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Day: 10 February 2014

‘Equality isn’t competing with men; it’s collaborating with them’

Written by Thomas Dowler on . Posted in Sport.

Last Tuesday, Academy 2 in the Students’ Union welcomed a panel of experienced female sports stars and prominent journalists as part of the Women’s Voices amplified project to discuss and debate the issues women face in sport.

The distinguished panel included Shelley Alexander, the Editorial Lead on Women’s sport for the BBC, Rimla Akhtar, chair of the Women’s Sport Foundation, England Rugby Player Sarah Hunter, former Arsenal Ladies footballer and academic Lottie Birdsall and freelance journalist Jessica Creighton.

Jess Lishak, who chaired the panel, opened proceedings, with a condemning statistic about the vast inequalities in the sporting and journalistic world with regards to media coverage. Reportedly there is a staggeringly unfair ratio of 53:1 with regards to male to female sports coverage across all media platforms. Despite significant efforts to increase broadcasting of women’s sport, there is still much to achieve in terms of parity in coverage, sponsorship and respect across all sports.

Shelley Alexander kicked things off with a fascinating insight into her career in sports broadcasting. Her first major editorial role was on Football Focus and she later took on her role with the BBC. Shelley gave some poignant examples of the inequalities facing women’s sport, including how Team GB’s talented female road cyclists are woefully underfunded and previously have not been allowed to travel with the men’s team, yet were more successful in London 2012, with Lizzie Armitstead claiming a bronze, while Mark Cavendish and his highly-touted team didn’t make the medals podium.

The BBC has diversified its sport coverage and now 20 per cent of sporting output focuses on women’s sport. Now the Women’s Super League goals are televised and this has brought in two significant sponsors which can only help the game continue to grow. When Manchester City fell 1-0 to Chelsea at home, there was a booklet on offer showcasing City’s Women’s side – a clear sign of progress and a desire to increase exposure of the women’s game.

Rimla explained the importance of sport to her as she felt no one judged her for the colour of her skin or her religion on the sports field. As the head of Muslims in Sport Foundation, she appreciates the impact of sport on the lives of others and herself has had a fascinating experience in sport. She represented Team GB’s female Futsal team at the Muslim Games in Iran. Rimla asserted that participation and inclusivity are the vital aspects of sport for everyone. She envisaged more careers in sport for women and conceded that while improvements have been made, there is plenty more to accomplish.

England’s rugby star Sarah Hunter told the audience about her experience at her primary school that allowed her passion for sport to grow, while playing mixed games in P.E – her school encouraged mixed sports up to the age of 12. The Rugby Football Union has heavily invested in the women’s game. However, she highlighted the vast differences between the men and women’s national side even as recently as her first cap in 2007. Back then, the two sides had different sponsors, kit providers and even the traditional red rose was different, resembling a somewhat patronising un-blossomed rose!  Currently both sides share resources and the Women’s RFU has merged into one united RFU. Rugby leads the way in women’s sport, the 2010 World Cup on home soil was broadcast on Sky and the Twickenham Stoop was sold-out for the final (which England sadly lost); however, progress has been made. Perceptions have changed and supporters have noted the lack of aimless kicking in the men’s game compared to the desire to play expansive rugby in the women’s. The Women’s Six Nations is available on BBC, so be sure to keep an eye out for Sarah charging from the back of the scrum against Ireland on Saturday 22nd February on the BBC red button.

Lottie followed Sarah, with a fascinating insight into her work as an academic looking into gender inequality in sport at Cambridge University. The former Arsenal ladies player and England Youth Squad member spoke candidly about the need to increase funding in sport and cited the American example of spreading funds more evenly compared to the current fiscal situation in the UK. In America, there has been a 403 per cent increase in participation in women’s sport, which is a shining example for British sport to follow. For Lottie, the change in policy is vital and she has briefed ministers on ways to increase awareness, participation, and funding in the UK.

Finally, Jessica Creighton highlighted the vast inequalities in university sport based on financial resources, equipment and access to facilities and stated the lack of female sporting coverage in journalism and broadcasting as one of her major reasons for joining the sports journalism industry. Over the years, male attitudes to women’s sport have changed and the BBC and Sky have both contributed to this, with more coverage of women’s sport and dedicated programmes to increase awareness and encourage participation in sport. Women are no less able to play sport than men and that is the most damaging stereotype that needs to be eradicated for women’s sport to progress.

Afterwards there was a lively Q&A session discussing solutions to gender inequality in sport.

Have you encountered gender inequality in your sporting experience at university? Tell us about your experiences by tweeting @mancunion_sport.

 

 

 

 

Water Polo: Making a splash

Written by Andrew Georgeson on . Posted in Sport.

University of Manchester 1sts – 17

Sheffield Hallam 1sts – 7

The University of Manchester Water Polo first team overcame Sheffield Hallam 17-7 at the aquatics centre. Both teams started the match with a high intensity, however, the UoM team held the edge; even before the match started Manchester radiated confidence. This showed as they instantly settled into the match with the first goal scored by Armstrong. This was shortly followed by another from UoM’s number 7 – Chionh.

Manchester were brilliant in all aspects of their game, especially their defending – they managed to steal and intercept nearly all of Hallam’s passes in the first half and the keeper was really in tune with the game, making some excellent saves while also aiding Manchester in exploiting Hallam’s weaker areas. For this reason Manchester dominated possession.

By the end of the first half, Manchester had raced ahead to a 5-2 lead over Sheffield Hallam, although they could have held an even higher lead as the UoM team created numerous other chances.

At the beginning of the second half, the home side came out the same way they ended the first half and were able to punish Hallam with a hat-trick of goals in the first five minutes. Hallam though, were still determined to level with Manchester and nearly managed to do so with goals from Horne and Sabell. Despite Hallam’s momentum, Manchester did not look worried or concerned about going on to lose the match. Manchester kept their composure, applying pressure and in the end got their just reward with three spectacular goals from Armstrong, Chionh and McCloskey which gave them some breathing space.

Manchester ended the match very comfortably and the final whistle perhaps came too soon, with the attacking force of the home side in full swing. Although Hallam at times did not seem genuine contenders in the match, they did have periods at which they were quite threatening. This created a great show for spectators, especially the neutral.

The victory was very much a team effort. Armstrong and Chionh stood out the most. They had the strongest partnership of both teams and were crucial play makers throughout the game. Particularly, towards the end of the game when their combination became an annoyance to the Sheffield defence. It was a very hard decision to make, but Chionh edged the battle with Armstrong to become the man of the match.

 

 

Manchester athletes leading the way

Written by Andrew Georgeson on . Posted in Sport.

Jerome McIntosh and Seren Bundy-Davies competed at the North of England Athletics Championships at the EIS in Sheffield on the weekend of the 18th – 19th January.

Jerome represented City of Sheffield AC and excelled in the 60m on the Saturday in the senior men’s section, making the semi finals with a new personal best (PB) time of 7.16 seconds On the Sunday, he won his heat with an indoor PB, ran a PB in his semi-final and made the very competitive final and came a highly respectable 4th. He made yet another PB with an electric 22.40 seconds for the 200m.

Seren (competing for Macclesfield) won a gold medal in the 400m final, which she ran in a PB of 54.12 seconds.

Jerome spoke to Mancunion Sport about the build up to the event, the day itself and his ambitions for the rest of the season. The speedster had an injury-ravaged season in 2013, struggling with a tear in his meniscus (knee cartilage), but he was delighted with the lead up to the Championships in the New Year.

“Training around that time was difficult, as it was revision period, but I had just had a nutrition change as I was struggling to manage [studying] medicine and athletics.

“Working in hospital Monday to Friday made it very difficult to eat and drink regularly, so I tried a supplement recommended by a friend…and it really helped…so I was in high spirits for the competition.

“I’m happy with the race I won, but I believe as most athletes do that I can still go faster, so I’m looking forward to BUCS to improve further.”

Seren also took time out to speak to the us here in the sport section.

She said before the event, “Everything was going well as I’ve been lucky to have no real injuries or setbacks in winter training.

“After competing indoors at Sport City over 600m I knew I was in good shape so decided to do the Northerns. My training stayed pretty much the same until a week or two before the event as I’m still focusing mainly on the outdoors. Everything had been going well though.

“I knew I was in PB shape as training has been going well. My season was cut short due to a stress fracture early last year, so I was happy when I ran as well as I did.

“I’m competing this weekend (8th – 9th February) at the Sainsbury’s British Athletics Indoor Championships which I’m ranked 5th going in to so I’m hoping to at least make the final [of my first senior trials].

“My major aim for the season is to hopefully make the Welsh commonwealth team.”

It’s reassuring to see that Manchester’s athletes are ahead of the rest of the competition in the early stages of this season and Mancunion Sport would like to wish Jerome, Seren and their squad mates the best of luck over the remainder of the season.

Eagles soar to varsity victory

Written by Andrew Georgeson on . Posted in Sport.

The University of Manchester Tyrants failed to capitalise in their recent varsity match against Manchester Metropolitan Eagles, losing 12-6 in what can be described as an exciting and hotly-contested affair at Burnage RFC.

The Eagles started the game brightly launching a 70-yard drive to within 10-yards of Manchester goal line. However, a superb Tyrants defence blocked all of the Eagles’ attempts to finish their drive with a touchdown, instead forcing them to accept a field goal at fourth-and-goal.

It was now a question of how the Tyrants would react to the intensity that the Eagles had demonstrated in their upbeat start. In most instances this season, the answer would have been the same – poorly. However, Tyrant running back Anthony Eiliazadeh, led by example, using a combination of speed and power to drive the ball into Eagle territory. He then finished the drive by accelerating around two Eagle defenders to run the ball in for a touchdown with ease on the far left hand side. Speaking to Eiliazadeh afterwards, he commended his wide receivers stating, “That score was all down to the wide receivers making their blocks, running it in was the easy part.” The Tyrants missed their field goal attempt, meaning they led by six points to three.

The second and third quarters provided no points other than a field goal for the Eagles which brought the game to a nervous six-six. From a defensive standpoint, the Tyrants had been excellent. When it looked like the Eagles were about to make a play, the defensive unit collectively stepped up. Defensive linemen Matt Scott claimed on the sidelines, “I must be on about twenty tackles.” Although this was an obvious over-exaggeration, it is comparably accurate with the total domination shown by the Tyrants’ defence.

The fourth quarter brought everything you can hope for in an American football match – drama. The Tyrants began the fourth quarter by taking the ball to the Eagles’ 10-yard line. A particular highlight of this drive was Tyrants quarterback Chris Payne’s superb throw to wide receiver Ben Fowles. The ball entered Fowles’ hands perfectly on the run for a gain of twenty yards.

Tyrants running back Lawrence Sarpong also capped a formidable drive, with his blistering run down the left hand side of the field, which consisted of him knocking over a few would-be tacklers in the process. But it was Sarpong’s ability to accelerate after the hit that really impressed spectators, with comparisons being made amongst the Tyrants’ sideline to NFL players such as Adrian Peterson and Marshawn Lynch.

However, the Tyrants could not seem to force their way over the line for a touchdown, prompting the their coach into implementing a risky fourth and goal attempt. Quarterback Payne, rounded pocket pressure from the Eagles’ defensive line, but unfortunately could not get the pass off. Eventually he was stopped on the Eagles’ four-yard line whilst scrambling for a touchdown himself.

The Eagles responded to the Tyrants’ long drive. Still finding it difficult to utilise their running game, the Eagles quarterback faked a handoff to his running back and played a screen pass out to his receiver on the left hand side for a gain of 30-yards.

Nevertheless, the Tyrants’ defence continued to dominate and cornerback Chris Walsh provided the biggest hit of the game on a man twice his size, forcing the Eagles to punt on fourth down. However, this backfired for the Tyrants’ as the Eagles made a superb punt to peg the Tyrants to their own five-yard line.

A time check revealed that less than two minutes remained in the game. With the scores tied at six points apiece, the Tyrants began their offensive drive needing to air the ball out to gain quick yards. Unfortunately the Eagles forced a pick-six – intercepting the ball and returning it from 20-yards out for the game-winning touchdown.

Offensively, it just wasn’t the Tyrants’ day. A few dropped catches and unfortunate interceptions at critical points of the game proved costly for the University of Manchester side.

Defensively, the Tyrants were incredible; they prevented the Eagles from scoring a single offensive touchdown, successfully limiting them to two field goals for six points. Defensive captain James Bowyer played exceptionally well at strong safety, making crucial tackles as the last man. Whilst Bowyer singled out Rufus Daw for having a great second-half, which included recovering an Eagles fumble.

Next up for the Tyrants is a trip to UCLAN Rams. With the Tyrants now 0-5, they will be entering the game as underdogs. Although if the recent Super bowl shows anything, it is that the tag of underdog does not really matter in American Football.

Were you at the American Football Varsity? Tweet your pictures to @mancunion_sport.

Student protestors could face prison for violent disorder

Written by Pippa Allen-Kinross on . Posted in News.

Three University of Birmingham students could face up to eight years in prison after being charged with violent disorder following a protest.

The students have been named as Simon Furse, 22, Tomas Frymorgan, 23, and Panagiodis Theodoropoulos, 30.

Ten other students were released on bail after spending 28 hours in police custody on suspicion of criminal damage, aggravated trespass, and assault.

According to bail conditions they cannot enter any university or further education grounds, meet with other arrestees or meet publicly in groups of ten or more, and must sleep at their home addresses.

Authorities said the protest, led by Defend Education Birmingham, turned violent, accusing the protestors of injuring staff, damaging campus property and throwing fireworks and smoke bombs.

However, students have accused police of kettling them for four hours in the cold and illegally arresting those who refused to give personal details, which police deny.

A further six students have been excluded from University of Birmingham for involvement in political campaigning.

This comes as Students’ Unions across the UK condemned the Birmingham Guild of Students’ Officers, who released a statement following the protest describing themselves as “disappointed” by the actions of students who took part.

Over 75 Students’ Union Officers from around Britain have signed a statement calling the actions of the Guild “deplorable” and asking it to “carefully reconsider its position”.

The statement said, “We believe that protest action will always be disruptive, and the use of occupations and demonstrations has traditionally been an important and valuable tool in student activism.

“We also find it deeply concerning that the Guild has still refused to publicly condemn illegal police actions on the campus, including kettling students and illegally demanding details from students who were told they would otherwise face arrest”.

The statement also calls the bail conditions “an attack on student’s access to education, and on their freedom of speech and association”, and accuses the University of Birmingham of excluding students who are “being used as scapegoats to create a culture of fear towards protest. The Guild must do all it can to have these students reinstated”.

For the University of Manchester, the statement was signed by Campaigns Officer Clifford Flemming and Education Officer Rosie Dammers.

At the time of writing, an online petition set up to reinstate the suspended students had reached almost 3,400 signatures.

Meanwhile, the occupation of university building Horton Grange by Birmingham students has peacefully ended, after the University was granted a court injunction.

In a blog post, Birmingham’s Home Students’ Officer Jagpal Singh Pahal said, “It is saddening to see how the welfare and rights of the students, who were peacefully protesting, were infringed by the police and security that day”.

He continued,  “Whilst the vandalisation and damage that occurred on campus was wrong, so was the aggressive and illegal force used by the police and the security.

“I support Defend Ed, what they represent and stand for and the actions undertaken by the majority of protestors on that day.

“The Guild should retract/amend their statement and pledge their support for the truth”.

Scarved for life

Written by Thomas Turner on . Posted in Sport.

There are plenty of reprehensible features of modern football which we ought to lament. The rise of adults in full replica kits and filming matches on iPads are just two. But few irk me quite as much as the half and half scarf.

For those unfamiliar with the phenomenon, just take yourself on a walk down Market Street next time either of the Manchester teams are at home. Amongst the selection of shit hats and string legged dancing Bart Simpsons, there will appear to be a selection of City or United scarves. But take a closer look.

Half of the scarf will occasionally adorn the name and colour of another team – usually that night’s opponent. It’s bad enough that they’re even sold – but of late they’ve begun to infiltrate our stadia, too.

As the camera pans to the stands on almost any high profile game, you will see them. The Merseyside derby is a recent example. They used to be confined to the showpiece games – Wembley cup finals, say. Now they’re knocking them out every week. A commemorative half-and-half scarf for the Mickey-Mouse-tin-pot-Capital-One-cup-semi-final-second-leg between United and Sunderland? Sod off.

Now before you stop reading and label me trivial/pathetic/nonsensical/dickhead (delete as appropriate), hear me out. There’s a serious point here.

Let me make it clear that I have nothing against scarves. I’d even go as far as to say I’m an advocate. I even have football scarves – including a Mancini-esque hooped claret and blue number, and even a hand-me-down of my Grandad’s from the early 70s.

The causal link is this. I am a fan of x > I go to x matches > x doesn’t experience any other season than winter > I wear an x scarf. It’s a fairly logical train of thought. So why do so many end up sporting their opponent’s badge around their neck? Both reasons are as bleak as eachother.

The first is the trend to commodify and capture memories. Any of you with football supporting Grandparents will undoubtedly have heard vivid stories of trophy parades, promotions, and more importantly, an overriding sense of belonging and occasion. Our generation? We have a half-and-half scarf, a commemorative mug and an iPhone video clip which looks like it’s been filmed by a person having a fit in the midst of a riot.

Concerts have taken a largely similar turn. We seem more intent upon proving our attendance than actually enjoying the experience as it happens. Now I’m of course not saying that the half-and-half scarf prevents you from experiencing that sense of belonging. But they embody a trend whereby telling people ‘I was there’ is becoming more valuable than being there in itself.

Secondly, and more worryingly, it is a product of the depressing trend in the relationship many fans have with their clubs. The global expansion of football and subsequent Premiership era has encouraged people to abandon the notion that football clubs ought to be rooted in a community.

There is a reason why I’m yet to see such a specimen for West Ham-Millwall or Sunderland-Newcastle. It’s because to a lot of these fans, such matches don’t embody a grand showcase of entertainment. The fans aren’t there to be awed. They are there instead out of a fierce rivalry based in devoted support to their home or adopted team.

A telling quote doing the rounds on the twitter is ‘don’t let your kids grow up thinking football is a TV show’. But too many do. They flock to the big games in the manner of the middle-aged WWE fans we laugh at so much, picking up their mementos of the night’s main event. It’s their money of course, and they are free to spend it as they wish.

But I can’t help but think they’re misunderstanding the reasons which make these games so high profile in the first place.

Many will of course disagree. We all have our opinions, after all. But the more we allow our football stadia to succumb to the trappings of tourism, the more we diminish the value of what attracts so many people there in the first place.

2014: A year of sporting disasters waiting to happen

Written by Andrew Georgeson on . Posted in Sport.

Happy New Year. As the last of half priced Bucks Fizz and Shortbread biscuits are being bought from Harrods, and we all write 2013, before hastily scribbling it out to 2014, a nightmare for someone as meticulous with notes as myself, the sporting world picks up where it left off.

Unfortunately that means the same old racist, misogynistic, homophobic mess it was before we heralded in this New Year.

2013 was a good year for sports, was it not? We had a grown man bite another man in a Premier League game before returning like the prodigal son and a trigger-happy owner of a particular South-Wales club, to name a few atrocities.

This year, although things are looking worse, will hopefully start a revolution. Hopefully the corrupt bodies that run our sports will be left with serious questions to answer, and when their answers are insufficient, we can get rid of them like the bigoted bureaucrats they are.

 Hopefully people can see that the institutions that propose all these ethics don’t even attribute to them themselves.

Let’s start chronologically and go to Sochi 2014. As much as it pains me to say, I disagree with Stephen Fry on whether we should compete. We definitely should because we can’t leave our LGBTQ brothers and sisters alone. My argument is, Russia should not have been handed the games in the first place. I can’t see why the IOC wouldn’t have looked into human rights in Russia before this. It has been well established they have incredibly harsh lines on anything that wanes slightly from Orthodoxy.

I suppose this is the same committee that didn’t see anything wrong with the 1936 Summer Games, either.

Why international organizations insist on giving countries with extreme political agendas sporting events baffles me. The IOC could counter that it is simply for the greater good, spreading sport worldwide. But politics defeats sport. The LGBT activists, who have been beaten, jailed, harassed, aren’t going to care that a countryman or women won a gold medal.

Russia’s farcical attempt to gain face before the games is nothing more than Putin papering over cracks. The release of political prisoners Pussy Riot and Greenpeace activists branded ‘pirates’ show how far the country has to come.

The constant reassurance that homosexual’s can come to the games as long as they don’t spread their ‘homosexual propaganda’ or ‘impose their views on others’ is ridiculous. So ridiculous that the government hasn’t even came out to explain what ‘homosexual propaganda’ comprises of.

But not to worry, I’m sure that no other sporting organization will make the same mistake

Oh, wait.

Welcome Sepp Blatter to the stage. FIFA have seemed to try their upmost to make sure that the next three World Cups will be shrouded in controversy.

Starting in Brazil this year.

Although Brazil has one of the fastest growing economies in the world and is regarded as the ‘spiritual’ home of football, one has to question whether they could really handle of enormity of building the infrastructure of a World Cup and an Olympic Games in such quick succession.

Many of the stadiums are chronically behind on schedule. Particularly the stadium in the city of Curitiba that is facing severe questioning over whether or not it will be ready for the competition, and next week the stadium could be abandoned on orders of FIFA. The stadium which is supposed to hold the competition opener in mid-June had a disastrous accident in late November which saw two workers tragically loose their lives and also the stadium deadline be pushed back even further.

Even FIFA, often accused of ‘cozy-ing’ up to politicians has had to speak out. This came after building pressure from workers complaining over conditions after an un-tethered worker fell to his death working on the roof the a stadium, and expected protests as 80 per cent of the bill of the tournament, expected to be in the billions of dollars is being footed by public money.

More damming is that the money from the public was also supposed to support the infrastructure of the local area, not simply the stadiums. Many of these plans have since been cancelled.

But in a strange Twilight Zone-esque twist of fate, the next Olympic games will be in Rio and the next FIFA World Cup is in Russia.

Moving onto the 2022 tournament in Qatar. The problems with this tournament have been well documented as it is becoming increasingly obvious that the tournament will have disastrous effects on the European football calendar. The problems with this tournament are an amalgamation of the two previous examples. First of all there have already been accusations of slave labor to build the stadium, secondly they are an extremely conservative nation. Conservatism isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but problems will start in an alcohol-free nation when three lads from Leeds get rowdy.

Sports shouldn’t be confined to the West, it’s impertinent to say that. We have seen in the past that nations such as Greece have had problems completing stadia in the past. But it is equally as impertinent to suggest that there aren’t huge socio-economic reasons why other nations should have won the games instead. I have no doubts that the 2022 World Cup will be a hell of a show, but you can build all the human-anatomy shaped stadiums you like, if football fans get arrested for being football fans and players pass out from heat exhaustion, could it be considered a success?

Realistically, I would like to think these tournaments would show that it’s very much a case of who you know, than what you can offer. But in reality, once the drums are banging, and the girls are dancing in Brazil, the sounds of the protesters will be drowned out, and the blood on the stadiums will be washed off.

Manchester professor’s son in helium gas suicide tragedy

Written by Charlie Spargo on . Posted in News.

Serious questions have been raised with the Home Secretary over the unrestricted sale of helium after the 23-year-old son of a University of Manchester professor took his own life with £18 worth of the gas, which can cause asphyxiation when inhaled excessively.

Matthew Satterthwaite, a physics student at the prestigious Royal Holloway College, London, had previously suffered from depression after having trouble settling in at university.

A psychiatrist in London had identified him as a suicide risk but the information was not transferred to his GP in Manchester when he moved back home after dropping out of university twice.

While his mother, Diana Mitlin, Professor of Global Urbanism at the University of Manchester, was working in Africa, he killed himself at his home in Chorlton-cum-Hardy.

He was learning Swahili with the aim to travel to Tanzania to teach Physics, and wanted to learn to drive before he left the country.

He had ordered the canister of helium, usually used for inflating party balloons, legally from the internet for £18 and kept it in his room before taking his life with it in September 2013.

A note was found nearby that read, “I can’t take this any more. It’s been years since I instigated anything,” but it is not known when this was written or what connection it had with the suicide.

A JustGiving page in his memory has raised more than £3,000 to support the work of youth projects in Tanzania.

Manchester Coroner Nigel Meadows said at the inquest into Matthew’s death that he would write to the Home Secretary, Theresa May, on the subject of regulating the sale of the gas.

He also said he would explain concerns about the lack of communication between mental health institutions, something that may help in the future to prevent further tragedy such as this.

“This is a big issue because people can’t get the records,” he said. “There is no national database. It doesn’t exist.

“I can write to the trust and explain this concern which is something I’m going to do.”

Students stage own lectures during strikes

Written by Anna Phillips on . Posted in News.

History undergraduates at the University of Warwick took it upon themselves to organise their own lectures in replacement of those cancelled by the recent union strikes.

Third year students used their old notes and lectured second year students, and second years lectured first years in an attempt to prevent students missing key exam material.

Academics and other university staff across the country staged walk-outs in protest of a one per cent pay increase offer. Staff members at Warwick have expressed disappointment due to the students’ decision to continue with lectures themselves.

Remy Osman, a second-year student at the University of Warwick who helped to organise the lectures, defended the reasons behind the students’ actions.

He told The Mancunion, “Those who organise the lecture and the others who come to them all feel that now we are on our sixth strike, they are having a negative impact on our education”.

Rather than ‘replacing’ the hard work of their lecturers, Osman said their actions were “an attempt to re-create the excellent lectures from which I have already made a lot of notes”.

Second-year History student Reece DeCastro, also at Warwick, told The Mancunion he did not have a firm opinion either way, but understands the reasons for organising the lectures.

“It is quite annoying to have lectures cancelled when we’ve been told that the topics might still come up in our exams,” he said. “That being said though, whether striking is the right way to go about it or not, I definitely think something needs to be done about our lecturers’ pay.”

Union strikes are planned to continue throughout February, including Monday 10th.

GPs charge students for mitigating circumstances letters

Written by Inez Dawoodjee on . Posted in News.

GPs are charging students for the provision of letters used as evidence in  mitigating circumstances and disability support applications.

Students have reported being charged between £10-£20 for letters stating that they are ill or require disability support.  Doctors by law are allowed to set their fees for providing paperwork for patients, but some students feel this is unreasonable.

Second year Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology student Laura Ringrose submitted a form from the University’s Disability Support Office to her local GP.

“Without telling me, the GP charged me £16.50 for filling in a short disability form,” she said. “The form was not long and all they needed to do was write down the problem and their job title stating who they were.”

She added, “They only told me about the charge once they had filled in the form, so I had to pay either way. I think it is ridiculous.”

Dr David Rubra, a GP, commented on Pulse Magazine’s online forum, “ It is unreasonable to put this onus on GPs. Nine times out of 10 we have not seen the person during the relevant period and get asked to corroborate their stories of colds, flu, tiredness, and so on.”

He added, “We end up seeing hundreds of students with no medical problems, just needing a letter.”

Manchester graduates second most-targeted by recruiters

Written by Inez Dawoodjee on . Posted in News.

Manchester graduates are the second-most target group of students in the country, recently published research has indicated.

High Fliers Research found that graduates from the University of Nottingham and University of Manchester were targeted ahead of Oxford and Cambridge students at campus fairs, recruitment fairs and other promotion events. Top employers include large firms such as Google and Goldman Sachs.

A representative from the Career’s Service, Tammy Goldfield, said, “We are obviously very pleased our students are highly targeted by leading graduate recruiters and encouraged by the ongoing recovery of the graduate jobs market.”

The Times’ Good University Guide ranks Manchester as being the 25th   best university in the country, with Oxford and Cambridge ranking 1st and 2nd respectively.

Goldfield added, “Last academic year we saw an increase of seven per cent in vacancies advertised and our recruitment fairs were fully booked by employers.”

The report concludes that the “UK’s leading employers expect to recruit significantly more graduates in 2014,”  with the number of  entry-level vacancies set to increase by 8.7 per cent.  The largest growth is expected in public sector employers, accounting firms, investment banks, retailers and engineering and industrial companies.

The largest recruiters this year will be Teach First, PwC and Deloitte with over one thousand vacancies each.

Employers also have increased work experience placements for undergraduate students. Many graduate level positions are filled by students who have already had experience of working with the organisation.

Interview: The Family Rain

Written by Ruby Hoffman on . Posted in Music.

The Family Rain’s debut album Under the Volcano (“It’s actually the title of a book by the novelist Malcolm Lowry, and it was made into a film in the ‘80s.  Essentially, it’s about a drunk guy in Mexico, which is kind of something we always wanted to be…. Also, we write in the basement, so it kind of felt like an appropriate title in more ways than one”) dropped early this month, and I caught up with drummer Tim Walter as the band spends a couple of days in London.  The band had spent three weeks in Berlin recording, which Walter says was a good creative environment as “you can just feed of the city, really.  We were going to these incredible nightclubs, it was fucking mental”.  Even though their album has just come out, the band is already writing new songs.  “We’ve spent two years writing about forty finished songs, so it feels natural to be writing new material”, Walter explains.

The Family Rain narrowed down their selection of songs to the ten represented on Under the Volcano.  “We wanted the focus to be on individuality, finding ten individual songs that really spoke for themselves, and came from a real moment in time”.  Walter emphasizes the band’s desire to come up with songs that “mean a lot personally.  Will [lead vocalist and bassist] does the majority of the actual writing, but if any of us has an idea, we take it to the other two, and if they like it, we turn it into a song.”  He cites the positives of being in a band with all siblings, as “you can be brutally honest with each other, and no one takes it too personally…. We were all in bands [prior to starting the Family Rain], and no one was enjoying anything they were doing, and being in a band together gave us the absolute freedom to experiment with sound and technique.  Even though Ollie [guitarist] is more into the Metallica, Black Sabbath kind of thing, we all think the Beatles and the Rolling Stones are the greatest bands of all time, and we can collectively come together.  We were all working in stockrooms forty hours a week, until we kind of decided we could be making some pretty good music.  We’re not chart-chasers, we just write what we personally think sounds nice… it’s very self-indulgent, actually, and it’s hard to believe sometimes that it’s worked out so well”.

It has worked out well.  Walter reflects on the Family Rain’s last Manchester gig, which he says was “the best of the tour”, at the Ruby Lounge back in November.  “The last time we had played there, almost a year to the day, three people showed up, and this time around I think it was sold out.  It’s really a reflection on how far we’ve come”.  As well as headlining gigs, the band has been supporting huge artists like the Rolling Stones, Jake Bugg and Miles Kane.  “I think the biggest thing we’ve learned from supporting artists like that, just watching them perform, is about showmanship and stagecraft, how to better create set lists, things like that.  Also, especially on the Miles Kane tour, everyone was so accommodating, and it’s really good to know that the people at the top, they got there because they were nice about it”.

Walter reflects on some of the best moments the band has had in the past year.  “A big one was when we went down to London to meet with Jim Abbiss, who’s recorded the Arctic Monkeys, and basically we had to go into the studio, play for him, and then the next day we got a call saying he wanted to work with us.  That was huge.  Also, playing Ibiza Rocks supporting Biffy Clyro, just the aesthetics of it all, basically being inside the hotel and playing…. We only got to do that one show with them but it would be incredible to tour with them in the future”.  He says that Reading and Leeds were also highlights, stressing the importance of festivals “solely dedicated to the music”.

The band has also gotten notice for their attention to dress and style.  Walter agrees that fashion plays a role in the overall image of a band, and says that “I’m always conscious of the way I dress, the way any artwork is put together- we design everything and make sure we’re totally happy with the finished product.  As far as fashion goes, I think my icon is Bill Murray.  I saw a photo of him in a checkered suit the other day.  If I could go on stage rocking a checkered suit, I’ll have made it”.

Preview: Bugged Out Weekender

Written by Patrick Hinton on . Posted in Music.

Approaching their 20th anniversary, the impact of Bugged Out is hard to overstate. Existing from the days of putting on the likes of Daft Punk and The Chemicals Brothers at Sankeys for a fiver, they’ve become a mainstay of the UK dance music scene through their long standing commitment to hosting parties of the best dance music there is.

This is epitomised by the forthcoming Bugged Out Weekender, their very own festival, which marks the celebration of  their 20th year. The festival sees Bugged Out return to their spiritual home in the north of England. It boasts an absolutely massive line-up featuring some of the biggest and most important acts who have played at Bugged Out parties in the last two decades, as well as some of the hottest new talents on the scene.


Footage from the 2013 event

The Bugged Out Weekender takes place at Pontins in Southport, near Liverpool, on March 7th to March 9th. The location of a holiday park means this is a festival without the inconvenience and discomfort of tents and outdoor sleeping as all attendees stay in the chalets available inside Pontins. This also means that before the music starts at night there are plenty of activities on in the day ranging from go karts to arcade games to crazy golf, and best of all – pool parties, sound tracked by special guest DJs.

Onto the main attraction, the music – what a line-up it is.

Student favourites are well represented with the likes of Dusky, Boddika, Julio Bashmore, Jackmaster and George Fitzgerald appearing across the weekend. Let’s hope Jackmaster makes a tweak-a-holic appearance at a pool party, jumping up and down in a wave machine whilst disco classics from Whitney Houston and pop bangers from Carly Rae Jepsen ring out through the room sounds pretty ideal to me. Jack also shares his name with a terrific genre, of which no one is closer associated than Heidi. Her Jackathon parties never fail to make people jack their bodies.

Another DJ you can guarantee will get the room pumping whatever the location is the legendary DJ EZ, you’ve all seen the boiler room so you all know what this man can do. Experiencing it live has got to be a no-brainer. Also performing is Resident Advisor’s Number 1 DJ in the world for 2013, Dixon. He’s one of those DJs that takes you on a journey of blissful house and techno, with every set feeling truly special. There’s a reason he’s the top dog in the game right now.

A host of legends are on the bill, including Carl Craig, Dave Clarke, Kerri Chandler, Andrew Weatherall and Justin Robertson. With the pace that music evolves and moves at, only the very best stick around prominently for as long as these artists have. At the Bugged Out Weekender, they’ll show you why they remain so popular to this day.

Long term Bugged Out partner Erol Alkan plays, having performed 10 hour long sets for Bugged Out before, it’s clear this is a man you can trust to deliver near perfection. Alkan’s label signee Daniel Avery is also playing, producer of one of the best albums of 2013.

Also performing live across the weekend are Kölsch, Ten Walls and Todd Terje. The latter is making his UK live debut. He comes boasting a back catalogue of songs as euphoric as ‘Inspector Norse’ and ‘Strandbar’, his set is sure be a truly special event.

Tickets are on sale now at www.buggedoutweekender.net and are priced from £159pp, which includes accommodation.

Day tickets and tickets without accomodation are also available, priced at:
Friday 7th March:
Entry times 9pm-6am
£39.50 + bf

Saturday 8th March
Entry times 6pm-6am
£45.00 + bf

Sunday 9th March
Entry times: 5pm-3.30am
£29.50 + bf

Friday + Saturday + Sunday Weekend ticket without accommodation
£99.00 + bf

Opinion: Are music festivals just for Summer?

Written by Sam Bartram on . Posted in Music.

Music festivals have always been closely associated to the summer season with pop-up tents, crap weather and that token near-naked raver. However the growing trend of festivals being held at different times of year casts a certain dilemma over when really is the optimal moment to don the wayfarers and head knees deep into mud, cider and dance stages.

The likes of Bugged Out, Pleasure Principle and, to a smaller extent, Manchester’s very own Pangaea, have all grown on the back of demand for music festivals all year round. It seems for many dance-hungry students that summer is just too long to wait for the next weekend blowout. Yet there may be more practical positives to March music festivals than just getting your Jackmaster or DJ EZ fix. For example, the cost of festivals continues to increase steadily as summer inflation coupled with a thinner spread of artists arguably means you get more for your money at different times of the year. Even putting financial matters aside, the saturation of the British summer festival market has seen the popularity of European festivals surge – something that will not appeal to everyone, despite the idyllic settings and guaranteed sunshine.

Where does this leave us then? Well for those of us located in Manchester, the Bugged Out! Weekender offers a fresh mid-year alternative. With an established line up featuring many mainstay techno and house artists such as Joy Orbison, Ten Walls and Dixon, Bugged Out! gives a different edge in being held at everyone’s favourite family resort, Pontins. It’s not quite the Croatian coastline, in fact it’s far from it, but the idea of staying in apartments and having indoor pool parties is far more appealing than spending the weekend in a damp and poorly pitched tent. Whilst it might be easy to let out a little giggle at this choice of venue, the use of an old resort shows a level of ingenuity which surely creates intrigue to what the rest of the weekend might hold.

Not for one second would it be right to suggest that the summer music festival will remain anything other than dominant but as the niche that Bugged Out! is tapping into continues to grow, so will the number of festivals held across the year. With all things considered, March music festivals offer an alternative that should not be dismissed just because the name isn’t ‘Hideout’ or ‘Bestival’ – the financial and geographical practicalities mean that autumn, winter and spring time events such as the Bugged Out! Weekender should be penned into your festival schedule.

Album: Warpaint – Warpaint

Written by Alex Fenton on . Posted in Music.

Released January 17th, 2014

Rough Trade

7/10

The Warpaint quartet return with a tripped out journey into the stratosphere. The eponymous album sways through a deep lethargy and does not shy away from the dignified melancholy that has come to underpin their sound. However the experimental album appears as something of a regression, as effects detract from their talent. In itself, Warpaint is by no means a poor album, but alongside The Fool and standout EP Exquisite Corpse, it just doesn’t reach the same consistent heights.

Warpaint rekindles the tender harmonic vocals of before, but the meaning appears devoid of the emotion ‘Billie Holiday’ had epitomised. A greater presence of effects is perhaps the problem, as the vocal sound becomes too convoluted amongst the mist. Their earlier vocal work stood out for its raw individuality, as the focal point of their talent. Here, excessive effects (e.g. ‘Disco//very’) draw the focus away for them, whilst the lyrics scarcely seem to do them justice. Too much is going on where before simplicity held its own. Somehow the balance periodically loses itself within the effects, whilst even the guitar chords appear lacklustre in expression. Somewhere a footing is lost, as harmonies remain, but without the potency of before.

Fine moments do still appear amidst the album. The steadily built ‘Drive’ is one such track. Anchored dominantly between two chords, bubble-like picks and pleasant harmonies, this is Warpaint on form. ‘Biggy’ also draws attention, as a downbeat tempo reflects a more natural session of recording, over layered with semi-angelic vocals at their peak. Most consistent throughout the album is Jenny Lindberg’s bass. It’s not that she’s being particularly extravagant in the funk or jazz mould, it’s just she holds the tempo well and knows where the extra notes work.  In ‘Love is to Die’, a resonating bass verse shows her class, whilst her mellow sound is at the forefront on ‘Hi’ and ‘Feeling Alright’, where a dream pop sense comes into its own.

The progression from their previous work is by no means unnatural, as some fantastic songs arise from the album. The trouble is the space in between. It seems as though they’ve masked their ability with effects that indulge a little too far into the deep beyond. With time the album blossoms, but one can’t help but feel it’s unfinished.

Album: Mogwai – Rave Tapes

Written by Henry Scanlan on . Posted in Music.

Released 20th January, 2014

Rock Action Records

6/10

Let’s get one thing straight: the title of this new Mogwai album is misleading, and anyone hoping for something upbeat will frankly be disappointed. If any of these songs were dropped at a rave, the floor would clear pretty quickly. ‘Rave Tapes’ is instead an archetypal Mogwai album in which they recycle their tested techniques to varying degrees of effect. They’ve stuck with what they know: familiar Mogwai tropes on Rave Tapes are mostly pleasing but occasionally a little dull.

The album begins brimming with purpose. ‘Heard About You Last Night’ is an emotive opener, layered with echoing bells. ‘Simon Ferocious’ and ‘Remurdered’ are both unsettling and compelling, driven by throbbing, distorted bass lines. Pulsating synths are used again on ‘Deesh’ to jolting effect. It’s these droning sci-fi sounds that stick in the memory more than anything else on the album.

The sampled voiceover on ‘Repelish’, a rant from a radio host about Led Zeppelin’s satanic subliminal messaging, is a welcome voice and (presumably) pokes fun at rock music’s occasional bloated sense of importance. It also offers a glimpse of how Mogwai could incorporate vocals into their sound, but then the suffocated and unintelligible singing on ‘Blues Hour’ reminds us why they stick with the instrumentals. The album’s meatier moments are dampened by a number of ponderous tracks that don’t really go anywhere. Weaker songs on most bands’ albums are gone in 3 minutes; on a Mogwai album they stick around for at least 5 – kind of a mood killer.

In contrast to the bold first half, the second half of the album sees Mogwai retreating to their comfort zone (not necessarily a bad thing – ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ etc). Their sound is still grand and impressive, but the atmospheric songs that make up half of the album feel vague and hollow. Maybe, since their soundtrack work on Zidane and Les Revenants, they’ve fallen into the habit of wrapping their music around specific themes and aligning it with a narrative. Here, the music is sometimes empty and lacking in direction when standing on its own two feet. Maybe soundtracking is a logical career move for Mogwai. Their music is commonly referred to as ‘cinematic’.

Maybe it’s a criticism, maybe it’s a compliment, but I can’t help but think of ‘Rave Tapes’ as an excellent soundtrack to a movie that doesn’t exist.

From the Vault: The Ramones – Leave Home

Written by Dan Whiteley on . Posted in Music.

Released January 1977

Sire Recrods

Released barely nine months after their classic debut, The Ramones’s second record consolidated their status as pioneers of New York’s burgeoning punk rock scene and proved their early success was no accident. Leave Home – so titled because of their then-fledgling ambition to tour the world – embellished and improved upon their frantic rock ‘n’ roll formula; the tempos are faster, the choruses are catchier and the lyrics are even more tongue-in-cheek.

“Gonna take a chance on her/one bullet in the cylinder/and in a moment of passion/get the glory, like Charles Manson” bleats Joey Ramone on ‘Glad to See You Go’, the album’s opening track, which serves to re-introduce listeners to both Johnny’s raucous guitar sound and Joey’s irreverent sense of humour. What sets Leave Home apart from their debut – and, in retrospect, the majority of their discography – however, is the increased influence of 60s girl groups such as The Shangri-La’s and The Ronettes: felt most obviously on doo-wop tinged tracks such as ‘I Remember You’ and ‘Oh Oh, I Love Her So’.

Other highlights in the album’s brief, 30 minute running time include ‘Carbona Not Glue’, an update of sorts to their prior mission statement ‘Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue’, and the breezy ‘Swallow My Pride’, which cheerily revels in the fact that “things were looking grim/but they’re looking good again”. Meanwhile, ‘Pinhead’ has become one of The Ramones’ most enduring tracks, due in part to its legendary “gabba gabba hey!” refrain. The Riviera’s ‘California Sun’, the album’s sole cover, is given the same treatment as the rest of the record, and may as well have been a Ramones song all along; its sunny, fun-time vibe fits right in with the rest of the tracks.

Leave Home is unlikely to change anyone’s life – in 2014, man can no longer live by three chords alone – but it stands as a snapshot of a hugely influential band on the rise, and even now remains a fun, refreshing listen.

Album: Bombay Bicycle Club – So Long, See You Tomorrow

Written by Lowell Clarke on . Posted in Music.

Released 3rd February, 2014

Island Records

5/10

It is amazing how much a band seems to change whilst still essentially staying the same. For all the exotic and far flung influences infused into their new album, Bombay Bicycle Club are still four North London boys with a stupidly funky name. They’re past the debut of indie teenage angst, the suprise folk and an unexpected electronic tangent third album – now what?

Nearly 3 years later, they finally answer. From the opening track of So Long, See You Tomorrow, ‘Overdone’, the new direction rings clear. Orchestral samples worthy of The Avalanches build to a massive atmospheric jam complete with tumbling slide riffs on Ed Nash’s bass guitar and Suren de Saram’s gigantic new drum sound. Lead singer and guitarist Jack Steadman’s voice sounds much more confident, whether with the trademark frailty or digital manipulation in the refrain of lead single ‘Carry Me’ – the strongest song on the album and possibly of their entire career to date.

Even on a single album, these aren’t the type of guys to repeat themselves. ‘Home By Now’ delivers the next tune to the backdrop of a beat built from harp and string samples. But annoyingly Bombay can’t seem to sit still on a single track either, as the hip-hop sample aesthetic soon gives way to the tried and tested methods of the guitar. ‘Whenever Wherever’ rides the wave of a classic breakbeat and solid synth riffs before swapping out for a slow, tender piano ballad that segues into new single ‘Luna’.

The less said about ‘Luna’ the better,  and the slow ‘Eyes Off You’ tries to make your eyelids feel extremely heavy in what seems like some sort of misguided apology. Yet if you listen carefully for the next 30 seconds, the start of ‘Feel’ is the best thing on the album. Samples of Arabian music intertwine with an electronic bass line to create a moment (tragically) cut short by yet another attempt to create a ‘dance inspired quirky indie track’. For a band that has gained so much ground with experimentation in the past, many of their new ideas come across as shallow and short-lived. At their worst, they seem to rely on past innovations with tons of production tricks that tie handfuls of interesting yet short and unconnected ideas together.

Idiotic Internet Trend of the Week: NekNomination

Written by Sophie Lipton on . Posted in Lifestyle.

The first time a “NekNomination” appeared on my Facebook news feed, I thought someone had been nominated for an award for doing something heartwarming for society. This feeling was quickly punctured after I pressed play and realised that downing a pint of beer and vodka – often infused with a gruesome ingredient, such as dog food – doesn’t deserve any recognition. It doesn’t even merit a Facebook update.

The viral hit – a “game” in which one one downs a pint on camera before nominating others to carry on the challenge in the space of 24 hours – began in Australia. From downing pints in uni kitchens, to drinking 568.3 milliliters in the middle of the road, the boundaries are pushed further and further with every video. The location is significant, but just downing an ordinary pint won’t do. In each video, it seems as though more spirits and more ingredients are added to the drink. I suppose it’s almost like X Factor, just without the glamour, talent, or dignity. (So maybe it’s not a million miles from X Factor after all…)

NekNominate is a form of cyber peer pressure, because breaking the chain will, supposedly, break your dignity. Sorry Mr. BNOC, no “lad points” for you there. However, like all short-lived internet crazes, this chain is already rusting – and it’s time to break free from its shackles. Already, people have died after attempting to be a part of the Facebook commotion, and for this reason it must end. I suppose it can’t be worse than Manchester’s own ‘Tower Challenge’ but at least that isn’t always filmed and uploaded onto Facebook for everyone to see. I’m not saying the ‘Tower Challenge’ is healthier. If you want to attempt something that won’t leave you feeling like death in the morning, go eat a salad. You have 24 hours. Good luck.

Top 5 Male Spring Trends

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Florals
When you think of spring, you think of flowers.  Unsurprisingly, many of the key designers at the various men’s fashion weeks were having a similar process of thought.  Whilst Gucci went bold with head to toe floral looks, AMI and Marc Jacobs kept it more wearable in the form of casual separates; probably one of the easier ways to inject some springtime bloom into your wardrobe.  And if all-over patterns aren’t really your thing, take inspiration from Raf Simons, who incorporated the popular theme in the form of large stand-alone floral graphics on sweatshirts.

Image: prada.com

Power Suits
Final Years take note; whether it be for graduation or the inevitable 9-5 hell that awaits you, the power suit should be your uniform of choice.  The tailoring for spring became a lot softer than it had been for previous seasons; lines were fluid, jackets were longer and pants were looser, meaning dressing with purpose has never been so comfortable.

Image: Butz2013

Fifties
It was only a matter of time before the almighty 90’s finally met its fashion match; and met its match it has.  When drawing sartorial influence from times past, you’ll now have to rewind by a further 40 years or so, and start looking to the 50’s.  Wider legs and large open collars were rife, notably at the likes of Prada and Missoni, whilst for further inspiration look no further than 50’s style icon James Dean, whose look was characterised by simple un-fussy basics.

asos.com

Sportswear
Sportswear has been a recurring trend on the men’s catwalks for as long as I can remember, and was once again back with force for 2014.  For those of you thinking ‘not again?’ this season presented some new and interesting twists on the trend, ensuring collections felt new and current.  Half zip rain jackets were a key piece; Kris Van Assche presented his in bold statement colours, a look that can easily be mimicked by picking up a more reasonably priced K-Way waterproof.

Image: urbanoutfitters.com

Blue

For those of you wanting to be on trend for spring, without being a slave to the mighty fashion powers that be, invest in something blue.  Chances are your wardrobes already full of it, and chances are you probably think I’m talking a crock of shit, but trust me, if GQ are saying its going to be big then it probably will be.  If you’re thinking ‘what shade?’ then don’t, all were covered from baby at Calvin Klein, to navy at Giorgio Armani, whilst Balmain went brave with not double, but triple blue denim.