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Month: February 2017

Top 5: Pre-Summer Warm Ups

Written by Tara Bharadia on . Posted in Music.

We’re on the home straight, we can almost see the summer sun from here and it’s time to start working-out. A couple of reps of this playlist every month and you’ll be summer-ready just in time to hit the beach.

5) ‘For Free’- DJ Khaled (feat. Drake)

There’s nothing like last year’s summer anthem to remind you to get in shape for the mad one you’ll be having this year. But take it light with this one – you don’t want to overdo it.

4) ‘Money Made Me Do It’ – Post Malone (feat. 2 Chainz)

At only 21, Malone is one of the hottest artists in music right now. His light beats and chilled vocals are the perfect accompaniment to your morning run, so get up and go!

3) ‘Let Me Show You How’ – Royal Deluxe

Let Royal Deluxe show you how to get ripped with an intense session of modern jazz. With sounds reminiscent to James Brown, this track will have you up, moving, and out of breath in no time.

2) ‘By Design’ – Kid Cudi (feat. Andre Benjamin)

A collab of Cudi and Andre is what the world has needed for a long time now. This track is just what you need to conjure up motivation for that gym session you’re dreading.

1) ‘Run Up’ – Major Lazer (feat. PartyNextDoor & Nicki Minaj)

Feel the heat with Major Lazer and Nicki doing what they do best. We finally got PND regressing back to his island beats similar to the tracks off his debut album – it’s good to see the mind behind ‘Work’ has found is sound again.

#PogStop

Written by George Green on . Posted in Sport.

Paul Pogba seems to care more about his image rather than the way he performs on the pitch. He signed for Manchester United in the summer for a world record fee of £89 million. Since his arrival, although producing some good moments, has performed below par. Some people think this is due to his off field antics.

He frequently treats us to his rehearsed dance routines through social media, which is embarrassing to say the least. Also, he broadcasts a variety of eccentric haircuts that look slightly odd. It can be said that he’s just trying to have a bit of fun, but what is this achieving?

Some of the people we spoke to this week claim that he’s put too much effort into boosting his franchise. Yes, Pogba is well-known for the dabbing and dancing, but it would be better if he went down in history as a fantastic footballer, not a showman.

However, being in the limelight and having the pressure of the media on your back every day must play a part in all of this — it’s understandable that a popular footballer would want to embrace the fame.

Still, it’s evident that there’s perhaps a lack of discipline in the way he’s being managed. Rio Ferdinand blasted Pogba live on BT Sport this week by saying that he “hasn’t won anything yet” and dancing like this would “never have been allowed under Sir Alex Ferguson”.

There’s a strong argument that sponsors can be held accountable for affecting his image. In the summer of 2015, Adidas struck a £750m sponsorship deal with United, and since 2016, Adidas have made Pogba into a brand and appear to have evolved the trend of #Pogboom. They’ve done this through adverts, mostly of him performing weird dance moves which, to be honest, make him look like he’s got something wrong with him.

It could be said that Adidas have almost brainwashed Pogba into thinking that he’s God’s gift to the footballing world, when in reality, he hasn’t made his mark on the pitch enough to be considered influential at all. He’s done everything to broaden the fan base of his club, but has failed to play well consistently, which is surely the number one priority?

We spoke to Manchester City fan Emptyhad, who said that “some footballers act like they are in a circus”. He then added that it’s their obligation as professionals to “get the job done and bring success to the clubs they represent”.

After asking twenty random yet experienced fans who they thought was the best Premier League midfielder in the last 20 years, seventeen of them said Paul Scholes.

Scholes was the  perfect example of a player dictated football matches, won multiple trophies and received a phenomenal reputation from the footballing world; he wasn’t interested in haircuts or inane dance routines, he just wanted to play. Scholes is the fitting example to use because Pogba has all the attributes to reach this level, but favours theatricality over simplicity.

Admittedly, though, Pogba has helped in providing encouragement for young disadvantaged fans from the Manchester United Foundation, making him a popular figure amongst supporters. Footballers are role models, as a child you always wanted to emulate a Beckham free kick or a Ronaldinho step over — young fans today will instead copy Pogba’s clothing and his dancing, not the way he plays football.

Cristiano Ronaldo is the definition of hard work and dedication to the sport. Even though showing signs of arrogance, Ronaldo can back this up with stellar performances and frequently breaking records. Pogba on the other hand, cannot support his cockiness due to his inconsistency.

Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest footballer to play the game, recently bleached his hair white. Even though it looks like polar bear fur, his image hasn’t affected how much of an outstanding footballer he is week in week out. Pogba bleached his hair and proceeded to get outplayed by Stoke City’s midfield.

There are a number of supporters who criticise his image, calling for the return of the way football used to be, a no-nonsense profession, with players who don’t care about style over substance. It’s obvious that Pogba’s image, in some way, has surpassed the importance of playing football to the best of his ability.

The sad reality is that he’s become a brand, although that’s an obvious statement — his image is very much a part of the player he is, but ultimately, the football should come first.

Gary Neville vs. Arsenal Fans

Written by Jack Ford on . Posted in Sport, Uncategorised.

Gary Neville was completely wrong when he branded an Arsenal fan ‘an idiot’ for holding a banner, after witnessing yet another dire Stamford Bridge performance, telling Arsene Wenger: ‘Enough is enough — time to go.’

While he did seem to sympathise slightly with the fan’s sentiment, saying “obviously the Arsenal fans are disappointed”, he said it was ‘a joke’ to ‘pre-empt’ the defeat by bringing such a banner in before the game. What Neville seemed to forget here was the side’s embarrassing loss to Watford last week, and the rising belief among fans that it truly is ‘time to go’ for Wenger.

Neville claimed “Arsene Wenger doesn’t deserve that”, but why not? If I was an Arsenal fan, supporting one of the biggest teams in the country and paying the highest prices in Europe to do so, I would feel it was reasonable to expect my team to win the Premier League and consistently challenge in Europe. In this respect, regardless of the constraints placed on the side by the move to the Emirates, I would feel I had witnessed Wenger oversee twelve years of failure.

Not only that, it seems the manner of Arsenal’s failure is the same every season. Poor Novembers, not progressing from the Last 16 of the Champions League for 6 years, frequent Stamford Bridge drubbings and an apparent lack of physicality and fight on the pitch must make fans feel they are stuck in Groundhog Day. Arsene Wenger has singularly failed to fix these glaring problems, yet is given year-after-year to repeat them.

It would have been ‘a joke’ for the fan to have not predicted such a capitulation at Stamford Bridge. Arsenal have not won there since 2011, were thrashed 6-0 there in 2014, and before last week’s consolation had not scored there since 2013. Once again, history repeated itself for Wenger’s Arsenal. In fact, the fact he brought the sign showed this wasn’t just a reaction to a derby-day defeat but a display of a long-held dissatisfaction with the direction the club is heading.

That Neville had such a strong, emotive reaction to the sign is particularly surprising when you consider how civil a protest it was. Compared to the equal parts brave and stupid Crystal Palace fan that confronted Damien Delaney on the pitch following their 4-0 drubbing to Sunderland on the same day, this was absolutely civil — and had no effect on the game itself, unlike Blackburn and Blackpool fans throwing tennis balls onto the pitch during their FA Cup tie the previous weekend. This was a fan, who had paid good money to support his team despite having little hope for a positive result, peacefully displaying his dissatisfaction at the man leading his team.

Perhaps Neville, having played his entire career under Alex Ferguson, is particularly sympathetic to Arsene Wenger both as his former manager’s main title-rival for much of his playing career but also as the last Ferguson-style manager in top-flight football.  It may be that Neville’s own managerial experience at Valencia, where he himself was subject to fan protests much harsher than this, has also made him more sympathetic to managers under pressure — and especially appreciative of those who succeed in the job as he did not.

However, I believe the reason I and so many others were so taken aback by Neville’s reaction to the sign have more to do with his lack of understanding of what it means to be a supporter of a football club. Yes, Neville played for his childhood club — a club he loved and served all his career with distinction — and would have felt the heartbreak and disappointment along the way as intensely as any fan, but there is a crucial difference between his experience and that of a fan.

Neville would always know that he could influence his team’s performance, he could have a say in the direction his club was heading, he would never have to resort to protesting at a match to have his grievances heard. Most importantly, Neville has never had the frustration of paying hard-earned money, for many a considerable proportion of their income, to watch the team he loves fail time and time again to meet his expectations. This is why he could not understand the fan’s actions, because he has never been in his shoes.

Alastair Cook and the end of an era

Written by Guy Williams on . Posted in Sport.

Alastair Cook, the England Test captain, resigned from his role last week after four years in charge.  Although he has said that he wishes to continue playing for the foreseeable future, it is in many ways the end of an era.  This may seem like an overstatement. When Rachel moves out of Monica’s apartment in Friends, Monica calls it ‘the end of an era’.  The two debate the meaning of ‘era’.  Rachel thinks that six years is too short a time to be called as such.  Monica, on the other hand, takes a broader view.

For her, an era is not defined according to a specific length of time but rather a ‘significant period’ of time.  In the latter sense, then, an era’s definition takes on a subjective dimension: if the period in question was significant in some way, perhaps emotionally significant, it may be deemed an ‘era’.

Under this broad definition, Alastair Cook’s captaincy tenure was, in hindsight, an era.  It was enormously significant.  The bare facts are that he captained England in 59 Tests, a national record, and of those he won 24, the joint-second highest number after Michael Vaughan (his 22 defeats as captain were also a national record).  In 2012, he became the first captain since David Gower in the 1980s to win a series in India; he triumphed in two home Ashes series wins in 2013 and 2015; and in 2016 won in South Africa, the then top-ranked team in the world.  These are all mighty achievements.

Over and above his successes, however, Cook’s era will be remembered more for the groundwork he laid in preparing the next generation of England cricketers.  Cook’s predecessor as captain, Andrew Strauss, enjoyed an England team at the peak of its powers.  James Anderson, Ian Bell, Matt Prior, Jonathan Trott, Graeme Swann and Kevin Pietersen were either approaching or passing the age of 30, the prime of a cricketer’s career.  When Strauss’ team achieved the top rank in 2011, these players were veterans and had the habit of winning.  By the time Cook became captain in 2012, however, this ageing team was beginning to creak.  It won in India, but fell apart spectacularly the following year.  A fresh start was needed.

Under Cook’s captaincy, many players were introduced.  A fair number of these will enjoy long careers, and one or two may even become England, and perhaps international, greats.  Haseeb Hameed, Keaton Jennings, Jonny Bairstow and Mark Wood have serious potential.  Meanwhile Joe Root (the probable new captain) and Ben Stokes are already world class players.  What’s more, these men are all in their early to mid-twenties and are likely to be around for a long time.  It is possible that only James Anderson, who is 34, and Cook himself, 32, will retire at some point in the next few years.  This allows the next captain to build the team after his own fashion.

If Cook had to contend with several powerful personalities when he first took the job, the next captain has young players whose only desire is to win cricket matches.  The England team of today has an ebullient, carefree attitude which may be down to its youth.  But it is also explained by Cook’s desire to revolutionise its style from dour but relentless to entertaining but lovably naïve.  There is an honesty around English cricket which cannot but be celebrated.

Much of this fresh attitude is down to Cook himself, an utterly decent man. Andrew Flintoff, the former England all-rounder, once said: “When my daughter grows up, if she brought a bloke like Alastair Cook home, I’d high five the wife.”  Off the pitch, Alastair Cook is endearingly old school.  He is not on social media and spends his down time working on the family farm in Essex.  Like the ancient Roman Cincinnatus, who was called from his plough to defend Rome from attack, Cook returns to the farm when off-duty.

It keeps him grounded, he says: “I like perspective and the farm gives you that. Whatever else, come rain or shine, the farmers meet for a beer at the local on a Friday evening. It signs off the week in a communal way that says we take care of our own.”  As captain, Cook was brilliant at ‘taking care of his own’.  Keaton Jennings, who debuted against India in December, said recently that “Cookie was brilliant for me: he was very welcoming, warm, friendly, I suppose caring, in terms of being very aware when I came into the tour of the need to make me feel part of the group immediately.”

Cook’s personal qualities endeared him to the public and his teammates.  He was not a tactical genius like a Michael Vaughan, nor as inspirational as Andrew Strauss.  But his integrity, honesty and sense of duty was unrivalled by previous captains.  When he returns to the playing ranks, a veteran among young guns, these qualities will continue to command respect as both the mark of an old era and the beginning of a new one.

Climbing Mount Fuji overnight

Written by Jack Greeney on . Posted in Lifestyle.

After being fortunate enough to receive one of the Travel Awards given out by the University, I explored Japan for a month last summer. With only a couple of days remaining on my trip, I found myself aboard a coach leaving Tokyo, bound for Mount Fuji. As soon as I stepped foot in Fujikawaguchiko I stopped, stood, and stared at the mountain. Isolated and perfectly formed, it suddenly became obvious why ancient Buddhists considered the cone so divine. I broke my glazed look, trundled down to the town’s lake and stared some more. The temperature was 40°C. In A.M. hours. Burning, backpack burdened, I sat. Even in t-shirt and shorts alone I sweltered. Intending to leave as much weight behind in lockers as possible, and swayed by heat, I decided I needed a light kagoul ready for action and no more. Foregoing the bus, I walked to the mountain station straight from the lake: 26km in total, coiling gradually steeper onwards and upwards. Night had fallen when I arrived, though it was not yet cold. There I met others set to climb. “Shorts? That’s not brave,” I said. “It’s worse in England.”

Mount Fuji fifth station view – Photo: Jack Greeney

Like all clueless characters, I overlooked my foreshadowing of doom and set off. In darkness I needed light, and rooted in my bag to find a Japanese coin had somehow perfectly lodged itself into my torch: useless. It was a good job I’d made friends. The journey began. A stroll soon evolved into a hands-and-knees climb. The higher we reached the colder the winds became, the mountain exposing chills and my own underestimation. I gritted my teeth and shivered my way on upwards. We blindly clung onto jutting mountain edges in fear of the gales throwing us off it. I like to think the monk who first climbed Mount Fuji 1,353 years earlier probably did so with the gift of sight. And longer trousers. Dammit, why hadn’t I worn actual trousers? We huddled at each station, shielding ourselves from relentless wind. We sapped morsels of warmth from doorways of rest houses. Windiest for some time, said one housekeeper. Humoured looks came my way. “I’m fine!” I lied. My shaking limbs didn’t agree.

Passing 3,250m on my way – Photo: Jack Greeney

The view though, we agreed, was unquestionably worth it. Far away, hives of city lights sprawled around themselves. We speculated which city was which. Not long after we entered the clouds, removing all sense of distance from what little sight we had, we rose above and peered over them. Excitement pressed us onward as the climb grew steeper still. Suddenly I placed foot onto carved stone: steps! We raced to the top and waited, early and frozen to the core for it. I sat, knees in shirt, anticipating the sunrise. The only problem was the barrage of thick cloud. Disappointment bred around our group, fearing the famously shy peak would hide the sight we had all come to see. Groans surfaced and despair grew as time drew closer. Then, like a miracle, the clouds blew away with moments to spare and the sun rose. For the first time on that mountain I thanked the wind. Unless you’ve been up there too you’ve never seen anything quite like a Mount Fuji sunrise, soaring from beneath the horizon. People stood completely awestruck.

Fuji sunrise above the clouds – Photo: Jack Greeney Sunrise silhouette on Mount Fuji: Jack Greeney

I was one of them. I stood and gawked for hours, stole myself a small chunk of rock and trampled down the zigzag quicksand of the descent pathway. As light flooded the world the view became simply jaw-dropping: I almost fell down the whole path, unable to take my incredulous eyes away. There are sights from that day that will be etched into my memory for as long as I live. There’s one thing I’ll remember most of all, though. If you’re climbing a mountain: don’t wear shorts.

Volcanic rock above the clouds – Photo: Jack Greeney Descending down the zigzag pathway – Photo: Jack Greeney

The University of Manchester offer three different Travel Awards for students wishing to travel as part of their degree or within vacation periods. Applications for 2016/17 are open now and close in March 2017.

Review: Toni Erdmann

Written by Alasdair Bayman on . Posted in Film.

As 2016 came to a close, one film that was on the lips of numerous esteemed critics was Toni Erdmann. Voted Sight & Sound’s best film of the year, I longed to watch the magazine’s most acclaimed film. Written and directed by Maren Ade, this 3 hour German comedy focuses upon Winifred (Peter Simonischek), a junior school pianist, who adopts the alter ego of Toni Erdmann to prank his 30-year-old daughter, Ines (Sandra Hüller). With a flowing brown wig and a set of decaying yellow teeth, Toni is equipped well to embarrass Ines and her modern working life. Working as an exploration of modern life and its repercussions upon family relationships, the film is not without its poignant moments. It is strangely within the empathetic scenes of Ade’s work that charm you — a stark contrast to its overly long comedic acts.

Visiting his daughter on a surprise birthday lunch, Winifred is taken aback by Ines’ distance and over attachment to her phone which constantly rings with business calls. Working in the dizzy heights of the oil industry in Bucharest, Romania, Ines is the epitome of the hard-working independent woman. Visiting from the city, she makes little effort to engage in human contact with her now-divorced parents. Fathoming her distance, Winifred leaves the surprise party early. When he arrives home, his overly chubby dog has passed away. With this, he decides to surprise his daughter in Bucharest to restore some balance to their relationship.

Arriving in Romania’s capital, it soon becomes clear to Winifred that his daughter is even more religiously attached to her job than he initially thought. Using Toni to sabotage her working life, he does not shy away from intruding upon his daughter’s working and social life. Their first encounter is hilarious in its narrative execution. Working as an accumulation of the opening, Ines’ first encounter with Toni lingers long after the film has finished. The cinematography of Patrick Orth is still and calm within the upper echelons of numerous Romanian Kardashians and Ines’ co-workers. Capturing the hustle and bustle of modern city life, Ade’s film attaches itself upon the diegetic sounds of taxis frantically racing about the city. Through setting this tale in an Eastern European city, Ade creates the impression of sleaziness and overindulgence in Ines’ VIP executive life. One scene that springs to mind on this matter is a scene based in an EDM-based night club. In the relationship of Ines and Winifred, it foregrounds the volatile nature of their ongoing joke — one that is starting to have serious repercussions for both parties.

Numerous emotional moments, such as these, work to deepen this relationship. Over its duration, little comedic moments clearly channel European absurdist work, such as the recent The Lobster. Yet, a climatic nude scene leaves an aftertaste of too much self- knowing and Office-esque awkwardness. It is not that these scenes are not funny: it is that a work’s self-embarrassment has had its day in the sun. Some would claim the verisimilitude of such scenes are the beating heart of the film, but largely its impact is one of tediousness. Although some scenes do indeed drag with this conscious comedy style, moments of affection and sadness are allowed to breathe like their trip to the Romanian oil fields and a glorious Whitney Houston number.

Like a fine wine that needs time to breathe and come up to room temperature, Toni Erdmann will either leave you wanting more — which audiences will get in an American remake with Jack Nicholson and Kirsten Wiig — or want to throw the bottle down the sink. Although I am neither of these categories, I can see the pleasure in such a film.

 

3/5

Poet of the Week: Alle Bloom

Written by Alle Bloom on . Posted in Books.

Alle Bloom is a 2nd year Sociology and Politics Student, she is a performance poet who recently competed with the Manchester team at Uni-Slam and is a member of Young Identity. 

Flowerbeds

I should have known from the dirt under your fingernails where you’d been,
you had the roots of my sisters tangled around your thumb,
i couldn’t see then,
that you were the one who had pulled them from our flowerbed.

the soil beneath my toes had always grounded me,
and though soft petals scarred faded brown around me,
i did not heed their warning,

the shadow you cast made me feel safe,
i made sure i always turned my head to face you,
lest you stop looking at me,
and fell for sweeter rosebuds,

when you wrapped your hands around me,
i could only see that you were pulling me closer,
paid no mind to my leaves as they crushed inside your fist,

you did not give me the same look you gave my sisters,
instead,
recoiled back,
red bloomed on your soft palms,

you do not have the hands of a gardener,

i guess you should’ve learned by now,
though we may look fragile,
some of us have thorns.

How social media is sculpting politics

Written by Joseph Whitfield on . Posted in Opinion.

As of late, a very definitive trend has arisen in politics. Whilst slightly older generations have swung to the right of the political spectrum, the generation of teens and young adults heavily influenced by social media seem to have adopted a left wing agenda. In the Brexit vote, 75 per cent of people between the ages 18 and 24 voted to remain within the European Union, whereas 61 per cent of those older than 65 voted to leave.

Furthermore, it is estimated that voter turnout amongst 18-24 year olds was a mere 36 per cent compared to the 83 per cent of over 65s that voted. Though this trend is not an entirely new phenomena, one explanation of this might be that this newest generation of young voters are inexplicably lazy; they have an unrelenting common goal to be apathetic towards everything and everyone. However, whilst social media outlets such as Twitter and Facebook have populised the nonchalant attitude that all is futile, they have also charged young people to care far more about what’s going on in the world and to react to it accordingly with their own opinion.

Social media now has gifted everyone a voice and a soapbox on which to present their opinions to fellow beings. This has led to an extremely rapid dispersion of ideas — whether they are dangerous, stupid, or brilliant. Suddenly, in every moment, we are presented with something entirely new and exciting. This group of young people is presented with politics, opinions, and bias every day.

This effect is the ‘super-spreading’ principle, a term originally coined for diseases which spread extremely quickly, but also applicable applied to social dynamics. The people with many followers and multiple connections beyond the averages of their peers are ‘super-spreaders’. When these people share ideas, their influence is spread very quickly, especially when super-spreaders interact with others like them.

This effect may be said to be responsible for the recent popularisation of memes. The combination of super-spreaders and memes as a profound impact on youth culture. And, since memes are often politically charged, they are part of the rush of insight and opinion that this generation faces day-to-day through social media. However, there is a somewhat darker side to such memes. A very basic understanding of politics is required to enjoy them, therefore making Wikipedia and the like the primary pool of political research for the younger generation.

Though this is a somewhat banal form of political participation, it has an impact on the the thinking of young people, pushing them to think more about politics, whether they like it or not. With the strong platform of social media outlets, this increased political awareness has led to more general engagement with the issues of the day, as the rising in number of petitions shows. One particularly contemporary petition stands above the rest: the petition to prevent Donald Trump from making a state visit in the UK has over 1.8 million signatures. Since 100,000 is the usual amount of signatures required for the Petitions Committee to debate their subjects, the petition’s ridiculous amount of signatures perfectly  demonstrates the super spreading effect of social media.

However, the current wave of political engagement also has roots in the wider political climate. 2016 was a year of momentous events. Outrage and joy were simultaneously voiced through social media. A tsunami dragged everything in its path with it: those who were once apathetic to politics found themselves swamped by a bombardment of tweets and statuses. The sheer volume of such a social media outpouring was too much to ignore, and hence brought the once-apathetic to express their opinions.

The shock of politics in 2016 has successfully borne new interest and engagement in young people. The problem, however, is that this engagement remains, for the most part, in the glowing corners of social media. Tweets and statuses do not actually count towards polls. If they did, I’m sure the outcome of 2016 would have been entirely different. No Brexit, most certainly no Trump in office. Instead, we might have found Harambe being sworn into office.

What the future holds for political engagement is unclear. The technologies available to us make it easier than ever to spread ideas. Amongst many of their challenges, young people must work against the propaganda of the many racist and offensive groups that exist, whilst not impinging on others when they themselves share their views. One thing is certain in this uncertain world: the future is the clay in our hands!

US imitates China: agressive foreign policy for domestic support

Written by Jack Greeney on . Posted in Opinion.

In its aggressive use of foreign policy, the Republican Government is in turn making an indirect yet powerful impact on domestic affairs, imitating the authoritarian processes that the Chinese Communist Party use to maintain their power over the population and state.

Chaos ensued after an executive order designed to severely restrict Muslim travellers from entering the US was signed into power by President Donald Trump. Protests of thousands of people followed the detention of eleven people who had attempted to enter the country from Iraq and other barred countries at New York’s John F. Kennedy airport.

In 2015, then-Governor Mike Pence tweeted that a state of similar affairs was “offensive and unconstitutional”. However, nodding and applauding along, the Vice-President has clearly changed his public opinion on this matter since his and his party’s unexpected entrance into power. What could be construed as nothing more than a pressured political flip-flop also seems like a cunning political strategy to strengthen Republican control over the White House.

President Trump claimed the move intends to “keep terrorists out” of America. If this is truly the primary objective of the order, then it certainly can be said that, despite its severity, it lacks in rather glaring areas. The seven countries affected by the ban do not encompass many of the largest Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia: the very same countries which have also proved some of the worst sources of terrorism and terrorists in recent years.

Perhaps the real aim of this executive order is exactly what it achieved: to stir up chaos in the US itself. America could be making use of an aggressive line of foreign policy to impact domestic politics, in a similar style to China. Since rejoining the international community and global economy under Deng Xiaoping in the 1980s, China has gone on to take an ‘assertive turn’, escalating territorial disputes and taking tougher stances in diplomatic negotiations, as seen in the Copenhagen Climate Change Talks in 2009.

In militaristic avenues, China insistently claims territory over most of the South China Sea, through which an estimated £2.5 trillion worth of ship-borne trade passes annually: a third of the world’s shipping. An economically vital area for the potential superpower, China is aggressive in its claim over the marginal sea against its rivals, neighbours Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. In doing this, they have reached so far as to ignore and reject the 2016 ruling of a United Nations tribunal against their extensive maritime claims.

This aggression is not merely an act to accrue economics. The Senkaku Islands, an archipelago in the South China Sea controlled by Japan since 1895 after being found to be ‘nobody’s land’, can be considered a case in point. China only launched their claim over the islands once evidence of the possibility of oil reserves surfaced. However, the evidence is uncertain and, even so, the largest of the oil reserves would be relatively tiny given the island’s size.

Beyond any aim to acquire oil, the real primary objective for the Chinese government in this dispute is to stir up nationalist sentiments in their own country to combat a crisis of governmental legitimacy. Given the combative history between the two countries, it is important for the Communist Party to be seen by the population to be fighting Japan over territory, in efforts to motivate Chinese people to rally behind its government and to colour any opposition as unpatriotic.

Chinese nationalism heavily relies on the ‘national humiliation’ of past Japanese invasions, particularly the Second Sino-Japanese War and the bloodthirsty Rape of Nanking. Through their Propaganda Department, the Communist Party convert this anti-Japanese sentiment into pro-Chinese nationalism to maintain public support, presenting themselves as a patriotic force, protective of its people and territory. State propaganda calls the Senkaku Islands ‘Diaoyu’ and says they have always been Chinese.

A protective patriotic force is also exactly how the Republican Party desires to be seen. They too have a crisis of legitimacy: for the 2020 election, having lost the 2016 popular vote tremendously. To maintain their stranglehold on power, Republicans want to rally people against a common ‘enemy’ of foreign countries and people. They know it works: after all, why else would primary voters have responded so well to the promise to “build the wall”? Why else would Trump, fittingly, publicly rail against China’s sea disputes after labelling them “our enemy” throughout his campaign?

This order was intended to be divisive. As the partisan gap grows the political centre ground will vanish, all of which plays into the hands of the Republican Party in their efforts to build support for 2020. Many fear that the attempted imposition of the order risks multiplying foreign radicalisation. A terrorist attack involving Middle Eastern perpetrators would only strengthen the mandate and support of a Republican Party with these policies. For many US politicians, this is all just political strategy. 2016 was lucky: they do not want to leave it down to luck next time.

If President Trump truly does believe that China is the enemy of the United States then he certainly has no qualms with learning from his enemies.

Homeless in Manchester: “It’s nice to see a face”

Written by Harriet Brady on . Posted in Opinion.

During the Christmas holidays, whilst most people ate their body weight in celebration chocolates and spent extortionate amounts on presents, I decided to do something a little different. Teaming up with the charity Crisis, I volunteered for 9 days at a homeless shelter. It wasn’t your typical shelter of serving up soup to a long queue; at Crisis, we had salsa lessons, played football, sang karaoke and simply talked to the residents.

For 9 days, over 150 people who found themselves homeless over Christmas became residents of this shelter. Meanwhile, doctors, opticians, dentists and hairdressers offered up their services to help them. As much as Christmas day was filled with singing and dancing and topped off with a beautifully prepared Christmas dinner, it was extremely disheartening and emotional knowing that these 150 people were warm, safe and full for only 9 days. One resident cried as he told me that “it’s nice to see a face, I only ever see shoes” whilst another said “homelessness isn’t just for Christmas, it happens every day.”

Homelessness is an issue prevalent throughout society, and those who find themselves on the street are often ignored by the mainstream. Even worse, individuals who live on the streets are often blamed for their fate received. After spending Christmas connecting with homeless people, it is clear that their reasons for becoming destitute were not so simple, and that all they wanted was a bit of kindness and to reintegrate back into society.

Years ago, Mother Teresa stated “we think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty.” The issue of homelessness is of vital significance across the globe and it affects all types of people. Homelessness is not confined to certain genetic makeup, religion, race, gender or age, but it can destroy the lives of any human being. The notion of homelessness is burdened with stigma and prejudice and must be emphasised as a serious issue.

The reality of homelessness must be abolished and forever prevented. It is sickening to know that even in the most economically developed countries and the most affluent of cities, people are sleeping on the streets and rooting through bins to find food. “Greater Manchester has more multi-millionaires than anywhere in Britain outside of London, according to new research. There are 375 super-rich individuals living in the region according to financial experts.” (Steve Robson, Manchester Evening News, September 2012).

Now, one would presume that in such an affluent, prosperous and modern city, homelessness would be a nightmare in history or a horrible element of the past, but this is far from the truth. To make matters worse, although one might agree that this should be impossible, it is apparent that the government and its official statistics are hiding the truth and severity of the situation. For example, the official figures in 2015, collected by town halls, showed that the number of homeless people in Greater Manchester streets was 24. But, homeless organisations believe the figure was, and still is, much higher.

An article from The Telegraph states that “research, published jointly by Crisis and the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF), argued that official figures are masking the true scale of the problem.” Daniel Gillard, who has just recently concluded a Manchester Council inquiry on the issue that spoke to dozens of homeless organisations, believes that the number of people sleeping rough in Greater Manchester is six times higher than the official figure (Jennifer Williams, Manchester Evening News, December 2014).

Manchester is renowned for the small community of homeless people known as ‘tent city’. More than 40 homeless people live in tents, sectioned off with ‘gates’ made out of pieces of cardboard. In a world of isolation and alienation, creating a small community and having somewhere to call home, albeit a tent on the side of the road, created some normality for those individuals. However, last year they were evicted from ‘tent city’ as the University of Manchester gained a possession order for the site.

A year on, homelessness is still a significant issue in Manchester. Evicting the homeless from ‘tent city’ did not lead to the community being re-homed or put in temporary accommodation; they simply moved to another street. In order to tackle the issue, more needs to be done.

The root causes of homelessness like drug addiction, alcoholism, abuse, or unemployment, need to be addressed. There are many wonderful charities that have been founded to combat homelessness and offer a helping hand, including societies at the University of Manchester.

Often, all these people want is a kind word, a friendly smile, a cup of tea or a spare cigarette. Get involved with the charities at University or volunteer in a soup kitchen, so that one day homelessness can be eradicated.

 

Bye Bye Bercow

Written by Colm Lock on . Posted in Opinion.

An election is approaching, one that will shape and characterise our politics for the better part of the next decade. The electorate number is just 650 — all members of the House of Commons. This small-scale, but hugely important, election has come about ever since John Bercow announced his decision to leave the post of Speaker after an impressive 8 years in the role. He has been celebrated both inside and outside of the Commons and has been an ardent reformer of Parliament. Some will praise his modernising drive, but I will avidly welcome his departure. To me, he will always be the Speaker who disregarded tradition and procedure in the name of “modernism” and “inclusivity”.

Bercow must be given credit. He has kept a firm control of the chamber during his tenure and has been an ardent supporter of the back benches, giving them the primacy and ability to scrutinise what they lacked. This was especially important in the height of the Blair years, when debate was dominated by the two opposing front benches.

But, Mr Bercow also suffers from an inflated ego. Since he became Speaker, he has relentlessly pursued an agenda that will, he clearly hopes, leaves him remembered as the biggest moderniser the Commons has ever seen. This is likely in the distinct hope that he will go down more favourably in history than his predecessor, The Right Honourable Michael Martin.

However, he has done something that usually is beyond the Speaker’s remit: he has become political. To have taken such action not only sets a dangerous precedent, but it also shows us that, for all we thought of the Speaker, he is no more of a pitiful virtue signalling snob than the likes of Anna Soubry or Yvette Cooper.

While he has correctly stated that there is no automatic right granted to a foreign leader to address Parliament, it is a courtesy that we often grant to our most important allies for its symbolic importance; the Speaker appears to have taken leave of his senses recently. He now appears to believe that we live in a world where he can give the finger to the President of the United States and not expect any retribution or knock-on effects that could prove detrimental to the UK in a post-Brexit world. The President has been shown to have a very delicate ego, one that we should seek to massage and not knock. The Speaker is managing to hurt our foreign policy, over which he has zero authority, with his own personal opinions. He has put his own personal feelings before the good of the country, which to me, demonstrates nothing but the most abject selfishness.

His reasons for blocking Mr Trump have been that the President is “racist, sexist” and so on, but the Speaker clearly has a very short memory. In the past, he has welcomed the Emir of Kuwait, who rules a country which bans homosexuals and Israelis and has a dire record on women’s rights, along with the President of China, whose country isn’t known for its racial tolerance or its respect for the rule of law. The Speaker’s actions are rank hypocrisy, plain and simple.

Furthermore, the Speaker is a man to whom the traditions and processes of Parliament seem to barely matter. With regards to the Trump scandal, he neglected to consult Lord Fowler, the Speaker of the Lords, about his decision. Yet, I am afraid this is not even his greatest offence against the traditions of the house.

During his time as Speaker, he has refused to conform to the dress code of his office, which traditionally consisted of a court dress, a wig and a gold embroidered robe. He has shown his displeasure for this ceremonial garb, opting instead for a simple black gown — seemingly without care as to whether or not he upholds the traditions and procedures which he is expected to protect and steward.

He committed another great offence last week when he decreed that the clerks of the House of Commons will no longer be obliged to wear wigs or court dress. With a single decision, he has cast aside centuries of tradition. What was his reason you ask? To make Parliament “less stuffy”. Any country would wish to have these valuable traditions; they’re upheld in the mother of all parliaments. The Commons and the Lords have governed this sceptered Isle ever since the Act of Union in 1707, and 300 years of unbroken democracy and tradition are what has kept Britain stable and made it what it is today. We are not continentals! We do not cast aside our past because some of it doesn’t quite fit with the world of today. We embrace it. It is all part of our unwritten constitution and part of what makes this country great.

His imminent departure would be most welcome. It is high time he took his radical ideas to the back benches where he can mutter to himself about the superiority his unnecessary reforms. But do not worry, for all is not lost; The Honour Jacob Rees-Mogg is being tipped as the likely favourite to succeed Mr Bercow. If this comes to fruition and Rees-Mogg is invested into one of the greatest offices in the land, the House’s traditions and the dignity will be restored. What a glorious thought.

LGBT History Month: Blood Donation

Written by Michael Petch on . Posted in Opinion.

February is LGBT history month, but with the recent growth of LGBT rights, many are asking why we still need a month dedicated to LGBT people. Hopefully, throughout this series, by examining the experiences that LGBT people face, I will be able to argue why LGBT history month matters.

On the 8th of February, I donated blood at the Plymouth Grove Centre in Manchester. It is a place I am sure many students walk past without even considering what goes on inside. I rang up on the phone and booked my appointment, which only took a few minutes. The day arrived and my appointment was over and done with relatively quickly. They made me fill out a form, offered me a drink, tested my iron levels and within minutes, I was laid down in the chair donating blood.

Overall, it was a positive experience. The staff were friendly and it was great hearing the stories of people who had donated blood. So many had been donating because their family and friends had previously needed blood, and they wanted to help someone in the same situation. I cannot recommend this process more, it is easy and is instantly gratifying.

The only grievance I have is that as a gay man, I was not able to be myself truthfully. Gay and bisexual men have to either lie about their identity or abstain from any kind of sexual contact with other men for 12 months, with or without condoms. Either way, it is a compromise of who we are. It makes dishonesty a necessity in one instance, which then adds weight to the cultural belief that LGBT people are deceitful, as mentioned in my previous article about coming out.

While other donors were openly talking with the nurse about their wife and boyfriend, I could not talk about mine. The stigma surrounding gay men donating blood made me feel as though I should be ashamed of my sexuality and that it is in some way unclear — a feeling I have not had for a long time.

Abstaining is equally unfair. In order to be fully sure I was safe to donate, and also to understand the personal impact of abstaining, I did go through with it. This process obviously makes forming relationships harder. Because of the culture of gay men and students, most people I would be likely to talk to are not prepared to stick around and wait for me when there is someone else willing to do more for them. Luckily, when I met my current boyfriend, he was understanding and patient about this.

With no one to romantically engage with for a long time, I became very bored and lonely. As such I found myself drinking more which led to weight gain (not aided by the alluring call of drunk food). This worsened my self image and ultimately had a profound impact on my mood.

Perhaps the most frustrating part of this law is that it does not even really make sense. Instead, it is a hangover from the AIDs crisis, which still leaves people in fear of gay blood. By putting a blanket ban on all gay men, it actively victimises all gay people rather than preventing donations from those who engage in risky sex, gay or straight.

It is foolish and dangerous to deny that HIV and hepatitis rates are higher among gay and bisexual men, but 12 months of no sex, even when condoms are used, is unnecessary. I have been vaccinated against Hepatitis A and B as part of travel vaccines, as many other people have been. These things should be assessed on a case by case basis, with a general rule that any person who has had unprotected sex within the past three months be questioned further. In fact, they already question donors in a consultation room, so this will not take up any new resources.

Any gay or bisexual man who has received a HIV negative result after not engaging in unprotected sex for three months with any new sexual partners should be able to donate. The current laws exclude monogamous homosexual couples who are both aware of their HIV negative status and gay and bisexual men who practise safe sex, as these do not fit the stereotype of the promiscuous and dangerous gay man.

Perhaps the inconvenient truth is that the NHS has said that they do not need the number of donors to increase significantly. Neil Simms, Senior Marketing Co-ordinator for donor centres in the north, said that due to increased efficiencies of procedures, less blood is needed. Currently, about 3-4 per cent of the eligible population donates blood, and Simms revealed to me on the phone that if this increased to 10 per cent it would in fact be too much. As the NHS does not need a huge increase in the number of donations of blood, there is no need to challenge their stigmatisation of gay and bisexual men.

All the issues raised in this article are why LGBT history month still matters. It reminds us that we still face judgement based on the issues of our past, and that we must work hard to dispel the social stigmas that are held against us.

Sundance Film Festival 2017 highlights

Written by Eloïse Wright on . Posted in Film.

The Sundance Film Festival came to a close at the end of January, leaving us with a selection of innovative content to keep a lookout for over the upcoming months. Three films stood out to me as particularly interesting in relation to the cast, plotlines and quality. Independent film festivals such as Sundance are vital to help the smaller budget films gain a larger audience.

A main attraction of the festival was the emotionally fraught Golden Exits directed by Alex Ross Perry, a film about ties and connections, about unvoiced feelings and forbidden desires that silently dismantle relationships.

Nick (Adam Horovitz) has established a monotonous daily life for himself and his wife in Brooklyn, where he works long hours on a case for his father-in-law. As he does every year, he employs a temporary assistant for the season. Young and alluring fresh faced Naomi (Emily Browning) arrives from Australia into this foreign city, consequently filling the role Nick required, and despite himself, becoming the subject of his fantasies. The only other familiar face she knows in the city is a loose family connection to Buddy (Jason Schwartzman), a record producer who lives in the same small area of Brooklyn. For the little time she is around, her effect on Nick and Buddy seeps into their respective relationships, weaving uncomfortable ties between them and wrecking the fragile balance of their lives.
Golden Exits doesn’t have a great deal of dialogue, as most of the action is happening below the surface. The unstated angst, desire, suspicion, frustration and emotional distress is instead conveyed through Keegan Dewitt’s musical score.
This film will probably not be a commercial success, but a definite mark of Alex Ross Perry’s talent as an auteur.

The next movie worth bringing attention to is Dee Rees’ Mudbound — a thought-provoking and moving story of two families in racially divided Mississippi.

Set during World War II, the film features Jason Clarke and Carey Mulligan as Henry and Laura McAllan, who with their very last savings have purchased a parcel of land to work. Sharecropping on the same land are Hap and Florence Jackson (brilliantly performed by Rob Morgan and Mary J. Blige), who are struggling to make sense of this new-found freedom lacking equal rights. This is exaggerated by them having to deal with constant aggravation and racism, with Henry’s father also indulging in the obscenities (Breaking Bad’s Jonathan Banks). What distinguishes the film from others in its genre is how it depicts the military experiences of Henry’s brother (Garrett Hedlund) and Hap’s son, Ronsel (Jason Mitchell). Both characters end up serving in World War II, which forces them to step outside the common mindset of class and race of the deep South in particular. Returning home, the concavity and shallowness of racism has never been so blatant, as they are now aware of the disease that riddles America.

Refreshing in its simplicity, Luca Guadagnino (A Bigger Splash) has conjured up an instant classic for Sundance this year, entitled Call Me By Your Name.

The setting is the summer of 1983, Northern Italy, and the 17-year-old Italian-American Elio Perlman (Timothée Chalamet) spends his days lazily transcribing music and flirting with his friend Marzia (Esther Garrel) in his family’s 17th century villa. Soon into the film, Oliver (The Birth of a Nation’s Armie Hammer), a charming 24-year-old American working on his doctorate arrives as the annual summer intern assigned to aide Elio’s father (Michael Stuhlbarg), a renowned professor specializing in Greco-Roman culture. Amidst the sun-drenched splendour of this sensual setting, Elio and Oliver discover their mutual desire, the effects of which will be profoundly life-altering.

These films are but a selection of many from the Sundance Film Festival of 2017, but are of such an emotional maturity and impact that I suspect we will be hearing much more about them in the months to come.

Vintage beauty – not just for the elite

Written by Kitty Mitchell Turner on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Vintage beauty is one of those looks I have always associated with unattainable flawlessness. The china doll skin and perfectly sculpted curls often seen on the likes of Dita Von Teese, burlesque dancers, and in stylised TV dramas always look like such a work of art that I couldn’t imagine them on the likes of me. A person who tends to take a more slapdash, hope-for-the-best approach to my appearance.

However vintage style amongst celebrities and on the red carpet has always been evident and its influence seems to be increasing, whether it be a modern twist, full blown 40s style or just a nod in that direction. I began to think if these people are managing it (let alone the ladies of the 1940s who produced this look, without half of the beauty items we now have, every day) then maybe mere mortals such as myself could delve into the art of vintage beauty. So you can imagine my delight when Bethany and Simon at The Vintage Beauty Parlour in Chorlton invited me to take part in a complete vintage makeover experience.

When I arrived with Frankie, my friend and photographer for the day, I thought we’d taken a Tardis there rather than an Uber. The salon had this beautiful old Hollywood look, complete with a black and white tiled floor and Hollywood bulb mirrors. I was presented with a huge book full of hair and makeup styles, and after um-ing and ah-ing for a while I chose the looks I liked and Bethany set to work.

Frankie and I spent most of that morning with our mouths open. Frankie was totally taken aback by Bethany’s talent and the beauty of the parlour (she is an architect student after all) and I was drooling over Bethany’s make-up collection and her unending knowledge. I felt quite inadequate really, learning about how Bethany brushes shoulders and kabuki brushes with famous burlesque dancers, working on sets and even styling Dita Von Teese herself. Add that to her list of awards like the National Vintage Award and publishing her own step-by-step book, you can safely assume I was awestruck.

But what I really took away from the experience, more than anything else, was how accessible vintage beauty really is. It really isn’t the elite, all-or-nothing style like I initially thought, and so it is no wonder that its popularity is continuing to increase. While I’ll admit I spent just over two hours in the chair being completely made up, it has been easy to introduce elements of the look into everyday life; big winged eyeliner, pale foundation and pink blusher have definitely made an appearance in my day to day look since my vintage experience.

So even if you, like me, have perhaps thought that vintage beauty wouldn’t go with your look or that it is too time consuming and complicated – think again! Or if you’ve never considered it as something you’d be interested in, here’s your chance. There is a whole world out there consisting of Youtube channels, books, websites and even how-to classes like those run by Bethany that all provide a more comprehensive understanding of what vintage beauty really means. The thing I have fallen in love with most about vintage beauty is how much you can make it your own, and do as much (or as little) as you like. It is a world that Bethany and Simon opened up to me and one I definitely want to learn more about.

If you want to learn more about The Vintage Beauty Parlour and the services they offer, you can find ‘The Vintage Beauty Parlour’ on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube. As well as at: www.bethanyjanedavis.com

Bethany’s book Vintage hair Styles of the 1940s is available from the salon and online, and is a totally comprehensive guide on how to style your hair vintage. It’s a purchase I cannot wait to make!

John Hyatt: Rock Art

Written by Isabel Oldman on . Posted in Arts.

The forefront of this season’s exhibition series at HOME Manchester is John Hyatt’s punk and musically inspired Rock Art.  Once a member of Post-punk outfit The Three Johns, Hyatt’s show is a small collection of visual art and mixed media pieces. The art itself is a precursor to the main event, a live show each Friday in the exhibition’s own pop-up nightclub, Club Big.

I attended the exhibition’s opening night, which featured the musical talents of various local acts. The audience — many of whom seemed to be existing fans — got to witness a one-off performance by John singing with his old band. The live performance aspect of the night seemed to go down well, but for me, this part of the exhibition highlighted the overriding theme of self-indulgence that littered the rest of the exhibition.

The artwork itself was plethora of odes to Hyatt’s personal career. One of the most prominent pieces in the showroom, entitled The Collection, was a red, polka-dot, walk-in box containing the artist’s comic collection which visitors were welcome to borrow and read. These —  alongside the new and exclusive Three John’s album which could be listened to in the Reading Room —  might be enjoyable for a major fan of his life and work, but for a casual spectator the whole thing gave off a noticeable sense of self-promotion.

The running theme of personal exploration was also present in his video based instillation, Brainbox and Three Wishes. Brainbox is the first of the two and shows ‘a version of the artist as an academic… discussing how the human brain functions’. As the name implies, Hyatt’s depiction of himself is unnecessarily grandiose and self-celebratory and this is not remedied in his second visual piece in which the product of the artist’s ‘experiments’ with sound-waves are inadequately presented and have little impact.

The parts of the exhibit which showcase musical creativity seem to be its redeeming feature but any attempt at making local musicians the heart of the show was undermined by the fact that he was his own headline act and that the gift-shop sold only his own merchandise. If you ignore The Anticipation which was a rope barrier at the entrance of Club Big, the night itself provided an excellent opportunity for visitors to see free live music and for artists to showcase their talents. The addition of the live acts created a lively atmosphere of togetherness, which, in my opinion, was far more worthwhile than the artworks themselves.

Second Oscar nomination for Orlando von Einsiedel

Written by Eliza Slawther on . Posted in Film, News, Uncategorised.

Orlando von Einsiedel is a director, producer and writer who is most well-known for his short documentaries. His 2014 documentary, Virunga, was his first Oscar nomination. The film was the tenth Netflix original documentary ever made, and it explored the last of the mountain gorillas in the Virunga National Park. Orlando is also known for his 2012 film Aisha’s Song, a documentary which follows Aisha Sani Abdullahi and her life in Nigeria.

Orlando’s latest nomination, however, is for his documentary The White Helmets, a 40 minute film which shows the volunteer rescue workers in Syria risking their lives to save the civilian victims trapped under debris and rubble in the bomb-stricken country. The White Helmets has received very high critical acclaim, with Julia Raeside describing it as “a film you need to see to begin to understand day-to-day life in war-torn Syria”, and Jack Moore describing The White Helmets as “also succeed[ing] in the delicate balancing act of impartiality.”

It is, it seems, this impartiality which makes the Orlando’s documentary such an informative and poignant glance into the war-stricken country. The film completely avoids dehumanising the Syrian people in order to show the politics behind the war, and instead focuses on the lives of the individuals and the devastation that surrounds them. Simple shots of a father and son playing with a bicycle helmet, with the father’s voice over describing the importance of family to him, are not commercial or being used to evoke a false sense of empathy from the viewer. Instead it reminds the viewer that The White Helmets and their families, friends and other Syrian civilians are ordinary people with real lives and personalities caught up in conflict and crisis. It is all to easy to analyse the political aspects of war, and forget about those who instead are only focusing on day-to-day survival.

More information about Orlando’s university course and The University of Manchester in general can be found on the University website.

Academics in higher education are told to act like diplomats

Written by Shivani Kaura on . Posted in News.

David Richardson, Vice-Chancellor at the University of East Anglia, has said that scholars need to use academic networks as “diplomatic networks to bring soft power to bear on politicians” during the Economic Policy Group’s Innovation Conference in London this year.

Richardson stated that, “in addition to being academics and pursuing their research and research questions, they are actually also diplomats.”

They cannot simply be satisfied with presenting results without substantive discussion, as their discoveries may “not be self-evident to others” and be subject to “pushback”.

Professor Richardson said the university significantly damaged its reputation after the leak of emails by the Climatic Research Unit, who breached the concept of the Freedom of Information Act and deleted key evidence about investigations discussing results about man-made global warming to show data which aligned with its research. The Telegraph labelled the affair, which has come to be known as ‘Climategate’, the “worst scientific scandal of our generation”.

At a recent summit for Global Education at the Presidency University in India, Richardson also told those present that we are living in a “post-truth age [after Brexit] and we need to show politicians and the public how it is that we enrich not only teaching and research but also the cultural and social fabric of the communities we work in.”

According to Richardson, the problem UK universities are currently facing is the failure to acknowledge “working in a ‘post-truth’ environment”. The EU Referendum has caused academics to believe they are elite members of society and “scholars must think about how they’re going to portray hard work and get people to recognise the worth of it as they push back”.

The value of academic and student research is highly commended in the UK by many leading figures, however, Professor Richardson believes in order to value the efforts made, academics must recognise their responsibility as diplomats to have an impact in modern-day politics.

Smokers have 72 per cent risk of fatal lung disease

Written by Serena Holloway on . Posted in News, Science & Tech.

This month, it was revealed that some smokers have a 72 per cent chance of developing a fatal lung disease.

A recent study, published in the journal Nature Genetics, found that certain members of the population are at a higher risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases (COPD), including bronchitis or emphysema.

Scientists studied 2.4 million genetic differences in 350,000 people across 13 different countries, and discovered that the most susceptible individuals were 3.7 times more likely to develop COPD within their lifetime. Out of 100 smokers within this high genetic risk group, 72 per cent will go on to develop COPD.

COPD currently affects 3 million people in the UK and costs the NHS more than £800m a year. Its symptoms include breathlessness, a persistent chesty cough, and frequent chest infections. There is currently no cure for COPD.

However, results from the study have revealed several drug targets that could be used for its treatment in the future. Professor Ian Hall told The Independent: “The study [has allowed us to] understand the mechanisms which underlie disease risk, which in turn will provide a stimulus for drug development.”

Smoking is the main cause of COPD, as well as many other diseases. Despite increased public awareness of the associated health risks, the NHS report that almost a quarter of 16-34 year olds are smokers, compared to just 11 per cent of those aged over 60 years. An individual’s level of education is also thought to play a factor in the likelihood of smoking – those with a degree are least likely to smoke at just 9 per cent compared to 19 per cent overall.

But when the risks to health are so high, why do so many students smoke at all? Lev, a 21-year-old engineering student at the University of Manchester, said: “I know that smoking is bad for me and that I probably shouldn’t do it, but it’s a habit that I enjoy and I find it an important stress reliever.”

His friend, 23-year-old Maths student, George, agrees: “I personally started smoking socially when I was out drinking with friends, and then it just developed into a habit. I smoke now to de-stress, especially at work and university.”

Researchers of the study found that by stopping smoking in early adulthood, smokers within the high-risk group could reduce their chances of developing COPD by half. On this, George said: “I worry about the effects of smoking and I keep telling myself I’ll quit after uni, but I know it’s going to be harder than I think. If I knew I had a higher risk of developing COPD, I probably quit right away.”

It is this notion that Professor Martin Tobin believes will persuade some smokers to quit, and says that “information [from this study can be used] in prevention, such as for targeting smoking cessation services.”

Last year, the Government took drastic action to reduce the number of smokers in the UK. New laws ordered cigarettes and tobacco to be sold in standardised plain packaging, and for pictures of the harmful effects of smoking to cover at least 65 per cent of the box. It is believed that removing all branding from packs of cigarettes will make smoking less attractive for individuals, preventing more people from picking up the habit.

The perennial trend: corsets

Written by Talia Lee-Skudder on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

With its origins tracing back some five hundred years, the corset has been the ultimate tool for creating the hourglass silhouette for generations of women.

Whilst in the 16th Century the corset was designed to disguise a woman’s curves through compressing the stomach and breasts, by the 17th Century the corset was being used to create the hourglass figure. The design changed and instead of disguising womanly curves, corsets were used to slim a woman’s waist and elevate the breasts therefore resembling the desired look that many continue to seek today.

Even during the mid 19th century the trend continued and corsets were being used to give women the ‘S’ shaped silhouette. What made these women endure years of discomfort just so that they could achieve the ‘perfect’ hourglass figure and from where did this definition of perfection originate? Despite warnings from physicians about the dangers of corsets, the trend persisted for many years. It is known that women often struggled for breath and even fainted due to the restrictive nature of the corset. Who can forget the scene in Pirates of the Caribbean when Keira Knightley plunges into the sea after fainting because she could not catch her breath?

Whilst this was a scene was emphasised for cinematic satisfaction, the threat posed by the wearing of corsets was real, yet the related health issues were not enough to deter women from this popular style. Whilst nowadays women are willing to go under the knife or try extreme diets in the quest for body perfection, it seems that this is not a new a trend and as for centuries women have compromised their health in order to achieve what is believed to be ‘perfection’.

Over the years, the stiff and restrictive nature of the corset became more relaxed and by the beginning of World War 1 it was not mandatory for a woman to wear a corset.

By the 1920s when the straight, waist-less dresses of flappers were all the rage the necessity of a corset diminished and was replaced by a girdle and a bra and this became the trend for much of the 30s and 40s.

By the early 1950s, we see a return to the popular style created by corsets with Christian Dior’s post-war collection that once again placed emphasis on the small waist. Dior’s designs were an effort to revive the once booming Parisian fashion industry. The collection accented the allure of the female body with cinched waists and full skirts, bringing femininity back to womenswear. This flirtation with the style made popular by the corset was relatively short-lived and the swinging sixties brought with it mini-skirts and shift dresses.

For the years that followed, the corset seemed to have taken a back seat until Madonna made her debut in Jean Paul Gaultier’s corseted bodice for her ‘Blonde Ambition’ tour. The coned bra is now synonymous with Madonna and Gaultier.  Although the corset experienced a brief revival thanks to the two, it was short-lived and the desired figure for women was that of the supermodels of the moment: Claudia, Christy, and Naomi.

The cinched waist was out and super slim was in. This trend continued into the noughties with the likes of Kate Moss being the cover girl for the ideal figure of the moment. This look was just as unattainable as the hourglass figure promoted by the popularity of corsets, yet it prevailed for a number of years and became the ultimate body goal for women.

It is only in the past couple of years that we have seen the hourglass figure make its way back into the spotlight. Thanks to the Kardashian-Jenner clan, who shamelessly promote waist trainers, the look favoured during the 17th century is once again the sought after silhouette of present day.

The promotion of the waist trainer by said celebrities is further endorsement of the hourglass figure, with these women claiming that this product will be the answer to the current search for body perfection. The waist trainer most obviously resembles a corset; it is incredibly tight yet without the inclusion of steel stiffeners sewn into the lining, however it is still likely to pose health threats if worn for a long period of time.

Women are still willing to put themselves at great discomfort to attain the ideal body shape and adhere to the fashion of the moment. Centuries later, we are still obsessed with the allure of the corset and the effect it creates because we are told that this is what equals beauty. Over the years, the corset has been inspiration for designers who have incorporated them into their collections with great success and even today bodice style tops are widely available on the high street. These designs are simply intended for fashion purposes, they are not attempting to alter our figures. The issue lies with the popularity of the waist trainer, a replica of the corset of earlier centuries, and what this demonstrates about what is expected of women and the idea that they must alter their figures.

Embrace the fifties style silhouette and take inspiration from Gaultier circa 1980, but with the popularity of the hourglass figure once again reaching prominence, let’s avoid the threat of fainting a la Keira Knightley and instead love the figures that we have.

Review: Santa Clarita Diet

Written by Myriam Raso on . Posted in Film.

The new Netflix series starring Drew Barrymore is a wonderful new addition to the TV series that Netflix has invested in. A typical suburban American family of realtors find themselves in a spot of trouble when Sheila (Drew Barrymore) finds herself craving raw meat and having no heartbeat.

On a typical day in the life of the Hammonds as they show an off a new house on the market, Sheila finds herself profusely vomiting all over the living room floor with her clients standing right beside her all over then fresh cream carpet. Quietly excusing her self to the bathroom she is left vomiting her guts up, literally. When she arrives home she realises that her heart has no pulse, her blood is a thick tar-like substance and all she wants to eat is raw hamburger. The undead becomes completely driven by their ‘Id’ and Sheila changes from this boring woman stuck in her ways to an outgoing, crazy lady who does whatever she desires whenever she wants to.

Obviously, these are not normal symptoms for a human and they are well aware that if she was to visit someone for professional help they would laugh in her face or lock her away to do crazy tests and experiments on her. Left with no choice, they visit the neighbour’s son, a young boy with a keen interest in the supernatural. You can probably guess what the diagnosis is, no heart beat, no blood and a taste for raw meat, yep you’ve got it, a zombie. Without giving too much away as the series wastes no time in explaining how she is going to deal with it, one thing is certain, her life won’t quite be the same again.

We haven’t seen much of Barrymore in these days as she has turned towards more television roles and tried her hand at directing and producing, in fact being an executive producer of this new series. However in this role, we can see why she was cast, her fun-loving nature is showcased to the max and we see the Barrymore that we have all grow to love over her career, since her earlier roles as the cutest little girl in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982).

Overall, the great thing about this program is that they’ve taken a theme that so many people have tried to recreate, and done it in a way where instead of them being dressed head to toe in fake blood and gloop, we have a very normal family, who look normal, act normal but have to intertwine being a zombie into their everyday lives. You’ll see that trying to be a zombie in modern day American is rather difficult, especially with the added cop and sheriff being your next door neighbours.