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Month: November 2015

Four years on from Gary Speed: Men account for 76 per cent of suicides in the UK

Written by Harry Newton on . Posted in Sport.

This month marks a tragic anniversary. On the 26th of November 2011, Gary Speed took his own life. With 535 Premier League appearances, Speed once held the record for the most Premier League appearances—until being surpassed by goalkeeper David James—and remains a part of sporting legend. Yet behind closed doors, Speed was struggling with his own battles.

With 76 per cent of all suicide victims being male, it is obvious that this statistic cannot be ignored. The prevalence of female suicide must not be disregarded or under-prioritised, but as the biggest cause of death in men under 45 in the UK, serious questions regarding why men are three times more likely to take their lives than women must definitely be addressed.

Removing the stigmas that still surround talking about mental health issues is very important. If we are to win this war against depression and suicide, society must enable sufferers to feel comfortable speaking out. However, overcoming the pressure that men are put under to fit into a certain stereotype of what a ‘man’ should be in British culture, is also a battle that must be fought.

Challenging the cultural barrier that stops men seeking help when they need it is a crucially needed means of prevention. A certain stereotype is often forced upon men, one which can leave many feeling unable to speak as they must project a front of being ‘controlled’ and ‘strong’ at all times. To feel able to ask for help, and find available channels for help, is an essential step in combating the issues that any man, woman or child may have.

Louise Speed, Gary’s wife, told an inquest in 2012 that her husband was “quite a closed character” emotionally, and that he was on “top form” at a dinner party earlier in the evening before he took his own life. This behaviour may just have been the nature of Speed, but this implied emotional seclusion points to the importance of opening a door which many men around the country feel they have to keep locked.

Despite living in a world where equality is better than ever, problems still persist and we are still not yet equal. Men find themselves in a position where they cannot act how humans should— with vulnerability; the feeling that they can talk, that they can resolve their issues, and that they can prevent the heartache that comes with suicide.

A label is often fixed onto suicide as being a selfish act—to take one’s life is to leave another’s worse off. Although it is true that every suicide will touch and affect others, to ever suggest that this is a selfish act would be naive. The only selfishness within this matter is brought by those who still feel entitled to enforce male stereotypes which leave men feeling alone in their fight. Even the greatest of generals cannot win a war alone.

CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) is a charity which specifically works to prevent male suicide. The aim is to reach men through a variety of platforms—whether it be music, comedy or sport—to fight this cultural wrongdoing. With over 30,000 callers last year, it is evident that CALM are doing a great job, but it is also evident that more men should feel able to contact them.

CALM can be contacted by their website (thecalmzone.net/) or by calling 0800 58 58 58, which is open 5pm to midnight every day of the year.

This week sees International Men’s Day fall on the 19th of November this year. Objectives of International Men’s Day include a focus on men’s health, improving gender relations, promoting gender equality, and highlighting positive male role models. The day will also highlight how social media can be used to help. You can pledge your support to the cause with a tweet or status by going online here: biggerissues.co.uk/.

People need to talk and a single post will be amplified around the country, with Professor Green and Stephen Fry already among many who have pledged. The post itself states: “Suicide is the single biggest killer of guys under 45. We aren’t talking about it enough. Let’s talk #BiggerIssues.’

By going on their website anytime before the 19th of November, you can press a button that allows them to automatically tweet this on your behalf on the Thursday.

Last year, 12 men per day committed suicide, and the aim of CALM and other charities like it, is to combat this issue by going down avenues where men are present, and promote discussion. Paul Farmer, chief executive of charity MIND, in March of this year said: “from the elite level down to grassroots, sport can be used to reduce stigma and encourage positive conversation about mental health.” Whether it be down the avenue of sport, music, comedy or any other way of spreading the message, it is clear that men should feel open enough to talk.

Nightline is a student-run confidential listening and information service for students by students available for University of Manchester students. It is open 8pm – 8am everyday of term, and the number is available on the back of your student ID.

The University of Manchester also has a counselling service available, which you can contact by phoning at 0161 275 2864, or emailing: [email protected]. The Student’s Union Advice Service is also available on the ground floor at the Students’ Union.

Top 5: So-bad-they’re-good films

Written by Christopher White on . Posted in Film.

5) Fool around with: The Cheeky Girls

Although not a feature film, all episodes can be found on YouTube and should be watched back-to-back. This is a classic example of early, unorganised and experimental Naughties reality TV. Mix that with the peculiarity of the Cheeky Girls and you’re in for good time.

4) Samaria Cop

At number 4, Samaria Cop offers a taste of slightly eccentric, very peculiar directing, which is exactly what is required for a so-bad-it’s-good film. The film can be slow at points, however, and for this reason it isn’t as high up as its contemporaries.

3) Troll 2

Made in 1990, this 25-year-old film still holds up. A hilarious script, terrible line delivery and overall nonsensical plot makes this film very watchable. Enjoy!

2) The Room

Tommy Wiseau, the writer, director and main character of The Room is rather unconventional. Completely funded by Wiseau, he spent $6 million to bring us 99 minutes of hilarity. The best moments come from the unusual script, with added humour from Wiseau’s acting, which is perfectly wooden and reserved to help The Room be a solid second place.

1) Birdemic: Shock and Terror

With a budget of $10,000 and a rating of 1.8/10 on IMDB, director James Nguyen has created somewhat of a master piece.  The worst CGI ever used, and an inability to pan a camera following a car are just a couple of things that will have you in stiches. Nothing I can say will prepare you for this film, you will just have to watch it, and trust me that Nguyen did not intend this film to be a comedy.

Sport in the City: Salford City FC

Written by Adam Selby on . Posted in Sport.

Over the course of the academic year, as well as paying close attention to, and prioritising the progress and successes of, our university’s very own societies, teams and campus sports, let our new Sport in the City feature tempt you into a very different sporting day out. Whether it’s a new sport, a team about whom you did not know, or just an event that interests us, we hope that we will be able to entice you to explore the wide sporting variety that the city has to offer during your time studying at the University of Manchester.

In the spotlight this week: Salford City FC

Well… what is it?

If you haven’t read about this week’s featured team in the paper, or turned on the TV without hearing either ‘Salford City’ or the ‘Class of 92’ mentioned in previous weeks, then where have you been? The semi-professional outfit based in the Kersal Area of Salford, Greater Manchester, are undoubtedly the name on everybody’s lips at the moment, kicking up a storm in the world of non-league football and coasting towards a consecutive league title based on current standings. So should we believe the hype? Although it takes much more than money for success both on and off the pitch (OK, so it helps), Salford City are blessed in having both the financial backing and also the valuable experience of five Premier League legends with a combined total of just under 2,400 appearances between them.

A stone’s throw away from their former stomping ground, Nicky Butt, Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs and Gary and Phil Neville are the famous five who each own a mighty 10 per cent of the non-league side. The remaining 50 per cent of the club is owned by Singaporean businessman and investor Peter Lim. Lim is also the owner of Spanish giants Valencia, after securing a 70.4 per cent stake in the La Liga side back in May 2014, to claim full ownership.

How do I get there?

In the previous editions of Sport in the City, I have always attempted to ensure that the sport in the spotlight for that respective week is both interesting but more importantly accessible for students to reach via public transport. Sadly however, opting not to focus on Salford City was just not an option given their recent escalation into the limelight in recent weeks and months, and I strongly believe that any extra time spent travelling will be worth it in the long-run!

Unfortunately, Salford City is not directly accessible via public transport. However, in terms of distance, Moor Lane, the home of Salford City, really is not too far away. Moor Lane is only 4.3 miles from the City Centre and by taxi, or perhaps if you’re lucky enough to have a car with you in Manchester, this would definitely be the best and only real way of getting there directly. Therefore, discussions of a move to a different stadium in Salford in the near future, in order to accommodate more fans, may also solve the problem of easy travel to and from the stadium.

But how much does it cost to get in?

Although transport may be hard to come by, and you may end up spending more on sharing a taxi with your friends to ensure a safe journey to and from Moor Lane, please take comfort from the fact that entry to the ground is more than affordable for students. Whilst a full-price adult ticket would set you back a mere £7 without a student card, those with student ID will benefit from the reduced concessionary entrance price of £2! A concessionary season ticket is priced at £40 for the whole season according to Salford City’s official website, which over the course of a 23 game season would mean each game would only cost you £1.75—oh the joys of non-league football!

What are the facilities like? 

With average league attendances of anything between 400 – 500 people, this could perhaps be your best opportunity to experience the rawness of non-league football before the Salford club catapult into stardom. The stadium itself can hold up to 1,500 spectators and attracted a sell-out crowd for both of their recent FA Cup ties against Southport and Notts County. With regards to watching the game from inside the stadium, Moor Lane is largely standing, although seating is available for those who prefer to sit and watch the game with some minor comfort. And of course there are facilities for refreshments as well as a social club situated inside the stadium.

Tell me something I didn’t already know…

Given the wealth of publicity the Salford outfit have received in recent times, those with an eye on the Class of 92’s project will of course know the background, the owners and a lot about their previous league campaign! However, their self-titled documentary was filmed during the 2014/15 season, meaning there have been some changes to the side. They’re aiming to earn promotion every season in their quest to be part of the football league.

Firstly, Salford City can boast a number of players with top-flight experience within their ranks, unlike the majority, if not all of their competitors in the Evo Stik Premier Division. With the likes of Danny Webber, a former professional with over 50 goals from almost 300 professional appearances for the likes of Manchester United, Leeds and Sheffield United, as well as Stephen O’Halloran, a former Aston Villa youngster with Football League experience with Southampton and Swansea City, they are a force to be reckoned with.

Off the pitch meanwhile, owner Peter Lim was tied for #949 amongst the world’s billionaires, with an estimated net worth of $2 billion. The non-league side have also recently signed a lucrative five-year shirt sponsorship deal with Umbro, and with just over 45,000 Twitter followers, they are more popular than professional non-league teams such as Barnsley, Peterborough United and the MK Dons.

Finally, when can I see this in action?

Salford City, off the back of a recently televised FA Cup first-round win over Notts County, face AFC Stamford at home this Saturday, 21st November, at 3pm. For the latest information, please consult their website: pitchero.com/clubs/salfordcityfc

If you have any requests for local teams, sports or events taking place in Manchester, or if you wish to be involved, please contact: [email protected].

Review: Steve Jobs

Written by James Moules on . Posted in Film.

Steve Jobs was (and remains) a man whom it is nigh impossible to regard with any degree of indifference—the tech visionary behind Apple has inspired devoted admirers and passionate haters in equal measure, with some attaching to him that most dangerous of words that is ‘genius,’ and others dismissing him as a narcissist who took more credit for Apple’s success than he deserved. But whatever your opinion of the man may be, it’s unlikely that Danny Boyle’s movie is going to leave it unrocked. What he gives us is a brilliantly complex and daring portrait of the now iconic tech giant.

Right from the film’s opening moments, we are hit by a ferocious hurricane blast of Aaron Sorkin’s sharp dialogue as Jobs (Michael Fassbender) and his team attempt to solve a technical error on the original Macintosh prior to its launch event. Backstage, Jobs is confronted by his former girlfriend (Katherine Waterston) for denying paternity of their daughter and making slanderous remarks about her in interviews. These challenges, along with other encounters with figures including Steve Wozniak (Seth Rogen) and John Sculley (Jeff Daniels) make up the frenzy of preparations as Jobs readies himself to take to the stage.

This sequence of events represents one of the mere three scenes that make up this movie—the aforementioned launch of the Macintosh in 1984, the launch of the NeXT in 1988 after Jobs’ departure from Apple, and the launch of the iMac in 1998 after his return. Each of these scenes takes place in real time (with a few interspersed flashbacks) as he prepares himself to give the respective presentations. There’s a distinctive visual style for each one, and the three together form a grand ‘rise’, ‘fall’ and ‘redemption’ narrative in the Steve Jobs story. It’s a bold piece of film-making, and it pays off fantastically. Instead of giving us a standard model biopic in which we might see Jobs’s life play out in a chronological series of events, Boyle and Sorkin deliver a refined drama that brims with urgency and an almost manic energy.

Aaron Sorkin’s screenplays often bring out the best in actors, and Steve Jobs is no exception. Michael Fassbender, despite bearing absolutely no physical resemblance to Jobs, gives one of his best performances to date in this movie. Perhaps the most notable aspect of this performance is the restraint that he brings to the role. A lesser actor would have overacted to play the famously mercurial Jobs. While Fassbender does shout and scream at the right moments, his Steve is often more subdued and brooding. And yet that fiery intensity behind Jobs’s eyes is never absent. A well-deserved Oscar nomination (and possibly even a win) will almost certainly be coming Mr Fassbender’s way. The strongest link from the supporting cast is Kate Winslet, who shines as Jobs’s marketing executive Joanna Hoffmann. Her character acts as Steve’s conscience, albeit one that he ignores all-too frequently.

The cliché of the ‘flawed genius’ persona has been portrayed many times in film history, with varying degrees of originality, so anyone approaching this film with scepticism could be forgiven. But Steve Jobs’s statement (or, perhaps, his command) of ‘Think Different’ is taken by Boyle and Sorkin as one of the founding principles of this film, leading to a fiercely unique take on the trope. Using the film’s unconventional structure, acute writing and talented stars, the director gives us a portrait of Jobs as an extraordinary man in an extraordinary moment in space and time. He may or may not be a true genius—the audience members are left to form their own judgment.

Although Steve Jobs is not a monumental masterpiece on the same level as the other recent Sorkin-penned tech biopic, The Social Network, it’s still a tremendous piece of cinema. Its only real misstep is the rather mawkish ending it gives itself, but that’s not enough to destroy the electrifying two hours that preceded it. The movie is a triumph of creativity and outside the box thinking that its subject would no doubt have lauded.

5/5

Feature: Disney’s live-action remakes

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Film.

Should we be excited for Disney’s live-action remakes?

No matter what generation you are part of, Disney’s classic animations such as Cinderella, Lady and the Tramp and Alice in Wonderland will always hold a special place in your heart as probably some of the first films that you ever saw and fell in love with. In this collective love, their development into live-action films can only be seen as a good thing from a creative perspective.

Personally I was sceptical about this whole live-action fiasco, until I was dragged along by my younger step-sister to a screening of Kenneth Branagh’s Cinderella in April. The thought of Disney publicly executing one of their most precious characters was disastrous, as they almost did with Maleficent. Thankfully, Branagh and his magical directorial vision left me in a state of excitement to upcoming releases like John Faverau’s The Jungle Book, which is influenced heavily by Andy Serkis’s work; and Bill Condon’s Beauty and the Beast.

A re-creation of iconic films is a fine line to walk, but when some of the best actors, directors and producers are joining the party over at Disney, one cannot help but turn some attention towards them and also praise them for their frivolous efforts in delivering a new generation into the magic that is so synonymous with the brand. Take for example Alice in Wonderland, as directed by the enigmatic Tim Burton. The film broke the special $1 billion mark, which prompted Disney to start exploring other films to add to this growing live-action series. Although cynics will exploit mundanity on Disney’s behalf in re-creating pre-existing properties to gain an affirmative profit on their films, I personally see it as a playground for directors, like Branagh and Burton respectively, to create a piece of work with their style and signature placed on it. Will people really comment upon Disney’s constant development of the Star Wars Universe? I highly doubt it. So why feel negative towards this side of their game? The countdown is on for a live action enactment of Hakuna Matata….

Or should we be sceptical?

For some reason, I can’t help but just feel as though live-action films of the Disney kind—particularly remakes, are a quick and easy cash cow for film producers, directors, distributors and whoever else—in the most predictable way possible. I don’t have anything against remakes. Sometimes, remakes are good because they’re an easy watch, sometimes there’s a twist in the plot and you see things in a new light—like Malificent. But live-action remakes like this year’s Cinderella made me pensive about the future of Disney films. Is there really a lack of imagination out there now?

Take Cinderella, for example. Swarovski. SWAROVSKI. The glass slippers were by Swarovski. And that’s fine. But did it really have to have a paying gallery exhibit in Leicester Square this year? That’s advertising and product placement, and Swarovski is a big company. I feel as though this shifts the importance of film into purely aesthetic value only. You won’t care about the characters or poor Cinderella. But as long as she’s the one with the glass slippers by Swarovski that’s okay, right? It’s totally not a marketing ploy at all, is it?

Fairy tales were intended to teach morals and put one in an element of fantasy—especially children. I don’t want to sound old-fashioned at all, and I’m all for the advancement of technology and making visual possibilities that much more accessible, but wasn’t the Disney legacy because of animations? I don’t think there was a live-action Disney film existing until 1950 and that was Treasure Island in Technicolor—and the purpose of Technicolor is so similar to animation in that it replicates a dreamlike quality, and this is probably why it was abused for its effect in musicals.

If I were to take a stance on liking any live-action film at all, Tim Burton—yes, fine, I like it. Alice in Wonderland was okay at best and I liked it, but it doesn’t stand out by any means. While at Disney during the 1980s, Burton’s first animation short, Vincent, was made with the help of an apprenticeship programme there—meaning Burton already had a relationship with Disney from the get-go. Sell-outs gave Burton trust and creative power with Disney—and who is he to deny a handsome paycheck in return for guaranteed success at the movies?

TV Binge: Peep Show

Written by Georgia Welch on . Posted in Film.

Is there a more original and ingenious British sitcom of the 21st century than Peep Show? If there is, I’m yet to discover it. After eight series documenting the questionable life decisions, self-deprecation and failed romantic escapades of flatmates Mark Corrigan and Jeremy Usborne, much-loved double act David Mitchell and Robert Webb have finally come together once more to reprise their roles in a final series of the hit Channel 4 show. Told through the unique point-of-view camera perspective, which has become one of the show’s most iconic features, Peep Show, for those who haven’t had the pleasure (or displeasure) of watching, became a fast favourite amongst critics and fans alike after it premiered in 2003.

It’s clear to see from the haphazard and often cringe-inducing attempts by Mark and Jez to survive their everyday lives that a great deal of Peep Show’s success stems from the starkly hilarious contrast between the pair’s attitudes to, well, everything. Whilst Mark struggles to win the affections of his colleague Sophie whilst battling with his vapid office day job, Jeremy lives a life of frivolity, idleness and contributes very little: “As I’ve told you before Mark, re: doing a job, because of my creativity it’s kind of abuse.” In countless Peep Show-related discussions I’ve been involved in, the question of whether I’m “more Mark or Jez” has never failed to crop up. Indeed, the relatable quality of the protagonists’ deeply flawed but lovable personalities plays a huge part in audiences’ enthusiasm towards the show.

With an equally amusing supporting cast, most notably Matt King as Jeremy’s friend Super Hans, the “crack-addled maniac,” each episode is equally quotable and rewatchable. Peep Show is arguably one of the most consistent sitcoms produced in recent years, with no particular series surpassing another. Its humour remains relentlessly dry, witty and biting, thanks to the exceptional writing of creators Sam Bain and Jesse Armstrong. The uncomfortable, often humiliating scenarios the duo find themselves in make for some unbearable second-hand embarrassment at times, a personal favourite being Series seven’s The Nether Zone, in which Mark and Jeremy find themselves trapped in the airlock between Jeremy’s girlfriend’s flat and external door. It’s truly a testament to the show’s incomparable dialogue that such simple situations can evoke such hysteria among audiences. If ever a show deserved the description ‘laugh out loud’, it’s Peep Show.

Dark, sarcastic and oddly comforting, Peep Show is undeniably one of Britain’s finest comedic exports. It greets you like an old friend when you’re feeling a little down on life, and is a must-see for those who love self-deprecating humour. After the cliffhanger ending of series eight, the show’s final outing seems both promising and intriguing. Trailers for the series feature the welcome return of some of the show’s best-loved characters, and it’s clear to see from the social media frenzy generated that Peep Show is highly-placed on people’s collective TV radar. The shared paranoia, anxiety and often bizarre thoughts of Mark and Jeremy is endlessly painful and entertaining in equal measures—a combination that is absolutely instrumental to the show’s success; so whether you’re a new or old fan, be sure to tune in for the return of the ‘El Dude Brothers’ on Channel 4 throughout November.

Review: Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse

Written by Lina Jfairi on . Posted in Film.

Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse. The three protagonists in this movie are teenagers who have been best friends for a long time. They are Ben (Tye Sheridan), Carter (Logan Miller) and Augie (Joey Morgan). Denise (Sarah Dumont) plays the role of a sexy teen dream with long legs and a trim figure. The lead scout is David Koechner, known as the scout leader Rogers.

The movie starts off with the three main characters in a classroom with scout leader Rogers recruiting for new scouts… with only one attendee. No new successful recruits are achieved. They all decide to meet at their usual campsite. Augie is the only one of the three last members that is still happy with being a member of the scouts. The other two feel differently. Ben and Carter drive into a deer and get interrupted. Later, Carter’s sister Kendal (Halston Sage), along with her other friends, invite the two to the ‘Secret Seniors Party’. Just before they leave, they find that the deer has vanished.

The pair later go to buy alcohol when they meet Denise (Sarah Dumont), who works at the local strip club as a cocktail waitress. She and Ben get on instantly; she agrees to buy alcohol for them. They make their way to Augie to set up their campsite at the woods. Carter goes to convince Ben to make their way to the ‘Secret Seniors Party’; Augie catches up and feels a sense of disappointment. Ben and Carter drive into town only to find that the strip club bouncer is no longer at the door. They decide to sneak in but are faced by two zombies… they are quickly saved by Denise.

Augie decides to go to Rogers’s house, only to be attacked by him. They finally manage to drive to the party, only to realize that they have been given the wrong address. Carter recalls that his sister Kendal keeps a diary, where the address of the party is likely to be stored. Denise decides to go to the military to tell them about the un-evacuated party, while the three main characters make a final stop at a hardware store and load up with domestic weaponry. They manage to locate the party and go on to protect love interests and friends. They get to a stage where Augie reveals his homemade bomb. Zombies run onto the scene. Augie sets the bomb alight as they jump out of a garbage chute. The military arrive and the love interest is sealed—Ben and Kendal Kiss.

Augie did a good job of being the good scout-abiding member with plenty of taught tricks up his sleeve. Ben was in the middle: He wanted to remain a scout but also wanted to do usual teen things. Carter did a fair job of being the annoying youngster who wanted to always break rules, but is a do-gooder and so stays alive as per usual in teen flicks. The eventuality of this movie is typical of that of an American horror teen flick. Denise is not overly sexual but acts as more of a female do-gooder who subliminally, at intervals, leads the team. Overall, a good teen flick.

Camera angles on Denise tended to be heroic rather than a striptease. Ben was depicted as the caring one who wanted well and lighting tended to be best on him out of the three scout members. Carter tended to be more in shadows. Augie was typically associated with food and overeating. A useful projection of cheap-yet-effective form of props throughout scenes was involved. The costumes remained the same throughout the movie but use of light variety and sets accumulated to generative formulations of scenes and events. The director managed to tell the story well. He moved from one scene to the other through a good use of light harmony and relevant actor/actress scene entry.

3/5

Sugar, bacon and the missing link

Written by Joely Thomas on . Posted in Food & Drink, Opinion, Uncategorised.

Pigs laugh mercilessly while vegetarians can’t help but feel a bit smug. No-one else however, has seemed very pleased by the WHO’s announcement that processed meats such as bacon, sausages and ham, are to be classed amongst the most carcinogenic substances. Eye-rolling is understandably the response from societies being told that almost everything is bad for them.

The announcement came not long after calls by Jamie Oliver for a sugar tax to be introduced on fizzy drinks in the UK. Brighton, where the tax was trialled, increased certain sugary items by a whopping ten pence each. Even sticks of rock were subjected to the increase—a move which, at a seaside resort, seems as harsh as taxing cinemagoers for buying popcorn.

Though the way in which many children are now being brought up high on sugar is certainly an issue in need of addressing, I fear that this tax would be a step too far in attempts to control the way we live. Jamie likened it to putting children on the naughty step, but viewing the state as society’s better-knowing parent is a slippery slope.

Will Mary Poppins soon be censored so that a spoonful of sugar no longer helps the medicine go down?  Will Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory be rated 18, not because the film creates the sense that his creepy factory is part of a child molesting scandal, but for its glorification of glucose?

It is clearly not an action that would deter purchases. Jamie claimed the move would be “symbolic” but such rhetoric is as patronising as suggesting that sticks of rock should be renamed ‘sticks of sugar’ to avoid misleading consumers. Another reason put forward was that it would raise £1 billion per year. This would then create a situation, as has happened with tobacco and alcohol, in which the government is benefiting from the very thing it intended to condemn.

Yet, the most problematic aspect of such actions—both taxing sugar and alerting people to the potentially dangerous side effects of processed food—is that they target the consumers and not the producers.

This is not to say that the producers of sugar and processed meat would not be affected. It seems odd that a government that loves to adopt policies that disproportionately affect the poor, and is at ease with interfering in the most minute details of our daily lives through the Investigatory Powers Bill, would immediately reject the notion of a sugar tax.

Yet once we consider that it was reportedly a phone call from a Florida sugar baron that had caused Bill Clinton to drop propositions for a sugar tax in the US, reasons behind the rebuttal became clearer.

It was, of course, the meat industry that replied particularly cynically to the bacon-cancer revelations, mocking the pedantry of an organisation that also rightly identifies breathing in polluted air and sunburn as carcinogenic. No argument of any substance was given to support the industry’s contention of the classification.

But targeting those that buy rather than those who make the food, even if there may be a knock-on effect, is still both unfair and insufficient.

People are actually buying less visible sugar and more ‘invisible’ sugar—sugar that is added to low-fat products, to bread, baked beans, pies and even fish—the list goes on. These are not conscious consumer choices to eat more fructose syrup but tricks played by industries to ensure our sweet teeth enjoy the taste of their food. And it is the diets of the poor that are most affected with foods high in sugar, like the value ranges found in supermarkets, that use sugar and salt as cheap bulk, being more affordable.

It is equally short-sighted to expect people to reduce their consumption of processed food when it is the meat industry’s disregard for both the animals that are eaten and the consumers that eat them which has caused processed meat to become a cheap alternative to fresher, healthier, and thus more expensive, produce.

Implementing higher food standards across the board, rather than allowing health and ethics to become a niche market under the name ‘organic,’ would increase the supply of such food and thus reduce prices; as would supporting local co-operatives and community gardens. Targeting the culture of fast food that has snuck over from the Atlantic so that McDonald’s can’t claim to be offering a healthy option simply by adding a few floppy lettuce leaves to the menu, would be another positive step.

But increasing the already varying prices of fizzy drinks by a few pence, and creating a bacon and sausage scare? The outcome is more likely to be a nation so unhappy from being told that everything is bad for them, that the consumption of sugar and sausages peak in a comfort eating frenzy, or as consumers engage in a childish revolt against being sent to sit on the naughty step.

Review: Dice

Written by Matthew Staite on . Posted in Music.

DICE certainly seems to be making waves the gig ticket industry. After initially launching in London, the service has now launched in other cities including Manchester and Bristol. Rejoice!

The biggest drawing point of DICE for students will almost certainly be that the app charges no booking fees. The price you see is what you pay – much better than other ticketing platforms like Ticketmaster or Seetickets where by the time you have finished booking your tickets, you’ve had to pay a transaction fee, postage fee, credit card fee and generalripoff fee that together seem to cost as much as the ticket itself. A ticket to Beirut’s show at Albert Hall next February costs £22.50 through DICE, in contrast to £30.70 through Ticketmaster after all the fees have been added on. Once you’ve bought a ticket on the app, all you do is have to show your phone at the door.

Touts may soon be a thing of past too. The mobile-based platform is immune to touting robots that buy up the tickets as soon as they are released, so everyone has a fair chance in buying tickets to popular events. The excellent waitlist feature of DICE means if you want to sell a ticket to a gig you can no longer go to, you can sell your ticket to a fan on the waitlist for the actual price you bought it for, and buy one vice versa.

The simple and sexy interface of the platform itself is really nice to use too. It’s a tailored tool for finding up coming gigs in Manchester, and you can listen to songs by the artist from within the app. You can then use the app find a gig you want to go to and buy the tickets straight away. Forget about finding a band then looking up their tour schedule to see you have no chance to see them. The shows on the app are hand-curated by a dedicated team led by radio DJ Jen Long, so you know you are in good hands.

My only minor qualm with DICE is that you will no longer have a ticket stub to remember the gig by, as all the tickets are done through mobile. What music fan doesn’t like looking back through tickets of years gone by? But with more and more tickets going the way of simply printing out an email, maybe this is inevitable. Being able to use simply your mobile is pretty convenient too.

There are loads of great Manchester gigs upcoming on the DICE platform, including Savages, Kurt Vile, Disclosure, Alt-J, The Maccabees, Grimes, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard, and Father John Misty.

Live: Warehouse Project – The Ape 10th Birthday

Written by Mark Holland on . Posted in Music.

30th October 2015

Store Street

7/10

It was a night of few surprises at Store Street on the eve of Hallowe’en, with an impressive, if slightly predictable, lineup curated by Ape to celebrate their 10th birthday.

Backed by a screen of colourful visuals, Toddla T welcomes the enthusiastic crowd into Room One with a summery electro house and grime-heavy set that joyously warmed up the crowd as it began to grow. His recent, and infectiously catchy, remix of KDA’s ‘Rumble’ received a massive reaction, becoming the first track of the night that really got the crowd jumping. The decks were then passed to Shy FX, who followed with a typically heavy thumping drum and bass set, managing to throw in a few garage and jungle cuts before finishing with a rousing version of Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Alright.’

As we reached Hallowe’en, the night culminated with a powerful double headline slot between two acts that have owned 2015: the current spearhead of the UK grime scene, Skepta, against US hip hop titans, Run The Jewels.

It’s RTJ that took to the stage first, confidently flopping their pieces out, entering to Queen’s ‘We Are The Champions’, which displayed the flair for grandeur and twisted sense of humour that has come to define the New York duo. Opening with a thunderous performance of 2013’s ‘Run The Jewels’, they then began to power through a vibrant set of tracks from their excellent new album. It was a relentless set full of energy and droll crowd interaction in equal measure. Tracks like ‘Blockbuster Night Part 1’ and ‘Early’ received the reaction they deserved, impressively pulling off a really tight show that managed to still feel very fresh at the same time.

Unsurprisingly, it’s Skepta who pulled in the biggest crowd of the night, completely packing Room One to the point where moving your arms was completely impossible, and huge balls of sweat were regularly falling from the ceiling. It’s hard to argue with Skepta’s tune arsenal; he knew what the people came here to see and gave them exactly what they wanted. From the first discernable beat of ‘That’s Not Me’ to his explosive finale of ‘Shutdown’, it was a set packed with huge crowd pleasers as it is massively predictable. The problem with this, is that it offers little in the way of excitement. The room is too packed to allow anything in the way of movement, and with a crowd that seemed keener on Snapchatting the performance rather than experiencing it, it never reached its full potential.

Following Skepta’s departure, the crowd dispersed to around half the size as Preditah began his slot, filling in for Oneman. It started very strongly—opening with the filthy 2-step remix, featuring the Rocky theme tune, that has now become synonymous with his sets. But what started as a fun, inventive selection of offbeat and quirky belters quickly descended into safer territories, which effectively became more grime-by-numbers. Playing three Stormzy tracks in a row, followed by ‘Rari Workout’ and ‘Feed Em To The Lions’ offered nothing new, but in a night where grime, bangers, and predictability reigned supreme, it still went down a treat.

Whitworth gallery claims Manchester tourism award

Written by George Ball on . Posted in News.

The University of Manchester’s Whitworth Art Gallery, has won an award crowning it the top Greater Manchester tourist attraction for 2015. The grade II listed building, which reopened in February after a £15m overhaul, won the award for top large tourist attraction at the Greater Manchester Tourism Awards.

Since reopening the gallery has had great success and received numerous awards. In October, it was named Europe’s Best Emerging Culture Destination and in April it fought off competition from buildings such as Manchester Metropolitan University’s Student Union building to win the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) North West Building of the Year and was shortlisted for the national RIBA Stirling Prize. It also scooped £100,000 after winning the ArtFund Museum of the Year award.

After the renovation, which doubled the size of the building, the gallery has become home to a number of prominent exhibitions. Notably, it hosted Cornelia Parker and Cai Guo-Qiang. It has also been lauded for facilities such as the ‘cafe in the trees’ and the Victoria Grand Hall.

The President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester Dame Nancy Rothwell was full of praise for the gallery, saying “These awards for the Whitworth show just how important it is to the city as an attraction and now, following its refurbishment, an iconic building”.

On the same day the gallery was also named Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce Building of the Year. It was one of three University of Manchester buildings to be in the running for the award, on a shortlist of six. The Manchester Cancer Research Centre, opened in May, and the National Graphene Institute, opened in March. Rothwell cited the triple nomination as an example of the excellence the University is aiming for, looking to the future.

She added: “Having three buildings nominated for the Building of the Year is testament to the ambition of our ongoing campus developments as we seek to create a world-class environment for researchers, students and visitors.”

 

 

 

Review: Alan Carr

Written by Elise Gallagher on . Posted in Theatre.

The 2015 NTA winner Alan Carr will be ‘yapping’ his way around the UK & Ireland with his stand-up show ‘Yap, Yap, Yap!’  The BAFTA and British Comedy Award winning comedian, author and chat show supremo returns to his stand-up roots with his hilarious take on life.

Love or loathe him, Alan Carr is one of Britain’s most successful comedians. Arguably a national treasure, his unique humour and effortless stage presence have earned him a catalogue of awards including Best Chat Show host at the 2015 NTA’s, winner of the 2013 BAFTA for Best Entertainment Performance and 2013 British Comedy Award for Best Comedy Entertainment Personality. Taking to the stage on Friday the 6th of November, he had Manchester Apollo’s audience in the palm of his hand.

The sketch ranged from topics such as TripAdvisor, going on a safari holiday with his mum, dog walking and the dating scene. The main premise surrounding the show was his hate for people who simply had too much to say. TripAdvisor was naturally his prime example, where he noted comments and ratings, such as a lady giving Windermere two stars because she’d lost her handbag there.

However one of my favourite moments within the show I imagine wasn’t actually part of the sketch. On two separate occasions, Carr stopped mid ‘yap’ to shame audience members who were texting—and rightfully so. “Sorry, am I boring you?” This gathered both laughs and respect for Carr in equal measure. Moments also included Alan posing for pictures at the beginning of the second half; you can just imagine some of the poses.

A live comedy show wouldn’t be anything without the hecklers. Especially drunken, middle aged hecklers. For those who weren’t aware, Carr has a special place in his heart for Manchester, having lived here for a while so when he asked for romantic meals in Manchester the audience rang back with a plethora of stereotypical Northern delicacies such as “fish fingers,” “pie” and “spag bol.” Hilarity ensued.

In previous years, he has garnered a clutch of awards from the 2012 National Television Award for Best Talk Show, and the 2012 Loaded LAFTA Award for Best Stand Up and the 2010 TV Choice Awards for Best Entertainment Show. There were also nominations for Best New British Comedy & Best Comedy Entertainment Personality at the 2009 British Comedy Awards.

The mammoth tour is raking in over 140 theatre shows throughout 2015. If you didn’t catch him in Manchester, there are still seven locations remaining before the tour concludes. Be sure to book soon as remaining tickets will sell fast.

An evening full of charged mincing, his incredulous “what’s-that-all-about” and making the most unenthused of people actually laugh out loud. ‘Yap, Yap, Yap!’ is a complete success.

Tour Dates:
14th – 15th November: City Hall, Hull
19th – 21st November: Dome, Brighton
22nd – 29th November: Waterfront Hall, Belfast
10th – 13th December: Millennium Forum, Derry
19th of December: Eventim Apollo, London
18th of March: Sentrum Scene, Oslo
19th of March: The Edge, Tromso

Police still looking for key witness in Fallowfield rape

Written by Jennifer Sterne on . Posted in News.

Last month a 19-year-old student was raped in Fallowfield on her way home from a night out in the city centre. After the attack police believe she was walked home by their key witness, whom they are still looking for.

Detectives describe the witness as white and skinny with messy brown hair made into a quiff. On the night he was wearing black skinny jeans and a black leather jacket. Greater Manchester Police now believe that the key witness they are looking for in the Fallowfield rape could be a freshers student.

The witness met the victim at the bus stop near McDonald’s on Wimslow Road after she had been attacked. Police say they believe he then walked her safely home through Fallowfield, but later left without leaving any details.

Officers stress that he is not a suspect and they do not believe he harmed the victim in any way. They however believe that he could have vital evidence for the case.

Detectives are appealing for students to help find him and they believe that he is probably a fresher.

Det Insp Damian Simpson told the MEN: “We need to stress that he [the witness] is not a suspect and we don’t think he’s harmed this female in any way. He has looked after her and made sure she had got home okay. If you are the witness we’re looking for, please contact us.

“We would also like to speak to anyone who saw this couple walking together. We have already released a description of him, and she is a white female.”

The 19-year-old victim was raped on Wednesday, October the 7th between the hours of midnight and 4:30am and met the witness during this period.

Anyone with information should call police on 0161 856 1911 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Government takes first steps of legislation with HE green paper

Written by Emily Hulme on . Posted in News.

The recent proposals regarding higher education changes have been published in a Green Paper entitled Fulfilling our Potential: Teaching Excellence, Social Mobility and Student Choice.

Proposals include a bringing together of higher education regulatory bodies entitled the Office for Students (OfS), a contentious Teaching Excellence Framework, and an easier route for new universities to enter the market.

The student community has not responded warmly to the green paper. James Elliot, from The National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts (NCAFC), the organisers of the London protest on the 4th of November, summarised the green paper in The Independent with this warning: “It will be a disaster for students and education workers alike, meaning more fees and debt, and threatening jobs too.”

The OfS will see the merging together of the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) and the Office for Fair Access, putting students “at the heart of education,” the green paper reports. However, students already fear that their voices will be lost within the OfS because it is directly under government influence. The NCAFC describe the OFS proposal as a “vague threat” of “increased government control of Students’ Unions,” linked to the controversial trade union bill currently being put through Parliament.

But it is the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) that seems to be the most controversial proposal. The TEF will have powers to establish three or four groups of universities based on their standard of teaching, research and employment-post-graduating statistics, enabling student ‘consumers’ and their future employers to differentiate between ‘good’ and ‘bad’ universities.

As a result, the TEF can permit the best performing universities to raise tuition fees from 2018  – 19. Labour MP Gordon Marsden has likened the proposals to a “Trojan horse for raising fees,” which many students at Manchester have agreed with. President of the NUS Megan Dunn has said “Students should not be treated like consumers,” opposing the government’s attempt to “marketise” education.

Ministers will be in charge of setting the inflation cap for fees due to new powers set out in the green paper. The government would “set the uplift each year,” potentially allowing for fee rises every year, “not exceeding real terms increases.”

Michael Spence, the Education Officer of the University of Manchester Students’ Union said: “This makes their claim that they will keep the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) at arm’s length from Ministers both laughable and demonstrably false. It is an affront to democracy, a blatant ministerial power grab, and an attempt to shut down debate about what the fee level should be.”

A green paper is a step forward in turning these proposals into legislation; however, this stage is still a consultation period where many actors can intervene and contribute their suggestions and opinions. Megan Dunn, NUS president, ensures that the “the student voice is too loud for the government to ignore.”

SPORTLIGHT: The University of Manchester’s Lacrosse

Written by Harry Newton on . Posted in Sport.

What is lacrosse?

Lacrosse is a game for those who want to play in a team. There is no time for hogging the ball, and there must always be a line of communication open throughout the game. Flo Elliott, the women’s first team captain, simplifies the rules of the game to describe it as “hockey in the air”.

Lacrosse is quite different to other sports; the men’s and women’s games are very different. The men wear helmets, shoulder pads and arm pads due to their game being more contact-based, whereas the women’s game does not have any major contact, and so they wear no extra equipment. Furthermore, the men’s sticks have deeper pockets for tricks, and the women’s sticks are shallower for control. Even the pitch lines are very different.

Campus Sport & Sporticipate

Lacrosse is offered at a variety of different levels across the university, and a campus league is set to begin in semester two for the first time ever, in order to add yet another way in which you can get involved in lacrosse. It will be a mixed league, which highlights just how open these leagues are to including a variety of people, and how it can also be a great way to make new friends and have fun. If you think you may be interested in joining the lacrosse campus league, then go onto the Mancunion Sport facebook page for the sign-up link.

If you are interested in getting some practice before your campus league season begins, or if you simply want to learn lacrosse at a relaxed, friendly level, then Sporticipate is for you! Here at The Mancunion, we are big champions of Sporticipate, because we understand some people just want to play sport very casually, to meet new people, and to do both cheaply (free, in fact!). Sporticipate’s lacrosse sessions take place every Sunday 1-2PM on the outdoor pitch at the Armitage Centre, which means that you have no excuses of a timetable clash, or a hangover, since nobody can afford club prices on a Saturday night! Also, don’t worry either if you had no idea what lacrosse was until a minute ago! Despite the fact that lots of people have registered interest in coming to the lessons—most of them are beginners.

Lauren Magee, a second year Adult Nursing student, has been going to the lacrosse sessions this year and has had this to say: “I have found it really fun and easy to pick up. Each session is led really well, which makes things a whole lot easier. It’s okay to make a mistake, because everyone’s a beginner. I wouldn’t say anything has been particularly difficult, but like all sports, things take time and practice.” Lauren obviously has taken to the sport of lacrosse, so it may seem hard to believe that prior to playing with Sporticipate, she had never played lacrosse before, and she admits this did put her off to begin with, but has since really enjoyed the sessions. She goes on to add that she “found it way more relaxed and open to beginners than other sports, so wasn’t too worried about it being competitive or difficult.”

The sessions themselves begin with a warm up, then a separation into two groups due to the large turnout. Then there will be a focus on a skill each week, as the weeks progress, with time to focus on the previous week’s skill also.

The Women’s Team

To take that next step up the ladder, and further your skill with a more competitive edge, then the university clubs may be for you!

First team captain Flo Elliott is full of praise for the influx of first years that have embraced the sport this year. This season has been going really well for the women’s first team. They drew with Loughborough, a team against whom they usually struggle, and thrashed old rivals Nottingham 20-4! Flo gives some credit to two of the players, who have been helping them improve in training. “We currently have the England and Wales U19 captains, who has been brilliant for improving our game, because we’ve managed to harness their plays and techniques to add a new, more professional dynamic to our game.” The belief is definitely there that the team can finish higher than they did last year, despite some rocky away form this year. Flo believes the team has a chance at finishing third in the tough Premier North League.

The women’s second team are doing well, too! Second team captain Georgia Aynsley expresses her pride in the season so far, with the team having won three of their opening four games, including a win over Manchester Metropolitan University two weeks ago (which everyone loves to hear)! The girls really showed their determination in this game, and they defeated the local rivals despite having no substitutes, after working hard in recent weeks with extra intense fitness sessions. Second team coach (and one-time first team player), Fabienne Johnson, described the performance of the girls late in the second half as displaying “some of the most controlled play I’ve ever seen to secure a well-deserved victory 11-9.” With strong performances so far this season from Sally Boultbee, Yui Watanabe, Harriet Price and Charli Musgrove, the team are excelling this season. Georgia highlights these players, but also states that the team have clicked since the very beginning of the season.

The Men’s Team

On paper, the men’s teams have not had as successful a season as the women’s teams; however, they are showing signs of improvement, with such a tight-knit group of players demonstrating that they are beginning to click. Still without a win, the first team highlighted marked signs of promise in the latest defeat—to Leeds Met. Despite being 5-0 down in the first quarter of their game, the team showed great strength to get back to 12-10 at the final whistle; a significant improvement on the 24-4 loss to Durham on the opening day.

The second team are also stranded at the bottom of the BUCS table at the moment. However, when you look at whom the team are playing in their league, credit must be given to the lacrosse second team. Out of the six teams in the 2A league, they are the only second team there, since Bangor, Chester, Liverpool, Keele and Lancaster all have their first teams in this league. Last season the team saw themselves finish fifth, escaping relegation, so there is hope that they can do the same again this year!

Timperley

The university’s partnership with local club Timperley Lacrosse gives the club that unique cutting edge over others. The partnership has been ongoing for seven years, and aims to recruit new talent and to improve our university clubs. Timperley offer the club’s players extra training and matches with the Timperley squads, which may be why the teams are so successful. Fabienne Johnson now plays for Timperley, and states that “it was great to know I had a club I could join once I finished university.”

Fabienne describes the importance of playing sport at university. “My involvement in university sport taught me as many useful and employable skills as my degree, and I would encourage everyone to get involved with some sport at university no matter what, it doesn’t have to be a club!” And, with so many levels of lacrosse available for any player at the University of Manchester, maybe this is the sport for you to gain those skills and have a good time!

That’s your (Job) Lot

Written by Alice Williams on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Let me invite you to play a game next time you find yourself bored at a party. Walk right up to the nearest person, look them right in the eyes and ask them where they see themselves in 5 years time. If they are doing anything other than medicine, witness the catastrophic failure of their mental faculties as the suppression of utter job prospect panic becomes too much to bear and they begin weeping over their mug of vodka.

It seems that for about half a decade now the media has been informing Generation Y just how much the job market is preparing to fuck us up as soon as we leave the safe confines of our university bubble. When many do reach the great outside world, they are often faced with the terrifying reality that today’s twenty-somethings have been horribly misinformed.

Years spent chasing qualifications no one even bothers to ask about will lead you to spend an inordinate amount of time telling any poor sod that will listen the exact breakdown of your EPQ presentation, delivered 4 years ago in a dusty secondary school assembly hall while you desperately try to find meaning for all those wasted hours. After all, the grown ups had told us that we were in a considerably better position than them—education was the name if getting a job was the game.

But after the SATs, the 11-plus, the GCSEs, the AS Levels, the BAs, the MAs, the MScs and finally even maybe the death rattle of a PhD, employers turned around and announced that in fact what they were looking for was a wealth of experience. Funnily enough, this wealth of workplace experience was something you missed out on while you were preoccupied with trying to work out what the hell D.H. Lawrence had ingested before he wrote The Rainbow, or hyperventilating during a maths exam you had a day to prepare for.

So the horror begins. Having asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up and then finding that society can’t provide the goods, the generation before us proffers internships. Internships—the solution to a problem that wouldn’t have existed had someone realised earlier on that droves of students perfectly capable of long division but totally incapable of splitting the bill wasn’t ideal.

Internships, zero-hour contracts and an unusual amount of part-time jobs are leading us students further and further into a situation where youth unemployment is a major issue. By October 2013, the figures had risen by four times that of 2004, and had tripled in the first 3 years of the coalition government.

So, other than cry and eat an unprecedented amount of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups from the Union’s Grab and Go, what can Manchester students proactively do to try and do to help themselves? Well, some good news amongst a barrage of bad is that, in being at The University of Manchester, you are already in a better position of employability than many.

According to recent research from The Graduate Market in 2015, and High Flyers Research, we are the most targeted university by Britain’s top graduate employers. Graduates destination data reveals that in 2013/14, 84 per cent of Manchester graduates who got jobs went straight into graduate-level employment and the average starting salary for Manchester graduates was £22,000.

However, don’t get complacent, there’s not enough grad schemes to go round; there was recently an interview on The Debrief which gave an insight into the life of strippers from ‘Amy, graduate of the University of Manchester, 2:1 in English Literature.’ Ultimately, no-one’s going to get a job from complaining.

It’s worth getting involved in as many extra-curricular activities as you’re interested in without sacrificing your degree qualification, and if you’re really stuck about what direction to go in then visit to the careers service will yield helpful information about what you need to focus on to get where you want to be.

Manchester’s 1st Round FA Cup Games

Written by Toby Webb on . Posted in Sport.

It is undoubted that a certain level of indifference towards the FA Cup pervades the attitudes of Manchester’s Premier League teams; League titles (at least for City anyway!) and progression in the Champions League are the priority, with the prestige and financial benefits being far superior. However, amongst the clubs lying in the depths of the English footballing pyramid, the fervour surrounding the competition is as strong as ever.

This fervour could not be more appropriately characterised than by Salford City. The club, currently in their second season following the takeover by a string of ex-Manchester United stars and Singaporean business-man Peter Lim, had their moment in the spotlight when their first round match was picked for broadcast by the BBC. The change in ownership had brought immediate effect, with the club being promoted as champions of the Northern Premier League Division One North.

The media focus following the takeover meant a considerable amount of hype surrounded the club come match-day. The stage was set for Salford.

They took their opportunity in some style, recording an impressive 2-0 victory in front of the BBC cameras. In truth, Salford dominated the match from start to finish. Their home ground, Moor Lane, was packed to the rafters, providing a hostile atmosphere for the opponents, Notts County. It would be an injustice to Salford to say that Notts County were dreadful, and as a result, they came home comfortable winners.

Salford began like a team possessed. They closed down the opposition with lightning efficiency, not allowing the team who were 59 places above them in the English league structure to get a foothold in the game. Both teams were showcasing a selection of ex-Premier league players: Alan Smith (ex-Man United), Jon Stead and Danny Webber to name a few. However, it was Salford’s Danny Webber that made the telling difference.

Webber’s obvious talent, talent that enabled him 39 appearances in England’s top division and nearly 200 in the division below, provided Salford with the cutting edge to break the deadlock. A brilliant cross from Salford number 12 James Poole was finished off coolly by Webber to put the home team up 1-0 less than 20 seconds into the second half. Following this, a fine substitution by the Salford management paid dividends; Richie Allen was brought on in the 70th minute, scoring within 3 minutes of his entrance. A fine individual goal, with Allen beating numerous opposition defenders, led to a calm finish in the corner from inside the box. Rapturous celebrations around Moor Lane ensued, not least of which by Gary Neville, Salford City co-owner, whose euphoria was caught by the television cameras: a true FA Cup giant-slaying was on the cards.

An anxious last quarter ensued; the team’s nerves unmasked when a horrible mix up in defence resulted in a Salford defensive clearance rebounding off the goal-keeper, diverted towards the Salford net. Steven Howson made up for his error with a heroic goal-line clearance. This bravery effectively sealed the win on a historic night. Salford City FC were rewarded with a home draw with Hartlepool in the next round. The match is to be played on Friday December 4th.

Salford’s success could not be replicated by their city rivals, FC United of Manchester, who suffered a 4-1 home defeat to Chesterfield, a team ranked 78 places higher than them in the league standings.

Unlike Salford, who were able to shut-down their opponents through relentless defensive pressure, FC United found themselves 2-0 down within 12 minutes. Chesterfield, who had ex-Manchester United reserve Sylvan Ebanks-Blake in their ranks, learnt from Notts County’s mistakes. They immediately pressed their technical advantage, silencing the home crowd before FC United could get into the game.

While the match lacked spectacle, it did contain controversy. FC United were founded in 2005 by a group of supporters angry at the Glazers’ takeover of Man United. The club is owned by its fans, with membership (£12 for adults and £3 for children) allowing one to vote in club decisions. The club seek to champion sustainability in a football world dominated by excessive spending and high ticket prices.

The club’s supporters weren’t happy at the team’s FA Cup match being rescheduled for a Monday night in order for it to be broadcast by the BBC. They took to protesting, with around 100 fans choosing to not enter the stadium in the first-half, following the match by radio. Additionally, there was a plethora of banners around the stadium, the designs of which expressed anger at the FA; they felt that the FA was putting TV interests ahead of football fans’ interests. Thus, while the football was largely uninspiring, FC United as a club were able to voice their opposition to the state of football in 2015.

Other notable results from Greater Manchester include:

Altrincham 1-0 Barnsley; non-league Altrincham defeated a team 56 places above them to progress to the 2nd round for the first time since 2001. They will play Colchester United away in the next round.

Bury 4-0 Wigan; Bury inflicted a crushing defeat on the competition’s 2013 winners. They will face a short trip to Rochdale in the second round.

 

Manchester climbs world employability rankings

Written by Ailsa McNeil on . Posted in News.

The Times Higher Education‘s Global Employability University Rankings were released this week with positive results for the University of Manchester, which has once again climbed the international employability leader-board.

This week it was revealed that the redbrick establishment has maintained an impressive position in the annual Global Employability University Ranking. The list, which rates how universities perform on graduate employability, puts Manchester in 24th place, a steady improvement on its standing in both 2013 and 2014, where it landed in spots 26 and 25 respectively.

Otherwise dominated by US establishments, which make up 39 of the top 150, Britain does well, with 12 universities making it on to the list.

However, Manchester’s performance is standout, joining only four other UK institutions in the top 25: Oxford, Cambridge, Imperial and Edinburgh. Notably, it also storms ahead of London heavyweights UCL and KCL, confirming the global desirability of Manchester graduates.

The ranking was produced by French Human Resources consulting group, Emerging Associates. It compiled the results of a comprehensive questionnaire, which put questions about the ideal attributes of graduates to recruiters and managing directors from over 20 countries.

On average, grades come at the bottom of the priority list, reflecting the shift of focus away from the traditional hallmarks of result-driven academic success.

Instead, it reveals that where you study is decisive; 31 per cent of companies admitted to having a preferred list of institutions from which they hire. In selecting which universities to take employees from, survey respondents cited past experience with graduates and international exposure as influential factors.

Positioned amongst global institutions such as Harvard and Yale, Manchester’s place in the rankings underlines its status as a world-renowned centre for excellence. The results provide a valuable insight into the perspective of future employers, and are sure to offer reassurance to students faced with the prospect of an unforgiving job market upon graduation.

6 Reasons why the Chelsea board must not sack Mourinho

Written by Patrick Harvey on . Posted in Sport.

Firstly, the league table clearly shows that it is already impossible for the Champions to retain their title this May and even Champions League qualification appears highly improbable. Even if Chelsea were to turn the tide and do as well in the remaining 26 fixtures of this season as they did last year in a title-winning campaign, they would still only finish on 66 points.  Last season that tally would have placed them 4 points below a Champions League qualification place.

Dismissal at this point would serve no logical purpose, as even if a new manager arrives he will still almost certainly fail to qualify for the Champions League. The board should have acted earlier if their aim was to achieve some form of league success this season. The smarter choice in my view would be to write off this season and keep José. The Premier League campaign is doomed by this stage anyway, and here is an opportunity to instil some continuity in the club and begin another assault on the title next year with José at the helm.

This leads nicely onto my second point. The dire situation that Chelsea are currently experiencing is an opportunity for the board to truly show that they have changed and have a legitimate desire to instate some stability into the club. Between Mourinho’s departure in 2007 and his return in 2013, seven different managers had their chance in Stamford Bridge’s hot seat. Although there was significant success during these years, it is not a sustainable way of managing a football club.

Since José’s return there has certainly been a hope among fans that this is the opportunity for a Ferguson-like regime at Chelsea. The board could learn a lot from taking a look at what happened up north. This current dip in form therefore gives the board the prospect of making this a reality. Things will most likely never be worse than they currently are and sticking with the Portuguese tactician should encourage confidence in José and the fans that the board really have changed their approach and are planning for a long-term future with Mourinho.

In addition, in the event that the board do resort to old habits and discharge Mourinho, who would they chose to replace him? The options available in the current environment are extremely limited. Firstly, from the inter-Mourinho years, Chelsea have almost exhausted the available opportunities when it comes to world-class managers. Hiddink, Ancelotti, Benítez, Villas Boas and Di Matteo have already had their chance in West London and been rejected by Abramovich. And if they look elsewhere, there are not any genuine contenders currently available. The bookies presently favour Pep Guardiola and Diego Simeone but both are under contract to huge clubs and would not be available until at least this summer. Alternatively, there have been reports linking Brendan Rodgers to Chelsea. It would seem unimaginable however, that Chelsea would remove a two-time winner of the Champions League for a man who only six years ago was sacked by Watford.

Another factor for the board to consider when deciding whether to stick or twist must be the fans who, thus far, have unanimously backed Mourinho. Chants of ‘Stand Up for the Special One’ have been sung more frequently and passionately than ever by the Chelsea faithful in recent games. Most notably during the away defeat to Stoke in the Capital One Cup where, despite losing on penalties, cries of ‘José Mourinho’ from the 5000 fans were the soundtrack as the players and staff exited down the tunnel. This must be taken into account, as the there is no way the board will want another situation of fan revolt as seen during Benitez’s turbulent spell as boss.

Alongside the fans, the players also seem to be in support of their manager. In spite of questionable reports in some sections of the media that a player would rather lose than win for Mourinho, all tangible evidence shows unilateral backing from the major first teamers. Diego Costa, Cesc Fàbregas, John Terry and Asmir Begović have come out publically and backed the manager. There is a reputation among the Chelsea playing staff for revolt against the manager but in fact the only remaining player from the old guard is John Terry, who has been arguably the most vociferous in support of Mourinho. Although his comments regarding a certain BT Sport pundit grabbed the headlines from the Dynamo Kiev pre-match press conference, his main message was the team’s wholehearted backing for Mourinho. It would therefore be ludicrous to sack a manager, revered by both the fans and players.

Finally, on closer inspection of the last few games, it appears that performances have vastly improved despite the disappointing results. Both away games to Stoke in the League and Cup were Chelsea-dominated affairs where the home side managed to score with virtually their only chance. Additionally, the performance and comeback against Dynamo Kiev was full of encouragement for any doubters within the board. It was not just a dominant performance but the team showed impressive fight in making a late comeback, another sign that Mourinho has not lost the players.

The loss at home to Liverpool was also not as disastrous as the result may indicate. Chelsea were dominating the game until, against the run of play, Coutinho scored a deflected winner – and the third by Benteke was simply a result of too many men forward in search of the equaliser. Plus, Chelsea have had their fair share of injustice when it comes to refereeing decisions in recent weeks. For example, a definite red card for Liverpool’s Lucas brushed aside as well as the mystifying decision last week, not to award a penalty for Butland’s impedance of Loïc Rémy. This sort of bad luck has been a feature throughout and especially in the last few games. Therefore, it is surely only a matter of time before the team start to accumulate the points that their performances deserve.

I rest my case.  It would be both reckless and futile for the Chelsea board to relieve José Mourinho of his duties as manager of Chelsea Football Club.

Theatre goes digital: The ‘live broadcast’ revolution

Written by Kate Harvey on . Posted in Theatre.

We now have the potential to vastly enhance our experience of contemporary entertainment and revolutionise the arts, with efforts being made to bridge the gap between the big, bold world of cinema and its quietly sophisticated cousin—theatre. National Theatre Live has been at the forefront of these innovations for a few years now, operating directly from the National Theatre and The Barbican in London. Their live broadcasts of theatrical performances reach over 700 screens worldwide and are subsequently setting the bar high for the likes of Royal Shakespeare Company, who have also chosen to ‘go digital.’

NT Live does well to strike a balance between farcically filling the stage with celebrities and giving classically trained performers the exposure they deserve. Take for example, the performance of Hamlet which was broadcasted directly from The Barbican last month. It didn’t take long to realize that the (largely female) audience were diehard Cumberfans—yet the celebrity protagonist in no way detracted from an expert cast that knew the stage like the back of their hand.

Besides, the ‘celebrities’ that wider audiences are flocking to see are no strangers to theatre themselves. Ralph Fiennes, both a noted Shakespeare interpreter and Harry Potter villain, delivered a flawless performance as Jack Tanner in Bernard Shaw’s Man and Superman during the summer. Bringing household names to the stage has been used for decades as a mode of publicity, and that shouldn’t have to stop at live theatre broadcasts.

Admittedly, I’m still not sure where I stand in regards to the sound of rustling popcorn during a stage production (particularly when somebody spills it all over my lap half way through Hamlet’s iconic “to be, or not to be” monologue). Although it’s all very well for watching loud, Hollywood blockbusters, there’s something about eating at the theatre doesn’t seem quite right. However, if it means newcomers are dipping their toes into the world of theatre, I’ll put up with it.

This expansion in viewership is, in my opinion, doing wonders for theatre at a time often referred to as ‘dire straits’ for the arts—a sector often hit hard by government cuts. It really hit home for me when a woman sat next to me in a NT Live performance of Comedy of Errors told me she had never stepped foot into a theatre before, or when I had realised, that over half of the audiences watching Hamlet were parents with children. NT Live should be praised for its efforts in diversifying its audience, introducing them to timeless theatrical performances.

The invention of live broadcasting is pretty ingenious really, and although there are fears that it may replace the original concept of going to the theatre, I don’t think audiences will go to watch a live broadcast thinking that it is a substitute for the ‘real thing.’ I’d argue that the emotional exchange between the actor and audience sharing the same space is by no means lost; it seems quite clear onscreen that the actors are fully aware of the audience’s presence. Live broadcasting should be seen as a new experience alongside theatre, not something that is driving it towards extinction. Internationally speaking, it is both an excellent way of showcasing British talent and bringing audiences together under the newly undiscriminating banner of contemporary theatre.

Rejoice, for NT Live season is upon us! It may be getting colder, but the caliber of performing arts is heating up in the UK for the seventh season running—and there are plenty of performances in the pipeline. Get them into your diary to avoid disappointment (they sell out fast!): Jane Eyre on the 8th December; Les Liaisons Dangereuses from the 28th January; As You Like It from the 25th February; and encore performances for Of Mice and Men (with James Franco and Chris O’Dowd) on the 19th November. Performances will be broadcasted from the Odeon, AMC, and HOME cinemas in Manchester over the coming months.