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Month: March 2014

Siemens Executive awarded honorary professorship

Written by Aidan Gregory on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

Juergen Maier, Managing Director of Siemens UK and Ireland Industry Sector and a member of the Siemens UK Executive Management Board, has been awarded an honorary professorship by the University of Manchester.

Maier, an outspoken advocate of industry in the UK economy,  is due to take up the five year post within the faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences.

Born in Germany, Maier moved to the UK with his family at the age of ten. He went to school in Leeds before going to Nottingham Trent University to study a Siemens sponsored degree in production engineering.

After graduating, Maier immediately began his career with the company at the award-winning Drives Factory in Congleton, Cheshire. He then held posts in Germany and the UK, rising through the ranks to become Director of Industrial Controls, Divisional Managing Director, and most recently Managing Director of Siemens UK and Ireland Industry Sector.

In a statement to the University, Maier said, “I am delighted to be awarded a professorship with The University of Manchester. It will be a privilege to be directly involved in the education of our next generation of highly skilled engineers. Critically, this builds on the relationship Siemens shares with the University as a strategic partner, further embedding our commitment to share resources and knowledge.

“Together, we will work on promoting the benefits of a career in high value manufacturing and green engineering, which of course can only be enhanced by the excellent R&D reputation the University holds.”

Professor Colin Bailey, Vice-President and Dean of the University’s Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, said, “We are very pleased that Juergen has accepted an Honorary Chair at the University. His knowledge of the engineering and manufacturing sector will support us in the education of the next generation of engineers to ensure that they have the required skills to address the challenges facing society now and in the future.”

Siemens are one of the world’s leading engineering and manufacturing companies. Based in Munich, Germany, they employ around 13,500 people in the UK alone.

Simply fad-u-lous

Written by Skye Scott on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

image: topshop.com

Pool Sliders: Topshop: £55.00

You may think that fashion fads are just for fashion industry insiders, crazy bloggers and attention seekers. But this summer season try to be braving some of fashion’s fad trends. By introducing just a few and styling them with your classic items, you can look fashion forward without looking like you’ve fallen out of an edgy fashion magazine.

If you’re not very brave, start of with something that is just a twist on a normal item in your wardrobe. Think of the culottes as just a wide leg trouser or long length shorts. Culottes are available in leather, satin, cotton and jersey, making a pair suitable for everyone. They are sported by some of fashions most stylish people and along with being fashion ‘it’ items are comfortable and practical. This navy satin pair will look sleek paired with black tights and loafers for the colder months, or with a striped top come summer.

 

image: zara.com

Pool Sliders: Zara: £39.99

Think back to your mum’s Birkenstocks, she’d wear in the summer with knee length shorts. They’ve had a fashion update; they are glam, cool and exactly what we want to be wearing around the pool on our summer holidays. It may not be sunny enough just yet, but once the sun comes out these are the sandals you should be wearing. These metallic ones from ZARA add a touch of glam whilst being practical and comfortable. Topshop also have plenty of coloured and floral patterned options already in stock. Wear them with your favourite denim shorts and crop top or with your swimsuit for a cool holiday look.

 

image: asos.com

Bomber Jacket: ASOS: £28.00

Sportswear is key this season, a lot of the fashion fads for summer are based on glamming up sportswear: being practical but beautiful. You may already own a pair of New Balance trainers or patterned plimsolls, but try upping your fashion game by donning a bomber jacket. The bomber jacket is fun, edgy and versatile. Available in numerous colours, fabrics and patterns they are suitable for all occasions. This patterned one from ASOS can be worn in the day with boyfriend jeans and trainers or at night over a silky camisole.

Sleeve it yeah!

Written by Charlie Dick on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

In 20 years time a new breed of men will emerge. These men will never sport a t-shirt and shudder at the thought of the gym. They will avoid holidaying in warm climates and refuse to visit public swimming pools. If this doesn’t sound like your ideal future husband, fear not. There is a way these modern men can be identified; their sleeve.

Once reserved for hard-core biker-boys and worthy workmen, the sleeve is now another accessory for the bearded, top-knotted creative crew at your local advertising agency. Even my hairdresser got a sleeve at the weekend. However, as the tattooed arm continues to gain popularity, the reasons behind this craze are becoming increasingly unclear. One may be the need for our generation to constantly express our beliefs. A tattoo is a permanent change to your body, so it should represent something you really believe in. Religious? Get a tattoo. Patriotic? Get a tattoo. Vegetarian? Get a tattoo. They give us an opportunity to show the world who we really are. For example, nothing says ‘fighter of the bohemian revolution’ more than a selection of dice, hearts and sepia faded flowers doodled down your arm. A sleeve represents an attitude to life; carefree, creative and generally cool. It gives us an opportunity to show our individuality and uniqueness. I can only imagine the joy someone feels from knowing that 25% of the UK’s population has something very similar.

Has the crave to be kooky turned into social conformity? Are all members of the 25 percenters really that individual? My experience has taught me that after the lure of an edgy sleeve has worn off, the man behind it tends to be more boring than the tattoo-free majority. It is the same phenomenon as that of a girl with short hair; they believe a ‘different’ haircut will give them an edge, whereas actually it just provides more entertainment to those playing ‘is it a he or a she?’ on the Megabus.

Instagram: @littletattoolove

Don’t get me wrong, not all tattoos fit this category. It is socially acceptable to get a tattoo for sentimental reasons, just ensure strength in the legitimacy of these reasons. For example, I must admit there is a hidden hypocrisy to this article; I have a tattoo. It compromises of three dots on my ankle as if someone had written ‘therefore’ in shorthand. Very hipster. When asked for its relevance I used to tell people that it’s meaning of ‘ma vida loco’ lies in prison tattoo history. However, the truth is buried in a blurry alcohol stained memory of a Thai beach. Not so hipster, but a lot more believable. Similarly, I once met a girl who felt the urge to share with me her latest body addition; a heart with wings across her lower back. She then preceded to explain how the heart represented her troubled background, with the wings symbolising her struggled escape. This was, of course, complete pretentious fabrication. If you have a bad tattoo, admit it. As a result of a bet gone wrong, a friend of mine has another friend’s surname in ink across the sole of his foot. When asked, his explanation is that he is an idiot; believable, truthful and straight to the point.

Instagram: @littletattoolove

Luckily, these tattoos are all able to be hidden. A sleeve, however, is guaranteed to provide far more difficulty in concealment when the inevitable regret sets in. Like most fashions, the sleeve is a fad. This fad will disappear in due time, but the evidence of it will remain. Once a symbol of rebellion to social norms, the inked-up arm is soon to be to the young man what the tramp stamp has become to the young woman. When the boy becomes a man and tackles responsibilities such as fatherhood and mortgage repayments, he may question whether he was ever that kooky and individual. With a pair of scissors and a blade the top-knot and beard can be dealt with. However, the sleeve will cling to its owners conscience forever, serving as a regular reminder of just how ordinary he really is. Oh, for a beach holiday.

Top 5: Immortal fashion pieces

Written by Scarlett Whittell on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

My annual spring clean is underway, and as a result I can’t get in my bedroom due to overflowing drawers. Having realised that I haven’t worn half of the items strewn across my floor, I am going to make a resolution. Never again will I fritter away my student loan on clothes that go out of fashion before I’ve managed to get out of the shop. I will be sensible(ish) and invest in fashion that doesn’t have an expiry date. Then, with the pennies that I save I’ll buy champagne and Lindt chocolates. Sounds good doesn’t it. Right, so let’s have a look at the 5 pieces which will always look good, regardless of the decade.

1. LBD

If you don’t own a little black dress, you seriously need to rethink your principles. It’s sexy, demure, classic … basically it is everything you will ever need. Don’t know what to wear on a night out? Cue the LBD. Feel like wearing something pretty whilst you shovel ice cream into your face during the cold, lonely nights? LBD! Do you understand the point I’m trying to hammer home girls? If you don’t own one, buy one.

Harrods.co.uk

2. Red Lipstick

It really is amazing what a coat of the red stuff can do. In mere seconds your whole look is transformed. This Tom Ford shade is my absolute favourite – it’s worth the investment just for the thrill of skipping down Market Street with a designer bag swinging at your side. Make sure that you never leave your precious lippy unattended, however. I learnt the hard way that little sisters don’t understand what Tom Ford means, and think it’s funny to smudge it across their faces. Yes, four years on and I’m still holding a grudge.

 

zara.co.uk

3. Leather Jacket  

You can hardly tell the difference between faux leather and the real thing these days, which is great news on two fronts. Firstly, we save a cow. Secondly, we save some dollar. Every high street store has a variety of jackets to offer, but for me Zara is the winner. The simple design will ensure that you still love your leather friend in years to come.

 

dorothyperkins.co.uk

4. Black Heels

Finding the perfect pair of black heels is so difficult, it’s actually a joke. Earlier this year I lost one of my long-standing favorites whilst socializing in Manchester (don’t ask). Since that heartbreaking evening, I have marched into town on three separate occasions, determined to find a new pair. I didn’t have any luck, and ended up knocking back pricey cappuccinos in a desperate attempt to cheer myself up. Eventually I resorted to the internet because, frankly, my bank balance can’t afford any more high-end coffee. And look what I have found! The perfect pair of black heels. Thank you Dorothy Perkins.

 

tiffany.co.uk

5. DIAMONDS

A little optimistic on a student budget, yes. But you’ve got to take Shirley Bassey’s word for it on this one – diamonds are forever. When the glorious day arrives, and you are partnered with a big shiny rock your immortal fashion collection will be complete.

 

UCL student fined £1000 for chalking

Written by Dan Harold on . Posted in News.

A student from University College London has been fined £1010 for writing a protest slogan in chalk on the building that houses the office of the university’s Vice-Chancellor.

Konstancja Duff, 25, was arrested last July on a protest against the outsourcing of university employees’ contracts after writing “sick pay, holidays, pensions now” in chalk on Senate House, which houses most of the university’s administrative staff.

Duff, who had denied the charges, was found guilty of criminal damage at Highbury Magistrates’ Court and received a three-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay over £800 to cover the cost of repairs to the stone, as well as £200 in legal fees.

Daniel Cooper, Vice-President of the University of London Union, said: “Shame on the management of the University of London. They instructed the arrest, and have carried through with this prosecution for one reason: to ward off and silence any effective opposition to the university’s discredited plans for staff and students. It shows that the university have lost the argument.”

Cooper made it clear that having condemned the original arrest as “a disgrace”, the ULU would be contributing to the payment of Duff’s fine.

In a statement released after the initial arrest of Duff, the University College London Union claimed that the police had used “disproportionate force (violence)” and accused the university of deliberate intimidation.

“Student unions and universities should be safe spaces for students, where we are free to critique management and the status quo without fear of police violence. This is a clear example of how the presence of the police, and university management, on campus is contrary to this.”

Following the incident the University of London banned student protests and warned students would face prosecution if they protested in certain areas of the campus, stating the university was “no longer willing to tolerate demonstrations”.

Duff was also found not guilty of assaulting two police officers during the arrest.

The University of London declined to comment on the guilty verdict.

Manchester scientists discover lung cancer protein

Written by Dan Harold on . Posted in News.

Scientists from the University of Manchester have discovered a new protein that is involved in cancer and inflammation in lung tissue.

It is believed the findings of the research, carried out as part of the Manchester Cancer Research Centre (MCRC) and published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry, could help in the future development of drugs to target lung cancer.

Dr Toryn Poolman, from the University of Manchester, who worked on the research, said: “The study has given us a new insight into the mechanisms at play in lung inflammation and lung cancer. We believe it could provide a new area to target drugs in lung cancer.”

The researchers looked specifically at a class of hormones called glucocorticoids, which regulate inflammation and energy production in cells, and have a role in controlling cell growth in lung cancer.

The newly discovered protein, known as Merm1, was found to be essential to for glucocortoids to function normally. The researchers also found that Merm1 is suppressed in both lung inflammation and cancer.

David Ray, Professor of Medicine and Endocrinology, who led the research, said: “We know that resistance to glucocorticoids happens in various inflammatory diseases, as well as cancer, in lung tissue. We wanted to explore whether a protein, known as Merm1, was involved in this resistance and therefore involved in controlling the uncontrolled cell growth that is the hallmark of cancer.”

The study showed that the enzyme Merm1 controls the binding between glucocorticoid receptors and its target genes.  This step is essential for the receptor to work properly to control cell growth, and division.  The study revealed that inflammation, as seen in asthma or bronchitis, results in loss of Merm1.

Professor Ray said: “This work shows that targeting Merm1 could offer a new strategy in developing anti-inflammatory treatments.”

The findings were published just before figures were released by Cancer Research UK showing that Manchester has a cancer death rate which is 10% higher than the national average, while the number of cancer diagnoses is also above the national average by a similar amount.

The study suggests that the most likely cause of this is the number of people in Manchester who smoke. Smoking rates for Greater Manchester are around 7% higher than the national average.

According to the figures lung cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in Greater Manchester, with around 930 men and 790 women dying from the disease every year.

Allan Jordan, Head of Chemistry at the Drug Discovery Unit at the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute, which is part of the University of Manchester, said: “It’s extremely worrying to see that you’re more likely to die from cancer if you live in Manchester compared to other parts of the country.”

He added: “The latest stats show that lung cancer causes the most deaths from the disease in Greater Manchester. We must do more to tackle this by helping to reduce the number of people smoking as well as improving treatments, and diagnosing the disease earlier, when treatment is most likely to be effective.”

Sex trafficking is still thriving in the UK

Written by Lauren Wills on . Posted in Opinion.

You may not know that the award-winning action-thriller “Taken” is closer to fact than fiction. We watch it and find it utterly terrifying, but perhaps subconsciously see it as a fairy story. It is, however, a startlingly similar representation of reality – women in our cities are living in the nightmare that is the sex trade. They are tricked, manipulated, beaten, sold and raped for profit – and it’s happening here in Manchester.

There are over 27 million slaves in the world today; that’s more in the world than ever before, despite the majority of people believing slavery was eliminated years ago by the 13th amendment to American constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights. The National Crime Agency actually reported last week that child sex trafficking in the UK is second only to Vietnam – perhaps an astonishing statistic for a crime so unheard of in modern-day society.
As stated by the Manchester Evening News, government figures estimate there are 5,000 women in the UK who have been trafficked for sex – but those working to battle the trade in Manchester believe this figure is ‘the tip of the iceberg’.

February 27th saw the beginning of the #Enditmovement ‘Shine a Light on Slavery Day’ – a worldwide campaign to raise awareness to end human trafficking. Raising awareness is so important, as this is an issue we perhaps associate with foreign countries, but never our own. I began to research trafficking after reading the autobiography “Slave Girl’ in which a regular girl from Newcastle was offered a job in Amsterdam as a nursery teacher. There were various formalities; paperwork, background records and multiple interviews, just like a regular job application. However, upon arrival, through a number of circumstances she was horrifically sold and forced to work the Red Light District. Unfortunately this is true for so many women who are trafficked both from and to the United Kingdom.

In her article “Legalizing Pimping, Dutch Style”, Marie-Victoire Louis writes, that “80% of prostitutes in Amsterdam are foreigners and 70% have no immigration papers”, heavily suggesting that they are trafficked. The reality is that women are raped for profit and robbed of their dignity multiple times a day for years upon end. This puts a ‘harmless’ trip to Amsterdam in another light. Funding a weekend with the best of intentions could actually be fuelling this poisonous trade. Unquestionably this is also going on closer to home. The M.E.N reported last year that Medaille Trust’s safe-house is a Manchester-based charity working to rescue women. The charity comments “Men who are paying for sex with trafficked women also need to use their own moral compass. It will be obvious from the language barrier, a person’s body language, if they are there willingly. These women are someone’s sister or mother who are being forced to have sex”.

In a growing age of the clubbing and drinking culture, internet pornography, and prostitutes readily available for relatively little cash, we can be falsely led to think there is no danger in paying into this system. Furthermore, reading the chilling story of Benjamin Skinner, an individual who spent four years researching modern-day slavery by posing as a buyer at illegal brothels on several continents is utterly sickening and would cause most people to question their sexual integrity. On one occasion, the individual was offered a young girl with Down’s Syndrome in return for an old, used car in Romania. Raising awareness about the reality of trafficking is so important and necessary, as although it cannot end the problem instantaneously, it will inevitably lead to a more informed society when it comes to sex and prostitution.

Organisations such as Hope for Justice exist to help bring an end to Human Trafficking. Based in Manchester, their aim is to “uncover and abolish” the hidden crime of modern-day slavery. As a non-governmental organisation, they are involved with gathering intelligence and they assist in the process of removing victims from exploitation within the UK. The charity comments, “Human trafficking is not someone else’s problem, it’s happening in our communities, in our neighbourhoods, in our country. Hope for Justice was created to be the practical solution to human trafficking with four areas of operation”. Indeed, Hope for Justice have been actively involved in a number of cases involving rescuing women and children from this horrific trade as well as raising awareness on it. You can be part of the rescue mission; you can volunteer, raise awareness, campaign, and give financially.

There is much more going on behind closed doors in our cities than we think. Help join the fight to end slavery. To get involved and help end sex trafficking in the UK and worldwide, visit hopeforjustice.org.uk

My Political Villain: Mitt Romney

Written by Ben Fearn on . Posted in Opinion.

The Republican Party do not fare well in my political opinions and values, so you’d think that any individual representing them would be a political villain for me. However, it is Mitt Romney in particular who stood out at the 2012 US Presidential Election as an incredibly frustrating and contradictory candidate. His habit of flip-flopping and voicing of extreme views makes him my political villain.

The Republican Party in general were notoriously stubborn with their attempts to derail Obamacare, a piece of legislation designed to insure those who can’t afford healthcare, and to lower costs for middle class families (how can that be a bad thing?). However, Romney was one of the most hypocritical opponents. Having signed a very similar piece of healthcare reform as Governor of Massachusetts, declaring “the President’s copying that idea, I’m glad to hear that”, Romney later declared Obamacare “bad news” and threatened to repeal it “on day one” if elected President. Not only did Romney oppose a landmark bill designed to help the most vulnerable in society, he “invented Obamacare before he was against it” as Jay Leno humorously summed up.

Healthcare wasn’t the only inconsistency. Leading up to 2012, Mitt Romney had flip-flopped on almost every major issue, highlighted by Romney contradicting himself at different points in time over issues such as healthcare, abortion, economic stimulus and women’s rights. It wasn’t a case of him simply changing his mind; he was willing to become the “Massachusetts moderate” to be Governor of a liberal state, yet “severely conservative” (both labels are attributed to Romney himself) to gain Tea Party support and the Republican nomination in 2012. If we are to take one side of his flip-flops, he has (at some point) held pro-choice views on abortion, supported economic stimulus and pledged to support the auto-industry (which he later wished to “go bankrupt”). However, Romney lurched towards the right and was secretly videotaped accusing 47% of Americans as government-dependants who will always vote Democrat. His choice of Paul Ryan as running mate, a darling of the Tea Party with an aggressively conservative budget plan, further underlined his determination to appeal to anyone whom he thought could propel him to the White House. It clinched the Republican nomination, but not the Presidency.

On the rare occasions that Romney started to develop more convictions, they were often of an uncaring nature. Not only did he want a multi-trillion dollar tax cut for the wealthiest Americans and a return to Bush’s trickle-down economics, but he cheerfully noted ”I like to fire people” and ”I’m not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there”. To counter a question on pay equity, he crudely stated that he had had “binders full of women”, and the secret video tape of a fundraiser speech lead to this shocking outburst: “there are 47 percent of the people who will vote for the President [Obama] no matter what…who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them…My job is not to worry about those people”.
Mitt Romney is not my political villain just because he lurched to the right. I’m not a fan of Mrs Thatcher, but she was a conviction politician, and her stances were always unequivocal. Perhaps we can best sum up Mitt Romney with a quote from himself: “I’m not familiar precisely with what I said, but I’ll stand by what I said, whatever it was.”

UMSU elections are in a crisis of apathy

Written by Alice Rigby on . Posted in Opinion.

The student elections are in crisis. As The Mancunion reported last week, few students stood for executive positions this year, with many roles remaining uncontested until the closing moments of the nominations period.

While a concerted effort by the current executive to encourage nominations did eventually rectify the problem, the techniques used by the Students’ Union to promote the elections were, at times, ethically questionable. University of Manchester students’ disinterest in elections is no new thing though – and the apathy is only growing.

Some of the blame must lie with the current executive, and those that preceded them over recent years. Many students would barely recognise them walking around the union, never mind down the street. This is partially because we only ever see them flyering us in a beguiling array of costumes, or plastered across a wall in a dim corner of the union.

Furthermore, few of us know what the members of the executive actually do. It’s easy to put this down to inaction. However, if it’s not, as the executive have often countered, then their PR is absolutely abysmal. Many of the issues they raise seem unrelated to the real concerns of the student body. Their decision to attend protests about issues such as ATOS could, arguably, be examples of this. Even if there were compelling reason to attend a protest like this, the importance of the protest and these compelling reasons weren’t communicated to students with any degree of success.

This is crushingly disappointing when you consider how easy it would be for the exec to communicate with the student body. Next week, they’re hosting a BBQ where they’ll provide that ultimate kryptonite for students, free food, while meeting the very people who supposedly elected them. Yet, while events such as these are easy for the exec to instigate and could provide a viable channel for conversation, the exec has been reluctant to engage in them. As a group elected to represent students, they seem little inclined to mix with their electorate, an attitude that doesn’t go unnoticed by the general student body.

This is reflective of one of the major problems confronting our student elections. The exec can’t really claim a mandate from students. So few of us vote – last year the turnout was around 7.5 per cent for most roles and much lower for some – that the elected candidates can’t legitimately represent most of the students they come across.
This year, some of the nominees for the executive roles were nominated as a joke, revealing the contempt that the elections are held in. True, this is the ultimate chicken and egg situation. But while voting rates remain so low, the executive should be trying to engage with students even more than if it were higher, both to encourage voting and to renew a mandate that barely existed in the first place.

In promoting the elections, this year’s exec may be facing the steepest uphill battle yet. The financial difficulties of the union are no secret. Even some of the decisions that were popularly mandated by the student body, such as a paid editor for this newspaper, have been revoked, further discrediting both the importance and viability of the executive. I was personally recommended as general secretary and was horrified by the prospect of filling a role with so much negativity and political infighting facing it.

All of this is tragic because student politics has been one of the defining features of university life for decades. For many of us, student politics is our first direct brush with democracy and offers us an insight into the possibilities, particularly for change, that politics can provide. The current state of student elections at UMSU casts a dim light on this, with change an apparent enigma. The opportunity to affect the lives of students is overshadowed by a system that is elusive and apparently inactive.

At Manchester, we need a re-invigoration of the student electoral system, to make us really believe in our executive and union. We need candidates elected not along political lines but because of their desire to make change. While the student elections may not currently be occupied by the kind of radical thinking and galvanised action that many of us seek in them, it is only the students voting for and running in these elections that can make these changes.

Tuition fees aren’t the only reason students are stripping

Written by Charlotte Green on . Posted in Opinion.

Almost a third of women working in the stripping industry are also students studying at university, according to a new a study conducted by the British Journal of Sociology of Education.

Nearly two hundred dancers were interviewed by Leeds University academics, with 29 per cent stating they were in some form of education. This group cited the high cost of higher education, lack of availability of loans and a general lack of support for vocational courses as the main reasons for entering the profession.

The flexibility and profitable nature of the business also attracted students, drawn to the prospect of supporting themselves whilst balancing their educational workload. The study reports that some participants began stripping even before beginning their courses in order to offset the “high cost of education”. Interestingly, the study added that there was “definite tension between the ‘old school’ dancers who were there to earn good money and the new, inexperienced younger women who had a range of motives for entering stripping”.

Overall the study produces conflicting results, and raises questions about the motivations of young people entering the stripping industry. On the one hand the report seems to suggest that young people are being coerced by decreasing financial support for higher education into more sexually provocative work, – but it then proceeds to refer to the allure and “initial excitement of engaging in a transgressive world”, with the prospect of being paid “cash in hand” at the end of the night perceived as an added bonus.

In the Times Higher Education magazine sociologist Teela Sanders argued that “selling striptease had become more palatable and socially acceptable”, and was not necessarily regarded as sex work. He also added that involvement in the stripping industry was not always a product of financial circumstances; “many of these dancers are from middle-class backgrounds – they are not coming from families where money is a big issue”.

It’s hard to know what to make of these findings. Yes, young people are considering more adventurous and risky avenues of employment as the means to fund education, but can we say that they are being coerced? Some may argue that students are expanding their own ideas of what an acceptable form of part-time work is, or using financial strain as an excuse to become involved in more risqué occupations.

Burlesque and cabaret have been experiencing a resurgence in popular culture, and many Universities (including University of Manchester) have pole-dancing societies that emphasise the fitness benefits of the activity, and its role in sexual empowerment. Reports recently found that ‘Sugar daddy’ websites have record numbers of prospective ‘Sugar babies’ who are also in higher education seeking a ‘mutually beneficial arrangement’, i.e. young women seeking financially rewarding relationships with wealthy older men.

It’s easy when confronted with these stories to focus on the exploitative aspects of the industry, and condemn the tuition fee hike as the underlying cause for the rise of students involved in stripping and sex work but this response can be dangerously paternal and overtly moralistic.

Putting life choices down to economic need not only devalues women’s decisions to sexually empower themselves, but also undermines the whole idea of female self-determination. Stripping is not something I would feel comfortable engaging in, but I can’t say the prospect of getting paid £20 to dance on a table for three minutes isn’t tempting, especially as I do the same thing (albeit with clothes on) most Saturday nights. At the very least it puts the minimum wage I get at my part-time job into perspective. I think it takes a vast amount of confidence to be able to perform a professional strip tease and regardless of its lack of appeal for me; I’ve huge respect for those young women who voluntarily enter into it.

I believe that it’s important to crack down on exploitative practices in both stripping and sex-work, and that studies such as the one conducted by Leeds add a new perspective on how reduced financial support for education is impacting on young people.

However we should be careful not to use financial disadvantage or societal coercion as the only explanation for young women’s participation in provocative occupations. Doing so only serves to devalue women’s choices and signals a return of Victorian attitudes towards female sexuality.

If Russia is ‘anti-gay’ then so is America

Written by Lauren Gorton on . Posted in Opinion.

The Sochi Winter Olympics came to an explosive end on the 23rd of February. Yet despite boasting the highest medal count, Russia’s reputation has been damaged and its achievements overshadowed by the passing of Russia’s anti-gay propaganda bill.

The bill, proposed in 2013, banned the distribution of propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations to minors. Thereby effectively making it illegal to suggest that homosexual relationships are worthy of equality or to distribute any material on gay rights. Although worded to be restricted to minors, in effect the bill creates a blanket propaganda ban over the entirety of the Russian community.

As anyone with a twitter account or TV licence could tell you, this quite rightly resulted in the boycotting of the event by many prominent celebrities. Most notably Lady Gaga implored us all on Alan Carr’s Chatty Man to boycott for the sake of Tom Daley (admittedly the wrong type of Olympics for the 10m platform, but a noble gesture nevertheless).
Notable personalities to slam Russia also included President Barack Obama. On the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Obama stated that the Russian law violates the basic morality that should transcend every country. He continued “I have no patience for countries that try to treat gays, or lesbians, or transgender persons in ways that intimidate them or are harmful to them… we [Americans] wouldn’t tolerate gays and lesbians being treated differently”.

Well then I guess the anti-gay bills pushing forward in Kansas, Ohio, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Tennessee and South Dakota, following the successful legislation of the anti-gay bill in Arizona, are making things a little awkward for Obama right now. Well actually no, because these bills have received a fraction of the media attention that the Russian law was internationally met with.

The Arizona bill, passed on the 20th February by the State House of Representatives, makes Arizona the first in America to pass a bill seeking to discriminate against LGBT persons. The bill was championed by the Christian Legal Organisation ironically named the ‘Alliance Defending Freedom’. Their aim? To “shield Christians from the LGBT community” (notoriously known for pillaging churches). They’ve done so by providing legal protection to individuals, businesses and religious institutions from discrimination lawsuits as long as they can show that their discriminatory actions were motivated by religious convictions.

The similar bill in Kansas, currently battling through the Supreme Court, demonstrates the wide range of areas that these bills are targeting. Specifically listed areas of discrimination include adoption, foster care, social services, employment and employment benefits. This would lawfully enable an employer to refuse to provide health insurance for a gay employee. Further it makes any civil partnerships performed in other states void in the eyes of the Kansas legal system.

Although you might hope that these bills are restricted to a tiny minority of the US population, and indeed many in the states have demonstrated against them, the wider implications are disturbing. Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee is widely supporting such bills, going so far as to state that “…It’s a lot easier to change the constitution than it would be to change the word of the living God”. While the radical views of a former state governor might not strike you as being too worrying, Huckabee is currently pegged as the Republican favourite to win the 2016 Presidential elections.

The Russian law seems to pale in comparison to the state specific anti-gay bills attempting to follow in Arizona’s footsteps. Yet the issue has rarely reared its ugly head on the main news feeds and the only prominent figure to have really made a notable stance is the loveable George Takei. So why has there been a significant absence of international outcry and media attention to such legislation in America?

Maybe Sochi has provided a convenient smokescreen for America. Or it might just be that people assume these laws won’t last, a dangerous approach in itself. But perhaps culture is part of the problem. We can comfortably criticise Russia, just as we do Uganda, as we perceive its culture, in part, alien to our own. When culture is no longer an issue, as is the case with America, we find ourselves looking at a garish perception of our own society, somewhat different from the idealistic image we want to portray.

Yet sticking our heads in the sand doesn’t make an issue go away. Hopefully one day school children will be taught how the LGBT community was discriminated, like how we were educated over the Black struggle for equality. If history is not to repeat itself then they should know the entire story, that such discrimination occurs everywhere, not just in non-Western countries.

VAT is a bloody mess

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Opinion.

Value added tax is something that is usually seen as being charged on luxury items, however women around the country are currently paying five per cent VAT on all sanitary products, because they are viewed as ‘non-essential’. There are some items that are exempt of VAT – children’s clothes, books, newspapers, and some equipment for the disabled. Are tampons any less essential than books? Why are women being taxed on items that are fundamental to facilitating a basic quality of life for twelve weeks of the year?

In the 2011 census of the UK, women made up more than 50 per cent of the population (32.153 millions of us!), however in many respects are still treated as inferior to men. Research for the Higher Education Careers Services Unit found that the take-home pay of half of female graduates was between £15,000 and £23,999, in comparison to male graduates being more likely to take home £24,000 and above. Women are being fiscally disadvantaged whilst at university and once they’ve graduated.

Despite the multitude of articles on the internet claiming that if women have sex in a certain position, they are more likely to conceive a female child, the gender of a baby is pretty much pot luck. So why are women being punished for something they are unable to control, and probably something most of them don’t want to have anyway. The amount of chocolate eaten, tissues sobbed in to, painkillers swallowed and partners argued with in one menstrual cycle is nothing one would choose.

When I first started my period, it didn’t even register how much my mother was paying for my pads and tampons, mainly because it was just something I needed, something that was essential for me to continue life as normal, despite bleeding all day long for up to five days.

Once at university, I didn’t even register how much I was paying for my Lil-Lets or my Always. I just put it in my shopping trolley like it was milk or bread. Because I needed them to function while my uterus lining was breaking down. I am a student. I am lucky enough to have a job as well as a maintenance loan in order to pay for my rent, bills and lifestyle. On top of that, in comparison to my male housemates, I am also paying extra per year because I was born with a uterus.

Why should we, as women, have to sacrifice other luxuries for ridiculously priced sanitary items? As of today, in Sainsbury’s, it would cost me £6.54 for a box of Tampax Tampons and a packet of 26 Always Sanitary Pads.
The NHS provides free nicotine replacement therapy to help smokers quit, which includes patches, gum, lozenges, microtabs, inhalators and mouth and nasal sprays. Although this is a very important service, which benefits the health of thousands of individuals, it is not essential and cost the NHS £88.2 million in 2012, at a cost of £220 per person. The smokers chose to start smoking; women did not choose to start bleeding.

So what can be done? It’s unrealistic to expect the government to provide free sanitary products for the fertile percentage of the 32 million women, for the thirty-five odd years they menstruate for. But a realistic change could be dropping the five per cent VAT.

I am fully aware that taxes are essential to the smooth running of our country, and are spent on things like benefits and education. But those women who are unemployed, and the girls who are being educated are also menstruating. Maybe the government should provide free sanitary products for women on benefits, so that they can spend the small amount they actually get on food and electricity.

Surely every man, woman and child would find it not only offensive but probably quite disturbing if I were to walk around without using a tampon or wearing a pad. In a society where the cleanliness is getting to ridiculously clinical levels, where I can buy a deodorant spray for my armpits, vagina, feet and general aura (Impulse, the Chanel No. 5 of 13 year olds), I don’t think it’s ‘non-essential’ to remain fresh, clean and comfortable during twelve weeks of the year.
I am outraged with the fact that I am not only being taxed, but that I am also being charged at all to keep myself sanitised and presentable just because I am a woman. If David Cameron isn’t going to pay for my tampons, then maybe the NHS should at least subsidise them, and the five per cent VAT should be dropped.

It is ridiculous to think that the majority of the population is affluent enough to afford frittering away that kind of money on tiny cotton cocktail sausages with tails. This only directly affects women, and it means that as a woman, I will have a unfair fiscal disadvantage, because I will be paying for an expense every month, and my male housemates will not.

The UK sits at the beating heart of global tax haven culture

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Opinion.

Any sentence with the word tax in it usually has the effect of making people instantly switch off or quickly lose interest. However, if you haven’t already stopped reading perhaps you should bare with me because this tax debate is different.

There is one topic under the umbrella of taxation that is so symptomatic of greed, corruption, and power relations at the business end of our economy that it never fails to grab my attention: Corporate tax avoidance in the ‘developing world’.

Tax avoidance is the practice of exploiting loopholes in the law in order to prevent governments claiming the appropriate amounts of tax on profits made within their borders. This is accomplished through a clever use of geographical and legal maneuvering. Most large transnational companies are capable of pulling off this trick, and many probably do. All that is required is a high quantity of money and an international or global presence. With these assets, taxation on huge profits need not be paid, not even in countries suffering with high levels of malnutrition or water stress.

When I think of tax avoidance, names like Silver Spoon and Coca Cola instantly spring to mind, as well as Google, Facebook, Amazon, Starbucks, Apple and many others. It matters where the avoidance is done, it dictates who is denied capital that has the ability to save lives and dramatically increase standards of living. In the ‘developing world’, where resources are short, the loss of this money because of tax evasion is inexcusable.

As a result of this avoidance, every year the ‘developing world’ is effectively deprived of a sum of money equivalent to three times that given through global aid donations. This includes aid donated from wealthy governments like those of US and Europe and NGO’s such as Oxfam, equivalent to billions of dollars.

To put things in perspective Action Aid considers tax havens to be one of the main obstacles in the fight against global poverty. Banks and CEO’s of large companies are unlikely to see these problems first hand, so what do they care? What does this matter to a company like Apple when there are always bigger profit margins to squeeze? Company executives are employed to make money and satisfy shareholders, not hold the hand of struggling ‘Global South’ populations, but we must change this notion.

Earlier in the year ‘Bollocks to Poverty’, The University of Manchester society and charity led by Camilla Gordon, presented one of the earliest screenings of a new film on tax avoidance in the UK; called ‘UK Gold’.

‘UK Gold’ brings tax avoidance back into focus and dealt with some very interesting issues.

It seems that our beloved home, the UK, sits at the beating heart of global tax haven culture. Through connected territories such as the Cayman Islands and Virgin islands, trillions of dollars are syphoned out of the tax system both from our home economy and from those abroad in the ‘developing world’. In fact, the UK’s involvement in this activity is so extensive that the Tax Justice Network (TJN), a leading tax justice research group said that, “The UK is the most important player in the financial secrecy world.”

What can be done about this? Well, the British government has the power to change the laws of these affiliated islands, which could remove their functions as tax havens immediately and close the many loopholes that are still endorsed by the legislature and the City of London. This would fix some of the cracks in the global economy and might set the pace for others to follow suit.

However a very strong political force would have to mobilize to generate this change. Tax avoidance is written into the DNA of our current economy. The City of London and it’s financial services are the jewel in the crown of the economy and they benefit heavily from tax havens in order to maintain competitive advantages.

As a result they have been protected by successive governments and David Cameron has misled the public about efforts to clamp down on havens while in reality the measures taken where negotiable and changed nothing significant.

But all is not lost. The Obama administration is currently trying to tackle a number of tax loopholes in the US and perhaps the UK will follow that example. This topic is also increasingly on the public agenda and pressure is mounting as awareness becomes greater.

A stronger public voice on this subject can only be a positive force in attempting to close tax loopholes and in doing so create a fairer and more equitable global tax system.

Breast cancer survivor becomes the ‘face’ of Jimbag

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Embargoed till 00.01 Friday 7th March 2014

 

Jimbag turns to Emma Neville to launch a limited edition pink bag in support of Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention.

 

Manchester brand, Jimbag, has teamed up with Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention to launch its first ever pink Jimbag.

On sale from Friday 7th March at www.jimbag.co.uk, half of the proceeds will be donated directly to Genesis – the UK’s only charity entirely dedicated to the prediction and prevention of breast cancer.

Breast cancer survivor, 24-year-old Emma Neville, is the ‘face’ of the pink Jimbag campaign. Emma, who is from Wythenshawe, is one of the youngest women in Greater Manchester to have been diagnosed with breast cancer.

She hopes being featured in the photo-shoot will spread awareness for the charity and is proud to be part of the philanthropic project.

Emma said: “People tend to associate breast cancer with older women but that isn’t the case. I hope that seeing me in Jimbag’s photos will help convey the message that younger women can also be directly affected by the disease.

“Keeping fit and healthy is something that Genesis encourages, since it is one of the factors which helps prevent the development of breast cancer.

“I am privileged to have been selected as the ‘face’ of the pink Jimbag – I felt like a real model for the day – something I never imagined after undergoing a double mastectomy in 2012.

“This pink Jimbag looks smart, it’s functional and above all it’s helping to raise money for Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention, which helped save my life.”

Currently, 1 in 10 women and 1 in 1,000 men will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. Through the funding of vital medical research, Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention aims to make 1 in 10, none in 10.

Since its launch in 1997, supporters have raised over £7 million for Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention, which helped to fund the building of Europe’s First Purpose Built Breast Cancer Prevention Centre – The Nightingale Centre and Genesis Prevention Centre, in Wythenshawe. This latest move to partner with Jimbag will give the charity the opportunity to reach a younger audience and increase funds.

Anthony Bingham, founder of Jimbag, was inspired to help after hearing about the incredible work carried out by the Wythenshawe-based charity.

He said: “We all want to see the time when there is a cure for breast cancer and Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention is a huge part of making that day happen. Every time someone buys a pink Jimbag they will be helping the fight against the disease plus at the same time they will be spreading the word by carrying the Jimbag, which is coloured pink, – the shade associated with Genesis.

“This is the first time we have created a pink bag, our other colours range from red, navy, beige and black. I think it will be a real hit with gym-goers and the fashion conscious alike.”

Jimbag

Launched last year Jimbag has created a range of bags you can take to the gym, but also use to accompany a number of looks. They have already attracted the attention of Bolton boxer, Amir Khan and US pop superstar Beyoncé, who both own Jimbag hoodies and have become fans of the retro sports accessories and fashion range.

To purchase a limited edition pink Jimbag visit www.jimbag.co.uk  The Jimbag retails at £45 with half the proceeds donated to Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention. To find out more about the charity log on to www.genesisuk.org

Written by Julia Gleeson on . Posted in Lifestyle.

 

Exams and deadlines hit hard for all of us – basic hygiene is thrown out the window, sleep is but a distant memory and access to study space becomes more vital than drinking water. More often than not, the ascension of the Alan Gilbert Learning Commons stairs brings not a sense of achievement but rather extreme disappointment and defeat.  Gasping for breath, you scan around for the holy grail of university exam time – the free computer (or in fact any free desk space). Of course there are absolutely none available – something you knew hours before embarking on your study quest but the 3000 word essay that is due tomorrow has disrupted your reasoning abilities.  Here are some of the most popular methods which have shown successful acquisition of a prime spot in Ali G:

 

Linger-and-Pounce

Risk level – 8

For the brave and foolhardy out there, waiting in one spot for a computer may be the tactic for you.  This tends to require experience – knowing who is about to pack up and leave and who is actually just going for a quick coffee is a skill seldom mastered.  Do not be put off by the soul-burning glares coming at you from every direction – you must stand your ground.  Remember, working students sense fear.  Focus on a normal breathing pattern and avoid eye contact at all times.  (Top tip – be aware of other like-minded students lurking behind oversized armchairs).

 

Straight to the Top!

Risk level – 6

Are you a high-flying no-messing-about student? Do you have 47 minutes to complete an essay that you’ve been avoiding for 4 weeks? Then this technique is definitely for you.  Studies have shown that 80% of students entering the learning commons work their way from the bottom floor to the top in their hunt for a seat – being part of the other 20% makes YOU a winner and more likely to come across a free spot.  After crossing the barriers, get in the lift and go immediately to the third floor – DO NOT TAKE THE STAIRS. You will need all the energy you can muster once out of the lift to move swiftly between absurd numbers of coffee tables and quite possibly race other students for a spot. (N.B. suitable running shoes recommended for this).

 

Going Underground

Risk level – 4

The unknowing and inexperienced fear the basement level of the learning commons, which has been likened to ‘the fiery pits of hell’ by many.  However, most university students tend to exaggerate on average around 37 times a day, so fear not the damp and dismal stenches of the standard basement – this one is relatively pleasant (lack of sunlight exposure may lead to vitamin D deficiency).

 

The Early Bird

Risk level – 2.7

Early birds certainly do catch the worm, and if you arrive at the learning commons at 4am you’ll do just that!  A favourite technique used by many third years, this allows at least three hours before sunrise to get settled, think about your degree choice, and have a really good cry.  Alternative approach ‘The Night Owl’ has similar effects but tends to bring out more erratic behaviour and shouting episodes.

 

The First Year

Risk level – 0

Widely available to all first year students, this is the most simple and effective method of avoiding learning commons disappointment.  Essentially requiring no effort whatsoever, individuals who wish to give this a go don’t actually have to leave their room – at all! Contrary to unpopular belief, first year doesn’t really count, and so spending as much time as is humanly possible in bed is highly recommended.

In this world of selfies, groupies, hashtag and yolo, how is traditional photography placed amidst it all?

Written by Abbie Mia Roberts on . Posted in News.

Recently I tuned into a radio interview with Annie Clark (stage name – St. Vincent), an America singer-songwriter soon to release a self titled album, whose songs were inspired by – in her words – “our obsession with documenting experience rather than actually experiencing”. She spoke of how we – and she confessed to including herself in the pot – in today’s world where technology and social media play such a large role in our lives, love to photograph our experiences. We love to tweet them, snapchat them, upload them, share them with our peers, providing evidence of our experiences and turning them into permanent documents of our lives. Undoubtedly this phenomenon is interesting subject matter for art and music and it’s being addressed more and more by artists and musicians such as herself, but what I immediately began to reflect on while listening to Annie Clark’s insights was this current phenomenon’s impact on art, and particularly photography, as we know it. Is there valid art and creativity amidst the plethora of albums clogging up our newsfeeds? Or is it simply just “I just made beans on toast. lol”. Snap. Post.

On the one hand, if you google the most influential or famous photographers of all time, you’re presented with endless lists of renowned names captioned ‘documentary photographer’, ‘chronicler’  or ‘observer of everyday life’ – but surely that’s what we’re doing now even more than ever? In this world of selfies, groupies, hashtag and yolo, how is traditional photography placed amidst it all? Do our own profile pics and holiday shots make the cut?. Of course there’s also the matter of photography skills when it comes to the traditional form, there are those who put a lot of time into understanding the DSLR, aperture and depth of field, capturing some astonishing shots, a world seldom associated with snapchat, so does the way we use our ever-progressing technology undermine this skill involved in the photographs you’d typically see at a gallery?

 

In the Annie Clark interview, despite the accompanying music video to her upcoming album where she imagines a dystopian world of social conformity, it still seemed to me that she wasn’t wholly concerned by the phenomenon of incessant documenting, but instead seemed inspired by it, explaining her love of including aspects of the mundane in her lyrics and juxtaposing them with upbeat sounds. This then made me think of how, because of the vast amount of banal images being fed to us online, people are becoming more creative when snapping seemingly mundane scenes, often adding an amusing story or witty remark, providing for entertaining viewing. A good example of this is Brandon Stanton, the photographer behind the Humans of New York photoblog project: Brandon has taken over 5,000 photographs of everyday people in everyday New York scenes – the images alone are often of normal people we see everyday walking through the streets of Manchester or on our Facebook newsfeeds (Although there are a fair few flamboyant eye-catching characters), but it’s his captions – often quotes from the people themselves or his descriptions of how he encountered them – that make his work so interesting and often very touching.

One the one hand, the use of camera phones and apps like Instagram are making photography more accessible than ever and surely it can only be good that more and more people are developing keen eyes for an interesting scene, face or object, regardless of whether you have to trawl through endless albums to find that one little gem. Why not enjoy and share what’s caught our eyes? On the other hand, I can’t help but thinking, if we just tried to keep our cameras and phones tucked away in our pockets until they’re really needed, we’ll be able to really find out what our imagination can do when all it’s got is a mental photograph to remember our experiences.

 

 

Top 5: Parisian inspired hats

Written by Naomi Springer on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Whimsical yet undoubtedly practical, hats sum up the world of fashion itself, and especially Parisian chic. Is there anybody who can forget those images of Chanel herself sporting a wide brim?

Floppy. The shape is a friendly one. The way in which the hat initially curves around the face and moves outwards is akin to a good haircut. During winter, a dark colour will add sophisticated flair to an oversized coat. A straw copy in summer paired with boho dresses gives you the ultimate Woodstock nostalgia we are too young to have! Depending on the season you are shopping for, you can find these beauties in any fabric from wool to straw. It is called floppy in the stores because it is so flexible to wear.

Image: hatshopping.com

Cloche. Long forgotten, but making their comeback. This hat reached its peak in the twenties. Have we all still got influenza from the new film version of The Great Gatsby or is this hat a real winner? Well, back then, Lanvin commissioned milliners to create cloche hats simply to match their designs. There has to be something about them, right? They are romantic hats, and after all, isn’t Paris the city of romance? Being both feminine and flirty, this is why heroines wore them in the silent flicks.

Image: ASOS

Bowler. It is a fact of life, like gravity, that if you can pull off a bowler – you must. A bowler would have protected Newton’s head far better from the apple than his hair alone anyway. Bowlers are iconic because they are totally unisex, are easy to find in stores or online and relatively cheap. Recently spotted on indie rockstars, these hats can be smart or rebellious. Looking for smart? Their ancestry within the British military makes the walk into the dreaded exam room a proud march toward triumph.

Image: ASOS

Trilby. My staple this winter is a brown trilby with a black bow around the rim. The Trilby began life via a stageplay by George de Maurier. Now we are finally reaching our destination, Paris! Trilby hats are easy to find in shops, are inexpensive and generally flattering. They are similar in shape to a trilby but have a fold at the centre, which, no matter how much you wear, reshapes. Yet another hat that both genders can wear, and match with their own wardrobes, is definitely worth looking into.

Image: American Apparel

Beret. You expected this. Did somebody order a cliché? But who could not visit Paris without packing one of these? Their ability to evolve to not only match but create a look makes them a must. You can wear them with a coat and scarf in winter if you feel the urge to channel your inner Brigitte Bardot. The multiple ways on which you can position them on your head itself make them so fun that you may as well pick one up just to unleash your inner stylist. They work with both short and long hairstyles, looking just as becoming on either sex. If you truly want “in” on Paris fashion, you knew already, the beret was the way.

Should you be doing a vocational degree?

Written by Sophie Lipton on . Posted in Lifestyle.

In Britain’s current economic climate, jobs have never been harder to attain. As a third year Middle Eastern Studies student this news puts me on edge, because at the end of the day, some may say my degree is about as useful as a chocolate teapot. According to totaljobs.com, “44% of graduates say they regret not studying something more vocational.” I am torn as to whether I might one day be part of this statistic, or whether I’ve studied for the sake of being educated.

The skills gained from a non-vocational degree will set me up for the outside world. Personally, I disagree with Mike Fetters, Graduate Director of totaljobs.com, who claims that “although a degree is an essential qualification for some industries, school leavers need to think more carefully about which route to employment is best for them.” Fetters needs to remember the skills learnt in non-vocational degrees are very significant, and he must realise how important education is in our world.

Education is priceless, and having an all-rounded educational experience is an investment in itself. Yeah, OK, I may not have a pot of gold (a.k.a. a job) at the end of this academic rainbow, but at least I have been fulfilled with education for three years. This poses the question: what is more important? Education for education’s sake, or a job? Personally, education has taught me so much about the world, and has been an essential and integral part of my personality. So in this way, my degree is far from a melting metaphorical teapot.

Congratulations if, when every other ten-year-old wanted to be an astronaut, you knew that radiology was the career path for you. You’re one of a lucky minority, and in this circumstance a vocational degree is the way forward. However, for the majority like me, coming to grips with the idea of a full time, 9-to-5 adult job is frightening. There is no harm in exploring the academic realm, opening up more options for a career. In this case, why is education for education’s sake being oppressed in the 21st century? And why are we all running into the job industry so quickly? We’re young, independent 20-somethings who don’t need no guaranteed job! (OK, I may be looking at the world with rose-tinted glasses.)

Nevertheless, a job is a necessity for all of us. In reality, a vocational degree is a clever decision. It might reduce the hassle of graduate schemes and internships, particularly when a year of placement is involved. I don’t think there’s anything more useful than hands-on work experience, giving one the skills to advance in an industry. Gaining experience in the workplace can really put someone head and shoulders above a student with no relevant experience.

However, a job should be something one enjoys, not just something that pays well, and graduation should mean more than a handshake, a certificate and a key to a new office. If you’re passionate about your vocational subject, great. However, if it is just done with the intention of a job and money, I believe people will be gambling their happiness, which is worth more than wealth.

At the end of the day a degree has to be tailored to you and as long as you are stimulated and happy about it, this will lead to a job with the perfect fit. I’m certainly not in any position to tell people that one degree is “better” than another, because it depends on one’s enjoyment. Vocational or non-vocational, your own passion is the most important aspect of a great degree, and this is what will hopefully lead to a successful career.

Success for University’s Model United Nations society at London conference

Written by Haider Saleem on . Posted in News.

Students from the University of Manchester Model United Nations society (ManMUN) competed at the London International Model UN (LIMUN) conference last weekend, the largest annual university level Model United Nations (MUN) conference in Europe.

The aim of the conference was to ‘build an understanding of global challenges amongst young people that crosses borders of background, culture and nationality’, according to their official website.

1500 delegates from 53 different countries took part in this three-day conference — discussing, debating and writing resolutions relating to international challenges that the UN faces today.

Delegates from The University of Manchester represented different countries such as Afghanistan and Brazil, on various committees that make up the United Nations.

Heena Mohammed, President and Head Delegate of ManMUN and a third year Politics and International Relations undergraduate, represented Brazil on the Disarmament and International Security council. She has trained and led the society over the year and was awarded outstanding delegate at the closing ceremony.

She said: “LIMUN is always my favourite conference because it’s where I started my MUN career. LIMUN is the largest MUN conference in Europe, so there’s never a shortage of interesting people to meet!”

Naa Acquah, Vice President and Religion and Theology student, took the role of Minister of foreign affairs in the crisis committee in the Turkish cabinet. She was awarded best prepared delegate in her committee in the closing ceremony.

Naa said: “I thought the conference was great. We worked through interesting topics, met amazing people and made me even more excited to try and pursue a career on a foreign affairs and diplomacy.”

The next conference ManMUN will embark on its at the Harvard World Model United Nations (WorldMUN) in Brussels, Belgium March where 15 delegates who batted for a space, will spend 7 days in the capital of the European Union.

World MUN is the biggest annual MUN conference in the world, which attracts 2,000 college and graduate students from more than 60 countries.

Union exec officer calls for North Campus bus route

Written by Aidan Gregory on . Posted in News.

The Students’ Union executive is in talks with Transport for Greater Manchester to create a new bus route from Withington to the North Campus.

The campaign to introduce the new route is the brainchild of Diversity Officer Omar Aljuhani. It aims to improve the provision of transport for students living and studying on the north campus, and to ensure student safety and disabled access.

In an interview with The Mancunion, Aljuhani outlined his reasons for demanding the new bus route.

“I was a student in the north campus for the last four years. I’d been living in different accommodation on the campus, and [I] found that the north campus is really disconnected with the south campus,” he said. “Transportation is an obvious problem.”

Aljuhani also explained that he does not see the current situation as being fair for disabled students living on the north campus.

He added, “University is a full experience, and one of the university’s targets is to provide a ‘great student experience’, and I feel that the North Campus has been completely disengaged from that.

“Logically transport should be provided by the University, not even just from the station to the Students’ Union, but to Fallowfield as well. Am I asking for a lot? I don’t think so.

“The 147 is not doing its job.”

Aljuhani has launched a petition on change.org., attracting a large number of positive comments, and over 200 signatures.

One supporter, Roxanne Neall, argued that “as a student at North Campus I know that many of the students who study there live in Fallowfield…and take a convoluted route to Sackville Street, a bus route would just make sense for the students. Piccadilly Station would also be convenient for all Manchester residents as it would be much shorter than the other options at the moment.”

Anna Thorne wrote in support, “I want to stay safe when getting the bus to and from university and it will make travelling a lot more convenient and quicker.”

Another student, Arplan Saluja, wrote on the petition “I live near Sackville Street so this initiative would prove very beneficial for me as I spend a lot of time in Alan Gilbert learning commons till late and I will not have to walk alone in the dark at night after studying. Furthermore, I would love for there to be a direct transport from my place to places such as Fallowfield and so on.”

The Mancunion also spoke to students who frequently have to commute to the north campus.

Hannah Razlin, who studies mechanical engineering and lives in Withington, told The Mancunion she was, “definitely in favour of it”, describing the current bus route as “a pain. It’s so busy.”

Callum Hunt however, also studying mechanical engineering, is sceptical. He explained that “I will support the proposition of a bus route between Fallowfield and the North Campus but I do not see it as necessary because it is only a small walk between getting off the bus and reaching the North Campus.

“There is already a bus that stops at the North Campus which is the 147, free for students to use, but it would require a change over at the Students Union.”