Concrete - Issue 291

UEA’s Student Newspaper

Issue 291 • Free • Tuesday 14 January

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Inside...

Restructure of Union Officer roles announced

Marching to war Why did we really enter the war in 1914?

Comment P. 8

The Best Albums of 2013 We countdown the ten biggest hits of last year Music V. 4

Ciara Jack Sidonie Chaffer-Melly News Reporter

Me, my selfie and I How has the selfie craze embedded itself in our culture?

Features P. 11

The Union of UEA Students is reviewing the structure of its officer roles. The restructure could change the way the Union is represented, what it’s priorities are and the way it operates.

The restructure is intended to review the efficiency of the current officer roles, and address any changes that need to be made. Alterations could include the introduction of a president, extra sabbatical positions, and the reductions of current roles.

Students will be encouraged to get involved in the consultation, which will take place throughout January and the

beginning of February. The referendum will be open to votes between 5 - 7 February, with the results being put into effect in the upcoming Officer elections.

As part of the consultation, the current Union Officers will be holding focus groups, with participating students being entered into a prize draw. Focus groups will also be held with Union staff and student staff.

Additionally, there will be a discussion wall where students will be able to voice their opinions and ideas on the restructure, and a general meeting held on 20 January open to any member of the Union and for Union Councillors to contribute their thoughts. The final referendum will then be presented to Union Council on 23 January.

Finance Officer, Joe Levell said, “The Student Officer roles need to really reflect clearly what we do and where we work to improve the lives of UEA students.

At the moment, the roles are pretty confusing and leave some gaps. For example, we don’t have a full time Activities Officer or any full time PostGraduate representation whilst other Unions do.

The review will let us look at how effective we are as a sabbatical team, learn some lessons about what students want and need and then hopefully create a new team which will do the best possible work for our members.”

The consultation will begin with the discussion wall and focus groups on 13 January.

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Editorial

Editor-in-chief | Sidonie ChafferMelly concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk Deputy Editor | Sophie Witts concrete.president@uea.ac.uk Online Editor | Billy Sexton concrete.online@uea.ac.uk Deputy Online Editor | Amelia

Marchington concrete.online@uea.ac.uk News | Andrew Ansell & Lara-Jayne Ellice concrete.news@uea.ac.uk Comment | Zoë Jones concrete.comment@uea.ac.uk Global | Ella Gilbert concrete.global@uea.ac.uk Features | Bridie Wilkinson concrete.features@uea.ac.uk Environment | Peter Sheehan concrete.environment@uea.ac.uk Science & Tech | Dominic Burchnall concrete.science@uea.ac.uk Travel | Niyonu Agana-Burke concrete.travel@uea.ac.uk Lifestyle | Lydia Clifton concrete.lifestyle@uea.ac.uk Sport | Charlie Savage & Will Medlock concrete.sport@hotmail.co.uk Copy Editors | Stephenie Naulls & Lucy Morris concretecopyeditors@gmail.com Chief Photographers | Jacob Roberts-Kendall, Will Cockram & Jonathan Alomoto concrete.photography@uea.ac.uk Distribution Manager | Steph Gover

Issue 291

Editorial

14/01/14

Contributors

News | Sidonie Chaffer-Melly, Zoe Jones, Billy Sexton, Lucy Morris, Ciara Jack, Sophie Witts, Lara Ellice, Rob Drury Comment | Olivia Grovesnor, Rosie Yates, Andrew Ansell, David Jones Global | Sonya Qureshi, Katie Ward Features | Anna Walker, Jasmin Gray, Emily Fedorowycz, Lydia Tewkesbury Environment | Peter Sheehan, Ilya Christofides, Jeremy Brown Science & Tech | Dominic Burchnall, Ian Roberts, Julie Bishop Travel | Louise Wiggins, Patrick Turner, Matthew Bedford, Stewart Anderson Lifestyle | Stewart Anderson, Beth Saward, Rebecca Bemment, Kelly York, Georgia Ellis, Phillip Henry Sport | Charlie Savage, Stewart Anderson, Jack Lusby, Will Medlock, Katherone Lucas Proofreaders | Helena Bradbury, Katie Wadsworth, Chris Freeman, Calyssa Erb, Stephenie Naulls

Antiques Roadshow comes to UEA!

Win! Win! Win! Win a panini by tweeting us your favourite Christmas present!

Editor’s column The start of a new semester always brings the inevitable determination to really commit to your degree, whether it means spending every available hour in the library or simply keeping up with the course reading. We’ve got a great guide on how to get the most out of your New Year’s resolutions on page 12, and also how to stay positive if you find yourself slipping up a little.

If you’re starting your year overseas rather than in Norwich, there’s some excellent articles on the best things to see and do

while on an Erasmus exchange in our Travel section.

Elsewhere, you may have seen UEA looking it’s absolute best on Antiques Roadshow. Norwich is one of the oldest cities of in the UK, and there’s so much great history here. The Sainsbury’s Centre for Visual Arts is a wonderful rescource to have on campus. If you haven’t been for a visit, make sure you do!

Sidonie Chaffer-Melly Editor-in-Chief

Tweet of the Week “Back in my Kingdom #UEA, back in my Castle #Libs”

@MattWills91

Union House University of East Anglia Norwich NR4 7TJ 01603 593 466 www.concrete-online.co.uk www.concblog.wordpress.com Editorial inquiries / complaints concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk concrete.venue@uea.ac.uk Got a story? concrete.news@uea.ac.uk

Concrete welcomes all letters and emails, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Letters should be addressed to the editor-in-chief, and include contact details. All emails should be sent to concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk. We will consider anonymous publication, and reserve the right to edit for length and clarity. Anonymous article submissions are permitted. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the newspaper. No part of this newspaper may be reproduced through any means without the express permission of the editor, Sidonie Chaffer-Melly. Published by UUEAS Concrete Society ©2013 Concrete BMc ISSN 1351-2773

News

Around Nor folk

3 UEA among top ten cheapest universities 14/01/14

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Local MP promoted The MP for Norwich South, Simon Wright, has been elevated to the position of Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg.

His new role, alongside that of education spokesman for the Liberal Democrats in the House of Commons, will see him attend Cabinet meetings.

Simon Wright commented: “I look forward to playing a greater role in supporting his work, and having a view of the workings of the Cabinet and the heart of the coalition government.”

Helicopter crash in Norfolk kills four people

Glenn Wood Flickr Sidonie Chaffer-Melly Editor-in-chief UEA has been named as one of the cheapest universities in the to live AndiUK Sapey and study at. The University came fifth in a study investigating the cost of living and studying across the UK, with the total cost of living over three years coming to £41,603.

The study, conducted by Ukash, took

Carbon Monoxide warning to students Zoe Jones News Reporter

Photo: Huffington Post Four American servicemen died in a helicopter crash in Cley, North Norfolk on Tuesday 7 January.

The deaths on board the US Air Force helicopter occurred during a low-level training mission, on which the servicemen were carrying live ammunition.

Investigations are being carried out over an area the size of a football pitch to determine the cause of the accident.

Tributes have been paid to the four airmen, named: Captain Christopher Stover, Captain Sean Ruane, Technical Sergeant Dale Mathews and Staff Sergeant Afton Ponce.

Commander of the RAF Lakenheath men’s unit in Suffolk, Colonel Kyle Robinson, said: “The loss of our Liberty Wing brethren is felt deeply across RAF Lakenheath. I can only imagine the hurt and sorrow felt by the family and friends of the airmen. You are in our hearts and minds.”

into account factors such as the price of a pint of lager and gym membership, alongside tuition fees and rent. Nine living expenses were compared in total.

Edinburgh Heriot-Watt University came out on top, costing just £28,761 on average, with free entry to Student Union events and cheaper gym membership bringing the total down. The University of Edinburgh and St. Andrews came second and third, costing £31,210 and £33,603 respectively.

It has recently come to light that a UEA student has suffered from Carbon Monoxide poisoning as a result of inefficiencies with their residence. The property itself had been rented through an Estate Agency Photo: Bill Smith and not through the Union’s own letting website Home Run. Although the property was recognised with a valid Gas Safety certificate, the tenants had reported concerns with the boiler.

The Union has issued a warning to students that when renting a property through an estate agent it is crucial you ensure that the property has all the lawful credentials, and checking the property has a valid gas safety certificate is imperative.

Any issues with a property should be raised

immediately with the landlord or letting agent. Whether the property has a carbon monoxide detector or not should be stated in the property’s inventory, a document that’s important to scrutinise upon moving in.

Carbon Monoxide detectors are an inexpensive and potentially lifesaving device. Although it is the property owner’s responsibility to install one, it is the tenants responsibility to raise their initial concern.

Carbon monoxide detectors can be purchased for as little as £12.

If you have any concerns about renting a safe-to-live property, we recommend using the Unions own Home Run service to look at student housing. They ensure the property is accredited with the essential safety requirements for you.

Low rent costs placed UEA in fifth place, with the average housing costs coming to £3,108 a year. This was below the University of Kent, which came in fourth cheapest with an overall cost of £35,344.

London School of Economics was found to be the most expensive university, with the cost of living over three years reaching £59,152 due to higher rent, car insurance end entry to student events.

New Years Honour for UEA psychologist Billy Sexton News Reporter

Shirley Pearce, a former Professor of the University of East Anglia, has been honoured in the New Year list with a damehood for her services to higher education.

Pearce joined UEA in 1994 as chair in Health Psychology and later became the Inaugural Director of the School of Health Policy and Practice. In 1997 she was appointed Dean of the Schools of Health and led the successful bid for a new medical school at UEA. Professor Pearce was made Pro Vice Chancellor for the Health and Professional Schools in 2000, before becoming Dean of the Institute of Health and Director of the Centre for Interprofessional Practice at UEA. She left UEA to become Vice Chancellor of Loughborough University in 2006 and served in this role until 2012.

Women made up 51% of the New Years honours list, topping the previous best of 47% and representing a new record in the modern honours system.

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UEA scientists work to reduce animal testing

Lucy Morris News Reporter Researchers at UEA recently received £90,000 worth of funding for a new project that aims to reduce the use of rats and mice in medical testing.

The scientists plan to use mammalian cells, early frog embryos and computer modelling in a bid to create a new way of predicting drug toxicity. It is hoped that this new model would reduce the need for animal testing in medical research. The funding was provided as part of a £1.26m grant from the National Centre for the Replacement,

Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs).

The screening tool will be developed as a collaborative project between Dr Grant Wheeler from UEA’s School of Biological Sciences and Dr Vicky Sherwood from UEA’s School of Pharmacy, as well as Dr Dominic Williams at the University of Liverpool.

Dr Grant Wheeler, overseeing the project said: “Drug toxicity is an important concern in the development of pharmaceuticals that are effective and safe for use in patients. Currently this requires the use of a large number of animals to ensure that new drugs

Wealthier parents securing more school places Ciara Jack News Reporter The Sutton Trust has recently revealed that wealthier parents are cheating the notorious school catchment area obstacle by completely moving house altogether.

Other tactics have included lying on application forms, claiming false religious beliefs and paying tutors to secure their child’s place.

It has been said that this palm greasing and bold use of tactics are down to a lack of quality state schools or grammar schools in the country.

A survey by Parent Power, commissioned by the education charity Sutton Trust, found at least a third of parents deliberately moved to an area with more successful state schools,

while one in five did so for a specific school.

Even in the case of making false claims of religious observance, the number of upper-middle class parents admitting this falsehood was double that of poorer parents. Ten per cent of parents admitted to this, and one in twenty admitted to using a false address in the admissions process.

In combatting this strategic use of wealth, it has been suggested that drastic changes need to be made; including an expansion of lottery-style entrance rules to break the middle class stronghold on grasping for places.

Sir Peter Lampl, the education charity’s chairman, stated that in its current state, the catchment area system enabled parents with money to have a “significant advantage” in the fight for places.

are non-toxic and therefore safe to use in human clinical trials. According to the Home Office almost 80,000 rats and mice were used in studies on drug testing in 2012 alone. This is a huge number of animals, so any new protocols that can reduce this burden on animal testing could have a huge impact in significantly reducing the number of animals used for drug safety testing each year.”

Dr Wheeler added that thay were aiming to to develop such a protocol using a combination of mammalian cell lines, early frog embryos and computer modelling “we will then check how

well our protocol can predict toxicity in small rodents by comparing our results with those already documented in rats and mice.”

UEA currently uses animal experimentation on rats, mice and Xenopus frogs as part of its medical research. The University experimented on some 6,248 animals between July 2012 and July 2013, the majority of which were mice. 5070 of the animals were killed.

Experiments in which animal testing was used included scientific research into cancer, arthritis and muscular dystrophy.

University opens new base in Malaysia Sophie Witts News Reporter The University of East Anglia has announced plans to open a new base in Malaysia.

Opening on the 25th January, the office in Kuala Lumpur is part of the University’s plans to broaden its international reach and reputation, aiming to develop regional business and university partnerships as well as supporting international student recruitment.

Deputy Vice Chanceller Professor David Richardson will address the January launch event, whose guests will include local dignitaries as well as UEA alumni based in the region.

Prof Richardson said: “The opening of our new Malaysia office will play a key role in UEA’s ambitious plans for internationalisation - expanding the

reach of our graduates and researchers and bringing high quality students from across the world to enjoy the awardwinning student experience at our closeknit Norwich campus. The team has been working hard to set up the office in recent months and I look forward to seeing their exciting plans put into action.”

A permanent team of staff led by regional office manager Peter Ryan will be based at the office in Kuala Lumpur. As well as working on student recruitment, they will support UEA graduates’ employability in the region and also build on existing international links including study abroad programmes, summer schools, exchange trips and research collaborations.

UEA is a popular destination for international students from 128 countries around the world and the university already has a presence in China, Nigeria and India.

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UEA hunt for Labour consider blueberry fanatics

debt-free degrees Lara Ellice News Editor

Rob Drury News Reporter UEA scientists are on the hunt for local blueberry fanatics in an attempt to discover whether they hold the potential for improving serious illnesses.

People with a condition known as Metabolic Syndrome (a mixture of diabetes, raised blood pressure and obesity according to the NHS) are being asked to take part in a test that will involve consuming a varying range of the berries every day for a six month period. The aim is to discover whether the differing amounts have an effect on the general health of the heart and how their insulin behaves and reacts.

Professor Aedin Cassidy from the Norwich Medical School is part of the

team involving UEA and scientists from the University of Cambridge and Harvard University in the United States.

The universities’ move to begin this research project is on the back of growing evidence suggesting increasing intake of certain berries has the specific effects the scientists are looking for in their test subjects. The results of the research project are likely to have a high level of impact, being described as a ‘major international study’.

The six month long project will look to recruit over 140 local residents who will be screened to discern whether they have Metabolic Syndrome. The participants will then be given a certain amount of freeze-dried blueberries, or a placebo powder for the duration, with restrictions and health checks for the participants to monitor the results.

Worrying NEETs statistics revealed Lucy Morris News Reporter Statistics released in December by the Department for Education have revealed that a worrying 17.7% of young people aged 16-24 are not in education, employment or training (NEET).

The statistics show that approximately 1.1 million young people were found to fall into this category during the third quarter of 2013, between July and September.

In England, the North East, the West Midlands and the North West have the highest proportion of 16-24 year olds who are NEET. Those eligible for free school meals, those who have been excluded or suspended from school, those with their

own child and those who have a disability are also more likely to be Not in Education, Employment or Training.

Not all unemployed 16-24 year olds are NEET and not all people who are NEET are unemployed. 62% of unemployed 16-24 year olds are NEET; the rest are unemployed, but in education or training and thus not NEETs. 55% of all people who are NEET are unemployed, but the rest are economically inactive: not seeking work and/or not available to start work (e.g., due to work-preventing disability, or imprisonment.)

Government plans to reduce the number of young people who are NEET include raising the mandatory schoolleaving age, the Youth Contract and the Work Programme.

Labour MP John Denham has announced the party’s plans to redirect money spent on paying off student debt to fund “debt-free” degrees.

Labour’s plans could allow 50,000 graduates per year to obtain debt-free honours degrees, which will be funded by both their employers and the government. The aim of this is to make university education more applicable to young people in business.

John Denham’s ideas will be included in Labour’s manifesto for the 2015 general election. Denham, the former Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills will ensure that people in employment will be able to study degrees relevant to their current or future area of work.

In-work students will receive a training allowance or wage from employers during their degree, which will carry no fees.

Denham will outline the plans on 16 January in a lecture to the Royal Society of Arts. Denham will say: "Graduates in England face the world's most expensive public higher education, yet too many degrees don't deliver what students or employers want. Huge sums of public money are wasted writing off unpayable debts, and paying living costs for students who would rather have jobs.”

"When money is tight, we must look

at how higher education can offer a better deal for students and employers, not just at ways of forcing graduates to pay ever more."

The proposals are a continuation of the Workforce Development Programme launched by the Labour government in 2008 but abandoned by the current government in 2010.

Under the previous scheme, employers contributed an average £3,000 to the cost of teaching the degree.

Katja Hall, CBI policy director, said: "The UK needs to vastly increase the stock of workers with higher-level skills to drive long-term growth and stop us falling behind our competitors. We need to tackle the perception that the A-levels and three-year degree model is the only route to a good career.”

"When faced with £27,000 debt, young people are already becoming much savvier in shopping around for routes to give them the competitive edge in a tighter job market. Universities must be much more innovative to take advantage of the change in students' approach. And we need businesses to roll up their sleeves and expand high-quality alternative routes where degrees are not the best option for young people."

Denham is expecting the proposals to attract attention from many businesses, who he believes will save money from having hand-selected trained staff. Under the proposals employers and students will be able to adapt courses to suit their own interests.

Universities pay the price for funding cuts Lara Ellice News Editor Universities will be using their own funds to replace state scholarship money that was scrapped last year, covering a shortfall caused by the loss of funding.

University College London will be putting forward £600,000 to make 315 awards next year. The University of Warwick is covering two-thirds of the amount it is losing with £500,000.

The University of Warwick has contributed £350,000, which will cover only half the cuts. University of Warwick students will be able to claim £2,000 in accommodation fees.

In order to include the cuts, universities have been told to resubmit

their 2014-15 plans for wider higher education access by 15 December.

A survey carried out by Media FHE revealed that many universities could not fully compensate for the lost scholarship funding. However they also stated that a number of universities will double available cash amounts to £2,000.

The National Union of Students have labelled scholarship fee waivers a “con trick”, as they believe that the average student will never earn enough to pay back the third part of their loan.

The Higher Education Funding Council for England has stated that it we be expecting institutions to maintain the full amount of access funding. They have also welcomed decisions on spending increases made by universities.

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Dryathlon: What’s the big deal? alcohol intake – ‘New Year, New You’.

And, of course, as has been the case for various other months (Movember, Stoptober, etc.), January has its own branding in aid of charity. The ‘Dryathlon’ is a month long attempt at steering clear of alcoholic beverages in exchange for sponsorship in order to raise money for cancer support charity,

Macmillan. Brace yourselves ladies and gentleman, no one ever said raising money for a good cause was easy, but if you just hold on in there you’ll be doing a great thing for great reasons and… hang on a second. Is charity sponsorship for not drinking alcohol actually a real thing? Other fundraisers do things like climb mountains, run miles and miles,

Olivia Grosvenor Comment Writer @OliviaGrosevnor Hello January, you sneaky sausage. Or salad leaf, actually. Now that 2014 has arrived we are all supposed to be new and improved people (again), even more new and improved than the beginning of 2013. That’s right, the Christmas hangover is upon us and after not being able to get away from alcohol for the last month it’s time to go high and dry.

Not only are diet plan companies raking in the cash, there also seems to be a common desire to slow down on

fotopedia

do fun and silly stuff and organize great events in the name of charity. Is going a twelfth of the year without alcohol really something to write home about?

Why isn’t January about doing something different, noteworthy, or even fun for a good cause? There are probably an abundance of tee-totals wondering why this is all such a big deal. But the worrying thing is that it is exactly that, especially for students. Undergraduate nights out that begin with a desire to stay sober and end up the victim of eggshellstrength willpower when the vodka starts to pour are all too familiar. Clearly there’s something not quite right with the fact that our livers have to wait to be, let’s face it, guilt tripped into detoxification and a large majority of us think it’s worth financial sponsorship.

Obviously giving to charity is important and worthwhile no matter what, so let’s all go for it, but maybe next month should be dedicated to an activity that doesn’t involve something as everyday as giving our internal organs a rest.

What’s next for Syrian refugees?

Rosie Yates Comment Writer Against the backdrop of a worsening civil war, the response to the refugee crisis has been described as an ‘international failure’ by Amnesty International.

Only 10 EU member states have pledged to take a total of 12,000 Syrian refugees, with Germany stating that it will give asylum to 10,000, France accepting 500, and Spain a paltry 30.

The UK government has refused to take any further Syrian refugees. When questioned, both Nick Clegg and David Cameron have repeatedly fallen back on the ‘we’ve already accepted 1,500 refugees’ response, as if this is evidence that Britain has done all it can. A total of 352 Syrian refugees have been refused asylum in the past year.

Nigel Farage recently added his voice to the discussion, calling on the government to admit Syrian refugees to the UK. Farage’s comments may have been little more than a political move to represent UKIP as a bastion of openarmed compassion, but his comments have actually done some good.

He has drawn attention back to the refugee crisis, paving the way for other politicians to speak out in support of allowing the most vulnerable refugees

into the UK. Wrexham MP Ian Lucas called for 400 people with family connections or health problems to be allowed entry, while MEP Jill Evans has called for Britain to “do more than the minimum.”

Meanwhile, UK leaders are predictably repeating that “something must be done”, without actually committing to anything beyond providing financial aid. It would seem that the issue has been clouded by the current rhetoric surrounding migration. Only last week a survey reported that 56 per cent of people want the number of immigrants given entry to the UK significantly reduced.

The distinction needs to be made

crisis since the Rwandan genocide.”

Adding to this reluctance to admit refugees are fears of an ‘influx’ of asylum seekers, based on misconceptions of the number of Syrians who are seeking asylum in the West. According to the UN Refugee Agency, there are over 2.3 million Syrian refugees fleeing the conflict in their country. Most of these wish to return to Syria when it is safe

Distinction needs to be made between economic migration and conflict-induced asylum between economic migration and conflict-induced asylum seeking.

However, the government is neglecting to make this distinction, seemingly preferring to pander to the increasing numbers of voters who are hostile to allowing migrants into the country, rather than addressing what has been described by the UN as the “world’s worst ongoing humanitarian

Flickr: iHH Insani Yardim Vakfi

to do so.

However, the most vulnerable refugees – victims of sexual assault, those with disabilities, children whose parents have been killed – are the ones being failed by the UK government’s refusal to grant them asylum. Where voters’ prejudices are valued above humanity, the government’s response is nothing but shameful.

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Comment

Why did our lamps go out in 1914?

Andrew Ansell Comment Writer As the centenary of the First World War approaches we should ponder why Britain and her vast empire entered the disastrous conflict. The simplified triggers for the war widely taught to us sanitise the nation’s motives for entering a war that was to claim the lives of a generation of young men. A more detailed reflection, recognising that self-interest compelled Britain to fight, would allow us to fully appreciate the true reasons for the sacrifice of a generation. Stoked up notions of Britain coming to the rescue to avenge Belgium is a distortion that merely regurgitates wartime propaganda.

The Education Secretary’s remark that Britain went to war for a ‘noble cause’ is a simplistic assertion that totally disregards the calculations made by the prominent makers of British foreign policy in July and early August 1914.

Should Michael Gove add Herbert H. Asquith’s letters to Venetia Stanley to the bibliography of the Great War syllabus?

Pupils would read the former Prime Minister’s explanation that “Belgium simplified matters”. Belgium was a convenient justification. A mistake is made by failing to place a sufficient focus on France. As the political Great Game was played in Europe, Britain’s self-

interest required her to preserve France irrespective of Belgium’s fate. If Britain was to play the Great Game in Europe successfully, France had to survive as a Great Power. Field Marshall Kitchener and Asquith were two of many who understood this. British interests could not afford a repeat of the Franco-Prussian war which curtailed French power. To prevent this, a British Expeditionary Force fighting in Flanders was needed to avert a major erosion of French influence.

A post-war future whereby the Channel ports were not in friendly hands would have dealt a huge blow to British security and commercial interests. If the French were subdued the Foreign Secretary, Sir Edward Grey, realised that Britain would face a continent in which the trident would be in German hands. Grey’s warning of an overhaul of the balance of power in Europe revealed Britain’s

desire to preserve her own position. The Government’s awareness of the immediate threat to itself should not be airbrushed out of history, but unfortunately normally is.

Recollections of history often fail to appreciate that what would come to pass was not assured. What if the Dual Alliance powers had won and the Empire had remained neutral? Britain would be remembered by the phrase: “nous somme trahis!” (We are betrayed!).

Aloofness from the continent would have also ended the Anglo-Russian friendship.

The Russian bear would then have acted in Asia against British interests which relied upon friendly Russian co-operation.

British neutrality would have ensured that post-war issues would be resolved without reference to British interests and most likely against them.

By shifting the focus away from

Belgium and onto France and Russia, we can begin to appreciate, like the Labour leader Ramsey MacDonald, that excuses for war were sought after. However, proponents of war inside the Cabinet such as Grey, Lloyd George and Winston Churchill should not have worried about supplying excuses. Crucial support in Parliament came from the Conservatives, unqualified by reference to Belgium. This alongside the common man’s belief that you do not abandon your friends when they are in danger would have proved sufficient for a declaration of war to have been made without a backlash.

Those who recognise the imperial considerations that were at the forefront of British entry into the Great War do not do so with the purpose of belittling Britain. Neither should their rational understanding be immediately cast away as unpatriotic. It would do the war and its remembrance a disservice to glorify why our nation fought in it. Britain’s priorities were on an imperial scale when the decision for war was made in 1914 and to suggest otherwise would ignore the diplomatic realities of the moment.

If the Great War’s centenary makes us reflect, let a focus fall upon Britain’s position in July and early August 1914 and the imperatives that arose from it.

Otherwise, the reason for Britain’s entry will continue to be viewed through rosetinted spectacles.

The media storm on British weather David Jones Comment Writer @dac_j Once again it’s winter. Once again the weather is bad, so why every year do the media have kittens every time it gets a bit blowy out there? Now, of course some people get flooded and others were without electricity, but the media frenzy that surrounds these happenings is out of proportion. It is reported as if the recent storms we have had are totally unprecedented. This might surprise you: they’re not.

Winter is when we expect to get the worst of our weather. In general Atlantic storms will hit the west coast of the country and bring with them windy weather and rain. Some storms will be stronger than others and a few may be particularly unusual. When Atlantic weather fronts stop rolling in, we’ll probably get a high pressure area, which normally means clear skies and cold weather. Now, having lived through a few winters, as far as I

can remember we often have cold snaps.

Whenever this does occur, the headline writers will have field day based on the word “Arctic”. No matter how cold it gets here, it is never as cold as the Arctic.

Apparently that might come as news to some.

That won’t stop them, rather than do some intelligent reporting they’ll be lazy and fill pages emblazoned with the word “Arctic” in a large font, with pointless quotes from “experts”. Some are no doubt experts, but most are amateurs, skilled in stating the blindingly obvious, who based on their “secret methods” tell us a pile of old twaddle and actually earn a reasonable living from telling us this rubbish.

God help us all when we get a bit of snow. Normally a couple of centimetres are enough to have us all in a paroxysm of dread and panic. Suddenly none of us can drive, panic buying ensues, many of us use it as an excuse to skip work and the country comes to a grinding halt. If you venture beyond your local street you’ll find that all the major roads are clear.

Local councils and the highways agency do something called gritting. This means that all major roads are kept open so you can actually get to work and the country doesn’t need to come to a stop.

Here’s a non-expert prediction for the rest of this winter, we will have some

Geograph

more wet and windy weather, with a few cold snaps and at some point we will get some snow. But who can tell?

We’re an island, we have variable weather, and it’s winter. Get used to it.

Now can we please just press on with our lives?

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Just a matter of taste

Georgia Ellis Comment Writer @georgiaellis22 Before Christmas it emerged that everyone’s favourite domestic goddess Nigella Lawson might be partial to a little cocaine. The public and media reaction to the news varied between people being unsuprised to being completely uninterested.

Those who were unsuprised by the news cited Nigella’s

“These allegations seem to have made Nigella more human” former marriage to Charles Saatchi as justification of her use of narcotics, a man who, if allegations are to be believed, has a form of OCD that means he can only eat in one restaurant.

If fact, these allegations seem to have made the saintly Nigella a little more human and thus more likeable. However, although her case now gives us a new explanation to her constant munchies and midnight fridge raids, it also highlights the huge double standards that exist in the media and the public’s reaction about taking drugs.

Nothing more highlights this hypocrisy then if we compare the reaction to Nigella’s case to the earlier one of Kerry Katona. While the Twitter

world quickly came out to defend Nigella with #teamNigella and the paragon of all supposed middle-class virtue, the Daily Mail, featured headlines and pictures showing Nigella as a kind of weird Virgin Mary or redemption figure, the earlier reaction to the video of Kerry Katona taking cocaine in her bathroom could not of been more different. The middleclass quickly came out in outage to vilify Katona and her case was frequently the topic of discussion on This Morning.

“Oh!”, they cried, “What a terrible mother she is!” So this begs the question, why

The Times

the difference in public reaction? The simplest and perhaps the most accurate explanation, is class. While the workingclass Katona was demonised, the middleclass Nigella was glamorised. It was seemingly OK for Nigella to allegedly give her daughter drugs and to hollow out books to hide her stash but the same ambivalence was not shown to Katona.

In our society’s stereotyping of class this sort of drug taking is what we have come to expect from the rich and bohemian. Yet, if a mother on a council estate was caught using cocaine, she

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would most likely be arrested and, at the very least, could expect a visit from the social services to ensure the wellbeing of the children. But not if you’re a rich TV cook it would seem. Kerry Katona on the other-hand was not so lucky.

She was instead dropped from her Iceland campaign and in recent times has continued to struggle to find work, with the shadow of her drug-taking following her. Unlike Nigella, whose new programme “The Taste” is still being aired and advertised on Channel 4. Where’s the justice in that?

In 2005 Sir Ian Blair, the former Met commissioner, foreshadowed a crackdown on middle-class cocaine users. Adding to this Charles Clarke, then home secretary, stated that the law must apply to everyone “whatever their social class”. Yet, for all this talk of equalising the handling of drug taking cases between the classes, the Nigella case starkly shows that this is still not the case. Now, I’m not condoning either case of drug use or calling for Nigella to be made an example of, because that wouldn’t be fair, but a little bit of consistency in the treatment of drugtaking between the classes would be deemed more appropriate. After all, those who vilified and mocked Kerry Katona and other working-class ‘rolemodels’, who the Daily Mail ‘shame’, should think again at their hypocrisy when they #teamNigella.

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concrete.global@uea.ac.uk

Issue 291

14/01/14

Global

Still Walking to Freedom Sonya Qureshi Global writer It would be difficult to find anyone who doesn’t know that Nelson Mandela died at the beginning of December, particularly with the timely (or not?) release of the biopic Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.

Most people are probably also sick of hearing about it – or at least the sycophantic brand of news the established media has been pushing. Although he was of course an admirable figurehead, their doe-eyed representation of Madiba merely serves to reinforce the status quo of capitalist monopoly in South Africa, and across the world. It is apparent even in the way politicians clamoured to praise Mandela and his work, despite in some cases having previously opposed him, in some cases vehemently. David Cameron, who was quick to jump on the ‘we-heart-Mandela’ bandwagon, was in his student days part of a Conservative organisation that campaigned to have Mandela hanged.

Of course Nelson Mandela was a great man – an icon of freedom and justice in an unjust system. Mandela achieved a great many things, bringing issues of state oppression to the fore and contributing significantly to the fall of Apartheid; a horrific, immoral and corrupt system of segregation. He led the movement that facilitated vast improvements for many black South Africans, and greatly changed conditions in the country. However, he stirred controversy in his later years, and many people felt his years in prison left him disconnected from the struggle. More important, though, is the dismissal of the reasons Mandela began to condone violent tactics. The rose-tinted portrayal of Madiba as a “pacifist” is akin to the South African

(and other) government’s labelling of him as a “terrorist” in the 1970s and 1980s.

Both strategies seek to de-radicalise and neutralise his political acts, and to strip them of their political worth. For the same reasons, no-one outside of the political left ever mentions his socialism – despite the obvious effect his political ideology had on him. By omitting this key fact, and by discrediting Mandela by linguistically taking the teeth out of his activism, the true reasons why he and the ANC were forced to use violent means are masked.

Mandela was famously “not a violent man”, but condoned acts of violence against property in protest against the structural violence (institutionalised oppression and suppression, subjugation and dismissal of citizens by the state, which keeps people in poverty) committed against poor, black South Africans, which amounted to outright class warfare. The state was responsible for acts of physical violence against opposition activists, and against ordinary people who were often unarmed, such as in Sharpville in 1960. Years of imperialism had left a rich, white elite who feared losing their privileged lifestyles, and therefore sought to reinforce the status quo with disgusting, discriminatory and repressive policies.

Apartheid was not just about race; it was about class too. Poor black people in places like Soweto wanted their fair share of the country’s burgeoning wealth. They were angry and the ANC gave them a voice.

State oppression, and both physical and structural violence escalated as the elites grew more and more afraid, and the ANC recognised that fear. Violence became the way people expressed their rage at decades and centuries of subjugation.

The ANC’s Freedom Charter, which advocated “national liberation of the largest and most oppressed group — the

African people”, was declared an illegal Communist document in the 1950s, and the organisation was forced underground in 1961. Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) was formed when the ANC was banned, promising to “hit back by all means within our power in defence of our people, our future and our freedom”. Differently to the state, MK activists never killed civilians, targeting instead key government buildings in acts of sabotage, whilst also engaging in acts of peaceful civil disobedience. Although the ANC began as a revolutionary organisation, with democratic power it has become less radical and more pro-Capitalist, so much so that current President Jacob Zuma was booed at Mandela’s memorial service.

It has been frequently said that the ANC did not address key problems; nationalist rhetoric changed things superficially, uniting people around a flag while failing to tackle some of the root causes of inequality.

The ‘Black Economic Empowerment’ (BEE) program reinforced capitalistic inequity by putting a few black figureheads, like millionaire Kenny Kunene, in charge of private companies, while allowing the majority of poor South Africans to remain

in poverty. It is apparent that vast inequality and class warfare still exists today: in the privatisation of key resources like water and the country’s substantial mineral wealth; high poverty and unemployment rates; one of the world’s highest incidences of rape and low female literacy rates; and events like the Marikana massacre that happened just six months ago. Miners striking in Marikana were engaging in peaceful means of resistance against low wages and poor conditions, but were met with the worst violence since Sharpville: many workers were shot in the back, 44 people were killed, and many more were injured.

It is clear that the revolution is far from complete. Mandela, along with a great number of other activists, may have contributed to the downfall of Apartheid, but the rise of the ANC in government has not created real change for poor people.

What Madiba achieved was incredible, but we cannot forget how much there is left to change; across the world as well as in South Africa. We should not be fooled by the media and politicians telling us that the fight is over, because that is what they want you to believe – it is not. La Lucha Sigue.

Immigration: now and then Katie Ward Global writer In 1968, the infamous Enoch Powell was dismissed from Edward Heath’s Shadow Cabinet following a particularly iniquitous speech. While the “Rivers of Blood” that Powell spoke of do not yet flow through Britain’s streets, is that about to change?

In some ways, it seems that little has changed in British society since then.

Recently, UKIP leader Nigel Farage released explosive comments, stating that the ‘basic principle’ of Powell’s speech was correct. This was in light of the recent much-publicised opening of Britain’s borders to Romanian immigrants, something that many racist groups such as UKIP, the EDL and BNP

have condemned. Predictably among such groups, the attitudes to immigration remain largely unchanged since 1968; they meet ‘strangers’ with great hostility and concern for the welfare of British culture. It is alarming, yet unsurprising, to hear reports that potential migrants, from Romania and elsewhere, are beginning to reconsider moving to an increasingly racially hostile Britain.

Opponents of immigration frequently assert that the welfare state is continuously being subjected to claims and withdrawals by migrants. They cry that immigrants are welcomed into Britain, receiving social benefits like housing and family welfare.

In fact, asylum seekers are not eligible for benefits at all, and only refugees granted indefinite leave to remain by the British government are entitled to the same

benefits as UK citizens. EU migrants must have lived in Britain for a minimum of three months before claiming any benefits; something Mr Farage claims should be increased to five years in a bid to deter further immigration.

Organisations such as Action 2014 have posted in response that “UKIP want to force two million Europeans living in the UK to apply for the right to stay.

Imagine the pressure on the NHS if other EU countries did the same to the 2.3 million Brits abroad.” Whilst the level of immigration into the UK has risen from around 500,000 when Powell made his speech to around four million now, the number of British citizens living outside of the UK has mirrored this growth.

The EDL’s website goes further, suggesting that harbouring those in

need will lead to another Civil War; encapsulating their singular vision for the future of the UK. In times of financial hardship throughout Britain, extremist groups such as the BNP, EDL and UKIP place the blame on the most vulnerable.

The debate continues in Parliament, with calls from Germany and the USA for Britain to support the influx of Syrian refugees into the Western world. Nick Clegg claims, however, that Britain is doing its part by recently acceptancing 1,500 Syrians. Immigration remains an explosive and controversial topic within the UK, something that Parliament continues to battle with in 2014. Even though the “Rivers of Blood” Powell spoke of have since been relegated to folklore, the issue of immigration continues to divide Britain.

Features

14/01/14

Issue 291

concrete.features@uea.ac.uk

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Me, My Selfie and I

Features writer Anna Walker looks at the selfie phenomenon, and asks what it is about taking a photograph of ourselves that has become so significant to our culture.

What do a grown man hunched in a Barbie Dream Car, a girl mowing the lawn in her bathroom and a boy with his face in a fish tank have in common?

They’re all competing in the ‘Selfie Olympics’ of course, and with 2013 officially named the Year of the Selfie you can expect the trend to continue ruling the internet throughout the coming year.

In the past twelve months, ‘selfie’ has been added to the Oxford Dictionary and claimed Obama, David Cameron and our future King amongst its legion of posers. Snap happy celebrities have even found their photos solving crimes, with Rihanna’s now infamous Slow Loris selfie leading to an arrest over the possession of a protected animal. But why do social media users find snapping a selfie so tempting, and why has the trend gained so many critics along the way?

“In the past twelve months, ‘selfie’ has been added to the Oxford Dictionary and claimed Obama, David Cameron and our future King amongst its legion of posers.”

Type “#me” into Instagram and you’ll be met with an incredible 175 million results. In the age of social media, we have all become our own PR manager, and the absolute control over our image these platforms provide means for some, the selfie is a crucial part of telling their following who they are. Be that following friends and family or an army of fan girls, the selfie presents an opportunity to carefully select the images that influence people’s perception of your character, and for many this control can feel immensely empowering. In this view of the phenomenon, selfies are a natural part of social media usage and key to the virtual world we engage with every day. They are part of crafting an online presence and dressing that virtual existence in the same way we would carefully select an outfit for an important social occasion.

“The selfie presents an opportunity to carefully select the images that influence people’s perception of your character, and for many this control can feel immensely empowering.”

provide a way to record your experiences.

It’s not about vanity from this perspective, but about documentation; a well-timed selfie can act as a visual diary for those loved ones you’ve left back home.

One of the most controversial attacks on the selfie came from Jezebel writer Erin Gloria Ryan who posted an article entitled “Selfies aren’t empowering, they’re a cry for help” back in November.

“One of the most controversial attacks on the selfie came from Jezebel writer Erin Gloria Ryan who posted an article entitled “Selfies aren’t empowering, they’re a cry for help.”

The selfie itself is certainly not new. A quick scan through art history and you’ll see we’ve been at it for years. Rembrandt created nearly 100 self-portraits in the span of his career, while Frida Kahlo made her self-studies the centrepiece

“The selfie itself is certainly not new. A quick scan through art history and you’ll see we’ve been at it for years.” of her artistic life. With the birth of the smart phone, more and more people are able to capture a photo at the tap of a screen, a world apart from the previously lengthy and expensive process of developing cameras film. This liberation of the photograph means the world has become somewhat enamoured with our closest subject: ourselves. In actuality, how different is this phenomenon from Frida Kahlo’s famous assertion that “I

paint myself because I am often alone and because I am the subject I know best”? With our ready access to cameras, anyone can become a photographer, no matter how amateur. Whether this is a sign of a more empowered, confident generation or a symptom of superficial cultural decay, however, has become a source of contention throughout the past year.

Along with the meteoric rise of the selfie has come the emergence of its extended family members, the legfie (leg selfie), the drelfie (drunk selfie) and of course, the belfie (bum selfie, thank Kim Kardashian for that one). Under such bombardment, criticism has emerged

“Is it fair to claim all selfie posers are superficially obsessed teens hoping to find fame in the lens of a camera?” from those who believe the trend reveals a narcissism at the heart of our social media obsessed culture. Writing for The Mirror, Brian Reade called it “a testament to the shallowness of a generation encouraged by reality TV to confuse media exposure with talent.” Is it fair to claim all selfie posers are superficially obsessed teens hoping to find fame in the lens of a camera however?

Perhaps not when we frequently hear of more seriously considered public figures, such as newsreader Jon Snow, admitting to snapping them too. Snow claimed to a Guardian feature that “if you’re somewhere rare it’s worth doing”. Should you find yourself amidst something amazing but alone, selfies can

The piece, which claimed the images came from “silly, conceited bitches” angered many and launched the new hashtag #feministselfie, reclaiming the selfie with a view to proving its role in the photographer’s sense of empowerment and self-satisfaction. Hundreds of women defiantly tweeted their self-portraits, offended by the suggestion that the shots necessarily indicated shallowness or selfconfidence issues.

Perhaps the most positive way to embrace the selfie for the coming year is to consider them as a counter culture to the airbrushed ideals of beauty the media bombards us with every day.

Scrolling through a newsfeed of selfies can be annoying, but can also provide a glimpse into the faces and lives of real people, beautiful in their un-airbrushed, though perhaps ever-so-slightly filtered, diversity.

So whether you’re more duck face or blue steel, belfie or drelfie, own your selfie as you pout your way into the New Year; after all, you’re in good company.

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concrete.features@uea.ac.uk

Issue 291

14/01/14

Second Term Resolutions

Features

14/01/14 Flickr: @danielmoyle

Jasmin Gray shares her advice on how to make this academic term better than the last.

New Year’s Eve, alongside fireworks and drunken choruses of ‘Auld Lang Syne’, is invariably accompanied by declarations of resolutions for the following year.

Facebook and Twitter are full of people insisting that this will be the year they lose a stone, quit smoking and land the job of their dreams. While 7am trips to the gym are all well and good, for the majority of people, they are also completely unrealistic. Instead, why not focus your New Year’s resolutions on being the model UEA student…or at least a less lazy one than in first semester. Here are Concrete’s top three resolutions.

1. Resist the pull of the LCR Convinced by your flatmates that it will be a great way of blowing off steam before you get serious with the three essays that you have due in on Friday, the LCR always seems like a good method of stress-relief at the time. You are surprised £1.50 Jägerbombs aren’t the standard way of starting off a pile of work: in the middle of the dance floor, surrounded by your friends, you have energy enough to write lab reports for your whole seminar group. That is until the next morning.

Bleary-eyed and hung-over, getting to the library seems as achievable as climbing Mount Everest. Quietly dying on the bus to campus, you undoubtedly bump into

the most eager girl on your course who is, of course, on her way to get a head start on work that has yet to be set. You start to question whether your night out was worth it, especially when you consider the amount of money you now have to spend on energy drinks and hangover cures.

Waking an hour later in a study carrel after an accidental nap confirms that it was not.

“Why not focus your New Year’s resolutions on being the model UEA student…or at least a less lazy one than in first semester.”

If this sounds like you, it is obvious what your second-semester resolution should be; everyone loves the LCR, but don’t go at the expense of your work. However, if your FOMO is so crippling you cannot possibly miss a night out, attempt to be as responsible as possible; stick to soft drinks and drag your friends home before 3am.

Failing that, pray the remaining alcohol in your system provides you with the necessary inspiration to write that essay.

2. Be a considerate library user Apart from first years and the extremely lazy, most UEA students spend

Issue 291

concrete.features@uea.ac.uk

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Keeping A Positive Outlook Features writer Emily Fedorowycz tells you why having a positive attitude will help achieve your goals this year.

a considerable amount of time in the library. While this may be the case, that does not mean it is always a harmonious environment; there is always at least one person who makes the blood of those around them boil. There are a number of different types of these library sinners; those who talk in silent zones, the people who steal study carrels and that one guy who thinks a tuna and onion sandwich is an appropriate snack in a crowded floor.

If this is you, your resolution needs to be to think of others, or to study at home.

Seriously.

We all know that most resolutions don’t usually make it over the brow of January.

One way that you can combat the winter blues is to try and keep a positive mental attitude when approaching the oncoming year. Here are a few well-researched tips to help you keep feeling positive and on track with your plans and goals for 2014.

First things first, you are going to need to take the time to think deeply about the areas in your life that are important to you.

Balance in life is key, so all areas must be addressed. Cover every aspect of your life that is important to you: family, work, studies, social life, spirituality, and any other personal interests. Work through each area, giving consideration as to how you would like to improve, change or apply a certain goal.

Keep in mind your resources, time, money and personal energy. All your goals should be set positively.

Research has shown that the neurons in our brains respond and recognise positive thoughts better than negative ones. For example, you could change the thought, “I hate being so unfit” to “I’m looking forward to being fitter” instead. A positive outlook will bring about more positive results, and you will find you enjoy the journey more too.

Once you have your positive list of goals in each area of your life, prioritise them in relation to one another. You will find life is a

3. Turn up to lectures and seminars We’ve all been there; its midmorning, Jeremy Kyle is on TV and you are wondering whether university is actually worth battling the drizzle. Two hours later you are still sat on the sofa in your pajamas and you’ve missed that seminar on Modern British History yet again.

While secondary reading and personal study is an important part of being a student, without attending lectures and seminars, you really are missing a vital part of university. Not only do you lose out on the very expensive education you have to pay for regardless of attendance, but you fail to get to know your fellow coursemates. Really, who wants to be the person no-one recognises come week 12?

whole lot simpler when you know what you want. Always keep your end in mind and try to minimise the stuff that doesn’t help your cause.

Forget what other people think about you, and stop trying to please them. Focus on the things you can control and start making things happen rather than waiting for opportunities to come along. Learn to let go of things that weren’t destined to be, and learn that mistakes are okay.

But the most wonderful thing about being human is that we are all constantly changing, evolving and learning. We are works in progress. Think back to a time of reflection, when you realised how much you have changed from a particular point in time. You may have noticed how a fair bit of your worrying was unnecessary, and that you may have been happier if you could see yourself with a different, broader

perspective, as you did in that moment of reflection.

It’s easier to accept our flaws when looking at them in a wider context. Try to see the bigger picture. Everything you have ever done has lead to this point in time; all your ups and downs, accomplishments and failures, have brought you to where you are now.

Life is happening as we speak, and worrying will only hold you back. Start seeing yourself as a positive process of change, and both accomplishments and failures will become part of a productive bigger picture.

Viewing development as a positive thing makes everything easier. Change is an inevitable part of life, so accepting this and working with yourself will make you a more productive and happy person. Decide what you want to get out of life and how you are going to do it. By accepting yourself as you are now, you can move positively towards attaining everything you aspire to be, and enjoy the steps that take you there.

Everyone can spare five minutes, no matter how busy. So why not take five minutes now to do something that you will value for, not only the rest of the year, but for the rest of your life. Evaluate what is important to you, make a plan to get the results that you want, and stay positive while putting it into action.

Be flexible and don’t sweat the small stuff. A good attitude goes a long way.

New Year, New You?

Sticking to your resolutions isn’t always easy. Features writer Lydia Tewkesbury offers steps that will help you stay on track in 2014. photo: wikicommons

that no one should do anything ever, and maybe it isn’t the resolutions themselves that are the problem, but the way in which we go about them.

Before you write the next 365 days off as just another year, stop for a moment and consider the alternative: making resolutions that you stand a chance of sticking to.

Part 1: Review the Situation Make a list of all the interesting places you went, things you did and stuff you achieved in 2013. Whether it was travelling to a new country, getting a job, meeting a new group of friends or dealing with an insect emergency situation solo for the first time, write it down. You can really only decide where

In the last couple years, as we’ve all crawled inexorably further into our twenties, it seems that our collective attitude towards New Year’s resolutions has been downgraded from a time of excitement and potential, to a single, probably hung-over, question: What is the point?

The general consensus seems to be

that there is very little. It’s even been scientifically proven. Mentalhealth.org found that around 80% of people don’t keep their New Year’s resolutions.

It doesn’t take an extreme optimist to tell you that the appropriate response to that statistic is one big sceptical eye roll because, using potential failure as a valid excuse not to do something is like saying

“Before you write the next 365 days off as just another year, stop for a moment and consider the alternative: making resolutions that you stand a chance of sticking to.”

you want to go by realising where you’ve been. Throughout the hectic business of our everyday lives, it’s easier than you might think to miss recognising your own progress. Stop, evaluate, and then plan.

What next?

Part 2: Be Realistic No total personality overhauls. They never work and really only serve to alarm your friends when you start ordering skinny lattes (honestly, why?) or serve to upset you when no one even notices that you’re a way more sophisticated, together and stylish individual than you were a week ago. Change takes time. Molly Ringwald is never showing up to give you a makeover, accept it now Breakfast Club, and move on.

Also, try and bear in mind that no matter how much you might want to, you can’t do everything. A full life isn’t lived in 365 days, it’s worked toward. It probably isn’t realistically possible for you to learn a new language, travel South America, run a half marathon, learn to play the piano, meet ‘the one’, diet and have time for the degree in only 12 short months.

Part 3: Find Resolutions to Do, Rather than to Be Probably the best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is that it’s better to try and do things than be things. Like, rather than lying in bed wondering why no one notices what a smart funny human you

“Change takes time.

Molly Ringwald is never showing up to give you a makeover, accept it now Breakfast Club, and move on.” are, go out there and show them, perhaps at some sort of baking event.

Join a yoga class or try spending less time alone in your room with Netflix.

Maybe finally get around to reading Infinite Jest.

Youtube means there is no longer any excuse. The internet gives us the means to learn to do anything. I speak as a newly video-taught paper snowflake aficionado.

If you want to be the kind of person who

knows how to sew/do magic tricks/play guitar, learn!

Part 4: Do it with Friends This could be the year you and your friends realise there is more to life than sitting at home watching Orange is the New Black, discussing maybe going out somewhere sometime.

Exercise-based resolutions are particularly good with friends. There’s no motivation like competition. Or, if that’s not really your thing then do it for the companionship and the experience of learning and achieving together. You’re much more likely to see the thing through

there who doesn’t have some kind of plan for self-improvement.

Or… do none of the above. It’s your year, do what you want with it. The one resolution that I think we should all try and stick to however is this: remember to take the pressure off.

So what if by next December you haven’t learned to play the violin/speak Italian/lose five pounds? You got through another 365 days and sometimes, that’s an achievement in itself.

Good luck, and here’s to a year that we won’t forget.

“You want to get closer to realising the idealised version of yourself that currently only exists in your head? Figure out how.” to the end if there is someone there with you. You’re not alone: there is no one out

Flickr@ Jens Rost

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concrete.environment@uea.ac.uk

Issue 291

14/01/2014

Environment

2014: the day after tomorrow?

Peter Sheehan Environment Editor This year sees the tenth anniversary of the release of The Day After Tomorrow, the environmental disaster movie in which western civilisation is brought to an aprupt and icy end due to calamitous climate change. Granted, it is a significant occasion for neither science nor cinema. Initially, many scientists were quite pompous in their denunciations of the underlying science (basically, there isn’t any). But a decade is a long time in climate studies, so a re-examination of the film’s key themes is a fitting way to see in 2014.

Directed by Roland Emmerich, The Day After Tomorrow imagines what would happen if the thermohaline circulation, a series of climateregulating global ocean currents, were to stutter to an abrupt halt. After increasingly freak weather events, the Northern Hemisphere is plunged into perpetual winter by a handful of continent-sized snow storms. This meteorological catastrophe forms the backdrop to Denis Quaid’s search for his son, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, who ends up trapped in New York City library, burning books to stay alive.

Giant snowstorms encircling the globe? Unlikely to the point of impossibility. The main scientific criticism of the film is that climate change will not strike us down in a matter of months. There is no evidence that our planet will go from temperate moderation to icy barbarism all-but overnight.

Nevertheless, the The Day After Tomorrow touches on an interesting

Ilyas Christofides Environment Writer

20th Century Fox complexity of climate change. For all the talk of global warming, cessation of the thermohaline circulation would reduce the transport of heat from the tropics to the mid-latitudes. Whether or not this would lead to appreciable cooling over Western Europe is still an open question, not least because the circulation is predicted to merely slow down rather than to stop completely.

But it is a perhaps counter-intuitive facet of climate change that is often overlooked.

What’s more, crucifying the US while sparing Mexico – Emmerich’s storms are remarkably respectful of political boundaries – allows the film to link environmental catastrophe with social and geopolitical upheaval in a memorable and thought-provoking way. Again, it is highly unrealistic, but no-one can deny that it makes the point.

The film may play fast and loose with science, but it never pretends to be a documentary. As is common in fiction, much is revealed by a stretched truth. At the heart of The Day After Tomorrow is the message that climate change is serious. Watching sea level rise by 3 mm a year may be scientifically accurate, but it neither makes for a particularly exciting film, nor does it convey the dangerous side effects of climate change. Ham-fisted lines such as “that timescale’s not in months: it’s in days!” become understandably necessary when 300 years of change must be crammed into 90 minutes.

The Day After Tomorrow may not stand up to scientific scrutiny, but it is an engaging look at a topic which can otherwise appear distant, dull and recondite. And Jake Gyllenhaal is easier on the eye than a spreadsheet.

“Offsetting” the destruction of ancient woodland Jeremy Brown Environment Writer Gnarled oaks and ancient lichens, dating back to the time of Shakespeare, are under threat from a new proposal to allow developers to fell historic woodland, provided that new trees are planted elsewhere. The proposal was announced this month by the Environment Secretary, Owen Paterson. It is a form of “biodiversity offsetting”, which is said to promote economic growth whilst increasing the total size of woodlands.

The golden rule is that 100 new trees must be planted for each ancient tree that is cut down. Friends of the Earth attacked Paterson’s plan, arguing that “it’s the quality of forests that’s important, not just the quantity”. However, are environmentalists justified in their attack?

Multiplying the volume of trees by 100

Eat green to go green: is vegetarianism eco-friendly?

could in fact, be a fairly good deal for climate change. Think of the carbonlocking potential of 10,000 ancient trees, compared to one million planted trees once they mature.

There are also ethical arguments. Do we really have the right to judge whether species that thrive in ancient woodlands are more important than species which thrive in young woodlands?

The National Trust claimed that offsetting must not allow “mature irreplaceable habitats [to be] replaced by low-quality habitats that will take decades to develop”. But this is assuming that we do not have decades to wait. Any saplings

“Till Birnam Wood remove to Dunsinane I cannot taint with fear!”

Macbeth appreciated the significance of forestry

planted today will, in time, mature to provide the habitat suitable for the wild daffodil, wood anemone and yellow pimpernel.

The cultural and scientific importance of woodlands is a further consideration.

Thetford Forest, for example, is where the popular sitcom Dad’s Army was filmed.

It also contains many protected adders that are ecologically valuable too. But the felling of many of these trees has been essential for the improvements to the A11.

Long delays on this single-carriageway at Elvedon have been all too familiar for students driving between UEA and London by car.

However, most of Thetford Forest is less than a century old. Had these trees been around since Shakespeare’s time, perhaps we would need a mass reenactment of Macbeth’s demise, in which Great Birnam Wood “grew legs” and marched up to Dunsinane Hill.

Morrissey recently ruffled feathers by saying “If you believe in the abattoir then you would support Auschwitz”. Hopefully his ill-chosen analogy will fall upon deaf ears. But this analogy must be frustrating for many, as environmental arguments for vegetarianism are convincing.

According to the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation, meat production is responsible for approximately 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Over 1.4 billion cattle and 1.1 billion sheep graze 26% of the world’s land surface. Even more astoundingly, feed crops command a third of total arable land – land that could be used to grow food for human consumption. This is extremely inefficient.

Unfortunately, some people believe that a meat-free diet absolves them from other environmental responsibility.

This can be attributed in part to the disproportionately large amount of coverage that vegetarianism, partially due to celebrity endorsement, enjoys.

And it is understandable that we are more likely to be touched by the mistreatment of cattle than by 2012’s 27.8% increase in the Amazonian deforestation rate.

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The percentage of land used for grazing livestock worldwide

The idealists among us encourage vegetarianism in the hope that others will follow suit on a global scale. If meat consumption drops in rich countries, past experience suggests that corporations will hunt for markets in developing countries in much the same way that arms dealers have done. Between 2010 and 2011, the United States saw a $45bn increase in transfer agreements with developing countries. It is hard to imagine, given the socio-economic status of much of the world, that they would refuse the opportunity to buy tonnes of newly available, nourishing meat just because it harms the environment or because animals are mistreated.

It is difficult not to sound too fatalistic when talking about the future of the environment but for an idea of scale, in 2012 the total meat consumed in the USA and China alone was around 104 billion tonnes. This is over 250% more than in the EU. Global vegetarianism would benefit the environment greatly, but it would require levels of international cooperation and compromise that we are unfortunately far from achieving.

Science & Tech

Issue 291

14/01/14

concrete.science@uea.ac.uk

The future of energy in a crystal ball

Dominic Burchnall Science Editor With increasing concerns over the rapidly dwindling levels of fossil fuels, and the dangerous and pollutive extractive techniques being used, such as fracking, more and more novel sustainable energy methods are being developed, with many centering around the idea of collecting power from the sun.

Given that enough solar energy reaches the Earth in one hour to power all of humanity’s energy needs for a whole year, being able to tap this fully would be hugely beneficial. One such design hoping to make inroads towards this goal is the brainchild of the German architect André Broessel, the ß.ray Outdoor Charging Station. Resembling a giant glass marble lodged in a sling, the actual collection and conversion of light into electrical energy is based off a very similar system to those photovoltaic cells currently in use.

What makes it unique is the giant water filled sphere, which acts

as an enormous magnifying glass, concentrating the light which strikes it by ten thousand fold. It works so efficiently, that it can even generate power from concentrated moonlight.

The cradle the magnifier rests on can adjust its positioning to track the light source, and optimize it’s output, much like the systems employed on the large solar farms currently in operation.

Since the solar cells the beam hits are very similar in design to those currently in commercial use, the system could be used with those currently in place to boost efficiency. The tests run on the current prototype show a rate of energy production of 150 watts per square meter at maximum efficiency.

While the design of the lens necessitates that it be near perfectly spherical, a difficult shape to produce en masse, the relative low cost of base materials of glass and water used to construct it means that Broessel hopes that this can be combined with long term energy saving measures to prove that solar energy can be a viable and sustainable method of providing power to the world.

Corner balancing Cubli Ian Roberts Science writer Anyone who’s ever been bored for a few hours at a desk or in an office environment will almost definitely have tried the stimulating exercise of attempting to balance random objects in unusual ways, usually fruitlessly. Researchers Gajamohan Mohanarajah and Raffaello D'Andrea at the Institute for Dynamic Systems and Control (IDSC), part of ETH Zürich, were apparently so bored that they made Cubli, a cube with the ability to balance indefinitely on an edge or corner.

The Cubli takes its moniker from a combination of the English word Cube and the Swiss diminutive, “li”, meaning something small, as it only measures 15 cm on a side.

As well as an internal processor and a multitude of inertia sensors, it contains three momentum wheels, which it can use to balance on a point, even against changes in terrain or outside interference, such as someone deliberately jostling it.

From a resting position flat on one of its faces, it can also use these weighted wheels to build up rotational torque inside its chassis. When these wheels break, the momentum generated can flip to cube up to a balancing position. The cube can even control momentum between the wheels to rotate on its corner, allowing it to choose the direction it can fall in. By balancing,

rotating, and falling, the Cubli can “walk” along the ground, before flipping onto a corner again, which means it can make pinpoint turns as it progresses. This combination of robust design and precise manoeuvring has some scientists interested in developing the design to be used for extra-terrestrial exploration, as it would

“By balancing, rotating, and falling, the Cubli can ‘walk’ along the ground” be very difficult for the Cubli to get stuck as it rolled across the alien landscape. As a final note, we would like to remind you that the ETH Zürich Cubli Balancing Cube will never threaten to stab you, and, in fact, cannot speak.

ETHZürich

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Rawlemon

Sharks going tweet Julie Bishop Science writer Shark attacks, whilst very rare occurrences, are heavily cemented in the public consciousness by films such as Jaws and Deep Blue Sea. Keeping track of sharks is a priority of all those who work, live and play round the ocean, and now scientists have come up with a novel way to inform the public of their movements; Sharks which have been tagged with tracking devices now have their movements updated on Twitter.

When a tagged shark passes one of the line of nineteen sensors strung along the Western Coast of Australia, an automatic update is sent to the Twitter account Surf Life Saving WA (SLSWA) with the sharks species, location, distance from receiver and the time detected. This information, while available to everyone, is sent directly to lifeguards on relevant beaches to advise them of potential dangers. While not infallible, since only tagged sharks are

tracked and relies on the devices attached to the sharks, the sensors and Twitter to be fully operational, it’s hoped this will reduce encounters in Australian waters, which have the highest incidence of shark attacks in the world.

This scheme is decidedly preferable to the plan currently being proposed in the Australian government to bait a line of more than seventy hooks in an attempt to cull sharks in the same area of ocean. Any sharks larger than three metres in length that are caught will be killed, including endangered species such as the great white shark, the bull shark, and the tiger shark. This plan has attracted an outcry from conservationists and scientists across the world, as well as prompting a four thousand strong protest on Cottesloe Beach in Perth. With luck, sharks being tracked on Twitter will make this plan irrelevant. Hopefully sharks won’t be using Instagram as well, if they post a picture of their lunch, it might be worrying if you recognise the swim shorts in the picture

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concrete.travel@uea.ac.uk

Issue 291

14/01/14

Travel

Living the Erasmus Life in Leiden Louise Wiggins Travel Writer Leiden is a lovely little city in the Netherlands. It sits between Amsterdam, the notorious, tourist-filled capital, and The Hague, the international city of peace and justice. Of course, being in the Netherlands, Leiden has the obligatory windmills, clogs and swarms of bicycles, but it actually has some of its own sights and traditions to offer too. In fact, Leiden has been called the most beautiful city in the Netherlands, (which if you’ve ever visited the region, you’ll know to be a tall order). Everywhere you turn you can find some hidden treasure amongst the canals and coffee shops and there will always be some reminder of its rich history, such as the ‘Burcht van Leiden’ hiding behind the artisan shops.

Leiden’s unique, historic element really comes to life on 2 and 3 October. Actually, the whole of this usually laid-back city comes to life on these dates every year and makes it the most memorable part of the fall semester. Locals, visitors, pretty much every man and his dog come out to remember the siege of Leiden during the

Eighty Years War and its relief on 3 October 1574. But it’s not all (boring) history. It is also a great way to get to know many of the local customs, including the handing out of the local delicacy, mackerel (not for everyone!). To be honest, it seems like any excuse to throw a big party. There are funfairs, parades, street concerts, fireworks and lots and lots of beer. You cannot come to the Netherlands without sampling Dutch-brewed beer after all.

The University is very different to UEA, but it is in a whole other country, after all, and that is sort of the point of a year abroad. A huge advantage of doing an exchange year is that it can enable you to meet so many wonderful people.

It’s been said many times before, but people really do make the place. The Dutch directness is far from the excessive politeness that us Brits are renowned for, but it is rather refreshing. It’s not just the locals that can give you an experience of other cultures either; you will inevitably mix with students from all over the world and learn more about diversity in practice than you ever could have in a lecture.

To those considering a year abroad in Leiden, well, it can be tough. There will be days when you just want to come

back to home comforts and swap the chips and mayonnaise for a roast beef dinner. A bit different to the usual ‘the year abroad is a fantastic experience and I’d recommend it to everyone’ line, right?

The truth is there are ups and downs to any year abroad. It isn’t all fun and games and there is a lot of hard work too, but being in such a wonderful city makes it an awful lot easier.

“Dokumentverlustpanik” in Munich Patrick Turner Travel Writer “Dokumentverlustpanik” is quite literally, the German word for anxiously patting every pocket to locate a vital document you had just a moment ago. As you arrive at Munich station (a building as thouroughly jam packed as the afore mentioned word), likely embodying the sentiment of this new vocabulary, you may notice the striking efficiency with which things are going on around you (a sign of things to come). As you exit the Hauptbahnhof, there are no lederhosen in sight; instead the smell of roasting kebabs, and the occasional wearer of a Galatasaray football shirt; pointing to the Turkish influence present in some areas of modern Germany, and certainly in Munich.

As you journey into the centre of the city, the pedestrianised areas cut wide, direct paths to the major sites, including the staggering dual towers of the Frauenkirche, the full title of which translates as “Cathedral of Our Dear Lady”. Tucked away in the city’s wooded alcoves are the infamous, and more traditional, German beer gardens. As one of the beer capitals of Europe, Munich’s

delve into the heart of the Bavarian countryside to see Neuschwanstein Castle, which can only be described as a real life Disney palace; be sure to note the faces of confused children looking for Mickey and co. Standing at the foot of the colossal hill (that feels like a mountain to anyone walking up it) upon which the castle is perched, surrounded by rustic wooden restaurants serving all variations of meat in bread, with a great lake stretched out ahead of you, you’ll have no doubt that you’re in Germany.

gardens, despite their hidden nature, boast some astonishing capacities with some seating as many as 8,000. Although quiet in the early afternoon, these gardens, seemingly shut off from the rest of the world by the leafy canopies overhead, draw serious crowds of locals on their way home from work and provide one of the most unique social events for drinkers and non-drinkers alike.

If you wish to escape the tides of people that seem to flow around Munich, be sure to head into the well-oiled machine that is the German transport system and catch a train to any nearby place of interest. Sobering though it may be, a trip to the site of Dachau concentration camp is unforgettable, and is run as a respectful reminder of the area’s history.

Alternatively, try a little further out and

Travel

14/01/14

Issue 291

concrete.travel@uea.ac.uk

17

Erasmus, Practicality and Prague

Matthew Bedford Travel Writer An Erasmus year is an opportunity which may be available to many of you at UEA. Making the decision to spend a year studying away from UK is not an easy one.

For many of us leaving home for Norwich would have been a challenge in itself, which makes the idea of living in another

country for a whole year even more daunting. This may even be a country that you’ve never been to before or one where you don’t speak the language.

If you think that taking an Erasmus year is right for you then the next decision for you to make is the location of your studies. For law students, for example, the opportunities were quite varied with options ranging from Rome to Maastricht. Some important factors to consider in making a decision (other than where has the cheapest wine or the best food) are how easy it will be to travel from home as well as the cost of living in the country. The cost of living in Scandinavian countries can be up to 30% more than in the UK. Prague could easily be the perfect fit with frequent flights from the UK, fairly cheap living costs and importantly, a wellrespected university.

Another thing to consider is that a city may look beautiful in brochures and online, but is it a place you would want to live? Any Google search of Prague will bring up thousands of images of old cobbled streets and red tiled houses but the reality of an Erasmus is very different.

The University halls of residents are located in Prague 10, which is almost an hour from the city centre. Being this far from the centre is a stark reminder that the country has only been free of communism for 25 years.

The halls themselves consist of ten high rise blocks of flats. Each floor has nine flats

of two bed rooms and one kitchenette, which is basically a cupboard with two hobs. The standard is low but like any university halls they are still a great place to meet new people. On just one floor alone you’ll find students from all around Europe if not the world. Opportunity to meet and become friends with people from such a wide range of backgrounds really is one of the best things about an Erasmus exchange. Although it may be tempting to find a nice flat in the city centre before you even arrive in your host country you’ll trade the opportunity to mingle with fellow students, for those additional luxuries. The best thing about flat mates is that you’ll have someone to explore the town with.

Once you finally make it into the centre of Prague you will see it really is a world away from its dreary outskirts.

The city is abuzz with tourists taking in famous sights such as the astronomical clock, St. Nicholas Church on Old Town Square and of course the Charles Bridge.

Another thing which must be sampled is the famous Czech beer or ‘pivo’. While the Czechs are extremely proud of the prestige and quality of their beer, prices are still extremely low with a pint costing less than £1 in many places.

An Erasmus year gives you the

opportunity to experience university in a totally different way. While it can be challenging at times it is also extremely rewarding. You will meet new people from across Europe, have an amazing new place to call home and create memories that will stay with you forever.

A sport spectator’s ideal Getaway Stewart Anderson Travel Writer Nicknamed the Grand Canyon state, Arizona has a reputation for attracting site-seers and backpackers to its world famous national park. Whilst it doesn’t disappoint those seeking natural beauty, there is also a rich sporting culture to be experienced in the South West of the United States.

Here are the top three sporting attractions that you should check out if you find yourself in the area: Chase field Ballpark - Phoenix Whilst baseball may take you out of your sporting comfort zone, it’s an American institution and a great way to experience US culture. Not to mention, the Arizona Diamondbacks are a great excuse to visit downtown Phoenix.

Tickets start at just $8 in the upper deck for those on a budget, or those who are just new to the game. This 48,000 seat stadium also has a retracting roof to provide cool air conditioning, which means it may well be worth a visit just to escape the Sonoran desert heat for the evening.

McKale centre - Tucson If you thought you were passionate about the UEA Pirates come Derby Day, a trip to the US will make you feel very tame. University sports can be the heart and soul of US cities, the colours of the local team can be found in every bar, club and restaurant in town. Tucson is no exception, found 60 miles north of the Mexican Border, it is home to the University of Arizona and the variety of sports teams that represent it.

The McKale Centre hosts the Wildcats men’s and women’s basketball games both of which are highly ranked Division I teams. The student atmosphere is second to none and tickets are available on the resale site stubhub starting at $15.

Silver Spur Rodeo – Yuma A Mexican border town, Yuma provides fantastic food and entertainment for those crossing into South America. If you find yourself here in early February, make sure you check out the rodeo.

This three day competition gives you a great excuse to put on a checkered shirt and blend in with the cowboys of the south. Tickets are $15 on the gates which gives you access to wrestling, riding and roping. What more could you want?

Want to write for Concrete Trave or fancy sharing your travel photos? Email concrete.travel@uea.ac.uk

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concrete.lifestyle@uea.ac.uk

Issue 291

14/01/14

Lifestyle

Running into the New Year

Stewart Anderson Lifestyle writer It is cold, wet and windy. Right now you are probably regretting being one of those people that made the New Years resolution to start a regular running routine. The holidays may seem like a distant memory right now, but it is never too late to keep to your good intentions and get outside.

Before beginning the first run, get rid of that seven days a week wall chart you have written. Having unrealistic targets will only end in heart ache, reducing your motivation to run again. Don’t worry about hi-tech trainers (just make sure you have a pair that fits properly) or expensive thermals, a T-shirt and jumper does just fine.

We all have different levels of fitness, so let the first couple of runs be a learning curve as to what your body can do. It might be 15 minutes, it might be an hour, just make sure you are happy with the intensity and it doesn’t take you a whole week to recover. Over exerting yourself will only discourage you from continuing.

Download Nike+ or Runkeeper, both are free apps that track your distance, time and route using GPS on most smart phones. This is a great way to record how you are doing and help you work

out realistic goals to aim for. It could be running your first 5km, running 3 days in a row or setting a personal best over a mile. Keep your goals manageable and switch them up. Adding new challenges

will help you stay motivated to make it out of the front door, which is always the hardest step!

If you think running with others will help you stay interested and all of your

friends are too lazy, there is a free 5km run in Eaton Park every Saturday at 9am for runners of all abilities (Make sure you register online at parkrun.org first). UEA athletics also organise a relaxed lake run on Wednesday afternoons; middle distance coaching in Earlham Park on Saturday mornings and track training on Thursday evenings (sign up in the January Freshers Fair).

Building confidence is just as important as building stamina. As the cliché goes, this is a marathon not a sprint. It‘s going to take time and determination to start seeing improvements. Speaking of marathons, Norwich hosts an excellent half-marathon that takes place on 24 November 2014 at the Norfolk Showground. There is more than enough time for runners of all abilities to begin working towards this race, so consider entering as a way to stay motivated with your running.

Above all, running should be something to look forward to and not be seen as a chore. Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a run or two from your routine, it happens to the best of us. Running helps get rid of those unwanted pounds, improves your concentration and sleep and most importantly improves your selfconfidence.

You’ll be left feeling energised and fantastic, so brush the dust of those trainers and start hitting the pavement!

Dealing with bereavement at university Beth Saward Lifestyle writer Losing a loved one, especially an important person in your life such as a parent, grandparent or partner, is difficult at any stage of your life, but being at uni can add new pressures to the already painful process of grieving. It can be incredibly isolating as it is not that common to experience such a significant loss when you are young. You may be the only person in your friendship group who has had someone they are close to die, leaving you feeling alone in your grief. It can feel as if there is no one you can talk to who will truly understand what you are going through. This can also lead to not wanting to talk to people as it feels as if you are bothering them by being overdramatic or emotional. If it’s not a recent bereavement, you may feel unjustified in asking for help as people may struggle to understand why it is still affecting you years later.

There will be days that are more difficult for you than others such as birthdays, anniversaries of the death or even Christmas with its emphasis on

family. Certain conversations or songs can bring up memories and emotions others simply won’t understand. There may also be moments in everyday life where hearing people use phrases such as, “It makes me want to die”, amongst others, are particularly painful for you to hear.

The thing to remember is that you are not alone. Bereavement affects more people than you may realise. As difficult as it may be, the best thing you can do is to let people know what you are dealing with. If your advisor and seminar leaders know in advance and you begin to struggle with work, it’s much easier for them to support you if you miss seminars, lectures or deadlines. If you’re finding it difficult without having your loved one around, let your friends know.

Sometimes just admitting that you miss them is the thing that will make friends realise that you need support.

Going to a bereavement group may also help, particularly one that focuses on bereavement for young people as this will help you to realise that you’re not alone in your experience as well as giving you other people close to your age to talk to.

Find something that helps you get your emotions out in a constructive way.

This could be a sport, something creative such as cooking or getting support from your faith, whatever that may be. Forget everything you’ve seen on the TV – there

flickr: dave77459

is no right way to grieve. Don’t try and tough it out.

Grieving is a natural process that affects everyone differently and death is something that never leaves us. We simply learn to live with the loss.

Lifestyle

14/01/14

Issue 291

19

concrete.lifestyle@uea.ac.uk

Are we watching the world through a lens?

Rebecca Bemment Lifestyle writer Photography plays a significant role in our culture today, and we are part of a generation that seems somewhat obsessed with documenting and capturing every living moment. Through the help of social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, online photo-sharing sites like Instagram and Pinterest, and apps like Snapchat, it seems the way in which we view life today is either through a lens or screen. From what we ate for dinner last night to our more scenic sun-soaked holiday snaps, everything from the completely mundane to the extraordinary is being documented.

But has our fascination with photography and oversharing actually stopped us appreciating and enjoying the moment we are living in? And has trying to capture the moment not just for ourselves but for an audience of Facebook friends and Twitter followers created a world that has stopped us from registering our own emotions? We desire the feeling of sharing our latest photographs as a way to make us look like we are constantly doing something fun and interesting. Photography allows

us to look back and share memories, but social media has allowed us to do this in such an instant and public way nowadays and there seems a lot of focus on sharing with people no matter who they are.

Capturing everything that happens to us has enabled our lives to become almost celebrity-like, competing to make our own life seem considerably better and more worthy than our other 417 Facebook

friends’. Constantly scrolling through your own Facebook and Twitter, seeing photos of your friends’ latest meal, night-out, and car, creates this surge of inferiority by making you feel that everything that everyone else is doing is so much better than what is going on in your own life. There doesn’t seem much that isn’t worthwhile sharing these days, no matter how trivial; making our generation one

flickr: 14zawa

that is fixated on living and seeing life through a lens. Photography gives us the chance to capture a moment in time that we will not have again and photographs are invaluable to have.

But is there such a thing as too many photographs, too much documenting and being too obsessed with how we want people to view us through our photography. Reports have even shown that there is such a thing as ‘Pinterest stress’, a term used to describe how people feel when posting their latest pictures online, worrying that they are not creative enough or that people will not view them in the way the picture was intended. It is as if we get more satisfaction from documenting our latest snaps than from actually living the experience.

However, photography is meant to be enjoyed, and social media has certainly helped us to explore living our lives through it. Technology has equally allowed us to share moments and appreciate photography, with entire blogs dedicated to sharing our images with others, suggesting that living through a lens isn’t all about self-obsession and creating a complete personality transplant when it comes to our online identity.

UEA Intramural Touch Rugby Kelly York Lifestyle writer Sometimes University rugby and its players get a bad reputation. Sometimes, admittedly, the stereotype surrounding the sport seems justified, with high profile examples such as last year’s reports of Pembroke College’s and Durham University’s rugby clubs being banned toward the end of last year, and we have to mention UEA’s own club before that too.

Although these cases are true, and there’s something to be said for lad culture within sports, at UEA we’re making a change to rectify the overall image of rugby through a new initiative.

Rugby is just like any other sport, it supports teamwork, friendship, leadership and having a good time. It gets competitive and tensions rise as the season progresses.

If, however, tearing about getting battered by the opposition doesn’t sound like your cup of tea, UEA is excited to introduce weekly Intramural Touch sessions on Tuesday nights at Sportspark between 5pm and 7pm. This is the start of an effort to change the way rugby is perceived by our students and the wider public.

Touch rugby is a version of rugby which concentrates more on speed, agility, and

teamwork than contact. Originally created as a warm up before rugby in the southern hemisphere, the sport has very much come into its own recently. A mitigation of rugby similar to league, ‘tackles’ are only a touch and the sessions are a relaxed and easy way to get involved. The teams are smaller, play is quicker, and everybody is welcome, from those who have never touched a rugby ball before to those who are familiar with union and league. You don’t need studs, padding, training tops, or a mouth guard. The intramural sessions are designed to be a fun way to involve and familiarise newcomers with the sport of rugby and showcase the many variations of rugby available, including those without contact.

These sessions are continuing throughout the second and third semesters of the year aiming toward a rugby festival during the summer, so feel free to come along any time. Now that winter is over and the deadlines are (almost all) passed, the sessions are a great way to meet new people, up your fitness after the christmas break, and become part of an exciting and engaging sport.

Find us on Facebook as UEA Intramural Touch or at the January Sportsmart. flickr: uncle saiful

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concrete.lifestyle@uea.ac.uk

Issue 291

Lifestyle

14/01/14

Soup, glorious soup!

Chicken noodle

Georgia Ellis Lifestyle writer Found yourself with a little bit too much cushion for the pushing after an indulgence Christmas period?

Eaten half your body weight in Quality street? Then this recipe is for you! This Asian style soup is thin and light so it should help you go cold turkey from all that rich festive food!

Ingredients • 2 chicken breasts or if you still can’t let go of Christmas, left over Turkey • Chicken stock • 4 spring onions • 1 chilli • Chinese rice noddles • Garlic • Ginger • Coriander (optional)

Method 1. Firstly, cut the chicken breasts into thin-ish strips.

2. Cut the garlic, ginger, chilli and spring onions as finely as you can.

3. Gently fry the garlic, chilli and ginger, avoiding colouring them.

4. Bring to the boil about one and a half to two pints of water.

5. Dissolve a chicken stock cube in the boiling water.

6. Add the cooked garlic, chilli and ginger to the stock.

7. Add the strips of chicken to the boiling stock.

8. Let the chicken cook in the boiling water for around four minutes.

9. Add your rice noodles (or you could use normal noodles).

10. Let them cook for a few minutes. Be careful not to over cook.

11. Finally, add the raw spring onions and if you like, garnish with coriander.

Flickr: satbir singh

flickr: ganders

Broccoli and stilton Jennifer Bennett Lifestyle writer A comforting and easy soup that is good for impressing your friends as well.

Ingredients • 1 chopped onion • 1 sliced celery stick • 1 sliced leek • 1 potato chopped • 1 knob of butter • 1 vegetable or chicken stock cube • 1 chopped broccoli head • 140g Stilton or other blue cheese

Method 1. Fry the onions in oil.

2. Add the celery, leek, potato and a knob of butter. Stir until melted then cover. Sweat for 5 minutes then take off the lid.

3. Pour in the prepared stock and cook for 10-15 minutes until all the vegetables are nice and soft.

4. Add remaining broccoli and cook for a further 5 minutes.

5. Transfer and mix til smooth. Stir in the stilton and allow a few lumps.

6. Serve with black pepper.

Flickr: liz farla

flickr: RWM

Easy tomato soup Phillip Henry Lifestyle writer This really is the easiest soup you could ever dream of, so you really have no excuse with this one! It’s also mega healthy and you can even make it spicy if you’re feeling like something exciting.

Serves 2 Ingredients • 1 tin of chopped tomatoes • Chopped onion • Garlic clove • Basil • Salt and pepper • Chilli powder, optional

Method 1. Fry the onion in oil in a sauce pan, and cook until soft.

2. Add the garlic and leave for a couple of minutes.

3. Add your tin of chopped tomatoes and turn down the heat, leaving to cook through for roughly 5 minutes.

4. Season well with salt, pepper and basil, and add chilli if you’d like a spicier taste.

5. If you like a smooth consistency, pop in the blender, but otherwise, serve lumpy.

6. Serve with bread.

flickr: toby curl

Flickr: dark dwarf

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concrete.sport@hotmail.co.uk

Issue 291

14/01/14

Sport

Student Voice with Stewart Anderson Every issue Concrete will be talking to a member of a UEA Sports club to ask their opinions on the most recent sporting issues. This week, we spoke to Athletics’ member Stewart Anderson

Editor’s column Charlie Savage Sports Editor Former Aston Villa star Thomas Hitzlsperger’s recent admission that he is homosexual, becoming the highest profile player ever to do so, is indicative of the progress football is making in relation to what is considered by many a taboo subject.

That the ex-German international chose to wait until retirement to make a public announcement, however, is proof that the sport still has a way to go to eradicate homophobia from the game.

The reaction from football fans, top sportsmen and world leaders alike has been overwhelmingly supportive, which makes it all the more surprising that no top-flight player has come out since Justin Fashanu over two decades ago.

Homophobia is an issue prevalent throughout football.

Hitzlsperger’s former German team-mate Philip Lahm stated in 2011 that he would not encourage any footballer to admit to being a homosexual as a result of the pressures that would ensue.

Many see the issue for a gay footballer is dealing with fan jibes, but a far more pertinent obstacle comes from the people they have most contact with their teammates.

The FA have made significant progress in eradicating homophobic abuse from the terraces, but what is much harder to police, and what is much more damaging to a player, is the reaction of a fellow professional.

PSG’s Alex was recently quoted by French television stating that he was ‘not for homosexuality’ as ‘God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Yves.’

Any empowerment felt by a player as a result of Hitzlsperger’s bravery would all but evaporate as a result of the Brazilian’s comments.

But Alex represents an everdecreasing minority, as shown by the solidarity and support that was evoked

by Hitzlsperger’s announcement.

The path from Fashanu to Hitzlsperger has been arduous, but the football community is showing signs of learning from mistakes of the past.

Hitzlsperger is proof that an environment where footballers can be open about their sexuality and where a former professional announcing that he is gay does not attract such global attention is becoming an ever-closer reality. .

Concrete: After England’s 5-0 loss in the Ashes, do you think Andy Flower and Alistair Cook should be allowed a chance to put their mistakes right?

career before we judge the impact of his achievements. If he manages to defend his title this summer then I very much doubt he will miss the list next year.

Anderson: With any team game it is difficult to attribute a defeat this bad to specific individuals. With rumours of a fall out between Flower and Kevin Pietersen, it seems a change in coaching staff or players is inevitable. Cook was a cricketing hero just six months ago so it would be a little unfair to begin planning a direction without him

C: FIFA have announced that the World Cup in Qatar will take place in the winter. Was it a mistake to give them the tournament at all?

C: Andy Murray missed out on a knighthood in the recent honours, do you think his achievements to date are worthy of the accolade?

A: It is premature to discuss honouring Murray with a knighthood. He is 26 and still has a few more years playing at his prime. Whilst winning Wimbledon was fantastic for British tennis, it would make sense to wait until he finishes his

have ever seen. Even if you have never watched basketball before you would have been impressed with how the last quarter ended. It had everything, blocks, steals, game tying three pointers, your eyes were literally glued to the TV the whole time.

A: It seems pointless to build five brand new stadiums in a country that has less than two million people and a negligible football league. Moving it to January 2022 will impact British club fixtures, as well as potential implications to the African Cup of Nations and or the Winter Olympics.

C: Looking back on 2013, what had been your sporting highlight of the calendar year?

A: I am going to have to pick the Miami Heat winning the NBA finals in July, game six has to be the most nail biting game I

The best and worst of the January transfer window Jack Lusby Sports Correspondent With the January transfer window now underway, managers and boardrooms alike will be clamouring to add much needed reinforcements to their squads.

A means to quell the unpredictability of an open-ended, season-long transfer squabble, the January transfer window was ushered in in the 2003/04 season with a pair of successful acquisitions from the loan market. Christophe Dugarry moved temporarily from Bordeaux to Birmingham, whilst America’s Brian McBride moved from the MLS and Columbus Crew to supplement Everton’s squad.

Both players proved great shortterm successes at their respective clubs, Dugarry scoring five goals in his first four league games for Birmingham and McBride scoring four in his eight appearances for Everton.

The loan market has since proved an effective way to add recruits to a diminished squad at a time when the market is considered at its most unstable. Mikel Arteta’s move from Real Sociedad to Everton in 2005 was later engineered into a permanent move due to the Spaniard’s value to David Moyes’ squad.

Elsewhere Jack Wilshere (2010) and

Daniel Sturridge (2011) enjoyed spells at Bolton Wanderers; perhaps the most successful examples of the loan system at work in the Premier League.

Many of today’s most renowned defensive warriors made their name in the Premier League with moves in the January window. Both Manchester United’s Nemanja Vidic and Liverpool’s Daniel Agger made the move from abroad in 2006, going on to captain their respective clubs.

Ryan Shawcross’ move from the depths of the Manchester United reserves to become the lynchpin within Stoke City’s rock-solid defence has solidified his £1m move as one of the bargains of the window. Fellow England defender Gary Cahill has moved twice in January, from Aston Villa to Bolton in 2008, then to Chelsea in 2012.

The short time afforded during the transfer window often leads to clubs making the worst business. Famously, Liverpool’s Fernando Torres moved to Chelsea for £50m in 2011 and, subsequently, Newcastle’s Andy Carroll joined the Anfield club for £35m. Both signings were undisputed failures.

The striker theme continues as Afonso Alves moved to Middlesborough in 2008 for £12.7m. The move failed miserably after a bright start, with a lowly scoring rate of four goals in 31 games.

Most recently centre back Chris

Samba joined QPR in 2013 from Russian club Anzhi, and his considerable lack of fitness contributed hugely to the club’s relegation.

Conversely, the January transfer window has brought some of the league’s best players. Manchester City cemented their rise to the top of English football with two understated January signings: Nigel De Jong in 2009 and Patrick Vieira in 2010.

Manchester United signed Patrice Evra for £5.5m in 2006, the Frenchman becoming an important cog in Sir Alex Ferguson’s title-chasing engine Finally, given his unstoppable form since joining Liverpool in 2011, Luis Suarez can comfortably consider himself amongst the greatest January transfers to date.

Sport

14/01/14

Issue 291

concrete.sport@hotmail.co.uk

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THE 2013/2014 SEASON SO FAR...

With just over half of the 2013/2014 season gone, Will Medlock examines the fortunes of some of UEA’s sport clubs.

Men’s Rugby League position: 1st in Midlands 3B The men’s rugby 1s sit top of the table after seven matches, having won all seven fixtures.

Following the reform of the club, an opening day win over Northampton by a margin of 86 points was to set the tone for the exemplary first half of 2013/2014.

The team dismantled second placed Nottingham 3s by 76-0 in early December and comfortably sit nine points clear of Trent heading into tomorrow’s game

against Coventry at Colney Lane.

Bruce Whiting, the club’s president, has highlighted the performances of Marco Merlina and Kolade Awobowale for their contributions so far, and also expressed his hope for a successful 2014, telling Concrete, “We’re aiming for a full house of promotions, with all three teams finishing top of their leagues, progression in the Cup and victory in this year’s Derby Day at Essex.”

Netball League position: 1st in Midlands 2B It has been an excellent season for the netball 1s, who top the table by three points heading in to the final four games of the season.

A goal difference of 119 is perhaps the best indicator of the campaign thus far, with progression in the Cup accompanying the glittering league form.

The biggest rivals to the team’s title hopes are Cambridge, who host UEA in February. A 46-27 win at the Sportspark in November will give UEA hope of doing the double over their nearest rivals, however by that time the title may already be heading for Norfolk soil.

The second team have not found things quite so straight forward in their Midlands 4B league. With two wins out of six games, the team are only three points ahead of bottom placed Oxford Brookes.

However, with both of those wins coming in consecutive matches, against Notingham Trent and Oxford respectively, the ladies are starting to hit form at the right time.

Women’s Football

League position: 4th in Midlands 2B A mixed first half of the season has seen the women’s football first team claim four points from five games, with a 5-0 win at Bedfordshire the standout result.

The season started with a point on the road at Lincoln before Cambridge claimed all three points at Colney Lane.

Progression in the Cup courtesy of Anglia Ruskin’s inability to field a full team means that there is hope for a trophy come March.

The club will have an opportunity to compensate for Cambridge’s win in Norfolk when they play the reverse

fixture next week. The game seems set to provide the team with extra motivation to pull away from the drop zone. With Bishop Grosseteste on minus three points, the women are seven points clear of the bottom of the table. However, a win in Cambridge will provide them with a bigger cushion ahead of the visit of fifth placed Bedford. With table toppers Lincoln having already been played twice this season, the ladies will be confident of securing the points they need ahead of a busy end to the season.

Lacrosse

League position: 1st in Midlands 2A It couldn’t be much tighter in the men’s Midlands 2B league, with just three points separating bottom placed Nottingham 3s and third placed UEA, who have six points to their name after six matches. With Oxford Brookes 12 points clear of UEA at the top, and Cambridge having a game in hand with six more points, it seems likely that the team will become embroiled in a tense final four matches of the season.

Warwick and De Montfort both have six points, with Warwick claiming a 9-2 victory over UEA just before

Christmas to atone for their 16-2 loss on the opening day of the season. A Cup game against Cambridge may provide a welcome distraction for UEA. The women’s team have enjoyed a successful campaign so far, topping their 2A league by three points. With just six points separating UEA from fourth placed Nottingham, the ladies will have to maintain their impressive league form. With just one league defeat this season, the team seem odds-on for the title.

@concretesport

Concrete Sport UEA

SPORT

Issue 291 14 January 2014

Sport Student Voice

Photo: Moji Adegbile Photo: Gareth Copley/Getty Images

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Swann’s exit raises more questions Katherine Lucas Sports Correspondent As the dust begins to settle on England’s abysmal Ashes tour, Graeme Swann remains one of the key men under the spotlight after his decision to walk away from cricket mid-way through the series.

Australia completed their whitewash of Andy Flower’s men with their fifth successive rout two weeks ago, but it took just three Tests before Swann declared the time was right to call it a day.

Admittedly, the Notts spinner waited until the Ashes were unsalvageable before walking away.

However, with England heading into a tricky transitional period, Swann has left his side weakened, without a top-class spinner and with one less big personality to lead a lost dressing room.

Flower admitted Australia’s triumph signalled the end of an era for the Three Lions, perhaps reflecting on his side’s weakening grip on world dominance that they have enjoyed for the past five years much of it under former captain Andrew Strauss.

However, the 45-year-old will be staying on in his role, as will the muchmaligned captain, Alastair Cook, who,

unlike Swann, believes that rocking the boat in knee-jerk fashion will not solve anything in the long run.

Here, the spinner’s personality is allimportant, in spite of his poor personal performance down under.

Even before the tour began, eyebrows were raised over England’s complacent selection policy, drafting in inexperienced faces such as Gary Ballance and Michael Carberry, so Swann was vital as a boisterous character capable of supporting Cook.

In terms of spinners, England will struggle to find a replacement for Swann. Monty Panesar has proved a sufficient back-up, but lacks the variety in his bowling to lead the attack, while Simon Kerrigan lacks international caps and struggled when he was given them.

Swann, of course, is not the first high-profile sportsman to leave his team in the lurch, nor will he be the last.

Most recently, US basketball superstar Michael Jordan walked away in his prime when he became tired of the game and his relationship with coach Jerry Krause became increasingly strained.

Though, crucially, Jordan did not leave his team in such a pivotal period.

The heavyweight boxer, Rocky Marciano, also let no-one down when

he retired undefeated. He was the only heavyweight champion to do so in the sport’s history – after just five years of fighting.

It is certainly not unheard of for athletes to fall out of love with their trade, or choose to walk away at the top. Eric Cantona swapped Manchester United for Hollywood aged just 30, and it is understandable when players quit for fear that their best days are behind them. These were the reasons Swann gave as he waved goodbye to one of the most prolific international careers of the modern era, but his offfield conflicts are still trickling into the headlines.

His battles with Kevin Pietersen over the batsman’s reckless style at the crease and conceited antics away from it have hit the news, and it would appear there is more to Swann’s retirement than meets the eye.

If disputes, albeit ones that could be resolved in a team that were more ‘together’, were indeed the deciding factor, then it will be difficult to justify Swann’s retirement from a team in dire need of leadership and unity.

It will be intriguing to see how England fare as they attempt to survive losing their best spinner.

January transfers

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