helping to understand why three times more women develop the disease than men.

But the researchers’ work is far from over, as Professor Jane Worthington indicated.

“Our future work will focus on understanding how the simple genetic changes alter normal biological processes and lead to disease. Ultimately, this will help us to develop novel therapies.”

Lord of the Rings: Guardians of Middle Earth – Preview

Written by Jack Crutcher on . Posted in Games.

Monolith Productions will bring the latest entry in the Lord of The Rings franchise Guardians of Middle Earth to Xbox 360 and PS3 on December 4. This time around console gamers will be introduced to the MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) style of game-play. The pressure to impress is huge and in no small part due to the hot competition offered by the rival PC platform which can boast such titles as League of Legends and Starcraft.

The game will offer a choice between five classes and 20 characters, gamers will be encouraged to specialize according to their preferred style of play early on. Warriors, Strikers, Enchanters, Tacticians and Defenders complete the options available to the player with each bringing a distinct set of strengths and weaknesses to the table. For example, where Enchanters like Gandalf lose out in terms of health and minimal resistance to incoming attacks, they will make up for in devastating offensive moves. Defenders on the other hand are able to withstand high amounts of damage, but offer little in terms of attack.

Perhaps the most interesting aspect of Guardians of Middle Earth is the character customisation made available through three forms; Potions, Commands and Guardian Belts. Potions and Commands are typically purchased with credits earned through mission advancement. However the Guardian Belts are a unique feature introduced by Monolith. The Belts are carried by every character in the game and can hold up to seven gems and/ or relics each (more slots are unlocked with game progression). Each gem or relic gives the holder a unique trait that increases their ability and can be placed in order of importance within the available slots. The higher a relic or gem is placed, the greater its effect on the character. The game should impress when it comes to character personalisation if nothing else, something that will attract RPG fans to the genre.

This is certainly a brave release by Monolith and could prove to be a stroke of genius if it lives up to the hype.

Teething problems for Wii U US Launch

Written by Alasdair Preston on . Posted in Games.

Nintendo’s Wii U was released stateside last week, marking the dawn of the next generation of home consoles.

As with all launches, there were teething problems. The biggest complaint that arose from the first wave of Wii U owners was about a firmware update. Gamers were complaining of a slow download that was required to get most of the Wii U’s online features to work. Despite rumours of it being a hefty 5GB, official sources claim its only 1GB.

Frustrated fans took to the web to complain. With one Twitter user summing up gamers’ frustrations: “Things I have enjoyed doing so far with my Wii U: Waiting for things to download. Waiting for things to install. Entering passwords.”

 Worse still turning off the console during this update bricked the machine completely for some. Word eventually got round about how to shift the download to the background, and Nintendo of America hastily released a warning to those yet to download. But for many this was too little, too late.

The Wii U’s online space suffered some day one downtime. For a new system this kind is to be expected, but it surely caused disappointment for those who had been looking forward to launch since summer 2011. One user reported accidentally hacking the admin side of the social hub, and being presented with the option to moderate all submitted messages (although he claimed that it wasn’t fully functional). Nintendo were quick to point out that this menu was just a mock-up, and has since been removed.

Despite all this, Nintendo should be pretty happy with the launch. They successfully avoiding the usual stock shortages that we have come to expect, and launched some great first-party titles.

The MiiVerse, Nintendo’s biggest step into the online world by far, seems popular and is being compared favourably to the Xbox Live and PSN services by many. There is plenty to look forward to on November 30, but early adopters would do well to prepare for that big download, or risk turning their Wii U into a £300 paperweight.

Retro Corner – Batman: Vengance

Written by Thomas Lee on . Posted in Games.

I may be speaking to a niche audience when I ask “Does anyone remember Batman: Vengeance?” But hear me out.

As a kid, I loved superhero cartoons, but was too young to catch Batman: The Animated Series (which I’ve since purchased on DVD, and can heartily recommend). I did however play the video-game spinoff, Ubisoft’s 2001 Batman Vengeance.

It was my first video game and my first encounter with the caped crusader. Eleven years later, I still collect Batman comics. And I still swoop around Gotham beating up Joker thugs, but now I tend to do it on a seventh-generation console. The Arkham series has been tremendous, but for me, Vengeance will always be the original. In more ways than one.

Vengeance was great fun. The decopunk noire of the animated series was captured beautifully in a game where Batman roundhouse kicked his way through his usual rogues gallery in a chain of episodes that were bound together by a shady criminal conspiracy, with voice talent from Misters Conroy and Hamil. Some things never change. The plot worked and the dialog was ripped right out of a 40s gumshoe detective novel, but the controls were awkward – the Arkham series make Batman’s utility belt much more utilitarian.

The new games are, objectively, much better (even if they haven’t yet let me drive the Batmobile). But it’s hard not to notice how they ‘borrow’ from Vengeance. There are several intentional tips of the hat, including Joker quotes and Oracle’s reminder of what happened the “last time” Batman fought Mister Freeze – but Arkham Asylum’s plot of Joker is putting strange fluids in the sewers was an almost direct steal, as was the miraclous ‘Titan’ formula. The theme of the Joker’s death features in both game and the fact that Vengeance ends with a remarkably farsighted cutscene of the Asylum makes you almost wonder if the Joker has something in store for us.

Far Cry 3 – Review

Written by Sam Dumitriu on . Posted in Games.

Far Cry 3 is a rare breed, the thoughtful first person shooter. When you’re first introduced to protagonist Jason Brody, he strikes you as nothing more than a rich kid out of his depth, but your view of Brody will soon change as you break out of psychotic pirate Vaas’ prison camp.

It’s a rare FPS that has the lead character recoil in horror at his first kill and delivers a truly emotional moment when he has to apply pressure to stop his brother bleeding from the neck, all before you’re even given a gun.

Jason Brody is a reluctant hero, a man who at first refuses a gun, yet as time passes, he begins to feel at home in the role.  He starts to enjoy the violence, comfortably burning down villages with his flamethrower and setting loose wild animals on his enemies.

His character arc is reminiscent of Dustin Hoffman’s in Straw Dogs; he goes from being repulsed by violence to eventually embracing it as a fundamental part of him.

At times it is a little hard to suspend your disbelief; for a man who’s never used a gun Brody has an incredible aptitude for killing trained pirates armed to their teeth.

Once you escape the prison camp, you spend a good hour getting acquainted with the key-mechanics of the game. Gathering herbs in order to create drugs that can heal you and enhance your combat abilities, and learning to hunt pigs, goats and leopards to make equipment from their hides.  It is important to pay attention at this point, as you won’t get far with the bog standard gear.

You also get access to the game’s levelling system, where you can develop new skills such as, stealth kills or being able to reload while sprinting. In a nice touch, the new skills that you purchase appear on your characters left arm as tattoos.

What sets the gameplay of Far Cry 3 apart from the other big titles on the market is the freedom it gives you in approaching each mission. You get to decide whether you run in guns blazing or attach C4 to a vehicle and create a makeshift car bomb or sneak in taking each guard out with your knife. You can also use the environment as a weapon setting fire to crops in order to block off your enemies paths or lure wild animals like leopards and even water buffalo to the enemies for backup.

The freedom isn’t just limited to how you approach the missions, you have free reign over the massive map, which spans two islands. You can go hunting, try some off-roading in one of the game’s many vehicles and even explore the island from above with the help of Far Cry series staple the hang-glider.

The freedom extends to your weapons giving you a vast choice, from handguns and machine-guns to flamethrowers, rocket launchers and my personal favourite the bow and arrow. All of these weapons are customisable superficially with different paint jobs and functionally with scopes and magazines.

The graphics are strong. The islands are nice to look at, with realistic water effects, lush foliage and sharp textures. The character animation is strong as well, which alongside quality voice acting helps the story draw you in. The distressing healing animations from Far Cry 2 remain, popping Brody’s bones back into place and picking out bullets with your knife, will cause even the most-hardened gamer to cringe.

As well as the main story, the game also offers a co-op mode separate from the main plot where you play as one of four misfits drawn together when pirates attack their ship. The free roaming is traded for more linear gameplay here, although the levels are still vast. The levels are designed for four players and it can become frustratingly difficult playing with just two.

The multiplayer isn’t much cop either, compared to Black Ops 2 and Halo 4; it’s likely to get ignored. The levels lack the scope of the main game, and force you into closed quarters. Thankfully, the game has provided players with a map editor allowing you to create your own levels.

Far Cry 3 is a great shooter that excels with open-ended gameplay, a strong story and a huge map to explore. While the multi-player doesn’t live up to the single player, it’s a must buy on the quality of the single player alone.

9 out of 10

Art History Lessons with Lucy J

Written by Lucy Johnson on . Posted in Arts.

1) He was born Henri Marie Raymond de Toulouse-Lautrec-Monfa in 1864, to an aristocratic French family

2) His parents were first cousins

3) He put himself into his painting ‘The Moulin Rouge’, and is pictured walking next to his cousin Dr. Tapie de Celyran

4) He fractured his legs at 14, and they stopped growing, meaning as an adult he only stood 4 ft 6 in tall

5) He contracted syphilis from one of his favourite models, a prostitute named Rosa la Rouge

6) His paintings often depict the music halls, circuses, brothels, and cabaret life of Paris

7) He invented a cocktail, a mix of absinthe and cognac, called the ‘Earthquake’

8) Although his paintings were not received well in his lifetime, his painting ‘La blanchisseuse’ sold for 22.4 million dollars in 2005

9) He was an astonishingly productive painter – 1,000 paintings, 5,000 drawings, and 350 prints and posters

10) He died aged only 37

Review: ‘I’ – The Sleep Collection

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Arts.

Art exhibitions and creative spaces are not the natural grazing grounds of the Mancunion’s laziest contributors. However, living with the Arts editor does, at times, mean we have to bite our tongues and agree to attend such cultural arenas. Our first foray into creativity saw us attend ‘I’ – The Sleep Collectionat one of Manchester’s (sort of Salford?) most titillating industrial spaces, the Islington Mill.

Roshana Rubin-Mayhew installed a bed into one of the twenty gallery spaces at the Mill for two weeks from the 6th-20th November. Each night over the first week, members of the public were invited by Roshana to sleep over whilst they were being photographed falling asleep, during sleep and as they were waking up.  The resulting triptych of photographs were arranged together around the bed, made up with black sheets, forming the focal point of the exhibit.

Initially confronted by what appeared to be a potentially underwhelming set up, we opted to quell our boot shaking fear of the arts and embrace what we had been ordered to see.  In doing so, it became obvious that the image of someone sleeping carries far more cultural, emotional and aesthetic significance than may first appear. Lucy embraced her academic calling and Toby attempted to keep up as we embraced the restful yet challenging images.

Most of the pictures were composed of the subjects face, occasionally with a section of torso and/or arm. The ambiguous camera angles free the subjects of the constraints of the bed they’re in, suspending them in a state of timeless innocence.  In particular the central images of the triptych, depicting actual sleep, evoked the expanse of the dreaming mind or as if they were poised in space.

Although all compositionally similar, each image had an aesthetic beauty emphasised by subtle individualities. The sleeping self, that is to say ourselves at our most vulnerable, tends to be something belonging in the private sphere, a state only those closest to you would witness. Transferred to the public arena, we engage almost voyeuristically with the act of sleeping, and are for a moment gifted access to the private space of the individual. It is the sense of immediacy and intimacy that the exhibition so strongly conveys.

Although attending under duress, we both left the Mill with a more informed    sense of the capacity of photographs to convey truth and intimacy. There is an honesty in the exhibition in part due to the photographic medium but also reflected in the simplicity of the composition.

 

A Night at the Museum

Written by Grace Williams on . Posted in Arts.

To mark 100 years since the opening of the first Egypt gallery in Manchester Museum, the Ancient Worlds exhibition has been redeveloped and three new galleries created. As part of the Museum Meets initiative – the museum’s adult programme – I attended an After Hours event which promised to showcase the new galleries at night and offer some related amusements.

After being greeted with wine and live Greek bouzouki music, I entered the first of the new galleries which explores Manchester’s contribution to archaeology.  As well as displaying locally found artefacts, the individuals involved in the discovery, analysis and preservation of objects are brought to attention through photographs and media displays. Contributors to Manchester’s archaeological legacy, past and present, are acknowledged and celebrated. The opportunity to meet with the man behind the displays and Curator of Archaeology Bryan Sitch felt like something of an honour, and his passion for the artefacts and their unique stories was infectious. Serving as a prelude to the Egypt collection, the displays go some way in explaining the processes involved in archaeology today.

Egyptian Worlds, the second gallery, transports us right back to Ancient Egypt. The awesome impact of brightly decorated coffins and the delicate beauty of tomb jewellery powerfully convey the remarkable achievements of civilisation all those thousands of years ago. Just as Egyptian life and culture revolved around preparation for death, there is greater emphasis on ceremonial objects required for transition into the afterlife, and of course the coffins and mummies themselves take centre stage.

Finally, the third space, Exploring Objects, offers visually stunning mass collections of everyday objects such as jewellery and stone vessels from the ancient civilisations of Greece, Rome and Egypt. The Ancient Worlds galleries now have more objects on display than ever before. Selected artefacts are free to be handled and new smart phone interactivity will allow greater accessibility to objects.

Aside from the exciting new galleries, the opportunity to attempt mummification (with an orange!) and watch a pharoah perform tricks was much enjoyed. Overall the once cramped galleries of the Ancient Worlds exhibition are now light and well arranged, and there is a continuity in the material presented that leaves you with a deeper understanding, not only of ancient life, but of the discipline of archaeology as well. The sheer number and diversity of objects on display, combined with the implementation of the newest technologies and approaches in museology, yields an impressive exhibition experience.

 

These attacks on smart drugs aren’t very smart

Written by James Jackson on . Posted in Opinion.

“One in six students have experimented with some kind of performance enhancing drug” wrote Antonia Jennings in last week’s Mancunion, in an article that considered ideas such as random drugs tests and sniffer dogs to stop people from taking cognitive enhancing drugs during exams. Her reasoning seemed to be that “heightening the brain to some unnatural level gave the remaining students an unfair disadvantage,” and that therefore taking these substances is unfair and wrong. I have one question for Antonia: do you like coffee?

The concept of a ‘drug,’ like ‘pornography,’ is notoriously difficult to define. With something like ketamine, it is obvious to everyone that it is indeed a drug. However, when you think of substances like caffeine, which have a less obvious affect, the line blurs. Caffeine is a cognitive enhancer, and therefore any bans against “smart drugs” are inconsistent and ill-thought out. Any way you look at it, coffee is a performance enhancing drug, or at least contains one. Caffeine has been proven to increase alertness, improve concentration and short-term memory; these are the same performance-enhancing properties that supposedly give Ritalin-taking students an unfair advantage. And yet they are present in most of our drinks. This is especially true for Modafinil, the main purpose of which is to increase alertness. Should some students be deemed “cheats” or penalized because they prefer to get their alertness in a £1 pill rather than £3 coffees?

Following the Lance Armstrong scandal, where cycling’s most famous sportsman was found to have used performance enhancing drugs, it is understandable to want to do something about cheating. However, viewing academia as a competitive sport similar to cycling is a grave mistake. There is a reason economists don’t take part in the Olympics: academia isn’t about beating your opponents, it is about producing good quality research or learning the skills to do so. Does it matter if you discover the Higgs Boson stoned or visualize the double-helix of DNA while tripping on LSD? It has been widely reported that Francis Crick had indeed taken the powerful psychedelic when his greatest discovery came to him. Should we strip him of his Nobel Prize like we stripped Lance of his medals? Of course not, because the point of research is not the competition, but the result. If the statistics are anything to go by, there are probably researchers at this university taking smart drugs. If this helps them work harder, and discover a cure for a disease faster, isn’t this a good thing?

At the root of these ethical questions are, I think, a number of unchallenged assumptions. The nature of the human mind is one of them. Many seem to think of drugs as unnatural and therefore fundamentally bad, but many smart drugs work by enhancing or inhibiting systems already found in the brain. Taking Omega oil supplements helps keep your brain healthy, but so does Piracetam, an Alzheimer’s drug that prevents age and alcohol damage and promotes cognition and memory recall. It has also been proven to increase the performance of dyslexic children.

I belief that many of the students who take non-prescribed cognitive enhancers are doing this to self-medicate undiagnosed learning difficulties. Would someone really go through the effort, and risk, of gaining a black-market substance such as Ritalin if they did not have a serious problem with concentration? Adult ADHD is poorly understood, and doctors are often suspicious of young people looking for a prescription. Some people have had bad experiences with doctors and the bureaucracy of the NHS and therefore prefer to find their own treatment, taking matters of their (mental) health into their own hands. What is wrong with a dyslexic student deciding on how to treat their learning difficulties? They probably have more time than their GP does to research new treatments, and more motivation to make the best decision for themselves.

Drug abuse has brought significant suffering to our society, with millions of people a year dying from alcohol, tobacco and other drug-related illnesses, but it is dishonest to pretend that they can’t be used positively. In the words of Bill Hicks: “If you don’t believe drugs have done good things for us, do me a favour. Go home tonight. Take all your albums, all your tapes and all your CDs and burn them. ‘Cause you know what, the musicians that made all that great music that’s enhanced your lives throughout the years were rrreal fucking high on drugs. The Beatles were so fucking high they let Ringo sing a few tunes.”

 

Blind Date: Louisa & Richard

Written by Zara Zubeidi on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Richard, 1st year, Medical Imaging MSc

First impressions?

Confident and stylish.

What did you have to eat?

A burger and then Sticky Toffee Pudding

What did you guys talk about?

Lots, our home towns, our courses and life in Manchester mostly

If they were an alcoholic beverage which one would they be and why?

I would have to say an Irish coffee. Apart from the fact that she’s from Ireland, she also seemed very energetic and focused.

Were there any awkward silences?

Maybe a few…

Rating?

7

Finally, hug, kiss or something more?

None of the above.

 

 

Louisa, 2nd year, Psychology 

First impressions?

He seemed friendly and was easy to get on with

What did you have to eat?

A Trof burger and brownie

What did you guys talk about?

Lots of different things, about our courses, where we go out in Manchester etc.

If they were an alcoholic beverage which one would they be and why?

A tangy cocktail because he was eccentric and interesting!

Were there any awkward silences?

No, not at all

Rating?

7

Finally, hug, kiss or something more?

None, and we did not swap numbers so it’s unlikely that we will see each other again

 

Louisa and Richard ate at Trof, Fallowfield. Thanks to the guys down there for getting involved. To check out their menu and what’s going on there head to http://www.troffallowfield.co.uk/

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

Must See This Week In Theatre: 26th November-3rd December

Written by Josephine Lane on . Posted in Theatre.

Arabian Nights

The Library Theatre Company’s Christmas show this year is the infamous tale of Arabian Nights. The classic story of a thousand and one stories is staged in the round and promises to be visually stunning!

Runs from 30th November until 12th January 2013 at the Lowry Theatre

Tickets £14.50-£20

 

Peter Pan

The Bolton Octagon’s family festive show this year is the timeless classic we all know and love: Peter Pan. With a talented cast of actor-musicians playing originally composed music, the show is sure to bring out the child in all of us!

Runs until 12th January 2013 at the Bolton Octagon

Tickets £9.50-£22

 

Orpheus Descending

Whilst being one of Tennesse William’s lesser-known plays, Orpheus Descending, still has plenty of what we love about him: a young male drifter, an unhappy Southern belle and lots of passion. Stars Imogen Stubbs as Lady Torrance.

Runs from 24th October to 24th November at The Royal Exchange Theatre

Student Tickets £10 or £5 on a Monday or Friday

 

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas

A musical based on the Bing Crosby film classic, following the success of the record-breaking, sell-out run of 2009. A spectacle that’ll warm any Scrooge-like heart, White Christmas promises to deliver ‘lots of laughter and some of the greatest songs ever written’.

Runs from the 30th November to 5th December

Tickets £24-£45

Live: DIIV

Written by Joe Goggins on . Posted in Music.

20th November 2012

9/10

The Deaf Institute has spent the five or so years since its opening acting, in effect, as Manchester’s portal to the blogosphere; it’s served as a base of sorts for the city’s hottest promoters in Now Wave, and accordingly has seen a long procession of buzz bands pass through its doors.  It’s hardly surprising, then, to see DIIV make their Mancunian debut here; they’ve managed to slot in a slew of their own shows around a support slot with The Vaccines who, to their credit, are clearly capable of appreciating interesting music if not making it.

DIIV (pronounced ‘Dive’) already have impressive indie pedigree; drummer Colby Hewitt is formerly of Smith Westerns, and singer-songwriter Zachary Cole Smith began working on this project whilst a touring guitarist with Beach Fossils, culminating in Oshin, released back in June. Tonight’s show is an out-of-order run-through of a record that’s already starting to appear on a host of end-of-year album lists, and its translation to the live arena enthrals and surprises in equal measure. On record, Oshin weaves layer after layer of melodic guitar to create gorgeous dream-pop textures, with distant, distorted vocals floated over the top to impressive effect.

The effect of chopping and changing between instrumental and vocal-heavy tracks on Oshin is subtle on the album, but live, the results are far more pronounced; the vocally-light likes of ‘(Druun)’ and ‘Air Conditioning’ are as quietly mesmerising as their recorded counterparts, but the heavier material is a revelation; the guitars sound that much fiercer, and the vocals pack that much more bite, on the faster, more driven likes of ‘Doused’ and ‘How Long Have You Known’. DIIV took their name from a Nirvana song, and it’s an influence far more obvious on stage than in the studio; the noisier jams from Oshin manage to be at once hypnotic and thrilling. With only one LP under their belts, it is of course all over much too quickly, but with no lack of promise for what next time might hold. A revelatory debut.