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Day: 3 December 2012

Purity Ring

The Canadian duo Purity Ring debut album ‘Shrines’ is without a doubt a masterpiece. With its brilliant combination of pop sensibilities, pitch shifted vocals and mysterious tone it grabs the listener drawing them into a journey through its shadowy catacombs and mysterious covens and after its brief thirty eight minutes it thrusts the startled listener back into daylight wanting more. After receiving a huge amount of critical acclaim Megan James and Corin Roddick have taken the album on a huge international tour and during their brief stay in Manchester they found time to speak to The Mancunion.

They seemed to enjoying the hectic schedule with Corin saying, “There’s a lot of places on this tour where we haven’t been before. We’ve been overseas once or twice but just short little bits and this time were doing a whole European and UK tour. So it’s like the real deal!” With so many live dates it’s a wonder that they haven’t felt overwhelmed by the whole experience. With shows lined up well into the new year it’s a surprise that they’ve been able to find any time to themselves but as Corin explained, “We always have enough time, we have a month on and a month off, so it’s not too bad”.

With the huge amount of critical success its undeniable that a lot of people will have been newly introduced to their music. However, with such a unique style it is very hard to classify them into a genre but the band seems more than happy to let the music speak for its self. “We’re just trying to make our music,” Corin clarifies, his band mate Megan adds “We make whatever comes out of us”.

The bands devotion to their music is undeniable and despite coming from Edmonton they now live quite far away from each other and this had a huge impact on the way that the tracks on the album were formed, working on the each piece separately they would both develop their own parts and only really getting together to record, as Corin describes, ”the process would work like I would write a track and send it to Megan and we’d send it back and forth while Megan is working on the vocals. Sometimes when we do that we do a couple of tracks at a time but most of the process is done apart.”

A lot of the bands lyrics are inspired by witchcraft and the human anatomy. This is one of the many things that sets them apart from a lot of other musicians around at the moment however the inspiration for these lyrics seems very hard to pin down. As Megan, the primary lyricist for the band acknowledged, “I don’t know where it comes from. I’m obviously taken by a lot of those topics and that’s the reason I write about them but I can’t say it’s from a particular book or artist. It’s just me.”

Another thing that seems to really set the band apart is their DIY approach to their sound and style. During their live shows, Corin uses a custom built tree like instrument to drive both sound and lighting and they both wear custom clothes and jewellery designed by Megan. As Megan illuminates  “I think that’s naturally how we’re comfortable presenting music. We’ve been to a lot of shows ourselves conscious of how we want to present our own show and that ties in with how we’ve always done shows. And that is doing a lot of it ourselves and making sure that we’re always the head of what it looks like and what it is artistically. It’s really important for us.”

When asked what advice they could give to new acts, this point was stressed by Corin. “Be careful. When people start becoming interested in the music you make, it’s pretty easy to have things taken away from you. It’s something you have to be pretty on top of if you want things to stay in your own realm.”

This devotion to all of the aspects to their performance really shows through in everything that they do yet more recently the band released a music video to their song ‘Lofticries’ which was directed by A G Rojas. The band seems to have quite enjoyed another creative mind bringing their own take on the Purity Ring experience, “He did a really good job on it” as Megan describes, “He didn’t take the song for what it necessarily was about, he just took what he felt from it and made what he wanted. It was really nice.”  While they seemed to have enjoyed working with someone else briefly they noted that there were no immediate plans to work with Rojas again.

Purity Rings debut album ‘Shrines’ is out now on 4AD and Last Gang records, check out http://purityringsongs.com/ for more details

Academic wins science award

A professor from the University has won a prestigious physics prize.

Prof Jon Billowes, from the School of Physics and Astronomy, won the 2012 Nuclear and Particle Physics Division Prize from the Institute of Physics.

The international charity awarded him the accolade for important recent advances in research or development, on a specific topic relevant to physics.

Specifically, for his work in experimental nuclear physics, particularly regarding breakthroughs in laser spectroscopy .

Professor Billowes receives a certificate, together with a cheque for £500 and will be invited to give a talk at a future conference.

Prof Billowes was also recognised for his leading role in the development of the University’s nuclear energy and medicine research centre the Dalton Nuclear Institute.

People of faith unite to spruce up Platt Fields Park

Students from a mix of faiths volunteered in Platt Fields Park for Interfaith Week last Wednesday.

University of Manchester students from all the major religious societies attended the event designed to bring students from different faiths together.

Students’ Union Diversity Officer and Interfaith Week organiser Saad Wahid said, “Students belonging to Hindu, Muslim, Jewish, Christian faiths joined hands for a common cause.

“Approximately 60 student volunteers turned up, sacrificing the comfort of their homes to contribute and engage in a community-based project.

“The event generated a lot of enthusiasm and the feedback I have received has been positive.”

Volunteers spent the time cleaning graffiti off benches and scraping down and repainting fences.

The President of the Islamic Society told The Mancunion he hoped the event would show people religion is not just about religious activities.

“People think faith is something that is limited to prayer spaces,” he said. “The Islamic society is here to show that faith is something that gives back to the community.

“Religion is also seen as something that divides people up, because it is seen that each individual faith has different interests, but by coming together we are showing that there are so many things we can work together on.

“There is no reason to segregate faiths.”

Tim Mckenzie from the Student Christian Movement said he did not usually mix with people from such a variety of faiths.

“I think this was a really good opportunity for people from all faiths to come together and do something practical and engage in conversation about everything from religious views to more mundane things,” he said. “I had a conversation with somebody from the Pakistan Society about cricket.

“I think it’s important for us to engage in the world around us.

“Caring for the environment and the world we live in I think appeals to all the major faiths.”

Interfaith Week, which happens every November, is designed to bring people from different faiths together, something the outgoing Interfaith Officer from the Jewish Society said was really important.

“I think it is really important for faiths to come together,” Sarah Cohen said.

Members of the Friends of Platt Fields Park directed the student volunteers, originally expected to be up to 200 people.

Friends of Platt Fields Park volunteer Anne Tucker said, “I think parks are one of a few places in society that everybody feels they have a right to be in.

“This is the first time we have had a multi-faith thing. It would be lovely if they could come back next year.”

Islamic Society member Mohamed Heruba said Interfaith events allowed people to see faiths through a different light.

“People see faiths through debates and the media, but never get to see people from different faiths working together.

“We are here to work for the community, we are not here to try and convince each other of anything.”

Vice-President of the Islamic Society Aamiah Taheem added, “We are all humans at the end of the day.”

Manchester grad to row across Atlantic

A University of Manchester graduate will row across the Atlantic Ocean to raise money for breast cancer.

Geography graduate Nick Rees and his friend Ed Curtis plan to row from the Canary Islands off the coast of West Africa to Antigua in the Caribbean – a journey of almost 3,000 miles, as part of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge.

The event, which starts on 2 December 2013, is considered to be the world’s toughest rowing race – the duo will row unsupported and self-sufficiently the entire way.

The inspiration for the journey is Mr Rees’s wife Ellen, 33, also a Manchester graduate, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009.

“Ellen has showed incredible strength to get through it,” he said. “She is our inspiration for wanting to take on such a big challenge for Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

“Knowing the money raised will help fund new treatments and help save lives is our motivation for this unbelievably tough race.”

The pair hopes to raise £250,000 for charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

The challenge is not for the faint-hearted, with unpredictable and extreme weather conditions and up to 40-foot waves. The fact more people have been into space than rowed the Atlantic, is a testament to its difficulty.

Physically, rowers have to deal with blisters, irritating rashes, sleep deprivation and rowing two hours on, two hours off, around the clock for weeks. The pair will typically burn 8,000 calories a day and lose 20 per cent of their body weight during the race.

Mr Curtis said he was up for the challenge and believes their close friendship would help them through.

“I love a challenge and there are few bigger challenges than this,” he said. “We have to be a bit mad to take this on, but we should get through it because we are both very determined and, more important, close friends.

“Following Ellen’s breast cancer treatment we had to do something to fight this disease which affects so many.”

The pair have bought the winning boat from last year’s race, received tips from others who have completed the epic ocean crossing, and is now juggling rigorous training with their work commitments and family life.

Mr Rees added, “There is still a lot of work to do over the next 12 months but we’ve already achieved so much.”

To find out more about their challenge, visit their website, www.breakthroughatlantic.com.

Sponsor a scholar for sex

A website allowing strangers to sponsor students up to £15,000 a year in exchange for sex has been exposed.

SponsorAScholar.co.uk says it helps women between the ages of 17 and 24 cover the cost of their university studies and claims that it has arranged for 1,400 women to be funded by wealthy men.

It offers students “up to 100% of your tuition fees” in return for two-hour sessions with men between one and four times a term. The meetings must “always” take place in a private place, “such as a hotel.”

“Because of the considerable sums of money our sponsors are offering in scholarship, they tell us that they have expectations of a high level of sexual intimacy with their chosen student,” the website says.

The website claims that it has a roster of hundreds of students and suggests that it operates within the grey area in Britain’s sex laws, which allow escort agencies to function legitimately by offering introductions between the clients and the students.

The sponsors range from men aged 28 years to 50 years old and they “want to have discreet adventures with a student whilst helping them fund their studies through a scholarship.”

SponsorAScholar.co.uk uses a false company and VAT number that belongs to the legitimate dating site Match.com. A spokesperson for Match.com said: “The website is not affiliated with Match.com in any way and we are in the process of contacting them to legally require that all references to Match.com are removed immediately.”

This revelation has caused charities to urge young women to say safe, and to not be tempted to use the website.

Rachel Griffin, director of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust, which promotes personal safety, said: “Meeting a complete stranger in private could be highly dangerous at any time but when it is in connection with a scheme like this, the risks are sky-high.”

The NUS has accused the website of trying to “capitalise on the poverty and financial hardship of women students.”

NUS Women’s Officer, Kelly Temple, said:  “It appears to be… exploiting the fact that women students are in dire financial situations in pursuit of an education.”

The website now appears to have closed, saying: “Sorry website unavailable for maintenance”.

My Political Hero: Pussy Riot

This year the world became acquainted with Pussy Riot, an anti-Putinist, feminist punk troupe, after three of its members were arrested and imprisoned for what was deemed “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred”. It followed the 40-second performance of their song “Punk Prayer – Mother of God, chase Putin away!” in Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. According to Pussy Riot themselves, it was a protest against the support given by the leader of the Orthodox Church to President Putin. Kirill, also very appropriately known as the Patriarch of Moscow and all the Rus’, had allegedly described Putin’s presidency as a “miracle of God.”

Their trial was widely criticised by the international community, with Amnesty International designating the three defendants – Katya, Nadya and Masha – as prisoners of conscience. The guilty verdict and excessive two-year sentences imposed, quite rightly, attracted near universal  condemnation in the Western media. Even the Russian Prime Minister has now called for clemency. Whilst there were fundamental problems with the trial (no defence witnesses were allowed to be called, the prosecution declined to question the defendants) and the disturbing trend of criminal prosecution as the weapon of choice to quell dissent, I don’t admire Pussy Riot as victims or even martyrs of a corrupt, violent regime.

Combining democracy, sisterhood, art, the internet, political insight, courage and a sense of fun, their case demonstrates the effectiveness of punk aesthetic and performances as a form of protest.
Other than opposing Putin and smashing patriarchy, they are concerned with LGBT rights – something the Russian state actively represses and which has been the subject of propaganda campaigns against them. Their fluid membership actually encompasses a fairly diverse range of left of centre politics, united by one theme: feminism.

They are self-styled and self-aware. Their exuberantly coloured outfits and makeshift balaclavas are instantly recognisable, easy to replicate and invite us to participate with them: we are all Pussy Riot! Depending on the context, we could call this clever marketing or just sheer subversive genius. Either way, it has inspired thousands of proxy demonstrations by DIY Pussy Riot supporters and possibly even made them the generation-defining icons of Russian dissent.

You could argue that they exposed the corruption and machismo of the Russian state just by their cool insouciance towards the farce of its “so-called justice system” as Masha called it during their trial. The image of them defiantly smirking behind a glass panel as they were handed their sentences is remarkably powerful. Masha, who took an active role in their defence, made the poignant closing statement in the trial: “You can only take away my so-called freedom. And that is the exact kind that exists now in Russia. But nobody can take away my inner freedom.”

I feel the true message of Pussy Riot has been somewhat lost by the framing of them as primarily victims of an elaborate miscarriage of justice. In this sense, their situation has much in common with countless political prisoners around the world who perhaps lack the style and excitement that Pussy Riot is able to generate in the media and who suffer for their crimes in regimes we are less interested in. Unlike some of their detractors, I don’t think this makes it hypocritical to focus our attention on Pussy Riot – not if we genuinely engage in their ideas and send them solidarity, not just sympathy.

Although Masha and Nadya continue to suffer in punishment for their actions (Katya has since been released on a suspended sentence), Pussy Riot is an idea which cannot ever be imprisoned.

So put on a brightly coloured balaclava, stand up against oppressive power and you are my political hero.

 

You have been evicted: ‘Big Brother psychologist’ lecturer fired

A University of Manchester professor and ‘celebrity psychologist’ has been sacked from the University after being found guilty of gross misconduct.

Professor Geoffrey Beattie, former head of the department of the School of Psychological Sciences, plans to appeal the charges. A hearing is to be held next month.

Professor Beattie told the Manchester Evening News that he “hadn’t done anything wrong”.

“It’s an interesting story,” he told the MEN, “but I’ve been advised to wait for the outcome of my appeal [to discuss the allegations]”.

The University of Manchester refused to comment on the case due to the appeal being launched by Professor Beattie.

A university spokesman said: “We can confirm Geoff Beattie has been dismissed from the University for gross misconduct following a disciplinary hearing.”

“As we have been made aware that he plans to appeal the decision, we cannot comment further.”

As well as being a Professorial Research Fellow at the University, Beattie, 59, was known to a wider audience from his appearances as resident psychologist on TV shows such as Big Brother and ‘Ghosthunting with Girls Aloud’.

He also authored over 18 books on various topics, including one novel.

Students of Professor Beattie spoke of their surprise at the charges levied at him.

“I can’t believe that he’s been sacked,” said Cassie Riddell, a second year studying Psychology.

“He always came across as a smooth character, and seemed to be well-liked [amongst students].”

Students and non-students alike also expressed their shock at Beattie’s firing on Facebook and Twitter.

“Oh my god!” posted Erica Holland, lecturer in Psychology at Staffordshire University.

“Shocking,” wrote Twitter user @Justyna_K_, a student of Psychology at the University of Manchester.

No stranger to controversy, Professor Beattie was in the news earlier this year after it had emerged he had a string of affairs after his wife lost her arm in a train accident.

The Guardian revealed in May that the married father of three had fathered two children with a long-term girlfriend.

“Unfortunately I did what I did, and for complicated reasons,” he said of the affair.

There is now no longer any mention of Professor Beattie on the University of Manchester website, including the School of Psychological Sciences internet profile, where Beattie used to have a large online presence.

“Will shag for tuition”

On Wednesday 28th November, the Independent published the findings of an undercover report in to the website ‘SponsorAScholar.co.uk’ which it has been claimed can offer students up to £15,000 a year to cover their fees in exchange for sex.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first website to be exposed, nor will it be the last, and it’s not only here in the UK, but across the world. The cost of education is more than monetary. From Malaysia, to the US, there have been stories of students (male and female) who have entered prostitution in order to afford the opportunity to better themselves at university.

Prostitution is a legal and moral grey area. In the UK, it is not illegal to have sex for money, or to pay for sex amongst consenting adults, but if someone has been trafficked or coerced into prostitution then this is illegal, regardless of whether this information is known at the time. Advertising sexual services on the internet is also illegal, but SponsorAScholar and similar websites will skirt this issue by claiming to facilitate ‘companionships’ with no knowledge that clients will agree to a sexual encounter.

A survey published in 2010 by researcher Dr Don Roberts , of the University of Kingston, found that 16 per cent of students would consider working in the sex industry, and one in four knew someone that worked in the industry already to fund their studies. In September of this year, researchers at Swansea University were awarded a grant to conduct new research in to this area. Research leader Dr Tracey Sagar indentifies ‘sex work’ as “erotic dancing, web cam sex, phone chat sex, escort work, massage parlour work as well as work in the porn industry.”

The greatest problem lies in the hidden risks which may be overlooked by desperate students who are looking for a means to an end. TV shows such as ‘Secret Diary of a Call Girl’ have glamourised the sex industry, portraying Belle du Jour as a sophisticated high class call girl who attends parties and jets off into the sun, but glosses over the very real dangers of an unregulated industry rife with exploitation. The story is based on the true story as published by Brooke Magnanti who worked for a London escort agency during her PhD at the University of Sheffield.

The reality is that many of those who turn to such work are not as fortunate. The undercover reporter for the Independent who met with an “assessor” for the SponsorAScholar website, was told she would have to undertake a “practical assessment” that was necessary to “prove the level of intimacy” before being permitted to join the website. When Huffington Post UK attempted to set up an interview with another undercover reporter, they were told there was a waiting list of two to three weeks. If this is true, this so called “assessor” would be meeting with multiple female students in an attempt to sexually exploit them with only the vague promise of securing a “scholarship” at a later date.  The website, which has since appeared to have crashed, even claimed that these generous businessmen would be able to claim a tax break for providing a scholarship.

The Independent reports that “young women facing financial hardship brought on by the rise in the cost of studying were urged not to be tempted into using the website.” Yet, a cursory glance of the National Union of Students website, in particular pages belonging to the Women’s Officer and Welfare Officer, showed no warnings or response. There is also nothing currently available from our Students’ Union at Manchester.

As part of the “Student Sex Work Project” research at Swansea University, a website has been launched to offer information, advice and guidance to students that may be involved in the sex industry in Wales. The project aims to promote learning and understanding about student sex worker needs and associated issues, and to provide a non-judgemental sexual health service. Talking about the sex industry is still a difficult area for many; it’s either condemned or pitied. Hopefully this project will help lead the way in challenging perceptions, and offering help to those who need it.

Prostitution on the streets of Manchester is well known, and with the largest student body in the country, it is important that the universities, the Students’ Union and local authorities take this issue seriously.

See www.thestudentsexworkproject.co.uk for more information on safe practices and raising awareness.

 

Manchester cup campaign off and running

Manchester edged past Edinburgh in a keenly contested BUCS trophy match on a freezing afternoon at the Armitage Centre. The opening phases of the match looked promising for Manchester, pinning Edinburgh in their third for the opening five minutes with three consecutive penalty corners. They found themselves unlucky not to be ahead, hitting the upright before Plummer forced a save out of Edinburgh keeper Fursdh.

Unfortunately, the nerves that come with a cup game started to show and despite looking defensively stable, keeping possession seemed to become a problem for Manchester with many misplaced passes allowing Edinburgh to impose themselves on the game.

Manchester’s Capper looked strong throughout the first half, often acting the catalyst for his side’s attacking play with splitting passes and tricky runs. Manchester won another penalty corner after a pass of his was adjudged to hit an Edinburgh foot, but the resulting effort was sent wide by Trem. The chances were adding up for Manchester as another went begging; a shot from Jabbal was parried to the feet of Capper who played it across the face of goal, but no-one was there to make the connection.

Two minutes later Edinburgh delivered a blow to Manchester as Edwards scored from a Jameson lay-up following only their second penalty corner of the game.

Manchester were clearly shaken by the goal and only moments later Edinburgh were back through on goal and only fine goal-tending from Richmond forced the Edinburgh striker to put the shot wide. Edinburgh played out  most of the last ten minutes of the half in impressive fashion, particularly through strong runs from Kock and a testing long shot from Scwarerick that was only inches wide.

However, in the final moments of the first half Manchester picked themselves up for a final push with a shot that went wide before receiving a penalty corner. The corner was played in by Clemenson and after a melee in the area a shot was taken by captain Clements, took a bobbling deflection before being well finished by Jabbal, making the half time score 1-1.

Manchester carried the momentum from scoring into the second half, yet the final ball was still lacking, failing to cause any major problems for the Edinburgh defense. Edinburgh’s first major attack of the second half came through McKruthin, who posed problems for Manchester throughout the second half, but this was well cut out by the impressive Clegg.

The second goal in the tie was always going to be vital and it fell to Manchester after 9 minutes of the second half. A defence-splitting pass fell to Dutoy, who despite having an extra man in support, expertly beat the defender as well as taking it around the goal keeper. Despite being fouled, and claiming said foul with one hand raised in the air, he still managed to pass the ball into the open net with the other. Although initially appearing to reward the foul, the referee decided to play the advantage and let the goal stand.

Manchester went onto dominate much of the rest of the match, Edinburgh’s only real chance of the second half coming from a dubious penalty corner that ended up being intercepted by Clegg. The half was finished off with another Manchester goal. The first shot from Mullibland was well saved by Edinburgh’s keeper, and the rebound from Brooke was parried to Jabbal who grabbed his second of the game.

Ultimately, it was a comfortable win for Manchester. Despite the Northern 1A leaders having a difficult first half and falling behind, their superiority shone through in the second to see them progress to the next round of the BUCS trophy.

Suspended MMU Prof offered job back

The internationally renowned Psychology Professor suspended on charges of “gross professional misconduct” has been offered his job back by Manchester Metropolitan University.

Professor Ian Parker’s suspension in October sparked a campaign by students and academics calling for his reinstatement. An online petition has received almost 4,000 signatures from around the world, including from the world-renowned American philosopher Noam Chomsky.

But Prof Parker is expected to appeal the recent decision, since MMU’s offer hinges on him making an apology and being issued a “final written warning”.

The University and College Union (UCU), of which Prof Parker is a member, claimed that “the hearing was not conducted fairly”.

In a statement, they continued: “There is an admission in the letter from the disciplinary panel that sending emails questioning secrecy and control was the sum total of Ian’s crimes.”

Two emails purported to be the offending items, seen by The Mancunion, show Prof Parker emailing other members of staff about organising a “workload schedule” and questioning the unclear process used to appoint a new Senior Lecturer in Psychology.

Prof Parker was banned from his office, had his email access suspended and was told not to contact other staff or his students.

Most students and staff were only alerted to the events several days later when the campaign was launched in protest to his treatment.

Amanda Jayne Morgan, a Master’s student of Critical Disability Studies, said: “This issue is impacting on students.

“As a student representative for Master’s students, I’ve had lots of emails from people who are concerned about Ian. No-one knew where he had gone.

“He’s been missed very much. It’s awful the way he’s been treated.”

A statement released by the UCU Branch Committee on Prof Parker’s behalf said: “This action by MMU is clearly an attack not only on me but also on my students, who are asking what I have been charged with.

“The most pernicious effect of this suspension and disciplinary action is that the secrecy enforced by MMU is damaging not only their own reputation but also my reputation.”

Prof Parker is a leading figure in the field of Critical Psychology and is linked to the editorial boards of over a dozen journal and book series. 

At the time of writing he was travelling back to the UK from a Far East book tour to confirm his next course of action with UCU.

MMU refused to comment on the issue, saying: “It’s private and confidential as far as we are concerned.”

The institution previously claimed that “external speculation” about the reasons for the suspension was “wholly inaccurate”.

Cambridge to begin ‘Terminator Studies’

The University of Cambridge is set to open a new centre to study “extinction-level” risks to the human race.Being dubbed the “Terminator Studies” department, the Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER) will assess developments ranging from bio and nanotechnology, to extreme climate change and the artificial intelligence seen in the Terminator franchise.

Huw Price, the Bertrand Russell Professor of Philosophy and one of CSER’s founders said: “At some point, this century or next, we may well be facing one of the major shifts in human history – perhaps even cosmic history – when intelligence escapes the constraints of biology.”

Prof Price founded the centre with Lord Martin Rees, whose 2003 book “Our Final Century” warned that humanity’s destructiveness meant that the species could wipe itself out by 2100, and Jaan Tallinn, co-founded of Skype.

Prof Price said: “[Mr Tallinn] said that in his pessimistic moments he felt he was more likely to die from an AI accident than from cancer or heart disease.

“I was intrigued that someone with his feet so firmly on the ground in the industry should see it as such a serious issue, and impressed by his commitment to do something about it.”

In a blog post on The Guardian website, Lord Rees said: “New hazards are emerging that could be so catastrophic that even a tiny probability is disquieting.

“We are in denial about low-probability high-consequence events that should concern us more. The recent financial crash was one such.”

With the University last year celebrating its 800th anniversary, Prof Price said: “Our aim is to reduce the risk that we might not be around to celebrate its millennium.”

Since 2005, the University of Oxford has been operating its Future of Humanity Institute which explores the risks and opportunities facing humanity “to clarify the choices that will shape humanity’s long-term future”.

Revival starts now for toothless Sharks

My heart is pounding, the adrenaline is rushing, the desperate need to prove myself- yes, I’m making my debut…for the university newspaper. And as a regular armchair pundit, I’m used to reading about the oxymorons of sport: leaderless Chiefs, humbled Giants, taking a win from a loss. But this season, I’ve had to endure one of my own; the toothless Sharks.

Manchester, with its two major football clubs, has little time for its second cousin rugby. But Sale Sharks boast a proud rugby heritage, having won the premiership as recently as 2006, and after the relegation in successive years of Leeds Carnegie and the Newcastle Falcons they remain the only northern rugby union club left in the Aviva Premiership. As a big rugby fan I was excited to be coming to a city with such a great team, which has me begging the question, “where have they gone?”

Sale are rooted to the bottom of the Premiership with one win from nine so far this season. I was lucky enough to be at the Salford City Stadium for their home victory over London Irish, which had fans suddenly optimistic again, but their fortunes have not improved despite surprise wins over Saracens in the LV=Cup and the Cardiff Blues in the Heineken Cup. For a team that finished in the top six last season, and recruited heavily in players and coaches during the summer, this form has had pundits baffled and fans tearing their hair out. Even worse, men have paid for it with their jobs, with Forward’s Coach Steve Scott fired after the first four losses, and Bryan Redpath, controversially recruited from Gloucester last season, demoted not long after from his position as Director of Rugby. During one game I was at earlier this season, a despairing fan turned to me asking, “What on Earth do we need to do to turn this around?”

Well, being overly qualified to answer this question, boasting my level one refereeing qualification and five years of school rugby, my suggestion of “give a new regime time to gel” earned a look that might have indicated I’d suggested they form an ice-skating team and dance the Bolero. But I do believe that Sale’s hasty reactions to early losses have robbed them of the chance to build some continuity and have faith they are moving in the right direction. Even the happy recent announcement, that they will be recruiting former Golden Lions coach John Mitchell, has me wondering why they are reacting as though “it’s all hands to pumps, we’re sinking!”

With some genuinely talented players; including Scottish giant Richie Gray, gifted Flyhalf Danny Cipriani and Samoan International Johnny Leota to name but a few, my advice to you, despairing fan, is let the Sharks just keep swimming. This knee-jerk reaction to the fear of relegation will not get the best out of the players. But when they do find their bite again, just you watch out, because this does look like a group of players who can take chunks out of the Tigers and Harlequins of the Premiership.

When the Sharks find their ruthless edge, I recommend you get down to the Salford City Stadium. With cheap student price seats available and some of the most enthusiastic supporters I’ve ever known, it’s a real sporting experience. So if you fancy a break from your revision this January, Sharks are hosting Montpellier and Scarlets, both of which are class acts full of international players. By then the Sharks should be roaring loud again, or whatever it is sharks do…

Salford student puts ‘soundscapes’ on the map

A student at the University of Salford has created a mobile app to compile ‘the world’s first sound map’.

iSAY, created by a team headed by PhD student Charlie Mydlarz, asks users to record short audio clips from different environments and upload them to the website.

The clips are then added to a ‘soundscape map’, which aims to ‘get a better understanding of what gives a place ‘character’ and how opinions and attitudes to sound environments vary’.

“[This is] the first ever sound map purely for research purposes”, explained Mydlarz.

“The findings could have far reaching uses, from psychological research to town planning”.

The  contributions of the public are key to the app’s future success, says Mylardz.

“By using everyday technology to get people involved, this has the potential to be the largest study of its kind,” he said.

Users have been recording sound clips from as far afield as New Zealand, Japan and Thailand.

The app does not only want to help people decide whether to move into an area or not, however: the researchers want people to start thinking of sound in an entirely different way.

“Rather than ‘landmarks’ and ‘landscapes’,” read a statement on the project’s website, “we might describe distinctive features of our sound environment as ‘soundmarks’ and value them as highly as an attractive country vista or dramatic urban skyline.”

Borderlands 2 wins Game of The Year

Borderlands 2 and Halo 4 have picked up awards in multiple categories in the Mancunion’s Game of The Year awards. Nominated by games section contributors and voted on by the University of Manchester Gaming Society, the awards covered the year’s top games in the categories of; Best Multiplayer, Best RPG, Best FPS, Best PC Game, Best Handheld Game and Game of the Year.

Here are our winners:

Borderlands 2: Game of the Year, Best RPG

A fantastic blend of RPG and FPS, a long list of quests to complete and an excellent co-op structure makes Borderlands 2 our Game of the Year. Glorious visuals, a brilliant sense of humour and memorable characters made it a straightforward choice.

Handsome Jack, the antagonist is a lovable ass. He so fervently believes that he is the true hero that he almost convinced me he was, before graphically describing killing an innocent man with a spoon as his children watched. Jack stands out as the funniest element of what is already a comical game. Undoubtedly one of gaming’s best baddies, Handsome Jack is up there with Portal’s GlaDos. The games fantastic storytelling is why it picked Best RPG as well.

Borderlands 2 doesn’t go for replayability, more “Why stop playing?” Sure, you may have finished the main story. Maybe you even finished the many side-quests. But did you beat True Vault Hunter mode? Did you complete the hundreds of challenges? Did you even try another character class? A steady stream of DLC keeps content fresh for the perfectionists. Borderlands 2 is a game that we’ll be playing well into 2013.

Halo 4: Best FPS, Best Multiplayer

Halo 4 wins Best FPS due to its reproduction of a classic gaming formula. It mixes an engaging plot, solid gameplay and impressive visuals with innovative elements in order to create an exciting game to play. The fact it comes from a long running and well-loved series, with an expansive universe and mythology to draw from doesn’t exactly hurt it either. The gameplay mechanics are as sound as any modern shooter, and the lack of cliché elements like the dreaded chest high walls is a refreshing change. The game also offers players choice in how they complete missions, with less of the on-rails linearity seen in some other games. Where Halo 4 comes into its own is in the atmosphere and storytelling that feeds through into the overall experience.

Halo 4 also wins on the multiplayer front, combining interesting new maps with the classic weapons and mechanics seen in previous iterations that made the series one of the biggest online games in history. 343 have taken this illustrious past, and added new elements such as kill based item drops, that help improve the experience, without detracting from the classic Halo gameplay. 

Black Mesa: Best PC Game

Black Mesa was announced in 2004 as a complete remake of the classic Half-Life using the then recent Source engine. Released after 8 years of delays and hyped media, the infamous mod had a lot to live up to. The excitement for its release was satiated, as the game still provided balanced levels, excitement, and challenges that presented Valve’s novel way of storytelling. Black Mesa wins Best PC Game not just because of its predecessor’s brilliance, but due to the way it rubbed away the years of progress that tarnished Half-Life revealing the fun and the immersion that came with the original. 

Pokemon Black and White 2: Best Handheld 

Pokémon Black and White 2 are part of the 5th generation of Pokémon games, and are direct sequels to Pokémon Black and White (also for Nintendo DS). With the largest regional Pokédex thus far (containing Pokémon from all generations), tons of new features, and a fairly engaging storyline, Black and White 2 are some of the best, if not the best, Pokémon games in the series. Fun to play alone or battling with others, at home and on the move, Pokémon has always been a brilliant series for handhelds. Pokémon Black and White 2 certainly don’t disappoint.

 

The rise of UKIP – a force to be reckoned with?

The UK Independence Party was founded in 1993 “to campaign for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU”. They have been labelled many things in the last twenty years, accused of being racist, homophobic, xenophobic; written off by leading politicians with a shake of their head and a knowing smirk yet they are the UK’s fourth political party, and recent polls have seen them beating Lib Dem in local elections.

In fact, their standing is being taken so seriously as to prompt Michael Fabricant, the Conservative party vice-chairman, to suggest a pact with UKIP to avoid splitting the right-wing vote come the next general election. The suggestion, released on 25th November, was quickly dismissed by all sides, with the Conservative party issuing a statement saying, “Michael Fabricant does a great job campaigning in by-elections but he doesn’t speak for the party on this issue.”

Prime Minister David Cameron had already made enemies with UKIP after refusing to retract his comments describing UKIP members as “fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists, mostly” so it came as no surprise that UKIP leader Nigel Farage declared ‘war’ with the Tories on his personal Twitter account.

The party styles itself as a “libertarian, non-racist party seeking Britain’s withdrawal from the EU” but aside from their main aim of revoking EU membership, the party has received heavy criticism over its manifesto goals such as cuts in foreign aid and freezing immigration for five years. It is opposed to same sex marriage (although civil partnerships are OK), and there are often reports of links with the BNP (though the party continually makes serious efforts against any connection).

With all this in mind, how has the party managed to secure itself in the mainstream of British politics?

It is no coincidence their popularity has increased in a year which has seen the future of the Euro burnt down with the crashing European economy, and many people losing faith in the struggling Con-Dem coalition. Professor John Curtice of Strathclyde University has found that 7% of people who voted Conservative in the last general election would now vote UKIP. A rocky campaign in Rotherham’s by-election on 29th November saw a serious compeition for the seat, traditionally a safe constituency for Labour since the 1930s following the controversy over a couple whose foster children were removed from their care because of the parents’ UKIP membership. Labour won the by-election, but UKIP saw their biggest result and taking 22% of the votes, beating their two-week old best of 14.3 per cent in Corby. Nigel Farage has declared victoy, as “the second party in the North” beating the coalition parties, with the Tories stumbling in at fourth in Rotherham, and the Lib Dems losing their deposit.

The outrage which followed this decision has brought substantial positive PR for the party, however this was marred by apparent confusion over the party line when the candidate for Croydon North made comments suggesting that it would not be “healthy” for children to be adopted by gay couples. Openly gay UKIP London chairman David Coburn insisted that his party supports equal rights for the LGBT community. Yet, he does not believe in the fight for same-sex marriage. In a statement published on Pink News earlier this year, Mr Coburn explained his party’s position. “I think it does the gay community no good whatever to cross the street and pick a fight with people of faith.”

His argument stems from the notion of ‘authoritarian’ versus ‘libertarian’. “The Lib-Lab-Con parties want to regulate everything you do and even what you think through their chosen instruments of ‘elf ‘n safety, Security mate!, political correctness and Equality Fascism.”

These words will certainly ring true to a majority of the public, which James Bethell, formerly the director of an anti-BNP campaign has labelled as ‘ANTI’ voters – politically Angry, economically Neglected, socially Traditional, focused on Immigration. Those people, not historically Tory members, who are disillusioned with and contemptuous of the political establishment. According to a Channel 4 survey in 2009, a majority of Tory, Labour and Lib Dem voters agreed that “all further immigration to the UK should be halted”. In last year’s HOPE not hate report, 63% of white Britons and almost half of Asians believed that immigration had been a bad thing for Britain.

The party has been stained by connections to far-right European parties, and with the problem of a support base that could be swayed as equally by the BNP, but to strike them off as far-right extremists themselves is an oversight. There is time yet until the next general election to iron out the creases in their manifesto, and as the calls for a referendum on UK membership in the EU strengthen, their fifteen minutes on the spotlight may turn to something more concrete.

“We believe in the minimum necessary government which defends individual freedom, supports those in real need, takes as little of our money as possible and doesn’t interfere in our lives.” These words, taken from the UKIP website, are ideals which will strike a chord with a majority but it remains to be seen whether they have anything to back them up.

The allure of languages

As a former languages student, it doesn’t seem particularly shocking to me that this is one the most common areas of course change in the University.

Picture the scene, a green eyed first year, presented with the possibility of learning so many languages, from so many distant lands, more choices than most students have ever had before in their short academic careers.

 At Manchester, we have a really wide selection of courses to choose from, and within the various language departments of the University many cultures and countries are represented.  It doesn’t seem wildly incomprehensible that people find it pretty hard to decide, when such a plethora of options are presented before them.

 The great thing about language degrees is that you get not only the skills found in most humanities degrees, but you get the added employability of competence in foreign languages, which are incredibly desirable to employers given that successive governments of our nation have entirely neglected languages in the curriculum. It is hardly news that we are one of the worst nations in Europe, indeed perhaps the world, when it comes to language learning – and most of our neighbours put us to shame.

 

In an era when humanities at university level are no longer getting any funding from the government, many feel that ‘just a Humanities degree’ is no longer a sensible option, particularly when students are having to spend, or at least put themselves into debt, £9000 just for tuition per annum. Aside from how distressing the trend of not valuing the Humanities is, it could certainly potentially lead people who are not natural linguists into studying languages, as to many it could seem the most attractive option within the humanities – apart from vocational degrees such as law and education. Not only has the funding been cut altogether, but the wider culture of Humanities being seen as lesser in comparison to Sciences has had a negative effect. With a language degree, people feel they can at least get employment without having to study science subjects.

 When you start learning a language, particularly if it is your first time learning one more properly than year nine ‘Bonjour! C’est bien merci!’ level French, it can certainly be a shock to the system. Having to break language down to its most basic principles of construction, rote learning vocabulary, studying grammar textbook after grammar textbook can not only be dry but also, excuse the pun, entirely foreign to the average British undergraduate. In most British schools, grammar is not taught as thoroughly as it is elsewhere in the world – whilst you might know your ‘their’ from your ‘they’re’ you probably shan’t be able to recognise present progressive verbs, for example. When language teachers not only have to explain the grammar of the foreign target language, but also the concept of conjugations in the mother tongue this leads to a problem. For most beginner level languages, which can be taken as core parts of your degree at the University, whilst it is advised as preferable to have studied a language previously, it is not deemed essential.

 When it comes to the more ‘exotic’ languages such as those within the Middle Eastern Studies department (Arabic, Persian, Hebrew and Turkish), Chinese and Japanese offered at the University there are more problems than those within just the European languages. It is markedly easier to learn a language when it is from the same language group as your own or another you are familiar with, as it relies on similar structures in its construction and similar grammar patterns. Not only are there different alphabets to be learned when you go further afield (which one of the simpler hurdles to overcome, generally speaking) but the very way in which the languages are made is different. These sorts of differences are perhaps not made plain enough to people, or perhaps the lure of added employability makes people forget just how tricky they can be. When you are a student who is interested in business and you hear of the benefits available to Mandarin speakers, you may try and do a degree in the two areas – without perhaps having the necessary skills to fully and successfully grapple with what is one of the hardest languages to learn.

 Language degrees should not be something that people enter into on a whim, as they require a great deal of particular skills that are not common within the average British undergraduate student – but the blame for that reality does not lie at the feet of students.

 

 

PCC: Clegg and Cameron ‘dunces of the year’

Greater Manchester’s new Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) has attacked the “stupefying incompetence” of the government for “making a mess” of the elections.

Speaking to The Mancunion, Labour’s Tony Lloyd said: “Top marks, Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg, step forward for the ‘dunces of the year’ award. Although in fairness to them, they have got form of incompetence.”

PCCs will be elected every four years, set the force budget and aim to form a link between police and public. They also have the power to appoint and dismiss the chief constable.

November’s PCC elections have gone down in history as having the lowest turnout of any UK elections in peacetime, as fewer than 15 per cent of the public bothered to vote.

The Electoral Reform Society calculated that the £75 million cost of the elections meant that £14 was spent on each vote, compared to just £2.85 in the 2010 General Election.

Home Secretary Theresa May told the Daily Telegraph: “Obviously I’m disappointed with the turnout, but I’m confident that the turnout at the next election will be greater because people will have seen PCCs in their posts, will have seen the role and will understand it better.”

Mr Lloyd blamed the low turnout on the government failing to justify and explain the new role, holding an election at an unconventional time of year, and using a ballot paper “which was confusing even for people who’ve spent years involved in elections”.

Asked whether the public want PCCs, he said: “I voted against it in Parliament because there are defects in the way the government set it up, but there will be a PCC and it’s pointless to argue that someone shouldn’t occupy the role now.

“It would be dereliction of responsibility to say that I’m not going to do it, even if some people don’t want it.”

Having served as MP for Manchester Central for almost 30 years, Mr Lloyd said that he has “represented plenty of students for an awfully long time”.

Asked how students will be affected by his election, he said: “If you want Manchester to be an attractive place for students, the students themselves and no doubt their families will want to know that this is a safe community.

“Community safety for students isn’t just about the police – it’s about the police working in partnership with other institutions, such as the NUS and the universities themselves.”

Tackling anti-social behaviour was marked as a priority in Mr Lloyd’s manifesto, but he claimed not to see students as the problem.

He said: “Everyone knows that some students are stupid and irresponsible, but so are some refuse collectors, some doctors, whatever you care to name.

“Where there is an issue is that over the summer break and Christmas you can get local deserts appearing, which can lead to vandalism because there’s so few people around.

“The residual population can be left quite isolated over the holidays, but it’s not students who are the perpetrators of that.”

Greater Manchester is the largest police force area, serving over 2.5 million people, but only 13.9 per cent of the public voted in the elections. There were also reports of almost 7,000 spoiled ballots, which was over 2.5 per cent of the total.

Albums of the year: Top 10

10) The Gaslight Anthem – Handwritten

The Gaslight Anthem’s fourth full length album Handwritten, sees the bands harp back to a more familiar punk vibe, reminiscent of the acclaimed ’59 sound, but with an extra shot of Springsteen for good measure. The album is a letter to the listener, dealing with love, loss and general teenage angst that affects us all. However, its Brian Fallon’s honesty and sincerity that turns a somewhat clichéd story into a compelling one. The Gaslight Anthem are yet to really make it on the big stage, but it can only be a matter of time before everyone realises that these guys should be headlining festivals all over the world! Tom Ingham

9) Flying Lotus – Until the Quiet Comes

Stephen Ellison, aka Fly Lo, is a beat-maker whose adventurous productions definitely veer off the beaten track. Following on from 2010’s Cosmogramma, his penchant for extravagantly textured soundscapes has not lessened in the slightest.  Vocal help is on hand from the likes of Thom Yorke, Erykah Badu and Niki Randa, whose excessively delayed voices add to the ethereal feel that exists throughout Until the Quiet Comes.  He somehow manages to meld together flecks of jazz, hip hop, glitch, and dance music in order to craft a record that now sits at the very forefront of nightmarish downtempo music. Dan Jones

8) The Shins – Port of Morrow

You might have been forgiven for thinking this record wouldn’t come to pass, but the end result of James Mercer’s extensive five-year reconstruction of The Shins provides compelling evidence that his hiring-and-firing was justified. The signature Mercer marriage of irresistible melodies and achingly gorgeous lyricism appears as strong as ever. ‘The Rifle’s Spiral’ and ‘Simple Song’ are marvellously crafted pop stompers, with the funk jam that is ‘No Way Down’ providing a welcome change of pace. ‘September’ and ‘For a Fool’, both beautifully wistful, vie for the title of this record’s ‘New Slang’. If abrupt lineup changes and broad collaboration are what Mercer feels he needs to flourish, then so be it; Port of Morrow is another masterwork from one of the great modern American songwriters. Joe Goggins

7) Frank Ocean – Channel Orange

Mere weeks prior to the release of Channel Orange Frank Ocean openly revealed his bisexuality, an exceptionally brave act even in 2012 within the masculine genre. Cynics condemned this as a publicity stunt, but Channel Orangedemonstrates Ocean’s music is all he needs for recognition. The range displayed on the album is stunning. ‘Thinkin Bout You’ is a beautiful, soulful expression of unrequited love, whilst ‘Super Rich Kids’ satirises the shallowness of LA’s young elite. ‘Pyramids’ alone is a 9 minute genre-skipping, subject-jumping epic in which Ocean seamlessly flows between tales of Egyptian princesses and Vegas strippers. Channel Orange is a pioneering, potentially seminal work of art. Patrick Hinton

6) Actress – R.I.P. 

Never one to stand still, the third album from Darren Cunningham – better known as Actress – is comfortably his most daring and compelling yet. The follow-up to 2010’s critically acclaimed ‘Splazsh’, ‘R.I.P.’ flawlessly fuses house, IDM and techno to create an album which becomes more rewarding upon each listen. It’s a bold step away from his previous work with traditional 4/4 beats foregone in favour of a more minimalist ambient approach. You may not hear this one much in the clubs but that doesn’t stop it being the best electronic release of the year. Matt Gibney

5) The Cribs – In the Belly of the Brazen Bull

Shorn of former Smiths man Johnny Marr and diverted away from the formulaic avenue he appeared to be steering them into, The Cribs returned to their three-piece, basement roots to produce Brazen Bull, a record as gaudy and delightfully overblown as its title. Like a paean to all their biggest 90s influences, the record combines Pinkerton era-Weezer (‘Come On, Be a No One’, ‘Jaded Youth’) with spiky, Pavement-esque guitars on ‘Pure O’ and the stormy, feedback-drenched ‘Back to the Bolthole’. Its crowning achievement, though, is the four-part rock opera to close – a sharp reminder of the ambition of a band too often written off as just another indie rock outfit. Joe Goggins

4) Lana Del Rey – Born to Die

To say it’s been quite a year for Lana Del Rey would be an understatement. Her debut single ‘Video Games’ rocketed up the charts 12 months ago, and one year on, her debut album Born to Die has done the same – putting her firmly on the map as one of the biggest names in modern day music. Her sudden rise to fame is largely thanks to this very album, with singles such as ‘Born to Die’ and ‘National Anthem’ receiving widespread acclaim, whilst the beautifully written tracks ‘Without You’ and ‘Summertime Sadness’, amongst others, lend some credence to the enormous levels of hype that seem to have surrounded her since day one. Adam Selby

3) First Aid Kit – The Lion’s Roar

There’s something unique about the way that siblings sing together.  It might be that growing up together makes them more sensitive to each other’s voices but family bands like the Staves just seem capable of creating harmonies in a way that others can’t.  Swedish sisters Johanna and Klara Söderberg only serve to prove this.  A record that belies their young age, The Lion’s Roar is full of pain, longing and beauty.  From the heartbreaking ‘To A Poet’ to the raucous ‘King of the World’ the record beautifully exhibits their talent and they’ve harnessed that unique family bond to create one of the most stunning records of 2012. Rachel Bolland

2) Kendrick Lamar – good kid, m.A.A.d. city 

Discussions surrounding hip-hop are almost always as compulsively obsessed with judging “where the genre is going” as they are with the quality of work itself. Such commentary can have an alarming self-fulfilling effect and might be seen to have culminated in a branching off into internet gimmicks and drudging anti rap. Not so with good kid, m.A.A.d city. Lamar fuses together the narrative and autobiographical with the figurative, illustrating a life concerned with and by image, fame and family. Lamar’s greatest achievement is honesty, a trait in short supply amongst the posturing that infuses the genre. A must listen album. Jack Armstrong

1) Alt-J – An Awesome Wave

Cambridgeshire-based quartet Alt-J have had far from a quiet year after being swept along by the phenomenal reception of their debut album An Awesome Wave, and now they’ve scooped their biggest prize yet – top spot in The Mancunion’s end-of-year poll.

To try and define the trademarked Alt-J sound would be futile. In fact, it would be trickier to pick out a style of music that doesn’t make an appearance on An Awesome Wave. Trip-hop beats fused with indie-rock idiosyncrasy and heavy synth riffs combined with folk harmonies make it near enough impossible to put Alt-J under a specific umbrella.

In theory, a combination of so many musical atmospheres played all at once should probably produce the aural equivalent of seasickness. However, this is not the case. Sewn together by frontman Joe Newman’s reverb-fuelled lead vocal, each style seamlessly floats into the next to create a sound so refreshing it almost washes over you.

From the soothing acoustic melodies of ‘Matilda’ and ‘Something Good’ or the inconceivably slick sounds featured on ‘Tessellate’ and ‘Fitzpleasure’, there’s almost something there for everybody. Perhaps it was this universally-relatable style that gave An Awesome Wave the edge over competitors to be take the prestigious 2012 British Barclaycard Mercury Prize, following in the footsteps of previous winners The XX, Arctic Monkeys and Primal Scream, perhaps not. In any case, the innovation displayed in An Awesome Wave gives us a lot to be excited about in 2013. Joe Doherty