Year: 2017

Could you be an au pair this summer?

Written by Lauren Valentine on 6th March 2017. Posted in Lifestyle.

By the time you reach university, the novelty of the lengthy summer holidays begins to wear off. You get a little tired of spending days in your pyjamas, and of nobody ever finding true love on Dinner Date. You dream of travelling, but haven’t come up with a way to make your student loan cover your adventure. The solution? Become an au pair. I spent an amazing month last summer as an au pair for a Spanish family, but not before months of scouring the internet for advice and experiences. Here are some key questions and answers to aid (and hopefully persuade) your decision.

What does it take to be an au pair?

To be an au pair, you’ll need to be flexible and open-minded in order to adapt to the new routine, expectations, and culture. There is no essential experience required, though it is useful to have some previous contact with young children. There is also no set time period, as all families have different requirements.

How do I find a family?

This can be done efficiently through the internet, and there is no need to pay for agencies. Personally, I used NewAuPair and AuPairWorld, and spoke to quite a few families. There are more, but do check reviews and be precautious when using new sites.

Will it make me more employable?

Yes. Being an au pair will improve your adaptability, develop your cultural awareness, make you more understanding of others, and perhaps allow you to learn or improve your language skills.

Is it expensive?

Not at all. Au pairs are often expected to pay for flights, but generally accommodation and food is all provided at no cost. You should be paid in return for your work with the children, and for me this meant that I came back in profit (even after buying endless fridge magnets at the airport…).

Do I need to speak another language?

If your host family speak English, then speaking their language is not essential as they often want you to interact with the children in English to help them to learn. However, it is useful to have a grasp of the local language to be able to socialise and have a greater sense of freedom.

How many hours will I be expected to work? / How much free time will I have?

Questions like these are ones that must be arranged beforehand with the family. I hadn’t been made aware that I was actually expected to give daily classes to the children, which led to me hastily preparing PowerPoints in the early hours of the morning!

What will I gain from the experience?

It’s difficult to summarise the benefits of being an au pair, so a list will have to suffice: greater cultural awareness, lifelong friendships, language skills, new recipes or music, different perspectives, and most likely some adorable drawings from the children.

Overall, if you’re looking for a productive way to spend your summer that will allow you to see more of the world and meet some great people, I would definitely recommend trying out au pairing. If you’re still unsure after reading the advantages, consider it from the opposite perspective: there are no disadvantages. Provided that everything is organised and discussed in advance, you will feel completely comfortable and come back with plenty of stories to tell!

£17.3m awarded for robotics research in UK universities

Written by Aliya Ismangil on 6th March 2017. Posted in News, Science & Tech.

A new Digital Strategy that aims to encourage the UK to become the centre of technology startups and business, following the larger Government Transformational Strategy to improve citizen relationship and the public sector, has announced a funding pledge of £17.3 million for UK universities.

The announcement comes with a Government review of the country’s artificial intelligence sector, after facing heavy criticism in the past for their lack of support to the UK technology scene, despite the estimation that AI could contribute around £654bn to the UK economy by 2035, according to report published last year by Accenture.

The lack of British presence in the robotics sector was noted by Gary Shapiro, organiser of the The International Consumer Electronics Show, or CES Tech Fair, which this year had a robot theme. He told the BBC last month that, “Britain’s been a little slow to the game honestly. We have a minister from Britain coming but there’s not a lot of activity that we’ve seen at CES… I think it’s a source of embarrassment.”

Computer scientist Professor Dame Wendy Hall, called in to carry out the review along with tech CEO Jerome Pesenti, tells the BBC: “Our scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs are at the forefront of the development of artificial intelligence and I’m looking forward to exploring how industry and government can work together to support the technology in the UK.”

New programmes and projects would see the benefits of this injection of funding, such as that of Professor Barry Lennox here at the University of Manchester. It looks at the potential use of robots to help carry out tasks at nuclear energy sites, where environments are often dangerous for humans.

“This programme of work will enable us to fundamentally improve RAS capabilities, allowing technologies to be reliably deployed into harsh environments, keeping humans away from the dangers of radiation,” says Professor Lennox.

The project will also look at the potential for the robots to work in other hostile and dangerous environments, such as space, mining, and bomb-disposal. Lennox says:“If we are to be realistic about clearing up contaminated sites, then we have to invest in this type of technology. These environments are some of the most extreme that exist, so the benefits of developing this technology can also apply to a wide range of other scenarios.”

Guardian Angel or Glamorising Arms?

Written by Sophie Soar on 6th March 2017. Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

The fashion industry is no stranger to controversy. In fact, it thrives off it. At the forefront of artistic culture, designers regularly dictate what’s new and exciting in the coming months, frequently with a pinch of contention. To cite the obvious, John Galliano, Alexander McQueen and Vivienne Westwood immediately come to mind.

The industry reflects upon, if not instigates, political controversy. For one, Autumn/Winter 2017 runways seemed laden with feminist slogan t-shirts in light of the international uprising against Trump’s inauguration. The President’s misogyny continues to fuel feminist fashion but his political stance towards America’s Second Amendment appears to fall short of representation.

The Second Amendment states: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Considering the number of deaths caused throughout the US for the unsafe keeping of firearms and readily available access to the weapons, the Second Amendment continually sparks heated debate across the globe.

It is therefore perhaps time for VLIEGER & VANDAM’s line ‘Guardian Angel’, launched in 2002, to return to the controversial limelight. The accessories featured embossed outlines of guns on the outside of handbags, backpacks and purses for both men and women in luxury leather. Their website states that the design arose when designers Carolien Vlieger and Hein Van Dem witnessed the ‘street violence in the city of Rotterdam’ after moving there. The line has since grown to feature styles sporting embossed kitchen knives, claws, handcuffs and dachshunds (in case weaponry isn’t your style).

Despite its launch occurring fifteen years ago, VLIEGER & VANDAM continue to be immensely popular amongst celebrities and designers; the gun bag can boast high profile outings with the likes of Rihanna and model Irina Shayk.

However the bag comes with a warning. Printed inside each ‘Original Guardian Angel’ is the message: ‘Do not use it for self-defence purposes. The weapon feature at the front is fake. To avoid any problems, do not take this bag on a plane as hand luggage and do not take this bag to the bank to pick up cash. Please do enjoy it!’ It would seem the ‘Guardian Angel’ is more likely to cause a problem than act protectively.

In 2015, despite the designs’ built-in warning, a proud owner traveling from Bremen Airport in Germany became a subject of suspicion. The airport since banned the bag to avoid any further false security threats. This is hardly surprising however — it is a loud passive aggressive statement, especially if styled in an emboldening orange.

So in light of the controversial politics reverberating around America, should one still sport the VLIEGER & VANDAM accessories? The underlying message may be supposed to reflect self-protection but does that translate appropriately?

I became aware of this bag when my housemate showed me its recent appearance on a fashion blogger’s Instagram account. After posting a picture of the bag and stating her love for it, the Instagrammer’s followers raised some reasonable concerns. One questioned whether it was ‘glamorising violence’ whilst another asked: ‘Slogans and symbolism are so often used to make a fashion statement, but do you feel your platform as a fashion blogger has made you more aware of what you might be promoting?’ These are perfectly reasonable questions to ask, especially considering the influence bloggers and fashion Instagrammers have on young people. Is this really something they should, perhaps thoughtlessly, post? I believe in this particular blogger’s ignorance, for she replied to one criticism: ‘It’s just an item of clothing. I like it, sorry you don’t x’. It is not just an item of clothing; controversial fashion is a statement that you must consider before publicly displaying it, especially if you are not willing to face a backlash.

Of course, the impressionable masses that choose not to read into the political implications also had their say. One writes ‘as if your style wasn’t killer enough now it looks like you’re carrying a gun’. This just demonstrates the appropriation and skewed symbolism of a bag that was once a statement of self-protection. Most frustratingly however was the comment: ‘The gun cannot hurt you, it is an inanimate object. You need an evil person to do harm to another person. “M” doesn’t look like the dangerous type 🙂 Gun is a symbol for badassness or protection’. Firstly, guns are a symbol of violence. They are a weapon designed to cause physical harm. Granted, this may perhaps be in self-defence but not to reflect a fashion blogger’s ‘badassness’. Secondly… Doesn’t look like the dangerous type? Smiley face? So if someone doesn’t look dangerous, clearly they cannot possibly do anyone any harm? This is the fundamental problem of the comment: making the assumption about one’s violent inclination based upon their physical appearance.

Personally, the appropriation of weaponry as fashion falls into a dangerous category. It is unfortunate that the original message of the ‘Guardian Angel’ has lost its previously intended symbolism but this was perhaps inevitable considering the fifteen years of political and social change since its release. Therefore should one choose to purchase an item of controversial clothing, there are several factors to consider. Firstly, be aware of what message you may be presenting to the public. Secondly, be conscious of what offence you may cause. Finally, and perhaps most significantly, you must be prepared to defend your decision with well-informed reasoning.

Top 5 books to get you into Terry Pratchett’s Discworld

Written by Brocha Goode on 6th March 2017. Posted in Books.

Terry Pratchett holds a place in the hearts of many for creating a fantasy world of characters and places so distant from the world you know yet somehow so familiar. Unlike other series, you don’t need to read all of the books from start to end. Rather you can follow certain characters along their paths and use them as introductions to Discworld. In fact, many think it is best to start later on in the chronology, when Sir Terry Pratchett knew his world more and had perfected his flow. Here are the books to pick up if you’d rather not start with The Colour of Magic.

5. Guards Guards

The first of the City Watch books, it follows the story of a dragon invading the great and odorous city of Ankmorpork and the efforts of the police force to stop it. One of the first books of Discworld, the book does an amazing job at introducing you to the city and its politics through the eyes of a Dwarf named Carrot. To tell you more of it would give away too many aspects of the mystery, but suffice to say it contains murder, suspense, cults, explosions and a million-to-one chance which just might work. Even if it’s not the first book you pick up, add it to your list. You won’t regret it.

4. The Wee Free Men

Tiffney Aching’s training as a witch starts at age nine in The Wee Free Men and continues until she is a capable young woman in The Shepherd’s Crown – the last book Terry Pratchett wrote for Discworld before his passing. The series starts off as Young Adult but continues into a full adult series by the end. Although I would hold off on reading The Shepherd’s Crown until you have read at least every Witches story as well as every Tiffany Aching story, I can think of fewer books better for introducing his world than her first outing. A witch of the chalk, and someone not to be messed with, she comes up against the Queen of the fairies with little more than her wits to help her. That little more being the Nac Mac Feegle, a group of rough Scottish fairy folk led by the enigmatic Rob Anybody. When it comes down to it, I know this will be one of the books I read to my children someday.

3. Wyrd Sisters

The three witches in Macbeth give witches a bad name. They aren’t all cackling evil beings. Some are important pillars of the community. And none come more stony and important than Granny Weatherwax. Weatherwax was Terry Pratchett’s favourite character, and it’s easy to see why. When the king dies and his brother takes over, she knows something must be up. And it’s not just Nanny Ogg’s knees when she’s had a few. The story is solid, the world well built, and the land is just as much a character as the protagonists’ themselves. Filled with clever references and characters that jump off the page, Wyrd Sisters shows that stories have power and that you don’t have to be a knight in shining armour to save the day.

4. Monstrous Regiment

In a one-off story set in a far off land on the disc, a young woman runs off to join the army; except women aren’t allowed in the army and this is not a Disney kind of war. It’s muddy, and bloody and most people don’t come home. Going by her brother’s name, with her hair cut short, she is placed into a regiment of outcasts. A troll, a vampire and an arsonist make up some of the regiment she must fight with and the people they are fighting are far more powerful and backed by far richer nations than their own little rural state. This is a book I’ve reread at least five times since I first picked it up, it is one of the best places to start to get into his writing style, his character creation and the wider world of the disc.

5. Mort

Mort is considered one of if not the best Discworld book. It focuses on Death, and his search for an apprentice so that Death could finally enjoy living a little. Death was one of if not the most prevalent and human characters Terry Pratchett ever wrote. He wasn’t evil, or cruel. His adventures raged from saving the Discworld version of Christmas in Hogfather to playing guitar in Soul Music, but this is the story that defined him. It ranges across the Disc, visits many different religions and made me laugh enough for me to drop it at one point and spend a few minutes teary-eyed trying to find my place. Read this book.

Why I’ve dropped out of the University of Manchester

Written by Edie Walwyn on 6th March 2017. Posted in Opinion.

A sigh of relief passed through my lips as I got off the East Midlands train from Manchester on the 29th January 2017, greeted by my mother with open, loving arms. I’d royally effed-up the only exam I had to do that week, in spite of my supposed high intellect and love of Medieval Literature.

On top of all of this, I was going to do the unthinkable and drop out of a Russell Group university. That night, my mother and I went to see T2: Trainspotting at the cinema at which I used to work, still manned by my closest friends and ex-colleagues, who looked upon my return with pity and inevitability. [T2 spoiler] Just as Renton returns to his old room at the end of the film with a sense of failure, nostalgia and immaturity, similarly, later that night, I collapsed into my adolescent bed. At least Renton got away from Edinburgh for twenty years, I lasted a mere semester at the University of Manchester.

“The first semester is bad for everyone!” These are the words those of you who are miserable at university will hear at every instance. It’s a valid point, unless you’re a superhuman whose squad synchronised their university choice, the chances are that you will experience some difficulty when you first attend university, in some shape or form. Whether it’s living far away from loved ones, financial struggles, loneliness, or the increased workload, it’s hard being a first year.

“It’ll get better!”, they said. Maybe they were right. They probably were. After all, most of the people I spoke to about my reservations about continuing university spoke of their first semester very much in terms of “it has to get worse before it can get better”.

They got through it, and I should have been able to as well. I was embarrassed that no matter how convincingly my friends and loved ones argued in favour of the remain campaign, I was edging on the side of leave.

So, after a measly one day back in Manchester after the Christmas holidays, I went running back home, tail between my legs, determined to end my short and temperamental relationship with the University.

However, after a few mental breakdowns, awkward family phone calls, and incredible career opportunities in the line of work I wish to pursue, I realised that my decision was entirely reasonable, rational, and unequivocally right.

At £9,000 a pop, and no guarantees of what will come after graduation, the arguments in favour of attending university are becoming increasingly less convincing. There is no doubt that university is a rewarding, impressive venture.

Degrees are worthwhile, no questions asked. And as someone who is naturally academic, and intellectually curious, I see the value of obtaining a degree not only in terms of career prospects, but as an academic journey. However, it is hard to see why it is viewed as the only option.

With employers becoming less and less preoccupied with whether a candidate has a degree, I often find myself wondering why schools, such as the one I attended, are so desperate to push their students to attend university, particularly of the Russell Group variety. Why did my school pride themselves on limiting our options?

There is a strange contradiction within our society when it comes to academia. In spite of the palpable disrespect shown towards intellectuals and scientists after Brexit, and the rising of tuition fees, our society is still so uni-centric. We are pushed towards a full-time degree, even if it does not make sense for us.

I wanted to do an English Literature degree because I love the subject, but I also work in the film industry. Working full-time and doing my degree in the evenings at Birkbeck did not occur to me. With all of the so-called career and higher education guidance that was offered at school, it was never even entertained as an option, in spite of it being the most beneficial to both my career and my mental health.

No, perhaps I will not be attending a Russell Group university anymore. But so what? Let’s face it, no one knows what the term ‘Russell Group’ actually means anyway.

So, to those who sneer at university drop-outs such as myself, I say this: in the current climate, making a rational, informed decision to drop out of university in order to focus on your career is as viable an option as devouring revision notes for the three years.

Hell, dropping out of university to marry a sugar daddy is another way of doing it too, as long as you remain informed about the latest strand of Viagra. As for me, I bid Manchester adieu. The kamikaze walks down Oxford Road were life-enhancing, but if I’m going to get nearly hit by a bike each morning for the next three years, it needs to be worth it.

Review: The Great Wall

Written by William Green on 6th March 2017. Posted in Film.

Claims of ‘whitewashing’ have plagued the release of Zhang Yimou’s latest movie since the first promotional image of leading man Mat Damon in his authentic Chinese armour was revealed. However, upon watching this Chinese-American co-production it is apparent that this is not the movie’s biggest flaw.

The film revolves around Damon’s character, a western traveller and thief named William, looking for the illustrious and powerful ‘black powder’ (gunpowder). He, along with one other traveller Tovar (Pedro Pascal), are captured by the Chinese warriors of the ‘Nameless Order’ who guard the Great Wall of China from a monstrous threat that attacks the wall every 60 years.

Damon plays his typical brooding but flawed hero figure who comes in to save the day, achieving ovation after ovation from the native soldiers as the story (or lack of) unravels. The seemingly unqualified thief in combat outranks and embarrasses the professionally trained and vast army and it is this sort of western superiority narrative that may seem troubling to some audience members and may leave a sour taste in the mouths of the Chinese side of the co-production.

Regardless of controversies, going into this film there was no expectations of a critical masterpiece and naturally there are problems with elements of the movie. Primarily, the film struggles with real pacing issues throughout, and the turbulent journey feels as if you were watching Lord of the Rings but skipped ahead to the last battle in the final film. Within the first half an hour the viewer is flung into a battle sequence that in any other film would be the grand finale. It makes the slower character driven sections feel like filler until the next seismic battle. The action itself comes at you so quickly and so frequently it becomes increasingly jarring to watch, not even thinking about what the 3D version must be like. I must admit though that the frequent action and unique visual spectacles, as many headaches as it may ensure, does a good job at keeping the audience entertained and is what makes the film at the end of the day good action-adventure fun.

Some more positives in this movie come in the shape of the reliably solid acting from Damon and Pascal, even if no one is quite sure what Irish-American accent Damon was going for. However, the real star of the show is Commander then General Lin (Jing Tian). She delivers an empowering performance of a strong leader who above all else has the most integrity of any of the main characters. The film also delivers stunning visuals, despite the Chinese armour looking like the Power Rangers costumes. The bold aesthetic choices do well to complement the tone of the film as a more light-hearted drama, purposed for entertainment rather than alienating its mass demographic with a more gritty piece with more emotional attachment.

Ultimately, The Great Wall is a great film to go and enjoy with friends when there’s nothing else on. It delivers heart racing action at the expense of character development and any sort of coherent story but will satisfy the needs of the many who enjoy a good action adventure film with larger than life battles.

2/5

Metrolink ‘big bang’ development complete

Written by Eliza Slawther on 6th March 2017. Posted in News.

A tram line that has taken three years and £165m to complete has been finished and opened to the public. The new line, named the Second City Crossing, now runs from St Peter’s Square to Victoria Station.

The project to expand the tram lines first began in 2009, and has seen the size of the Manchester Metrolink rail network treble in size since its opening. The Manchester Metrolink light rail network boasts 93 stops and covers almost 60 miles of track in total, and is owned by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM).

The development as a whole has seen 57 new stops created, along with 61km of new track laid, and won many awards such as ‘Major Civil Engineering Project of the Year over £50m 2015’ (British Construction Industry Awards), and ‘National Rail’s Civil Engineering Achievement of the Year 2015’ amongst many others.

Chair of the TfGM committee Andrew Fender said: “Having chaired a strategy group from 1982 — which developed the Metrolink concept — I am extremely proud, 35 years later, to see the completion of the Second City Crossing, and with it our phenomenal and multi-award winning ‘Phase 3’ expansion programme.

“It’s been a remarkable journey, one I’m privileged to have seen first-hand, and my thanks goes to all those who’ve worked so hard to turn those early dreams and ambitions into a reality and who have, ultimately, delivered a world-class transport system to the people of Greater Manchester.”

The contract for the ‘big bang’ development has been delivered by MPT, a collaborative undertaking by VolkerRail and Laing O’Rourke in consortium with Thales. VolkerRail have stated that they were responsible with Laing O’Rourke for the “design, construction and maintenance of the civil engineering and track”, while Thales were in charge of the tram operating systems.

Oldham Council leader Jim McMahon, is quoted by VolkerRail as saying: “This is the biggest infrastructure project ever undertaken here, and we believe it will act as a catalyst to create new jobs and opportunities.” The project has seen over 2 million man hours completed by in excess of 2,300 employees.

Further plans for the tram network in Manchester include a 350m line being build to the Trafford Centre, and work has already begun on this.

Pop culture damages university reputation

Written by Joel Ansbro on 6th March 2017. Posted in News.

We’re used to seeing awkward, neurotically obsessive academics (Big Bang Theory) and drunken, irresponsible students (Fresh Meat) represented in popular culture.

But a new book published by Palgrave suggests that these negative portrayals of educators and students are harming the public’s views on higher education and it’s perceived worth.

A new book, titled ‘Anti-intellectual Representations of American Colleges and Universities: Fictional Higher Education’ “provides the first comprehensive exploration of the fictional representation of higher education in a range of media”.

The book’s authors, Professor Pauline Reynolds and Professor Barbara Tobolowsky, explore portrayals in comic books and prime time television series respectively. The book begins by illustrating a general view of campus life, before going on to the stereotypes of faculty, as well as minority and female students.

And there’s a cracking range of examples that the book uses. Films such as The House on Sorority Row, where a group of sorority sisters are murdered by a clown during their graduation party are, of course, packed with gratuitous sex scenes. Then there’s the film How High, in which two low-income black students pass an entrance exam using the magic powers of weed fertilized with the ashes of their dead friend, who as a ghost gives them all the answers the test questions.

In a February 26th, 2017 interview with Times Higher Education, Dr. Reynolds said she hopes that the book helps to explain “public skepticism about higher education and faculty. The public seems to see [US] academics as freeloaders, thanks to the protection of tenure, and not teaching anything worthwhile to young people.”

These representations “send messages about who can be a student, where they can be a student and how to be a student — if most of the students are white, and middle class or wealthy, that sends a message to people who don’t fall into those groups… If there are hardly any representations of students engaged intellectually, that has implications for how people perform being a student.

These images in the media can have a more subtle effect on the public’s psyche and subsequently can cause problems related to political and societal issues.

“If we have persistent cross-media anti-intellectual portrayals of higher education and the people in it,” Reynolds suggested, “that leads to the public at large not valuing scholarly activities, research, science and evidence”. In, for example, the US where only half of the public believe climate change is partly caused by human activities, and one in ten Americans believe that vaccines are unsafe, “that leaves us with climate change sceptics and alternative facts.”

So hopefully, the publication can help curb the trend of anti-intellectualism not only in America but here in Britain where former Education Secretary Michael Gove said last year that “people in this country have had enough of experts.” One also hopes that a book about explaining the negative portrayal of higher education won’t be ignored by the public, despite the costly $74.99 price tag of the e-book on the publisher’s website.

Review: It’s Only The End of The World

Written by Joe Casson on 6th March 2017. Posted in Film.

Released 24th February 2017

There are some films that may be good, but are certainly not enjoyable. It’s Only The End of The World, the latest work from divisive Québécois director Xavier Dolan, is one of those. The narrative of an imploding family is relentlessly claustrophobic and at times excruciating, but this melodrama does well to honestly portray how hard it can be for families to communicate when it matters the most.

The film follows acclaimed playwright Louis (Gaspard Ulliel) as he visits his estranged family after a twelve-year absence to tell them he is dying. The film is structured so as to give Louis time alone with each family member, hinting at the wounds lying below the pleasantries: mother Martine (Nathalie Baye) resents Louis’ failure to reach, younger sister Suzanne (Léa Seydoux) has become bruised and insecure in his absence, while abrasive older brother Antoine (Vincent Cassel) feels Louis doesn’t respect or care about his life, and cruelly projects this towards those around him.

These resentments then explode in the dining scenes where most of the action happens. Rarely, though, are they expressed clearly; between the strained pleasantries and messy yelling, there’s a dearth of real communication. For the most part, the characters are so withdrawn that they are incapable of telling each other how they really feel. Accordingly, they say everything apart from what they mean: Louis recounts his travel itinerary while Martine discusses perfume with him. What’s important is what isn’t said.

This means that there’s little conclusion in It’s Only The End of The World, just mounting discomfort. The film’s smothering tension is expertly communicated by the cinematographer’s choice to focus so closely on characters’ faces that they hardly fit in the shot, giving the effect of brutal intimacy while still leaving much obscured.

The film’s lack of emotional clarity or resolution has attracted criticism, but I feel this misses the point. When it comes to confrontations about issues that matter, you always expect yourself to spill your guts out and say your piece. More often than not, though, you end up saying nothing at all, and when all is said and done, little has in fact been said or done. Dolan captures this painful, deflating reality better than most. If the characters’ failure to relate by the end of the film feels deflating, it’s meant to be.

But it also leaves the characters underdeveloped, coming across as caricatured film archetypes. Suzanne plays the perpetual teenager, her smoky basement life soundtracked by Grimes and Blink-182. Catherine is a timid wife who spends the little time she is listened to tongue-tied. And, while Cassel is impressively irascible as Antoine, huffing and bristling almost constantly, without any clearly-communicated emotional underpinning it feels unrealistic and forced.

Additionally, Dolan doesn’t provide quite enough context to make sense of the film and let it resonate. We’re never given any indication of why Louis left home in the first place, and it’s hard to tell if it was his departure that shattered the family or if it was this very dysfunction that pushed him out. One possible route that Dolan never explores is Louis’ homosexuality: little is made of the LGBT context that informed the Jean-Luc Lagarce play this film is adapted from. We are led to assume Louis is dying of AIDS, and some asides suggest his family are uncomfortable with his sexuality (see Antoine’s tirade against Louis’ “la-di-dah” lifestyle), but this theme is never developed to a satisfactory degree.

In the end, then, It’s Only The End of The World is a film that is painfully honest but not quite satisfactory. To a degree, this is acceptable: Dolan ably expresses the traumas and resentments that can fester at the core of a family. At the same time, though, this emotional disconnection impedes us from getting enough detail to really relate to or understand the characters. The result is a film that is at once both smothering and strangely distant.

2.5/5

Review: FUTURE vs HNDRXX – Future Hendrix

Written by Tara Bharadia on 6th March 2017. Posted in Music.

One fateful week of this February brought us two studio albums by prominent rap artist — Future Hendrix. Self-titled FUTURE was released first and is full of his classic rap style with fast lines and expert production. Then, the long-awaited HNDRXX slid onto the scene and launched Future in a whole new light.

Any fan of Future will recognise the first of the two releases as a huge step up in his heavily-associated trap game. The album states no credited track features, yet boasts a solid set of exclusive producers. Here, we see Future sticking to what he knows best, mumbled yet energetic bars over a heavy hi-hat and kick-drum beat.

Future waited until his fifth studio release to release an eponymous album, maybe because FUTURE showcases the talents, he has been working once since 1983, best. ‘Flip’ and ‘Zoom’ contain a similarly conducted skits at the end, reminiscent of early Kanye works, which make not-so-subtle digs at rapper Desiigner and the women he has come across who are more interested in his money than his music. The angry side of the rapper is quite prominent in this album, for example, in ‘Rent Money’ he states ‘Ya baby mama fuck me better when the rent’s due’. Easily the most vulnerable track off FUTURE, ‘Mask Off’ samples a sped-up version of a Tommy Butler song with some references to drug addiction and carelessness from Future.

The seventeen-track album is packed with solos that can only be described as instant yet classic trap, he even states so himself in ‘Super Trapper’: “911 Turbo Porsche cause I’m a super trapper”. Beats crafted by experts and then drenched in Future’s thick and syrupy voice, FUTURE is arguably the best that he can get in the trap. Tracks like ‘I’m So Groovy’, ‘When I Was Broke’ and ‘POA’ show the best and limits of storytelling in trap. FUTURE doesn’t explore new ground and the extensive run time exhausts the genre but this is where HNDRXX comes into play.

It’s no surprise that two of the best tracks on HNDRXX are the ones that feature The Weeknd and Rihanna – ‘Comin Out Strong’ and ‘Selfish’ respectively. Such big names carry the potential of them taking over the song and while that can be argued for both of these tracks, this album is more about Future trying something new and pushing himself creatively, especially trying his hand at singing, so we can excuse this.

The album seems a lot more apologetic and thankful than any other Future records we’ve heard before. In an interview with Beats 1 he stated, “This is me opening up and letting it all out so I can move past it and certain things, I won’t have to speak on it again”, but I’m sure I’m not the only one hope this side of Future sticks around a little longer. Three starkly different tracks are ‘Sorry’, ‘Incredible’ and ‘Lookin Exotic’ but because this is an album of change, they almost summarise the story Future is trying his best to tell in the best way.

Listen to both albums and you’ll be able to tell which tracks belong to which. The differences between the two are stark and obvious. Both possess an extensive track list but HNDRXX’s cover art features a static, monochrome body, in contrast to FUTURE’s bright and blurred face, which shows how HNDRXX is more honest, true and could potentially be Future’s new style moving forward.

Is this the end of Future and the start of Hendrix?

Manchester athletes picked for North squads

Written by Ben Ryan on 6th March 2017. Posted in Sport.

The girl’s netball club have become one of the stand out clubs in the Athletics Union so far this year. Regularly team of the week and consistently delivering wins across the board, including five wins out of six a few weeks ago, some of their club members have been shown the due recognition they deserve. Ellie Smith, Olivia Leach and Claudia Payne have been successful enough to have earned places on the Universities’ North Regional Squads, which allows them to trial for the English National Squads. Vice Captain Olivia Edwards gave us a few words on the girls and their outstanding achievement.

Ellie Smith (GA/GS) – “Plays in the University first team and is a training partner for Manchester Thunder. Ellie’s commitment to the first team over the last three years has been pivotal in the team’s success and survival in the league. Consistently gets 90 per cent shooting accuracy and is a talent to watch for the future.”

Claudia Payne (GK) – “First team captain and has lead the team in a very successful league campaign, where it is likely the first team will finish 3rd of the Northern Prem division. Played in the first team for three years. Claudia is excellent at reading the game to produce game changing turnovers, which has allowed her team to see so many victories.”

Olivia Leach (GA/GS) –”Second team player. Second team have their final games over the next few weeks where they hope to secure promotion. They have also reached the quarter final of the cup. Her contributions to the team have been invaluable throughout the season and you could not ask more from a fresher. She has fit into the team so smoothly and will be playing first team netball next year. Another shooter with superb shooting accuracy.”

“Each of the players more than deserves their places in the North Regional Netball Squad and there selection recognizes all of the hard work that they have put in over the last season during training and matches, in addition to all of the training they do outside of UoM. All three players will be an asset to the North regional squad, Ellie and Olivia because of their excellent attacking abilities and shooting accuracy, and Claudia for her ability to read the game and produce turnovers. From a club perspective, it is great to have such a large representation at this level and we will support all of our players as they train to make it into the national team. The fact that players from both the first and second teams have made it into the north regional squad reflects the extremely high level of netball that is being played across the club currently.”

The men’s Rugby club have also had some outstanding achievements. Three of their players, Guy Bradley, Charlie Reed and Alfie Dudman-Jones, also made the Universities’ North Regional Squads for 7’s and will progress forward to the 7’s English National trials. Chris Calvert has also been contacted by Championship Rugby side Rotherham over a professional contact, which is a remarkable feat. The Chairman of the Rugby club Jos Edwards had a few words for us on each of the guys and their outstanding achievement.

Guy Bradley (Centre) – “Guy is a dynamic centre, who despite not be the quickest or biggest in the team finds himself beating defenders and crossing the gain line often. Has a strong hand off that often creates space for other players to offload to — seen best when he crossed over for UOM’s try at varsity. Very solid defensively and large frame make him an ideal sevens player.”

Charlie Reed (Fly half) – “Charlie Reed is a match winner, first team fly half he loves playing with front foot ball and often can create something out of nothing due to his quick feet. A man for the big occasion and pressure situation — seen scoring the winning conversion as a fresher from the sideline against Sheffield and landed the winning penalty in the final play of the game against St Andrews this season from half way to see the first team win 36-34. The space provided by the 7s game is perfectly suited to his strongest attributes.

Alfie Dudman Jones (Winger) – “What kind of player he is: A born finisher and leader. Alfie is the top try scorer for the Uni side this year, and is also the first team captain. He has taken many games by the scruff of the neck and led the side to victory, this was seen best at St Andrews where he scored three of the four tries for UoM from the wing. He’s the quickest player at UMRFC and whenever he’s given space to run at players it takes a lot to stop him.”

“It means a lot that finally the talent we have is being recognised on a national level and that will draw other talented players to attend the university knowing that the rugby club is fully behind furthering their rugby playing aspirations.”

Burnham joins torchlit demonstration in Manchester

Written by Eleanor Forrest on 5th March 2017. Posted in News.

Protestors met in Castlefield Arena on Saturday February 25th at 5pm and walked to rally at Albert Square. The aim of this protest was to send a message to Downing Street that the continuing budget cuts are leaving city councils, such as Manchester, unable to care for the most vulnerable people in the city.

The group ‘Fair Deal 4 Manchester’, who organised the torchlight protest, stated on their Facebook page that Theresa May’s “heartless government” have gone too far with these drastic cuts. They believe “older people, those needing support mental health, disabilities and learning difficulties, and those affected by homelessness [sic]” will be the most affected.

Joining the demonstration was Labour’s candidate for the next mayoral election, Andy Burnham. Burnham stated these cuts serve to neglect the needs of young people, elderly and the homeless, claiming they have “suffered enough”. Both Labour and trade unions supported the protest in an attempt to protect public sector services before the announcement of the spring Budget.

The protesters, who donned raincoats and umbrellas, lit torches to further stress their point and garner attention that government cuts are becoming increasingly damaging to Manchester council’s ability to adequately care for their people.

This year local council cuts across the region will reach £160bn. Since 2010 nearly £2 billion has been removed from the council budget. Taxpayers, who are already expected to pay an extra 1p from April, will now carry a greater burden as councils attempt to fill the vacuum made by government cuts. To maintain services, an extra 3 per cent is expected to be added on top of the original council tax increase.

Councillor Pat Karney, who helped organise the protest, stated his pride for those who attended and added that residents of Manchester were being forced to fill the void left by cuts. Karney said the continual rationing and cutting of services cannot continue if councils are expected to maintain the basic minimum in social welfare and NHS services.

‘Fair Deal 4 Manchester’ have set up a petition calling on Theresa May’s government to fully fund social care and schools in Manchester.

You can find the link for the petition here: www.manchesterpetition.com

Exec Elections 2017: Your Candidates

Written by Jennifer Sterne on 3rd March 2017. Posted in News.

Students from across the university have put themselves forward for the eight Exec positions including: General Secretary, Education Officer, Wellbeing Officer, Diversity Officer, Community Officer, Campaigns and Citizenship Officer and Women’s Officer.

All students from the University of Manchester are eligible to vote, with voting open until the 9th of March. Students can vote through the MyUnion tab on MyManchester until then.

The results of the elections will be announced on the night of the 9th. The Mancunion will be liveblogging all the results as they happen.

The Mancunion approached all 48 candidates running in the elections, the 27 below were the only ones to respond. The responses are printed as submitted.

You can view all the other candidates standing here.

Candidates for General Secretary:

Marah Subahi

Hi! I’m a final year History student and I’m running to be your Gen Sec! I’m tremendously passionate about ensuring students have the best experience at university. I’m the current General Secretary of ManMUN which means I have a great understanding of the ins and outs of the SU. This has provided me with the chance to improve my leadership, communication, negotiating and time-management skills – all of which are vital to be your Gen Sec. My policies include: students’ mental well-being; ensure students voices are heard through establishing a relationship with the mayor; work closely with North Campus, and more!

Ben Mugi Mamicha

After a wonderful year serving as the President of the East African Society, I believe that it is the right time to expand my reach and enact my vision of a University of exuding openness, positivity and prosperity.

To make this vision a reality, I intend to focus SU policy on tackling the stigma surrounding mental health so that the mediums available to support victims of ailments like anxiety, depression eating disorders can receive the support that they not only need but also deserve. Alongside this, I aim to bring entrepreneurship, security and Union efficiency to the forefront of our agenda.

Sorcha Floyd

Hello, I’m Sorcha and I’m running to be your Gen Sec. Having been Campaigns and Citizenship officer this year, I have the experience of being on the Exec team; therefore I believe I am equipped with the necessary skillset to be your GenSec. If I was elected I would work to invigorate the union by bringing an important campaigning element to this role, whilst supporting our new officer team into their new roles. I understand how the future union can progress for you and what it can realistically achieve. I’m really excited to see what the next year holds.

Alexander Tayler

I’ve been a Student Ambassador Team Leader for the past two years, engaging with students throughout their time at Manchester. I am committed to this University and want to improve it. My goals are to involve you more in the life of the Union, and develop it into an institution that really offers something for everyone; something we can all be part of. The SU has been involved in some fantastic work over recent years and I want to take this further. I want to save you money, get your voice heard, improve your Union and enhance your student experience.

Candidates for Campaigns and Citizenship Officer:

Molly Stedman

Hey! I’m Molly Stedman and I’m running for Campaigns and Citizenship officer because I wholly believe in the power of the student voice to affect change. My three top priorities are empowerment, fees and refugees. I will empower all students to campaign by offering lecture shout outs across all schools about campaigning opportunities and sessions where students can learn how to communicate with their MP. I will listen to what students want to campaign about and represent the student voice. As a passionate campaigner, I will challenge the powers of the university whenever necessary.

Deej Malik-Johnson

I’m running to be Campaigns officer because I have the drive and the experience to help you make a real change in the university, in the city and student movement as a whole. I’ve served as BME part time officer for 2 years representing students and passing policies like Refugee Scholarships, the introduction of Trans and Working Class Officers and the NSS Boycott.

As your Campaigns officer I will focus on the 3 E’s Empowerment, Education and Environment to broaden access to education, defend student rights, fight hate crime, divest from fossil fuels and support you to make change.

Facebook.com/voteDeej

Candidates for Education Officer:

Farhan Butt

Everything I’ve done, as a final year management student representative, or peer mentor, or student ambassador, I’ve done by listening to people, not just students but listening to the staff as well. I always try to look for common ground even with people who disagree with me and if you elect me, I’d make sure that your voices are heard!

If I won, some of the things that I’d fight for are campaign against cuts to bursaries, Home & International student fee and printing charges.

Top 3 Priorities:

1) Campaign against cuts to bursaries

2) Home and International student fee

3) Printing Charges’

Emma Atkins

I’m Emma, your current Education Officer, and I’m re-running in the elections under the slogan ‘Game of Loans’. I’ve done a lot this year but my experience has taught me where the University is lacking and what else has to be done, and I’d love to represent you in education for another year. If elected, I will provide better podcasting provision, start an annual education conference, empower students to change their course like liberating the curriculum, review PhD supervision and keep fighting the TEF, tuition fees and other harmful government reforms. Re-elect Emma for Education!

Jessica Mills

I’m standing to help students make the most of their education in Manchester. I want every student’s time at university to be progressive, accessible and worth every penny of £9000.

My experience with Access All Areas has shown me how students alongside the Student’s Union have the power to make worthwhile impacts within university and in surrounding communities.

As Education Officer, I would work to empower students to make their positive impacts. I would work hard to widen access to higher education, lobby against increased tuition fees supported by the T.E.F. and express your views more effectively.

#VOTEJESSFORPROGRESS

Candidates for Wellbeing Officer:

Saqib Mahmood

Having a mental health condition, has allowed me to express my passion about mental health and general wellbeing. I want to help the student population on a higher scale, to reach out to students from all communities, ranging from BME to LGBTQ+. I have also co-founded a mental health society called the Open Mind Network, which has allowed me to work closely with the current wellbeing officer, and how we should implement our passions for mental health. If I were voted in, I will organise a network of student mentors who will provide pro bono student counselling services to students.

I have a holistic plan to improve all aspects of wellbeing, whether you’re LGBTQ, a student of faith, a BME student, or if you just love health and fitness.

Zara Riches

Hi I’m Zara and I’m running for Wellbeing. I have a holistic plan to improve all aspects of wellbeing, whether you’re LGBTQ, a student of faith, a BME student, or if you love health and fitness.

Vote Zara #1 if you want:

· More free sports available through Sporticipate

· A greater range of vegan, gluten-free, halal and kosher food

· A “Conversation Corner” for students to talk about family issues they’re facing

· Clear guidelines for Mitigating Circumstances to ensure students across all Faculties are treated equally

Don’t forget be a happy student and vote Zara #1 for wellbeing.

Dee Dixon

I am a transgender, 3rd year student studying Drama and Screen, standing to be your Wellbeing officer in this year’s Exec Election!

Why vote for me? Well I am pledging to focus on managing and tackling the issues of student isolation throughout university life as well as facing mental health issues with practical solutions that can benefit everyone.

I also pledge to create networks of contact and support for students that have interrupted their course and thirdly, I hope to create a relaxed and accessible atmosphere in our union, in which every student feels welcome.

Erin Dyson

Studying at the University of Manchester for four years has given me and understanding of the successes and shortcomings of our university. After living in halls for two years and being elected to the executive JCR, I have seen the importance of improving the level of pastoral care offered as well as supporting students who no longer live in halls.

Further than this I believe that the university needs to do more to adopt a harm reduction strategy when it comes to the drug use of students’ at our university to ensure that students are not put in unnecessary risk.

Dominic Bennett

University is a stressful and confusing time for many, something I have experience of having struggled with depression during my studies, it’s vital that the best wellbeing services possible are provided. I have the experience and ideas to ensure they are, having run a student counselling group and received NHS training in facilitating self-help groups. I will overhaul the way we communicate with students so more people are aware of, and comfortable engaging with, the diversity of help that exists. I would also improve the services that are already there and set up a range of student led support groups.

Candidates for Diversity Officer:

Riddi Visu

I’m Riddi, final year international student. I believe that inclusiveness is what equals success. I have actively participated in union’s activities in promoting diversity.

I have organized global fest, ran International Student Network, contributed as an ambassador, worked for Indian Society and now, I want to serve you, even more, as your diversity officer.

Jeff Ochola

I’m Jeff, a Kenyan final year engineering student. While I’m asleep I think about the world, the things that make us united yet divided in many instances. The belief that our uniqueness is the basis of our strength is something I hold close to my heart.

From giving extra English lessons to my Chinese housemates to attending religious-tolerance meetings with my Muslim friends, determination and focus have sustained my steadfastness. Together we have beaten criticism with hard work, hatred with love.

I therefore strongly maintain the call to serve you with dedication, diligence and excellence as your next diversity officer.

Xin Tang

I believe in passion for inclusion, I believe in the spirit of equality. This position is not just for me, but for that kid who was kicked out of house because his mom and dad didn’t accept for who he was, that kid who got bullied for his skin colour, her weight or nationality. We are here together to embrace our identities and diversity, we are here to feel good and change the society to a better place

Caesar Alam

It is essential for every student body to have individuals who are dedicated to representing students throughout their academic lives, and I consider myself to be one of them. I am a former HORNET Rep, EPS Faculty Rep and have also served as the General Secretary and Chair of Weston Hall RA.

If elected, I will enhance the overall student experience by promoting the value of diversity amongst all student groups, spanning a diverse range of languages, faiths and cultures. You can definitely count on me to represent YOU and CEASE Your Problems, but for that I am counting on YOU. Make your votes count so that we can all come together and celebrate Diversity.

Jonathan Ajah

#DiversifyDUnion

Candidates for Women’s Officer:

Sara Heddi

“Hello! I’m Sara and I’m running to be your Women’s Officer! I’m a final year law students who is originally from Manchester and since coming to University I have been involved in lots of different societies and campaigns. I’m running to be Women’s Officer because I’m passionate about implementing policies that will benefit women across not just campus but the community as well. My top 3 policies include, starting a body confidence campaign to tackle issues such as eating disorders, promoting tolerance around the community and fighting transphobia and intolerance to gender issues. Stand with Sara! #1 Women’s Officer!”

Sol Rose

Hey! I’m Sol Rose and I wholeheartedly believe together we can improve your experience of university life by tackling vital student concerns of gender inequality. I have worked on empowerment projects both nationally and internationally, teaching me the importance of pushing for an intersectional, inclusive and resourceful approach to feminist campaigns. From confronting systematic gendered violence to challenging employment boundaries, I aim to cross-culturally connect, inspire, listen to and empower women from all walks of life here at UoM. I am from a highly creative background and hope to showcase the multimedia talents of self-defining women through social and activist events.

Gamuchirai Hogwe

I am running for Women’s Officer because I want to create a safe environment where no student is at a disadvantage because of their gender. I want to bring equality, safety and awareness to everyone. I appreciate that different women have different experiences and needs so I am here to listen to and accept input from each one of you. As a former student rep, I’ve represented my peers and fellow students before and am no stranger to standing up for students to the university. I am a voice for everyone.

Candidates for Activities and Development Officer:

Kirstie O’Mahony

I’m passionate about not only sustaining all the great things the SU has to offer, but also improving on them for you too. Two of my priorities are introducing CV clinic events and creating an app for the SU bar.

Being FuseFM’s Head of News and MMG’s Head of Current Affairs has given me a wealth of experience which will be integral to this role. I also have experience in the local community working in local bars, pubs and restaurants, as well as volunteering at an LGBT radio station that was born and bred in Manchester.

Join the #KirsTEAM and vote for me!

Kitty Bartlett

My top priorities are:

1) Improving the ways that the SU promotes it’s societies and activities to boost student engagement.

2) Developing the union’s Nightlife.

3) Working towards a sustainable and energy-efficient Union.

I am a 4th year geography student, and I am running because I have loved my time the University so much, I want other people to be able to enjoy their uni expereince as much as I have, and I belive that making a better Union is the way to do that!

Mei Morrish

My priorities are funding, promoting, and expanding inclusivity in societies to make them more accessible for all. I’ve got the organisational, leadership, and creative skills from two years working with Team Pangaea, in which I led both Pan-GAY-a (the university’s only dedicated LGBTQ event space) and the decor team (co-ordinating a team of over 200 people). I’ve also got experience running both liberation and sport societies, and always respond to the individual needs of each. I’m ready to bring my enthusiasm, motivation, and dedication to this role, and show that, truly, Mei Is The Way!

Candidates for Community Officer

Enas Hamza

What does it mean to you? To me, it means togetherness and inclusion. That’s why you should elect me. I’m a born & bred Mancunian. I’m involved in our student community (honestly, just find me on Facebook); I’m better suited to represent YOU both inside and outside of it. I’ve worked with the University as a Student Rep last year and a course ambassador this year. I’ll bring together being a Mancunian, the student life and the University, and having experience in all three is why I’m perfect for the job.

No wonder you’ll say #YasToEnas

Madeleine Martin

I’m a third-year Politics student and as your Community Officer I’ll work hard to bring students and local residents together over the issues we care about.

Last year I was involved in holding Access-All-Areas workshops to demystify politics and give students tools to build campaigns. I’m also a Student Ambassador working to encourage more young people into higher education.

I’d love the opportunity to represent you on issues like housing, safety and community cohesion, and look forward to learning about the issues that matter most. See my manifesto for details of my top priorities!

Feature: Remembering 2016’s lost LGBTQ+ pop icons

Written by Jack Ashworth on 3rd March 2017. Posted in Music.

It has become a well worn cliche to state that 2016 saw the demise of some of our greatest cultural icons — from comedic legends like Victoria Wood and Caroline Aherne, to acting stalwarts Alan Rickman and Gene Wilder, to literary icons Harper Lee and Richard Adams. Few areas of the entertainment industry were left unscathed in a year that saw social media feeds dominated by eulogies to dead stars, the subjects of which seem to change on almost a daily basis.

No area of the entertainment industry seemed to have suffered as disproportionately from the ‘curse of 2016’ than the music industry. Beginning in January with the unexpected death of David Bowie, as the year progressed a plethora of musical icons crossed the great divide to play that ‘great gig in the Sky’ — including Prince, Leonard Cohen, Pete Burns and ultimately culminating in the tragic loss of four-time Ivor Novello winner George Michael on Christmas Day.

In fact, 2016 was a profound year of mourning for the LGBTQ+ community — the homophobia-motivated attack on Pulse, an LGBTQ+ club in Orlando, Florida horrified the world and left 49 people dead. 2016 also witnessed the highest murder rate for trans* people in the US, with 27 deaths being recorded by Advocate. Compounded with the global surge of right-wing political factions and the election of openly anti-LGBTQ+ legislators in the US, one cannot help but feel a profound sense that society, whilst continuing to be a dangerous place for LGBTQ+ people to live authentically anyway, is beginning to regress.

The tumultuous political landscape makes the death of trailblazers such as Bowie, whose androgynous image revolutionised the way in which masculinity was conceptualised and navigated in popular music, all the more difficult to comprehend. Bowie was one of the first commercially successful musicians to challenge conventional norms regarding gender and sexuality, and although remaining notably ambiguous about his own sexual preferences he gave visibility and validation to people who didn’t conform to the overwhelmingly heteronormative hegemony of the 1970s.

With the release of Hunky Dory in 1971, only four years after the legalisation of homosexuality in Britain, Bowie introduced a still sleepily conservative society to his androgynous, flamboyant and gender-defying Ziggy Stardust, and in tandem with the emergence of glam rock and artists such as Marc Bolan and Brian Connolly used costume, makeup and theatricality to defy the conventions of the overtly masculine music industry and pave the way for following generations of musicians and queer icons.

Hugely influenced by artists like Bowie, as well as the punk movement, the 1980s saw an emergence of many gay musicians who, living under the social conservatism of Thatcherism and the shadow of the AIDS epidemic, produced some of the most seminal works of the decade. Frankie Goes To Hollywood (whose ode to gay sex ‘Relax’ was one of the biggest selling singles of the decade, despite massive media censorship), Bronski Beat, Boy George and the late Pete Burns of Dead or Alive (who is perhaps more famous for his stint in Big Brother and his controversial persona than his musical career) all became some of the most celebrated artists of the 1980s.

Although not openly identifying as gay until the late ‘90s, one of the greatest tragedies that befell the LGBTQ community in 2016 was the loss of George Michael. Arguably the most recognisable male musician of his generation, Michael achieved huge success not only domestically but also internationally (including the elusive US markets) throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Equally renowned for his personal life as his musical prowess, Michael was one of pop music’s first megastars to come out as gay and spent the latter half of his career campaigning, supporting AIDS charities, and championing LGBTQ+ causes.

Hounded by the tabloid press throughout the 1990s, culminating in the media storm around his arrest over the now infamous ‘lewd act’ in a Beverly Hills, Michael used the furore around his sexuality as a platform to speak out against the societal prejudices that were still prevalent at the time. An outspoken and articulate critic of homophobia, his loss was mourned greatly by many in the LGBTQ+ community — not just for the excellent body of his work, but also for the content of his character.

With the advent of 2017, and the political landscape starting to look dark for many within the LGBTQ+ community, the loss of icons within the music industry is a hard pill to swallow. The very fact that these people existed within the mainstream media and were visible eased the isolation that many LGBTQ+ teens feel. With few openly gay musicians dealing with explicitly gay issues, or attempting to deconstruct hegemonic norms — as was so prevalent in the latter half of the twentieth century — it seems we will never see the likes of the stars we lost again.

Tensions at controversial Israeli Apartheid Week

Written by Hana Jafar on 3rd March 2017. Posted in News.

Events and protests organised for the 13th annual Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) by Action Palestine saw interruptions and opposition from local pro-Israel organisations.

The week, which takes place annually between the 28th of February and the 6th of March across Universities in the UK “seeks to raise awareness of Israel’s settler-colonial project and apartheid system over the Palestinian people and to build support for the growing Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement” according to organisers.

Support for BDS was passed by University of Manchester Students’ Union last term, despite Jewish students standing up in senate to express fears over their safety on campus.

On Wednesday, one of the IAW events on campus, ‘Meet the Freedom Fighters’ was disrupted by non-student attendees who were suspected to be from the ‘Friends of Israel’ group.

A student attendee, who chose to remain anonymous, recounted the event to us: “Throughout the speeches there was constant muttering, and this persisted despite the requests of organisers and speakers. Towards the end of the third speech, several people began filming on their mobile phones, which Riya [the speaker] objected to (there was already an audio recording for the entire event). One international student who spoke out about being recorded was told by one of the men to ‘learn English before you tell me what to do’.”

After questions were read out and responded to by one of the speakers, a man from the group allegedly accused the speaker of being racist and anti-Semitic. “Amidst the shouting, I heard several rude comments such as ‘Mr Africa, you’re a disgrace to your country’ and ‘why don’t you talk about them lot raping and stabbing everyone?’.”

University and Union staff then called the event to a close, and “most of the party then left the lecture theatre whilst hurling abuse and obscenities. Once out of the lecture theatre the disruptive group were seen lingering outside of Roscoe Building, still shouting, and some students expressed concern about leaving the building, however they eventually disbanded at the request of UoM security.”

One of the Union’s BME officers was also in attendance, and commented on the events of the day, saying: “I was appalled by the behaviour of the non-student pro-Israeli activists.”

They added: “These people exposed themselves for what they are: bullies [and] ideologues with no interest in a respectful discussion on even the most basic terms. It was profoundly sad to see [this] as amongst students and young people I know we can have these discussions and debates, and whilst we may not agree, we can respect one another. These people however were set on the type of spectacle that I have never seen on campus before.”

This wasn’t the only disruption to the events of the week, however. On Thursday afternoon, two students were seen putting up a large ‘stop arming Israel’ banner above the roof of the Samuel Alexander building. The banner was up for a brief few minutes before it was taken down by building security.

One of the students, who chose to remain anonymous, said: “I fully understood the risk involved with putting up the banner, but feel that unless strong action is taken the occupation will continue to be ignored by the international community — as it has been for the past five decades.”

A wall was also put up outside the Manchester Universities’ Catholic Chaplaincy: Students covered it with messages like ‘From Palestine to Mexico, the racist walls have got to go’. The wall “was a visual demonstration, students could come and paint messages, it was a way to get them actively involved and be able to see what kind of thing goes on in Palestine. That was the aim, as well as to gain attention for the BDS movement” said Huda Ammori, prominent activist of the BDS movement in Manchester.

“[The university] invests a million pounds in Caterpillar. So far they have bulldozed around 25,000 Palestinian homes leaving hundreds of thousands of refugees,” Ammori continued. “We’re trying to get the university to end these divestments [sic], as well as cutting links with Technion, [who] are the leaders of the research and development of the Israeli arms trade test their weapons… on Palestinians. So, we’re trying to end all institutional and investment links and make sure [the university] uphold these values as well.”

Israeli Apartheid Week is considered by some to be controversial, and according to The Telegraph’s Richard Black, is “a dishonest hate fest masquerading itself in the language of human rights and social justice”. In an article condemning the week as anti-Semitic, Black claimed that “It is about time university chiefs stepped up their legal and moral obligation to monitoring these events and making sure they do not permanently damage relations between students on campuses.”

When asked about the events, Naa Acquah, General Secretary of the University of Manchester Students’ Union, commented that “I think it is right that the events took place as it is all students’ educational right to discuss Israel/Palestine, a topic that has been covered in courses and public life for decades.

“I have had conversations with various students’ groups and what is clear for me is that most students want to be able to feel safe and accepted on their campus whilst being able to have these discussions without the thought of being harassed or put under extra scrutiny, especially from external sources. I want to promise that I will try my best to make sure every student can feel comfortable whilst being able to express their opinions.”

A University of Manchester spokesperson said: “The University recognises that freedom of speech and expression within the law is of fundamental importance for universities. Events held on our campus are reviewed under the Code of Practice on Freedom of Speech.

“For this event, which was brought forward by a student society through the Students’ Union, the University stipulated a number of controls in accordance with the relevant legislation, and provided an impartial Chair for the meeting to ensure that a wide range of views could be expressed and that all contributors would be listened to with respect.

“Regrettably, when it became clear that this was not happening, the Chair, in consultation with University staff and representatives of the Students’ Union took the decision to close the meeting.”

The University of Manchester Jewish Society (JSoc) were contacted but have not yet been available to release a statement on these events.

Preview: Budget ‘Hack’ Day

Written by Georgie Hines on 3rd March 2017. Posted in News.

On Wednesday 8th March, Philip Hammond will address the nation with his first Budget since he was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer. In conjunction, Policy@Manchester are hosting their Budget ‘Hack’ Day, new this year, in Club Academy of the Students’ Union from 10am to 4pm.

Advertised as a ‘drop-in’ session, students and staff from the university are encouraged to attend the event, which will be hosting a live stream of the Budget, due to commence at 12:30pm.

From 10:30am external speakers, or ‘provocateurs’, will be giving their expertise and opinions on the forthcoming Budget, and its implications in their field of interest. They are there not only to be listened to and learned from, but to spark some discussion, and hopefully debate, amongst the audience.

Professor Andy Westwood, co-director of Policy@Manchester, will also speaking, alongside Angeliki Stogia, Whalley Range Labour Councillor and Head of Partnerships and Development at Discuss Manchester.

The organiser, Professor Westwood, said of the event: “We’ll be showing the Budget live, listening to some of the reactions and hearing from some key people at the university and in the city as we all try and get our heads round what this Budget means.”

Insiders are already predicting many of the aspects of Hammond’s Budget, including a £15.7 billion decrease in public borrowing, compared to this current financial year. As expected, many also believe that the value of the pound will continue to fall and economic growth will slow in the wake of Brexit.

“It’s our job to think and write about big issues in public policy. We’re also trying to make the University of Manchester a ‘go to’ place for commentary and explanation on major political events,” said Westwood.

“To help both of these objectives we’re offering support for staff and students to write about and influence policymaking.”

The event will also provide a platform for bloggers, novice or experienced, to get published on the Manchester Policy Blogs website. In fact, a response to the day is encouraged, with organisers hoping the event will serve as one big creative space for students and staff to discuss the policies and ideas that matter to you.

Prof Westwood told The Mancunion: “The Budget is an ideal time to get people together from across the university community to share reactions and ideas and to turn these into blogs for Policy@Manchester and content for The Mancunion.”

The Policy@Manchester team will be helping contributors throughout the day with advice for both written and video blogs. Further details can be provided by speakers and experts in attendance.

If all this wasn’t enough incentive, Prof Westwood assures us that “there will be a free lunch and lots of cake too!”

There will also be an appearance from a Mancunion “provocateur” at the Hack event.

Tickets are free to register for and available here.

Lunya Review

Written by Lily Carden on 2nd March 2017. Posted in Food & Drink.

There’s a little hotel tucked in the hills above Ronda in Southern Spain that my parents have been going to since before I was even a thought. In fact, my grandparents stayed there the first year Molino del Santo opened. We returned last Easter for some much needed R&R and to enjoy their phenomenal food. It was there that, for the first time, I ate secreto ibérico, a succulent cut of shoulder from acorn fed pigs.

The memory of the taste flitted through my head when I visited a tapas restaurant in Liverpool but I failed to pin it down. The meal was excellent and I was happy to find that another had opened in central Manchester. It was called Lunya. I promptly forgot all about it. Fast forward to my return to Manchester and a chance shortcut through Barton Arcade bought me face-to-face with a sunshine yellow Mini Cooper with Moritz logo decals and a sign that had Lunya swirled across it. Remembering my trip to its sister restaurant, I promptly found a friend, Z, who was willing to visit and off we went.

Left in charge of the menu, I was delighted not only to find, but to recognise, the elusive secreto ibérico. I chose not to mention to my companion that it was served pink (perfectly safe with certain cuts and a chef who knows what they’re doing but can be off-putting) and ordered it. My other choices? Albóndigas (pork and beef meatballs), the classic patatas bravas, calamari, Catalan tomato bread, and my favourite, croquetas.

Despite the comparatively early hour (we arrived at 12:30), we thought a bottle of wine was the best way to start our catch up. I asked the sommelier to base his recommendations on the memory of a full-bodied red drunk at Molino. Peter Kinsella, chef-proprietor and resident wine expert suggested a Catalan wine with a similar flavour profile and after tasting it, we happily took his advice. If you ever want to get the most out of a wine list then make sure you ask for the sommelier, they are generally very approachable and eager to share their knowledge in order for you to chose the perfect bottle.

The tomato bread arrived rapidly, slightly warm and drizzled with an excellent olive oil. It had a fresh, clean taste — just as it should. The albóndigas, patatas bravas, calamari and croquetas followed in quick succession. Speaking as one who dislikes squid, their calamari is a revelation; slightly chewy but not in the least bit rubbery, unlike the horrors of my childhood. The rings of squid have been fried in a light yet crisp beer batter and are served sprinkled with sea salt, a well flavoured mayonnaise on the side.

To my advantage, Z announced he didn’t like allioli so I scooped up the top layer of crisp patatas bravas and enjoyed them alongside the small but perfectly formed albóndigas, the spicy sauces blending well with the cool allioli. The ham and cheese croquetas, normally the tapa I reach for first, were perfectly tasty morsels but could not stand up to the earlier, more punchy dishes.

As we came to the last of the potatoes, I reflected that it was nice to have a well executed meal that left me sated but not unpleasantly full. Then came the pork that, despite my delight in it’s presence on the menu, I had forgotten about. Six little slices, glistening with fat thanks to the diet of acorns, were arranged on top of a smooth beer and shallot purée and a tart red onion marmalade. As I ate the first slice, those wisps of memory became fully formed. This was the pork of my Spanish tinted dreams.

Despite proclaiming myself full, I never could resist a dessert menu, and summoned up even less restraint at the appearance churros on the list. We agreed to share as I dislike the chocolate on its own. Four pretty little churros soon came to the table, stacked next to a mug luxuriant hot chocolate. It was the sweetest full stop to the meal.

Half drunk bottle of wine tucked into my bag, we went downstairs to the deli attached to Lunya, exclaiming over an Aladdin’s cave of Spanish treats. With the bill came a feedback card and that gave 10 per cent off deli items, an impossible thing to resist when faced with so many quality ingredients. Z bought a Great Taste Award winning olive oil and I picked up some wonderful Catalan almonds, a firm favourite and excellent snack.

7 Barton Square

Deansgate

Manchester

M3 2BB

Album: The Orwells — Terrible Human Beings

Written by Callum Oliver on 2nd March 2017. Posted in Music.

Released 17th February via Canvasback

6/10

What could anybody ask of The Orwells? The Chicago five-piece were never exactly praised for their musical innovation, but rather for their greasy, deep-fried garage rock, a sunburned hybrid of Pavement and FIDLAR woozily tumbling down a hillside in a dustbin. Terrible Human Beings is their third album, and thus if rock cliché is anything to go by, either their ‘grand statement’ or potential entrance into the Last Chance Saloon.

However, despite their cavorting in front of the American flag for previous single ‘Who Needs You’, there is no discernable sense of raised stakes or weightier themes in Terrible Human Beings. From its dryly self-aware title onwards, it’s effectively The Orwells doing what they’ve always done. Awash with skatepark-at-sunset guitar leads, thudding basslines and Mario Cuomo’s (no relation to Rivers) yowling, stray-dog vocals, it is simply loose-limbed, shambolic rock, which in fairness The Orwells write quite well.

‘Black Francis’ (The Orwells are nothing if not subtle with their influences) is an endearingly dog-eared Neanderthal pogo whose verses seem to perpetually teeter on the verge of a melancholic wistfulness but exasperatingly never fully embrace this, distilling the song down to a ten-a-penny bash-and-crash chorus. ‘Hippie Soldier’ is better, a lethargic but catchy falling-down-the-stairs ramble gifted with a guitar bridge vaguely reminiscent of the 1975’s ‘You’, providing a welcome if brief respite from the album’s garagey thrash.

It’s when The Orwells stray from the formula that is rigidly adhered to throughout Terrible Human Beings that they become most interesting. ‘Body Reprise’ is a startling but effective foray into Sonic Youth-esque ambient noise, and the album’s opener ‘They Put a Body in the Bayou’ bursts into a widescreen chorus evoking Australian rockers Midnight Oil or more obscure Desert Rock outfits like Yawning Man.

However, most of the time The Orwells just sound like The Orwells, which hardly provides enough musical variation to sustain them over a forty minutes. This musical conservatism spawns uninspired duds like ‘Creatures’, a sleazy Iggy Pop pastiche which I’m struggling to recall even as I listen to it — most of the album’s 13 tracks simply blur into each other as mid-tempo rockers swathed in distortion. The predictably retro and reverberant production, which seems to typify modern garage rock as if the album was recorded in a smoky basement in 1969, is generic and unflattering here. At its worst, there’s barely a hair’s breadth between The Orwells and the countless denim-jacketed, shaggy mayfly bands who seem to come and go with the tides.

Despite all this, it’s difficult to hate The Orwells. They’re just kids thrashing away in the only way they know how to, and thus by some estimates are living the dream™ (at least to patronising critics like myself, who view them as some sort of musical noble savages). Thus, consumed appropriately, Terrible Human Beings is good wholesome fun for all the family. Maybe that’s what we should ask of The Orwells.

Tracks of the Week: 6th March

Written by Tara Bharadia on 2nd March 2017. Posted in Music.

1. ‘Slide’ — Calvin Harris (feat. Frank Ocean & Migos)

This collab was teased a mere week before the track dropped, and it’s fair to say fans weren’t disappointed. Harris’ production is finally showing some development with less of the heavy drums we’ve been getting just a little bored of. But Frank and Migos totally steal the show in a way that makes it a song we’ll still be listening to in a few months’ time, while sprawled out on the beach.

2. ‘Victoria Falls’ —Flyte

If you’re a fan of up-and-coming bands, then Flyte are the ones for you. With a wealthy library of singles released over the past few years, this track has been released in the run-up to their eagerly-awaited new album. The London-based group have found their sound with elusive lyrics, ever-changing styles and their newest stuff is definitely trance-worthy.

3. ‘Lookin Exotic’ — Future

Whether you are a fan of Future or not, there’s something for everyone on his recently-released back-to-back albums. ‘Lookin Exotic’ is off HNDRXX, the second of the two releases, and features a new and brighter spin on his heavy trap influences. It’s the epitome of current hype tracks and shows off Future’s talents in the best way. His never-fading passion is so clear in this track that it’ll make you feel stronger after just one listen.

Jose Mourinho XI

Written by Dane Massey on 2nd March 2017. Posted in Sport.

Goalkeeper: David De Gea (Manchester United)

Probably the hardest choice of the XI, Mourinho has managed a wealth of world-class goalkeepers. Vitor Baia, Petr Cech, Julio Cesar, Iker Casillas and Thibaut Courtois have all played for and won trophies with the Portuguese boss, but De Gea trumps them all. He is undoubtedly one of the best in the world in his position, and if he stays at United, he will be a permanent fixture in their goal over the next 10-15 years.

Right-back: Antonio Valencia (Manchester United)

Mourinho recently said there was “no better right-back in football” than the Ecuadorian. Like De Gea, Valencia is one of the best in his position right now. Valencia has been at the club for seven and a half years and counting. This speaks volumes for his consistency, and while Mourinho is still the manager, there are many more appearances to come for United’s Mr. Reliable.

Centre-back: Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid)

Ramos never lets anyone down. He has been the same for every manager he has played for and is perhaps one of the best defenders ever to play the game. Over the last few years, he has written his name firmly into Real Madrid’s illustrious history. Mourinho began Ramos’ transition from marauding right-back into the complete centre-half.

Centre-back: John Terry (Chelsea)

Terry was Mourinho’s equivalent of Ramos while he coached at Chelsea during two spells. Terry is referred to by Chelsea fans as ‘Captain. Leader. Legend,’ and it was under Mourinho he became recognised as one of the best centre-backs in the world. Terry was the lynchpin of Chelsea’s defence, as he captained the Blues’ to three league titles under the guidance of Mourinho.

Left-back: Javier Zanetti – Captain (Internazionale)

Just as Terry was Mourinho’s captain fantastic at Chelsea, Zanetti lead Internazionale by example. Zanetti spent almost two decades playing for the Nerazzurri, and he racked up 143 caps for Argentina in the process. In his time playing for Argentina, he achieved five silver medals, but at Internazionale he regularly struck gold, including winning the treble under Mourinho in 2009/10.

Centre-midfield: Claude Makelele (Chelsea)

Makelele was so good he had a position named after him. Defensive midfielders have become priceless in today’s game, and it is the Frenchman that they all idolise. Makelele is an icon of the role. Costinha, Esteban Cambiasso, Xabi Alsonso and Michael Carrick, all manged by Mourinho, are also exceptional in this role, but Makelele will always be the commander-in-chief of defensive midfielders.

Centre-midfield: Frank Lampard (Chelsea)

The greatest player in the history of Chelsea football club. Lampard scored 211 goals when he played in his beloved royal blue, making him the clubs all-time top scorer. When Mourinho coached Lampard, his game reached a whole different level, as he played an integral role in Chelsea’s title triumphs of 2005 and 2006, scoring 20+ goals in each season from midfield. Astonishing.

Right-wing: Eden Hazard (Chelsea)

Hazard is a truly sensational footballer. The Belgian wing wizard is a nightmare for any full-back, he can win games single-handedly, at just 26 years of age his prime could still be ahead of him. Mourinho’s star man won PFA Player of the Year in 2015 – Hazard was Mourinho’s shining light when he won his third title with Chelsea.

Attacking-midfield: Wesley Sneijder (Internazionale)

Mourinho’s Internazionale were a stubborn, water-tight defensive unit, they always kept the door shut. At the other end, however, they had players capable of making the difference at the crucial time – one of these players was Sneijder. If the Netherlands won the FIFA World Cup in 2010, Sneijder could have picked up the prestigious Ballon D’or in the year he also won a domestic treble, playing under Mourinho in Milan.

Left-wing: Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)

Is there anything else left to say about him? Cristiano Ronaldo is any managers dream. The current Ballon D’or holder averages over a goal a game for Los Blancos as he has raced to becoming their all-time top scorer and most decorated player. Mourinho’s white machine in his time in charge of Real was fuelled by the Portuguese megastar, he hit 46 La Liga goals for Mourinho as Real marched to their only title in eight years in 2011/12.

Striker: Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Internazionale/Manchester United)

Mourinho’s Swedish striking sensation said he felt like a “terminator” when he played for him at Internazionale. Now the pair are re-united as Ibrahimovic has become Mourinho’s equivalent of when he coached Ronaldo in Spain. Ibrahimovic has took the Premier league by storm, his prolific goal scoring and all round play combined with his brute strength earns the Scandinavian superstar the right to lead the line for Mourinho’s ultimate XI.

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