Skip to main content

Month: October 2017

Safety ‘Night Owl’ scheme to launch in new year

A ‘Night Owl’ scheme where student volunteers will be trained in first aid, safeguarding, well-being training and self-defence to safeguard vulnerable people is to be launched in the new year by the Students’ Union, The Mancunion can reveal.

After a petition titled ‘Greater Manchester Police & Andy Burnham: help us to make Fallowfield safe for students!‘ was signed by over 8,000 students, an investigation by The Mancunion suggested that students increasingly rely on Facebook for anecdotal advice about staying safe in South Manchester.

In relation to this, on the 23rd of October in the popular Fallowfield Students Group, a University of Manchester student, Steve Jackson, proposed creating a “simple student volunteer-led system where we’ll pair up volunteers, put them in high vis jackets and patrol the streets at night, particularly on the weekend” which could involve making “a facebook page and have a Whatsapp chat where we can share information about potential threats and more general useful stuff about being safe whilst out and about.”

However, Students’ Union Communities Officer, Jack Houghton, warned of the “dangers of people setting up these schemes without sufficient training and safeguarding.”

Jack said he had been in contact with Steve and “would love to see us work together to find as many volunteers as possible,” as the Students’ Union look set to launch their ‘Night Owl’ safety scheme in early 2018.

Jack said: “The union’s [‘Night Owl’] plan will provide self-defence training, bystander training, first aid training and advice training to ensure the safety of students. We will also be setting up an office to support students whilst on a night out. For example, to track volunteer locations and to maintain contact with police and security services during patrols.

“Between now and December I will be putting on consultation sessions with students so as to gain an idea of what people want the scheme to look like and whether they agree with the Students’ Union’s plan.”

The announcement comes after statistics issued by the Home Office on the 19th of October covering the 12-month period from July 2016 to June 2017 suggested that crime increased by 31 per cent in Greater Manchester in the last year.

In the region of Greater Manchester, violence against a person was indicated to have increased by 46 per cent over the 12-month period,  sexual offences increased by 31 per cent, burglary increased by 14 per cent and robbery was suggested to have increased by 53 per cent.

Jack said that the Students’ Union were “working with GM police to establish which nights the night owls are needed, using crime statistics”, warning that the “police cannot protect students patrolling the streets without co-ordination with police.”

Aware of the reported frustration of many students regarding policing, security and safety in and around South Manchester, Jack said:”We urge people to be patient and are doing everything we can to set up this scheme as quickly as possible. It is important that the scheme is perfect upon launch because student safety is essential.”

Other student safety initiatives launched by the Students’ Union include increasing the number of street lights in Fallowfield, Withington, Rusholme and other areas, ensuring all new street lights are LED so will be brighter and a scheme set up with Street Cars which allows students to give a Street Cars driver their student I.D. if they have no money so they can still get a safe taxi home rather than have to walk.

Jack previously told The Mancunion that the Student Officer team “don’t want to rush into a decision” on long-term initiatives for improving student safety, adding that schemes such as the ‘Night Owl’ scheme have to be “very thought out” so they “don’t cause issues down the line.”

Review: The Evil Within 2

Two horror titles have largely dominated the marketplace in the last decade or so: Resident Evil and The Last of Us. The influences of both are clear in The Evil Within 2, which attempts to provide the stealth and survival aspects of The Last of Us whilst retaining the cheesy horror that was at the core of the Resident Evil series.

In terms of world design, however, The Evil Within 2 is better than both. The game takes place inside STEM – a kind of hybrid between the animus and the matrix where the world exists as part of a collective consciousness supported by futuristic technology.

This premise allows Tango Gameworks to be truly innovative with the design of The Evil Within 2. The world is fascinating: a phantasmagorical island floating in a void of corrupted cyberspace, yet retaining the surface facade of an American suburbia. This means that the setting is eerily familiar in appearance, but also allows the developers to really exercise their creative license on the game’s world.

Corridors reconfigure themselves when you turn your back on them, chasms open up in the ground, and the line between realism and representationalism is ever blurred in The Evil Within 2. In this way, the very fabric of the design of the game is itself part of the deception, which makes the very ground on which you walk part of the paranoia inducing atmosphere of the game.

photo:BethesdaSoftworks

In a climate dominated by sprawling open world games that exhaust much of their power and financing on background detail, The Evil Within 2 is a lesson in how to optimise man power without compromising artistic integrity.

The paranoia induced by the stellar world design is retained by the enemies you face. Reminiscent of The Last of Us, you can always hear the creatures lurking in STEM, and the sense that they can pop up anywhere is deeply unsettling. This is added to by the survival-horror tradition of making playable protagonist Sebastian Castellanos relatively weak compared to the creatures of STEM and perpetually low on supplies. This requires you to carefully manage resources and means that in combat, every bullet and decision matters.

However, this is contravened by some of the other mechanics in the game. The sneak mechanics are not as finessed as those in The Last of Us due to the slightly stiff feel of the controls. The cover system is horribly inconsistent, and sneaking itself is slow, clunky and one-note. Sneak attacks are often ineffective, and the lack of effort put into them is demonstrated by the fact there is only one sneak animation and an issue that sees the motion of sneak-attacking getting you spotted, thereby stopping the attack. You can also throw bottles, but this only distracts enemies in a very small radius, and for a very small amount of time. The crossbow is arguably the most useful tool available to you, but the fact that it’s non-lethal (with the exception of the exploding bolt that attracts everything) makes it somewhat of a chocolate kettle.

This is compounded by the fact that, especially later on in the game, you are chiefed with having to guide Sebastian through some very narrow indoor levels packed with enemies. This is a particularly frustrating experience as it really feels like the game is forcing you into a scenario that its own mechanics make incredibly unappealing.

This dissonance at the game’s core is mirrored by the paradoxical progression system implemented by The Evil Within 2. As a survival-horror game, The Evil Within 2 often actively discourages combat, but bases the progression system on collected ‘green gel’ to improve your character – a resource most commonly garnered by killing enemies. In this way, The Evil Within 2 seems slightly confused in regards to its own identity. Some missions and mechanics make confrontations unavoidable, but the nature of the premise and the way Sebastian’s strength is balanced against his enemies underlines a tension in the game’s vision that often make segments of the game jar with others.

The narrative is also somewhat divided. Overall, the plot is an acutely self-aware cliche, complete with hammy dialogue, and an overblown story that manages to be ridiculously far-fetched and generic at the same time. However, The game is broadly split into two parts. The first takes place largely in a small sandbox as you hunt the first (and most interesting) villain, and represents a very enjoyable eight or so hours that even encourages you to explore and do some side missions.

photo:BethesdaSoftworks

 

The second part of the game accelerates the story as you find out more about STEM, but seems hurried rather than fast-paced. A new villain crops up with no real grounding, and you are increasingly involved in very linear missions that culminate in generic boss fights. New and old characters are thrust into the narrative suddenly and without much explanation, and, whilst the story remains engaging enough, raising the stakes actually makes it much less intriguing.

In some ways, these deficits are probably intentional parts of what the game is aiming for: a nostalgic horror experience that harks back to the genre at its height. In the modern day, some of the things The Evil Within 2 tries to achieve fall flat.

The Evil Within 2 is very much a game of two parts in both narrative structure and achievement. It begins with such promise, but ultimately fails to meet the high standards it initially sets for itself with it superlative world design and inventive horror as it devolves into a rather generic horror experience that lacks the finesse or strength of writing of The Last of Us and the charm and silliness of early Resident Evils.

Live: Little Mix

A fish out of water and a fan are amazed when they find themselves so close to the stage. The fish does concerts and not clubs, the fan does clubs and not concerts, but this chalk and cheese pair were both in for a great night, when fire canons blazed, announcing the arrival on stage of Little Mix.

They were sitting so close, they could feel the heat of the flames that leapt into the air as the four band members rose up through the middle of the stage belting out their recent hit single ‘Power’.

The thing about a gig on this kind of scale is that it’s impossible not to get swept up in the mob mentality. The age of the audience was all over the place — mums, daughters, 20 somethings — it was definitely a girl power atmosphere.

Little Mix were very much aware of this. Being extremely confident young women with an incredible stage presence, they used this as an asset to encourage their fans, predominantly young and female, to be strong and sure within themselves. Their performance of ‘Salute’ was enough to make anyone proud of their femininity — even some of the dads in the audience.

This open encouragement of self-love was not exclusive to women. A particularly powerful moment in the evening took place before their emotional rendition of ‘Secret Love Song’: as the four women walked down a catwalk suspended above the audience, they called attention to the LGBT+ community, recognising that the songs had become a sort of pride anthem.

This was reflected by the audience, with many holding up rainbow coloured flags bearing the songs’ lyrics throughout the stadium. It was the first time hearing this song for the fish, but here, the fan found a fresh light shed on the song and the possible meaning of it’s lyrics.

The stagecraft was immense, with confetti cannons, flamethrowers and various sets brought to the fore like tigers in the Colosseum. Equally, both were wowed by the intensity of the choreography, with not just the backup dancers but Little Mix themselves performing full routines, in perfect sync, whilst singing. Perrie Edwards in particular, was not afraid to prove her talent, singing daring vocal riffs and ornamentations.

One criticism might be their failure to establish any particularly genuine relationship with the audience. The short and sweet conversations between themselves and the audience intermixed with the songs frequently felt scripted; there was the ever corny line “I know I’m not meant to say this, but you are the best audience we’ve had.” This line is one that can be genuine, but it definitely did not have that ring this time around.

On the whole, though, both girls left the night buzzing, enough so that the fish even felt ready to go out and boogie the night away in the Northern Quarter. Little Mix worked like an espresso, giving both a shot of girl power that would last all week.

8/10

By Millie Nettleton and Francesca McClimont

Live Review: Liv Dawson

The 19th of October

Fallow Cafe

There is an astounding skill to make something sound intensely beautiful, whilst also simultaneously making that look absolutely effortless. This is a skill that is rare to find in musicians this day and age in music, but something that Liv Dawson can do with such demureness that it can stun the whole room.

The setting itself of the Fallow Cafe, somewhere I have never been to see a gig before, suited this gig to perfection. There was such an overwhelming feeling of intimacy and love for all on that top floor.

The set kicked off with ‘Searching’. Electronic and upbeat, setting the bar and spirits high for the rest of her performance. Her songs have an exquisite combination and paradoxical contrast between the synths and rhythm of the music which lends itself in a way that compliments her soulful vocals in such a way that is stunning to listen to.

Dawson then lulled her audience which tracks such as ‘Reflection’ and ‘Hush’. which consisted of hypnotic slow beats that you lose yourself to. She even played a new song exclusively ‘Talk’, which in my opinion is single worthy… maybe even first album worthy? (hint hint.)

Despite being relatively new to the music scene, there is already a huge list of names associated with the London singer, one being Disclosure, with whom she worked with and produced single ‘Open Your Eyes’. Which again followed suit and just flowed magically.

However, during the set, there was one drum which consistently was a lot louder than it should have been. Which at some points overpowered and distracted from the rest of the song. Not sure if this was to do with the room or the actual drummer. But this did slightly take away from the otherwise stunning night.

Her cover of Amy Winehouse’s version of ‘Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow’ was one that initially worried me when the singer spoke about how she used to perform it in pubs years ago. A song which is already a particular favourite of mine, it is easy to compare. However, it has got to be said that Liv Dawson, with her own unique spin on the classic, made it feel new and exciting again. All in all, she did it a huge justice.

Liv Dawson closed the show with the clean-cut and blissfully toned ‘Tapestry’ followed by her latest release and biggest hit to date ‘Pain Killer’ which finished the night as it started on that same high-quality bar.

Despite the set being only 45 minutes, Dawson managed to hold on and captivate her audience for the entirety of the set, keeping them leaning in the whole time, desperate to soak up her sunshine sounding voice.

Liv Dawson is one to watch. Her music is endlessly playable, and her talent is second to none.

9/10

Live Review: Train

Manchester Apollo

The 19th of October.

As a child, Train played for a solid 87 per cent of all of my family car journeys, so it was a natural knee-jerk reaction and instinct to yelp at the chance of seeing them play on Thursday the 19th of October at the 02 Apollo. Skipping and delighted with glee I proceeded to tell all of my friends who looked up and said “Who”? HELLO! TRAIN! DROPS OF JUPITER! HELLO!?

Formed in 1993 and headed by Pat Monahan, the band to this date have sold over 10 million albums and an astounding 30 million tracks worldwide.

I will be the first to throw up my hands and say I was not expecting to enter the gig knowing all the lyrics to their latest record A Girl, a Bottle, a Boat, released earlier this year.

I can, however, tell you that the lady standing next to me did and was clearly such a die-hard fan, feet firmly planted in the same position throughout the performance and consistently thrust her card into her husband’s hands for more Jäger-bombs. Jägerbombs to Train, can you imagine.

The band’s performance was beyond my wildest expectations. They filled the venue with an eclectic track list comprised from their various studio albums, including past hits such as ‘Calling All Angels’, ‘Save Me San Fransisco’, and, of course, the Grammy Award-winning ‘Drops of Jupiter’.

Highlights throughout the evening were not bound to hit renditions such as these and the more recent ‘Hey Soul Sister’ or ‘Drive By’. Pat and his team of musicians created moments of magic throughout the evening.

As well as covering Queen’s ‘Under Pressure’, he incorporated Ed Sheeran’s ‘Shape of You’ into a medley. Proving he has the voice to boot, Pat and the angelic voices of his backup singers sang a harmony of ‘Midnight” leaving the audience stunned.

It’s not often singers have the confidence to go it alone with no backup, so I applaud him for this. Train’s rendition of ‘Marry Me’ taken from their 2009 record was met with a stunned audience, for more reasons than simply the music as someone was proposed to mid-performance! We swooned.

The atmosphere was palpable for all those who attended, spirits were high, the music was phenomenal, and it was fabulous to see such a diverse age range united by a single band that we have all clearly loved for decades, and will love for decades to come.

7/10

Gucci Goes Fur Free

At the Kering Talk at the London College of Fashion Marco Bizzarri, the CEO and president of Gucci announced that as of 2018, the Italian fashion house will go fur-free, banning the use of coyote, mink, fox, racoon, rabbit, and other species bred or caught for the purpose of fur. Not only that, but they will auction off their remaining stocks and items of fur, the proceeds of which will be donated to animal rights organisations, LAV, and Humane Society International.

It should be noted that Gucci is not the first major fashion house to go fur-free however, in 1994 Calvin Klein banned fur after talking with the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). Other brands including Armani, Stella McCartney, and Ralph Lauren have all forbidden the use of fur in their products.

Hopefully, then, Bizzarri’s decision will please animal rights activists who have been protesting the use of fur for fashion and the practise of fur farms for years.

Indeed, in September this year activists drenched in fake blood demonstrated at several shows at London Fashion Week including Burberry and Versus Versace. Animal Rights Activists also launched a three-day demonstration outside of the British Fashion Council’s residence signalling a far more organised resistance against the use of fur in fashion.

In a speech at the Humane Society of the United States, Bizarre said, “Being socially responsible is one of Gucci’s core values… we will continue to strive to do better for the environment and animals.” Also adding that he hoped that this would inspire other leading luxury brands to do the same.

However, Bizzarri’s reasons for ceasing using fur are not entirely ethically motivated. In a conversation with Business of Fashion (BOF) before his Kering Talk, Bizzarri commented that the use of fur in fashion is simply “a little bit out-dated” and no longer innovative or modern.

Instead, Bizzarri and his creative director, Alessandro Michele, have decided to investigate faux-fur, wool, and cutting-edge new fabric innovations further; “The alternatives are luxurious.” Gucci is a luxury brand, and you can be assured that this decision was one that was made carefully and with consideration. If Bizzarri and Michele believe as they have stated that they do, that “there is no need”, then you can be pretty certain that there isn’t.

Bizzarri emphasised that this was the decision was made possible by Michele, who joined Gucci in 2015, stating, “I wanted to find someone who shared a belief in the importance of the same values.”

This coming together of ideas and vision is be welcomed — Gucci is one of the most recognisable brands in luxury fashion and it is important that the people in charge of it share the same ideals and hopes for the future as their customers. Millennials make up over 50 per cent of Gucci’s sales, and as research has shown, they are more ethically and environmentally conscious than previous generations.

By going fur-free, Gucci is adapting to the changing desires of its consumer base and showing its creative and innovative drive. As Bizzarri pointed out, “creativity can jump in many different directions instead of using furs” and Gucci is one of the most well-known fashion houses in the world. Hopefully, they’ll be able to lead the way for other fashion houses to do the same.

Embrace Turmeric – the Queen of spices

Dare I say it, as students we often neglect our own health, focusing more on appearances than our precious internal system. We tend to be creatures of habit, quickly reaching for a painkiller or a glug of night nurse no matter our ailments. We are young, we lead a lifestyle we enjoy and embrace, but our bodies can pay for it at a later date.

All I am suggesting is a slight tweak, an incorporation of the yellow chalky power into our day to day routine. Unlike joining a gym or cutting out red meat, including turmeric into your diet plays no havoc with the day-to-day. Adopting this sunny spice into your lives takes little effort and will make your insides beam with happiness.

Sprinkle it on your eggs, add a teaspoon to soup, blend into a smoothie, mix with hot milk and honey, toss with roasted vegetables or make a turmeric tea. Traditionally used in curries for colour, its flavour is mild and unobtrusive so it can easily be added to a variety of meals/ drinks.

Turmeric, or Haldi as known in Ayurveda (Indian herbal medicine), has been used for centuries for its bolstering of the immune system, promotion of digestion and the circulatory system and its support of the brain and nervous system.  Tumeric contains curcumin which is a substance with powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.

As a natural anti-inflammatory compound, it helps the body fight foreign invaders and has a role in repairing damage. It is believed that low-level inflammation plays a major role in every chronic western disease such as heart disease and cancer. Hence anything that can help fight the inflammation is important in preventing and even treating these diseases.

Anti-oxidants are beneficial because they prevent our bodies from aging and many diseases. Curcumin is a potent anti-oxidant and it also boosts the activity of the body’s own anti-oxidant enzymes, a win-win scenario. Curcumin has also shown some promise in treating depression. There is evidence that it can boost the brain neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine.

On a whole turmeric seems a pretty magical spice. However, it is important to note the amount of curcumin in turmeric can vary and a lot of the studies conducted use turmeric extracts that contain mostly curcumin alone. Regardless it is a welcome addition to the diet and can be bought in any health food store or you can take a trip down Curry Mile. Turmeric powder should be stored in a cool dark place for up to a year. Be careful as it can easily stain clothing.

Thank me in 2040.

Preview: Rugby League World Cup 2017

The biggest event in Rugby League kicks off on Friday.  Hosted by Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea, it will see 14 teams — two groups of four, two groups of three — fight to claim the title of world champions.  Reigning champions Australia will be desperate to retain the title in front of their home fans, but 2013 runners-up New Zealand will also be eager to impress their home support.

England will be looking to claim second place in their group behind the Kangaroos, but they will face tough opposition from France.  Victory against Les Chanticleers is vital for England if they wish to secure group runners-up and a less arduous fixture in the last eight.

Other home nation teams, Wales and Ireland, face a harder test — they will play each other before taking on co-hosts Papua New Guinea. Only one of the three will progress to the quarterfinals, and Papua New Guinea are favourites to do so.

Scotland are pitted against the Kiwis, Samoa, and Tonga, and will be looking to repeat of their thrilling 2016 Four Nations draw against New Zealand.  Samoa and Tonga are no pushovers, but the Bravehearts will be looking to justify their current world ranking of fourth and progress to the knockout stage.

The favourites

It goes without saying that the Kangaroos are the odds on favourites.  As the strongest team, as well as hosts, in theory, they should stroll through their group and towards the final.

The Aussie captain Cameron Smith, along with his fellow Queenslanders Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk, are the Kangaroos’ key faction.  Though Australia are without fantastic half-back Johnathan Thurston, their squad is not short of talent by any means.

New Zealand’s squad is much-changed, following Jason Taumalolo’s decision to defect to Tonga, and the dropping of cocaine-users Jesse Bromwich and Kevin Proctor. However, Shaun Johnson, if on form, will be thrilling to watch; there is still an abundance of quality in David Kidwell’s team.

The party-crashers

Wayne Bennett’s England side, having succumbed to semi-final heartbreak in their past three World Cups, will be looking to dispel their semi-final curse. However, they have been dealt a huge blow by the idiotic drug-related actions of Castleford’s Zak Hardaker who has consequently been left out of the squad.

Due to the injury-prone nature of Sam Tomkins, Bennett has opted for Saints’ Jonny Lomax and Warrington’s Stefan Ratchford to fill the void left by Hardaker. Skipper Sean O’Loughlin missed last year’s Four Nations, but he will be fired up and eager to lead his country to glory after a disappointing season with Wigan Warriors.

Fiji, like England, have also fallen in the last four recently, in 2008 and 2013.  Expectations are high for the Bati, and key players Jayson Bukuya, Kevin Naiqama and Suliasi Vunivalu will be integral to Fiji’s chances of causing an upset.

Nations such as Tonga and Samoa are dark horses, yet their chances of reaching the final are slim if New Zealand and Australia are at their ruthless best.  Nonetheless, do not write off the two Polynesian nations from giving one or two heavy-hitters a run for their money.  Tonga could very well be licking their lips at the prospect of facing a rattled Kiwis side, especially with the recent acquisitions of Taumalolo and Aussie Andrew Fifita through the two-tier system.

Verdict:

Group Stage

Group A:  1. Australia  2. England  3. France  4. Lebanon

Group B:  1. Tonga  2. New Zealand  3. Scotland  4. Samoa

Group C:  1. Papua New Guinea  2. Ireland  3. Wales

Group D:  1. Fiji  2. Italy  3. United States

Tournament Winners

Australia

Runners Up

Tonga

Top Tryscorer

Valentine Holmes (AUS)

Interview: Pale Waves

It has been a big year for Manchester band Pale Waves. After having wiped their Spotify of well-loved demos, they have rereleased two infinitely singable tunes, ‘Television Romance’ and ‘There’s a Honey,’ which now have around four million streams between them.

They have also toured extensively, both in the UK as headliners and in America and Europe with pop giants and mentor band The 1975, picking up many new fans along the way.

When I arrive at Sound Control it becomes clear just how dedicated some of their fans are. I am met by a group of them bundled up outside, despite the fact that the venue does not open for three and a half more hours.

I sit down with Heather Baron-Gracie, the charismatic front woman of the band. Her enthusiasm at being back in Manchester is evident, even with some notes of homesickness in her words.  She tells me that all of their “main, major memories of starting the band and meeting each other are from Manchester.”

Her favourite memory? Without hesitation she mentions her “music soul mate” Ciara Doran, the drummer of Pale Waves. Talking about their meeting, just around the corner from Sound Control, she says:  “You know that they’re your favourite person and that you’re never going to meet anyone like them again.” They write the songs for Pale Waves together, in fact Heather goes as far as to say that Ciara is the “wizard behind it all.”

Heather also notes that living in Manchester and the North in general – which she describes as somewhere very “grim and mundane” – has influenced the way they write: “you would look out and it would be raining, so you would spend most of the time in your bedroom writing music.”

She cites Prince, The Cranberries and The Cure as some of her influences when it comes to song writing, as well as the “icon” Madonna, who she would love to do a show with. These forces come together to form the basis of her love for “depressing emo lyrics with music that makes you really happy.”

Photo: Olivia White

Despite the fact that their just released singles are firmly in the genre of indie-pop, Heather insists that their debut album, which will be released on record label Dirty Hit next year (home to bands such as The 1975 and Wolf Alice), will have some surprises. She tells me that there is quite a lot of “emo stuff, a lot more emotional ballads” and goes on to emphasise that people shouldn’t just assume that they are simply a “banging pop band” simply because of their singles.

Because of their numerous links with The 1975 (Matty Healy directed the music video for Television Romance and recently appeared on the cover of the magazine NME alongside the Pale Waves front woman ), it is difficult to come across an interview in which comparisons haven’t been made.

But Baron-Gracie is her own person with her own tastes, quirks and aspirations.  It is clear that she is very determined, the taste of playing iconic venues such as Madison Square Garden with The 1975 particularly inspired her: “it is very motivating to see a band from Manchester with similarities to us be there and be playing shows to that many people.” It is a far cry from the 300-person capacity Sound Control Basement. Yet for her smaller venues are more intimidating as they are so personal; “people can analyse you way more.”

She tells me about her ambitions to sell out more shows and for more people to hear their music and to be “amazed” by it. She mentions her desire to go to Australia (despite her hating flying) as one of the many things on her to-do list (others include more tattoos). One thing is for certain, this is not the last you will hear of Pale Waves.

Pale Waves’ debut album will be released in 2018.

Universal Credit – the flagship Tory welfare timebomb that students need to get clued up on

Parliament held an emergency debate on the 26th of October, regarding the continued roll out of Universal Credit across the country.

Perhaps the following weeks will  see me get more phone calls from someone in my hometown about someone they know who has recently applied for Universal Credit and are now in arrears with their Housing Association and need help.

Maybe I’ll receive more emails from the manager of the Citizens Advice Bureau I work at in Salford asking for more urgent donations as the local food bank is running low on basic supplies — which has never happened this soon before Christmas.

Universal Credit is something that my fellow students will probably not know much about due to coming into Higher Education straight from college or having parents provide for them, but for me — as a final year student, 26 years old and lives with their partner — the reality of not having full time employment upon graduating is a thought not worth bearing about which will be explained over the course of this piece.

The fear of unemployment is nothing new to me, I’ve become hardened to it. Getting booted out of college in 2009 as a 17-year old, I walked straight into the wild west that was Warrington’s labour market at the height of the Global Recession and got my first taste of the dole a short time after.

Signing on and off became a regular occurrence in the years that followed, you get to know the rules of the game pretty quickly — the three letters in my life changed from EMA to JSA in no time. A fair few zero hour contract jobs and an Access to HE course later and here I am on the brink of academic enlightenment. Being debt-free now, I am fearful of going through it all again.

However, this time I will be entering a new paradigm, the possibility of being ineligible for basic state welfare. No safety net. The possibilities of the world of ‘Universal Credit’. I will not qualify for any benefits as my partner that I live with works full time and earns over £514 per month — an amount classed as the ‘Universal Credit income limit’. In the eyes of the system, we would be ‘jointly earning’ that amount.

I must find full time work immediately upon completing my studies. If not my partner will be financially liable for the whole of our £650 per month rent, bills (£200), food shopping (£100), and the whole Council Tax bill, meaning there will be more going out than what is coming into the house.

Knowing that I would be trapped by the means test, I have already begun saving £200 per month in preparation for this potential catastrophe — meaning I have had to cut down considerably on spending as a result, meaning less money is being spent in the local economy.

The result of being refused unemployment benefit, however, would put us both into immediate debt, rent arrears, and risk us being evicted — we will be on a month to month rolling contract in June — and would put an untold strain on to our relationship.

The scenario that I potentially face is not unique, it is being played out in thousands of households up and down the country right now. How many households in Britain contain people in precarious, short term work? Millions. How many go from short term contract to short term contract relying on unemployment benefit as a safety net between such work? Too many.

The reality of the cruel and ill thought nature of this benefit that will replace Jobseekers Allowance is yet another indictment of the sociopath traits that this Conservative government has espoused over the last seven years. The rules of the game have been changed so the onus of the responsibility of unemployment is completely and utterly on yourself, you are to blame and you and your partner only should bear the burden of your sins if this is the case.

Things get really shit? Pray you find a job, take out a loan — how’s that immaculate credit record, Skipper? — or give mum or dad a bell. Just don’t expect the state to provide basic welfare provision, you serf.

Universal Credit is regarded as the biggest reform of the welfare system since its formation. At present when you claim, it takes at least six weeks before your first payment.

Let me put that into perspective, if that was Student Finance and the start was the first week of term – you still won’t have received a penny of your loan and/or grant, and wouldn’t until the first day of reading week next week.

It is throwing people’s lives into chaos and causing unnecessary worry and anxiety for many. For example, Southwark in South London — one of the ‘guinea pig areas’ in which UC has been implement – the local council have said that although just 12 per cent of its social housing tenants were on Universal Credit, they have collectively built up £5.8m in rent arrears. The average Universal Credit household was £1,178 in arrears, compared with £8 in credit for the average council rent account across the borough.

Any receivers of a Catholic schooling, like myself, will remember doing the Shoe Box Appeal in school before Christmas for hungry kids on the other side of the world. Well, this year in Manchester they are doing them for kids on the other side of this city. Maybe Theresa May can have a song and a prayer on that cold hard fact down at her local parish this coming Sunday mass. If she does not tread carefully in the coming months this may certainly end up being her version of the Poll Tax. Thing’s ain’t pretty now, and if things carry on they will get a lot uglier.

I believe the continued roll out of Universal Credit is a failure of social policy in Britain not seen since the Means Test of the 1930s in the backdrop of the Great Depression. Me and my partner’s potential predicament reminds me of a contemporary version of Harry and Helen’s situation in Walter Greenwood’s ‘Love on the Dole’.

The fact of the matter is that I actually agree with the idea of Universal Credit. The consolidation of several benefits into one payment and the way it is meant to incentivise work and reduce bureaucracy and the way it is supposed to empower is a positive step forward in theory.

However, politicians and civil servants as they do, see things through only one pair of eyes — they cannot possibly comprehend the realities of what life is like for the common man. The faux-unemployment rate means nothing to many, nor does the politicians’ idea of what work ethic should be to those trying to get by with the surreal grind of day-to-day life in England 2017.

Losing face with a review of UC and its draconian regulations will be nothing compared to what people on their arse en masse will feel when there is nothing to lose when there’s no money coming in and their self-respect is long gone.

A final thought.: if you don’t feel too rosy about your full time job chances come finishing studies, you need to get clued up now. Don’t find out the hard way.

 

For more information on the rules of Universal Credit please see:

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/before-you-apply/what-universal-credit-is/

And the reality of it for many:

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/oct/17/we-went-days-without-eating-properly-universal-credit-misery-inverness

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/universal-credit-woman-benefits-slashed-penny-a-month-government-latest-a8010836.html

Donations to Salford Food Bank are always needed and appreciated. A couple of quid will provide a family with an emergency food parcel for a week. You can donate at:

https://localgiving.org/charity/salfordfoodbank/

 

 

Live: Beth Ditto

Performing tracks from her debut solo album, Fake Sugar, Beth Ditto stole the show with grit and Southern charm.

The title track, ‘Fake Sugar’, combined a minimalist electronic beat with reverbed guitars to make a pretty country song. ‘Ooh La La’ was a rock n’ roll stomp. Percussive drums, fuzzy bass, and piano keys were all slammed together to make a high point of the show.

Yet, her performance suffered from the same problem as the new album. Quite a few songs felt like lesser versions of other songs on the album. ‘In And Out’ felt like a lesser version of ‘Fire’. ‘Lover’ felt like a lesser version of ‘Clouds (Song for John)’. This is not to say that they are bad songs, per se, but why go play on the swings when you could go to Disneyland?

All this fell away, however, when classic Gossip songs were played. Songs such as ‘Love Long Distance’ and ‘Standing In The Way Of Control’, which Ditto nailed with her killer vocals, making the crowd freak out with excitement.

One of the most surprising things about Ditto’s show was not the music, but her candidness. After finishing ‘Control’, she talked frankly about her fears for the future. “When Gossip put out Control, I was 24. I’m now 37. I was gonna be a hairdresser in Arkansas and now I’m here”. She added that if this album and tour hadn’t gone well, she would have called it quits.

It was hard not to be moved by this cathartic declaration, and, clearly, the crowd felt the same way. After the next song was wrapping up, the audience response was so thunderous that Beth realised that the audience was applauding her honestly. She broke down in tears. She was overjoyed!

Many things happen at gigs. It is rare to see someone on stage say something so honest so beautifully. It was clear that Ditto would genuinely treasure this night, and so would we.

7.5/10

Kanye’s Graduation Reaches Its’ 10th Anniversary

For those of you who love the Old Kanye, now is the perfect time to relive the days B.Y. (before Yeezus).

Famous for his work ethic (amongst other things), the Old Kanye was in the studio for several consecutive years, and in this spirit, Graduation was the third release under Roc-A-Fella Records. West experimented with slower tempos and synthesisers more on this record, as well as taking a more minimal approach with regards to track list length and timing.

Graduation, as an album, allowed West to look into himself more as an artist, fine tune his story-telling and let him reveal more about himself to his audience, reminiscent of ‘Last Call’ from The College Dropout. West’s signature sampling took influence from gospel songs, as well as folk and rock influences such as Bob Dylan and U2.

The release date sparked concern between record labels as 50 Cent’s LP ‘Curtis’ was set to hit shelves the same day. Even though the competition was good for business, there was fierce debate as to who would emerge prosperous — but of course Kanye came through, with  sales reaching almost one million in the first week alone.

Songs that stay with you forever include ‘Good Life’ and ‘Flashing Lights’. Certified hits such as ‘Stronger’ launched Daft Punk right into the public eye. With featured artists including Lil Wayne and Coldplay’s Chris Martin, West was able to bring people of different genres and musical worlds together to create an album with a much wider demographic than the rappers that came before him.

Graduation‘s success allowed Kanye to emerge victorious in the noughties by arguably sparking the end of gangster rap. He paved the way for musicians to come, such as Childish Gambino, Post Malone and the whole OVO family. West’s lyrics still remain relevant to the pop culture of his day and Graduation will always be an important album in Kanye’s musical progression.

Universities are not businesses

On Monday and Tuesday the 23rd and 24th of October, the staff and students of Manchester will demonstrate against the staff cuts proposed by the university administration back in May.

The University of Manchester issued an official statement that over 800 members of staff were “at risk” and subject to dismissal, justifying such drastic cutbacks with the projected harms of Brexit and the planned decrease of student intake over the next few years.

The sincerity of the concern, however, is placed into question when the university has also announced that it will be hiring more than 100 junior teaching staff made up of early-career academics — which of course, are cheaper.

Believing that the job cuts were badly timed would be an understatement to say the least. The university recently appointed George Osborne as an honorary professor of economics, making it the politician’s sixth official occupation. It is a move sorely lacking in judgement or taste amidst the threatened livelihoods of the university’s most loyal and senior staff.

A look at last year’s financial statement would also suggest that the University of Manchester is in relatively good economic health, especially after a significant boost to its branding and international exposure with academic superstars like Andre Geim and Brian Cox.

Even walking around the campus, students and staff witness the renovations and upgrades of facilities such as the Student Union to make them more photogenic for prospective applicants. From the increased intake of international students to the rise in student fees, it is difficult to comprehend the rationale behind a thinly-veiled profiteering scheme.

The job cuts are, sadly, not symptomatic of a particularly new problem. Across the Western world, complaints that universities are becoming more business-orientated are increasing. The trend creates a significant nostalgia for a time when universities were smaller, more intimate intellectual communities that acted as the gatekeepers of academic pursuit.

In recent years, universities have changed significantly with characteristics that we would expect more from private service sectors rather than educational institutions. The desire for stable income streams have meant that enormous amounts of effort and capital is placed into the university’s branding, how prestigious its degrees are, and the customer satisfaction of its students.

Money is pumped into student amenities like shiny new dorms and emphasis is placed on international university rankings. Other defining characteristics of university ‘business-models’ are exorbitantly high student fees that, in the US, many struggle to pay back in a single lifetime.

So why have universities gone under such extreme changes? It is safe to say that external pressures from institutional and cultural shifts in our attitudes towards tertiary education is a root cause. In the past few decades, we have witnessed perhaps the greatest democratisation of higher education in history. More people from more diverse backgrounds are able to access what used to be a deeply nepotistic class structure.

Secondly came the growth of a ‘knowledge economy’. With the advent of an information and technology age, a premium was placed on the kind of research universities were outputting — in the University of Manchester, research income generates approximately 28% of the school’s total earnings.

But perhaps the most impactful change to the landscape of tertiary education is that it is no longer really a choice. The competitiveness of a global job market that has fewer spaces with a higher entry requirement means that individuals who wish to have any type of material security as a working adult must pursue a university degree.

This is especially true in states which offer no alternatives such as apprenticeships. All these external pressures have caused the leakage of free market logic into institutions that used to be relatively esoteric and obscure.

I would argue that we are seeing higher education in a crucial state of transition. Universities are having to work hard to create knowledge, improve accessibility, and respond to student needs, and to do so efficiently. They are expected to reach a creative balance between their academic mission and executive capacity; between financial viability and traditional values.

This transition has meant profound growing pains — financial administrations have changed within universities as well as their corporate hierarchies; there is general de-emphasis on the principle value of education.

Symptoms have manifested in often frustrating and disheartening ways: an unnecessary focus on politicking and positioning in university league tables, higher entry requirements, and the unfair treatment of those deemed “redundant”.  All these moves are geared towards making universities, and by extension, their graduates more prestigious and therefore more employable in the long-term.

The shortcomings of this corporate business model make for easy targets, but it is also worth pointing out that the view of universities as “bastions of academic integrity” is incredibly outdated. The contribution of higher education to economic success is now vital, and since degrees have monetary value, they should to some extent be treated as economic goods.

It has been shown that higher student fees, when coupled with government subsidies for working-class students, have increased the number of students able to afford a university education. And the need to satisfy customers has made universities more responsive to student concerns about their curriculum, equity, and quality of teaching — which all contributes to a more dynamic learning environment.

Here is the tension. The cruel and unfair staff cuts are reflective of a model that is not working, but it is impossible and inadvisable to regress back into outdated modes of education.

So we must ask ourselves what the most ideal and fair model actually looks like, and how we best transition to that.

A great number of complexities must be taken into account: affordability, curriculum design, competitiveness between universities for the best and brightest students etc. This author does not have the answers, it is a problem that demands the attention and regulation of peoples and states.

But before we reach that equilibrium, we must stand in solidarity with the victims of a system that is not only amoral but also dysfunctional.

Alan Hollinghurst at the Manchester Literature Festival

The audience that eagerly awaited award-winning author Alan Hollinghurst’s appearance at the Central Library was an eclectic one, ranging from young to the more seasoned reader. From what I could tell — from what one might call eavesdropping — it was not just filled with University of Manchester students and staff. I think I can be forgiven for thinking it may have been, as Hollinghurst’s works appear twice on our English Literature course!

Conversation pulsed amongst the audience, pausing only when a new guest arrived to see if it was our eagerly anticipated visitor. As time ticked by, the hubbub grew and one guest let out a particularly theatrical yawn; clearly, Hollinghurst’s fans are not as patient with him in person as they have been for his books! Six years have passed since his last novel and Hollinghurst was due to talk about his new novel, The Sparsholt Affair.

It is understandable why the event drew such a large crowd. Hollinghurst broke many taboos just as gay lit “came into its own”, as he told The Guardian. The novel’s release this year and its reception in this city, where the 50th year anniversary of the partial lifting of the Sexual Offences Act has been so widely celebrated, was fitting.

The Sparsholt Affair, spans from the dorms of 1940s Oxford colleges to the Grindr profiles of 2013 London, so expect some of the same licentiousness. However, whilst it still retains a “ravenously reported scandal,” according to Rachel Cooke — the host of the evening — it still feels “autumnal,” to her. It is “gentler and kinder,” than his more sex-drenched novels of the past. Cooke begins to tear up as she recalls the end of the novel, her eyes brimming with hope for future generations.

Hollinghurst, when questioned on whether we could expect more jaw-dropping erotic scenes in his new novel admitted there would be much less, physicality — suggesting “the old dance meets the new dance,” keen to not be too repetitive with the salacious descriptions which pushed boundaries in the late eighties.

Hollinghurst might be hanging up his erotic hat, but don’t fear loyal fans. When I asked him about a potential similarity between his new protagonist David Sparsholt, and the loveable provocateur, Will Beckwith, Hollinghurst admitted there were similar ‘‘core subjects’’ we would be able to see, albeit from a different, slightly more matured, perspective. He admitted, as he himself has aged he found a greater interest in the “ironies of time” playing out over the intergenerational plot.

A few critics so far have said this new — albeit not entirely PG — path is simply Hollinghurst being too lazy, wanting to avoid going into details of the affair. During the evening he insisted that instead of focusing on the sordid moments after which the novel is titled, he wanted to pursue the mechanics of a scandal.

In particular how scandals in an early generation can colour the experiences of the generations to come. Again, a wonderful plot throwback that fans of The Swimming Pool Library will anxiously anticipate, especially coming from this fresh, more mature perspective of the author.

The narrative voices in the text will also feel familiar to the Hollinghurst reader. We are first introduced to David Sparsholt through the diary of school friend Freddie. Hollinghurst’s pithy narrative is warming and hilarious.

Just as we once learnt of life, love, and lovers through Charles Nantwich in The Swimming Pool Library, Freddie entertains readers with painstakingly recorded accounts of his Oxford contemporaries. Freddie, however, is much less inclined to acknowledge his own admiration of the breathtaking David Sparsholt, whilst divulging the lust of his friends — much to their horror.

Hollinghurst delivered the passage in his wonderful and familiar plummy accent, sparking a common sense of nostalgia across the audience. No matter which novel holds your heart as a favourite, the gently mocking tone when narrating the lives of those more privileged seeps through Hollinghurst’s texts.

Hollinghurst’s novel has five sections to it, the first and the third have a certain sort of symmetry of darkness. Where we see David Sparsholt experiencing life in the Wartime blackout through the furtive glances of Freddie, Jonny Sparsholt goes through a bildungsroman sort of growth in the three day weeks of the 1974 blackouts.

Both father and son are trying to navigate the tricky spheres of having admirers. Hollinghurst deeply wanted to explore the reality of living before and after the Sexual Offences Act of 1967, and from what I heard of the novel on Wednesday night, there are few other narrators who could embark on such a perilous adventure.

The guests on the night were treated to a reading from each section, and I would be surprised if more than a handful of people walked out of the evening without a book in hand. If you have ever read a novel by Hollinghurst, you will know of the ardent longing, the unknowability of memory, and the fleshy lust that adorns his literature.

You will also know the depth within and variety of the characters. I did always wonder if he saw himself most in the Will Beckwiths of the world or the more gentle characters which caught our attention for mere snapshots.

Luckily, a member of the audience asked the burning question: ‘Are any of your characters based on yourself?’ To which Hollinghurst admitted, that when you write such a full characterization of a person it is hard to not become irrevocably attached and invested in them.

However, because he prefers to fill his protagonists with vices he was unable to pick only one instead, suggesting “I suppose my protagonists are never as nice as I am.” No, Alan, I don’t suppose they are.

Kamila Shamsie in conversation with Jeanette Winterson

Ahead of becoming a senior lecturer in creative writing at the University of Manchester’s Centre For New Writing, Kamila Shamsie sat down with Jeanette Winterson on the 17th October, to discuss her latest novel Home Fire.

Based on Sophocles’ Antigone, it questions the sacrifices we will make to protect the people we love,through the story of two families, whose fates are inextricably linked, in the midst of jihad and political unrest. It was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize 2017 and is the sixth novel of Shamsie’s, who was selected by Granta as a Best Young British Novelist in 2013.

She grew up in Karachi and now lives in London and whilst in conversation with Winterson, she discusses her experiences in both cities in reference to writing and Home Fire itself, whilst highlighting the importance of art and culture in times of political discord.

Jeanette Winterson began by describing Home Fire as having a “contemporary relevance” after Shamsie read an extract from the novel about one of the characters being rigorously questioned by airport security, alluding to the current political climate of Trump’s America.

Shamsie’s reply stated the inevitability of writing about politics and current affairs when it is “breathing down your neck” although she did assure us that sometimes she is much more inclined to pick up her copy of Pride and Prejudice for the seventeenth time, a comment that was evidently relatable for much of the audience, as it was met with a sort of reassured chuckle.

The evening was full of insightful, colourful, and articulate comments thanks to Shamsie’s complete and coherent explanations of her novel itself and the issues surrounding it. Whilst discussing metaphor and allegory in the novel generally, she said “sometimes people are able to look most clearly if you give [things] to them indirectly”. This quote resonated with me as an English student who cannot help but consider the implications of not only the nuances within texts but also within the smaller things in life.

A question that was brought to the forefront of the evening was whether art should stand — or whether it is possible for art to stand — as Winterson put nicely, “on the side lines of history?”

This led Shamsie to explain how this novel in particular offers a different and more realistic story to the accepted political rhetoric regarding race, immigration and different cultures in Western society.

In reference to ISIS, she discussed how the novel highlights how the extremist group perhaps does not primarily appeal to the people it aims to, because of its violence, but because its primary recruitment method is tapping into the vulnerabilities of its target audience, offering a sense of belonging and a lack of racism.

The central question of Home Fire is, as Winterson highlighted, “what would you stop at to protect the people you love most?” and the two authors explored this question throughout the evening.

“I don’t know what I’d do” was Winterson’s answer, saying that this is what really disturbed her about the novel. Shamsie focused less on her own stance and more on the issues surrounding the question, questioning whether it is fair to judge people who have been put in compromising positions and stating that the real question is why people have been put in those positions in the first place.

The answer to this question, she explained, lies on the first page of the novel: “The ones we love are the enemies of the state.” The ambiguity of this sentence unravels as you read further into the book.

Questions of morality were also discussed and Shamsie came to the conclusion that essentially, morality is irrelevant in the face of love. “Who are you if you don’t make [morality] an irrelevance?”

Shamsie, in discussing her dual citizenship as a citizen of Pakistan and Britain, explained her ability to feel comfortable in many different places that are important to her. She commented on the strangeness of the accepted custom of having “a monogamous relationship with the isle of home”, an observation which one audience member called the stand out moment of the night.

Shamsie has been met with acclaim in both Britain and Pakistan and, fittingly, her photo is now in the British Council Library in Karachi where she grew up reading.

The most interesting part of the evening for me was the discussion concerning the necessity, effectiveness, and urgency of culture in times of political unrest, a topic that was returned to again and again.

Shamsie summarised her viewpoint by beautifully stating: “Art is not going to be the thing that brings down borders and barriers… but art may remind us of humanity.”

She puts emphasis on the importance of this “in times of darkness” and I think that this is something that is relatable for many today.

Listening to the effortless, colourful conversation between two authors who were clearly both passionate and knowledgeable about the topics they discussed was a delight.

Winterson’s humour combined with Shamsie’s extraordinary insight and integrity made for a discussion that flowed and intrigued the audience, so much so that I am ready to go and re-read every novel of Shamsie’s, as Winterson regularly encouraged us to do throughout the evening!

Cultural Commemoration: Remembering Slavery and Abolition in Manchester

Earlier this month, Professor Alan Rice delivered a lecture in an intimate back-room of the Portico Library, entitled Exhibiting Slavery in a Post-Imperial Context: Reflections on 2007 and Manchester’s Contributions. The 2007 context that Rice refers to in his title, is the outburst of bicentennial commemorations which acknowledged 200 years since the abolition slavery in Britain. His talk was one in a series of lectures built around the Portico’s exhibition Bittersweet: Legacies of Slavery and Abolition in Manchester.

You may not have seen Bittersweet. It was an elegant and sensitive exhibition which stitched artefacts, contemporary artworks and historic printed texts together, to tell a fragmentary story of Manchester’s black Atlantic history. But it was also a noticeably small exhibition — and it was only on display for a month.

This was something that Rice drew attention to in his lecture: in comparison to the exhibitions which had dominated galleries ten years previously, Bittersweet was a marginal contribution to the narrative. His concern, that the topic of slavery had been a fleeting art world trend which has since been re-shelved to gather dust, was evident.

Manchester isn’t often a city associated directly with slavery, like the port cities such as Bristol or Liverpool. However, the pro and anti-abolition debates were just as active, since its industry relied heavily on the import and manufacture of cotton.

Rice, himself, had been a contributor to the 2007 commemorations. He co-curated the Whitworth’s own exhibit Trade and Empire: Remembering Slavery with Su Andi, Kevin Dalton-Johnson and Dr Emma Poulter — his 2017 lecture reflected mainly on this event.

Not many of us will have seen this exhibition either, but its merits sound convincing, highlighting hypocrisy and generating juxtapositions. On one wall, two Turner paintings were put on display. But they were hung on top of an enlarged post-slavery photograph, of some ‘free’ African cotton-pickers, working under Jim Crow laws. The label next to the paintings, then, would make the reader aware that the Turners had been purchased by abolitionists, who had nevertheless made their riches in cotton.

One difficulty Rice alluded to, in regards to such cultural commemorations, is the danger that historicising an atrocity suggests that it is overcome, or consigned to history. It was crucial that curators kept this in mind: abolition did not mean total freedom, because did not deliver anybody from discrimination. Commemoration should not, and does not, wipe the slate clean.

Around the time of the bicentennial there was a surge in the visibility of organisations such as Fairtrade, who aimed to raise awareness of what they called ‘modern-day slavery.’ The photograph behind the Turner paintings, were intended to amplify how slavery is often so easily masked.

Interestingly, Rice spent the most-part of his lecture discussing artefacts and artworks that he had left out of the exhibition, or items that he would re-introduce if he were to curate it again. He did this to remind us the view created within an exhibition is never complete. We should never accept its story as the definitive narrative.

One of the greatest issues that historians of black Atlantic history face, is the lack of archival information available. En-slavers did not photograph or document slavery — which was Rice’s secondary reason for placing a post-slavery photograph behind the Turner paintings.

Rice rung other alarm bells, such as the tendency to focus on the white parliamentary role when commemorating abolition (for a lack of any other information) as opposed to the contribution of black Atlantic, black British or black African agencies. He warned also of a tendency to unify these voices within themselves – there is not just one black Britain.

We often rely on tropes when telling a historical story, returning to the same tired or ‘acceptable’ characters. Rice highlighted Olaudah Equiano as one of these gentrified ‘familiar faces.’ This is particularly illuminating, since Equiano was the figure chosen by Google to occupy the logo of its home-page just last week.

Rice ensured us that that there are so many other exciting and radial figures which we know nothing about, because they do not conform to the pre-ordained story of slavery which has been written for us. Robert Wedderburn, who wrote The Horrors of Slavery was one of his examples. He said that he has forwarded this book to all of the foremost critics of 18th and 19th Century literature that he could contact — to no palpable response.

Rice emphasised the importance of creating new responses and narratives, and artists have begun to do this exceptionally, interpreting black and other histories through their imaginations. Mary Evans and Keith Piper (exhibited in Bittersweet), Althea McNish and Lubaina Himid are just a few examples of artists who have achieved this, whilst overcoming the sometimes reductive or despairing nature of our collective imperial history. They have shown us how to remind without undermining, conveying messages of hope and progress without stifling the suffering that underlays it.

McNish’s ‘Golden Harvest’ from 1959 for instance is evidently saturated with Caribbean influences, but its vibrancy was initially inspired by a field that the artist saw in Essex. It was then manufactured as a Liberty Print. Whilst Lubaina Himid is Rice’s co-director at the Black Atlantic Research Institute in Preston. She is one of the four nominees to be selected for this year’s Turner Prize.

Sometimes it is the gaps in our archives which say significantly more than the things which are there. Large or small, a single narrative can only leave a chip in the surface of a much larger reality. To overcome the silences we have been left with, Rice encouraged his audience to keep searching.

 

Blade Runner 2049: a tale of caution?

Margaret Atwood, best known for her book ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, recently adapted into the critically acclaimed Channel 4 series, has often remarked that there is nothing in the aforementioned book that “had not already happened” at some point across the history of human civilisation.

Rather than ‘science fiction’, she refers to her work as ‘speculative fiction’; the former grounded in fantasy, the latter grounded in real and distinct possibilities for the — alarmingly near — future. Upon watching Blade Runner 2049, this quote struck me as particularly resonant — where The Handmaid’s Tale represents a future fabricated on the fears of the tense political and social climate of the 1980’s — 2049 is a portrait of our current way of life taken to its logical conclusion.

Given its tone, one could almost take this to mean literally.

As in Atwood, there is nothing here that has not already happened — or is currently happening — to some degree. The Los Angeles of 2049 is characterised by its astounding levels of technological advancement. Airborne cars and sentient holograms occupy streets whose only source of light appears to be the insipid neon glow of signs and adverts.

Names like Sony, the film’s producer, Peugeot, and Coca-Cola light up billboards and buildings across the city in a nod to the Times’ Squares and Piccadilly Circuses of our times.

However, it is clear that the sophisticated, high-tech boulevards of LA come at a price. Deserts, wastelands, dumping grounds, and exhausted farmlands lie just beyond the city’s outskirts and become a testament to the cost of such an existence. This kind of consumption and development always has two sides, and in Blade Runner 2049 they exist side-by-side as a demonstration of the sacrifice that is made in the name of advancement.

This is free market capitalism in overdrive and undoubtedly an image of contemporary neo-liberalism taken to its logical conclusion.

One of the most characterising features of this portrait of 2049 is the erratic weather patterns. Tropical storms and acid rain are common features across an America that is in some places utterly Saharan and in others dank and wet. Implied in these conditions is a society in which global warming has utterly reshaped the landscape of the USA.

In some places, what appear to be the remnants of nuclear bombing makes entire cities uninhabitable, while in others they are converted into waste disposal areas stretching for hundreds of miles.

Much of the film’s power comes from its ability to show, not tell. The only explanation the audience receives is from a small paragraph of text at the beginning which tells us that there have been vast environmental issues.

In these portraits of landscapes fundamentally changed by our own irresponsible behaviour, Blade Runner 2049 provides an image that should be shocking to the nation that needs to hear it the most: America. Amidst Donald Trump’s recent withdrawal from the Paris agreement and his notorious ignorance of the environment and especially climate issues, this is a picture that shouts “do something now, or else these will be the consequences”.

Indeed, we are already seeing the magnitude of the problem. Recent hurricanes Harvey and Irma are only the latest natural disasters in a long line of extreme weather that scientists believe to have been worsened by the effects of climate change.

Issues such as deforestation, fracking, and the rapid depletion of fossil fuels have a permanent place in the headlines as environmental activists struggle against big businesses and international corporations to impose stricter regulations on consumption. A world in which refuse disposal spans entire cities and tropical storms hit every day suddenly does not seem as if it could be so far away.

Blade Runner 2049 is undoubtedly a film of outstanding visual beauty, but it would be a mistake to see this is as a portrait of a desirable future.

The glowing lights act as a mirage whereby technological advancement masks the depletion of the earth and the impending doom of a future running out of options.

Above all, it is a warning: If we continue at the rate we are going, we may indeed end up here sooner than we think.

Lack of living wage makes young people poorer

New research shows that without the National Living Wage, over a million under 25s are being paid up to £3.45 less than over 25s for the same job.

The study, conducted by the Young Women’s Trust, means that under 25s are missing out on up to £6,300 per year. This is detrimental to the economic security of people coming out of university, and has proven to be largely unpopular.

A survey of 1000 people done by CV-Library showed that around 8 percent of respondents believed the living wage should also apply to workers under the age of 25.

The University of Manchester Living Wage Campaign have stated that “all workers should be guaranteed the Real Living Wage.”

They continued: “This ensures that it pays to be in work, and provides those on low pay with a decent quality of life. Not only is the current National Living Wage insufficient, but it unfairly discriminates against those under the age of 25 who face high living costs and are struggling to get ahead in life.”

Furthermore, the Young Women’s Trust Chief Executive commented that under 25s are “falling into debt, using food banks in greater numbers and their self-confidence is low. It’s no surprise when they are paid less for the same work.

“We all need a basic amount of money to get by, no matter how old we are. The bus to work costs the same, whether you’re 24 or 26. Gas and electricity costs the same, regardless of age. Rent doesn’t cost any less in your early 20s. Much more needs to be done to improve young people’s prospects and give them hope for the future.”

In the past, doubts have been raised about applying the Living Wage to under-25s, for example Conservative cabinet minister Matthew Hancock argued under 25s shouldn’t have the living wage because they are “not as productive” as older workers.

However, now given the rise in inflation levels after the Brexit vote, and continued economic certainty as the EU negotiating process seem to be going little to nowhere, real wages are at risk, and a living wage may well be needed to fall back on for under 25s who are already struggling.

Scary snot and sinew soup aka pumpkin soup with melting cheese and bacon

Wanting to get in the Halloween spirit? Try this easy recipe for a spooky Pumpkin soup. The non-carnivorous can skip out on the bacon.

Ingredients:

A Pumpkin — judge size according to guests
A large onion — two if a big pumpkin
Chicken or vegetable stock
Gruyère cheese
Bacon lardons or Pancetta — optional

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

2. Slice your pumpkin into wedges and remove seeds, painting each side of the flesh with a bit of oil. Tip: try sesame or nut oil for an added smokiness. Cook in oven for 30–40 minutes or until the flesh is soft.

3. In the mean time: Fry onions in a frying pan with a little oil or butter till soft, keeping the heat relatively low so they don’t brown.

4. Fry up your bacon lardons. Feel free to preserve a bit of the oil to add to the soup later for extra flavour.

5. Dice up your gruyère, about 1cm cubed.

6. When your pumpkin has roasted, scoop the flesh into a pan with your stock and onions, cover and leave on the hob for 20 minutes. The flesh should decompose somewhat, so check occasionally to avoid sticking.

7. Blend the pumpkin mixture or push through a sieve into a bowl if you have the energy, then return to the pan to reheat. Add your bacon ‘sinew’ and it’s juices if desired.

8. Serve the soup into bowls, before scattering the gruyère ‘snot blobs’, which with the heat of the soup should go stringy round the edges. Season with pepper and serve with some crusty bread.

Extra serving options: Add a swirl of double or sour cream, or some nutmeg if you fancy getting a little festive. If you have some soup left over, let it cool before freezing.

Bone-appétit!

Review: Middle-Earth: Shadow of War

Like 2014’s Shadow of Mordor before it, Shadow of War offers an open-world action RPG set within Tolkien’s universe, though one that stands proudly as a great title in its own right.

The bulk of the praise of Shadow of Mordor was always on its innovative Nemesis System, and Shadow of War builds upon that in a big way. In short, the Nemesis System is a game mechanic by which named members of Sauron’s Uruk army rise or fall in power throughout your playthrough, dependent on Talion’s actions.

Each ‘Nemesis’ is randomly generated and has their own personality, combat mechanics, weaknesses and fears. The result is a dynamic game-world that truly feels alive, offering incredibly memorable moments that are unique to every player.

Random generation ensures every Orc is unique. Photo: Monolith Productions

The immense merit of the system made itself clear in the very first encounter I had with Orc captains: fresh out of the prologue mission, I wandered into an enemy camp to have no less than three captains engage me in combat simultaneously.

After barely managing to kill all three using some Gollum-level slyness that I’d rather not talk about, I was finally felled by a javelin thrown by a lowly grunt Orc.

Cue this lucky weasel proudly naming himself as ‘Snafu the Tark Slayer’, earning a promotion off the back of my embarrassing defeat and becoming somewhat of a rival of mine.

Throughout my playthrough, Snafu came back from the dead no less than five times. Each time, he’d come back pieced together with bits of metal, becoming ‘Snafu the Machine’ and constantly reminding me with increasingly manic dialogue that I was responsible for turning him into this monster.

Sorry, Snafu. Photo: Monolith Productions

This is just one example of how successful the Nemesis System is in generating genuinely compelling little narratives, often with character arcs that no other player will have experienced in quite the same way.

From Act II onwards, you begin to build your own Orc army. Effectively trying to out-Sauron Sauron, your task is to use this army to usurp his own from the six areas of the game, each with its own stronghold home to an Overlord and a hierarchy of captains.

This successfully weaves the brilliant Nemesis system into the main narrative and overarching goal of the game — though it does get repetitive eventually.

The Overlord of each stronghold can’t just be attacked and killed outright; you must first recruit some of the lower-level captains under his charge and infiltrate his higher ranks, leaving him wide open to a large-scale assault on his fortress.

This sounds like a lot of fun, and it is — the first few times. After that, things start to feel a little grindy, but it never quite becomes a chore until endgame, which I’ll address shortly.

In regards to the audio and visual experience, Shadow of War’s huge budget makes itself known with gorgeous and varied environments, whilst the musical score is compelling if somewhat generic.

Mordor is as huge as it beautiful — a fact you’ll find yourself resenting occasionally when you have to cross huge distances to start missions. Whilst Talion does mercifully learn abilities which make traversing the landscape much quicker, these are too often impeded by Talion’s most fearsome nemesis of all: ledges. These frequently halt your superhuman progression across the landscape as your character slowly prises himself off them, feeling more like a kitten stuck in a tree than a centuries old Gravewalker.

My enemies patiently wait for me to get off a ledge. Photo: Monolith Productions

The combat, on the other hand, is always delightfully responsive and smooth. A multitude of combat skills ensure that Talion always feels as powerful and efficient as The Bright Lord should, whilst the hordes of Orcs that often rush you at once ensure that even on Normal difficulty, the combat never becomes so easy as not to be fun.

Regrettably, it would be impossible review this game and not address the Oliphaunt in the room: microtransactions. For months, WB Games have come under fire for their implementation of loot boxes in Shadow of War.

The loot boxes contain armor and weapons, or Orc captains who can join your army to help defeat Sauron.

Whilst offering extra paid content in full-priced games is arguably questionable at best by itself, Shadow of War further offends by insidiously integrating the loot box system into the core game, making frequent trips to the marketplace deliberately unavoidable.

For example, you acquire a currency called Miriam simply by killing enemies and completing missions, though there is very little to spend it on other than loot boxes. You inevitably end up with thousands upon thousands of Miriam, leaving you no choice but to visit the microtransaction marketplace.

The Headhunter celebrates another loot box sale. Photo: Monolith Productions

At the marketplace, you soon realise that Miriam can only buy you the bottom-tier silver chest, and to buy gold and mithril chests you must use a premium Gold currency acquirable by paying real-world money.

It quickly becomes clear that the game has forgone the opportunity to implement a rewarding in-game economic system (a marketplace updated daily with cosmetics or legendary gear, for example). Instead, it really feels like every Miriam that Talion earns serves the sole purpose of manipulating you into opening your wallet to buy gold chests instead.

The worst part about all of this comes at the endgame of Shadow of War — not-so-curiously named ‘Shadow Wars’ — which sees a “bonus” ending of the game held hostage behind a mammoth grind so mind-numbing that players are driven to buy premium loot boxes just to speed it up.

Needless to say, the loot boxes are a disappointing smear on what is otherwise a very enjoyable game.

The gameplay is solid, the storyline is mostly enjoyable — though deviates from canon lore; Tolkeinites beware —, and the varied mission structures ensure that, endgame aside, the Orc-slaying never becomes tiresome.

Though frankly, even if this were not the case, the Nemesis System ensures that Shadow of War is still worth playing. As it has yet to be successfully replicated by other titles, the Middle-Earth games remain completely unrivalled in their ability to use player-NPC interaction to create a gloriously dynamic gameplay experience.