Drastic times call for drastic measures. In simple terms, that is what the Independent Group is. It was 38 years ago that the ‘Gang of Four’ created the SDP and many of course will draw parallels with this event. However, I think what we are witnessing is something rather different and unique. Both the Conservatives and Labour are divided, broken, and frankly unable to govern at a time when we need rational leadership.
I have seen a lot of negativity, especially from the more left-wing of the Labour Party who are keen to criticise the emergence of the Independent Group – and while some of the criticism is not completely without basis, I think it is largely unfounded.
The Independent Group represents exactly how broken our politics has become and how dysfunctional our political parties are.
The accusations of antisemitism that have rocked Labour since Jeremy Corbyn took office, are in no uncertain terms shameful and disgraceful. One of the founding members of the Independent Group, Luciana Berger – who is pregnant with her second child was a victim of antisemitism – was let down by the failure of the Labour leadership to tackle the issue properly.
I am not a member of the Labour party. I am not a member of any political party.
However, from an outsider’s perspective, it seems shocking that a ‘progressive party’ has lost a member of parliament because of anti-Semitism from within its own ranks. Jeremy Corbyn does not seem like a racist or horrible human being, but frankly, so far he has not sent a clear signal on antisemitism within his own party or to the wider British public that he can deal with the issue.
The Conservatives are not without criticism from within either. Hijacked by the European Research Group (ERG), they seem adamant on pursuing a hard or no-deal Brexit. The ERG, just like the Tea Party in the USA, does not seem to be willing to negotiate at all over Brexit, therefore putting ideological preference before the needs of the UK.
While Theresa May is in power, it has become clear she is, in fact, powerless and is dependent on the ERG for support for anything to pass. The ERG, like Momentum, has become a party within a party.
Both Labour and the Conservatives have been taken over by their more ideological and populist factions. Both Labour and the Conservatives do not deserve the opportunity to be in government given their current states. That is where the Independent Group comes in…
So where does all this leave the newly formed Independent Group? Well, truth be told we have no idea. The future of the Independent Group is unpredictable, but they seem to have already made an impact. Labour now seems prepared to back another referendum on EU membership and the suspension of Chris Williamson over his disgusting anti-Semitism comments suggest that the formation of the Independent Group has forced the Labour leader’s hand.
While I question the motives of figures like Chucka Umunna, I have faith and hope that the Group does succeed as frankly a positive change is needed and fast. Many may dismiss the Independent Group as a group of opportunists, but to the contrary, their arrival may signal that there is still some normality in our highly polarised politics.
“We’re gonna play until they kick us out,” Eric Bloom declares to a sea of bald heads and leather jackets, arguably the predominant demographic of people I encountered at Blue Öyster Cult’s performance in Manchester Academy. Being the final date on the UK stretch of their year-long tour, an air of anticipation filled the room as I arrived just five minutes before their set began. Indeed, I was definitely as excited as the boomers were due to the Cult’s legendary status within rock history.
However, the fear that the Cult’s performance would come across as an imitation of their former selves no doubt plagued my mind. The band have been going since 1967 with Buck Darmer and Eric Bloom now being in their early 70s: Is this tour a quick cash grab or a genuine celebration of the band’s legacy?
Opening the set with ‘Transmaniacon MC’, I felt my fears come to fruition ever so slightly; the performance was certainly tight and virtuosic, but part of it felt a little flat and lacking in energy.
Despite this, once the Cult reached their third song ‘Career of Evil’, they had overcome this initial blip and were completely in their element. Delivering a groovy hard rock number tinged with electric organs, it felt as though the band were playing exactly as they had done their entire career. Following on from this was Cult hit ‘Burnin’ For You’, an empowering number whose atmosphere was bolstered by the crowd singing along to the chorus definitely one of the night’s highlights.
The Cult’s set brought much variety, with songs such as ‘Dancin’ in the Ruins’ containing melodic vocals and roaring riffs that yet again had the whole crowd singing along. ‘The Vigil and Buck’s Boogie’ brought extended jams and solos; a refreshing throwback to the glory of late 20th century guitar rock that reinforced the band’s status as rock legends. ‘Then Came the Last Days of May’ was a psychedelic ballad that embodied the more ambient side of the Cult. Echoing the sounds of Pink Floyd, this song simultaneously revealed the diversity of the band’s repertoire, and their tightness in performance.
Following an extended delay-ridden guitar solo from Darmer, the band exploded into the chilling ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’, no doubt the band’s signature anthem. A spine-chilling sing-along, ‘(Don’t Fear) The Reaper’ proved to be an epic prelude to the band’s encore, which was again another highlight of the performance.
The final track of the encore, ‘Cities on Flame With Rock and Roll’, served as what I interpreted as the Cult’s mission statement, delivering a finale that proved that the Cult still and always have been one of America’s most iconic rock bands.
Indeed, I initially found the absence of a grandiose light show and stage performance a little unfitting at first. However, I soon came to the realisation that the stagnant colour-changing lights crafted a sense of intimacy with the band, creating the illusion that myself and the crowd were watching them in some dingy venue in New York. Following on from that, the band proceeded to thank the entire stage, sound and light crew by name at the end of the performance, revealing how humble they truly are despite their prestige.
After an initial slow start, Blue Öyster Cult proved that they are an amalgamation of virtuosos, humbled men, and yet still very much icons of American rock. The set was intimate and minimalistic, giving the impression that they are a band who are extremely humble about their success; ultimately, this was a refreshing performance from a band who simply love what they do.
In an international collaboration involving radio telescopes from around the world – including the University of Manchester’s Lovell Telescope at the Jodrell Bank Observatory – astronomers have detected the presence of a jet of material emanating as consequence of the merger of two neutron stars. This collision between the two neutron stars in a binary system generated gravitational waves, which were first observed in August 2017 by the LIGO and VIRGO detectors. The event occurred in a galaxy approximately 130 million light years away from the Earth.
Neutron stars are incredibly dense objects which form as a result of collapsing stars following a supernova explosion towards the end of their life-cycle. They can be as heavy as the sun, yet compressed down to the size of a city, making them one of the densest things that have been discovered in the universe.
A binary star system is a star system which consists of two stars orbiting around a common centre of mass. It is estimated that as much as 85% of all the stars we see in the night sky are in binary or higher-multiple systems, whereas only around 5% of neutron stars are thought to exist in binary systems.
Since the initial observations of the collision event, astronomers have been tracking how it has evolved across the electromagnetic spectrum, from gamma rays, to visible light, all the way up to radio waves. Around seven months after the merger, the combined observations from radio telescopes on five different continents have established the emergence of a jet originating from these colliding neutron stars.
Following the merger event, large amounts of material and energy was ejected into space, eventually forming a shell around it. The astronomers have been tracing the evolution of this ejected energy at different wavelengths on the electromagnetic spectrum. However, it was still unclear whether it could pierce though the surrounding shell.
It was only through the use of highly sensitive radio imaging that the researchers were able to shed some light on this issue, using a technique known as Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), which allowed them to combine many radio telescopes from around the world. Through this international collaboration of researchers and the use of a total of 33 different radio telescopes, including the UK’s e-MERLIN array comprised of six large radio telescopes, the team was able to image and confirm the presence of a jet.
These findings represent the first case where it has been possible to relate the detection of gravitational waves to a light-emitting object, confirming the long-suggested association between neutron star mergers and gamma-ray bursts. The researchers expect to discover many more of these binary neutron star collision events in the coming years. Their results indicate that at least 10% of neutron star mergers should produce a successful jet. As more of these types of observations take place, it will allow astronomers to continue unveiling the processes behind some of the most powerful events in the universe.
Live at Leeds (LaL) returns to the industrial streets of the vibrant northern city to deliver the day festival’s 12thyear – celebrating not only some of the alternative music industry’s hottest acts, but also acting as a widely appreciated platform for new artists to showcase their talent.
After a highly anticipated string of line up announcements, Live at Leeds have finally concluded their completed poster seeing the reigning yet newly transformed indie-techno outfit Sundara Karma, the Bedford-born hotly tipped and 2018 Rising Star Award nominee Tom Grennan as headliners and finally, hosts a top slot to one of England’s most successful new wave, electronic pop bands Metronomy.
Arguably, even more exciting is the range of upcoming artists that you can catch at Live at Leeds. Spanning across an eclectic mix of genres ranging from dance music, grunge and pop to hitting the shores of the oncoming punk wave resurgence, Live at Leeds has a line up which is sure to quench all your musical desires just before summer festival season hits.
Smaller yet undeniably some of the most talented acts in the current industry who are also set to perform at the festival include Sports Team, Lice, Dream Wife, Goat Girl, Fuzzy Sun, and Confidence Man.
Hop from venue to venue across Leeds City Centre whether it’s from the standing stalls of the airier Leeds O2 Academy to Leeds’ most beloved and intimate venue, the Brudenell Social Club. LaL really does offer its visitors a busy, ambient and diverse experience. One that will undoubtedly leave you just that notch short of feeling fulfilled so you’ll be scouring their social media pages for any sign of next year’s line up before long.
Live at Leeds will also have a feed of any updates, secret sets and timings sent straight to your phone on the weekend of the festival at the click of your finger as you can download the LaL app.
Live at Leeds will take place on 4th May, more information and tickets can be found on their website.
Little Miss Sumo is a perfect blend of politically driven and heart-warming storytelling. It spends time in the life of female Japanese sumo wrestler Hiyori Kon, discussing her personal and competitive life as well as exploring the state of sumo as a whole. Powerfully physical and moving with a strong inspirational message.
Next, Handmade Film is a brief but interesting little dive into the process of shooting on 16mm film in the 21st century. Lindsay McIntyre provides an informative account of the issue, covering a broad range or artistic and technical nuance in just five minutes. If film technology intrigues you, check it out.
Look to The Traffic Separating Device for a quirky chuckle-fest about a ‘bus trap’ applied in Sweden to damage cars attempting to drive through bus lanes. Hilarity ensues as hapless drivers fall into the trap ending on what is, quite possibly, one of the best ending lines ever written.
Finally, in an an unabashedly celebratory work of being one’s complete self, The Pretender follows Mike Kunda, the world’s best known Rocky impersonator. We journey through his upbringing and how he became who he is, and then venture into some wholesome tales of supporting the local Philly community and the sheer thrill of being a fan.
Despite the long name, VENENO is a mostly well-paced tale of the Dominican Republic’s most famous wrestler. The classic story of how a small-town boy became the nation’s hero is spun on its head with a touch of magical realism, energetic visual storytelling and a sarcastic Spanish script.
The convincing performances by the cast bring the story to life, treading the line between the absurd and the clever with effortless grace. Scenes of supernatural brujas and over-the-top wrestling matches are accompanied by a serious commentary on the political landscape of Santo Domingo in the ’70s. Corrupt policemen, scummy businessmen and mobsters ground the story in historical accuracy.
To my dismay, the pacing of the film started to falter in the final 15 minutes as the character arcs were left unfinished halfway through the final climax to set up the sequel in 2020. If the continuation of VENENO is just as good as its counterpart, the Dominican tag team might be one of my favourite hispanic films of all time.
If you’re looking for a fantastic example of what makes Japanese horror so iconic, you needn’t look further than Hideo Nakata’s 1998 masterpiece Ring; a sheer classic of bleak contemplative horror which, despite its reliance on VHS technology, remains chillingly relevant to this day.
The familiar story of a bizarre video tape which triggers a phone call predicting “seven days” until you die, and journalist Reiko Asakawa’s race against time to uncover its true meaning has an unnerving urban legend tinge to it to begin with. Nakata’s attention to detail and ability to draw out the anxieties of everyday life are what really give this iteration its power. The viewer is made to watch helplessly as the film counts down each day Reiko has left onwards from watching the tape. It plays this countdown over the mundane and the everyday items such as collecting faxes. Nakata forces us to dwell on the coming terror over the course of everyday activity, gradually making the darkness feel constantly present under surface.
Nakata also understands how to narrow down the humanity in his film. He takes advantage of tiny but dreadful moments such as visiting a dead teenager’s bedroom and sitting with her mother. The scene is practically painted in long drawn out takes with little to no sound. We feel every beat of the dread just forcing us to live in these horrific human moments alongside the characters.
However, it’s not just the existential thrills that make Ringu such a landmark. Iconic and terrifying imagery from the ghost of young Sadako in a white dress with a mass of black hair crawling through the television screen, grotesque distorted faces of those who met their fates at the hands of the tape, Reiko’s horrified reaction to discovering her young son has just watched the tape. These moments remain startlingly effective especially on the big screen where certain small physical features like the wounds of Sadako’s torn fingernails dragging across the carpet.
None of these elements would be punctuated so much if not for some stellar performances, which Ringu definitely provides with Nanako Matsushima and Hiroyuki Sanada bringing dramatic range to characters trying their best to survive whilst also being petrified of whatever horror awaits them.
Of course, any horror story considering the isolating impacts of media possesses a certain relevance to modern day. I’ll admit there is something particularly haunting about watching it in a cinema in light of the recent Momo incident and the reaction to it. It is similar issues which Ringu successfully uses the supernatural to successfully delve into, and one of just many reasons why this is considered to be the masterpiece that it is.
And, on top of all that, it’s one of those rare foreign language horror movies where the English speaking remake doesn’t suck.
The technological age, with its inherent convenience and accessibility, brings a demand for the storage and analysis of the data. In turn, it prompts the real world application and exploitation of that collected data in every aspect of our lives, more commonly known as big data.
So, what is big data? Big data encompasses every byte of information that has been created due to our use of technology. Mobile technology and the internet have led to the expansion of big data, which has involved the collection and exchange of massive amounts of information that businesses use to gain insights into customers and operations.
Every digital process, system, sensor, camera, and mobile device transmits information. Companies are using that data to optimise operations, improve services, market products, and increase revenue. Sounds quite, Orwellian doesn’t it?
However, despite what the conspiracy theorists would have you believe, the prospect of big data exploitation is not as sinister as it seems.
Big data, as mentioned earlier, is actually an extremely rich and ever expanding resource that can be utilised to streamline our lifestyles and predict how trends are going to fluctuate in almost all areas, from government to commerce. Big data is also opening a plethora of new utilisable avenues in the retail sector. This is especially evident in China, where the weak data collection and data usage laws allow this data to be fully integrated into their society. This has led to the rise of a near cashless society as a huge percentage of the population switches over to specialised online apps such as WeChat Pay or Alipay to pay for services.
It is so widespread, in fact, that cash is becoming exceedingly rare. Brian Sui, a doctor who lives in Shanghai, says he hasn’t used cash in more than two years. “Occasionally, if you come across a place that accepts cash only, people become furious. I carry about 10 or 20 RMB [$1.50 or $3] in case of emergency, but I never have to use it.” Virtually everyone he encounters – even when he visits family in the rural North East or buys breakfast from 70-year-old street vendors– has Alipay or WeChat Pay.
When WeChat was released in 2011, its primary function was as a messaging platform, similar to WhatsApp. It now has more than a billion monthly active users. Users send text or recorded voice messages to others, but can also seamlessly pay bills, reserve taxis, book a doctor’s appointment, order food, or shop online. All payments are linked to WeChat Pay, a digital wallet incorporated into the app.
Such systems are taking off because they offer convenience and security. To have your money stolen, you have to have your phone, your face or your fingerprint stolen to access it. Passive biometrics, such as facial or voice recognition, and data on location and movement, for example, add another layer of assurance.
It is no wonder, then, why the big data industry is growing twice as fast as the software business as a whole, and is predicted to be worth $203 billion in 2020. This is because companies such as Software AG, Oracle Corporation, IBM, Microsoft, SAP, EMC, HP, and Dell have spent more than $15 billion on software firms specialising in data management and analytics, and have big hopes for even bigger data in the future.
Evidence like this shows how advantageous big data usage can be to us. However, for it to remain a safe and comfortable way for us to live our lives, with every aspect of it being monitored and collected, the international community must be vigilant in ensuring that regulations keep up with this explosive growth, otherwise Orwell may be proved right after all.
What would happen if an ordinary kid lifted the sword from the stone? So asks Joe Cornish, writer and director of The Kid Who Would Be King, the result is a film that is fun, big-hearted, and intelligent.
When 12-year-old Alex (Louis George Serkis) finds Excalibur, the legendary sword in the stone, in the middle of a building site in London, he finds himself tasked by the wizard Merlin with defeating the evil Morgana who has awoken to reclaim the sword.
To do this he must find himself a gang of worthy knights to fight alongside him, learn how to wield Excalibur, find out the truth about his origins and defeat Morgana’s cronies along the way.
Sound familiar? Probably. But don’t worry because this isn’t just a rehash of Arthurian legend, but a much more intelligent modern take that keeps the heart of the original whilst updating it in entertaining ways.
The familiar images still exist; Alex and his ‘knights’ journey across the moors and are chased through forests by fiery skeletons on horseback but their final preparations for the climactic battle with Morgana are more reminiscent of Kevin McCallister’s antics in Home Alone than anything out of Arthurian legend.
The film is rife with such pop culture allusions, referring by name to Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings and it is this mixing of pop culture and Arthurian legend that makes this such a refreshing take. It is not just a modern reenactment of the same old legend but rather a reinvention.
Despite the fast-paced action this is essentially a character-driven story centred around Alex and his relationships with his knights of the Round Table: his nerdy best friend Bedders and two of the school bullies.
This emphasis on character often leads to the action feeling rushed, with several set action pieces seem to be resolved all too quickly (and easily), but ultimately this doesn’t really matter. What matters is the construction of Alex and his school friends as heroes. The film accomplishes this very successfully, largely due to the four performances of the child actors and the friendships they forge throughout the film.
The emphasis on this central four is key as a recurrent theme throughout is the hope of a new generation. Here we loop back to the mixing of Arthurian legend and pop culture of the past forty years. This is the creation of a new type of hero, for a new time, with its own new set of challenges.
There are some instances of political allegory and contemporary references to Brexit (the world is divided and leaderless) which can at times push this message a little too far. The film is significantly better when it lets the themes of hope and the future these youthful characters represent speak for itself. But ultimately The Kid Who Would Be King is still a warm-hearted, hopeful film that reminds us that myths, magic and heroes still exist.
The release of Bring Me The Horizon’s AMO has been hotly anticipated after the recent success of their “spellbinding and specular” tour, which saw them delve into the depths of their previous work and explore new realms with their early single release, ‘MANTRA’. The show displayed their extensive commitment to delivering exciting and dynamic stage performances alongside a varied body of work that demonstrates the vast potential of the band’s talents and musical effort.
The journey through Bring Me The Horizon’s pretty vast discography has led them through a series of heavier rock moments alongside some snappy and experimental trials with electronic, pop, rock, and even punk. This, along with an overhaul of their aesthetic, has seen them transcend limitations perhaps seen in their previous works. The risks the band have taken here are highly commendable when you explore the lyrical content of many of the tracks.
From the opening song of AMO to the very end, there are some seriously thought-provoking questions raised about love, deceit, and loss in the most personal, spiritual, and societal sense. For instance, the lead single release ‘MANTRA’ takes a covert swipe at an ex-lover by describing a painful past relationship as having a controlling cult-like fervour that inspires the need to break free. The track taps into a personal fear by depicting the over-arching societal dread of being trapped in a controlled environment. This message is reflected upon in the tracks ‘In the dark’ and ‘Nihilist blues’, the latter of which includes an electro-infused vocal performance from Grimes.
Most impressively, it is clear that there is a rather spectacular reformation of Oli Sykes’ vocals, with a glimpse of a new dexterity that would lend itself with ease to 2013’s monumental Sempiternal. My only substantial complaint is in the band’s apparent desire to move away entirely from the heavy metal scene — a track with the same name is dedicated entirely to detaching from that genre and its connotations within their existing fan base. In the final moments of the song, there are some impressive vocals from Oli that seem woefully underused. Perhaps this is a purposeful move, poking fun at the stereotypes of the heavy metal genre. However, having seen Oli’s impressive performance of tracks from 2009’s Suicide Season and 2006’s Count Your Blessings, it seems a little pointless to not make more use of the “heavy metal” vocals, and advance an emerging scene of melodic metal with a little more courage and conviction.
There are some interesting correlations between ‘Medicine’ and ‘Fresh Bruises’, with a contrastingly upbeat synth track that I can easily imagine being played across a festival. It is exciting to hear music that seems so outwardly defiant, with lyrics that cut to the deep-rooted pain without a melancholic heaviness that is so prevalent in particular genres.
A standout track has to be ‘I apologise if you feel something’, which is instantly recognisable as the spectacular introductory instrumental from the MANTRA tour. The stark echoing synths align cohesively with the ethereal elements of the album and provide a balance that explores the dark sentimentalities of loss and damage that remains after the end of a disastrous relationship.
The album is far from perfect and I do fear that the ambitious coverage of so many elements has caused some of the earlier, more defining work to be disregarded in dramatic fashion. However, looking at the album alone I believe it is a tremendous effort that connects well with a changing fan base and has forged its own definitive path. Many of the single releases have proved to be successfully toured, and I look forward to future stadium-filling shows across their many festival appearances later this year.
Nottingham electronic-punk duo Sleaford Mods are back with their inferior new album Eton Alive. Having departed from Rough Trade Records, Eton Alive is released via Extreme Eating, a label newly formed by the duo of Sleaford Mods themselves, Jason Williamson and Andrew Fearn.
The overall premise of this album has to be the theme of hierarchies, which Sleaford Mods have focused rather intently on throughout the whole LP. This includes mentions of Instagram fame and money, discussed in opener ‘Into The Payzone’ which examines the ideas of the rising use of intangible money from contactless payment and the monotony of instantaneous transactions. The song’s chorus features a very staccato rhythm of Sleaford Mods singing “Into the payzone, touch card” repetitively. There’s even a mechanistic whirring part in the sound, perhaps representing the creation of money and wealth: something people seem increasingly infatuated with in the digital world. This song seems to set the tone of the album as Sleaford Mods explore the warped world of Instagram models, fame, vanity: “I try to lay off too much cake, cause my core takes first place.”
Defeat is also a common theme presented throughout the album and is particularly prominent on track ‘Top It Up’ which sits in the middle of the track list. The song opens with a monologue: “He’s dead? Yeah, he died, can’t you remember. That’s what you’re here for.” Sleaford Mods then go on to list brands including Adidas, Nike, and Lyle and Scott, and even mention peri peri chicken. The defeat in this song seems to come from the idea of the death of consumer choice and consciousness, putting forth the idea that consumers are overly controlled by the big brands that dominate society.
One of the best things about this album has to be the title. It’s a clever pun that can be interpreted in so many ways. One way to look at it is at the gentle affiliation between Eton Alive and Sleaford Mods’ record label Extreme Eating, perhaps representing this new change for the Sleaford Mods boys. Another way to look at it is the play on words of the traditional English dessert of Eton Mess, which perhaps Sleaford Mods are using as a metaphor for the current political and egotistical state of the UK in the digital age. The metaphor goes further with Eton Alive, suggesting that not only is the UK a mess, but the rise in austerity, gentrification and consumerism is fatal to society in some way, shape or form. Eton itself induces connotations of the infamously elite boarding school, where many British leaders were educated. This once again brings into limelight the theme of hierarchies and elitism discussed so prevalently in this new album.
The sound of Eton Alive as a whole is rather unsharpened and, at points, even slightly harsh to the ears. Sleaford Mods present some really good ideas which are well articulated with their great lyricism. The problem is that the intelligence of what they are saying is lost behind manufactured backing tracks with underdeveloped electronic keyboard parts and unoriginal drumming. But maybe this is the point: Sleaford Mods are acting as the voice of reason in the messy, uninspiring and manufactured political turmoil of the UK.
Hate Crime Awareness Week 2019 took place from the 4th until the 10th February and featured a variety of events held across Greater Manchester. The purpose of the week was to make people more aware of hate crime, how to report it and what can be done to prevent it, with the message of #WeStandTogether. Hate crime is defined as violent or offensive attacks committed against someone because of who they are (or the perception of who they are), based on factors such as race, religion or sexual orientation. Activities which took place included workshops, panel discussions and creative sessions aimed for all age groups and members of society; they were run by a variety of organisation like Greater Manchester Police and Manchester Young Lives.
Since the Manchester Arena bombing on the 22nd May 2017, it has been more important than ever before to encourage messages of positivity in the city. Events such as terror attacks can trigger a negative reaction as people try to deal with the trauma of the event, however, by becoming aware of what hate crime is people can transform this negativity into positivity.
During HCAW I spoke with Figen Murray, who lost her son Martyn Hett in the Manchester Arena attack. She frequently visits schools and universities to encourage people to transform hate into love.
This week was important for Figen as it made people more aware of hate crime and what can be done to prevent it. “Generally speaking HCAW is important, because there is so much bad feeling amongst people in society,” Figen told me. “We should actually look at our differences and unite…embrace our differences instead of feeling threatened by them.” Hate crimes results from a lack of understanding of others; this week serves to teach people about differences and that hate crime cannot be tolerated.
Considering that hate crime is such a serious problem, it can be prevented by encouraging small changes in people’s attitudes, so that they can transform hate into love. Figen regularly gives talks to pupils and students, inspiring them to act and think more positively. “I go around secondary schools, universities…I talk to them about kindness and going back to the basics”, Figen explained. For one exercise, she asks children to put pieces of paper with messages of kindness written on them in a box. “Its amazing what they come up with…kindness [is important] in the school community…[its about] teaching young people correct behaviour.”
A key feature of the week is the inclusion of people of all ages, and for Figen it’s crucial to get this message of positivity across at an early age. “[Its] totally important to include young people, because they are the future young adults, doctors, nurses, lawyers… [we should] make them stop and what they’re doing,” she explained.
Often it can be small things which can make a big difference, and for young people these changes can be made at home: “Make your parents a cup of tea instead of spending time on Snapchat…with technology people are very insular.” Figen mentioned how fostering the inquisitiveness of young people helps too: “Young people have genuine curiosity about other people’s culture and have greater respect towards others.”
Although Figen could not attend any of the events during the week, she could not emphasise enough the significance of HCAW: “It’s important to participate in these events.” Figen certainly spreads the message of transforming hate into love effectively with her school visits.
So what can we do to act against hatred? Figen had some useful ideas which can be incorporated into our daily lives: “Be kinder to one and other, be open, walk in other people’s shoes, be kind to others every day.” She warned that in today’s society with excessive social media, we’re at risk of “being wrapped up in ourselves”. Perhaps we need this message of positivity now more than ever.
Manchester has itself become a more loving and open place since the arena attack, as the community came together as the city recovered. “They [the people of Manchester] see the arena attack as a personal attack. The bee has gained additional meaning, gained solidarity…It wasn’t that long ago, don’t forget that day. It reminds us to unite.”
Although HCAW is just one week in a year, we should always be conscious of hate crime and take the time to change our attitude, transforming hate into love.
“I just want the world to be a better place, the people of Manchester can set a better example and be at the forefront of it all.”
When asked to describe The Funeral Director, Hauer-King explained that it is a “show about cultural and religious identity and how an individual can reconcile their background with who they’ve become”, both religiously and sexually.
This production contains a diversity of experiences, the importance of this was highlighted by Hauer-King in her comments about the lack of “queer, Muslim characters on stage”, especially women. She added that, beyond queerness, Muslim people are seldom portrayed as “sexual beings” and the play is therefore “quite radical” in this respect. Furthermore, many Muslim actors are cast as either the victim or terrorist, rarely in characters portraying “normal relational dynamics”, The Funeral Director changes this.
Following its run at the Southwark Playhouse in London, The Funeral Director visits HOME with a primarily new cast other than the lead, Ayesha (Aryana Ramkhalawon). This brings “new dynamics and different energy” to the production. Hauer-King explained the importance of the show’s ability to be responsive to the changes in political climate. For example, leading up to this run, the media coverage of some Muslim women against discussions about homosexuality in schools.
Having studied Theology, Hauer-King acknowledged that “religion is imbued in everything”. She spoke honestly about her relationship with her own religion (Judaism) as a queer woman, recognising the ways she might have “stepped away from [her] religious identity in the process of coming out”.
Set in a Muslim funeral parlour, the play has a specific and focused setting. There is a “sense of speed and urgency about” Muslim burials, they must be performed within 48 hours and the bodies are rarely embalmed unless they need to be transported overseas. The Funeral Director offers some insight into a “sacred space”. This portrayal of different Muslim experiences is something that Hauer-King believes will be “refreshing for people within the community”, seeing “people they can relate to on stage”, “a lot of the humour is not always catered to a white audience”.
Hauer-King praised writer Iman Qureshi for her ability to write about a specific community, without narrowing the target audience. The success of the writing is influenced by Qureshi’s “understanding and connectivity to issues happening here and now”, as well as “her own personal experiences as a Pakistani Muslim”.
Hauer-King also talked about the differences in audiences when touring a show, commenting that London is a very specific type of audience in the same way that Manchester is, and it “feels really exciting” that the response to the production will be different.
The fallout from the dramatic University of Manchester Students’ Union (SU) Executive Officer elections has continued this week, as the International Students’ Officer for 2019/2020 remains unconfirmed.
Two candidates who were banned from campaigning towards the end of the voting period went on to win – namely Kwame Kwarteng as General Secretary, and Rana Phool as Postgraduate Officer.
Meanwhile, the position of International Students’ Officer has still not been declared, with the Students’ Union remaining vague over the exact process behind examining the contest. An Independent NUS committee, advised by the Returning Officer, will assess the result, but there remains a lack of clarity over how candidates will be scrutinised.
While accusations of campaigning misconduct have hit numerous candidates during the voting period, such claims have centred around the four candidates that ran on a joint ‘slate’ – a shared platform – with some social media reports indicating that the slate’s International Students’ Officer candidate Dishika Bhalotia, or those representing her, had snatched students’ phones to register votes against their will.
The Mancunion understands two motions have been submitted to March’s student Senate meeting to block Kwarteng and Phool from taking office in the current circumstances. However, this is complicated by the fact that one of them is a no-confidence motion, which means there is no legal precedent for an officer to be no-confidenced before taking office. The Mancunion understands the other motion, submitted by Callum Mogridge, would seek to re-run the General Secretary and Postgraduate Officer elections.
While the SU has addressed students’ concerns over the campaign by investigating the misconduct following numerous complaints, the lack of supervision and policing of candidate campaigning leaves the status of the legally-mandated elections at least partly compromised in some students’ eyes.
Criticism of the NUS has also been rife over the decision not to more thoroughly investigate the General Secretary or Postgraduate Officer winners, with Kwarteng and Phool having seemingly worked closely with Bhalotia during the elections – who faces a more stringent hearing.
Olivia Meisl, incumbent SU Education Officer said of the campaigning ban handed to candidates breaching rules: “It was ineffective, because their candidate teams still went out to intimidate people… if you have ten-plus people campaigning for you in a little group, people don’t have the resources to compete with that”.
Perhaps even worse for the SU is the news that turnout fell by 0.4% from last year. 7,771 students cast their ballot this year, representing only 19.4% of the entire student body – despite the fact the SU offered daily incentives to vote.
One anonymous second year student admitted their interest in the elections had been purely motivated by these incentives: “I voted to get a free cactus, and I hadn’t originally been interested in the elections. I just voted for the first people I could see on the list, that weren’t on the four-person ticket that was circuited around campus.”
Indeed, four of the eight winners of the elections were listed first alphabetically, again raising questions over the true effectiveness of the incentives.
A second year student explained their disregard at the election result, and further remarked that would expect possibly a drop in turnout in the event of a re-run: “Obviously there is financial motivation behind the cheating, if the claims prove to be true, considering the salary that is up for grabs. Quite simply, the election was not fair, and should be re-run, or the positions handed to those that didn’t cheat. Even if these elections were held again, I doubt turnout would be as high.”
One anonymous student summarised the apathetic feelings that many students are left with in regards to their SU after recent developments: “For me, it’s bad but I struggle to feel much other than apathy towards SU politics. I wasn’t following the election, and most of my friends weren’t.”
They went on to say that they believed the elections undermined their faith in the SU: “What happened in the elections was wrong and unfair, but fundamentally, I don’t know how much of a difference it will make other than setting a poor precedent. Other than funding for societies, the SU does not have a recognisable role that I have been aware of. There certainly needs to be greater outreach then just promoting elections, there is not enough of the SU, and what their powers are.”
The Mancunion has reached out to Kwame Kwarteng and Rana Phool for comment.
A judge has described city centre square Piccadilly Gardens as a ‘no-go area’.
Judge Alan Conrad QC made the remark during a trial for knifepoint robbery in the square.
“Piccadilly Gardens is an area that should be an attraction in the centre of Manchester.
“But it has become a no-go area for many people. A place they avoid going to or passing through and cases such as this will re-enforce that feeling”, said Conrad.
The crime threat is particularly worrying for students, as Piccadilly Gardens is one of the largest bus terminals in the city, with a number of late night services departing from the stop.
Despite Judge Conrad’s claim, a Greater Manchester Police inspector hit back, saying he would not use the same label, although Piccadilly Gardens had ‘issues’.
One of the greatest problems associated with the area is spice usage, with police regularly called amid reports of people collapsing.
Meanwhile, the heavily disliked ‘Berlin Wall’, a concrete structure in the middle of the square will not be knocked down in the near future, despite promises that an ‘eco wall’ consisting of plants would replace it.
Manchester City Council leader Richard Leese recognised the significance of the issue to citizens of the city centre.
“We know that people have strong views about the need for improvements to Piccadilly Gardens. Indeed after begging, the Gardens was the issue which was most raised in last year’s city centre review.”
In order to make the square accessible, open, and peaceful for all, the council must commit to substantial investment to upgrade the square, but also to dealing with major sources of crime, such as spice addiction and homelessness.
As the prevalence of mental health problems amongst students is at an all-time high with the number of students claiming a mental health related disability almost four-times as high as it was six years ago, universities across the country are being scrutinised for not adequately providing for those who require support the most. A Freedom of Information Act request sent to the University of Manchester can now reveal a breakdown of the University’s mental health spending over the last five years.
The University has seen steady employment for its mental health staff, with minor additions coming in the 2017-18 academic year. The most visible Uni mental health service has seen minor improvement as an additional counsellor was hired, bringing the total number to 11 full-time staff. The breakdown of staff for other roles is somewhat more complicated, as members of staff in other roles are counted as a proportion of a full-time member of staff.
Mental health nurses at the Uni rose from 0.8 full-time equivalent (fte) staff to 1.6, and the number of Psychological Wellbeing Practitioners rose from 2.25 to 3 fte. All other roles involved in mental health support have stayed at the same levels since 2013-14.
As The Mancunion reported last week, students are suffering from mental health issues at previously unseen rates. Of the poll of 37,000 students, one in three said they had a “serious psychological issue that required professional help”, and almost half of students admitted to use of drugs or alcohol to deal with their mental health issues.
In the face of such shocking statistics, this mental health epidemic surely demands a serious response from the University and other responsible parties.
Recently released plans for new mental health services – which are funded by the five Mancunian universities – for students address some of these concerns, stating the city “needs to do more” given Manchester has the country’s largest student population.
The scheme would mean streamlining the process for mental health appointments, and result in greater transparency in waiting times, which the University currently has no data on beyond “between no wait and six weeks at peak times.”
Dame Nancy Rothwell, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester, echoed her support for the scheme and the University’s role within it: “Mental health is one of the top issues that students tell us about and we have invested significantly in services at The University Manchester and in this important new initiative.”
“The next logical step is to share expertise and resources across the whole region, and create a model that will benefit thousands of people. I am very pleased that The University of Manchester will play an important role in this and I hope that it is an idea that can be used across the whole country.”
Over the five academic years from 2013-14 to 2017-18, the number of students accessing 1:1 mental health sessions rose almost 20% from around 2,400 to around 2,800, and the number accessing groups or workshops relating to mental health rising from roughly 400 to roughly 700 (the University doesn’t hold exact numbers).
During the same period, funding for mental health staff at the uni has risen a third to just over £1 million. Despite widespread reports from students of long wait times, there still seems to be at least some response from the University, both in funding and staff numbers, even if the latter has only seen minor, recent additions.
Editor’s note: The Mancunion would like to apologise to the University of Manchester for previously stating that “new mental health” services were funded by Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester. He is in fact very supportive of the new scheme, but it is funded in part by the University of Manchester, alongside Manchester Metropolitan University, the University of Salford, the Royal Northern College of Music, and the University of Bolton.
A police investigation is underway after a passerby aggressively confronted a group of elderly anti-abortion protestors outside a clinic in Fallowfield.
The Marie Stopes clinic on Wynnstay Grove was the site of the incident, where three members of the ‘40 Days For Life’ group were peacefully protesting.
The group promote peaceful prayer to help change women’s minds about possible abortion procedure, and hold campaigns outside clinics twice a year.
The three protestors, all aged over 70, were undertaking the vigil at around 10:30am, when an unidentified member of the public confronted them, screaming obscenities.
A number of pictures published on the website of local outlet Mancunian Matters show the figure proceeding to throw deck chairs and then hurl the group’s literature over a nearby fence.
The intruder then made a speedy gateway by car, after the police had been called to attend the scene.
They remain unidentifed as of yet, while the police look further into the confrontation that took place.
Jason McShane-Chapman, the Manchester-Leeds Regional Manager for Marie Stopes condemned the behaviour, and further said any demonstrations outside abortion clinics were unhelpful: “We are aware that an incident took place outside our Manchester centre on Friday.
“Any kind of aggressive or confrontational behaviour outside a health centre is clearly unacceptable, and does not help people who are trying to access the service. Unfortunately, the presence of lobby groups like 40 Days for Life outside our clinics can cause tensions to rise and this incident demonstrates why it is inappropriate for protests to take place where potentially vulnerable women are trying to access legal NHS funded healthcare.”
Robert Colquhon, the international campaigns director for ‘40 Days for Life’ responded by claiming that the organisation had never been the cause of any intimidating activity outside clinics: “40 Days for Life organise peaceful, prayerful and legal vigils outside of abortion centres in the United Kingdom.
“In nine years of ministry we have not seen a single substantiated case of harassment or intimidation by any of our volunteers in that time. We have however received abuse from passers-by.”
There have been calls to halt demonstrations by both pro-choice and pro-life groups outside abortion clinics, with concerns that attempts to sway the view of vulnerable women may increase stress and anxiety at an already difficult time.
The Fallowfield Marie Stopes clinic have reassured possible patients that the clinic has upmost concern for their well-being, and that security is on hand to escort anybody that feels pressurised by demonstrators outside the clinic.
Charlie Whiting, the Formula 1 (F1) race director, has suddenly died at the age of 66, having suffered a pulmonary embolism on 14th March Melbourne.
Whiting was in Australia on the eve of the first race of the 2019 F1 season.
As race director, Whiting oversaw the start procedure for all of the races under his tenure, as well as inspecting circuits for safety measures, and led pre-race driver briefings, where driver’s could raise concerns over the format of the Grand Prix.
He was also the FIA’s (F1’s governing body) go-to person for all concerns over a Grand Prix weekend.
Before becoming the race director, Whiting was previously chief mechanic and then chief engineer of former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone’s Brabham team, which won world championships in 1981 and 1983. He joined the FIA in 1988 as technical director, and stay there for over 30 years.
Tributes have been pouring for the Englishman, with current F1 world champion Lewis Hamilton describing him as an “iconic figure” in the sport. Hamilton’s championship rival Sebastian Vettel echoed those words by saying: “He was a racer, just a very nice guy.”
The Renault team described him as “one of the pillars and leaders of the sport”.
To fill the gap left by Whiting’s absence, Australian Michael Masi – the race director of Australia’s V8 Supercars series – will take Whiting’s place as race director, safety delegate and permanent starter this weekend in Melbourne.
In Friday’s first practice session, TV graphics included a tribute message to Whiting. Hamilton was fastest in the opening session of 2019.
The Occupation is a real-time political thriller with inequality at its heart. And by inequality, I don’t mean the political concept (although that certainly is a theme), but how erratic it is in terms of its own achievements. In terms of narrative, gameplay, and atmosphere, White Paper Games have produced a stellar indie title – quite possibly one of the best I played in a long time – but it is so beleaguered by technical issues, bugs, and idiosyncrasies that unearthing its brilliant nucleus could be a difficult process for many players. The game is fixed-length, taking place in a city called Turing over the course of four hours. In effect, however, it is four one-hour chunks interspersed by flashbacks and cut-scenes. At the end of each of these one-hour levels (for that’s what they effectively are), you will interview a prominent member of the Bowman-Carson Group, the clandestine organisation at the epicentre of a major terror incident. Arriving an hour early for each interview (with the last one being a bit shorter), you are free to sneak around the offices as much as you want to arm yourself with more information with which to grill your interviewees.
photo:WhitePaperGames
I should add that this sneaking about is not compulsory. Playing The Occupation, you can simply sit and wait for your meetings to commence, or else only prioritise low-risk, low-reward leads. You won’t be able to ask as many questions, but, as you might imagine, interviewees are far less prone towards hostility if you aren’t caught sneaking around their office before speaking with them. Sneaking itself is probably the central mechanic of The Occupation, and is done extremely well. Although your character, Harvey Miller, will sometimes sway up or down unpredictability depending on your proximity to physical objects, I really liked how unforgiving the stealth was. I’ve played lots of games where you have to be seen for a sustained period of time, or at a close distance to be spotted, but in The Occupation, quite realistically, it only takes a glimpse in the peripheries of the security guards to arouse suspicion, while a proper sighting will get you in trouble instantly. The time-sensitive nature of your assignment really ramps up the tension of this. One hour may sound like a reasonable time to snoop around offices, but when you’re trying to solve what is essentially a multi-sided, 4D puzzle, it really flies by. It can be nerve-wracking and, being honest, incredibly frustrating, but it really drove the occasionally laboured pacing forward and made this feel like a frenetic, if slightly clunky, stealth game rather than a straightforward walking sim. This is well-balanced by only deploying one or two guards, who can be circumnavigated with relative ease. Nonetheless, I never found the game too easy, with Steve (the principle guard) often appearing unexpectedly to vanquish my quest for the truth. Speaking of the quest for truth, this is where the crux of the game’s narrative lies. To this day and three playthroughs deep, I still don’t feel like I’ve got the full picture of what actually happened on the day of the incident, with the plot being communicated through a series of unreliable narrators, ambiguous flashbacks and conflicting pieces of evidence. Every truth you unearth in The Occupation feels somehow like one of many versions of parallel truths, and unraveling the many threads (and red herrings) in the narrative was a sheer delight.
This nuance really made the game worth playing over and over, so compelling was the mystery at its centre. I loved the maturity and discursiveness at the heart of this plot, and, for the most part, it traded political condescension for an atmosphere of uncertainty, moral ambiguity, and mixed agendas. This is a proper detective game that doesn’t hold your hand, making you work to get the most out of its surprising depth.
photo:WhitePaperGames
Unfortunately, I did feel The Occupation became a victim of its own integrity in this way. Whilst it has the ability to hook you, it can also feel so utterly obfuscated as to be off-putting. Certainly, my first playthrough felt overwhelmingly vague, a series of contextless dead-ends and disappointments. In all honesty, I may have been put off a rerun had I not been reviewing. There were a number of in-game tasks that I felt required one more step than was reasonable in the time that I had, and this meant every eureka moment was counteracted by one of utter bafflement. I do feel that, in this way, The Occupation could have facilitated something like a journalistic debrief before the investigation without breaking its steadfast commitment to immersion and realism, which would have cleared up some of the initial teething problems and anchored me in the game’s world. That being said, the game’s world did do plenty of its own legwork. It may not have been the most spectacularly interesting to look at, with plenty of gloominess, rain, and repurposed bureaucratic governmental buildings, but its sombreness, along with its feeling of paranoia and political unrest, created a stellar atmosphere. That White Paper achieve this whilst populating the game very sparsely is a testament to the work of the design team, as well as the game’s voice actors. A sprinkling of unintrusive references to Ether One helped, too, in making this feel like a breathing universe, as does its resemblance to Manchester, the city on which Turing is based.
photo:WhitePaperGames
Unfortunately, the major drawback of The Occupation is how buggy it is. Upon starting the game, I encountered severe problems when trying to upscale the game to 4k, leading to a two-hour quest which resulted in me having to delete obscure local game files in order to be able to play the game. Elsewhere, I was occasionally caught ‘trespassing’ in public places, whilst one occasion saw Steve clip through a staircase and become stuck, nightmarishly, between the staircase and a floor. On two occasions I fell through the map, meaning I had to reboot. Fortunately, these occasions were in the short, linear flashback sections, because the much-maligned save system can cost you up to an hour of progress if you fall foul of its whimsies.
It is also prone to alarming frame-rate drops, with several cutscenes and mediating segments plagued by this issue. For a game built around immersion and realism, this can be incredibly jarring, and break the game’s otherwise seductive spell. Usually, if I’m approaching the close of a review with a seven-ish out of ten in sight, I’ll use words like ‘solid’, ‘worthy’ or ‘valiant.’ The Occupation is none of these. It is both profoundly brilliant and profoundly flawed, exceptional in some areas, but exceptionally uneven in others. For those willing to put the work in, there’s a diamond here to be found. But it is a rough diamond indeed.
“I worry about someone taking over the web” said Tim Berners-Lee during an interview at Davos this year. The founder of the World Wide Web, which turned 30 last week, has claimed at times he is “devastated” at the uses and abuses of his creation.
Undoubtedly one of the greatest inventions, but will the internet also be our downfall? A tool for self-interested parties to manipulate the very people it was refined to serve.
There is so much criticism of the effects of the internet. With worries regarding how social media impacts mental health and our addiction to our laptops and phones, that it can be hard to think positively about it at all.
On its 30th anniversary, however, the creator of this Promethean spiderweb has some words of encouragement. In his annual open letter, Berners-Lee has reminded us what the humble beginnings of the World Wide Web mean for its future.
“If we give up on building a better Web now, then the Web will not have failed us. We will have failed the Web.”
‘Information Management: A Proposal’ may not sound like much, but from these humble beginnings came Facebook, Wikipedia, and even your favourite weekly paper The Mancunion. Initially conceived of as a way to share information between different servers at the CERN project, it is now almost impossible for our generation in the ‘connected world’ to imagine a world without the internet.
Would we actually have to traverse hallways in order to get information stored in another room? Or would mental images of the faces of our distant friends blur without annual profile-pic changes to keep our memories updated?
Berners-Lee has spoken out against the rise of online crime, state-sponsored hacking, and so-called ‘fake news’, lamenting how the Web has given a voice to hate. However, he is not resigned to the evil of the ‘net as some lazy social commentators have done.
Anything designed with the best intentions in mind runs the risk of morphing into something else. Even the humblest among us know what it feels like to see something we have loved and nurtured escape our ideas for its future. Even if it’s just an essay we wanted to start a fortnight before the deadline, only to watch the days slip by a blank word document.
The Web, however, is not a thing, in the same way an essay is, or the telephone, or a gun. It cannot be entirely appropriated by anyone, hateful or hopeful. It is a place, an infinitely incredible space, and it cannot be owned.
The World Wide Web was nearly called ‘The Information Mine’, although this appeals to my sense of pun much more, to me ‘Web’ is far more accurate. It is not a finite pit, but is created by the people who use it, so we who all use the internet all of the time, for everything, have a say in what it becomes.
There is just as much good and bad online; our instant access to news keeps us up to date with a rapidly changing world. If the content of the notifications are getting too depressing, perhaps we should focus on making some better stories to be delivered with a “ping!”.
