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Month: February 2019

America’s Green New Deal

New life has been breathed back into the climate change debate with the launch of the Democrat’s Green New Deal. This controversial and demanding deal has been labelled by some as overly ambitious, but it is a clear sign that both change, and carbon dioxide, are in the air.

Our neighbours across the pond have been embroiled in a decades-long debate over the legitimacy of scientists’ claims about climate change. Many influential figures, including the President, loudly dismiss graphs and statistics. However, a poll by the University of Yale has revealed that the American people do not. With US concerns about climate change at an all-time high, the Yale poll found that 73% of Americans believe in climate change, 69% are concerned about it and, perhaps most shockingly, 81% would support the Green New Deal (GND). So why is this support not resonating with politicians?

The GND was introduced by Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Senator Ed Markey as a way of re-imagining the American economy so as to tackle many problems that exist within the country currently, the main one being rising temperatures. The deal links climate change to issues such as accessibility of clean water, healthy food, and education.

It calls for a 10-year decarbonisation of the US economy so has to be carbon neutral by 2050. It demands that the government guarantee jobs with family leave, retirement security, and for all buildings to be upgraded ensuring maximum efficiency. Critics are saying this is overly ambitious. Many fear that the bluntness of the GND risks disillusioning key figures in the climate change battle and does nothing except exacerbate the Republican-Democrat split. The 31-year time frame is also criticised for being too tight and requiring too much money.

However, the 2050 carbon neutral goal is not unique to America. The UK has had long established climate laws and is currently holding talks to discuss tightening them so as to produce no net carbon by 2050. This is the same goal that the EU currently has. Globally, leading the way is Costa Rica. They too have set a zero net carbon emissions goal for 2050, but with considerably more fire than others. One of the plans proposed in one of their bills is to ensure that, by 2050, all taxis and buses run on electricity and an electric train line will be established. Environmental Minister, Carlos Manuel Rodríguez aims to have 70% of the nation’s buses running on electricity alone by 2035.

One of the reasons this plan has not sparked the same outrage seen in the US is that the country has made changes over the past few years to ensure that greener living will not be detrimental to the economy. Last year 98% of the country’s electricity came from renewable sources (according to the state-owned electrical generation firm) and 3% economic growth was achieved.

The GND also draws on some ideas that are controversial in America, such as making healthcare more accessible. Another sore spot is the military. With the total cost of implementing the GND being estimated at roughly $13.4 trillion, opponents of the deal are arguing that the country cannot afford it. The Democrat’s proposed solution in the GND is to cut military spending by “at least half”. It is pitched as a way of bringing the troops home to their loved ones, but armed forces are a contentious political tool in the US. Cutting their military spending may even turn moderate Americans against the deal.

It is too early to tell if the GND will be successful, but recent warnings show that global temperature has risen by 2°C this century. The youth group Sunrise Movement has launched a tour around swing states in support of the GND, and it is evident that climate change is being placed back on the Democrat agenda.

When ‘The What’s on Diary’ met Maisie Williams

You may not have tuned in yet, but the Fuse FM radio show ‘The What’s on Diary’ is a growing name around campus. Co-hosts Matt and Brandon take to the airwaves every Sunday from 2-3pm. This is perfect timing for many of you; emerging from the unique kind of hangover resulting from a heavy Saturday night out in Manchester. Filled with an hour of chilled vibes and engaging conversations, you cannot miss it. A month ago, we were given unprecedented backstage access to TEDx Manchester.

The first speaker to take to the stage is interpretative dancer Moon Ribas, co-founder of the Cyborg Rights foundation. Moon, from Barcelona has Earthquake vibration devices inserted into her arms and feet. Earthquakes trigger those in her arms and moonquakes, her feet. Using these vivid rhythms, she anthropomorphises natural phenomena and translates them into dance routines set to appropriate music.

By using these impulses to prompt her next move, she achieves complete independence from social interaction and the artificiality of the built environment. An hour after her talk had finished, we caught up with Moon backstage at the Bridgewater Hall.

After training at Dance College in the UK and becoming familiar with uniquely human behaviour, Moon said that this did not fulfil her ambition to connect with nature and the planet. She wondered “If I could be alone in the planet how could I perceive movement?” This gave her the idea of having electronic sensory equipment surgically implanted into her.

When connected to WiFi, she is able to feel any earthquake detected by seismometers, anywhere on Earth or the Moon. Now she even plans to have a connection to Mars-quakes, too: “This new way of perceiving reality, has of course, changed my perception of the planet.”

“It was a surprise for me to find out that the Earth is constantly moving”. Reflecting on the societal implications of designing the senses which an individual may choose to have, Moon contemplated that “everyone can decide how they want to be… what would you like to sense?”

From vivid artistic imagery to issues closer to home – TEDx had it covered. Our next interview was with ‘charitable barber’ Ged King. After suffering from trauma during his childhood and a successful military career, Ged found himself at a loss. Before long, he had founded Skullfades.

Skullfades is an organisation which aims to give humanity and confidence back to homeless people by giving them free haircuts. Several years later, and Ged works closely with Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham to tackle homelessness in the city. His most recent project was touring Paris and the refugee camps of Calais – with the same dream of humanising the oft-dehumanised.

Faced with the extraordinary statistic that “homelessness has gone up in Manchester by over 900% since 2010”, Ged decide to act. After founding a barbershop business, he decided to simply go out onto the street with his staff and offer free haircuts to the homeless. Over time he has built up a rapport with the community and learnt a lot about individuals: “Most of the guys on the street, if not all the guys, have experienced high levels of trauma”.

It was this shared sense of a life that could have been, which gave Ged an additional layer of empathy.

“Because of that suffering, it gives me that gift of seeing it in other people and reaching out”. Gaining a profile through his compassion, Ged has also worked closely with those in positions of power. Local politicians have been a positive influence he feels. He explained that he does not “blame anybody” — in fact, he believes those in power are making a positive contribution — “Manchester’s homeless problem has declined for the first time in ten years”.

Following this sobering reality, we were propelled into the fantasy world of Game of Thrones actress, Maisie Williams. After a quick bite to eat, we sat in a utilitarian room backstage at the Bridgewater. We prepared to interview one of the world’s greatest actresses. Introductions were made, hands were shaken, and we sat down to talk.

We set off to a good start after confirming that we were indeed a low budget, student production: “We are now using a phone” to record. With its final series about to air, and with future plans in the pipeline, Maisie chatted to us about her experiences of acting. We spoke about being cast in the world’s biggest TV drama series as well as her love for Manchester.

Maisie’s assertion that “as a famous person people think they know a lot about you” made it clear that fame does not necessarily bring you happiness or fulfilment. We discussed the process behind auditioning for new acting roles after Game of Thrones.

“Just because you’ve done things before, it doesn’t make you any more right for another role”, she explained and conversation moved on to Maisie’s new company — “it was still definitely like a journey figuring out things I wanted to do”.

Referring to the potential immortality of her role as Arya Stark, she believed that she “always felt very different to the character”, but also remains convinced that Game of Thrones would be hard to top “in terms of the show being so iconic”.

“If I never do anything that’s quite as big again I don’t think I’d be mad at that because it did kind of blow everyone’s expectations”.

And to finish, Maisie’s music choices? “I’ve been listening to a lot of James Blake’s new album, Assume Form”.

You can listen to The What’s on Diary every Sunday from 2-3pm on Fuse FM. You can suggest an event we should cover on our Facebook or Instagram pages.

Album Review: Lil Pump – Harverd Dropout

After bursting onto the scene in late 2016, Lil Pump has become somewhat of an embodiment of modern rap- birthed from memes and viral moments until all of a sudden, he manoeuvred into real success, climbing the charts and racking up hundreds of millions of streams. Over a year since first being announced, Pump’s sophomore album Harverd Dropout finally sees the light of day.

However, Harverd Dropout feels like forced fun. The beats sound too polished and once the novelty wears off, Lil Pump’s shtick begins to wear thin. For an artist so concerned with the “now”, Dropout ironically feels stale. Tellingly it’s a bad omen that the title is based on a meme which circulated over a year ago (which Pump should know is basically a lifetime in internet years.) A few fun moments and hit singles make this album bound for streaming success, but ultimately a forgettable project.

Lil Pump has become synonymous with “Soundcloud Rap” — which needs no further introduction as it has dominated your timeline as well as the charts for the past few years. The fashion, drugs, and overall recklessness of this loose scene have in recent years led to a slew of think pieces comparing Soundcloud Rap to Punk. Whilst these takes feel trite now, it is worth noting that as Hip-Hop has replaced Rock as music’s most consumed genre, these artists seem to fill a similar stylistic and cultural position by pushing boundaries and pissing off older generations.

Yet unfortunately, Dropout doesn’t feel particularly innovative or edgy. Quite the contrary — it feels sterile. A variety of beats from different producers could have given depth to the album, as the formula of bouncy synths, snappy drums, and 808s quickly becomes tiresome, such as on ‘Eskeetit’, ‘Who Dat’, and ‘Drug Addicts’. Similarly, several songs feature a familiar distorted 808 which sounded unique on ‘D Rose’ back in 2017 but now sounds recycled and boring. ‘Drop Out’, ‘Nuh Uh’, ‘ION’, ‘Multi-Millionaire’, and ‘Too Much Ice’ all use this and you can’t help but feel Pump has artistically painted himself into a corner.

Yet there are a few good moments on this album and Pump’s dedication to the party is somewhat admirable. Pump never explores the darker side of wealth and drugs that artists like Future and the Weeknd revel in — actually it doesn’t seem to faze Pump in the slightest. “Whole gang full of drug addicts,” Pump gleefully raps on the aptly titled ‘Drug Addicts’. Unfortunately, Pump’s lifestyle will one day take its toll, but at least he’s enjoying himself for now and we don’t have to sit through a moody introspective Lil Pump track quite yet.

There are flashes of Pump’s charisma here too. On ‘Off White’ Pump raps in different registers and switches up his flow a few times which is welcomed, and the menacing but playful ‘Vroom Vroom Vroom’ has the most annoyingly satisfying hook imaginable. These songs are obnoxious, loud and under 2 minutes. In small doses Pump’s energy is infectious but over 16 tracks it’s numbing. At least Pump can still rap something ridiculous, forcing you to crack a smile. On ‘ION’ Pump raps “left wrist cost a Bentley coupe/drop ten Xans in Wonton soup,” conjuring the absurd image of Pump eating a cereal-like concoction of Xanax and soup — which is pretty funny I guess. Yet these few moments of fun drown in endless cups of lean and relentless misogyny.

Harverd Dropout feels calculated, the presence of a major label is definitely felt. For example, the features feel less like organic collaborations and more like an eager attempt by a record label to market Pump as an upper echelon rapper. Almost all of the featured artists are significantly older than Pump and sound out of place in his world. Kanye, Lil Wayne, and YG featuring on this album doesn’t really do much for anyone involved.

Cramming in features and songs on an album has become the norm in the streaming era, and unsurprisingly these bloated albums often don’t result in better music — Harverd Dropout being the latest example of this. That being said, I wouldn’t be surprised if it goes triple platinum in the next few days.

4/10

Single Review: Johnny Marr – Armatopia

Johnny Marr is back with his latest stand-alone single, ‘Armatopia’, and it picks up where his 2018 album Call the Comet left off.

Referencing the increasing threat of climate change, ‘Armatopia’ paints a picture of decadence and hedonism in the face of dystopia, contrasting an electronic indie-pop sound with lyrics depicting acts of debauchery at the end of the world. This sentiment is perfectly encapsulated by the line “So let’s dance to the sound of our time running out,” which sets the mood for a song Marr describes as “Eco-Disco 2019”.

There is perhaps no better time than now for Johnny Marr to come into his own as a solo artist. With former bandmate and ever-controversial Morrissey quickly fading from public favour, Marr is left to occupy the space in the hearts and minds of sentimental Smiths fans hoping to recapture their youth — and this new single more than qualifies him to do so.

Any comparison to The Smiths, however, would be to not do this song justice, since it can only be described as uniquely, Johnny Marr. Following the similarly dystopian-themed LP Call the Comet, it seems ‘Armatopia’ is more evidence that Marr has carved out a novel niche for himself in an industry prone to thematic repetition.

8/10

Long read interview: Every Month founder Rosy Candlin

Getting in touch with Every Month founder Rosy Candlin was like reaching out to an old friend. Having followed both Every Month and Rosy herself on Instagram I contacted her about organising an interview, although arranging a day proved tricky when we discovered that we were both attending Maggie Rogers on consecutive nights. Nevertheless, we managed to arrange a phone call, which began with us both gushing about the gigs and comparing reviews. However, the purpose of this conversation was not to review live music but to tackle a more serious issue: that of period poverty.

Rosy began Every Month in 2016 after she had graduated from Edinburgh University and returned to her hometown of Manchester. At the time tampon tax was being widely discussed, yet Rosy noticed a more prominent problem was evident in the city. “There was a lot of more notable poverty in Manchester than before I had left,” Rosy explained. “There was all this talk about the affordability of products… [yet] we were talking about an issue but also missing the issue.”

Unlike the tampon tax, period poverty does not receive the same level of media coverage, despite it being a more serious problem. As Rosy pointed out, “I knew that I was always going to buy the products regardless of whether they were taxed…but for the people in poverty it’s not about the tax, they literally can’t afford them anyway.” She came up with the idea of making ‘kindness period packs’ in order to help those who struggle to buy sanitary products, and that was how the idea for Every Month came about.

Rosy started making packs in her living room, on a very small scale. “It was literally me just putting things in…I made 250 packs a month, just me,” she explained. Each month she would drop them off at two food banks, making that time of the month a little easier for a small group of people. These first few months were both more and less challenging than Every Month is now; the movement was a lot smaller, but this also made it more manageable. “No one really cared about it at all, that was tricky…[but] I had a lot of time on my hands. It is harder now than it was then.”

Now Every Month has expanded considerably, there are 10 trustees involved and around 70 volunteers. “The trustees shape the way Every Month will go, in terms of which direction, like a committee…it’s so great to have all the volunteers to help.” Nowadays they make 800 packs a month, generating a significant impact in the Manchester area. The movement is currently in a slight limbo phase, as Rosy described it, “We’re in a weird place, we’re a bit too big, but everyone’s a volunteer, [so we’re] not big enough to be employed by Every Month.” Like all volunteering work, having an impact takes a lot of hard work and dedication.

Photo: Rosy Candlin
Photo: Rosy Candlin

Rosy currently lives and works in London at a cancer support centre, which she helps to arrange fundraising for. However, she’s still heavily involved with Every Month and does all the organising for it. You would have thought that creating a movement like this would give you an immense sense of achievement, yet Rosy is very humble about the whole thing. “It isn’t just me so I don’t have this feeling of ‘wow I helped all of these people,’” she told me. “When I see people making all the packs, I’m like ‘whoa, cool’. But we’re not at our goal yet. If we can get menstrual products free in Manchester, we’ll be like wow, we did a thing. Right now I don’t reflect on it much.”

Every Month has certainly gone from strength to strength since 2016, although it has been faced with challenges, revealing the complex nature of period poverty. In the beginning, Rosy included sachets of hot chocolate in the packs, which had to be replaced with chocolate bars as some women could not afford to boil the water required.

The campaign seeks to be gender neutral, they help all people who experience period poverty, no matter what gender. “Sometimes we have people who fundraise for us and say they are raising money for women, that’s ok but we want to keep it neutral,” she revealed. Sometimes the result of that is that we’re told that we’re erasing women.”

Sustainability is an aspect which Every Month have considered when creating the packs, however, because of the nature of the situation they have decided against the inclusion of reusable sanitary products in their packs. “The majority of our packs are disposable products, I totally agree with sustainable products and non-disposable, however, we have made the decision to give people who can’t afford them access to sanitary products, but we don’t have the resources to explain the safest ways to use a menstrual cup,” Rosy told me. “The most important thing is providing some sort of access…it is making a compromise.” Disposable sanitary products are certainly better than no products at all.

The campaign was recently featured in a BBC Radio 1 documentary, ‘About Bloody Time’, which showed Every Month alongside two other movements in the UK who are combatting period poverty. Rosy explained to me that the show helped to legitimise what they do, although it has not necessarily brought Every Month any more funding. “It adds a slight bit of legitimacy to what we’re doing…it’s raised the profile of period poverty. But what keeps the campaign going is financial and product donations.”

Social media is the outlet which brings Every Month the most engagement. Their Instagram page is full of period-positive illustrations, breaking down some of the stigma associated with menstruation. In fact, on their website, you can buy decorative pins featuring a pair of smiling tampons, the purchase of which pays for a year’s worth of period packs for one person.

Every Month is definitely playing a role in fighting period poverty here in Manchester, so what can be done to target period poverty on a national scale? Rosy advises several different approaches, tackling the problem from different angles. “I think it’s important to write to your MP, as they can raise its profile and support the campaign,” she suggested. “It has more impact when constituents write to them compared to us contacting them. People can donate sanitary products to their local food bank, they will always be accepted, or you can donate to us on our website.”

For Rosy, it can even be beneficial to just discuss menstruation, after all, it was due to a lack of discussion that this problem was ignored for so long. “Talk about menstruation openly, without embarrassment: a lot of period poverty is enabled by the fact that people feel uncomfortable to talk about it, so people are less likely to.” By changing our attitude towards periods, more people can get involved with solving the problem, and already that discussion is becoming more evident in society, compared with several years ago. “I forget there are so many people who don’t know that it’s [period poverty] a thing. When Every Month started, the media wasn’t talking about it. It’s now being covered by the media but talking even a little bit is such an easy entry [into discussing period poverty].”

The beauty of Every Month is that it does not just provide help for people in poverty, but it also brings volunteers together and creates a close-knit community. They frequently organise ‘packing parties’, where everybody gets involved with creating the packs. Even though Rosy is based in London, she comes up to Manchester often to be a part of it. “Yeah I love it, it’s my favourite thing,” she said happily, “Very rarely are there spaces like that, very few people know each other outside of Every Month…I really like it, there are women of all different ages, loads of cool women, literally no one has turned up who hasn’t been nice, everyone wants to get it done and have a nice time.”

Organising Every Month is not an easy job, sometimes the financial factors involved can make it seem like an impossible task, as Rosy described to me, “Even during the hard moments, the admin, it can be frustrating. We’ve put on events that have been so stressful, looking at the bank account is stressful.” But the joy generated at the packing parties makes it all worthwhile, “the packing and doing of Every Month really help to create a nice afternoon, even if it is just ‘I’ve had a nice afternoon today’. I’ve met some really cool women who I’ve known for two years now…we even have an Every Month baby! It’s given me a lot back.”

For the time being, Rosy wants Every Month to continue its work in Manchester and keep raising funds to make more packs. “Keeping afloat, bringing in money…those are the things that we’re focusing on in the immediate future, to keep us going. Come along to any of our events because that helps out.” She does have hopes that over time Every Month can have a greater impact on the situation in general, by bringing about more long-term change when it comes to period poverty.  “We need to increase our campaigning side. Where we are trying to make change, sustainable change. I want to grow, but not quite yet, we don’t have the capacity yet. We want the campaigning to match what we do.”

Every Month will be hosting an event at Cubo on Monday the 11th March, to raise money for the campaign. Details can be found on Facebook. You can find out more about the campaign on their website.

 

Menstruation through the ages

The John Rylands Library’s six month exhibition ‘Women Who Shaped Manchester’ showcases the exceptional stories of the women that have characterised our city. It includes pioneers in the fields of politics, science and culture. Tying in with the themes of this exhibition is a small display of medical materials. They highlight some shocking, enlightening and often laughable attitudes towards menstruation through the ages.

The display follows the myth of menstruation from its roots in early physiological theory. It journeys through the supernatural and misogynistic, to the completely absurd. Firstly, the exhibition celebrates the work of Catherine Chisholm – a British physician and the first female medical graduate of the University of Manchester.

She was an early 20th Century pioneer for women’s healthcare in the city. Later, she went on to found the Manchester Babies Hospital. Chisholm radicalised attitudes towards menstruation in medicine, in a turn from male speculation towards the study of women’s experience.  The exhibition includes Chisholm’s 1912 thesis: a survey of over 500 schoolgirls in Manchester regarding menstrual pain. In it, she works to disprove existing medical definitions informed by male practitioners. Furthermore, Chisholm weighs in on the hotly contested topic of co-education. The thesis boldly concludes that menstruation does not have an impact on girls’ capacity for knowledge.

However, an insight into the preceding discourse on menstruation is needed to appreciate the significance of her work. Hence, the introductory talk to this display began with a discussion of its 19thCentury materials.

Firstly, it looks at Harvard Professor of Medicine Edward Clarke’s thesis ‘Sex in Education’. The thesis is a collection of staggering arguments that was popular in the (uncomfortably recent) 1870s. Clarke claimed that young girls were experiencing “physiological disasters”, as they were “beyond their biological capacity”. He claimed that higher education was impeding the growth of their “peculiar and marvellous apparatus”, and inhibiting menstruation. At least, people argued this audacious claim on a scientific basis, unlike Nicholas Cooke’s ‘Satan in Society’. Cooke decided that menstruation represented the consecration (declaration as sacred) of young women, and therefore the parting of ways between men and women.

Both of these texts appear embarrassingly late in the medical timeline. They represent regressive attitudes to physiology, equality, and education. Whilst neither theorist stopped the education of women, their work exemplifies some of the beliefs that early female students such as Chisholm had to contend with.

The display looks back again to the 17thCentury. In the 1600s, menstruation was seen as a general barometer for women’s health. Healthcare was based around the theory of the four humors — black bile, yellow bile, blood, phlegm — the imbalance of which was supposedly cause for any illness. People believed menstruation was the body’s natural balancing of the humors. However, blood-letting was the treatment for ‘too little’ or ‘too much’ blood as many believed it to be an illness. ‘Too little’ menstrual blood was not only associated with physical illnesses, but also with mental health issues. One of the volumes on display lists its causes as “too little exercise, indigestion, upset stomach, sadness, grief, frights and the like”.

Although the medical theories displayed here are wildly inaccurate, they emphasise the shift in attitudes to menstruation between the 17th and 19th  centuries. Attitudes move from scientific enquiry to the Victorians’ misogynistic fear of women’s bodies.

There is an ironic absence of female voices in the discussion of menstruation. The display addresses this and Chisholm transforms the dominant male narrative. Chisholm challenges the exclusionary, othering attitudes to the female body that shaped pre-existing medical discourse. She ultimately uses menstruation as an empowering means for entering the medical field.

Not only was Catherine Chisholm a Woman Who Shaped Manchester, she was a woman who transformed women’s healthcare, radicalised women’s education, and took a pioneering step in unravelling the myth of menstruation.

One more data revolution should be nipped in the bud

Machine learning is all-pervasive. From the facial recognition in your phone to the most groundbreaking of research astrophysics, a journey through the scientific and technological landscape of 2019 wouldn’t be complete without more mentions of machine learning. When used correctly, machine learning can be a powerful tool. But are the researchers in loco parentis shirking their responsibilities? Rice University statistician Dr Genevera Allen believes so. In a speech to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, she argued that scientists are callously leading their machines into bad habits, and science will pay a price for it.

What is machine learning?

Machine learning is, fundamentally, a statistical technique. A mathematical tool to find patterns in otherwise unmanageably large datasets. Often bundled in conversation with the more abstract concept of ‘artificial intelligence’, machine learning is conversely well-defined, (theoretically) well-understood, and, arguably, well-overused.

It all starts with data. The hidden currency behind the 21st century, data and the patterns therein hold considerable worth in the right hands. The primary goal of machine learning is to find useful patterns in large datasets. The latest generation of experiments produce more data than can be reasonably handled, and machine learning is a powerful tool that can identify important information from it.

The key word is classification. The objective of many machine learning algorithms is to apply a set of labels to a set of data. To do this, the algorithms must first be ‘trained’ on a dataset of known, labelled data. In this step, the parameters of the algorithm are tuned until it returns the known results on each of the known data.

A major criticism of machine learning is that it is a black box. Data goes in, results come out, and what happens in between is incomprehensible. It is difficult to argue with this standpoint.

There are several traps lying in wait for any prospective machine learning algorithm. One of the most perilous is ‘over-fitting’. This is when the algorithm relies on features of its training dataset that are particular to that individual dataset, and not to the data as a whole. Through this, coincidental similarities in initial data can render an algorithm useless.

Another trap lies in the fact that these algorithms are designed to find patterns, and do not have the ability to indicate that there may, in fact, be no underlying pattern in a set of data. As a result, they can be prone to finding patterns where there are none.

Allen argues that this type of error is more common than many scientists realise. Citing studies on cancer data as an example, she discusses how the clustering of data – the classification of data points as similar – is wildly different, and indeed incompatible, between studies. This alarming lack of reproducibility raises questions about the reliability of these studies, and of the many using similar methodology.

A simple fix would surely be the repetition of experiments. Deadlines, funding issues, and agenda all too often get in the way of this: The real world is impeding on scientific best practice. According to Allen, the consequences of this lack of repetition often don’t rear their head until two studies are later compared by another researcher. Describing this as a “reproducibility crisis,” she is not afraid to apportion a large part of the blame to misuse of machine learning techniques.

All of this reads like just another chapter in the modern day’s struggle with data and how to handle it. The 21st century is in the midst of what has been described as the 4th industrial revolution, the age of big data. Despite the promise, data is running the risk of becoming a dirty word. Malpractice is seeping through every facet of data science, and Allen’s accusations are just the latest in a series of examples.

Since Cambridge Analytica’s Lil Uzi Vert-alike Christopher Wylie revealed the extent of Facebook’s information harvesting activities, data has been at the front of public imagination. But this is not new. Ben Goldacre’s Bad Science was a bestseller in 2009, a decade ago.

Naltrexone: the stigma surrounding treatments for substance abuse

A potentially life-saving drug used in the treatment of alcohol addiction is being vastly under-prescribed due to unjustified GP fears, new research has found.

The study, conducted by the University of Manchester, found that the use of Naltrexone to treat a range of impulse control disorders produced no increased risk of serious adverse effects when compared to patients who were prescribed a placebo.

Despite evidence supporting the overwhelming safety of consuming Naltrexone, only a minuscule 0.5% of patients eligible for treatment were prescribed the drug by GPs. This comes despite an estimated 600,000 Britons identifying as having a drinking dependency.

Naltrexone is known as an opioid antagonist, a class of drugs which binds to opiate receptors in the brain without activating them. This effectively blocks the mechanism by which numerous painkilling opiate drugs work, such as morphine.

By blocking these receptors, the drug inhibits the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine, colloquially known as the ‘pleasure chemical.’ Under normal circumstances, dependent drinkers would experience a flood of the neurotransmitter in an area of the brain known as the ‘ventral tegmental.’ This causes users to experience feelings of happiness and joy after reaching for a bottle and encourages future drinking. Now, those taking Naltrexone see a marked reduction in the reward and pleasure aspect of drinking.

The reluctance shown by medical professionals in writing prescriptions for the drug is not without reason. During the 1980s, a number of clinical trials were conducted investigating the effects of Naltrexone on patients receiving high dosage treatments of the drug. It was found that severe liver toxicity was induced in a significant number of recipients, leading the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to require the drug be distributed in a box clearly stating the potential dangers of its use.

Whilst more than three decades have passed since the drug was deemed unsafe, a total of zero cases of hepatic failure have occurred due to Naltrexone usage. The FDA have since removed the warning from the drug’s packaging. However, the longstanding  stigma is still prevalent. Worries stem from the usage patterns that potential patients would exhibit if they were prescribed the drug. Alcohol addiction has no overnight cure – patients would instead need to take the drug at least daily over a period of months.

A more widespread stigma surrounding substance abuse treatment is the concept of medication-assisted treatment. Whilst it may seem counterintuitive to treat one drug problem with the administration of another, the research is clear– it works. In 2012, the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation (HBFF), one of the USA’s top addiction treatment providers, announced that they were to move away from the 12-step abstinence model popularised during the last century. Instead, they were to treat patients with medication that would ease them off their drug of choice in a more natural manner.

The decision by the HBFF to utilise this treatment method may seem trivial. After all, it’s merely employing a scientifically proven process, as opposed to continuing with an antiquated model. However, it demonstrates a wider cultural shift in the manner that drug dependencies are both viewed and treated. With an increasingly strained national health service and depleting resources with which to treat patients, ignoring potentially life-saving medication such as Naltrexone should be of great concern to doctors and patients alike.

Introducing: Dogs Unleashed

This week, I sat down with Aramish Fatima, President and co-founder of Dogs Unleashed to talk about the amazing society that is bringing the joy of dogs to campus.

Aramish, a zoology student, decided after joining a couple of volunteering societies that she felt there was a need to get closer to animals.  The ZooSoc was her first thought, but they only really provide lecture series and don’t have opportunities to interact with animals. Aramish wasn’t the only one looking for closer contact with animals, with her coursemate Tom Humphreys joining her in her search.

Tom has three dogs and eight cats at home and, before coming to uni, he worked at a shelter as well, so he was naturally interested in having a society involved in helping animals.  With this in mind, he and Aramish looked for places where it would be possible to volunteer with animals. Initially, the pair started off thinking that they would make the effort themselves to volunteer at a local dogs shelter, but then, they thought, why not open it up to everybody? They pitched their idea to the SU, and Dogs Unleashed was born.  

The society, while having only been launched this year, has already been hugely popular with students. Aramish says that at the freshers fair, despite having what she described as a “really shitty” stall and the rain pouring into their tent, students were making a beeline for the stand all day.  Even though Aramish was alone at the stall for the entire two days, because Tom was on placement, she gave out over 700 leaflets and had 300 students sign up on just the first day. “The interest and enthusiasm about the society was incredible,” she said. This is not particularly surprising considering what a brilliant idea this initiative was, and how novel it was on the university society’s scene.

Dogs Unleashed works closely with Manchester Dogs’ Home to provide student volunteers the chance to walk the dogs currently being looked after in the shelter every weekend.  The dogs are all rescues, and the shelter needs all the help it can get to look after the dogs and make sure they have the best opportunities to find a new home. This is exactly what the society helps to do! A group of around 10 students will meet early every Saturday and Sunday to travel together down to Manchester Dogs’ Home.  When they arrive they are given a volunteers badge and a dog, and sent off to the park next to the shelter to walk their dog for about 45 minutes. Sometimes volunteers will pair up depending on how many dogs need walking, or whether a person is comfortable or not in walking a big dog by themselves. Once they bring the dogs back there is usually another dog that needs walking and so students usually spend around two hours at the shelter.  

The shelter has permanent volunteers working during the week, but they really need the support at weekends as these are the days when the shelter is open for visitors.  Doors are open to the public from 12pm. People can come and see the dogs, with the aim of potentially adopting them, so it’s important that the dogs have already been walked by this time so that they have calmed down a little as this massively increases their chances for getting adopted.  These dogs are all rescues looking for new homes, and they can exhibit behavioural problems, so the shelter sometimes finds it difficult to source volunteers who are willing to help dogs with these kinds of issues. It’s also far more common to find big dogs in shelters as they are more likely to be abandoned due to the higher level of responsibility.  This is why the work that the students do is so important in helping the dogs be on their best behaviour when potential new owners come to visit.

The brilliance of Dogs Unleashed lies in that it’s not just beneficial for the dogs, but for the students too! Who wouldn’t love to spend a Saturday or Sunday morning hanging out with some dogs?  Students can benefit from the stress relief and companionship that walking a dog provides, profit from the exercise, all while engaging with and giving back to the community. Some people join the society because they left a dog at home when coming to uni and want the opportunity to be around dogs, whilst others come because they want a dog but never had the chance to look after one.  

For those who might not be super comfortable handling big dogs, but who are passionate about animal rights and especially the rehoming of rescues, the society provides opportunities for off-site volunteering as well.  They have fundraising events to raise money for Manchester Dogs’ Home, and also for the society itself. The money raised for the society is used to reimburse students for their travel costs to get to and from the dogs home on the weekends, making the society completely accessible to everyone! Recently, they attended a pet show run by Manchester Dogs’ Home where they had a stall and sold raffle tickets.  They also have bag backing events or ‘Guess the Name of the Dog’ competitions to raise funds.

The popularity of the society has been huge, especially for its first year, so much so that there are already discussions of opening the volunteering hours to Wednesday afternoons as well as weekends. They’re also considering involving more shelters around Manchester. Manchester Dogs’ Home was chosen because it was the most reasonable distance away from campus, but, clearly, there is the demand for more opportunities to hang out with dogs, and the students are willing to travel!

This society really ticks all the boxes; everybody loves hanging out with dogs, and the idea has come from a real desire to help animals, but also to engage with the community beyond Oxford Road.  And, as the cost of the travel is reimbursed, the society is open to access for all.

The society provides mandatory training for new members at the beginning of each semester, but the society is on the lookout for new committee members for next year, as Aramish will be graduating this year.  She says she plans to keep in contact with the society, but as everything is currently run by her and Tom, they are looking to appoint a fully fledged committee for the coming academic year to make to society even better!

If you think you could help look after some doggos and help with the organisation of Dogs Unleashed, get in touch on their Facebook page.

Meet the Ghanaian Society

The Ghanaian Society, despite only being formed this year, is already planning on having a big impact on student life.

The main idea of the society is to come together to provide support for Ghanaian students both currently on campus and those about to start. It’s a place where students can share experiences and coach others about how best to survive on campus. They’ve also set up a buddy system to help provide support to prospective students, giving them top tips on what to bring and what not to bring, advice on travel arrangements, and any advice that might help a fresher settle in.

However, the support doesn’t just stop there. They also help connect students with the alumni network so that every student in the society can improve their job prospects.

Coming to university can be a stressful enough time as it is, but the Ghanaian Society are on hand to make that transition a little bit easier.

Besides providing support for these students, the society also wants to share aspects of Ghanaian culture with students here at the university. They’ve got big things planned, starting with a celebration for the Ghanaian Independence Day, which is on 6th March. They’re hoping that this event will showcase the culture, structure, and above all, the hospitality of Ghanaian life.

Kwame Asamoah Kwarteng, the interim President of the society, told me “we know that Ghana is a country that’s very popular for volunteering, so we’re here to give students a free consultation before they go”.

“We’re planning on joining the Ghana Union on Saturday March 9, to have our 62nd Independence Day Musical Concert, where you’ll be treated to the nicest Ghanaian music, including Hiplife and Highlife, and dance, including Azonto and Kete. It will be at Freedom House, Chippenham Road, Ancoats M4 6FF, and we’d like to invite everyone to be there.”

Expect dance, food, music, and handmade Ghanaian fabrics – if you’ve ever wanted to learn about Ghana and its culture, this is the place to do it. The society will also be a showcasing some of the lesser known areas of the country’s culture too.

“Did you know,” Kwame asks me, “that Ghana is actually the second largest producer of cocoa in the world?”

As well as what is sure to be some of the best chocolate around, the society will also be showcasing another of Ghana’s favourite products, shea butter. If you want to get involved in the event, make sure you keep an eye on their Facebook page for further details.

Moving forward, the society wants to expand their events, holding public lectures and seminars about the history and culture of Ghana for all students to get involved in, as well as making sure that they really get involved in the Students’ Union. They also want to organise trips and volunteering sessions for students.

“It’s really important to us that we give some of our skills back to the community”.

“Ghana has such a unique story. We have lecturers, MPs, and even a (recently resigned) cabinet minister in Britain and we really want to showcase the very best of our culture by having more cultural exchange events.”

If you’d like to get involved with the Ghanaian society and find out more about what they do, follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Alternatively, WhatsApp them on +233206371598.

 

The Mancunion’s 2019 SU Elections live blog

Kwame Asamoah Kwarteng, a candidate who was banned from campaigning due to allegations of misconduct, has been elected General Secretary of the University of Manchester Students’ Union (SU).

At a dramatic results evening, the position of International Students’ officer also wasn’t announced as a result of the allegations. The hosts Ben Morris and Ted O’Shea from Fuse FM  asked all the candidates running for International Students’ officer to leave the room at the beginning of the night, though it was unclear why at the time. Union officials have told The Mancunion that we expect results for the position to come in tomorrow.

Four candidates who ran together on a ‘slate’ were banned from campaigning in person during the final days of the campaign after some students accused them of snatching their phones and voting for themselves. Some students also told The Mancunion that they were “intimidated” by the candidates. The candidates appealed but the ban was upheld.

In a statement, a Union spokesperson said: “Following a number of complaints about four candidates in the Manchester Students’ Union Elections 2019, the independent Returning Officer reviewed the evidence provided and came to the conclusion that these candidates should be banned from further physical campaigning until the close of polling. The ban took effect at 12 pm on Wednesday 6th March and will end at 5 pm on Thursday 7th March.” 

The other candidates that were banned from campaigning were Dishika Bhalotia for International Student’s Officer, Rana Phool for Postgraduate Officer, and Chaudry Anas Riaz for Activities & Development Officer.

Rhana Phool was also elected as Postgraduate officer. 

7,771 students voted in the 2019 SU elections, a turnout of around 19.4% which is down on last years 19.8%. The SU elections rarely see high turnouts, with previous years recording figures of 16% in 2017 and 28% in 2016. Prior to that, 2015 was a record high of 34.4%.

Another shocking result came as incumbent Education Officer Olivia Meisl was defeated by Chloe Salins. Lizzy Haughton, who was arrested last year, was also re-elected Activites and Development officer by just 39 votes.

Alya Huseyinoglu was elected women’s officer and Adam Haigh won Welfare and Community.

Some candidates expressed disappointment at the underhand tactics used during the campaign. Some of those elected even used their acceptance speeches to thank those who ran a clean campaign.

Dylan Routley, who stood for the position of Welfare and Community officer, told The Mancunion: “As somebody who ran in this election in a separate category this is really disappointing, not only does it undermine the whole point of elections but it diminishes the hard work of so many candidates. [It] also demonstrates a new level of sh*thousery from the SU & NUS [as] the candidates involved were reported several times and received no sanction.”

 

Review: Die Maisinsel (Corn Island)

Quietly brilliant is the simplest way to describe Die Maisinsel. Quietly, because there are about 20 lines of dialogue, the first being about 25-minutes into the film, and brilliant because, despite our reliance on conversation for expression, the viewer is fully engrossed in the story.

Directed by Giorgi Ovashvili, the story follows a grandfather and granddaughter over a summer harvesting corn on a flooded river; the film never leaves the tiny dirt-island in the middle of this. The title of the film, Die Maisinsel, describes the location meaning ‘The Corn Island’. The pair are from Abkhazia, which is a partially recognised republic in North-West Georgia, but is considered by most countries as legally part of Georgia.  The political backdrop the film is set within is the cause of underlying tension throughout, maintained by the sound of distant, unexplained gunshots. Added to this the Russian, Georgian and Abkhazian army all pass the island carrying guns, adorned in their uniform and interrupting the peaceful work of planting and harvesting corn.  The imperfectly aged grandfather stops young soldiers from cat-calling and verbally harassing his young granddaughter and it is these unfortunate and unwanted exchanges that break the silence.

The sounds accompanying this 96-minute film are mainly that of the flowing river and the calm of the outdoors. As all three groups of soldiers speak different languages, which are beautiful to listen to, the communication between the military and the grandfather and granddaughter is limited resulting in respectful nods and reliance on body-language.  A myriad of emotions are woven into the silence of the film, it is satisfying to see the two characters help each other without any verbal communication, and watch the granddaughter learn how to harvest by copying her grandfather. The silent relationship between the two is heartwarming to watch.

Die Maisinsel takes it’s time, allowing the scenery to be shown and appreciated making me regret choosing to watch it on my four-year-old laptop which didn’t do them justice.  Added to this nonchalance, the camera is non-invasive, it feels like we are observing what happens on the island rather than following the characters. When they row away from the island on their boat the audience remains clueless as to what happens off the island, yet it doesn’t feel important to know. Because of this, there are some storylines that are started and never completed, however that isn’t to say that the film leaves us with cliffhangers and an unsatisfying end. Somehow, it has been done in such a way that you don’t even notice the unfinished stories, until looking back at the film. Ultimately, the slow storytelling and the embrace of silence makes this a calming and a nourishing film to watch.

4.5/5

In Conversation with Maggie Rogers

It was the day before Maggie Rogers was due to play the biggest venue of her life, Manchester’s O2 Ritz. Fresh off stage, coffee in hand, admittedly running on adrenaline rather than tour-bus slumber, she invited me into her thrilling world for a few minutes.

With an air of Florence-like calm and Stevie Nicks’ confidence, Maggie Rogers was a force to be reckoned with. She sat wearing acid-green-wash jeans, holding my gaze. Physically, of course, Rogers is beautiful. She struck me in every way authentic while oozing a certain coolness. More importantly, she has a powerful energy that shows power and femininity are not separate entities but are intertwined. Rogers named Patti Smith as one of her main influences, and it wasn’t hard to see why. Patti Smith was known for being one of the very original female rock and rollers, inspiring bands such as Haim. The combination of a fierce spirit, poetic lyrics, and stage presence is where both Patti and Maggie’s success lie. Maggie is following in her footsteps by portraying the same honesty and experimentalism in her artistic expression.

The eye contact meant that we could chat casually, and I could “read the energy”, as Maggie put it. This energy was electric, and it wasn’t because she’d just got off stage after rehearsing. I sensed this was a well-established presence that wasn’t about to fade.

Rogers doesn’t mince her words, and speaks when needed. She does so in a way that makes the mundane seem poignant, much like her lyricism. Despite the mostly tranquil mood, there is a grittiness and realism to tracks such as ‘Alaska’ and ‘Back in My Body’ – melancholic in tone, but emotive nonetheless. It is lyrics like “I am here and in the poem of my mind”, that are relatable and meaningful to a modern day audience.

Maggie, someone who really did “trust [her] inhibition”, felt confident that she would “know when it was right for the next thing” in terms of musical progression, but for now, she’s simply here to “enjoy it,” saying “I’ve been working 10 years for this!” Maggie is proof that the second wave of fierce, strongly spoken and authentic women, particularly within the music industry, are here. She is the perfect embodiment of a new wave of feminist role models, that we, as women, all needed growing up. From lyrics centering around selfhood, oneness, passion, and growth instead of love, breakups and female competition; these are positive love letters for the next generation of girls.

Many of her songs possess a calming quality – definitively folky and soulful, with post-modernist electronic elements, which Rogers proclaim are due to a “spiritual experience in France”. She talks of her humble, banjo-playing musical upbringing – a time in which for three years she didn’t make music at all – whilst  “working through some things” and focusing on studying. But now she’s back to making music, she simply “can’t make enough.” Strangely enough, Rogers had been “making and releasing music for ten years” before Pharrell Williams discovered her at an NYU songwriting workshop.

On life after that workshop, the pivotal moment in her career, she is now ecstatic with the success of her new album Heard It In A Past Life. As an album drenched in synths, it’s enough to induce a meditative state. The spiritual lyrics, revolving around all the big themes of life, nature, and love, allow Maggie to shed new light on these with poignant lyrics. Much of the album is about life after graduating and learning to deal with everything that happens in the mind and how this can translate to the wider world.

During our chat, Maggie was confident, self-aware and, dare I say it again, authentic. On being branded as such, she wondered, “What does that mean, I’m so myself? There is no persona, no gimmicks”. Maggie should, of course, be branded authentic. She is just continuing to be herself, in an ever-changing music world, while navigating the confusing, foggy post-grad state, like so many of us are. Asking about being a role model to young girls she replied “It’s so much cooler to make something you like and say if you don’t like it. If you do like it, that’s cool too, come to my concert and we can dance together”. The rawness of these words seeped through as I was reminded of my own views of creativity and living life to the fullest.

This was a take away feeling after seeing Maggie live, with it being one of the most enjoyable shows I have ever been to. Rogers, performing as an uncensored version of herself in every way, meant I could let go of my inhibitions and enjoy the show in a new way too. I felt myself dancing more freely, singing louder and being a rawer, unfiltered, happier version of myself. I looked around at the smiling, swaying crowd, and they were doing just the same.

9/10

Why Green Book’s Best Picture win is a good thing

If you know me, it’s clear I’m not a fan of white-saviour films. I believe they’re condescending to people of colour, and use historical inaccuracies to perpetuate racial stereotypes. Frankly, I think this plot formula should be most offensive to white viewers, since it depicts them as complacent participants in a racist system who later gain a Messiah complex after meeting one extraordinary person of colour.

Most people of colour aren’t extraordinary. We can’t all play piano like Don Shirley, score like Mo Salah, or joke like Eddie Murphy. Going off the definition of the word ‘most’, most people of colour are average. And to truly cure the world of racism, white allies need to realise all people of colour need support, not just the special ones — look up black mediocrity when you have a second.

I am writing this in a positive light because we need you, white saviours. The politics of the far-right are only effective so long as the white majority supports them. The Windrush crisis only became a scandal because white people were outraged and phoned LBC. If there hadn’t been that outrage, if it was just Majid Nawaaz and David Lammy shouting into the wind without a response, Amber Rudd would still be Home Secretary.

As one of the few Black students on my course, I’m painfully aware that my equality and few unique privileges hinge on the tolerance of white liberals. In a day and age where we’re all taking necessary steps to add some colour and diversity to dusty white institutions dominated by straight, cis-gendered men, minority groups tend to forget that, outside our circle of allies, we’re outnumbered. The rise of the far-right shows this.

Now, by giving credit to our allies, I’m not undermining the steps taken by civil rights groups but it would be disingenuous to pretend that minorities succeeded on their own. While the courage of heroes like Dr. Martin Luther King and Marsha P. Johnson led the way, victory was achieved in the hearts and minds of their white allies.

The reason posting videos of racist attacks and police brutality is so effective is because white allies will see them, become just as outraged as we are, and demand consequences. They get to be our saviours. And that’s why white-saviour films like Green Book and Hidden Figures, are so popular today. There’s an appetite in the US and the UK to right the wrongs of the recent far-right surge.

That is why I’m temporarily suspending my hatred for white-saviour films, because we are at a crisis point. With the upcoming Presidential election and a possible second Brexit referendum in sight, we need white saviours more than ever to be active, use their numbers to take the reigns, and decide whether they want a future where British people of Caribbean descent continue to be deported or not.

So, if the majority believe a film about a racist white man befriending a gay Black man is the best picture of the year, I see that as a good sign for times to come.

Hot Right Now: Saytr Play

There aren’t too many guitar bands in the modern music industry which can’t be neatly categorised into an indie-rock sub-genre, meticulously manufactured to appeal to a certain demographic. There are, of course, exceptions to every rule — and this is why we have Saytr Play.

The Manchester-based group released their first two singles ‘Mother’s Love’ and ‘Don’t Go East’ in 2017 and encountered an immediate positive response. At this point, the band had already supported both The Hoosiers and The Sherlocks, meaning they were no strangers to the big stage, but these releases offered a foundation from which they could establish themselves as a headliner.

Notable musical progression followed in 2018 and 2019, with the release of ‘Fragile’ and ‘Bang Average’ respectively. The song ‘Bang Average’ deserves a particular mention — a bittersweet anthem detailing the inevitable heartbreak of unrequited love, which simultaneously pulls your heartstrings and compels you to move to its dynamic beat.

Singer Fred Farrell drives the group and acts as the archetypal rock ‘n’ roll frontman, exuding a charisma and desire to perform essential in any great band. Along with his ability to perform on stage, the strength of Farrell’s vocals are paired perfectly with the quality of a clearly experienced band capable of delivering consistently tight shows.

Having steadily built up a loyal fanbase over the last few years, this band now seem on the verge of something special. Following the success of their sold-out headline at Gorilla on February 22nd, it remains to be seen what’s next for the indie-pop outfit but it’s already clear that the future of Saytr Play will be anything but ‘Bang Average’.

Review: Cold Pursuit

What Liam Neeson said was stupid and awful. Now that’s cleared up, onto his latest film: Cold Pursuit. Honestly, any extra attention this movie does or doesn’t receive due to Liam Neeson is going to be inconsequential, so it won’t change the fact that the film is just bad.

Telling another Neeson action plot-line, he plays Nels Coxman, a snowplough driver who seeks revenge on the Colorado drug cartel that murdered his son. But in the process of Coxman bulldozing his way through the gang’s ranks, the film completely loses its tracks and comes to involve a turf war with the cartel’s Native American rivals. Coxman’s brother supplies him with a hitman and a young police officer trying to make sense of the whole thing. And that’s just a fraction of what they try to squeeze in here.

The main problem with Cold Pursuit is its lack of focus. When looking at the trailers, one might think it’s quite simply a straight action revenge movie with a touch of humour. And maybe if the whole film itself had that same sense of humour it may be slightly more watchable — but most of it is just painstakingly slow and uninteresting. In fact, the pacing is so far off that there’s constant long stretches of time where Coxman, the main character, just disappears so they can cram in more secondary conflicts.

But it’s not like the film doesn’t have some standout moments. Early scenes of Coxman and his wife, played superbly by Laura Dern, coming to terms with the death of their son make for terrific insights into the psychological and social effects of revenge and grief. Both actors bring their A-game to these scenes and they’re the closest the film comes to being genuinely impactful. But once Coxman’s wife abruptly leaves her husband she’s never mentioned again, that whole element gets completely binned. In a similar vein, nearly all the action scenes are well acted and shot, but are torn to shreds in editing. As a result they’re mostly just incoherent and lack any desired impact.

And that’s not even touching upon the film’s final act which just takes a hard swerve when we see Coxman pretending to be a chauffeur in order to kidnap the mob boss’ son from school. It’s just a remarkably odd turn that’s creepier than they seem to be aiming for.

Cold Pursuit is not without potential. It’s led by some solid if, at times, over-the-top performances and I’ll admit I’m always a sucker for snowy mountain settings. However, it’s all wasted when the finished product is so fragmented and forgetful, being too unfocused to let any of the characters really shine in their own right. Mostly though it’s just plain boring, moving at a snail’s pace from scene to scene with any brief moments of surprise just serving as an occasional wake-up speed bump on a predictable A-to-B road.

1.5/5.

Review: MUMS Night at the Opera

The latest Music Society (MUMS) ‘Night at the Opera’ was a great success. Two short operas were showcased — Ravel’s L’enfant et les Sortileges and Weir’s Armida, the latter of which was the first staged premiere of the work by the notable Queen’s musician.

L’enfant et les Sortileges was directed well by Sophie Crawford and Hugh Morris. A very complex and relatively fast paced opera that followed the unlikely adventure of an orphan after a bedtime story spirals out of control, the obscure plot was made more accessible by the projection and meticulous diction exhibited by the majority of the cast. The orchestral performances for both operas were sensitive, dealing masterly with the difficult passages and colouring the already vivid scores.

Freya Parry’s performance as Fire was particularly strong. This part was extremely challenging in it contrasting registers and vocal runs, all of which Parry delivered with impressive fluidity. The light versatility of her voice was also displayed in her brief but haunting role as the Screech Owl in the woods scene.

Another stand out performance was that of Hebe Church, especially in her roles as the white cat and Shepherdess. Church’s beautifully clear voice went hand in hand with her informed acting, lending her already authoritative presence on stage a gentle quality.

This being said, a greater continuity in costume and overall design might have been beneficial to the understanding of the complex plot but it was, overall, an admirable attempt at Ravel’s mischievous score.

After the interval, the audience re-entered the Cosmo hall to find it transformed into a glittering city scape, the backdrop for Armida. A convincing army tent to the left of the stage facilitated the changes of location originally intended for the more adaptable medium of TV.

Armida, based loosely on the epic poem La Gerusalemme Liberate, followed the journey of the titular character, a pacifist news reporter, who travels into the world of civil war and falls in love with the poetic Rinaldo.

Katie Emmanuel was outstanding in both her portrayal of Armida and her vocal quality. Emmanuel’s voice soared over the masculine chorus parts, a plea of peace in the darkness of contemporary warfare. Zahid Siddiqui’s performance as Rinaldo counter-acted this perfectly, exhibiting accomplished acting and a mature tenor voice.

Laura Rushworth as Ms Pescado and Johnny Hill as Goffredo were also notable in their skilful vocality. Both had rich tones well suited to their characters and exhibited a good level of projection.

The male ensemble worked together in excellent harmony (both vocally and physically) and provided great entertainment in the particularly well thought out comedic moments. An especially commendable example of this was in the final scene where the soldiers planted flowers, symbolic of restoration and growth after the destruction of war. The soldiers enthusiasm to feature in the shot of the camera was not only entertaining, but it also provided a darker note indicative of the facade of peace and happiness contemporary society is so partial to display.

Fundamentally, Armida’s beautiful score was done justice by both the masterful performances of the productions talented cast and the informed direction of Emily Tandy.

Review: The Full Monty

The Full Monty is undeniably one of the most iconic films of the nineties. Performed at The Manchester Opera House as part of the UK tour, Simon Beaufoy’s adaptation of the film to the stage left much of the film’s wit and poignancy lost in translation.

Set in a time of austerity and unemployment, the story follows six unemployed Sheffield steelworkers that, in their desperation, form a male stripper group to generate some quick cash. Inspired by the Chippendales performance at their local working men’s club, the ‘The Bums of Steel’ attempt to nakedly triumph in the face of adversity.

Gaz (Gary Lucy), the pioneer of this grand plan, and his mate Dave (Kai Owen) begin recruiting their fellow job club members to make up their Chippendale inspired troupe. What followed was a hilarious and entertaining sequence of auditions. These introduced the Northern-soul loving Hoarse, charismatically played by Louis Emerick and the well-endowed Guy the Plasterer who left nothing to the imagination as the curtain closed on the Act One.

Beneath all this, Simon Beaufoy’s script was unsurprisingly imitative of the film. Much of the tongue-in-cheek humour remained and the famous one-liners never failed to elicit laughter. There was an obvious desire to stay true to the film and ensure that it encompassed everything that captured the nation’s hearts the first-time round.

However, some of the issues needed to be negotiated slightly more tentatively. The script was unnecessarily misogynistic at times and dealt with the conversations around homosexuality far too brashly. I understand that Beaufoy wanted to maintain loyalty to the original story. However, this also maintained some dated and sometimes uncomfortable dialogue. In fairness, the play does tackle subjects beyond the cheap thrill of the strip tease, dealing with unemployment, poverty, sexuality, and body image – but I feel suffered these suffered at the expense of the cheaper gags.

The production was visually gratifying. The basis of the set depicted the inside of a steel factory, with the ability to be masterfully reconfigured into both the ‘Job’s Club’ and ‘Conservative Club.’ The various levels were utilised well, the transitions between scenes seamless and incorporated into the narration. The blaring, iconic soundtrack including the likes of Bowie and Hot Chocolate underscored the production and fed into the energetic and edgy tone of the show.

The performances were engaging and well-rehearsed, yet overall lacked energy and momentum. Gary Lucy’s portrayal of Gaz was slightly underwhelming. Despite gaining endless woos from the hen parties in the audience with his talent for undressing, his performance was unfortunately undermined by his weakness as the lead. Often swallowing his words, dipping in and out of accents and gabbling through his lines, it left many potentially moving moments lacking.

Lucy was strongest when surrounded by his fellow cast members. The chemistry between produced energetic moments of pure comedy genius. Andrew Dunn’s Gerald and Kai Owen’s Dave both deserve a mention, their portrayals cleverly balanced the comedy and tragedy that is bound within the lives of these working men.

The show did not fail in producing utter hysteria and excitement in the audience, with most of them standing at the end of the boys’ final strip tease. It must be said though, that this was the most exciting part; a shame that it didn’t go on any longer. Importantly for me, this show exposed the problems that we face with the sustainability and viability of theatre in our current cultural landscape.

The show is a play for the film fans, imitative of the nineties smash-hit and no doubt a crowd-pleaser. Yet, I cannot help but think that much of the show’s success is because we get to see Danny Pennant from Eastenders get his kit off: it sells tickets, gets bums on seats and only really leaves us wanting to see Gaz’s Full Monty.

Artefact of the week: A Monument to Vimto (1992)

Every student has seen the iconic Vimto monument in front of the Sackville Street building. For me, it’s a reminder of pre-exam nerves and last-minute cramming on a bench, but what does this antiquated and unintentionally quirky statue actually stand for?

The monument was carved out of an oak tree that came from a sustainable forest in 1992 by Kerry Morrison, who then painted it and erected it in the exact spot where Vimto, the famously British soft drink, was first produced. The wooden sculpture commemorates Noel Nichols, an experimental herbalist, who created the internationally recognised beverage over a hundred years ago. Nichols found a market for soft drinks during the Temperance movement, when people began to take the negative effects of alcohol more seriously.

The Manchester-born soft drink started out as a medicinal tonic, originally called ‘Vim Tonic’, in 1908, as it would supposedly fill one with ‘energy, vim and vigour’ according to the old adverts. This was subsequently shortened to ‘Vimto’ after they decided to carbonate the drink and stop advertising it as medicine.

The entire piece was repainted in 2011, making it look as though it was installed far more recently than it was, and it therefore seems a little temporally misplaced. There is a nostalgic element to it, as if it’s trying to hark back to Manchester’s golden years.

The statue consists of a giant, old-fashioned Vimto bottle, surrounded by the fruits, herbs and spices that combine to create Vimto’s unique flavour, which is still used in restaurants and bars all over Manchester: In Northern Quarter, the ‘Manchester Martini’ and ‘Vimto Daquiri’ rely heavily on its fruity flavour, whilst The Refuge by Volta use it in their Red Cabbage. Even the Midland Hotel and Manchester House serve a Vimto jelly with their Sunday roasts.

This whacky yet iconic sculpture commemorates not only Vimto’s creator, Noel Nichols, but Manchester’s pride of the now internationally renowned soft drink.

The importance of having a creative outlet

We are all artists. Whether we realise it or not, we demonstrate our creative instincts in things that we do every day. Be it in the way we choose to arrange our living spaces, the pictures we upload to Instagram, or even the mental processes that determine why we decide to write certain letters in certain ways, based on a kind of unfathomable personal preference that few of us would be able to explain if asked.

Mostly saliently, all of us not wearing a uniform shows our creative instincts in the clothes we choose to wear. Those of us wearing a uniform still find ways to channel our innate creativity, through the choices we make in relation to our hairstyles, our makeup, our accessories, and maybe even our socks (for this author in particular, this is most definitely the case). We even exhibit creativity in the words we decide (however subconsciously) to adopt into our idiolect. It’s why we might favour bamboozle over confuse, or fucking sick over really fantastic.

Some readers at this point might think I’m using this term creative extremely broadly. Perhaps I am. My understanding of ‘creativity’ incorporates any choice we make, consciously or unconsciously, that is not for a purely functional reason. As you might have gathered, there are a lot of activities that can fall within the scope of this far-reaching term.

For those still unconvinced, let’s return to my examples from above and I’ll demonstrate how these seemingly trivial activities are unquestionably the driving thought processes behind legitimate forms of art. The desire to choose the way we organise our living space is the basis for architecture.

Anyone who has uploaded a photograph to Instagram is an amateur photographer — they’re not just my words, but those of world-renowned photographer Martin Parr. The aesthetic preferences we display in the way we write are crucial to the art of graphic design. The choices we make in the way we present ourselves are obviously those on which fashion is predicated. The creative force that causes us to select certain words in the way we do underpins the whole of literature. Yep, that’s right, I’m drawing a parallel between the impulse one might have to use the expression fucking sick to the spirit of creativity flowing through every great work of literature ever conceived.

What I hope this illuminates is that creativity, and by extension, artistry, is fundamental to human nature. Entertaining your intrinsic creative inclination is by no means an indulgence, but essential to achieving genuine fulfilment and becoming a well-rounded human being in general. It is unscientific to maintain the view that humans would have evolved this instinct if it did not serve a purpose. Sadly, however, our creativity is still too often discouraged from letting itself be known to the world.

This is why I will end this article with a plea: find yourself a creative outlet. Art is an inseparable component of what it means to be human, and it’s vital that we make sure to find time to take part in creative activities, whether it’s painting, singing, dancing, acting, gymnastics, pottery, playing a musical instrument, skating, writing, debating, making textiles, taking photos, modelling, doodling, computer programming, playing with LEGO, cooking, or something entirely different. I think it is really, really, really important.