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Year: 2016

Post-exam beauty hacks

Written by Laura Mills on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Whether you’ve completed all of your deadlines and exams or you’ve still got a few to go, stress can get the better of everyone. When you get stressed, so does your skin, and long hours sat at the computer drinking coffee and eating biscuits can take their toll, leaving it dry, oily, spotty, or just plain old dull. So which ever concern is currently affecting your skin, we’ve got a routine for you.

Cleansing

First things first, put down that foaming cleanser. It’s not doing you any good. Whatever skin type you have, foaming cleansers strip your skin of all their natural moisture, making dry skin drier, oily skin oilier, and spotty skin spottier. Instead, go for a milk such as the Avene Gentle Milk Cleanser, a balm like Clinique’s Take The Day Off Balm, or an oil like Una Brennan’s Vitamin C Cleansing Oil. Showing your skin a little bit of extra love with a really good cleanse will do it wonders.

Photo: Feelunique Photo: Superfacialist

Exfoliating

Stay well away from any type of exfoliator with little beads in it! Although they’re super cheap and it feels like you’re doing a really good job at getting your skin nice and clean, the reality is that you’re probably causing it even more damage. Instead, try an acid exfoliator. They sound a little scary but it’s nothing more than a jazzed up toner. Try using Pixi Glow Tonic or Nip and Fab Glycolic Fix Pads twice a day for glowing skin in no time.

Photo: Liberty Photo: Superdrug

Serums/Oils

Whether you’ve got oily skin or dry skin, oils are a must for repairing damaged skin. One of my favourite oils is the Clarins Face Treatment Oil as they do different versions of the oil depending on what skin type you have. Lotus is suitable for oily and combination skin whereas Blue Orchid is more suited for dry and dehydrated skin. However, if you’re more sensible with your loan, a budget friendly option would be the Body Shop’s Vitamin E Overnight Serum in Oil, which is suitable for most skin types. Oils are great for getting that glow back into your skin that staying up till 4am staring at your essay took away from you.

Photo: John Lewis Photo: The Body Shop

Moisturisers

A step that’s often quite easy to skip when you’re busy, but one that is as crucial as brushing your teeth. French brands like La Roche Posay and Avene have a great selection of moisturisers available for all skin types and are great basic products for getting your skin back on track. For oily skin try the Effaclar range and for dry skin try the Hydraphase range, both from La Roche Posay.

Photo: Boots

Extras

Spots getting you down? Try using a spot gel like the Origins Super Spot Remover on the affected areas overnight. Not only does this help reduce the blemish, it also helps reduce redness and any potential scarring that it may have caused. You’ll be left with blemish free skin and no reminders that you ever had one in the first place. Don’t neglect your lips either; with the cold weather well and truly here, lips can be left chapped, dry, and flaky. Giving them a good scrub with something like Lush Lip Scrub provides a great base for a really nourishing balm and helps take your lips back to their usual post-cold self.

Photo: John Lewis Photo: Lush

There you have it! Some tips to get your skin back in tip top condition just as uni rolls round again.

Review: The Girls

Written by Hannah Foy on . Posted in Theatre.

The Girls, a new musical inspired by Calendar Girls, held its world première at The Lowry this week. Having seen the West End production a fair few years ago, I was intrigued to see how a new take on the same story would be unleashed. I was pleasantly surprised. The music added a new dimension to the tale; it allowed the characters to express their thoughts and feelings in a deeper sense than words alone could convey. It encapsulated the humour and sadness the story managed to conquer, holding and carrying it through the music.

Being a Yorkshire girl across the roses border, The Girls made me feel very patriotic towards my county—the introductory number “Yorkshire” shouting proudly of the dales and fells I call home. It shows the relationship people have with their home, the pride to be a part of the community, and the desire to belong. It is, after all, community spirit alone that triumphs in this story, the daring to stand together, and it’s surprising just what can come of it.

There were the expected sad, delicate numbers that deal with loss, grief and sometimes the denial of death, beautifully written and projected to the audience. Yet alongside great sadness comes great joy. The humour brought by Claire Moor as Chris, whipping her bra off on the fell, and the humiliation by our parents that every teenager goes through is conveyed expertly by the young actors playing Danny, Tommo and Jenny.

The calendar shoot is played brilliantly by all of ‘The Girls’—it was done in elegance, amusement and humour. Yet best of all, I felt the audience were laughing with the nervous characters on stage, impressed and amazed by the bravery the actors put on show. It was tasteful, it was funny, and it entertained the whole audience.

Everything from the stage set, the music, to the actors was brilliant; it deepened my current understanding of The Calendar Girls story, and proves the bravery and determination of one group of ruthless WI girls. It’s an incredible true story, which only heightens the pressure and exposure of the show, a musical that brings more to life then music and words, a story to be shared.

The Girls deserved its standing ovation; make sure to catch this show while you still can. The Girls will also be playing at the Phoenix Theatre early 2017.

Each time I come back

Written by Elena Gibbs on . Posted in News.

You know those sour sweets, or wasabi peas—at first you’re all like “woah, no, no,” and then, as the flavour cools or the heat subsides, your taste buds adjust and you simmer down and think: “Actually, maybe I like this. This feels good. I’ll take another one.”

Earth café is the wasabi pea of NQ eateries. Green and innocent on the outside, and on the inside, a delve into an unknown dimension.

However, that’s where the metaphor ends. Earth café is not filled with mouth-burning horseradish spice—though it retains the element of the unexpected—but a canteen-style self-service counter, for which you require a member of staff to serve you from.

The element of surprise comes from the variation in feature dishes, as well as the manner in which they are served. With a smile, or a look or irritation? It is over the number of fingers on my hand that I have visited the food cave that sits so volcanically under the enlightened space of the Buddhist centre. Part of my so copious attendance is to observe, or hope for, any change in this whimsical mood.

At first I sought to pass off the less than pleased attitude as to a ‘bad day’ or ‘nothing personal’. But, after many a visit, I must conclude that to avoid the disheartening feeling of as though you’re getting in the way, one must act in an unwaveringly friendly and upbeat manner to rouse the staff from their desire to be elsewhere. A remedy can be to strike up conversation, to ask what the best dish on the menu is, but do run the risk of a look of disappointment if you don’t already know how the four item system works. Seven times in, I’m still not entirely sure, but best not to ask.

Though the solution is as simple as a smile, I must add that this does not apply to all of the staff, and reactions change from day to day.

Once the capricious task of deciphering the mood is over, one can enjoy the homely vegan and vegetarian hotpots and stews that are on offer, all served with a rotating range of quinoa, brown rice, roasted parsnips, braised cabbage and optional salad. The food here is what keeps me coming back: Healthy, wholesome and filling; it’s food you don’t have to think about.

There are vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free and generally planet-friendly cakes and brownies available, which are said to be delicious. Though, round one over, it’s really the dining experience that cools the tongue, washes the spirit in a pool of calm, brings the chakras up from the kundalini.

It’s an underground, wooden space with beams and perfectly dim lighting. Little vases of fresh yellow flowers and modestly simple salt and pepper shakers, school canteen style. You help yourself to water, take your plate off your tray, gaze out of the window and breathe in the energy of ancient wisdom that circulates, seeping in from above.

The electric shock of wasabi has dissipated from the air and the slate of your mind is wiped cleaner than before. You leave, opening your eyes to face the bustle of Manchester city centre with a new sense of self, belonging, and realisation. You are one with the earth and its café.

Food: 3.5/5
Value: 3.5/5
Atmosphere: 4/5
Service: 3/5

Review: The Girl Who Broke The Rules

Written by Hope Abbott on . Posted in Books.

If you, like me, spend a large majority of your time watching crime dramas on television, then this is definitely a book for you. I was unsure when I first read the premise—I may have clocked up many hours watching stories like this one acted out, but I’ve never read a crime novel before. I was pleased to discover that I enjoy this genre just as much on paper.

It’s a classic modern crime storyline; the two main characters are a hardy Scandinavian policeman, van den Bergen, and a beautiful young Ph.D. student, George. These characters are dynamic and likable, but they also feel familiar. This makes the book feel a bit formulaic. There’s even a successful doctor-turned-murderer who resides in a mental hospital, flirting with George, the heroine, holding back important clues and generally being very creepy. At one point a suspect is accused of being a Satanist, when suspicious books on the devil and witchcraft are found in his room. At times clichés like this can feel unnecessary, however this isn’t to say that it isn’t enjoyable. Some of them provide a bit of comedy. “Uncle Giuseppe” (real name Derek, who runs the strip club where George works as a cleaner) has a run-in with some real life Mafia. Characters like these pop up so often because they make stories exciting, and it’s not less enjoyable because of this. If you are familiar with the framework, it is actually very satisfying spotting key sentences and sorting the clues from the red herrings. There is something very comforting about solving part of the mystery before the fictional police, although I doubt I would be able to do the same in real life.

The supporting cast of characters are more varied and fun, my favourites being George’s Auntie Sharon, and Derek (as well as running the club, he is also Sharon’s ex). I would have loved to hear more about the story of their relationship. Van den Bergen’s inferiors are depicted like his three rather difficult children. They convince each other to break the rules, then predictably scurry home to tell on each other. A small piece of advice—this isn’t a book to read while you’re eating. There is a small amount of gore, but it’s only surgical. However there is frequent mentions of stomach problems, and quite a lot of vomiting.

You have to concentrate as you start the book as there’s quite a few characters, and the timeline jumps around. Once you are used to it however, the storyline is engaging and easy to follow. The chapters flow into each other, often the first sentence of one harks back to the last of the one before. One of the storylines I enjoyed in particular was the description of a girl living with her very rich but uncaring father and her abusive mother. It contrasts against the rest of the present day action, and makes you keen to find out how she fits into the case.

Amsterdam is one of the main locations, but if you’re hoping for descriptions of beautiful canals and ancient houses, you might be disappointed. As a whole city it doesn’t feature widely. The action mostly takes place in the police station and the red light district. However, this isn’t surprising; George’s area of study is the porn industry. Using the same locations makes the action easier to follow. The subject of refugees is featured, touching on the lengths people have to go to escape horrible situations they find themselves in. Especially topical and relevant at the moment, Riches does a good job of showing how vulnerable people can be after arriving in a country they may not know anything about.

The characters of George and van den Bergen are, despite their familiarity, very sympathetic. They are two people just trying to work out what their relationship is, while at the same time doing their jobs, studying and keeping their families at bay. Van den Bergen is constantly haunted by the memory of his dying father, and George is just recovering from an ordeal she encountered last time she visited Amsterdam. Their genuine care for each other is very touching. Some might find their tiptoeing around and not actually doing much about how they feel about each other frustrating. Nothing much seems to happen, despite them seemingly being in love with each other. The ending is a little too open for my liking. It isn’t happy, which is the right choice, but you are left with quite a few questions as the story closes.

All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable puzzle, with all the hallmarks of a good crime novel, as well as being genuinely thought-provoking. By the end of the book, the varied timeline, and all the entwined characters start to make sense. It turns out that person really knows that person, and was having a relationship with that person, and different characters appear in the background of other perspectives. Like Love Actually, but with murder. And prostitutes.

NOTFORONLINE Mancunion choice: Most anticipated games of 2016

Written by Josh Goldie on . Posted in Games.

Welcome back to the new year. To kick off the first issue of 2016, we in the Games section have decided to inform you all of what games we are looking forward to in this new year. These games span multiple consoles and are of multiple genres but all of them are looking to be awesome games that we definitely think you should play.

The Legend of Zelda U

By Josh Goldie

For every main line, console, or Zelda title, Nintendo always tries to go out of their way to make sure everything is filled with the polish and content you should expect from any AAA title. So when Eiji Aonuma announced last year that the Wii U’s big upcoming Zelda title will be delayed until 2016 I was not surprised. What is surprising is the complete lack of information we have about this game. We do not even have a proper title yet! Being left in the dark like this has left some people uneasy but I see it as a good sign. Nintendo are aiming to make a huge ‘open-world’ Zelda game with this, much like the original game on the NES which was massive for its time. The theme of that game was exploration and discovering everything for yourself and I believe the same will come about from this hotly anticipated title. So going in blind is fully recommended and I am sure that is why Nintendo is so tight-lipped on the title. With the NX looming on the horizon there is no way Nintendo can delay this Wii U title for much longer so look forward to playing Link’s new adventure by the end of this year. That is what I am doing.

Honorable Mentions

Fire Emblem Fates

Genei Ibun Roku ♯FE

 

Mass Effect Andromeda

By Robert Parris

Bioware really raised the stakes with the Mass Effect trilogy, delivering arguably the most epic and unique experience of the previous console generation. Part of my anticipation comes from how they could possibly top the older games considering the shocking and haunting finale the series left on. Little is known about Andromeda so far, other than it will be set long after the events of the original trilogy, and it is powered by the godfather of game engines: Frostbite 3. The under-appreciated multiplayer from Mass Effect 3 will also make a return in some form, and perhaps the biggest revelation of them all; the infamous 6 wheeled Mako will be making a return. Seriously Bioware, please let us use it in multiplayer this time. That would be amazing!

Runners Up:

No Man’s Sky

Crackdown 3

 

XCOM 2

By Saboor Quereshi

XCOM 2 is the big one for me in the near future. The original stole vast amounts of time out of my life and I can’t wait for the sequel. I’m going on holiday this month and most of it will be spent playing this game. Also day 1 mods! The aliens won’t know what hit them.

Runners up:

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

Ratchet and Clank

 

Unravel

By Connor McBride

If anyone was watching E3 last year, this was the game during the EA presentation with that adorably awkward developer brandishing the doll.
Unravel is a physics based puzzle platformer that oozes charm. You play as a yarn doll that has to use string to navigate his way through the world. When I played it at Gamescom 2015 it was a beautiful game with great controls that made me incredibly excited for the finished product. In that theatre of corporate fat cats pedaling Guitar Hero games, it was an incredibly refreshing reprieve. It also has the accolade of being the only EA game I have been legitimately interested in for a while.

Honourable mentions

Firewatch

Slime Rancher

 

Final Fantasy XV

by Stephen Lewis

It’s been seven years since we’ve had a brand new final fantasy game that is not a direct sequel and not an MMO. Final Fantasy XV looks to revitalise the series yet again as has already been seen through the demo of Episode Duscae, with a fresh combat system and incredible graphics. Square Enix has spent years on this game, originally titled Final Fantasy Verses-XIII when it was hinted at years ago, and the results should be nothing short of impressive.

Honourable mentions

Dark Souls 3

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

 

Nights of Azure

by Jasmin Tiyur

As one the biggest fans of RPG’s, I am most looking forward to this game (even more so than Final Fantasy Explorers, believe it or not!) because it is so similar to many of our most beloved, typical MMORPGs. That’s not to say that the game itself will be typical, but it’s always fun to take the stress of “online life” out of gaming and just hack your way through as a single-player with all the worlds, features and battles that we love so much about the online experience!

Honorable Mentions
Final Fantasy Explorers
Assassins Creed Chronicles India

 

Various

By Deven Kara

2016 looks to be a good year for video games so I had a really hard time just narrowing down one game I look forward to. In the end I gave up and I know this is cheating but instead I thought I would mention a handful of games from the upcoming year.

Ubisoft has a lot of great games coming up from a new Far Cry game set in the stone age (Far Cry Primal) to the next Tom Clancy game: The Division. Assassin’s Creed Chronicles is also getting its next two part set in India and Russia. There is still no sign of a mainstream Assassin’s Creed game for next year so these will do well to tide me over. Finally, we got a new South Park game announced last year called South Park – The Fractured But Whole. If it is anywhere near as good as the last one then wee are in for a treat.

Moving away from Ubisoft there are various other sequels like Naughty Dogs Uncharted 4 – A Thief’s End and Mirrors Edge Catalyst that have shown a lot of promise and have kept fans waiting for a very long time. Gears 4 is another hotly anticipated sequel that we have not seen a lot of so far. The release is set for next year so hopefully it does not get a delay cause I want it as soon as possible! The final two games is the indie title No Man’s Sky and Sony’s new IP from Guerrila Games: Horizon Zero Dawn. Both of these games look fantastic from the never-ending universe in the former to an exciting action-RPG that looks to pit man against machines. Whatever your opinion is on these games, 2016 is still looking to be a very exciting year and I just cannot wait.

–

We only just scratched the surface of the great games that will be releasing this year. As a gamer there is plenty to be excited about in 2016 and I hope you all look forward to what this year is going to hold.

Charlie Hebdo’s cartoon is not what you think

Written by Lioui Benhamou on . Posted in Opinion.

Take it from a Frenchman, the Charlie Hebdo cartoon is not what you think.

It is quite rare to hear about something happening in your home country in the news of your host country. It is even rarer for it to happen when the same story is not in the news back home. Yet on Monday I experienced just that in relation to Charlie Hebdo‘s cartoon.

“Have they not learnt their lesson since last year?” and, “would you still condone this kind of freedom of speech?” began the voices of hostility towards the publication.

No, they have not learnt to change their ethos. But yes, I would still condone their right to expression. The new cartoon by Charlie Hebdo is shocking, and thank God it is.

As a French citizen who lives in the UK, I can understand why everyone is shocked by this cartoon. In France we are used to shocking (and funny) art such as this. Satire and caricature is something deeply rooted within our culture. That said, it can be quite disturbing if you are not used to this particular way of thinking about and interpreting what you see.

I am happy to see Charlie Hebdo still being the “bad kids” of journalism because, after what happened a year ago, I was afraid the publication would stop being so impertinent. And yet this cartoon is the proof that Charlie Hebdo is still Charlie Hebdo.

Now, with regards to the cartoon in itself, if you interpret its content as being racist and cruel, appearing to suggest that a child like Aylan Kurdi would have become a sexual harasser because all migrants are like this, then I have bad news for you.

I would argue that the cartoon depicts the famous picture of Aylan to symbolise the brief moment of European unity and solidarity that we shared in grieving over this scene and the crisis it represented, yet also the way this feeling has quickly faded away. It is a nod to the speed with which this unity has been replaced by what made the news lately, the Cologne’s attacks.

Secondly, the connection between this child and those attackers is only made because they are both symbols. Aylan is the symbol of those people who try to escape the war and end up dying at the gates of Europe. Those attackers are becoming a symbol justifying the fear and Islamophobia in Germany and in Europe. The connection made between the two is designed to shock, but mainly to force a reader to think.

The intention is to show how the media are able to shift the perception of the refugees for some people and how some people tend to mix those two visions without too much trouble.

This is not a funny (nor racist) cartoon. It is a cartoon that denounces the situation. Why is it that the cartoon is more shocking and causes more debate than the events themselves? That is the main intent behind the best satirical cartoons.

A good cartoon should hit you like a punch in the face. That is what this cartoon is. When you look at this you are supposed to laugh (if you laugh at all) with a nervous caution.  It should be a nervous laugh because your perceptions are being challenged, and you are being forced to think about how the migrant crisis is reported in the media.

The cartoon does not mock the migrants, but it does mock our society for its racism and hypocritically fickle sensibility. It asks why we are able to generate sadness following a photograph, yet a few months later be able to accuse “the migrants” for the Cologne attacks.

Charlie Hebdo always was a shocking journal and is read by people who are tired of the mainstream media. You do not have to read it. Freedom of expression means that you are free to read and listen to what you want, and accept that people have different sensibilities to those you have.

So if you are a new reader of Charlie Hebdo, I understand why you are shocked. Without the context of the French language article alongside it it does become more complex. I hope that I have been able to shed some light on what Charlie Hebdo‘s type of satirical work tries to achieve, and what the people who work for it aim to incite.

To finish with a quote from Charlie Hebdo cartoonist Hank, “never forget that your eyes are connected to your brain.”

Review: The Revenant

Written by Leah Slater-Radway on . Posted in Film.

At a time when films appear to increasingly rely on CGI and meaningless dialogue to mask otherwise shallow plots, Alejandro González Iñárritu’s
 The Revenant is an experimental masterpiece proving that you don’t need either to captivate an audience. It is a very real and brutal depiction of a classic revenge plot, executed in a way where many directors would have lacked the creative ability to commit to—even when it caused rows, schedule push backs and massively over-anticipated costs.

Based on the true story of mountain man Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio), we follow him on his quest to seek vengeance after being left for dead in the cold, unforgiving—yet seemingly serene and beautiful North American landscape. It must be emphasised as to just how important Iñárritu’s distinctive style of cinematography is to the telling of Glass’s story. The chronologically-shot, one-take, panning effect resurrected from Iñárritu’s previous success in Birdman almost takes you from your position as audience member to a participant in the unfolding events onscreen. The best example of this, is in the film’s opening sequence, where during a high-intensity battle, the camera travels from character to character, adding a layer of empathy—whilst still having the overall gripping action happening at the same time.

As well as this, the stark contrast between the brutal savagery in the various tense fight scenes, amidst the backdrop of such a tranquil, snowy horizon makes for a simply stunning juxtaposition. Such scenes were filmed during just a short two-hour window each day, in natural light so that the audience could have a truly sensory experience of cinematic involvement. Iñárritu’s diligence (despite the frustration this caused the shivering crew and cast) paid off—the arduous nature of the filming is clear and spectacular.

It is testament to both the meticulous direction and high-calibre acting for a film with such strikingly minimal dialogue to succeed at generating such a profound cinematic effect. DiCaprio, though the protagonist, has the least of dialogue in the whole film. Yet through a focus on heavy breathing, desperate grunts and controlled body language, we feel every sense of his frustration, sadness, anger and  determination. Describing the role as his “most challenging yet,” the Oscar nominee went to extreme lengths of method acting to convey the true depth of Glass’s test of endurance—he learnt how to speak various Native American languages; how to shoot a gun; build a fire; and succumbed to eating real raw bison liver in the name of acting—despite having an artificial one made by the crew.

Arguably more central to the story of revenge is complex character, John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy)—the man who leaves Glass for dead. His role seems to almost give the film’s plot a biblical element, and it would not be fair to discuss the triumph of this film without noting Hardy’s persistent faculty to often portray tormented characters with real depth. Combined, the twosome create truly tense fight scenes and a genuine ability for the audience to want Glass to survive, find him and get his revenge.

It would be impossible to discuss The Revenant without referencing to its critical acclaim—it won three Golden Globes last week, and is impressively nominated for 12 Oscars. Iñárritu’s unique style has been a hit with the critics and box office alike, and rightly so. But perhaps more importantly, this film stands the best chance of giving Leonardo DiCaprio the Best Actor accolade that many—including myself—feel the five-time nominee has long deserved. Having been pipped to the post in 2014 for his career-defining role in The Wolf of Wall Street by Matthew McConaughey for Dallas Buyers Club, there is buzz around tinseltown suggesting that this will finally be his year. And as previous winners have shown where high acting standard is a given, success may lie in the personal challenges that the actor is willing to overcome. McConaughey lost an impressive 38 pounds to fulfil his triumphant role, so if DiCaprio cannot sway the Academy Awards of his worthiness by eating raw fish and bison liver, who knows what will.

Overall, The Revenant is an arthouse and meticulously crafted sensory experience that highlights the complexity of human spirit and determination, whilst also proving there is still scope for filmmaking that is both real and non-pandering to the generic prosaic structures prevalent today.

4/5 

KCL investigate violent disruption of Israel event

Written by Charlie Spargo on . Posted in News.

A student event hosted by the Kings College London & LSE Israeli societies had to be stopped and police called after protestors allegedly smashed windows, threw chairs and set off fire alarms.

The emergency services were called after 5pm on Tuesday the 19th of January. Ami Ayalon, former head of the Shin Bet, the Israeli secret service, had been invited to KCL as a guest speaker at an event that over 100 came along to despite the room’s capacity of 56.

According to a Facebook post by co-organiser Esther Endfield, “Protests by KCL action Palestine at this event was inevitable but it was never inevitable that it would turn violent, not to the point that I have just reported being assaulted to the police [sic].”

Other reports by students also confirm that the protest turned violent—windows were smashed and the event had to be evacuated. Two police cars and two vans arrived, along with at least 15 officers to deal with the disturbance.

In a video posted to Facebook (see here), Ayalon struggles to be heard over the ringing fire alarm, as well as banging on the walls and windows and chanting from outside the room. “Attendees inside felt the walls and windows shake as they were struggling to hear the talk, looking genuinely scared for their security. Indeed they had reason to,” commented the student who posted it.

KCL have also been forced to launch an “urgent investigation” after this disruption.

In a statement they said: “Universities create environments in which debate from all sides on issues of political, scientific, moral, ethical and religious significance is possible, and Kings is no exception. The safety of our students, staff and the general public is paramount to us and we are committed to acting as a responsible organisation.

“Professor Ed Byrne, President & Principal, has appointed Ian Creagh, Head of Administration and College Secretary, to conduct an urgent investigation of the events around last night’s talk to establish what happened and what action might need to be taken as a consequence.

“Professor Byrne will also be writing to students to remind them that violent protest is totally unacceptable and that we expect them to be tolerant and respectful of others’ views and opinions.”

A police spokesperson said: “Officers from Westminster are investigating an allegation of assault and criminal damage at a protest.

“Officers attended and found that a small number of those protesting had gained access to the building where they continued their protest. The demonstration concluded at approximately 6.45pm.”

In her post, Endfield asks “What if I hadn’t arranged the 3 campus security guards plus 3 Safe Space Offers [sic] (plus 7 other staff—included KCL and KCLSU staff), what if all the protesters had got into the building, what if they had managed to get into the room and started throwing the chairs at the people inside… what if KCL Action Palestine would have come to event with questions and challenged the speaker in a respectful and peaceful manner…”

Retroactive student loan alteration “disgraceful,” says Martin Lewis

Written by Charlie Spargo on . Posted in News.

Martin Lewis, better known as the MoneySavingExpert, has slammed the government’s decision to retroactively change the terms of student loan repayments, calling the decision to freeze the £21,000 repayment threshold “disgraceful.”

In an open letter to the Prime Minister, dated 12th of January 2016, the founder and editor of the popular blog explained that he had already hired lawyers to look into the legality of this backtracking.“Yet this is as much a moral issue as a legal one,” he says.

“A retrospective change will destroy any trust current a future generations can have in the student finance system, and perhaps… in the political system as a whole.”

The letter comes in a new effort by Lewis to challenge the government’s decision to alter the contracts of thousands of students after they had been signed. He says he hopes that this direct address to David Cameron will make him take a personal interest. There is also a video from November (see here) in which he explains his issues with the decision

Photo: HuffingtonPost

In George Osborne’s November Spending Review, the Chancellor introduced the “back door” change to the terms of agreement that were set during the change to student loans in 2012.

This meant that, where before it was agreed that this threshold would rise in line with average earnings from April 2017, it would be frozen at £21,000 for five years. Therefore, students will pay back £306 a year more in 2020-21 than in 2016-17. At the time, Lewis said, “I’m absolutely spitting teeth over this right now.”

There was even a consultation before the change, but even though only five per cent of respondents were in favour—with 84 per cent against—it was pushed through. “I am confused why, despite such cross-society opposition, your Government pushed through with the retrospective change anyway?” he says in the letter.

The former promise was a key part of information relayed to students on how high their loan repayments would be. In his open letter, Lewis highlights that a commercial lender would never be allowed to change a contract in the same way. “The regulator would never allow [it]… It is therefore surely wrong for the government to do so—retrospective changes have always been seen as bad governance.”

A Department for Business, Innovation & Skills spokesperson said: “Students do not have to pay anything back until they are earning £21,000 and will only pay back nine per cent of earnings above that amount.

“While the economic recovery is underway, graduate earnings haven’t risen as they were expected to and we consulted on the change with the sector and student organisations in the summer.”

Union and university slated for attitudes to free speech

Written by Charlie Spargo on . Posted in News.

In the second year of Spiked magazine’s Free Speech University Rankings (FSUR), Manchester’s rating has dropped to red—banning and actively censoring ideas on campus.

Last year, the University of Manchester standing alone gained a green ranking, while the Students’ Union gained an amber ranking, meaning it has “chilled” free speech through its actions. Put together they gave the institution as a whole amber.

This year, the institution gained a red ranking; the university dropped to amber, seemingly due to its Dignity at Study and Work policy, while the Union dropped to red following a range of high-profile interventions including barring Julie Bindel and Milo Yiannapoulos and the ban of Charlie Hebdo from last year’s Refreshers’ Fair.

It also cites the Union’s safe space policy—in particular that societies or invited speakers may not “promote or recruit to extremist ideologies or groups” and refrain from using “discriminatory language”—and the Student Media Code of Conduct, as Union policies that have earnt it its place as amongst the most censorious.

The 2016 results following a survey of 115 institutions come after the first ever FSURs last year, when 80 per cent of universities were deemed as clamping down on freedom of speech. This number has climbed to 90 per cent, with 14 per cent more universities ranked red than last year—55 per cent compared to 41.

Unsurprisingly after a year of headline-grabbing decisions by UK Students’ Unions, Spiked says that Unions are four times as likely to be ranked red than universities. Only 13 per cent of SUs earned a green ranking—including Hertfordshire and Southampton.

Apparently over the past three academic years, 148 “actions”, defined as “an executive decision that abridges free speech,” have been imposed—125 by Unions, and only 23 by universities. The most common was to ban specific newspapers, for example the ban by many SUs, including Manchester’s, of The Sun.

Amongst the most “ban-happy” amongst institutions, according to Spiked, were Edinburgh, Leeds, and LSE. In fact, 23 out of 24 Russell Group universities (excluding Southampton) received amber or red rankings.

Analysing the results, Spiked found that one in five institutions have Safe Space policies, while 42 per cent have “censorious equality policies.”

A University of Manchester spokesperson said: “The University of Manchester is fundamentally committed to freedom of speech exercised within the law and indeed has a statutory obligation under the Education Act to safeguard the right of free speech on campus in accordance with its Code of Practice.

“Our Dignity at Study and Work policy is unchanged from last year, while the university has facilitated a number of events in recent months where controversial views have been aired in accordance with the code. It is therefore puzzling why our ranking has changed from green to amber in the Spiked survey.”

Naa Acquah, General Secretary of the University of Manchester Students’ Union, said: “The fact that the vast majority of universities are ranked as red shows how fluid the debate on freedom of speech is.

“The two Students’ Union policies which contribute to our red ranking prevent the promotion of views that are: ‘sexist, homophobic, racist, transphobic, disablist or otherwise discriminatory on the basis of a protected characteristic’ and ensure that societies or invited speakers do not ‘promote or recruit to extremist ideologies or groups’ and refrain from using ‘discriminatory language’.

“It is therefore bizarre that Spiked seems to want to support people being able to be openly racially abusive, make homophobic comments and discriminate against people because of ‘free speech’.”

Preview: Mancunion Live

Written by Jennifer Sterne on . Posted in News.

During the first week back this term The Mancunion, in association with the Manchester Media Group, is hosting the first-ever Mancunion Live event on Wednesday, February the 3rd. The event will be held from 7pm in the University of Manchester Students’ Union Council Chambers.

The event will be an opportunity to meet the students who represent each political party on campus, and for the first time witness them go head to head in what will no doubt be a lively debate. It will also be a rare chance to put your questions to them, and learn about how they are working within the national political frame at a student level.

Representatives from all the student political societies will go head to head to debate the key issues facing society and young people today.  The panel members will be from Conservative Future, Manchester Labour Students, UKIP Students, Young Greens and Liberal Youth Manchester.

The event, the first of its kind for the The Mancunion, will follow the style of BBC’s Question Time, with the role of Dimbleby being taken on by our two Features Editors Joe Evans and Liam Kelly.

The panel will tackle the main political issues which have dominated student politics in recent months such as safe space, maintenance grants and junior doctors. They will then also open the discussion up to the topics shaping national political debate such as the EU referendum, responses to terrorism, the housing crisis, intervention in Syria, refugees and each political party’s response to IS.

Students will also have a chance to question the representatives of each student political society in an audience-led question and answer session. The floor will be open to students to respond to anything discussed in the panel debate or for them to raise their own issues, not addressed already by the panel.

In order to secure a place in the audience students should email [email protected] with their name, age, university, course, the political party you would vote for in the event of a general election tomorrow and finally two questions you would like to see addressed by the panel.

You have until January the 28th to apply to join the audience and successful applicants will be contacted after this date.

Fuse TV will be filming the whole event and the footage will be available to view after the night on their YouTube channel.

Full coverage and analysis of the event will also be available on our website and within the following print issue of The Mancunion so be sure to pick up a copy.

Transformer: Bowie the producer

Written by Patrick Grealey on . Posted in Music.

David Bowie was, from his ascension to the starrier heights of fame with 1972’s The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars to his seismic death only days ago, one of the musical world’s most mythical citizens. His influence on so many artists who succeeded him was huge, to the extent that to even state as much is to risk drowning in the tepid pond of cliché, and his achievements earned him the respect of innumerable artists who themselves are well worth eulogizing about.

His Archduke of rock ‘n’ roll stature lent him a suitable measure of power, too, evinced most banally by those stories in which all shades of up-and-comings are approached at haute showbiz soirées by some slightly smug Bowie aide and told that “David would like to meet you”; of course, David always did. More noteworthy are the equally numerous instances where Bowie used his considerable heft to further worthy causes, be it in the form of championing bands like The Pixies and Arcade Fire (wise bets), or haranguing MTV on their short-changing of black artists in the early 80s.

But it was perhaps Bowie’s lending of his musical talents which best exemplifies this generosity, and which had some of the most artistically significant ramifications. In 1972, Bowie, along with Spiders of Mars guitarist Mick Ronson, mucked in with a slightly nowhere Lou Reed to produce Transformer, Reed’s first and weightiest solo success after the ignominious dissolution of The Velvet Underground.

Bowie and Ronson, unlike practically everyone else at the time, had longed admired Reed and the Velvets (our Dave really knew how to pick a winning horse; how right was he, how wrong was the world…), and so it was only fair that they give back as much as they’d been given by New York’s Finest and help Lou to the success he’d always deserved.

Later Bowie did the same for another inspiration and eventual friend, Iggy Pop. Having done a perfunctory EQ job on The Stooges’ 1973 release Raw Power, Bowie later collaborated properly with Iggy on his two 1977 solo efforts The Idiot and Lust For Life. Both albums featured both artists combining their creative clout, with Iggy invariably handling the lyrics and Bowie manning the music, with some give and take each way.

The Idiot could slot into Bowie’s Berlin trilogy without much fuss, while the generally rougher Lust For Life still bares its Bowie-tinged soul on such special songs as ‘Tonight’, a ‘Let’s Dance’-anticipating jive replete with coked-up-choir backing vocals straight from the glorious wail of ‘Heroes”s final surge and Iggy’s best Thin White Duke karaoke job. The pair are widely regarded as Iggy’s best solo efforts; not to detract from him or Reed, but there’s a pattern emerging here…

Bowie’s personal and professional relationships with both Reed and Pop were indicative of the respect his talent demanded and of the loyalty and love that his character invited. Iggy, on the day of David’s death, stated that Bowie’s friendship was the light of his life. With Reed himself having not long passed on, I’d point to one of my favourite interview snippets with the old grouch as supporting evidence of Bowie’s effect on him.

Asked about Bowie’s contribution to Transformer, Reed slides into an uncharacteristically reverent tribute to Bowie’s backing vocals on ‘Satellite of Love’. Reed fiddles at the soundboard as the song’s outro pounds proudly into the studio, paring down the tracks until just Bowie’s overlaid voice parts remain. Reed keeps his comments down to droll “ain’t that great?”, and then he sits and lets it play for another 30 seconds or so, as his silence shows just how sincerely he meant it.

Giving everything away: Blackstar revisited

Written by Patrick Grealey on . Posted in Music.

In the muted wisdom of his august years, David Bowie had relaxed his propensity for the artist-as-art subtext which had always accompanied his music (or was it the other way around?) and instead adopted an antithetical reclusiveness, whereby new releases were casually and unexpectedly slid under the door like an apologetically late Christmas present. It was in this slightly bewildering manner that 2013’s The Next Day was delivered, and, well, just kind of left at that (tour the album? Ha. Pull the other one). It seemed that, having long ago been relieved by generational turnover of the responsibilities of progress and relevance, Bowie was happy to forgo all the time-honoured publicly-lived rockstar nonsense and just play in the corner, grooming his genius for nobody’s benefit or pleasure but his own. Thankfully, we still, every now and then, were deigned to merit a peek at what he’d been up to; unfortunately, his latest creation, Blackstar, has turned out to be his last.

Blackstar, in contrast with the relatively straightforward musicality of The Next Day, is as free as fire and weird as hell. While The Next Day was a thrilling reminder that Bowie could still rock hard and write great tunes, the darker Blackstar cuts straight back to the Bowie bread-and-butter of being disconcertingly original. The title track, which opens the album, is a ten-minute tumble through modal tricks and unsettlingly obscure lyrics that makes ‘The Pyramid Song’ sound like ‘Frere Jacques’, and the supposedly redeeming groove which lurches forth midway through is unable to resist the corrupting influence of the song’s dark gravity, and it ends more perverse than it began, which was pretty damn perverse indeed.

The rest of the album doesn’t dilute the peculiarity of this precedent, and the subsequent six songs strike equally disorienting tones. ”Tis a Pity She’s a Whore’ and ‘Lazarus’ leer unpleasantly, the former with a fervent psychosis and the latter with a depressive languor, and ‘Sue (Or In a Season of Crime)’ and ‘Girl Loves Me’ only deepen the madness. The album’s final two tracks almost don’t manage to restore a semblance of sanity, but the fundamental elegiac sweetness of ‘Dollar Days’ and ‘I Can’t Give Everything Away’ ensure that you’re never completely alienated by the delirium which precedes them.

Indeed, alienation seems to be the overriding effect of the album. The music is a bizarre stylistic stew, the lyrics are sad, lewd, or both, when they aren’t incomprehensible, and Bowie twists and moulds his voice like he hadn’t in years. But no matter how uncomfortable Blackstar makes you feel, ultimately the songs are too engrossing, too morosely fascinating to reject, never mind too artfully wrought. And now, in the context of Bowie’s death, which, as we now know, he knew was coming soon, all this exploratory darkness seems insuperably more brave, more astounding, more heartbreaking.

The previously mysterious lyrics of ‘Lazarus’ are now tragically clear in their morbid meaning, and ‘I Can’t Give Everything Away’, the last song of his last album, seems to lament the dreadful totality of Bowie’s final, most daring artistic project: To die. Insist though he may that he couldn’t give everything away, the world that he’s left infinitely richer behind him will beg to differ.

Bowie in Berlin – the albums from behind the Wall

Written by Elizabeth Rushton on . Posted in Music.

The last few days have seen mourners congregating to pay their respects to David Bowie in his birthplace of Brixton, adopted home of New York, and also at Hauptstraße 155, Berlin, where he lived during an intensely creative period of his career, with one Iggy Pop as his flatmate. Bowie’s former home, to which he relocated in 1976 determined to get clean from cocaine, lies in the district of Schöneberg, the centre of gay life in Berlin. With producers Brian Eno and Tony Visconti, in the setting of the beautiful Hansa Tonstudio, Bowie crafted the albums which became known as the Berlin Trilogy, and are regarded today as among his best.

Low captured Bowie’s struggle to rid himself of his addiction with some of his most emotional work, as well as the killing off of his Thin White Duke persona and glam-rock era that had gone before. “Heroes” is more optimistic, completing his transition to an avant-garde style of rock thriving in Berlin, a beating cosmopolitan heart in the vacuum of the Eastern Bloc. The trilogy ends with Lodger, a gateway record to the poppier work Bowie would go on to do on the outlandish Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps), and with Nile Rodgers on Let’s Dance.

Of course, this all took place in West Berlin—a capitalist enclave bricked off from the Communist world by the Berlin Wall. The instrumentals on Low and “Heroes” tapped into the city’s Zeitgeist with weird, experimental sounds evocative of the Cold War paranoia and the pain wrought by its division. These have had broad influence, from the composer Philip Glass and his symphonies “Low” and “Heroes”, to Joy Division, originally named Warsaw after the Low track ‘Warszawa’.

For many Berliners, it is the title track from “Heroes” which speaks the most to their city. The lyrics tell a classic story of underdog lovers separated by the Wall, longing for the day when they can transcend it all, and indeed be “heroes”. It’s also one of Bowie’s most powerful vocal performances—every howl and yelp speaks of the unbeatable will on both sides of the wall to overcome the divisions keeping them apart. This is even more the case on the version he recorded in German, which I dare you to seek out and try not to be moved.

At a 1987 concert in West Berlin, Bowie’s dedication of the song to all Berliners, including those listening on pirate radio just metres away in the East, added fuel to their fire of longing for freedom and unity within their city. It’s because of this concert that the German government’s thanks to Bowie for “helping to bring down the wall” is no overblown statement. It was an earthquake that shook the foundations of the Wall, even if there’s no evidence indicating the song was on the Politburo’s playlist in the weeks leading up to its fall in 1989.

Today, Berlin still yields many reminders and symbols of its divided past, some of which Bowie referenced in 2013’s ‘Where Are We Now?’. Schöneberg could be set to gain another, with a petition calling for the street where he lived to be renamed in his honour gaining popularity. At his old haunts, and in the shadow of the remains of the Wall at the East Side Gallery, there will always be a part of David Bowie in Berlin.

“To hunt or not to hunt?” – A rebuttal

Written by Mancunion on . Posted in Opinion.

Earlier this month, Colm Lock presented in The Mancunion his arguments for why the 2004 Hunting Act should be repealed. Whilst his arguments are coherent, and admittedly persuasive for some, it is my view that he fails to understand the motive for why people wish the law to be upheld, and why bringing hunting back would not actually reduce the pest problem that farmers have.

Before I launch my rebuttal, I will say that I agree with my adversary that what he describes as “hunt saboteurs” and their actions are not permissible. One injustice does not cancel out another. Furthermore, I would like to clarify what is up for debate here. At this present time, it is clear that the question is whether the 2004 Hunting Act should be repealed or not, and not whether more legislation should be introduced for hunters. The Prime Minister is quoted as saying he has a “firm belief that people should have the freedom to hunt.”

It is beyond doubt that realistically the next development would be repealing the act, rather than further legislation meaning the title of the article is slightly misleading. Perhaps “to hunt with dogs or not to hunt with dogs” is more apt. Finally, if it helps—which I don’t think it does—I am from the countryside, and I have, on occasion, seen a hunt in action.

In his article, he raises the argument that when it comes to laws that only affect a specific group of people, it should be the case that those people decide what they want. However, whilst this is sometimes true, it isn’t always.

Take, for example, Scotland and their decision to leave the United Kingdom, or not. It is obvious that only people living in Scotland should decide this. However, when it comes to moral choices, it is not the case that only those that it would affect most should be allowed to decide. The Hunting Act is definitely a subclass of laws derived from morals, namely that we should prevent the unnecessary cruelty of sentient beings.

When we speak of things which are morally wrong, we do so in an objective sense. That the killing of innocent people is wrong can never be qualified with an ‘unless…’. It just is wrong, no matter if it is part of a tradition of a small subsection of society. In the same way, unnecessary cruelty of sentient beings is wrong should not be qualified with ‘unless we are talking about foxes and hunting’.

Relatedly, it is interesting to see how this compares with whether halal meat should be allowed to be produced in the way it is, or whether it should be regulated or criminalised. People who want production to be halted want it to be regulated or criminalised because they think the unnecessary cruelty of sentient beings is wrong. They need not take religion into consideration as their objection is a moral one, and thus, not open to qualification.

This debate is admittedly more complicated, as those who support halal production due to their religion will argue that it is morally permissible because of this. However, this does not seem to apply to the Hunting Act, unless I missed that verse in the bible where Jesus went hunting with his hounds in the desert for 40 days.

It is now apparent that the argument that only those who are, or would be, most affected by the Hunting Act should decide whether the law is repealed or not cannot be accepted. Morality affects us all. To those who did obey Colm’s request to “sod off,” you may come back now; your views are most welcome.

Secondly, to argue that hunting should be brought back because we have a pest problem is to provide a misdiagnosis. Currently, a form of hunting is allowed and the rules are available on the government’s website. In short, firearms like shotguns, rifles, and others are allowed to be used with the right certification. Political correctness gone mad? See the United States of America for an example of a country that has limited legislation for who can and cannot buy a gun, and consider how that is working for them. Furthermore, dogs are allowed to escort a hunt but cannot actually hunt, and may only help stalk and flush out prey so long as the prey is shot and killed as soon as possible after.

Having clarified what kind of hunting is currently permissible, it remains to be seen how repealing the 2004 Hunting Act would help with the pest problem. What was criminalised then was allowing dogs to maul to death the prey that they caught. If this was to be legalised again, it is not clear how this would help reduce the pest problem more than now. The act of mauling to death an animal takes longer than simply shooting it, so the current laws clearly allow more pests to be killed in a given amount of time then the laws pre-2004.

With this said, it is also unclear why someone who opposes repealing the 2004 Hunting Act necessarily has to choose losing an entire forest over a few thousand deer. Even the most staunch vegan will have to admit that in some developing countries, animals need to be killed in order for societies to eat. In the same way, some deer do need to be killed in order for us to preserve our countryside, and even the biggest animal lover will have to understand this. However, repealing the Hunting Act would not help the efficiency of this task, and in fact would slow the completion down, not to mention the needless suffering the pests would have to endure as several dogs rip apart their flesh.

Finally, it is my intention to make a film where foxes one day rise up and hunt the farmers that previously hunted them. Yes, I want to be complicit in helping them achieve their goals, and to one day live in harmony with them.

Defend the Freedom of Information Act at universities

Written by Charlie Spargo on . Posted in Opinion.

Freedom is information. When groups with power and influence have been shown time and time again to be willing to abuse said power and influence behind closed doors, how can we continue to trust them without some promise of it being brought to the surface?

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 gave us some semblance of an opportunity to hold public authorities, including Parliament, higher education institutions, and the police to account. Clearly, groups are well within their rights to withhold certain information, and they do—it is not possible to invoke FOI for government intelligence, and if collecting the data would take unreasonable effort, bodies can reject the request for information.

In fact, the ball is often in the requested body’s court to cover their own backs as it is a representative of their own who puts together the information, and so names are often redacted—as could be seen when the highest-paid HE employees were revealed by the TaxPayers’ Alliance last year, since many of the most hugely-paid were simply filed as “Unknown”.

Amid the marketisation of Higher Education, we are also now told that the increased influence of shareholders can be used as a reason to exempt an institution from requests for information. People deserve to be able to get their hands on this information about bodies that influence their lives—and do universities not affect the lives of the general public?

At the very least, there are millions of full- and part-time students whose lives are inextricably affected by the actions of universities, so can you deny that they have a right to be able to look into what their institution is doing?

This move will mean that student journalism will become exponentially more difficult, and even mainstream media will be severely hindered. Students, who are some of the most intelligent, creative and politically engaged in society will be left without an avenue to make a real impact on how their institutions work.

Consultation closes at 11:45 tonight, so it seems that our efforts to get universities to change their minds are very much in vain. On the other hand, we can’t let this direct attack on democracy and transparency pass unnoticed.

As Editor-in-chief of The Mancunion I fully stand by Hiran Adhia of The Boar and Connor Woodman of the Warwick Globalist, as well as the Student Publication Association, in condemning Warwick University’s and the Russell Group’s decision to support exempting universities from the Freedom of Information Act. There is a petition here that you can sign to back them too.

Leaked letter shows Warwick supports scrapping Freedom of Information

Written by Charlie Spargo on . Posted in News.

Student journalists at the University of Warwick have seen a leaked version of their university’s Green Paper consultation response, which appears to show the university supporting the move to exempt higher education institutions from the Freedom of Information Act, leading to serious concerns universities will increasingly act in the interests of corporate shareholders and not students.

In an article titled “LEAKED: Warwick wants to scrap Freedom of Information” published jointly in official newspaper The Boar and international relations magazine Warwick Globalist, it was revealed that on page 68 of the leaked response, the university states that, “in our view universities should not remain within the scope of the Freedom of Information Act.”

Its reasoning seems to be based in the interests of stakeholders, “given the diminishing contribution of the public purse to the sustainability of UKHEI [UK Higher Education Institutions].” Apparently, the heavier corporate involvement makes the right for the public to scrutinise what universities are doing “unclear.”

The continual commitment to stakeholders in the letter “provides more evidence that Warwick’s management are increasingly willing to sacrifice the needs of students to that of other corporate ‘stakeholders’,” say the writers of the article.

The ideas set out in the Green Paper, released in November 2015, appear to be intended to make the legal requirements of public institutions similar to those of less regulated private institutions taking an ever-greater role in HE, to create, according to the Paper, a “level playing field.” This, as well as proposals including that a single minister should be able to set tuition fee levels, has caused widespread outcry across HE institutions.

The Freedom of Information Act, passed in 2000, allows access to data in the public interest stored by public institutions. It has been used to break stories such as the expenses scandal, and on a more student- and Manchester-focussed level, revelations of how much investment the University of Manchester holds in fossil fuel companies. It stands as a bastion of transparency, allowing anyone to scrutinise the activities of many powerful groups which have an influence on public life.

Jo Johnson’s Green Paper includes the statement: “The cost to providers of being within the scope of the Freedom of Information Act is estimated at around £10m per year.

“In principle, we want to see all Higher Education providers subject to the same requirements, and wherever possible we are seeking to reduce burdens and deregulate. However, we may wish to consider some exceptions to this general rule if it were in the interest of students and the wider public.”

FOI itself is not without its problems, and the Editors-in-chief of the respective publications, who penned the piece, acknowledge that, if anything, the act should be stricter not more lenient.

“The Freedom of Information Act is by no means perfect; if anything, its remit over higher education ought to be strengthened, rather than eliminated. There are numerous exemptions which are liberally applied—the Times Higher Education Supplement found that only 35% of universities provided all the information they requested.”

Depsite this, they strongly call for the university to retract this support for an exemption from FOI. “To lose it would be an attack on basic democratic rights. Students have a legitimate right to access raw data and information on their university, to understand what decisions are being made—decisions which impact their lives significantly—and how they’re being taken.

“To deny all students, including student journalists, the opportunity to scrutinise and hold the university to account in this way, is to deny them access to the truth. This is something that we strongly condemn.”

However, the deadline for response submissions is today, Friday the 15th of January.

A spokesperson from the University of Warwick said, “the university, and indeed the Russell Group as a whole, has already expressed this view… on the inclusion of universities in the Freedom of Information legislation.

“We have reiterated our view in response to the recent BIS green paper on Higher Education. We are really why our student newspaper is using the word “leaked” in its headline as that Green Paper response is already public [sic]. We have already shared it with our Students’ Union and will be posting it on our web site in full very shortly.

“The reason for simply reiterating this view in our response to the Green Paper is because the Green Paper itself makes reference to possible creation of even more private Higher Education providers who would again be exempt from the FOI legislation.”

They also cite the responses by the Russell Group and Universities UK to consultations on Freedom of Information. The former reads, “[universities] are subject to numerous regulatory requirements on information reporting, including financial health reporting, publication of data on student satisfaction and graduate employment and publication of information on courses of study. The additional responsibilities created by FOI represent an unnecessary burden.”

UUK make a similar claim: “We are concerned that the burden imposed on universities under the Act is increasingly disproportionate to the public interest in the public’s need to know.”

Review: Joy

Written by Elise Gallagher on . Posted in Film.

David O. Russell has created somewhat of a streak yielding varying results. With the proven winning cocktail of Lawrence and Cooper, Russell returns with his latest work—Joy.

Re-working an original script by Annie Mumolo, Joy tells the story of Joy Mangano (Jennifer Lawrence)—divorced, the desperate head of a eccentric household, and the inventor of the Miracle Mop. Also living under her roof is her soap opera-obsessed mother (Virginia Madsen), her father (Robert De Niro), who begrudgingly lives in the basement with Joy’s ex-husband (Édgar Ramírez).

Joy is the third successive piece of work in collaboration with Jennifer Lawrence, who was a mere 22 when she took on her Oscar-winning role in Silver Linings Playbook. The beauty with Lawrence is that she has an ability to project experience beyond her years, yet I was left unimpressed with this latest venture. Admittedly I am a Jennifer Lawrence fan, yet I found her performance in this to be jaded. Whether that simply be because she is playing an overworked single mother of two, I just feel Lawrence could have invested a lot more feeling into her role. Her performance often veered onto satirical, and I still can’t decide whether this was a deliberate move or not.

The narrative of the film uses a combination of flashbacks and fantasy sequences allowing us to see Joy grow from a hopeful and bright young girl to a grim juxtaposition once she hits maturity. One feature I did particularly like was the use of her ‘Mimi’ as the narrator. “Time moves forward, time moves backward, time stands still,” she says as the spectator is thrown between a scene with Joy and her best friend, to the first night she meets her husband, their wedding, and then the downfall.

The relationships between Joy and her best friend Jackie (Dascha Polanco) and her relationship with Mimi (Diane Ladd) are by far the most real within the film. A moment in which involves one of the pairs gathers and holds the emotional response of the audience only to let it slip between its fingers, and continue with the same monotonic rhythm the film set its pace to.

With the heightened intensity and genuine quality of Oscar success Silver Linings Playbook, you’d think Russell would aim to create the same aesthetic within this piece work—sadly, Joy fails to meet the mark.

A modern yet typical rags-to-riches story, Joy explores leaps of faith, betrayal, disappointment, and success. One element which shouldn’t go without note is cinematographer Linus Sandgren’s work. He and Russell find the perfect balance between portraying Joy’s turbulent path whilst matching it with the warmth of opportunity and optimism—the sole concept to the film.

3/5

Live: The Aristocrats

Written by Shaun Carter on . Posted in Music.

Manchester Club Academy

Tuesday, 15th December 2015

Perhaps no better space exists for a musician to demonstrate their technical abilities than in the extant social underground of instrumental progressive rock. No gnarled restrictions upon composition or song length in order to fit into somebody’s radio show; no tight grip on the creative reins—perhaps with The Aristocrats above many instrumental rock bands, this could be a mantra.

Featuring guitarist Guthrie Govan (Asia, Steve Wilson), bassist Bryan Beller (Dethklok, Steve Vai, James LaBrie, and others), and drummer Marco Minnemann (Steve Wilson, Joe Satriani, Paul Gilbert, and more), The Aristocrats took to the stage at 8pm sharp. No supporting act strode forward to excite the largely male, dark-clothed audience (indeed, Bryan Beller later self-deprecatingly asked the ladies of the audience if they were not there because their boyfriends were fans). Of course, this jest was taken in fair taste.

Perhaps the most exciting thing about the 30 minutes between doors opening and gig commencing was the incongruous presence of microphones at each player’s position. Fans waited, their breath bated.

The Aristocrats worked their intricate way through eleven songs, seven from latest album Tres Caballeros (2015), beginning the evening with ‘Stupid 7’. Despite the demands of demonstrating such instrumental prowess, their ability to create abstruse sounds seemed effortless, with Govan’s fingers spending the evening mimicking a spider, spinning a web of 10,000 beautiful sounds.

Before track two began, and before each song following, the band took to their enigmatic microphones, and exercised their eloquence in preluding every song with an anecdote, many of which were coated with humour, with punchlines hitting as tightly as the band’s instrumental cohesion. Govan addressed the audience with the grace of a lord befitting the band’s title, with Beller providing a band-leader sense of direction to the proceedings (including manufacturing an audience-voiced chorus of OHHHs on ‘Smuggler’s Corridor’); and Marco Minnemann teased the band, declaring that in one song he would maintain his drum kit with his right hand, while playing a keyboard interlude with his left—the crowd roared and clapped in awe as he kept his promise.

The track ‘Jack’s Back’ followed a kleptomaniac through quiet, darkly lit musical streets and sudden dashing raids across envisaged soundscapes of wealth, illustrating that lyrics aren’t always required in order to create a story in music. ‘Texas Crazypants’, a song inspired by a strange incident of Bryan Beller’s involving a large truck, an angry woman’s crushed car, and her myriad threatening sisters, thumped into the audience with a guttural bassline and a riff catchy enough to rattle through the listener’s mind; the only disappointment was that fans of the song might have wanted the band to be more self-indulgent, and pay homage to the ‘repeat the same awesome riff that we’ve discovered ten times’ thing, if only for the liberating, nerdgasmic headbanging sensation of recondite entertainment.

Demonstrating their knowledge of obscure history with the track ‘Kentucky Meat Shower’, and their interest in rubber animals joining them on their tour with ‘Pig’s Day Off’, there was no shortage of amusement in between songs. The preludes seemed effective. The crowd were patient and ready to be amused, and perhaps the three to four minutes of band-audience engagement offered a brief respite from the barrage of physical demands upon these three warriors of prog. With each tune, they appeared to grow stronger, sucking on the life of the audience. Marco Minnemann needed only his hands and feet to demonstrate why he has contributed to countless artists’ albums, featured on numerous Drummer Magazine covers, and came runner-up only to the mathematical wonder Mike Mangini in Dream Theater’s 2011 new drummer documentary.

Concluding the evening with ‘Get It Like That’ from their self-titled first album, the band chose to ditch the rigmarole of disappearing pre-encore, and had yet another energetic conversation with an audience desperate for the show to continue before nine final minutes of superhuman displays of fretting and drumming.

The Aristocrats finished, and faced the stage backwards in order to capture the audience in a many-person selfie, before thanking the attendees and departing.

With a quietly concerted resurgence underfoot, The Aristocrats illustrated that they are prepared to play small venues to packed crowds if the sake of the evening is creation and enjoyment—perhaps those two nouns are the real mantra of their rise.

9/10

Live: Superheroes of the Silver Screen

Written by Elise Gallagher on . Posted in Music.

The Hallé Orchestra gave the Bridgewater Hall an evening of cinematic magic with their performance, Superheroes of the Silver Screen.

With just two and a half hours of rehearsal that very morning, conductor Stephen Bell, along with the help of vocalist Dean Collinson, treated the audience to thirteen iconic film scores, making a welcome departure from the countless Christmas concerts which lace the festive season. An orchestra of 90 musicians recreated classics such as Danny Elfman’s Batman Suite, Vangelis’ Chariots of Fire, and my particular favourite, Steiner’s Tara’s Theme from Gone with the Wind.

It is important to note that this was the first ever experience I’ve had of live classical music, and I absolutely loved it. I feel the Hallé Orchestra have been branded with the unfair and highly believed stereotype of only being suitable for those who are educated in music or come from a higher class. Thankfully I was very wrong. I can think of many films which wouldn’t be anything without their scores—without the help of Hans Zimmer, Pirates of the Caribbean wouldn’t have made it to a sequel. Orchestral music is fully ingrained within pop culture in this regard and, by awakening the philistine’s unknown appreciation for it, this concert proved the perfect introduction for the uninitiated.

Joining the orchestra was vocalist Dean Collinson on his Hallé debut, who also performed during the set. A very animated performer, Collinson sang James Bond’s Thunderball and From Russia With Love, as well as ‘I Wanna Be Like You’ from Disney’s The Jungle Book.

It was the perfect concert for film lovers with all composer bases covered, whether that be John Williams, John Barry, or James Horner. Horner’s Apollo 13 added some slight surprise to the performance, with solo trumpeter Gareth Small situated at the very back of the auditorium, adding a spatial quality to the music. Conductor Bell added a few facts to the night’s entertainment, a particularly touching yet ironic note being that James Horner in fact died in a light aircraft crash earlier last year.

The orchestra then granted the audience to an encore. With The Incredibles being one of my favourite films you can imagine my sheer joy when the orchestra erupted the room with a medley of Giacchino’s score for the animated masterpiece. Adding to the excitement, apparently the composer himself was present in the audience.

Stemming from that evening’s entertainment the Hallé Orchestra were hosting an evening of ABBA complete with costumes and four soloists the next night. I only wish I’d got tickets to see that too.

8/10