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Month: November 2015

Kyotoya

Stepping from a typical dodgy Manchester road into Kyotoya is like stepping through a magic wardrobe into food Narnia. The restaurant is afloat with red paper lanterns and fairy-lights, which give a lovely scarlet tinge and orange warmth to the intimate restaurant.

As we sat nestled in comfort, our first starter, Kimchi, arrived. This Korean dish, essentially fermented cabbage with spicy seasonings, does not sound like the most appetising of dishes (in fact, far from it!) The sour creation was served refreshingly cold and peppered with red dashes of chilli, whose spicy kick Kate clearly couldn’t handle. Perhaps a little too pungent for some, Gina loved it and thought it should be more aptly-named Golden Kimchi due to its sparkling appearance.

Typically paired with all meals (including breakfast), it comes as no surprise that South Korea measures up as one of the slimmest nations in the world, given how much cabbage they consume. Up next was the Shichimi Tofu. This was grilled tofu served with garlic and chilli in a dark salty broth. With four generous slabs of soft and spongy tofu, this dish is ideal for cold winter nights – pleasantly counteracting the Kimchi’s spicy taste and texture.

For our main course we decided to be daring and chose the Mixed Sushi 12 pieces, letting the expert chefs choose our sushi for us. The dish arrived in a delightful wooden boat, with ginger and wasabi tucked into the helm and flowers positioned delicately amongst the Maki and Nigiri.

The selection did not disappoint: Old favourites such as Salmon and Tuna Nigiri sat alongside more adventurous offerings such as Squid Nigiri and Inari, a sweetly fried parcel of tofu wrapped around rice.

Apart from the Squid Nigiri, which was too tough for our liking, every single piece of sushi hit the spot. The salmon and tuna melted in the mouth, and the California Maki perfectly balanced the flavours of avocado and salmon.

The Sweet Eggs Nigiri, which Kate had never tried before this point out of fear of the unknown, was a surprisingly delicious break from the largely fish-oriented plate. Mixed platters are a fantastic choice when eating a cuisine you aren’t familiar with, and we highly recommend this one.

Alongside this we attempted to maintain the air of unforeseen delight, and chose the Tobiko California Maki, made of crab roe. Apart from being awkwardly sized, this dish was as fresh and flavoursome as the rest of the sushi, and had a delicate fishy flavour, which even those who do not love fish might be able to enjoy.

Prepared to order, Kyotoya’s sushi is some of the freshest and tastiest in Manchester, without the normal drawback of robbed pockets. One word of advice—don’t go here on a first date, as the large sushi pieces don’t exactly make for dainty eating! However, if you want a truly satisfying meal that doesn’t cost the world and leaves you wanting to come back the very next day, this is the restaurant for you.

Kyotoya
28 Copson St,
Withington
M20 3HB

Students walk out in support of refugees and international students

On Tuesday the 17th of November, a small collection of students left their lectures and seminars to protest in support of migrants, refugees and international students. The protest was organised at nationwide level by the NUS with the support of the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC).

Students from universities across the UK, including London, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Reading, Liverpool and Birmingham, joined the protest. To show support to the walkout, they tweeted using the hashtag #students4migrants.

Explaining the purpose and the importance of this protest, NCAFC said: “The day, called under the banner ‘International Students’ Campaign Day of Solidarity’ aims to encourage all students to stand in solidarity with migrants and tackle anti-migrant rhetoric and policies in the UK. Students will be walking out of classes and holding rallies, demonstrations and stunts in support of this.”

The University of Manchester Students’ Union organised the walkout at 12pm, encouraging the students to speak out their support to the cause also in class. A gathering of students was arranged outside University Place at 12:30 to manifest with banners and megaphones.

The message of this protest was to encourage students to take action to respond to the new immigration policies, which are affecting international students, as they represent a big portion of migrants in the UK.

Mostafa Rajaai, NUS International Students’ Officer, said: “We want to send a clear message to the government that students in this country overwhelmingly reject the attitude and direction that the UK has adopted regarding immigration.

“The failure to respond adequately to the refugee crisis, the mistreatment of international students and the constant attacks on migrants’ rights are all part of the wider anti-migrant sentiment which is on the rise in the UK political establishment.”

Manchester Remembers

Last week, nine attackers working on behalf of so-called IS murdered almost 130 innocent civilians in various locations in Paris, invoking a worldwide condemnation of the attacks.

The City of Manchester paid its own tribute to the victims of the Paris attacks last Sunday by gathering in Piccadilly Gardens for a silent vigil. The vigil lasted for over an hour with many people from different nationalities, ethnicities, and backgrounds in attendance.

Credit: FuseTV

One attendee said: “It is very moving to be here tonight, and I felt very shocked on Friday, and amongst much sadness it’s good to be able to get together with people here in the centre of Manchester.”

A Muslim mourner said that he feels “very upset like any other person because of the scale in which people died and that is why I am here to say [to the terrorists]—not in my name!”

Credit: FuseTV

One French mourner said: “It’s my blood, my country, my values” that suffered the cowardly attack on Friday 13th November.

The organiser of the gathering said: “I needed to be a part of a gathering, and saw that no gathering had been organised, and so I just launched a small Facebook event and I didn’t expect it to be so viral with lots of people.”

He added that “It’s great to see that lots of people, not only French people, are supporting us and that people from all over the world, living in Manchester, came to support the French people tonight and not only what happened in France but also the Beirut attack the day before.”

One woman who attended the vigil beautifully summed up the response in which needs to be outlined not only in Manchester but all over the world: “Love one another and life will be much better.”

White working class children are less likely to attend university than ethnic minorities

A recent study by the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has shown that white British children are less likely to seek higher education than any other ethnic group. The study, further, revealed that out of the social classes, “working class” white children are behind all other classes and ethnic groups, despite outperforming Black Caribbean children academically. However, wealthy white British children are behind every ethnic minority of similar class and academic performance.

The reasons for this have been said to be a lack of aspiration and expectation among white children whereas there is a much higher level of aspiration and expectation among ethnic minorities.

Dr Jonathan Cave suggests that white British children “don’t think university is for them,” as “they don’t think they can pay the costs back,” or that “they don’t want to be three years out of the labour market while others climb the career ladder.”

The study also shows that Chinese children are 75 per cent more likely to attend university than white children. Incidentally, a Bangladeshi child is 48.8 per cent more likely to attend while Pakistani children are 44.7 per cent more likely to attend.

Over the 5 year time period in which the study was conducted, between 2003 and 2005, black and Caribbean children surpassed white British children for the first time, rising from 27 per cent to 41.2 per cent of likelihood of attending university.

“One reason might be that ethnic minority families have higher aspirations for their children,” and so poor white children “are being left behind” according to IFS researcher Claire Crawford.

The figures also show that 13 per cent of the poorest white British children go to university compared to 53 per cent of the poorest Indian children.

In a financial contrast, 55 per cent of the richest white British children attend university. However, Chinese pupils in the lowest economic group are 10 per cent more likely to go to university than the richest white British children.

Students from disadvantaged backgrounds find it harder to find career success after they graduate too, according the research by the Higher Educating Council.

The former Labour Party Work and Pensions secretary, Frank Fielding, said: “The research highlights that white working class families are more chaotic than those of Black Caribbean children and this is having an impact in their early attainment.”

Mr Fielding warned that these findings show us that “the rest of the country is moving away from white working class children. They are in a coach that’s has been detached from the rest of the train.”

98 per cent of junior doctors vote for strikes

A ballot of more than 37,000 junior doctors has revealed that 98 per cent are in favour of strike action against proposed government contract changes. In recent weeks, junior doctors have expressed outrage against the health secretary’s initiative to impose new contracts which he claims would create a seven-day NHS and extend the working hours in any week for which doctors receive basic rates of pay.

According to the contract, these working hours will be extended from 7pm to 10pm on weekdays. Dr. Aaminah Verity, specialising in tropical health and international medicine in London, said:

“Fundamentally, the NHS is being undermined as a service. This push through means doctors will leave. We are so undervalued and so unappreciated that when there is a new contract, as there are already staff shortages, the system will just collapse. The government is saying this is cost-neutral, so there’s no reason to do this other than to push forward an agenda of privatisation.”

Dr. Johann Malawana, chair of the British Medical Association’s junior doctors committee, expressed hope in an interview that David Cameron should intervene to alleviate the situation: “I would like him to intervene to try and encourage the health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, to approach this in a more reasonable way and stop making this such a fractious, polarising, negative dialogue. If the Prime Minister can do this, then there’s hope.”

Disappointment was sparked, however, when a spokesperson for the Department of Health announced that the DoH’s position “is the government’s position.” The doctors are questioning whether the banding system, which dictates how much doctors are paid as well as keeping doctors from working extortionate hours, will still be kept intact.

After the results were announced, it has been reported that the first walk-out will start on the 1st of December, followed by two further strikes on the 8th and 16th of December. Consequently, non-urgent services in many hospitals will be cancelled and thousands of operations and routine appointments rescheduled.

The junior doctors will still staff emergency care, however hospitals are encouraged to start planning ahead for any complications that might occur. Dr. Mark Porter, chair of the BMA council, responded: “We regret the inevitable disruption that this will cause but it is the government’s adamant insistence on imposing a contract that is unsafe for patients in the future, and unfair for doctors now and in the future, that has brought us to this point.”

Before the ballot papers went out two weeks ago, Jeremy Hunt made his last attempt to accept the contract, writing up a new offer which included an 11 per cent pay rise in basic pay, but the BMA has still expressed disapproval of unsociable working hours and the lack of sufficient safeguards at hospitals.

Responding to the overwhelming vote by junior doctors to start strike action, Jeremy Hunt said: “We put forward a very fair offer for doctors, which will see pay go up for three-quarters of junior doctors. We wanted to talk about this to them, but in the end they have chosen to strike so we will have to put in contingency plans.”

Hunt would like junior doctors to become more flexible with regard to their working hours, in order to stay true to the pledge of a seven-day NHS made by the Conservatives during the election campaign.

Shadow Health Secretary, Heidi Alexander, stated that David Cameron must get the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) involved in order to avoid further strikes. She adds that the recent decision “has caused widespread concern, not just among junior doctors but also among medical royal colleges and patient groups.”

The gender gap worsens at university

Figures from UCAS show that since 2008 more women have been entering university compared with men and the figure is steadily increasing. In the 2014 academic year a staggering 58,000 more women were accepted onto higher education than men.

The Higher Education Statistics Agency also published figures in January of this year showing that women achieved better marks whilst at university too. The lower rate of men applying to universities has prompted one third of universities to run outreach programmes to encourage more men to apply to university.

The courses that are dominated by women, however, generally take on more students overall. These subjects include courses such as nursing and midwifery where 81 per cent of students were female, but these courses took on more than double the amount of students than computer sciences in the same year.

This has been illustrated by the fact that 85 per cent of students on engineering and computer science courses in 2015 are men, indicating that work still needs to be done to encourage women to apply to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects.

The gender gap figures have been hitting the headlines for several years now and in 2014 they prompted Alan Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment at Buckingham University,  to suggest that “universities should now admit men on lower grades—although I suppose at the moment that could be illegal.”

Smithers has blamed the gap on the fact that “girls do much better than boys at GCSE and are more likely to go on to A-level, and they have tended to get better A-level results more or less across the board than boys. They also seem keener to go to university than males, perhaps because they enjoy studying academically more.”

There is truth to this, with girls generally achieving better grades at GCSE and A-level, but the national figures published by the Joint Council for Qualifications show that the gender gap in GCSE results has narrowed slightly in 2015. The figures announced that 73.1 per cent of girls’ entries were awarded at-least a C grade whilst 64.7 per cent of boys achieved this. This gap has dropped from 8.8 per cent in 2014 to 8.4 per cent this year.

Despite the fact that more women are entering university and have been for several years, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) announced that the gender pay gap has changed “relatively little” over the past four years.

Controlling the climate will help control conflict

Climate change is all too often perceived as being a far-off threat. In the temperate Western world we are largely blind, or made blind by the media, to the current effects of climate change. However, regional impacts, that go beyond the concerns of global average temperature rises, find their way into the most discussed conflict zone of our times, the Middle East.

In 2011, the Syrian Civil War began. While there are multiple complex political issues that contributed to it, researchers have suggested that one cause was the 2006-2011 drought. As the welfare of farmers deteriorated because of water shortages, they migrated into the cities to protest against the Assad government. This put great strain on public services and social relations. This stress, argue some researchers, snowballed into the movement that led to the civil war. Following this drought, the situation in Iraq, and across the Arab world, was much the same.

Then in 2014, another major drought coincided with the rise of so called IS. Iraq and Syria, where they first became established, are regarded by the UN as two of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. Since 1973, the two countries have seen some of the greatest declines in rainfall in the world—a consequence of which is so-called IS’ attempt to control water supplies in Iraq. Impacts of this climatic change that major studies have revealed include reduction in crop yields, increased psychological anxiety, lower cognitive performance, and increasing pressure on urban public services. The suggestion is that these effects make individuals and societies more vulnerable to the persuasion of so-called IS and other extreme ideologies.

So the changing climate of the Middle East is a driver for political instability. Out of that instability, regimes were challenged or toppled, and extremist groups began to grow. From that, the refugee and migrant crisis escalated.

Large-scale migration, too, is a topic that concerns the climate. The numbers who are making it to Europe now are a trickle in comparison to the 150 million that the UN predicted in 2005 that will be displaced to another country due to climate related issues by 2050.

Admittedly, the report dramatically overestimated their 2010 prediction. However, what the deniers largely fail to note is that climate migration will happen slowly, and then all at once. There will come a point where whole communities decide to uproot due to sea level rise or loss of agricultural income. Supporting the UN, the World Bank has said that, because of climate change, 100 million people will fall into extreme poverty by 2030. Lower crop yields and thus higher food prices, and the accelerated spread of diseases such as malaria will be the main causes. This is an example of where the climate, and then poverty, could drive migrations.

When world leaders meet at the Paris Summit, the focus of their discussions, and the focus of the media coverage, will be that of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Whilst those discussions are central in the long-term, governments need to consider policies to deal with the socio-economic effects of climate change that we are already seeing.

Urban policy over the next few decades is going to be crucial. In the words of the Mayor of Mexico City, “cities are drivers for change”. Leaders from the C40 group of mega cities, including the Mayor, will bring a plan to the Paris summit. It will outline how cities can help to cut emissions, and manage their waste and water. This is very encouraging. Not only are the cities seeking to tackle the long-term issue of emissions, but they are also engaging with the concerns of their people by looking to improve public services.

Hopefully, this plan places emphasis on developing public services in the informal ‘slum’ settlements in their cities—where 1 billion of the world’s population live. These areas have been the birthplace of social movements over decades—with the recent notable examples of Cairo and Damascus in 2011. The Western mainstream media portrayed these uprisings as purely about religion and democracy. However, various studies claim the beginnings of it were more to do with inadequate provision of public services in those areas of informal settlement. Climate change places extra strain on these services. 14 of the world’s most 31 water-stressed countries are in the Middle East. This furthers concerns about the region’s future.

The effects of climate change are not distant; they are right in front of us. A growing body of research is showing how changes in our climate are causing dangerous conflicts in the world. What is certain is that the damage we have already done to our planet means that emissions reductions will not be enough. Paris’ conference is the opportunity to win greater equality, freedom, and social justice—the requirements for and results of tackling climate change.

Left-wing ideology and stifled debate in schools

In my experience, teachers and academics make no secret of their left-wing sympathies. Their enthusiastic support for trade unions, willingness to threaten strike action and even NASUWT calendars in classrooms, does more than hint at their political orientation. I don’t take any issue with this, free speech means we should be able to support who we like, and say what we like.

Speaking from personal experience, however, it is when this left-wing ideology is conveyed in schools as fact, and the lack of debate in schools in general, that is concerning.

At secondary school, the often subtle but pervasive influence left-wing views would have was worrying. As Jago Pearson said in his article in The Telegraph, left-wing thinking still prevails in schools, and it is teachers themselves who are often unconsciously indoctrinating children and young people.

In theory we were taught to consider both sides of the argument, however I often found debate was stifled when it came to ideas that weren’t left-wing. My headteacher at secondary school opened up her speech for the GCSE presentation evening with a criticism of the Daily Mail and continued this with a vitriolic denunciation of Michael Gove. Regardless of whether you share the Mail‘s political stance, it was wrong to make a blatant political statement when the counter-argument was never going to be heard. Head teachers should surely not use a presentation evening for political posturing, regardless of the message.

The government, and its education reforms were constantly criticised without considering the effect these biased opinions would have on young people. Again, whether you agree or disagree with the coalition government’s policies, as it was at the time, is irrelevant. The worry that I have is that left-wing views are portrayed as the correct views to have, as if left-wing ideology is inevitably the only form of opinion you should have.

Even at university, in my first seven weeks I have found that university teaching is imbued with more left-wing thinking. When on the subject of the Iraq War, there were sarcastic tuts about American imperialism and unnecessary military might from a lecturer. This may be true, and I am not taking a side on the Iraq debate here. But surely, such biased presentations of an issue before we have even studied it and debated it in seminars, is a sign that, from personal experience, debate is stifled if it does not fit with a certain viewpoint.

However political stance is not the issue here. It would be just as much of a concern if right-wing thinking was prevailing in schools and academic institutions. The dominance of left-wing views feeds into a more general concern with the fact that from a young age, young people’s minds are being dominated by one opinion in schools and are not engaging in wider debate.

At Eton, generally considered a ‘Tory’ school, they introduce left-wing ideas into the classroom to be debated. This allows young people to consider their thoughts on both sides of the political spectrum, and come to their own conclusions.

Whether politics should be taught as a compulsory subject in secondary schools is contentious. Debating, however, whether it is in the form of British parliamentary competitive debating, or just to discuss the week’s news, should be present in schools. Sitting down in a classroom to discuss current affairs, even for just an hour a week, would help broaden young people’s minds and engage them with current debates.

If resources cannot permit this, ensuring that within the classroom debate is broadened would ensure young people’s minds are not infiltrated with only one viewpoint. It is especially important if they are from a background where politics and current affairs are not particularly discussed or thought about. Although it is difficult to be entirely objective, playing devil’s advocate with both sides of the debate would allow young people to be inquisitive and develop how they articulate their thoughts. These are skills that would help them in education but also give them an advantage in future career prospects.

Migrants more of an “asset than liability” to schools

Research has shown that in schools, the performance of migrant children is not any lower than that of British-born students.

Andreas Schleicher, the director of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), points out that migrant families are often “hugely motivated” for their children to succeed in their education.

Although migrant students are still likely to under-perform compared to the wider population, they still performed at high levels by international standards. This performance gap was marginally closed after a generation.

Performance gaps are attributed to any language barrier which maybe present, as migrant students tend to be out-performed by non-migrants in reading, rather than subjects such as mathematics or problem solving.

In the UK, schools with a large proportion of migrant children were not shown to perform any lower than the national average.

Mr Schleicher commented “the fact that the educational, social and emotional success of immigrant students differs so widely across countries, and that countries pursue such different policies and practices in leveraging the potential of immigrant children, underlies that there is much that countries can learn from each other.”

He emphasised the importance of accommodation for migrant children into schools. The study showed immigrant students often lack a ‘sense of belonging’, which was most notable in first-generation students.

In countries such as France and Denmark, migrants reported feeling alienated. Only around 40 per cent of migrant students in France felt like they ‘belonged’ in their school.

This is in stark contrast to the UK and US, where immigrant children felt fully integrated, with many feeling a greater ‘sense of belonging’ than non-migrant schoolchildren.

Both educational achievement and a ‘sense of belonging’ varied depending on where migrants had settled. For example, students from Iraq were shown to be better at mathematics in the Netherlands than those in Denmark and students from Albania had a stronger ‘sense of belonging’ if they settled in Greece instead of Switzerland.

The research was carried out between 2000 and 2012 after growing concern about the record number of migrants and the strain high numbers could put on services like education.

But Mr Schleicher has argued that migrant children should not be forced into a small number of low-achieving schools due to the congestion of migrants in the poorer areas of a city. This could create a “concentration of disadvantage”, a pattern than has been seen in Greece, Belgium and Italy.

Speaking further, he hopes that the study will “reveal some of the difficulties immigrant students encounter” and that without support, schools could lose out on the positive contributions migrants have to offer.

Social Media Sensations: The Fashion & Beauty Blogger Shortlist

Lily Pebbles

www.lilypebbles.co.uk

Lily started her blog as a student at Birmingham City University and now, six years down the line, it is her full-time career. Posting a mixture of fashion, beauty, lifestyle and advice articles, she also regularly uploads to her YouTube channel where she posts all of the above, alongside weekly ‘vlogs’ (which by the way are some of my favourites). Alongside ViviannaDoesMakeup, another one to check out, they post a monthly Beauty Chat video which is not only hilarious but also really useful for tips and tricks. Lily nails that minimalistic chic look, with a casual vibe thrown in too. With her always oh-so-amazing makeup looks and an Instagram feed epitomising what all ‘instadreams’ are made of, it’s hard to see what’s not to love.

Laura Mills

 

Adam Gallagher

www.iamgalla.com

Photo: Nick Pierce @ iamgalla.com

With neither a pocket square nor a shoelace out of place, 24-year-old Adam Gallagher, is THE menswear and travel blogger. Adam’s signature pieces are his sleek and tailored suits—looks from brands ranging from the high-end (Dior) to the high street (Topman) fill his blog and Instagram profile. With one of his more unconventional claims to fame being erroneously identified as the grown-up ‘Peter Pan’ from the eponymously titled 2003 movie; whether dressed up or down and from the ‘FROW’ to the beach, Adam never fails to delight his male and female fans alike with beautifully lit and edited images captured all over the world. As the patriarchal denizen of his esteemed site ‘I AM GALLA’, Adam also sports some of what I believe to be the best hair in the blogosphere.

Kyle Zabawa

 

Sunbeams Jess 

www.youtube.com/sunbeamsjess

Jessie stands out in any blogging line-up.  She maintains her popular YouTube channel whilst studying full-time at Edinburgh University but this juggling act does not force her to compromise on quality.  In fact, the easy-going style she emanates is like a breath of fresh air amongst the sugar-coated, fairy-tale lives that some bloggers communicate.  Nestled in between her meticulously produced fashion and makeup videos, you will find ‘vlogs’ in which she might discuss the broken boiler in her flat, last night’s outing at the Union, or the takeaway pizza she’s about to order. Super studenty things.  Jessie’s casual and effortless style has grunge overtones and includes lots of vintage pieces, making her a go-to for shopping recommendations that won’t necessarily destroy your student loan. One to watch!

Millie Kershaw

 

Charlotte Martin

www.iamcharlottemartin.com

Photo: iamcharlottemartin.com

I couldn’t be more excited to share my blogger spirit animal: Charlotte Martin. I have developed something of a cult follower’s love for her Twitter account, and would urge everyone to do the same. She describes herself as assistant stylist, fashion graduate, ‘token geordie’, and ‘collector of bad haircuts’. Her style is often an eclectic mix (sportswear teamed with faux fur?) and she regularly posts photos of the times her hair has aimed for Debbie Harry but turned into Rod Stewart. Her Twitter is informed by a dry cocktail of icons, such as Paris Hilton photographed at her trashy best, Cher, and Charlie Brooker. Moreover, she calls Corbyn ‘Jeremy Corbae’. What’s not to love? Some of her best pithy quotes include: “True Mark Corrigan moment as someone sat on the fringe of my jacket but I waited too long until socially acceptable to notify her”; “mood: buffering”; and “Vloggers are essentially children’s TV presenters on acid, aren’t they?”

Rebecca Thomas

 

Samantha Maria

www.youtube.com/samanthamaria

The eponymous creator of this YouTube channel and blog, formerly known as Beauty Crush, has a rightful place in any blogger shortlist. She is pretty prolific with her creative and well-thought-out content, and her ambition beyond the network of social media has led her to co-found her own clothing line Novem and Knight, which is all about building on essential and understated wardrobe basics, and making the pieces your own. Sammi’s blog goes further than fashion and beauty topics, as she also tackles important issues for young women like body image and domestic violence. She takes her position as a role model seriously and aims to confront these difficult subjects through helpful, approachable videos, giving them the media attention they deserve. I’m a big fan!

Meg Roberts

Live: Imagine Dragons

November 13th 2015

Manchester Arena

8/10

With a phenomenal set and perfectly-timed lighting, Imagine Dragons managed to encapsulate the rawness and feeling they put across on record. Dan Reynolds (the lead singer) was an active firecracker and upheld a fantastic standard of vocals throughout the entire show. This was no ‘voice with a backing band’, however, what really managed to capture our heart was how much their friendship shined through their tight performance. Instrumental had just as much prominence as the vocals, with guitarist Wayne ‘Wing’ Sermon taking the spotlight for thrilling solos.

‘I’m So Sorry’ brought a huge sense of euphoria to the entire stadium because of the entrancing buzz between Imagine Dragons and their fans. The audience was a team; Imagine Dragons were performing with us, not to us. From the moment the show opened with ‘Shots’, to the final track ‘Geronimo’, the standard never dropped. In fact, every time it seemed like things couldn’t get any better, they surpassed themselves with the next song. This wasn’t just because of a torrent of hits. Indeed, the band united over simultaneous drumming to build up the suspense for the next song drop, and kept the audience guessing with other unexpected transitions.

Despite proving a theatrical tour de-force, Imagine Dragons showed their down-to-earth personalities and opinion. Not only did they perform a track to raise money for the Syrian refugees, but also were truly grateful for where they have reached today. They gave thanks to the fans, as you would expect, but there was a sense of reality behind their grateful words.

Interview: False Nines

Manchester based indie-rock band False Nines are an up-and-coming group who have gained notoriety from numerous plays on BBC 6 Music. Their sound is an infusion of each member’s unique influences, which range from Belle and Sebastian to Led Zeppelin. Active since 2013, they have quickly carved a name for themselves, making it onto 6 Music’s Marc Riley pick of 2014 list and more recently gaining well-deserved recognition from Steve Lamacq.

I met lead singer Aaron and bassist Jake in the Castle Hotel pub, where their debut single launch gig is planned to take place. The Castle is a rather cosy place which fits only 80 people. Jake joked that they chose this smaller venue to “make the audience look bigger!” Although obviously excited by their increasing reputation, both band members were modest and charming, even going as far as to pay for my drinks! And so with a drink in one hand, and a pen in the other, I learned of their unlikely rise to prominence.

False Nines is comprised of four friends: Aaron, Jake, lead guitarist George, and another Jake (Jake B) on drums. Their “how they met” story is a modern tale involving Twitter and a mutual love for the same band. Jake and George had been friends for many years, playing in various different groups, when they found themselves without a singer. What better way in this social media age to find one than to tweet an advertisement to one of your favourite bands? The band Jake tweeted was Field Music, who‘s subsequent retweet garnered the attention of singer Aaron.

It all started out as a bit of fun, but a year in to honing their sound and ‘messing around’, they made a considerable splash on the music landscape due to a chance encounter with radio DJ Marc Riley. The story goes that George handed Riley a demo of ‘Call it Wrong’, and he played it on the way home in his car and took an instant liking! He called the boys up, told them he was going play their song on his 6 Music show, and sure enough, False Nines found themselves on national radio. Bassist Jake described this as the catalyst for their careers; from here, independent record label LDN signed the band and started working with them to release their first single.

Manchester is renowned for its football as much as its music, and False Nines’ name unites the two, referring to a player whose role is more than what is printed on their back, who gives more than what is expected. Appropriate, given what four lads with only day jobs and dreams have managed to achieve.

False Nines launch their single ‘Can’t Afford to Wonder’ on the Thursday 26th November at the Castle Hotel, Oldham St, Manchester.

To learn more, follow them on Twitter @False_9s, on Facebook at /FalseNines, or take a look at their website.

 

Remembering a Genius: George Best

On the evening of the 25th November 2005, George Best, as he had done throughout his career, drew the crowds to Old Trafford. Only, this time, Old Trafford was not lit up by the artistry of the Irishman, for that was now a mere memory to those supporters, many who had placed bunches of flowers among the railings facing the statue of his previous manager, Sir Matt Busby, in memory of the Belfast boy who had just died at the age of 59.

Andrew from ‘Stretford End Flags’ (SEF), a Manchester United supporters group, summed up his feelings at the time of the news: “It was a sad day when George passed away. I never saw George play, but like all United fans, I’ve seen the footage, and he was magic. It was sad that alcoholism took over his life and that he suffered from what is an illness.”

I too, did not see Best in his heyday, and what can one write about Best that has not been penned hundreds or thousands of times before? One simply runs out of superlatives available to anyone trying to describe what he could do with the ball, and the goals he scored. The football world had lost what one can only describe as a genius.

Best was born on the Cregagh Estate in Belfast. Having started playing for the local boys’ team, word spread about the dockyard of a talented skinny teenager, quickly reaching the ears of Bob Bishop, Manchester United’s Northern Ireland Scout. Bishop organised a match for Best to play in and, despite being only 15 and up against a team of 17 year olds, Best bagged a hat trick. Subsequently, Bishop contacted Matt Busby and said, “Boss, I think I’ve found you a genius!”

Best was brought over to Manchester as an apprentice of Manchester United, but had trouble settling in to his new surroundings. In fact, Best would have packed it all in and headed off back to Belfast had his father, Dick Best, not spent time with his son in order to persuade him to stay in Manchester. Who knows what would have become of George Best?

As Best progressed through the United ranks at the Cliff Training ground, the Belfast boy began to gain a host of admirers among the United staff, and Best would turn professional on his 17th birthday in May 1963. On 14th September 1963, with injuries forcing his hand, Matt Busby gave the 17-year-old his league debut against West Bromwich Albion at Old Trafford. By the end of the season, Best was a regular in the side and also helped the club to an FA Youth Cup title. He followed it up by being part of the 1964/65 title-winning team, missing just one game out of the 61 that the Reds played that season. It was his partnership for years to come with Bobby Charlton and Dennis Law that would be immortalised in United’s history as ‘The United Trinity’, appreciated by the statue outside the ground.

From then on until the 1970s, Best tormented defences at home and abroad, creating goals and newspaper headlines on a more or less match-by-match basis. A second title followed in 1967 and perhaps his crowning moment was a year later in the 1968 European Cup final against Benfica, where he gave the Reds a 2-1 extra time lead en route to a 4-1 success. He was United’s top goal scorer that year with 28 goals, and was crowned the Professional Footballers’ Association Player of the Year and European Footballer of the Year. Best would remain United’s top goal scorer for the next four years.

However, it was in these next 4 years that the world of George Best spiralled downwards, earning suspensions and missing games, not to mention the women that came and went. By the early 1970s, frustrated that the team wasn’t being strengthened, he began to miss training sessions, and his problems grew worse. Falling out with the newly-appointed manager Tommy Docherty, Best parted ways with the club in January 1974.

But as he rightfully asked, we should remember Best for the backpage headlines, and not the front. His moments of genius will never be forgotten, and what glorious memories they were. Best scored 136 goals in 361 appearances and holds the post-war record for the most goals by a United player in a single match—six in an 8-2 FA cup Fifth Round mauling of Northampton Town.

Wednesday 25th of November 2015 will mark 10 years since Best passed away, and Manchester United will be lining up against PSV Eindhoven of Holland, in a crucial Champions League group stage match. Just as Best lit up Old Trafford, supporters are being called upon by SEF to light up Old Trafford. As the clock ticks onto the 7th minute—Best’s iconic number—supporters are asked to turn on their mobile phone torches and to light up all of Old Trafford.

Best’s sister, Barbara McNarry, fully supports the tribute and had this to say: “During the darkest days of the troubles in Northern Ireland, George brought a shining light to so many people. It’s very humbling to know that this light has never gone out or even dimmed. Fans not just at home, but in Manchester and many other places around the world continue to honour his memory and support him in death as they did in life.

“Old Trafford will be lit up on the 25th of November in fond memory of an ordinary man with an extraordinary talent. Thank you to the Manchester United supporters for this beautiful gesture.”

Many, when asked whom the greatest players of all time are, would point to Pelé and Maradona. But it speaks volumes when they both openly admit that George Best was indeed, the best, and it will be this banner, made by SEF, which will be displayed on Wednesday night.

The Banner that will be displayed on Wednesday night. Photo: Stretford End Flags

What Difference Does it Make?

It’s 2015, and Britain has just been announced as the fifth richest country in the world. Our economy is growing at a faster rate than any other G7 member, and in May we saw Surrey, where the average house price sits comfortably in six figures, receive a £27 million boost from the government.

It’s 2015, and in the fifth richest country in the world, over 1.1 million people rely on food banks. Child poverty is becoming ever more prevalent, and Manchester has suffered a funding cut of £28 million.
It’s 2015 and we live in one of the richest countries in the world. Yet Britain swung to the right, and inequality has taken off.

***

Little over six months have passed since the Conservatives won a majority in May. Funding cuts to Manchester, a Labour stronghold, have resulted in the closure of over 600 independent charities and agencies; mental health services, drug and alcohol support groups, and children’s programmes are just a handful of the resources lost in recent months. The North—home to some of the country’s most vulnerable—has been hit hard by austerity. The Tories, who claim to be ‘a party of working people’, have introduced policies that disproportionally hit those on low and modest incomes. For many of Manchester’s women and children, life under a Conservative government has become almost gruesome.
Concealed by the shiny skyscrapers and designer shops of Cathedral Street lies a struggling city, where one in five children live in extreme poverty. A proportion higher than in any other area in the country—and at a shocking 120 year high—some of the worst affected live little more than a stone’s throw from our own University. Poor childcare provision in Hulme and Moss Side has resulted in over 50% of children living in poverty and ‘wishing for cleaner, safer, housing’.

A recent visit to the impoverished area of Little Hulton—where 46 per cent of children live in poverty, putting it in the worst 2 per cent of wards in the country—demonstrated the scale of the problem first hand. Boarded up windows and littered streets characterise a deprived area that sits in the shadows of the city centre’s bright, sparkling skyline. A weekly youth club, run entirely by volunteers, is the extent of activities available to children, who spend the rest of their time on an estate they describe as ‘scaffy and full of shootings’.

Loneliness, anger, sadness: all words that those as young as 12 are using to describe a life blighted by poverty. Cuts to social services provide them with little opportunity to escape; knowledge of higher education is scarce and job opportunities are few and far between. It then comes as no surprise to hear that a staggering 4,500 Manchester children run away from home every year. For the cold, dangerous, unforgiving streets of Manchester to seem like their only option is heart-breaking. We’re leaving our children at a serious risk of being harmed, of ending up homeless. In Manchester, in 2015, it’s almost an epidemic.

***

It’s hard not to notice the city’s homeless crisis. There was the Ark shelter near to the University, another that sits adjacent to Piccadilly Station, and many more dotted across the city. Cuts to frontline services including housing, citizens advice, and mental health and drug support are responsible for the sharp rise in the number of rough sleepers in Manchester. According to council statistics, last November there were 47 people who spent their nights sleeping outside. It has recently been revealed, however, that the number is now nearer to 100, with the potential of being much higher; the government does not count rough sleepers if they lie on a bench or against a tree. Even more shockingly, the homeless are not counted as rough sleepers if they are awake when the authorities do their count.

As child poverty levels rise, as more and more become homeless, and as austerity measures continue to hit Manchester, it is also women who are at risk of being left behind. The imminent threat of tax credit cuts is only going to make life harder for females in the Manchester area; with public sector jobs (an industry in which women make up 77 per cent of workers) due to be axed and cuts to legal aid and social security looming, we’re going to see women having to bear the brunt of measures to pay off Britain’s deficit. The UK recently slipped down to a disappointing 26th on the World Economic Forum’s Gender Gap Index, sitting below most other European Countries. Without swift and effective action to address gender inequality, we will see the UK falling even lower. Perhaps it is due to low representation that we as women have become the bearers of austerity; despite record numbers of us recently coming into office in Parliament, they still remain under-represented in the top levels of British society, with only 29 per cent of all MPs being female.

The Students’ Union’s Access All Areas programme offers looked-after children an insight into University life through a day of workshops and activities in order to encourage further education. “Girls like me don’t want to study”, 11 year-old Destiny announced at the end of the most recent session: “Because we don’t know any girl scientists or professors.”

***

It’s sad to see a city so prosperous being broken by austerity. ‘The child poverty capital of the UK’, a recent headline reads, as Manchester City Council’s grant for school uniforms becomes the victim of even more budget cuts. Thankfully, in these times of difficulty, the North demonstrates it’s resilience in a truly ‘Mancunian Way’.

Children’s charity Wood Street Mission, determined to make living in Manchester about more than survival, has stepped in to launch ‘SmartStart Manchester and Salford’, aiming to distribute £1 million worth of uniforms to children—enough to provide for every child living in poverty. A scheme funded entirely by local residents and businesses, SmartStart hopes to eliminate the negative impact that having incorrect uniform and PE kit has on a child’s school performance. It may seem small, but is crucial if the young are to grow up and break the vicious cycle of poverty.

And while a handful of locals work with Wood Street Mission to help children out of poverty, a small army of volunteers feed the homeless—overlooked for sleeping on benches—as part of the newly founded ’Breakfast in Bed’ street life project. Each morning they cross the city, handing out tea, coffee, homemade bacon butties, fruit, and cereal bars to rough sleepers. A little gesture, but one that goes a long way: “We do want to make life easier for the homeless—that’s what we set up for,” reflects Jamie Whittaker, who launched the project in January. “It was freezing cold and we thought, they deserve a bit of food, they deserve a bit of dignity. So we had a meeting in the town hall, we told [the council] what we do, which is that we go around feeding people.”

As female unemployment rises, wages fall, the pay gap widens, and benefit, household, and living cuts rise, women face a daily struggle to keep themselves and their families from slipping deeper into poverty. 45 years after the Dagenham women workers fought for equal pay, we see increasing parts of our economy fuelled by cheap labour, with more than one in five earning less than a living wage, and two-thirds of these being women.

However, in Manchester, in the day-to-day battles against poverty and underrepresentation, we are fighting back. Women are playing a leading role in the movement against austerity, evidenced by the huge number of us in the 100,000-strong anti-austerity demonstration outside the Tory party conference at Manchester Central in October. Although it seems that political leaders are not using the nation’s resources in the interests of the majority, it is clear that the people of Manchester are not waiting for authorities to act, but are prioritising the abolition of poverty in their own way.

Photo: Craig Sunter @Flickr

Two years ago, three things drew me to Manchester: the music scene, the media scene, and the city itself. A creative hub where cheap theatre is made and enjoyed, where you’ll find bands playing at midnight in the gallery, and yoga classes on Sunday mornings in the museum. Cheerful and lively; it’s a student haven where all night libraries gaze across the street at all night parties. The city is home to what DJMag describes as ‘the best club in the world’ and regularly has internationally renowned musicians playing alongside newcomers in a perfect example of Manchester’s accepting, engaging culture. A culture that, following the results of May’s general election, is sadly being threatened.

The most deprived areas of Manchester remain unchanged, proving that poverty and homelessness are at their most dangerous when they become almost normal. It is these same neighbourhoods that have borne the brunt of government cuts since May, and, as the council tries to deal with this entrenched deprivation, they are confronted by an onslaught of hurdles thrown up by the cuts that austerity entails—of which there are many more to come. For children, women, and the homeless, many basic services are a lifeline, and the demise of these services will serve only to entrench deprivation further.

Despite all the challenges, the people who rely on local services, and the authorities who deliver them, understand their value and appreciate the role they play for the deprived and affluent alike. With vital services under threat, the council is going to have to innovate and stretch its budget to aid those most in need. Yet due to constant cuts, the resilience of local services cannot be stretched much further. If we want Manchester to remain as sparkly as its skyline, it’s up to us, as students, to campaign to keep the city’s lights from going out. In the words of Benjamin Disraeli:

“What Manchester does today, the world does tomorrow.”

 

Craving & Saving: AW15 beauty must-haves

Photo: https://www.cheapfullcoverageautoinsurance.com/how-much-does-full-coverage-cost/

I don’t know about you, but I tend to find that I always want to buy more makeup around this time of the year. I’m not sure whether it’s due to colder nights or the constant Christmas collections being released, but there’s something about the autumn and winter seasons that just make me want to stock up on berry and plum shades with lashings of glitter and shimmer thrown in. However, with Christmas just around the corner, and the next loan instalment still two months away (boo), money can be a little tighter than it was in September. To lend a helping hand, I’ve chosen some of this season’s hottest makeup picks and found bargain dupes for them—meaning you can afford to treat yourself to a few extra goodies.

1. Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in ‘Glastonberry’ vs. NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in ‘Copenhagen’

Ahh… the perfect berry lip shade that everyone is lusting after at this time of year. The beauty bloggers’ fave—and possibly the most beautiful-looking lipstick I’ve ever seen—the award goes to this Charlotte Tilbury number. However, at £23 per lippy, it’s practically a week’s worth of food (or a Warehouse Project ticket). Nevertheless, NYX have a similar shade in the form of their Soft Matte Lip Cream in ‘Copenhagen’. Although it’s not an exact dupe, it’s pretty similar, and it will still give you that dreamy berry shade that you’ve been dreaming of. NYX has recently been stocked on Boots online, so it is now really easy to get a hold of. Plus, at £5.50 a tube, it won’t break the bank.

Saving: £17.50.

Craving, £23 Photo: Charlotte Tilbury Saving, £5.50 Photo: Feel Unique

2. Urban Decay Naked Palettes vs. Makeup Revolution Iconic Palettes

Now these have to be the best dupes I have ever found. The ‘Iconic 1’ is a perfect dupe for the first Naked palette, ‘Iconic 2’ matches the 2nd, and ‘Iconic 3’ is a replica of the 3rd. Not only are the colours in each palette in the exact same order they appear in the Naked palettes, but they are also of similar quality and have an equally great colour payoff. At just £4 per palette, you can afford to buy all three beauty products—even before your next loan comes in—and the variety of shades will see you through every possible look you may want to try this holiday season. Sure, the packaging isn’t as pretty, but with a £34 saving you can’t really complain. So, before asking for your favourite Naked palette for Christmas, I’d highly recommend giving these a try. You can get 9.5 palettes for the price of one Naked palette—you know it makes sense.

Saving: £34.

Craving, £38 Photo: Debenhams Saving, £4 Photo: Makeup Revolution

3. Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush in ‘Mood Exposure’ vs. Max Factor Creme Puff Blush in ‘Nude Mauve’

My favourite blush for this time of year has got to be this beautiful plum shade blush from Hourglass. It just looks so perfect with a berry lip! However, at £28 a blush, it’s not exactly student-friendly. But never fear, for Max Factor have coughed up a very similar colour in the form of ‘Nude Mauve’ for just £8.99. They both have a marbled effect to them, which gives you a lovely mix of colour and glow. This shade is also perfect for giving you that natural flush look that everyone desires. Again, the packaging has got nothing on the Hourglass one, but once it’s on your cheeks, you’re not going to be looking at what packaging it comes in.

Saving: £19.01.

Craving, £28 Photo: Liberty Saving, £8.99 Photo: Superdrug

That’s a grand total saving of £70.51! What’s not to love?

Live: Warehouse Project – 50weapons Finale/Modeselektion

Store Street

8/10

It was always going to end this way, but what would techno be without the ever-building anticipation of the inevitable? After 50 releases over ten years on their record label 50weapons, Modeselektor brought their label side-project to a close with one last night at Manchester’s very own Warehouse Project. Other producers connected to the imprint have come along for the ride, including Dark Sky, Shed and Truncate, here to bury the crowd in the deepest beats of the releases.

But before our favourite Germans can even get the party started, the English and Americans show them how it’s done through a moody DJ set from Dark Sky, followed by Clark’s analog live show with mind-bending oscilloscope visualisations to boot. Although a strange choice to follow in a prime-time set, Truncate played a low-key but suspenseful list, building up the psychic anticipation within tonight’s audience—a pleasantly spacious crowd due to the night not being completely sold out. In a dense space like these brick vaults beneath Piccadilly, it’s easy for the vibes to quickly sour with the tight surroundings…but not tonight. As WHP audiences come, this one is bubbling away at the top.

Unsurprisingly, the night climaxes with an all-out live set from supergroup Siriusmodeselektor playing a mix from Siriusmo and Modeselektor’s back-catalogs. Having the trio onstage recreating humongous tracks like ‘Berlin’ before savagely smashing them to pieces in brutal breakdowns that sent the audience crazy, felt like a refreshingly unique and special moment for all of their dedicated followers here tonight. The warm, fuzzy bounce of their signature bass was proof that even the most serious of German techno could still be fun and playful, too. Rodhad followed and continued to rip apart preconceptions with a beautifully minimal but melodic set. For any who heard it, it would be impossible for all but the snobbiest haters of techno to resist staring at their own feet and dancing in silent appreciation for two, maybe three hours.

Review: The Lady in the Van

During the 70s, a travelling woman who called herself Mary Shepherd parked her van on author and playwright Alan Bennett’s driveway, where she stayed for the next 15 years.

This eponymous Lady in the Van is the subject of the mostly-autobiographical book which Bennett wrote, now adapted into this hilarious yet touching film, directed by experienced Bennett adapter Nicholas Hytner, who headed up both The Madness of King George and The History Boys.

Alex Jennings plays Alan Bennett—young, gay, and living in Camden—times two, presented in a dual role as the Alan who ‘lives’ and the Alan who ‘writes’. This provides a nice opportunity to portray Bennett’s struggles with himself, which come, on the whole, from being over-polite and lacking in confidence.

Jennings captures the essence of a worrisome Bennett, slightly out of place in an area where the neighbours talk behind each others’ backs and have a predictable air of aiming to seem charitable, so long as they don’t actually have to go out of their way to do so.

The film cleverly portrays the writing of the very story being told, with certain sections bookended by the more cynical writer Bennett pointing out that that part never actually happened, no matter how much the living Bennett wanted it to. He also remains adamant right up until the end that he’s “not going to write about this,” owing to his desire to be a more serious writer and focus on something other than old ladies.

Alan Bennett’s unique style rings out across the film. In his instantly-recognisable Leeds accent, he talks of the terrifying mundanity of his own life, reluctantly discussing faeces, social work and singledom. His reluctant allowance of the lady to stay in his driveway seems partially to stem from a latent desire for something atypical to happen in his life—something writer Alan regularly accuses him of.

Dame Maggie Smith plays Mary Shepherd, the nomad with a far more complex and interesting history than it might at first seem. Smith has played the lady before, taking up the role of the dishevelled, belligerent woman in 1999.

Her performance is stellar, displaying the layers upon layers of guilt and façade that Mary Shepherd carried with her, being a self-imposed fugitive following an incident that started her travelling.

The film has powerful moments regarding how we treat the elderly or poor, and the rare moments when Miss Shepherd is the happiest—painting her vans a sickly yellow or racing down the street in a wheelchair, Union flags streaming behind her—are in fact some of the most emotional, reminding us that many people are far too proud or self-serving to give someone seen as crazy or dirty just a little bit of help.

It also has an all-star lineup, with every actor from the original stage production of the brilliant History Boys (all except the late Richard Griffiths) making cameo appearances, some as one-night stands for Bennett. Special mention must go to the brilliant Frances De La Tour, who plays a kind and witty lady of leisure also living on Bennett’s street.

Roger Allam plays Bennett’s neighbour whose “keeping up with the Joneses” self-interest and one-upmanship belies some sympathy for the tatty-clothed, raucous, foul-smelling temporary resident of the street. Over the 15 or more years of her residence parked on the street or in Bennett’s driveway, the families she originally offended grow to really feel for her.

Other big names include Domhnall Gleeson and Jim Broadbent, though nearly all of the aforementioned stars of the screen play the smallest of parts, perhaps as a sentimental nod to the real Alan Bennett’s artistic history.

The Lady in the Van is both humorous and heartfelt, encapsulating the essence of Bennett’s writing by including it within the story. The interplay between the two main characters is funny, warm and realistic, and the film is, overall, a triumph.

4/5

Review: Prem Ratan Dhan Payo

Prem Ratan Dhan Payo translates to ‘receive a treasure called love’. This unsure love matrix leads Maitihli, a young princess engaged to Yuvraj Vijay Singh—a prince of Pritampur due to be crowned king—into a matter of confusion, because the Prem Diwali portrays all of the things that a commitment to love can probably achieve. The Prem Diwlai is a go-lucky stage actor who tries to fix a time to meet Maitihli, whom he is in love with. A situation arises where he is requested to provide cover for Yuvraj, impersonating him to his fiancé, so as to protect her and the public. The reason being is that Yuvraj has suffered a malicious, pre-meditated crash. This leaves him unconscious.

The Prem Diwali is a helpless romantic who assembles notes on character traits that Maitihli is not happy with and tries to please her in any way. He tries to bridge a long, broken gap between best friends and brothers and sisters. All of this he does for a fairytale family and princess, giving love and commitment unwittingly and receiving little in return for himself. Whilst he the non-regal character could do so much more with the community, instead he gives unwitting devoted love that is unsure.

This movie is not a typical fairytale, but it describes the kind nature of genuine Indian folk. The production was not great; with scene setting changes, it did not follow through cohesively at times. This is evident right from the beginning, where straight after the preliminary musical scenes, the film cuts straight to a tense scene with no corresponding flow. The Security head of Pritampur Palace, Sanjay, and Diwan Sahib, are the original proposers of Prem giving cover for Yuvraj whilst in hideout. Diwan Sahib provides a fair just-doer character that symbolizes kindness in an uncle, adding some element of comedy and fun. This is something that the Indian folk would be touched by in a political era of dominators’ rule.

Whilst Sanjay is a more serious figure with a smaller amount of smiles received, on the whole this movie creates a love paradox that is unwitting but loving. It delivers on the aspect, mirroring a lot of emotion perceived within some far-eastern lands. Love needs to be simplified, yet needs to become incredibly intellectual.

2/5

Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash – Review

Nintendo’s holiday line-up for 2015 is more than a little lacklustre, to say the least. While Xenoblade Chronicles X and Mario & Luigi Paper Jam appear to be shaping up very well as must have titles for this Christmas, the rest of Nintendo’s November/December line up is a bit sub-par.

You have a Mario Sports title that looks and feels a bit empty in its current state, and a game designed specifically to sell Nintendo’s new money-maker, Amiibo. But among all the big names of Mario and Animal Crossing comes one of Nintendo’s more obscure IP: Chibi-Robo. Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash for Nintendo 3DS is the fifth game in the Chibi-Robo franchise but you would be forgiven for not knowing that. Only three of these games have ever graced our shores and along with this one, only the first title saw a proper retail release at the very end of the GameCube’s life-cycle.

While the original title was very highly praised, from what I have read the series has gotten worse as time goes on with Zip Lash being the worst of the bunch. Now, Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash is my first Chibi-Robo game, so I have no legacy to compare it to, but, in my opinion, Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash is not that bad of a game; not amazing, but not terrible either.

The biggest complaint I heard about Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash was its ‘drastic’ change in genre. The previous titles were 3D adventure/platformers, but for the latest game in the franchise, the genre jumped dimensions into the 2D platformer genre. This was most likely done because Nintendo is all about 2D platformers and they sell, so they were hoping to finally make Chibi-Robo a bestseller.

As a 2D platfomer, Chibi-Robo has all the basic moves you would come to expect. You can run, jump, crouch and roll. Unlike the Super Mario series where jumping is Mario’s major way of attacking, jumping on enemies in Zip Lash only stuns them and allows you to jump higher. Instead, to defeat your opponents you must use Chibi-Robo’s special gimmick: the Zip Lash.

The idea of the Zip Lash is a new idea for Nintendo but not for gaming in general. Fans of Capcom’s Bionic Commando series may notice a lot of similarities between those games and this one. The Zip Lash is used for near enough everything in this game and its versatility is very high. The Zip Lash has the ability to attack enemies, destroy blocks, bounce off walls, tether onto orange surfaces (which Chibi-Robo can then pull himself over to, or use to swing across gaps), control vehicles, pull objects with blue surfaces towards him, open chests to get money and snacks, and grab collectibles like coins that are out of reach. The Zip Lash mechanic is used a lot, so Nintendo needed to make sure that it worked perfectly, and thankfully they did. The Zip Lash is easy to use, and the option of using the d-pad makes aiming even more accurate.

Photo: Nintendo Co. Ltd., skip Ltd.

Most platformers represent health either by a bar or just giving the player a set number of hits before they die. Chibi-Robo instead uses a number scroller which represents Chibi-Robo’s power. Chibi-Robo actually runs on batteries and so every so often he needs to use his Chibi-plug in order to connect to a socket and restore all his strength. These sockets can be found through-out the level, often placed around check-points. This unique health bar also doubles over as a timer meaning Chibi-Robo’s health is always going down; however, despite this, I never felt any pressure.

The timer moves down so slowly and the plug sockets are so frequent that health was very rarely an issue. The one exception to this can be found in the vehicle levels which are by far the worst part about the game. Every world has at least one vehicle based level from a bunch of balloons to a skateboard to a submarine, and these range from OK to unbelievably frustrating. The two reasons for this are the constant draining of your power which now changes from a snail’s pace to a cheetahs forcing you to pick up power-orbs, which would be manageable if it was not for the second problem: that some of these vehicles are ridiculous to control. The balloons are the worst offender of this as they are painstakingly slow, not very well explained, and extremely inaccurate.

Another issue with this game is the level select which just feels dumb and unnecessary. Rather than letting players chose their levels, or even just move in chronological order, the game provides you with a carnival spinner filled with numbers from 1 – 3. Whichever number it stops decides how many spaces on the ‘world map’ you move and so this means you could easily skip over a level and have to go all the way back again, possibly repeating levels on the way.

I heard some people try and justify this spinner, saying it is not that hard to stop the spinner on the number you want, and while it is true that I only had issues with it a few times, I think that’s just the problem. I should not be having issues with just choosing the stage. The addition of a spinner feels completely unnecessary, like it was just added to make the game more original without thinking of the consequences, which is just poor game design.

A part of the game that has good game design are the two power-ups: Fire Chibi-Robo and ice Chibi-Robo. These temporary power-ups give Chibi-Robo the ability to melt objects, walk on lava, freeze water and destroy all enemies by touching. They work really well, naturally fitting in with the rest of the gameplay, and do not require the player to learn a new control-scheme like the vehicles do. Unfortunately, the power-ups are hardly used through-out the entire game, often appearing as one-off gimmicks for a stage which is a shame, as I feel the game would have been a lot better if there was more focus on these power-ups rather than the rubbish vehicles.

Photo: Nintendo Co. Ltd., skip Ltd.

The plot and music was all fairly simple but also very forgettable. The also goes from the NPCs in the game which are more annoying/terrifying than charming. These NPCs ask Chibi-Robo to collect real world sweets, like Fruitella, in order to unlock costumes. This is fine except it also has problems in its implementation. You can only give 3 snacks to each toy per level, and the toys randomly jump from level to level so you will never know if you have the right snack they want when you meet them. This forces you to replay previous levels and feels more like padding.

Thankfully it is entirely optional. Another optional feature is the amiibo functionality which is surprisingly large for this game. By using nearly any amiibo you can unlock a Smash Bros style trophy of Chibi-Robo posing as the amiibo character, which is a nice feature, but to even unlock these trophies you need to use the Chibi-Robo amiibo to unlock the trophy lottery. It is through this lottery that you can also unlock a whole additional world which means there is some substantial, optional content trapped behind the amiibo.

Despite all these issues, I still enjoyed Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash, for the most part. I was still motivated to play through it but I am not sure if will ever go back in the future. It certainly made me curious to try the other games in the franchise and I hope one day that Nintendo re-releases it on the Nintendo eshop. If you are a big fan of platforming titles then you may get some enjoyment from Chibi-Robo as the game is not bad. However, if your not a huge platforming fanatic then Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash may bore you fairly quickly.

Feature: Should we boycott Marvel?

Should we stop giving the MCU our money?

This comic book based franchise effortlessly trumps box office records with each release, but don’t be fooled, Marvel Studios is no hero. What they’ve done since the early 2000s is capitalise on a few film successes and create an age of superhero films. In doing so, they’ve emptied out your pockets and ruined mainstream cinema. So much money goes into these films on production cost and endless advertisements that any competition will have a tough time getting funding in Hollywood, and due to the compliant swarms that keep eating this stuff up, they just repeat the process.

The new Avengers film, Age of Ultron, is a great specimen to highlight the flaws of Marvel. Little seems to go into writing the script—if not a cheesy joke, then characters are found with underwhelming lines. This does nothing to build suspense or make me, a member of the audience, care for these obnoxious heroes. When Marvel films take the approach of being self-aware and the actors in them don’t take the script too seriously (as was the case in Guardians of the Galaxy), this can produce the outliers in what are mainly bad films.

Marvel seems to have a problem with making action look gripping or anything of consequence. With entire cities being wiped off of the face of the planet and the bad guys outnumbering our heroes by about a hundred to one, it’s actually an achievement of how poorly executed Marvel’s action sequences are. It’s not that they’re predictable, it’s that the events don’t seem to carry much effect. Only one good guy was shown to have died in this new Avengers film, and he was bad for most of it!

“But everyone loves them!” Popular doesn’t mean that they’re good in any shape or form. Case in point, One Direction are currently the bestselling artists in the world. Their music must be revolutionary then, right? They’ve just cornered a market and stayed there due to their abundance of money and willing followers.

There’s an easy way to stop this plague of superhero flop—please boycott and show Marvel we’re no longer accepting films that treats us like idiots.

 

Or should we just accept them as a bit of fun?

No matter how casual your interest in cinema may be, the influx of Marvel films and the development of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) during the last decade have been ubiquitous. Whilst superhero films may have become a little oversaturated in the last few years, the popularisation and rejuvenation of their much-loved comic book source material is something we ought to embrace, not least because Marvel’s cinematic outputs are generally hugely enjoyable and amusing. Despite criticism for their formulaic structure, even the most well-versed film fans surely need the opportunity to let off steam, and simply enjoy a high-octane superhero adventure, without any strings attached, every once in a while.

With Marvel recently expanding their repertoire to Netflix, they continue to experiment and adapt to a wider audience, veering away from their family-friendly reputation with the critically-acclaimed Netflix original series Daredevil, as well as the hotly-anticipated noir detective drama, Jessica Jones. Their recent and upcoming outputs have also taken steps to include a far more diverse and representative range of characters than ever before. Deadpool director Tim Miller revealed, when discussing the matter in a recent interview, that the titular character within the film is pansexual. Indeed, Marvel has made strides in recent years to provide stimulating and engaging characters with an appeal that transcends both age and gender, generally receiving encouraging responses from fans and critics alike in the process.

It’s easy to be critical of corporations like Marvel, which produce movies for the masses, the same could easily be said of its rival companies, such as Disney—who are just as prolific and occasionally inconsistent. Marvel films are often just simply entertaining to watch, there’s no reason why such an appealing branch of blockbusters shouldn’t have its place on the silver screen. Indeed, it has become increasingly common to see Marvel films appearing amongst the list of Academy Award nominees each year. Admittedly they don’t fall on the same scale as other films which have more thematic depth and artistic ingenuity. But we ought not to judge so harshly and analytically, and simply take Marvel for what it is: Fun!