Concrete - Issue 283

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Block grant shortfall jeopardises funding

University Philip Thomas News editor Union officers stressed that without an increase in the block grant funding it receives from the University of East Anglia, its budget will be detrimentally affected, during a presentation on their new strategic plan at union council on Thursday 18 April.

The block grant is donated from the university to spend on the union’s charitable aims and services. The union of UEA Students (UUEAS) highlights that their block grant is £649,000 less than the average donation awarded to other Guardian top 20 institutions. With the addition of other income sources, the average funding for charitable objectives is £1,727,000; UUEAS funds are £387,000 short of this figure.

The budget document explained that UUEAS previously generated enough income from its own business

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enterprises to match the average funding for charitable objectives.

However, licensed trade sales in union establishments have declined 5% each year for the last three years – from £605,000 in 2010, to £508,000 last year.

The union forecasts a deficit of £46,500 for the next financial year, including £44,000 of one-off costs. This equates to an operating deficit of £2,500, assuming that commercial services retain current levels of profitability, and that £75,000 is earned from increased trade in the new Megashop.

The budget was passed by union council, but is awaiting approval from the trustees and the university registrar and secretary.

The document highlighted areas of union expenditure that are no longer feasible. It emphasised that expenditure is “desperately needed” in some areas, explaining that the delayed renovation of commercial services would inevitably decrease profitability and limit

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investment in the student experience.

Despite “drastic steps to cut costs,” the union reaffirmed that an increase in the block grant it receives is essential, otherwise its strategic plan is unsustainable and it may have to consider increasing prices at the Hive and union bars.

Additional measures proposed include the introduction of a societies membership charge, a significant increase in the price of Sports Association membership, and a possible reduction in funding allocated to sport.

During the council session, Finance officer Joe Levell indicated the union was lobbying the university for an additional £166,000 block grant investment.

He reiterated the importance of the grant, saying it “is crucial to the future of the services provided by the union. With no significant increase in it, we have no choice but to review the way we fund all areas of the student experience.”

Levell remarked: “New income

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streams will hopefully go some way to alleviating this problem but continued underfunding of the union will lead to difficult decisions having to be made.”

The union is considering delaying or cancelling some capital intensive projects, including the refurbishment of venues and the replacement of boats for UEA Boat Club. It is seeking to increase earnings from venue hire, website advertising, increased Home Run landlord fees, organised trips, and increased gig bar prices.

Responding to the union’s concerns, UEA released a statement to Concrete, revealing: “The university is making £1m of capital investment in the refurbishment of the Street in summer 2013. The budget for 2013-14 is under consideration and goes to council in May. Whatever the outcome, the university will work with the Students’ union to ensure that we continue to deliver, jointly, the strongest possible student experience.”

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Chris Teale

WESTERNISATION IN FILMS

MEET BLOSSOM RECORDS

FANTASTISTICAL FEMALES

VENICE: THE CITY OF CANALS

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concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk

Editor-in-chief | Amy Adams concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk Managing Editor | Chris Teale concrete.managingeditor@uea.ac.uk Online Editor | Harry Slater Deputy Online Editor | Luke Boobyer concrete.online@uea.ac.uk News | Philip Thomas & Liz Jackson concrete.news@uea.ac.uk Comment | Ciara Jack concrete.comment@uea.ac.uk Global | Robert Norris concrete.global@uea.ac.uk Features | Lauren Cope concrete.features@uea.ac.uk Environment | Tim Miller concrete.environment@uea.ac.uk Science & Tech | Rebecca Hardy concrete.science@uea.ac.uk Travel | Polly Grice concrete.travel@uea.ac.uk Lifestyle | Emma Williamson concrete.lifestyle@uea.ac.uk Sport | Billy Sexton & Sam Tomkinson concrete.sport@hotmail.co.uk Copy Editors | Sidonie Chaffer-Melly & Charlotte Cox concretecopyeditors@gmail.com Chief Photographers | Elizabeth Margereson & Chloe Hashemi concrete.photography@uea.ac.uk Distribution Manager | Steph Gover

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Contributors

News | Liz Jackson, Philip Thomas, Amy Adams, Chris Teale, Matt Tidby, Rachael Lum, Verity Stone Comment | Andrew Ansell, Johnnie Bicket, Tim Rose, Livvy Brown, Emma Holbrook, Ben Beebe Global | Robert Norris, Rachael Lum Features | Eleanor Overvoorde, Polly Grice, Lauren Cope Environment | Peter Sheehan, Patrick Cook, Chris Teale Science & Tech | Dominic Burchnall, Ben Dickson, Beth Muncey Travel | Lauren Cope, Callum Graham, Jessica Crisp, Maddy Hutt Lifestyle | Emma Williamson, Chris Clare, Emma Barnard, Bruno Gnaneswaran, Maddy Hutt, Bex White Sport | Sam Tomkinson, Chris Teale, Callum Hansey, Holly Wade, Charlie Savage Proofreaders | Charlotte Cox, Sidonie Chaffer-Melly, Amy Osterloh, Stephenie Naulls, Alice Edwards, Matt Mulcahy Photographers | Alessandra Mariani, Callum Graham, Greg Mann, Ga Chun Yau, Holly Maunders, Chloe Hashemi, Whye Tchien Khor, Caitlin Gray

Congratulations Jess Beech!

Conrete’s delightful fashion editor, Jess Beech, completed the London Marathon in 4 hours, 49 minutes on Sunday.

She has raised an incredible £1,803.80 for The Scoliosis Campaign Fund so far.

To donate, go to uk.virginmoneygiving. com/JessBeech

The Editor’s Column I cannot believe that it was almost a year ago that I started my first editor’s column with “hi guys”, a catchphrase which has haunted me in the Concrete office ever since.

It has been a fantastic year for Concrete. Not only have we successfully navigated the restructuring of our editorial team, but we have also launched a new website, the Science & Technology section, and most importantly a tumblr account with more lake pictures than you can ever need.

I’m also delighted to announce that Concrete recently won Best Publication and Best Website at the Student Publication Association awards, an achievement we are extremely proud of.

With the new editorial team (almost) all chosen, it’s now all coming to an end for this year’s team. We’ve had some incredible memories, including an S Club

7 music video shot in the office, countless Sunday night takeaways, and hundreds of in-jokes which have teetered on the edge of hysteria. And that is, of course, not to mention all of our fantastic contributions from writers, editors and photographers.

I hope you have enjoyed Concrete as much as we have this year. Getting involved was the best decision I made at UEA (other than finding a house five minutes from lectures) and I would strongly encourage anyone who is thinking about joining next year to do so.

Finally, I would like to bow out by thanking our editors for their incredible hard work and dedication, and by wishing next year’s team the best of luck. They’re a great lot - watch out for them, returners.

Manere Stoicus (that’s “stay classy” in Latin don’t you know), Amy Adams Editor-in-Chief

2013-14: editorial vacancies available Most positions for next year’s editorial team have been filled. However, you could still get involved, as there are four more positions still to be filled.

• News co-editor Working for News is one of the most demanding but rewarding jobs at Concrete, requiring you and a co-editor to keep your ear to ground and help put together around six pages of quality local journalism each fortnight. It is invaluable experience for someone who would like a career in journalism.

• Travel editor Concrete travel is looking for a wandering globetrotter with files full of holiday snaps, who loves hearing other people’s travel stories. You must be organised with good English language and communication skills.

Tweet of the Week Michael Luscombe @mluscombe1 Seriously hyped for Pimp My Barrow after seeing the pictures from last year #Spiceboys

• Competitions and Listings editor Competitions and Listings is a fantastic section for someone who would like a job in marketing or public relations. It involves reaching out to local businesses to organise and advertise competitions, as well as keeping up with events around campus and Norwich for the listings page.

• Chief Photographer Concrete’s chief photographer needs to be organised and efficient, ready to take high quality photos for sport events, gigs, potential news stories and more. You will be working with a team of volunteer photographers and a range of sections, so strong organisational skills are necessary.

To apply, email a 500 word application to the current section editors by Thursday 25 April. Email addresses can be found to the left, and on page 3 of Venue.

Contact Us 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, Amy Adams. Published by UUEAS Concrete Society ©2013 Concrete BMc ISSN 1351-2773

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Obituary: Nick Rayns remembered University Liz Jackson News editor The union expressed its “profound shock and sadness” last Tuesday following the sudden death of its Entertainments Manager Nick Ryans, who worked for the Union for 34 years.

A statement on the UUEAS website said that Mr Rayns “passed away peacefully at home with his family.” The four full-time student officers said: “Nick was a larger-than-life character who will be sorely missed by all union staff and UEA students. Our thoughts are with his family at this terrible time.”

A former UEA student, Mr Rayns succeeded in bringing innumerable high-profile musicians and bands to

UEA during his career, including U2 and Coldplay.

In a 2007 interview with the Eastern Daily Press, Mr. Rayns stated that he booked Robbie Williams for his first solo gig following his departure from Take That. Since then he has booked thousands of gigs and built long-term relationships between many big names and UEA. Steve Howard, who composed an obituary for Mr. Rayns, worked alongside him for five years and stated that he was instrumental in helping to found both Livewire and Concrete.

He said: “I remember with great affection working for Nick for pretty much the whole of my time at UEA from 1988 to about 1993. From bizarre bands I had never heard of ‘loading in’

Living wage ‘unaffordable’

at 9am on a Sunday, to re-opening the Waterfront, to once building an ice rink in a field for Torvill and Dean, he was an ever present face, with a ‘can do’ attitude, always assisted by a wodge of cash for refreshments (‘but make sure you get a receipt’).

“Despite what seemed like a thankless job balancing the demands of touring bands, student politics, and often drunk students, he was always fair and generous: whether it was making sure his team got home at 2am even if it was 10 of us in the back of a van, or the odd free ticket to something.

“I would consider that Nick has made by far the greatest contribution to student life of any single person at UEA.” Mr. Rayns leaves behind a partner of 26 years and three children.

New union constitution to improve student democracy University Amy Adams Editor-in-chief

University Verity Stone News reporter The Union of UEA Students announced that its implementation of the living wage for staff is financially unfeasible, and would consequently be postponed.

The national campaign promoted the introduction of a £7.45 per hour wage, to meet the basic cost of living.

Outlining the budget at union council, Finance officer Joe Levell said that the living wage “realistically cannot be implemented,” describing the escalating expense as “unaffordable.”

Levell estimated it would presently cost £65,000 a year. Nevertheless, he remained supportive of the campaign, calling it a “long term strategic plan.”

Thomas Diamond initiated the campaign on UEA’s campus, arguing that it could improve the economy and living standards, whilst compensating

for impending in-work benefit cuts.

Mr Diamond was dismayed by the decision, concluding: “It is a shame that the union has not even made the small step of marginally raising wages as a step towards the living wage. It seems somewhat contradictory that an institution that makes so many moral judgements, does not pay a moral wage.”

Although many of the campaign’s supporters were disappointed by the news, activist Chris Jarvis remained positive, remarking: “I passed the policy earlier this year in the union that called for the trustee board to introduce the living wage of £7.45 an hour, and that is something that shall continue to be on their agenda.

“Should the financial situation of UUEAS improve to the point where staff pay can be increased to the living wage, it is expected that this will be implemented and such a commitment has been made.”

Union council has approved the first draft of the Union of UEA Students’ (UUEAS) new constitution, which will allow students more say in how the union is run.

The constitution must be reviewed every five years by the union. If approved by the university on 20 May, the most significant change will be the transferal of policies which were previously part of the constitution to by-laws, making them more easily changed and contested by students.

The by-laws which directly affect students include society constitutions and codes of conduct for socials, including the advice “Don’t get too carried away … If the police are speaking to you relating to your behaviour you have gone way too far”, and the rules “Do not urinate, defecate or vomit anywhere apart from in a toilet!” and “Do not carry out ‘initiation’ ceremonies”.

Policy dictating the procedure for complaints about union services, including societies and clubs will also be easier to change, as well as disciplinary procedures such as the ability to suspend clubs and societies.

The by-laws also include information regarding the union’s budget; equal opportunities policies and commitment to campaigns; the aims of commercial services such as the bar and Union shops; the job descriptions of union officers; the campaign and voting processes for union elections; and staff protocol rules.

These rules currently prevent student employees from raising issues relating to their employment in any union meetings, and restrict staff from being involved in the process of government, or discussing policy and employment issues with student media. Staff protocol also prevents student media such as Concrete, Livewire and UEA:TV from discussing the responsibilities, conditions of employment, performance or conduct of members of staff, other than the elected student officers.

The by-laws also contain information regarding the union’s strategic plan, which includes the aim “To be the best students’ union in the country”.

Previously, as these regulations were included in the constitution, any changes which students wished to make would require a two-thirds majority at union council, as well as the approval of the UUEAS board of trustees and the university council.

As by-laws, students will be able to change these policies without involvement from the university.

If approved, UUEAS will also be the only student union with a genderneutral constitution.

The union’s Communications officer Matthew Myles said: “The new changes are really exciting, as they give students the ability to run the Union. It will be a great boost to the level of input students can have in the democratic process.

“It has been months of hard work for the student officers, so we’re really pleased with the results. Hopefully the university will agree with the proposal on 20 May.”

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Union ethnic minorities officer elected University Matt Tidby News reporter The Union of UEA Students has a new Ethnic Minorities officer, after candidate Eunice Opare-Addo triumphed in a bielection.

Voting closed on Friday 19 April, with the new Officer securing a strong majority of 68 first preference votes from a turnout of 86.

The part-time position is responsible for campaigning and representing students from a diverse range of ethnic backgrounds, and as such serves an important role in the heart of the Union.

Library to introduce genderneutral toilets University Rachael Lum News reporter Following Union Council’s vote in favour of gender neutral toilets last December, the library is set to see the campus’ first instalment of gender neutral toilets.

The self-contained toilets located along the backstairs of the library will be converted over the summer ready for use during the next academic year.

However, the toilets on the main stairs of the library will remain gendered.

The Union’s LGBT+ officer Richard Laverick said: “These are different from to the ones Union will have as they will be all self-contained.”

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Awards celebrate UEA’s best University Chris Teale Managing editor The LCR played host to the annual Union Awards on Tuesday 16 April as student achievements throughout the academic year were celebrated. Hosted by Union officers Joe Levell, Josh Bowker and Sam Clark, 27 awards were handed out at the ceremony, which was attended by over 100 people. The night also featured performances from DanceSport and the African-Caribbean Society at the interval.

The evening opened by celebrating the successful campaigns and campaigners from this year, with the Ethical Investment campaign named Campaign of the Year and the efforts to save the Islamic Centre named Campaign Success of the Year.

Stop the Traffik were also rewarded for an active and successful year as they picked up two awards for Student-Led Campaign of the Year and the award for Service to the Local Community.

Campaigner of the Year was awarded jointly to Ethical Issues officer Rosie Rawle and Environment officer Benjamin Brown, celebrating their efforts in various campaigns on campus this year.

The School of Psychology was named as Staff-Student Liaison Committee of the Year, with Joseph Short, Kruti Shah, Molly Hughes and Nish Ragvani rewarded for their work in putting students’ views across as faculty representatives.

Stephenie McGucken was also recognised as University Committee Rep of the Year, with John Pullinger awarded

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Headucate won New Society of the Year, recognising their efforts to raise awareness of mental health in schools. the Union’s Representation Staff Member of the Year and Cal Corkery given Union Rep of the Year.

The first half concluded with the award for Landlord of the Year, which was given to Alan and Penny Sutton.

After the interval, further awards were presented, with the attention turning to the work of sports clubs, societies and work in the local community.

The Union’s outgoing LGBT+ officer Richard Laverick was named Volunteer of the Year, in recognition of his work around campus and in Norwich to help

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FLY lineup revealed University Chris Teale Managing editor

Benjamin Zephaniah and Charlie Higson have been announced as part of a starpacked lineup for the first ever Festival of Literature for Young People (FLY).

Hosted at UEA from 8-12 July, the festival has been created for 11-17-yearolds, and is a first for this region. For more information, visit www.uea.ac.uk/fly.

News

Richard Laverick accepts the award for Community and Service to Membership

and represent LGBT+ students. UEA Links were awarded the Volunteering Club or Society of the Year for their work at the LCR, where they provide first aid and medical help for attendees at the venue’s concerts or club nights. Zoe Phillips was then presented the Service to the Union award, presented by Diane Anderson of the Union’s Entertainments Department, for whom Phillips has worked in her time at the university.

The award for New Sports Club of the Year went to Cheerleading Dance, which is the first year the Cheerleading club has had separate teams for Dance and Stunt.

Volleyball club were given the award for Progress as a Society after their success in their BUCS leagues this year.

Triathlon’s Rebecca Layland and Women’s Basketball’s Jemma Gordon were rewarded for their individual work this year, winning Service to a Sports Club and Outstanding Achievement by a Sports Club respectively having worked hard to help their clubs be successful.

The table tennis club were awarded Sports Club of the Year after another superb year in BUCS that saw them win Midlands Division 1A without losing a match and qualify for the Premier South playoffs.

Towards the end of the evening, Headucate won New Society of the Year, while student radio station Livewire won Progress as a Society and Concrete’s editor-in-chief Amy Adams was awarded the award for Service to a Society. The final two awards saw Drama Society presented with Society of the Year, with the final prize for Outstanding Achievement by a Society given to the committee of the newly-formed Quidditch society.

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This year’s NUS National Conference saw the election of a President from Further Education. Toni Pearce, who is currently the Vice President of Further Education for the NUS, was elected with a 57.8% share of votes. She will represent a national student body of primarily Further Education students and over 450 NUS affiliated Student Unions. After retaking her A Levels at a Further Education college, Ms. Pearce started her career with student unions in 2009 prior to becoming involved in the NUS. In an interview with the NUS, the 23-year-old said she will focus on the NUS “Pound in Your Pocket” research findings by supporting students with “spiralling living costs.” She has also stated her plans to continue developing a fairer system of postgraduate taught funding in England, which would provide realistic and affordable alternatives to Career Development Loans offered by banks.

In addition, the president-elect has pledged her commitment to working with opposition parties against the Coalition’s current post-16 education policies, as well as campaigning to “create jobs and apprenticeships for students, graduates and young people in our local communities through procurement both locally and nationally.” She added that she wishes to “set out a way forward that treats students as partners in an essential public service rather than consumers in a commercial market”, and will also support campaigns for minorities such as the “Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill” at third reading.

The importance of the role of president of the NUS has been increasingly questioned in recent years. This year’s NUS election was particularly controversial, with an inanimate carbon rod being listed as one

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Rose Tremain appointed UEA’s new chancellor

NUS elect Toni Pearce as new president National Liz Jackson News editor

Issue 283

of four provisional candidates. Sam Gaus, a UCL student representing the rod, told the Huffington Post UK that its candidacy aims to “represent all students, regardless of politics, and without sarcasm or aggression or inaccessible language and behaviour.”

A participant from the National Campaign Against Fees & Cuts (NCAFC) also told Huffington Post UK that “when the NUS leadership are clearly more concerned with their future careers, it is little wonder that students are looking to alternatives to an undemocratic, impotent and ossified bureaucracy.”

Ms. Pearce’s election also comes during a time when the NUS has requested that Women and Equalities Minister Jo Swinson organise a national summit on “lad culture”.

A recently published report by the NUS, “That’s what she said”, showed that 50% of participants identified “prevailing sexism, ‘laddism’ and a culture of harassment” at university.

The results add to the 2010 “Hidden Marks” findings that highlighted that 68% of respondents “had been the victim of one or more kinds of sexual harassment on campus during their time as a student.”

According to the NUS website, the report highlighted that “sexual harassment and violence were also very much related to “lad culture”. This included verbal harassment and “catcalling”, as well as physical harassment and sexual molestation. Groping in nightclubs was viewed by some as part of a “normal” night out.”

The current campaign is supported by a number of national women’s groups including Everyday Sexism Project, and Equality Challenge Unit. British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) have also stated their commitment to participating in the summit.

Ms. Pearce is the eighth woman to become NUS President and replaces the previous President Liam Burns.

NUS

UEA University Philip Thomas News editor The University of East Anglia announced the appointment of world-renowned writer Rose Tremain as the university’s new chancellor, on Saturday 13 April.

She will be the first woman, author and UEA graduate to be chancellor when she is installed at a special ceremony on campus, on Friday 7 June. The appointment coincides with celebrations of the university’s 50th anniversary.

Tremain studied English as an undergraduate in UEA’s second intake between 1964 and 1967. She later returned to teach the famous Creative Writing MA from 1989 to 1995, giving numerous readings at the long-running literary festival, and was awarded an honorary doctorate in 2000.

During her literary career, Rose Tremain has published 11 novels, four collections of short stories, one book for children and plays for radio and television. She has received numerous awards and accolades, being made a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours of 2007.

Tremain said she was honoured by the appointment, remarking: “When I was a student at UEA, back in the midsixties, I was taught by Angus Wilson and Malcolm Bradbury, and this helped to change the direction of my life, setting me on the path towards becoming a writer.

“I therefore owe UEA a big personal debt and I hope I can pay this back by being a vibrant spokeswoman for an exceptional institution which has stayed marvellously faithful to its chosen motto,

‘Do Different’ – not least by appointing me.”

The chancellor supports the values and aspirations of the university, with ceremonial duties including chairing the annual meeting of court and sharing the conferment of degrees at congregation with the vice-chancellor.

The university confirmed the appointment is for a three-year term and follows the death last year of Sir Brandon Gough, who had served the university with great energy and dedication for nine years.

Registrar and secretary Brian Summers spoke on behalf of UEA’s Council and appointing body, saying: “The university is delighted that Rose, one of our earliest and most renowned graduates, has accepted our invitation to become our chancellor in our 50th anniversary year.

“The installation of a chancellor is always cause for great celebration in any university community, but particularly so when the appointment is someone with such deep and long-standing association with the institution.”

After graduating from UEA, Rose Tremain worked in teaching and publishing in London until 1976 when she published her first novel, Sadler’s Birthday.

Since embarking on her literary career, Tremain has won both the Whitbread Novel of the Year Award for Music and Silence and the Orange Prize for The Road Home.

In 1983 she was selected as one of only five women in the original 20 Best of Young British Novelists. In 1995 her Booker-shortlisted novel Restoration was made into a major film directed by Michael Hoffman.

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Hollywood stars to visit Norfolk broads

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News

Concrete’s Year in Headlines

Norwich Liz Jackson News editor Recent reports suggest that Hollywood stars Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis may be visiting the Norfolk Broads this week. The Sun newspaper reported the rumour that the couple will be visiting Wroxham in Norfolk and will be hiring a riverboat on the Broads for a short break. Since then the news has circulated across national magazines and regional media outlets.

Kunis is reportedly currently in the UK to film Jupiter Ascending with costars Eddie Redmayne and Channing Tatum. Norfolk appears to be the latest in a string of UK destinations for Kunis and boyfriend Kutcher, as they have apparently visited London to househunt, and the West Country for a cidertasting trip.

If rumours are to be believed, the stars will be the latest celebrities to visit Norfolk, as the Duchess of Cambridge Kate Middleton was recently spotted shopping in the Norfolk village of Holt this month.

NUS appeals to students for Beyoncé campaign National Liz Jackson News editor The NUS is calling on female students to participate in “brief but totally frank” interviews for a film being made as part of the “Chime for Change” global campaign headed by Beyoncé.

“Chime for Change” aims to improve funding and awareness for women’s empowerment. As part of a showcase of short films about women to launch the campaign at Beyoncé’s “Sound of Change” concert in London this summer, UK film makers have been commissioned to create a ten-minute documentary based around women’s testimony.

This will link to the Everyday Sexism campaign, with the goal of demonstrating that harassment affects a wide variety of women on an everyday basis.

According to the NUS website, contributions for interviews “could be anything from the minor to the life-changingly traumatic, from small everyday irritations to sexual assault and rape.”

Further details on how to participate can be found on the NUS website.

This past academic year has seen a great deal of tremendous stories from the university grace the pages of Concrete.

Some of the most significant stories of the year included proposals for

gender-neutral toilets, the Union’s RBS boycott, the deferral of the Union budget following questions from students, UEA’s Derby Day victory, and a selection are pictured above.

If you are interested in getting involved with Concrete next year, then please email concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk listing the sections you would like to contribute to.

Comment

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Thatcher may be dead, but Thatcherism lives on Tim Rose Comment writer It says a lot about someone when their death is not just joked about, it is celebrated. Margaret Thatcher is one of those people. Parties have been held across the country to greet her passing and Ding Dong the Witch is Dead almost reached the top of the charts. To see such a hated and divisive figure remembered in any other way would seem to be offensive to the historical record. However celebrating her death achieves absolutely nothing unless her legacy is also fought against.

The mines are still closed, most industry is still privatised, the welfare state ever more dismantled. Those who died needlessly in the Falklands so she could win an election are still dead.

The one-time windfall of North Sea Oil has still been squandered on paying unemployment benefit and tax cuts.

Britain is an increasingly divided society riven by new attempts to foster class hatred. This is Thatcher’s legacy.

The current Conservative-dominated government are heavily influenced by Thatcher in their pursuit of destroying the state, with Osborne even claiming that they are making cuts she only dreamed of.

One woman’s death will not change this.

The final insult is that despite her

family’s considerable wealth, her funeral has been largely funded by taxpayers’ money at a time of austerity. Surely it would have been much more fitting to privatise it.

Unless the left rallies and creates its own real alternative to Thatcherism, her hateful neo-liberal policies will persist. The attitude comes in part from the myth that Thatcherism was in some way inevitable

and therefore should be accepted. This is not to say that there were not problems in the 1970s but Thatcherism as a remedy was akin to curing a headache with decapitation. France under the Socialist Francois Mitterrand also brought inflation under control in the 1980s, but without the damage Thatcher caused.

It is also important to remember that she was so hated by the end of her time in

office due to policies such as the poll tax, that it was her own party that ruthlessly kicked her out.

In many ways the hatred towards her from many of the left comes from the frustration that they have not had their own Thatcher, who would have ruthlessly implemented their desired policies at the expense of all opposition.

The liberal paradox of attempting to find consensus even when their opponents have no time for such measures, has hampered any attempts to find such a figure. The most successful leader Labour has had electorally was Blair, who was as infatuated with Thatcher as many Conservatives, and accepted most of her policies. Thatcher herself saw the creation of New Labour as her greatest achievement.

Therefore as much as it is painful to admit it, Thatcher was phenomenally successful in her own terms. All the street parties and jokes in the world will do little to change that.

However it does not have to be this way. Thatcher showed what the right can achieve when the left is divided and weak, something that must be remembered today. If the true pain that Thatcherism has inflicted is fought against and countered at every opportunity, there is the hope that in future Britain can be changed for the better.

Miss Meadows’ legacy Livvy Brown Comment writer Lucy Meadows was a primary school teacher in Accrington, Lancashire.

She was a transgender woman and in December 2012, aged 32, she made the brave decision to transition to living as a female. Staff at St Mary Magdalen’s Church of England School sent a newsletter to parents, explaining the change and pledging their ongoing support.

That should have been the end of this story. Children in Miss Meadows’ class, naturally inquisitive, may have asked questions. Supportive and tolerant parents would have answered them: simple, honest answers to satisfy eager childlike

curiosity. Children would have returned to school happy in the knowledge that they still had the same teacher – only her appearance now matched whom she was inside.

I wish that was the end of the story.

They all lived happily ever after; children accepted the transition as effortlessly as the evolution of seasons. Society was accepting, tolerant and understanding.

Regrettably, the story did not end that way. Meadows was found dead on 19 March.

Following the school’s orignial announcement of her transition, the local newspaper ran a story. This reached the desk of Richard Littlejohn, at the Daily Mail, long a bastion of Britain’s hateful and bigoted.

Littlejohn’s article accused Meadows of prioritising her “selfish needs” before those of the children. Meadows was harassed by the press. Pupils’ parents were bribed for photos of her. Parents

wishing to express their support were ignored. The intolerant vitriol of a few was amplified and broadcast to a national audience. Littlejohn’s frontline of attack appeared to be the “devastating” impact of Miss Meadows’ transition on her young pupils.

Littlejohn’s article was not only intolerant and hateful - it was also incredibly naïve. Children accept the world at face value. The transition of their outwardly male-presenting teacher to a much happier female would cause little pause for thought.

At a march to remember Meadows last week, nearly 100 parents, teachers and union members came out in support.

Organiser Debs Gwynn, the North West National Union of Teachers LGBT representative, told the Manchester Evening News: “This rally was called for two reasons - to allow the local community to show support and solidarity for what happened and to raise the issue

of transphobia more widely. I have been talking to parents and pupils today and the kids were supportive of Lucy. And they are devastated that their teacher is now dead.”

Children are so much more accepting than they are given credit for. Through being honest and open about her transition, Lucy Meadows showed incredible bravery. She demonstrated to her pupils the importance of tolerance and understanding.

The intolerance demonstrated by a vocal minority of parents in Accrington – and in turn by Littlejohn – serves only to breed hatred. Society is made up of an endless spectrum of people and personalities.

Lucy Meadows’ brave decision to transition publicly taught her children an inspirational lesson. Classrooms are no place for fear, intolerance and hatred of the unknown. Miss Meadows’ legacy will be one of bravery, humanity and respect.

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concrete.comment@uea.ac.uk

Issue 283

Comment

23/04/13

Congress, not Obama, is to blame for last week’s ‘shameful day for Washington’ Emma Holbrook Comment writer In the wake of the devastating Newtown massacre, President Barack Obama has been under increasing pressure to finally tackle the inconceivable lack of gun control laws in the United States.

Last week marked the first serious debate on the matter in the Senate for almost 20 years, but the hope for change was short-lived as the series of proposed bills were shot down as quickly as they had been introduced. If his attempts continue to fail, Obama may well be subjected to criticism stating that he is “soft” on gun control. But this would be a mischaracterisation.

Whilst background check legislation for all potential gun owners seems relatively tame in the grand scheme of things, it is important to realise the delicacy of the situation. Had Obama and his counterparts - ironically - gone in all guns blazing, they would not only have alienated a large number of senators and suffered an embarrassing loss, they would also have struggled to muster up support

for gun control measures in the future.

At the mention of any level of gun regulation, there is damning criticism courtesy of the far-right, highlighting the much deeper and more insidious problem with America’s gun culture: the Republican Party’s uncomfortably close ties with the NRA.

“When a democracy fails so dramatically to represent its people, there is something desperately wrong with the system.”

The existence of the National Rifle Association is predicated on the notion that the Second Amendment grants all US citizens the right to a gun, which is ultimately a fallacy. Even if you ignore the fact that the “right to bear arms” was borne out of a war for independence, the amendment was solely meant to apply to a “well-regulated militia” and by no means protects the individual rights of gun owners.

Notwithstanding the association’s questionable interpretation of the Bill of Rights, it is the NRA’s political power that poses the real danger. During his speech following the Senate vote, a visibly furious president accused the NRA of “wilfully” lying about the proposed bills and heavily implied that Republicans had been intimidated into voting against the proposals. Coupled with the damning statistic that 90% of the United States wanted background checks for gun owners, it is clear that when a democracy fails so dramatically to represent its people, there is something desperately wrong with the system.

Barack Obama has maintained that “this effort is not over” and he has three more years in office to either find Republicans willing to break ranks with the NRA or hope that the midterms provide an opportunity for the Democrats to significantly increase their Congressional representation. For until Congress’s obstinate partisanship (bred by the NRA’s scaremongering) is resolved, there is very little Obama can achieve in terms of gun regulation.

Using smartphones at live gigs? The Yeah Yeah Yeahs say ‘No No No’ Ben Beebe Comment writer The lights are off. The crowd is excitable and rowdy. The band you paid and waited for months to see are taking the stage.

Suddenly, a horde of smartphones are thrust into the air and you’re forced to watch the rest of the gig in blinding fivemegapixel misery. It’s a phenomenon that’s become all too familiar with live music, and it’s a divisive issue.

Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs brought this to the fore recently. At a performance at New York’s Webster Hall, the band put up signs telling fans “please don’t watch the show through a screen on a smart device/camera”, and to “put that shit away as a courtesy”.

It’s not difficult to see why they’re taking such a hard line. There is little benefit to filming, or indeed photographing, a live show. The microphones on most phones or tablets cannot cope with the volume of the music being hurled out the speaker

system at the venue. This, coupled with the fact that people are likely to move around, mosh, and shout means the end product is almost always the same thing - a blurry mess of lights, accompanied by a horrendous mix of overwhelming bass and the tuneless wailing of surrounding drunkards. They are hardly YouTube worthy.

That’s not to say there are no smartphone advocates. Many people are more focused on capturing their favourite song or suchlike on film.

However, the fact that they steal away the romanticism and communal good feeling of a great live show - along with their tendency to ruin the view for everyone else - makes the benefits of a smartphone hard to see. The possible alternative is a specially recorded version that could be bought afterwards, but that’s currently an idea which is just not catching on.

Smartphones should not be banned completely at gigs, except perhaps the unwieldy iPad. Concert-goers should be content to keep the phone away, enjoy the show and leave recording to the professionals.

Comment

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Behind the ballot box Andrew Ansell Comment writer The easily-formed association between electoral reform and voting systems allows deeper concerns surrounding reform to be swept under the rug. As voters go to the polls to cast their vote for their respective town and county councils this May, behind the ballot box lays an electoral law in need of reform.

The failure of successive governments since 1983 to consolidate electoral law in line with a modernisation of electoral procedures which were introduced in part by devolution and postal voting has developed a fragmented system of electoral laws governing elections.

As a result there remains a Victorian conventional model of electoral law that is forced to accommodate various elections to a range of elected institutions which employ different voting systems.

The unadvisable development of British electoral law leaves no consistent principle to govern its provisions.

Electoral law provision regarding voter registration (a key tenet of the electoral administration) has as a result of amendments introduced by the statutory electoral innovations of 2002 and 2006 become quite complex.

It was unsurprising but nonetheless alarming for the 2007 Gould report (which investigated the nightmare administering

of the 2007 Scottish elections) concerning Roles, Relationships and Accountability to find that these areas were “extremely fragmented” to the extent that efforts to ensure the smooth running of elections were “hindered at almost every stage of the process”.

More broadly, Gould further found British electoral legislation “fragmented” and “antiquated”.

Ron Gould’s

conclusions are corroborated by the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights’ assessment of the 2010 British general election. The office’s report after noting the complex and fragmented nature of British electoral law concluded the existing framework was “not suitable to conduct a 21st-century election”.

The fragmentation of electoral provisions spread over various sources

provides serious difficulties for local electoral officials, the administrators of democracy. One local electoral official reported: “some of the legislation is UK some of it is Scottish government and it is all amendment act, amendment act, amendment act … it’s just not understandable to the vast majority of people and most the administrators as well”.

As Vickery & Stein include the failing to train an official to a sufficient standard in their definition of electoral malpractice, the multifaceted nature of British electoral law raises the potential for electoral malpractice to occur.

This potential is very real as one returning officer recalls when on one occasion there was a by-election and a local election on the same day, “through an admin error they added them up and then double counted some of the mixed ones. ‘The result was a BNP candidate elected rather than a Labour one”.

The Electoral Commission in 2010 found 30% of respondents not very confident or not all confident with the way that years’ general election was run. To restore a greater level of voter satisfaction and confidence in the administration of British elections, the government needs to act to provide our electoral law with the consolidation that is long overdue.

A continued failure to do so leaves our democracy at risk.

Our failure to act on Syria proves our short-sightedness Johnnie Bicket Comment writer The west's failure to effectively intervene in Syria has led to some rebel groups allying themselves with known terrorist organisations. Bashar Al-Assad, the blood-soaked dictator whose hubris lies at the centre of this terrible civil war, has ordered the military to actively target civilian areas, with horrendous humanitarian consequences.

Rebel factions such as the Al-Nusra Front have been categorised by the international community as terrorist organisations after its leader, Abu Golani, repeatedly reiterated his loyalty to Al-Qaeda. Many of the other rebels, including the Free Syrian Army, have condemned Al-Nusra for its use of suicide bombs, yet the desperation of the situation forces them to fight alongside each other against the one they call the “only true terrorist in Syria”: Al-Assad.

The current international policy on Syria is that to arm the rebels would run

the risk of those weapons falling into the hands of genuine terrorists.

With such a policy in place, Free Syrians rightly feel abandoned by the UN, an organisation that is in place to help bring such atrocities to an end. We must not let fear of terrorism deter us from effectively aiding the majority of rebels in Syria.

To call Al-Assad a terrorist is not just a rhetorical moniker, it is a fact.

His persistent attempts to grind down his citizens and return them to subservience have included targeting schools, children’s hospitals, electricity substations and bread and milk production. These are hardly military targets.

If we cannot bring ourselves to help millions of suffering people out of fear of terrorism, then we are being incredibly short-sighted. Not arming the rebels is guaranteed to prolong this conflict, both in the short term and the long. Without professional equipment and training, the rebels suffer heavy casualties in the face

of Assad’s heavily armed and bullishly loyal troops. It will take many more deaths for the rebel military campaign to gain ground.

To make matters worse, peace is far from certain even if Assad is toppled, as it is likely that another war will have to be fought between the FSA and the more radically Islamic rebels to prevent a religiously conservative government from being installed.

Women and children are dying - we have no excuses for not helping to stem the flow of blood.

In Al-Nusra-controlled territories, attempts to implement a religious court system and restrictions on alcohol and cigarettes have been met with general strikes and protests. The general consensus in Syria is moderate, and the FSA may have to forcibly quash AlNusra after this war to ensure a long-

term peaceful legacy.

For forty years, the Syrian people have lived in a repressive climate of fear, where any negativity levelled at the Al-Assad dynasty would result in imprisonment and death.

We need to be more assured in our support of the Syrian people, or the day will come when they turn to the international community and shame us for doing nothing.

Women and children are dying - we have no excuses for not helping to stem the flow of blood. We cannot sit by and allow this to happen, as we have so many times. Look to the horror stories coming from newly-liberated Libya and Egypt, and just imagine the acts being committed by Al-Assad’s forces as they become increasingly desperate to crush the rebels.

We know Al-Assad has chemical weapons, we know how horrific the situation is at the moment and we know how much worse it can become. In the words of Primo Levi, “If not now, when?”

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concrete.global@uea.ac.uk

Issue 283

23/04/13

Global

Westernisation of foreign cultures in film

Rachael Lum Global writer Nothing seems to show the effects of Westernisation more evidently than films. Adopting western elements and conventions in films set in the east is fast becoming a trend that caters not just to western audiences but changing tastes of modern society.

Take Disney’s Mulan: despite its generally positive review in the western world, it was a huge box office flop in China, much to the surprise of Disney.

Part of this, as film enthusiasts explain, is due to its inaccuracy and “foreign” influence. Many felt that Mulan, with her more western features and habits, did not look or seem like the heroine they knew.

The main issue was the oversimplification of cultural beliefs: it failed to capture the underlying patriotism of the legend, whereas her Disneyesque disobedience undermines the social and cultural values that surround the original backdrop of the story.

The reason for westernisation is simple and clear: it all comes down to marketing.

By coating films with familiar glosses

Image: fanpop.com and placing them within a cultural context that its primary target viewers are accustomed to, the film’s entertainment value is boosted while the characters appear a lot more relatable.

This is also owing to the fact that most people are hardwired to gain pleasure from experiencing the lives of others from a distance.

Unfortunately if the representation of a certain culture is not given due recognition or the respect it deserves in films, we are merely given a western perception of the east. Depending on how

impressionable people can be, this could propagate social stigma and stereotypes.

In the 2000s, Bollywood saw a spike in the production of westernised films, following the global influence of American popular culture. The cause for concern seems to lie in the mentality that “it is foreign therefore it must be good”.

Some of the criticisms that have arisen include the composition of Hindi songs peppered with fragments of English lyrics (whether they make sense or not) and hybridised choreography that some people believe would lead to the “death”

of Bollywood.

Traditionalists likewise interpreted the “MTV urbanite lifestyle” of the characters as a loss of identity and the depiction of sexuality as cultural controversy.

Nonetheless, just as this serves to attract a wider international audience, it also feeds the demands of changing demographics.

Youths often perceive westernisation as being associated with modernisation, although whether this is true remains a subject of debate within many different cultures. In India, the developments of the film industry reflect the progress of a society’s changing values.

Whether we believe westernisation to be a step forward or a threat to cultural uniqueness, we cannot deny that it is a global phenomenon that has already been set into motion and cannot be stopped.

For films to be successfully marketed in the west, it is assumed that the cultures they present must not be too different to our own. Audiences must understand that whatever appears on the screen is not necessarily a true representation of reality, and certainly not indicative of a culture as a whole.

Venezuelan opposition demand election recount Robert Norris Global editor On Friday 18 April Nicolas Maduro was officially announced as Venezuela’s next president after the death of Hugo Chavez, who passed away in March from cancer.

Maduro was sworn into power on Friday after a number of protests over the narrowly-contended election sprung up both within and outside of Venezuela.

From being a bus driver to foreign secretary under Chavez, Maduro was the former president’s first choice for a successor. He took leadership of the government in the weeks after Chavez’s death before the national election was held on the 15 April.

Despite Chavez’s seeming popularity among the majority of the Venezuelan electorate, his chosen successor only won the general election by 50%. Many people living both within and outside of the country publicly mourned his death, and yet the vote for opposition candidate Henrique Capriles gained 49%.

Capriles and his supporters have refused to accept the result of the election, claiming that Maduro rigged it in order to retain power and called for a complete recount of the ballot. Maduro’s government compromised by announcing that there would be an audit.

Monday 15 April saw violent protests against Maduro’s victory by supporters of

Capriles in the capital Caracas and some other cities.

Reuters reports that the government claim that there were eight deaths, 61 injures and 135 arrests as a result of the protests.

The government have said that most of the injured were not supporters of Capriles, with one report stating that opposition supporters tried to set fire to an injured policeman. Capriles himself has called for peaceful protests against

Maduro’s government.

In an address made on the following day, Maduro stated that he believed the protests were part of an attempted coup against his government.

The majority of countries within Latin America have embraced Maduro’s victory, with countries such as Argentina and Brazil acknowledging his victory.

Russia, Iran and Spain have also released statements over the past week recognising Maduro’s victory.

UK foreign secretary William Hague issued a statement in support of Maduro’s presidency, stating: “On the occasion of the inauguration of Nicolas Maduro as president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the UK government looks forward to working with the government and people of Venezuela to strengthen our relationship and deepen cooperation in areas of mutual interest. We are concerned by reports of violence following the elections and call on all sides to work together to reduce tensions and to prevent further incidents.”

The US will not officially recognise Maduro as president until the results of the audit are released.

Despite agreeing to hold the audit, opposition supporters within and outside of Venezuela are still expressing their anger over Maduro’s victory, with one protester breaching security and managing to snatch the microphone away from Maduro as he went to give his presidential speech.

Chavez seems to have become immortalised as a man who changed the fortunes of a country and toed a hard line toward the US that was celebrated by a large number of people and other Latin American nations.

Despite this, the popularity of Chavez’s own choice for successor already remains uncertain.

Features

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11

Studying at the library? Think again Features writer Polly Grice offers you some more options for places to study during this exam time It’s deadline season, and the only thing more frustrating than the Hub’s online submission is the lack of spaces in the library, so why not go and cry over your revision somewhere else instead?

The lake Glorious spring days were meant for sitting down by the Broads, so grab your notes and some books and at least enjoy the fresh air and the scenery while you’re slaving away over that last-minute referencing crisis. That is, if we manage to get any glorious spring days.

Blend Sometimes all you need to get you through is a little extra caffeine. If you don’t mind a bit of background noise, Blend is the perfect place to grab a coffee and mull over your work, or meet up with some coursemates and discuss a few ideas.

Plus, the supply of hot sausage rolls and delicious paninis right next to you will help you get through those endless pages of reading.

The Square Traditionally the place for a beer or five

post-exam, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy sunny afternoons in the Square predeadlines. Take a couple of books and find a quietish corner.

With the sun on your face and the bar tantalisingly close, you’ll feel infinitely happier than you would do stuck in the library.

WorldNomads.com

The Sainsbury Centre The lucky devils in World Art and Museology have The Sainsbury Centre pretty much all to themselves. While it may technically only be open to WAM students, the Sainsbury Centre does have the nicest toilets on campus and that alone makes it a great spot to revise The Laundrette.

Not the most obvious work spot on campus, but there’s no reason why you can’t get work done while you’re waiting for your wash. Instead of leaving your clothes in the machine for three hours after the cycle has finished and annoying the rest of campus, you’ll be there ready and waiting. Plus, you never know, the soapy smell might just give you the inspiration you’ve been looking for.

More kindness, and More Love Letters Features editor Lauren Cope explains why you should take some time out to make someone’s day It’s unlikely that our generation will find a box of aged, time-worn love letters from our younger years stuffed away in the attic. Old-fashioned courting and expressing our feelings with pen and paper have all but disappeared, replaced

by Facebook messages and saved texts.

Hannah Brencher, however, is different. When she graduated from college and moved to New York City, she was lost. She found herself “unravelling”, struggling to find her feet around other people, needing to feel something real.

Hannah decided to help herself, coming to the conclusion that she would write love letters to strangers and leave them all over the city - no intended recipients, and in completely random places. The first was on a train and was simply addressed: “If you find this letter, then it’s for you.” She has now left love letters round libraries, cafes and even in the United Nation building. Little did she know this was the beginning of a fast growing movement.

The now famous More Love Letters campaign claims that: “The world doesn’t need another website. Not another network. Not another app.”

Instead, it claims, it needs “love. Pure

old-fashioned, never goes out of style love”. They invite you to hand-write love letters to strangers all over the world, and you can even request one for a loved one who deserves it.

“The first was on a train and was simply addressed: “If you find this letter, then it’s for you”. She has now left letters round libraries, cafes, and even in the United Nation buiding.”

In an age of getting Facebook messages far more than paper letters. Sending thank you cards only when forced by your parents and mailing virtual postcards, receiving a handwritten letter in all its romantic glory is sure to raise a smile and make whoever the recipient feel special. We should all get involved with purely beneficial acts.

The BBC even recently reported survey results from Emotion journal, revealing that performing acts of kindness may help people with social anxiety. Minute gestures like picking someone up from work or giving them

a small gift has been shown to improve mental health in some situations.

But, this is nothing new. The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation promotes small, kind gestures to others. They suggest gestures from as hands on as cleaning up graffiti and playing music to the elderly, to as small as returning a shopping trolley and writing a letter to someone who has made a difference in your life.

This idea of offering strangers kindness has been around for a while.

Who can forget the 2000 rom-com Pay it Forward, with Kevin Spacey and Helen Hunt? The film saw a young boy attempting to make the world a better place after his teacher gave his class the assignment of “paying it forward”. The film freshly inspired the idea of selfless generosity in a new generation.

Movingly, this week, a young dance group in Marquette, Wisconsin, performed 26 random acts of kindness each in memory of each of the victims of the Newtown school shootings.

Performing an act of generosity isn’t something we think to do - amongst busy, stressed lives full of tasks, bills and problems to think about - taking some

time out for someone else is unheard of, particularly a stranger. So, if you aren’t warmed at the idea of helping those you don’t know, how about starting at home? Charity does start at home, after all. Cook your family a meal, arrange trips or days out and get creative, to thank those who mean the most. Even the smallest of acts can mean more than you appreciate.

So, set yourself a goal and aim to do one kind gesture for another a week. It’s not a lot - whether it’s helping someone who looks like they are struggling, writing to a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while, or even leaving your own anonymous love letters throughout Norwich (arguably slightly less romantic than New York), making others feel good is a sure fire way to make yourself feel better as well.

If you’re feeling stressed this exam period, or wondering what to do with all that spare time after exams have finished, look to your inner samaritan and make someone else’s day.

If you are interested in joining the More Love Letters movement, check out the website at www.moreloveletters.com.

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concrete.features@uea.ac.uk

Issue 283

Features

23/04/13

23/04/13

Issue 283

concrete.features@uea.ac.uk

13

Are UEA students worried about North Korea?

Features writer Eleanor Overvoorde asks whether the unrest in North Korea is affecting students here on campus North Korea’s threats of nuclear warfare and military action have been ongoing for some time now as tensions with neighbours South Korea remain high. Some experts, like Professor John Delury of Yonsei university, warn of the “clear warnings” that have followed previous attacks by the North.

Meanwhile, others like Andrea Burger of the Royal United Services Institute in London suggest that the North merely make rhetorical threats as they desire a peace treaty with the United States and South Korea.

“I don’t think we should dismiss the threat as a lot of people seem to have done. It’s still very concerning and affects the whole world” It seems that even those of us that rarely check the news are aware of the escalating tensions in North Korea. But, how worried are students of UEA? Is the situation perceived as an international pantomime of power or are students genuinely concerned that Kim Jong Un’s threats will become a reality, and a war involving multiple countries is looming large on the international stage?

So far, North Korea has only attacked through the medium of rhetoric. The battle of words, though largely one-sided, has been escalating in recent months. North Korea has recently advised foreigners to leave South Korea in preparation for the thermonuclear

war that it plans to initiate. Pete, a UEA student, likened North Korea’s behaviour to that of a “temperamental baby”.

Many argue that Kim Jong Un is creating international tension in order to boost domestic influence. However, not everyone shares this theory. In a CNN poll published on 8 April, 41% of Americans were reported to believe North Korea is an “immediate threat to the US”. It is important to bear in mind that in a war largely based on claims made by a secretive country that coverage of the threats made varies significantly from country to country.

But, whether Kim Jong Un’s actions are viewed by the international community as mere political posturing or as genuine threats, the fact remains that the UN estimates that North Korea is home to over 16 million people in need of food aid. Though accurate statistics for this secretive country are, of course, notoriously difficult to verify, it is clear that North Korea is at the very least a country in need of some international assistance.

whatsoever will come of them. There is a significant portion of students of the opinion that war is most likely to be the result of a miscalculation on either side. One student commented that: “I feel this is more sabrerattling by North Korea than actual intent of starting a war; that said, accidental war is entirely possible”.

However, some students are more worried, with most respondents considering conflict at least possible as a result. One worried student said: “I don’t think we should dismiss the threat as a lot of people seem to have done. It’s still very concerning and affects the whole world”.

“I feel this is more sabre-rattling by North Korea than actual intent of starting a war; that said, accidental war is entirely possible”

“I have all of my family members in Korea. I cannot stop worrying about this situation” This deeply concerning lack of reliable information available to the international community raises serious concerns for the people of North Korea who may be suffering

in silence in the secretive country. It is easy to forget that after the death of Kim Jong Il on 17 December 2011 there were high hopes from the UN and others that his successor would “change North Korea’s long-term

North Korea: a timeline June 1950: North Korean troops cross the 38th parallel into South Korea, starting the Korean War. July 1953: The end of fighting in the Korean War and the signing of the armistice agreement between the two countries, although no peace treaty was signed.

March 2010: The South Korean warship ROKS Cheonan sinks in the Yellow Sea, with North Korea accused of torpedoing it.

November 2010: North Korea fire about 170 rounds of artillery on Yeonpyeong Island, a group of South Korean islands in the Yellow Islands, killing four people.

October 2012: North Korea claims to have developed missiles that can reach

the US mainland.

January 2013: They announce they will be performing a new nuclear test and long range rocket launches, all part of a new stage of confrontation with the US. February 2013: North Korea carries out an underground nuclear bomb test on February to “defend the country’s security... in the face of the ferocious hostile act of the US”, referring to the passing of tougher UN sanctions against North Korea to target the nation’s nuclear program.

March 2013: Threats of nuclear strike against the US and South Korea are made. The Obama administration responds to the threat by revealing plans to deploy further ground-based missile interceptors on the West Coast.

A propaganda video showing a possible missile attack on U.S. government buildings in Washington is posted on the North Korean government’s YouTube channel.

Pyongyang claims to be readying rockets aimed at US targets.

April 2013: North Korea pledges to restart its Yongbyon nuclear complex, including a uranium enrichment plant and a reactor that was shut down under an agreement in October 2007.

U.S. officials report two mediumrange missiles have been loaded onto mobile launchers along North Korea’s east coast.

North Korea warns foreigners to secure shelter or evacuate in case of hostilities, and Japan moves its missile defense systems into place at three sites in Tokyo.

behavioural pattern”.

So what do UEA’s students think of North Korea’s statements? Do we think, like Russian President Vladimir Putin, that a conflict between North and South Korea will make

the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl look like a children’s “fairytale”, or are students more optimistic that the war of words will resolve peacefully?

To look at many UK/USA based humour

websites, almost every other post ridicules Kim Jong Un and what are perceived by users as his outrageous threats. 20.8% of students surveyed believe that the threats made by Kim Jong Un are empty and nothing

Perhaps it may be surprising that 8.3% of those surveyed believe that war involving multiple nations is imminent. It is easy to forget people’s genuine fears since it would appear they are largely kept to themselves, not shared via internet humour sites or in everyday conversations.

So with at least some members of the student community feeling entirely blasé about the situation, what is it like for South Korean international students, or those with family and friends in South Korea?

UEA International Student Ambassador Saem Kim says: “Although I know that it is very unlikely that a war will break out, as I have all of my family members and so many friends in Korea, I cannot stop worrying about this situation”.

However, another UEA student thinks that that the threat posed by North Korea is not taken seriously enough “even in South Korea, outside the government and the military” and worries that “this will result in a lack of preparation if the worst comes true”.

Saem did however comment on the laudable seriousness with which the situation is reported on UK television, commenting that “the UK actually covers this situation very seriously on TV”.

It is apparent that the students surveyed have proved themselves well informed on the situation regardless of their opinions on the seriousness of the threats. 84.5% of students surveyed said that they were checking the news more than three times per week.

Most UEA students believe that conflict in the troubled region is only possible, although a significant proportion of students are worried for the fate of those living in the troubled peninsular, especially, given the distinct possibility that, should conflict ensue, the international community would be dragged into the fray.

Special thanks to Saem, UEA’s International Student Ambassador for all her help with this article. Statistics were taken from a survey conducted by myself with 73 respondents.

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concrete.environment@uea.ac.uk

Issue 283

23/04/13

Environment

Department of education drops climate change syllabus

Photo: Flickr Peter Sheehan Environment writer The department of education, in its draft version of the revised national curriculum,

has dropped explicit mention of global climate change from the syllabus.

At the moment, the subject is covered in geography lessons, but the draft curriculum includes just a single mention,

in chemistry, of how carbon dioxide from human activities affects Earth’s climate.

David Attenborough is not happy.

Neither is Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.

They are among the 96 people who have put their signatures to a letter, published in the Sunday Times, calling on the government to make sure climate change is covered in depth in the new syllabus.

They say that “today’s children are tomorrow’s custodians of nature”.

They make a good point. Having at least a passing knowledge of climate change is part of understanding the modern world.

Increasingly, environmental considerations will affect society, economics, politics and even conflict.

Yet public acceptance of the veracity of climate change is at a record low. While 82% of people believe that climate change is real, one in five believe that natural processes are entirely or mainly the cause; this figure has doubled in the last four years.

Educating people about climate change does not mean indoctrinating them. That the global climate is changing

The pride of the lions could be at stake Patrick Cook Environment writer The unmistakable call of the lion that reverberates through the savannah landscape is soon to be an echo of the past. Lion are disappearing fast, soon to be resigned to zoology textbooks.

At the beginning of the twentieth century lions numbered 200,000 in Africa, but now only 30,000 remain warranting a Vulnerable to extinction category from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Currently they survive in fragmented populations encircled by an ever increasing human population where only 17% of their historic range remains.

Things are so bad the Barbary Lion is extinct in the wild and fewer than six viable populations remain in Africa.

Furthermore, in Asia lions number fewer than 350 and are located only in the Gir Forest reserve where they suffer inbreeding depression increasing their risks to disease, harmful genetic traits and environmental catastrophes.

Trophy hunting is a major threat to populations as males provide paternal care. Males form coalitions which protect their pride from ranging males searching for a new territory. Removal of one of this coalition dramatically increases a prides chance of being taken over by a new male whereby young cubs not raised by that male are killed in a process called infanticide. If male lions are continually removed by hunting then the number of cubs reaching adulthood will decrease

reducing the long term viability of lion populations.

Another threat to lion comes from the domestic dog. Transfer of diseases between animals called zoonosis is known to occur. In 1994 the Serengeti lion population declined by a third due to an outbreak of canine distemper that had spread from domestic dogs and hyena. In an expanding human landscape disease transfer is likely to increase.

Habitat of the lion is diminishing fast.

In the Serengeti fragmentation by road building is a major threat. A proposed two lane running through the Serengeti would halt the migration of 1.3 million wildebeest. Wildebeest are a substantial

prey base for lions and increased road access would lead to poaching threats.

Panthera, a non-profit big cat conservation organisation, is currently working in Africa to mitigate human lion conflicts which have driven this decline in population. It has been recognised lions cannot survive long term in a few protected areas but must be conserved range wide from the Sahel to South Africa. Hopefully with the good work of such organisation as Panthera lions will be safe in the future but currently that future looks very shaky. For more information on lion conservation please visit the Panthera website or Facebook page.

is a statistically undeniable. Much of the underlying theory – for example, that carbon dioxide emissions enhance the natural greenhouse effect – is similarly robust and has actually been around for centuries. To teach this as scientific fact is no more indoctrinating than is explaining the ins and outs of the pH scale.

But that is not to say that everything is written in stone: far from it. Where there are uncertainties, they should be explained honestly and fully. Glossing over them has caused many problems in the past; moreover, it has been found that the public erroneously equates scientific uncertainty with common or garden ignorance. Education is one way of overcoming this.

Including climate change in the national curriculum would familiarise people with the scientific basis, and would hopefully go some way to enabling them to better understand and evaluate the core conclusions of climate science. It would also fulfil the fundamental objective of education: preparing people for life on planet Earth.

Project to improve Europe drinking water Chris Teale Managing editor The University of East Anglia are to launch a £7.6m research project to improve the safety of European drinking water.

The five-year project called Aquavalens, funded by the European Union’s Framework Programme 7 will look to develop and put into practice faster ways of detecting viruses, parasites and bacteria in water before they can make people ill.

Around 330,000 cases of water-related disease are reported yearly in Europe according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

The research will be led by Professor Paul Hunter from UEA’s Norwich Medical School, with partners including small businesses, industries, universities and research institutes.

Professor Hunter said: “Although most European countries are fortunate to have some of the safest drinking water in the world, outbreaks of disease do still occur each year. With the technologies we currently have it can take two or more days to identify infectious risks in drinking water.

“This project will develop more rapid methods so that problems can be identified earlier. It will prevent people becoming sick by stopping them drinking contaminated water.”

The project will progress in four phases as technologies to detect microbes will be developed and then tested before then being integrated into existing practices.

Science & Tech

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Temporary tattoo technokinesis Dominic Burchnall Science writer Superpowers are something we’ve all fancied having at least once in our lives.

Being especially endemic to science fiction, from films like Star Wars and The Matrix, TV serials like Heroes, through comic books and novels, the ability to move objects with our minds or communicate by thought alone undeniably holds appeal.

And now, scientists and technicians appear to be close to bringing the human imagination forward into reality.

Researchers at the University of California are currently developing temporary tattoos containing microcircuitry capable of interfacing with thought and micro-muscular movement, without having to directly connect to nerve endings.

These non-invasive devices can be applied to the skin and are only 100 microns thick. This is comparable to the diameter of a single human hair, and the polyester casing of the miniscule wiring

allows them to flex and crumple without destroying the delicate components.

These minute computers can detect the bio-electric signals from the nerve endings under the skin even to the point where researchers were able to “read the minds” of test subjects by analysing the neural signals detected from these patches being placed on the head. Other thermal and light sensitive elements can be added to monitor skin temperature and blood oxygen levels. At its current level of development, it’s thought this technology could be used as a non-invasive health monitor, to detect the early onset of signs of epileptic seizures. However, in the future, it could be used for more.

There have already been several tests and demonstrations that show people with electrodes linked up to their heads can use specific commands to steer robots, directing them with the power of thought alone. Further research into these techtattoos could see this bulky equipment removed. With enough investment, the research team behind this say that

soon military drones could be flown by thought. Patches stuck to the throat muscles could act as silent microphones, detecting and interpreting muscle movement and speaking for you, without you ever needing to open your mouth.

Such an innovation would be invaluable to sufferers of speech impediments or with facial damage which prevents proper word formation.

While this technology is designed for use in the medical and military sectors, there is a long history of research intended for one purpose being reconstituted for another. The tattoos may someday be repurposed as a consumer product.

Imagine being able to walk into a room and turn on the lights, the computer and television just by thinking it. To travel on a crowded bus, and not have to hear everyone’s phone conversations, because they’re communicating by muscle twitch.

Being able to walk up to a nightclub bar, and sense by other people’s neural tattoos who’s “in the mood”. The cyborgs are coming ...

Image: us.tunigo.com

Planets like Earth discovered Could we explain The Hobbit?

Ben Dickson Science writer For years the scientific community has been searching for the possibility of other life in space, and recent searches for a faroff twin of Earth has turned up two of the most suitable candidates yet.

Scientists working on this discovery have told Science magazine that these new worlds are the right size and distance from their parent star, so that you might expect to find liquid water on their surface.

These would then hopefully be similar to the conditions found on our own planet, which would make it possible for them to support life.

However, at this current point in time, it is impossible to know for sure as our technology has a long way to advance.

Being 1,200 light-years away, these new planets are beyond detailed inspection by current telescope technology.

Although thought to possibly support life similar to that on Earth, they are considered by astronomers to be “superEarths” because their dimensions are about one-and-a-half times the Earth’s diameter. Despite this, most researchers agree that they are certainly not large enough to be gaseous like Neptune or Jupiter, but that they are thought to either be rocky, like Earth, or composed mostly of ice.

These two planets, otherwise known as planets 62e and 62f, also happen to sit a sufficient distance from their host star

that they receive a very tolerable amount of energy. Their host star differs from ours as it is slightly smaller, cooler and older than ours, but this has still produced conditions that are neither too hot, nor too cold; a region of space around a star sometimes referred to as the “Goldilocks Zone”.

The excited team of scientists have stated that all of the above information suggests that, given the right kind of atmosphere, it is very reasonable to speculate that they might be able to sustain water in a liquid state. Being able to contain water in this state is the most generally accepted precondition for life to exist on a planet.

With technology improving at the current, staggering rate, who knows what will be possible in the next few years.

Perhaps we will be able to say that we are no longer alone in the universe.

Image: nasa.gov

environment.

Since its discovery in 2003, researchers have struggled to explain the origins of these metre-high, tiny-brained people, known scientifically as homo floresiensis.

However, one of the most popular and commonly-accepted theories is that the hobbit evolved from a relatively large brained and large bodied human known as homo erectus. This species, although predominantly from east Asia, moved to Flores where it began to shrink in size over the generations by a process known as island dwarfism, which has been seen to occur in other species.

“Since its discovery in 2003, Beth Muncey Science writer Perhaps there could be some truth behind the books of J.R.R Tolkein, as a diminutive species of human have been found whose bodies could have shrunk as a result of island dwarfism.

The remains of these creatures, which were found on the Indonesian island of Flores and have been rather aptly nicknamed the “hobbit”, show that it is possible for there to have been a dwarf version of an early human species.

These scientists also believe that the hobbit co-existed with our species until 12,000 years ago, and its smaller appearance could have been a result of evolution as it adapted to its island

researchers have struggled to explain the origins of these metrehigh, tiny-brained people” However, critics of this theory argue that it would be impossible for erectus’s brain to shrink so much in relation to its body, so it must be a different species altogether.

Alternative theories are that these creatures are either a small group of modern humans, homo sapiens, whose brains and bodies have been prevented from growing normally because of a wasting disease, or that they are descendants of tiny-brained ape-like creatures.

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concrete.travel@uea.ac.uk

Issue 283

23/04/13

A journey around the floating city Lauren Cope Travel writer

As Lord Byron noted, whether or not you’re a fan, it’s undeniable that there’s nowhere like Venice. With the breathtaking main canal, mysterious side canals and beautiful run-down architecture, the gothic charm of Venice is something that should be experienced by everyone.

Piazza San Marco (St Mark’s Square to us Brits) is the main tourist spot. It’s filled with quaint (although deceptively expensive) cafes and shops and houses the Doge’s Palace, arguably Venice’s most famous building. Filled with beautiful paintings, intimidating prisons and the Bridge of Sighs, it’s well worth the money.

You can purchase a ticket that allows you entry into any museum in St Mark’s, including the Museo Correr, which offers an interesting history of Venice. If you aren’t afraid of heights, head up the bell tower, which offers spectacular views over Venice. The square itself backs onto great views over residential Venice, Guidecca.

If you’re an art fan, a visit to the Peggy Guggenheim collection is a must.

It houses a unique collection and also provides the eccentric story of Peggy’s life. For photographers, the picturesque Rialto Bridge has wonderful views. But be prepared to pay a little more for the restaurants lining it.

A large part of exploring Venice is soaking up the city itself. Have some time to just wander round: you’ll find more

hidden gems this way than searching them out. And, yes, you’ll get lost, but rather than getting stressed about finding your way, accept it as part of your trip.

You’ll find your way eventually.

Charging roughly 80 euros a ride, avoid the gondolas - they’re a tourist trap and don’t offer any authenticity. Instead, stick to the vaporettis, the waterbuses, which the Venetians use daily just as Londoners do the Underground. A vaporetti ticket for 72 hours is 35 euros – a fraction of the price. They get busy in the mornings, but are empty at night, so make sure you take a journey up the main canal while it’s dark for the amazing views.

Surprisingly, Venice isn’t actually known for its food. The assumption that all Italians make great pizza isn’t true (shock horror, I know), and most Venetian restaurants don’t have pizza stone ovens due to the fire risk of the proximity of the buildings.

As a result, plenty of outlets overcharge tourists for something they could buy at Dominos. Research the well-respected pizzerias (a quick Google will point you in the right direction), or opt for the seafood risottos and spaghettis on the menu from authentic Italian trattorias, more known to Venice.

Don’t leave without trying a traditional Italian hot chocolate. It’s nothing like the English powder and milk variety, but thickened with corn flour and only comparable to melted chocolate. They’re seasonal, so if you’re struggling to find

Photography Corner

one try Café Florian in St Mark’s Square – pricey, but worth it.

Don’t waste your time heading to Lido (the beach of Venice) – it’s closed due to building works for the foreseeable future and the island itself offers nothing for tourists. Murano, the home of the famous Venetian blown glass is worth a trip and is filled with shops selling beautiful trinkets

and fascinating free demonstrations of how it is made.

It truly is a unique place, so make the most of it. Avoid the tourist traps and opt for authentic restaurants on backstreets, stunning views down hidden paths and wonderful cafés dotted about, while getting sucked into the historic magic and charm of Venice.

I know a great little place ...

Every week our writers will tell you their favourite place in the world. This week, Callum Graham describes his favourite town in the world, Lubhoo.

Mountainous valleys form the lip of the bowl that surrounds Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, a country that seems to be scattered in and amongst the Himalaya mountains of north-east Asia.

Take the two-hour bus ride through mountainous trails to the north of Kathmandu and you will be rewarded with Lubhoo. It’s a quiet mountain town

Monticchiello, Tuscany. By Alessandra Mariani.

We love your travel snaps - see more of them online: concrete-online.co.uk/photo-corner Send yours to concrete.travel@uea.ac.uk and we’ll publish them.

Travel

Callum Graham

where you’ll find a mixture of teachers and farmers who live a Buddhist existence in houses often made of clay pulled from the hillside.

There’s a tea and dal bhat house, where on a clear day the clouds hang low over Kathmandu and the Himalayas are spread before you, with Mount Everest lurking darkly in the distance.

Travel

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The top five most unusual bars in the world Every traveller needs three things: a comfy bed to rest their weary head, a decent meal, and somewhere to enjoy a cool drink after a long day of exploring and sightseeing. If you’re looking for a livelier end to the day (or want get drunk in a hospital, or up an enormous tree) stop off at one of these unique, wacky bars for a shot of something different.

Clinic, Clarke Quay, Singapore For many of us, a visit to the hospital is an experience to dread, but there is nothing to fear at this crazy bar.

With wheelchairs for seats, surgery room lighting and cocktails served in syringes, blood bags and test tubes, it comes as little surprise to learn the architect responsible for this medical marvel is Damien Hirst. Chill out on hospital beds, or cut some shapes on the dance floor in the nightclub, Morphine.

Sunland Pub, Limpopo, South Africa Initially built to quench the thirst of locals, this hollowed out tree attracts thousands in need of a pint each year. Inside the 6,000-year-old, 72-foot high monster of a baobab, is a bar big enough to fit 40 people (there’s even a wine cellar) making it the perfect place to escape from the heat.

Bojangles, Alice Springs, Australia A visit to Uluru for any traveller will almost certainly lead to this curious bar.

Looking relatively unseemly from the outside, step inside to an interior full of crazy décor. Boots hang from the ceiling, snakes reside in tanks, a coffin plays host to a suit of armour and the taps in the

Jessica Crisp Travel writer

bathrooms turn on the water in a different sink. Far too confusing if you’ve had a few too many of the stonkingly cheap beers.

Hobbit House, Manila, Philippines Ever since the release of the Lord of the Rings film trilogy, the world has descended upon New Zealand to recreate a little bit of Hobbiton, but the craze didn’t start there. Hobbit House opened in Manila 35 years ago and is staffed entirely by dwarves rescued from the slums of the city. Enjoy over 100 types of beer, catch some great live music and be entertained by the world’s smallest Elvis impersonator.

Das Klo Bar, Berlin, Germany Possibly one of the most bizarre drinking experiences ever, Das Klo Bar will keep you on your toes. Part flea

market, part zoo and part theme park, the bird spider on display is the least of your worries. Bar stools rotate, tables dish out electric shocks and a false ceiling regularly cascades into a papiermâché avalanche. Be prepared, upon entry you’ll be sprinkled with water and spooked by skeletons. The ladies loos are booby-trapped too, watch out.

Everyone loves a bit of craziness, and there’s no doubt these bars will entertain, surprise, confuse and even drive you crazy. But, one thing is for sure, they’re more exciting than the majority of watering holes out there which offer the usual beer, dartboard and pool table. Next time you’re in any of these cities, stand out from the crowd and try something different when you go out for a drink. You won’t regret it.

City treasures and countryside delights: a guide to Dublin Maddy Hutt Travel writer For the best deals on hotels it is worth looking a little out of the city centre.

Located a 15-minute walk or five-minute bus ride from the centre is The Lansdowne Hotel, complete with a fantastic bar whose barman has to be one of the friendliest in the city. The Irish breakfast is good, the rooms are comfy and all for a very reasonable price of around £60 a night for a double or twin room.

One of the city’s main attractions is the Guinness storehouse, home to the blackest stout in the land that is loved worldwide.

A visit to the storehouse will set you back 13 euros and includes the chance to learn how to pull the perfect pint, and gets you a taste of the good stuff at the Gravity Bar, where you can also take in the magnificent view of Dublin and beyond.

The literary buds among you may wish to check out the array of statues that adorn the Merrion Square Park.

Dedicated to the memory of Oscar Wilde, each one is inscribed with one of his most memorable quotes. A personal favourite is the statue topped with a sculpture of a nude woman and marked with the words: “I drink to keep body and soul apart.” Read into that what you will.

For those seeking something different, try The Tea Garden. It might not be the first attraction that comes to mind, but it’s well worth a visit.

A little way along the River Liffey, in a white painted house along Lower Ormond Quay and down a sharp flight of steps is perhaps Dublin’s best kept secret.

The Tea Garden is a low lit grotto of tea and tranquillity with several beautifully furnished rooms. The array of tea infusions

on offer is astounding and each comes with an expert explanation, and advice on how to brew, pour and sip the perfect cup.

There are blends from across the globe but The Tea Garden has not forgotten its setting, and an Irish cream tea is on offer.

The cushions, throws and tummy warming pots of goodness will lull you into the most relaxing afternoon you could wish for.

At the spiritual heart of Dublin is Christ Church Cathedral, which you might have seen it in BBC hit drama The Tudors. Its medieval crypt is one of the largest in Britain and Ireland, and is home to a mummified cat and rat (known locally as Tom and Jerry).

If dead pets aren’t your thing (no one’s blaming you), visit the crypt’s café.

It’s worth going beyond the city limits, and out into the picturesque Wicklow countryside. The stunning landscape can be reached by train (20 euros for a return). It’s dotted with walking routes that can be trekked in a day, a few hours or just an hour, depending on how much rambling you fancy doing.

After your long walk out in the Irish hills there are numerous B&Bs to take shelter in around the Rathdrum area and you may even wish to take comfort in one of the area’s many old pubs.

A steak and Guinness pie after a long day’s walk is truly a wonderful thing and a trip into the countryside is well worth doing even just for the beautiful sea view from the train.

Travelling with Ryanair from London starts at £60 return and if you look in the right places, you can get great deals all over the city.

The city has so much to offer. If you are looking for an inexpensive post-exam break then Dublin really is the place to go.

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concrete.lifestyle@uea.ac.uk

Issue 283

24/03/13

Lifestyle

Could you have the knack for knitting?

Chris Clare Lifestyle writer The stereotype is of knitting enthusiasts that used to be old dears with cups of tea, sat on beige sofas with the clackclack of needles competing against the Countdown clock. Given the identities of today’s knitters however, with their beards, cider and passion for Doctor Who, it would appear that this stereotype does not hold. So where does knitting come from, and why has knitting experienced a rise in popularity at a time where iPads, Playstation 3s and Nerfguns rule campus?

Knitting is a method through which thread is turned into cloth, and is one of the oldest forms of creating clothing and materials. With its simple methodology and lack of complicated or large equipment, it is a staple part of

many cultures. Believed to originate in the Middle East, there is evidence that knitting is more than 1500 years old – and it comes as no surprise that the earliest evidence of knitted clothing so happens to be a sock.

Knitting is a versatile social activity.

Knitters can be seen in lectures and on trains, and once you get into the groove it becomes something that takes little mind power, allowing you to chat or watch television whilst doing something constructive. With a couple of like-minded friends you can get together and enjoy the latest movie, while helping each other out with the little Snafus that occur in any handmade item.

Handmade presents can be individualised, so when you are struggling to find that perfect gift it can be a pleasure to know that you can just pick

up your needles and create a masterpiece yourself with varying levels of success. A love-heart pillow for your partner could become a much cherished gift for years to come, even if your knitted heart does end up looking more like an “L”.

Access to knitting tutorials is easier than ever with the advent of modern technology; blogs, YouTube and Facebook all provide free tuition on the simplest of stitches and the most complex of knots.

You can have your questions answered in a short amount of time, complete with a video and step-by-step instructions.

This also means that you can be part of a knitting club from the comfort of your armchair, rather than having to go down to the village hall.

Yarn-bombing – the covering of a public object in something knitted – has become a colourful, enjoyable craze over

the years, and like all good crazes the internet has helped to make it popular.

Non-damaging and non-offensive, it is certainly a more loving way to rebel against the system.

Treasurer of UEA’s Knitting Society Tilly Wood told Concrete: “It is a nice relaxing way to spend your time during revision period, and it still feels productive.

KnitSoc meets in the pub every Sunday, so it’s a good excuse to get out the house and learn something new. Our popularity has really grown over the recent years.”

As with every student, money is an important factor. For a couple of quid, you can purchase a set of needles and a ball of yarn. With a few hours dedication, you can make your crush a lovely little teddybear for far cheaper than one bought from the Build-A-Bear (as long as they do not mind the wonky eyes).

Flickr: Stephalicious

Unhappiness: the invisible illness Emma Barnard Lifestyle writer One in four people will experience some kind of mental health problem in the course of a year. Many mental health organisations, including Mind, have launched campaigns to increase awareness and acceptance of these illnesses, but are they working? And if not, why?

For several years, mental health has been discussed as a taboo subject, with the effects of disorders such as depression being seen as less impactful than “visible” illnesses. These problems affect people of all races, ages and genders, and, in fact, 10% of children have a mental health problem at any one time.

Every one of us knows someone with mental health problems, whether we Emma Williamson

are aware of it or not. But would we feel comfortable talking to them about it? Is the stigma attached to these illnesses changing?

The department of health publishes an annual survey investigating attitudes towards mental health. Some of their improving statistics include that the percentage of people saying they would feel uncomfortable talking to their employer about their mental health was 43% in 2011, compared to 50% in 2010.

In addition, the percentage of people saying they would be comfortable talking to a friend or family member about their mental health, for example by telling them they had a mental health diagnosis and how it affects them, rose from 66% in 2009 to 70% in 2011.

The media, through mediums such as advertising, puts pressure on people

to be happy with their bodies, happy in their jobs, to have lots of friends, a happy family and a romantic relationship. This pressure is present at all times; self-help books are always top sellers, and women especially are constantly being convinced to be happier with their bodies with each newly published diet and celebrity keepfit DVD. Statistics show that the UK has the highest rates of self-harm in the whole of Europe, with 400 people per 100,000 being effected. Suicide rates also show that British men are three times more likely to die as a result of suicide than women. With statistics such as these, why is mental health still whispered about?

Caila Carr, a local teacher, spoke to Concrete about her opinion on the issue: “If mental health is something we shouldn’t be afraid to face, why is

it required as information for some training and job applications? In this tough climate, can anyone say that they wouldn’t use this information as a reason not to accept a possible candidate?

Which means that those that should place their mental health issues down in that terrifying box, do not.

“This in turn means these candidates will not receive the support that they perhaps would have, and could act as a catalyst for the symptoms to worsen.”

With this in mind, organisations such as Time to Change are doing extremely important work in raising awareness in the UK and encouraging more people to openly discuss mental health illnesses.

For more information about these mental health awareness campaigns, visit timeto-change.org.uk, mentalhealth.org.uk or mind.org.uk.

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Measuring out your life with coffee spoons Bruno Gnaneswaran Lifestyle writer If you are currently reading the newspaper with a cup of coffee in your hand, you may be happy to hear that you are not alone in doing so. Coffee contains the world’s most popular and consumed legal drug: caffeine.

Astonishingly, over two billion cups of coffee are poured worldwide every day, with 70 million cups consumed in the UK. Recent surveys have shown that British consumers are frequenting coffee shops 39% more often than in the previous 12 months, and that the rise is set to continue.

Retailers have now recognised that Britons have become more sophisticated, experienced and many require a stronger taste with regards to coffee consumption.

A small group of educated coffee consumers previously existed, but being knowledgeable on coffee has now become the norm.

Is the mug of coffee sitting on your desk actually harmful to your health? Let us start with the many beneficial effects that coffee, or the psychoactive drug caffeine, has on the human body and the brain. The effects are initially felt 15 minutes after consumption, and it will reach its peak effect in approximately 30 minutes. Only half of the caffeine in our bodies will disappear after six hours. Caffeine is a stimulant and encourages the production of adrenaline.

It will increase the heart rate, constrict blood vessels, increase the passing of urine, suppress appetite and increase alertness.

Caffeine blocks the receptor for the

chemical adenosine, a neurotransmitter that calms the body and nerves for the preparation of sleep. As a result, the “fight or flight” response is provoked and this gives rise to an increase in alertness and energy levels. Its short-term effects are thought to improve productivity and concentration.

Simple intellectual tasks and physical endurance activities may be enhanced, but fine motor controls will not. The brain will be stimulated, fatigue will be postponed and your mood elevated. Contrary to popular

belief, the consumption of coffee will not inhibit the effects of alcohol or sober you up, but it will merely make you more alert, whilst co-ordination and concentration will still be impaired.

As with most drugs, excessive consumption of caffeine will have negative consequences. Excess caffeine can cause increased nervousness, restlessness, irritability and anxiety. Your heartbeat will increase and you may experience muscle tremors. Drinking coffee late at night can

also cause insomnia, although this may be what you desire if you are looking to revise all night. It must be noted that caffeine sensitivity varies from person to person, and that a small amount of the drug could have a bigger effect on one person than it does on others.

Many of us will increase our consumption of caffeine when exams are looming. Although it may be helpful, one must be warned of the ill effects posed by coffee when it is consumed excessively.

Flickr: Doug88888

Make room for Macarons & More Maddy Hutt Lifestyle writer The Royal Arcade has a new neighbour in the form of Tim Kinnaird’s venture into sweet treats, Macarons & More.

The shop opened two months ago and has already been popular with locals since first making its name on the stalls of the Norfolk Diet market, and finding success with its online pick up service. Tim’s macarons take the classic French patisserie favourite and give it a modern makeover, with recent and past flavours including bacon and maple syrup, gingerbread and chocolate, and blackcurrant and violet. Be prepared to arrive early to avoid the disappointment of finding an empty display window; these macarons are selling like hot cakes.

Although they take first spot in the shop’s title, macarons are not the only thing on the menu. The masterminds behind the business have been perfecting their madeleines, making melt-in-themouth silver and gold topped brownies,

and creating cracking spice-infused peanut brittle.

Hot chocolate is also on offer, but it is not your standard instant powder. Tim’s Masterchef experience of cooking in Rajasthan, India led him to create some fantastic mixes using rich chocolate and warming spices, each offering the smooth, thick texture of a real chocolate drink in

Macarons & More

keeping with the Aztec tradition. Such a drink would not be complete without a marshmallow or two, and Macarons & More have developed their very own flavoured marshmallows as well.

The sweet-toothed customer is clearly more than catered for here, but for the savoury inclined, the shop sells a variety of fresh artisan breads that would not look

out of place in a Parisian bakery. Their perfect crusts are simply waiting to be torn off and devoured by a hungry customer waiting in the queue (a temptation that has been stifled on many occasions).

It may be hard to believe that creator Tim Kinnaird was firstly a medical practitioner, and has worked with the university as well as at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. Despite having a talent and passion for practising medicine, Tim found that food was his true calling, and has come from reaching the Masterchef finals to being the proud owner of one of the most exciting new enterprises in Norfolk.

Macarons & More has given East Anglia a taste of the French patisserie, but with a personal touch that makes their products and service truly special.

The city of Norwich has welcomed their creations with open arms, and embraced this new local business that is committed to creating perfection in its products and using local produce as often as possible.

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concrete.lifestyle@uea.ac.uk

Issue 283

23/04/13

Brain food recipes

Lifestyle

Rich in memory-boosting nutrients, this superfood selection of quinoa, beans, chilli peppers and blueberries is just what you need to keep concentrating this revision period.

Flickr: Emily Barney

Quinoa stuffed peppers Emma Williamson Lifestyle editor

Ingredients • 100g of quinoa, rinsed • 200ml of water • 1tsp of Marigold Swiss vegetable bouillon powder • 1 large red pepper, sliced in half and deseeded • 50g of breadcrumbs • 50g of grated cheddar

Method 1. Preheat the oven to 200C or Gas Mark 6.

2. In a large saucepan, boil 200ml of water with the bouillon powder. Add the quinoa, reduce to a simmer, and cover. Allow to cook for 10 minutes before draining.

3. Using a tablespoon, generously stuff the cooked quinoa into each pepper half.

4. Once filled, sprinkle grated cheese and breadcrumbs on top of the quinoa filling.

5. Place the stuffed peppers in an ovenproof dish and place it in the oven for 30 minutes.

6. Serve alongside a goats’ cheese and spinach salad.

Flickr: GlobalCitizen01

Three bean chilli Emma Williamson Lifestyle editor Ingredients • 1tsp of sunflower oil • 1 onion, diced • 1 clove of garlic, crushed • 2tsp of smoked paprika • ½tsp of cumin • ½ a red chilli pepper, diced • 1 red pepper, sliced • 200g of passata • 100g of tinned kidney beans, drained • 100g of tinned butter beans, drained • 100g of tinned pinto beans, drained • Salt, to serve

Fresh blueberry and hazelnut muffins Bex White Lifestyle writer Ingredients 110g of butter 250g of plain flour 250g of caster sugar 2 eggs 125ml of milk 2tsp of baking powder ½tsp of salt 225g of fresh blueberries 50g of hazelnuts, chopped Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180C or Gas Mark 4.

2. Sieve the flour, baking powder and salt together into a large bowl, and set aside.

3. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

4. Add the eggs to the creamed butter, and beat well until smooth and lump-free 5. Add the milk and the flour mixture and beat until combined.

6. Once mixed, gently stir in the blueberries.

7. Separate the mixture into muffin cases, only filling each two-thirds full, and sprinkle over the chopped hazelnuts.

Flickr: Simply Bike

Method 1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil on a medium heat. Add the diced onion and garlic, before stirring in the smoked paprika and cumin.

2. Once the onion and garlic are translucent, add the chilli and the sliced pepper. Allow this to cook for roughly five minutes, or until the pepper begins to soften.

3. Pour in the passata and add the beans. Bring the chilli to a simmer, before covering and leaving to cook for 20 minutes. Stir frequently.

4. Once cooked, serve with rice, tortilla chips or sour cream.

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concrete.sport@hotmail.co.uk

Issue 283

23/04/13

Sport

Great Scott! Australian Adam takes Masters crown Callum Hansey Sports correspondent

Editors’ column Sam Tomkinson Sports editor

Sport is one of the most important facets of human life. Sport brings about high levels of emotions that are hard to find anywhere else; the passion that comes with supporting a club, the ecstasy of victory and the despair of defeat. When an individual throws themselves in to sport there are no half measures.

This is why I love sport. What you put in, you get out. There is no substitute for hard work and when that pays off there are few moments in life that replicate the feeling of accomplishment.

It is the extremes in sport that make it addictive. In defeat you may feel despair, but if there is something that could make you feel that bad, victory must have felt so good before. There is little sweeter in this life then the taste of victory.

It also builds you into a better human being. Sport offers the chance for leaders to be created. Leaders are crucial in all walks of life; being able to make the right decision under pressure defines a leader. They may be as inspirational as Churchill or as exemplary as Mother Theresa, but without calmness in the heat of the moment these skills are useless.

Sport develops strong team work credentials. Success, in team sports, can only come about if they work well as a team. In these sports there is no room for the individual. There is room for inspirational individuals, such as Lionel Messi, but not individuals.

Sport is crucial part of UEA. Playing for clubs creates friendships that last a life time. There is nothing like a friendship from playing for a sports team, as a group joins together to achieve a common goal. When this goal is achieved, nothing can hamper this feeling of joy.

It has been an honour to be part of UEA sport for three years and I have loved every moment of it. I believe that everyone should get involved in sport at any level, any sport, as there is no feeling like it.

Australia completed the grand slam of golf’s majors on Sunday, as Adam Scott fulfilled his potential and took his first major tournament. The 32-year-old captured the famed green jacket on the second hole of a play-off with former champion, Argentine Angel Cabrera.

In a tournament where 14-yearold Guan Tianlang made the cut, Tiger Woods put his ball in the wrong place, former champions Fred Couples and Bernhard Langer made runs at the lead, it was Australian who dominated.

Marc Leishman, playing in his second Masters, held the lead with Sergio Garcia on six under after day one. Garcia stated after last year’s tournament that he was not good enough to win a major. These confidence issues appeared to catch up with him as he fell away from his early challenge, making up ground in the final round to finish tied eighth.

After the second round the leaders’ score remained at six under, though it was Leishman and Scott’s countryman, Jason Day, a former Masters runnerup that was on top. He had an outright

shot lead over Couples and Leishmann, whilst Scott remained on three under, with a par round of 72.

With 61 players making the cut, Guan Tianlang’s achievement was even more impressive. He was the only amateur to qualify for the weekend’s play, courtesy of sitting at four over through two rounds. He was nearly two full years younger than the previous youngest player to make a major championship cut, Matteo Manassero at the 2009 Open.

He received the first one-stroke penalty for slow play since the 2010 US PGA Championships.

Woods had carded a second round score of 71, however this was not found to be the case. On the 15th he took a drop shot, after hitting the flag and rebounding into the water. After admitting in a post round interview that the drop had occurred two yards behind the location of the original shot, he was hit with an additional two shot penalty despite calls for his disqualification.

On day three Cabrera and Brandt Snedeker made their moves on the leaders, the pair finishing the day at seven under, one shot ahead of Scott.

Day had a share of the lead going in to

17, but bogeyed the last two to end two shots behind., alongside Leishmann.

The lead changed hands a lot on Sunday, with Snedeker, Cabrera, Scott and Day all sitting atop. Jason Day was always in contention, but he bogeyed the last two for the second day running to slip to nine under.

Adam Scott went into 18 tied with Cabrera who was a hole behind. Scott holed a 25 footer to send the crowd into raptures. The birdie gave him the outright lead, but an excellent approach and up and down form Cabrera gave him birdie to take it to a play off.

The first playoff hole saw both players make par, though Cabrera narrowly missed for birdie.

The second hole however saw Cabrera leave the putt just short, Scott took advantage and sent his 15 footer into the cup.

It had been an agonizing wait for the proud sporting country, with no less than nine runner-ups in the tournament, including Scott himself in 2011. Scott finally living up to the potential his 2004 PGA Championship showed and elevated himself to third in the world rankings.

Formula One tyres sparks controversial debate

Holly Wade Sports correspondent As Formula One races progress it seems that strategy is becoming more of a key component for race wins. Not only does a team need a great racing driver to achieve a race win, but they need to work together in both pit stops and in the understanding of tyre degradation in order to succeed.

Over the years there have been a variety of suppliers of Formula One tyres, from Bridgestone to Michelin. Pirelli currently

provide the tyres and have done since 2010.

It is known that the tyres are made so that degradation is quicker, meaning drivers must pit more, adding edge to the race as a slow pit stop could ruin a shot of a podium finish.

There is an assortment of tyres that Pirelli make and it can often become very complicated to comprehend. Dry weather tyres, known as “slicks”, come in four different compounds; the supersoft, soft, medium and hard. From these four Pirelli provide two tyre types per race, in which

the teams must use both at least once during the race, which they believe shall be suited to the track and its temperature in order to provide maximum results.

At the recent Chinese Grand Prix the soft and medium compound were used.

The soft compound degrades quickly causing drivers to need to pit stop more.

If Pirelli had opted for the hard tyre it was thought that the tyre would have lasted an average of 25 laps, making it a one stop race for most drivers, providing the fans with less excitement as pit stops would seem less significant with the lack of fast tyre degradation.

Tyres have become a huge concern in recent weeks with many debating if the Pirelli tyres are suitable or prevent proper racing as drivers are often told by the team to ‘manage them’ and cannot push their machinery to the limit.

BBC Technical Analyst Gary Anderson disagrees stating “in terms of the tyres themselves, I think they make teams think harder.” Clearly tyre management is a crucial part to conserving the car as a whole.

As much as the driver is fundamental a win cannot be achieved without a strong car and the maintaining of its parts, including its tyres, is a vital part of the sport.

Despite the debate surrounding tyre maintenance it does seem that they are central to whether a car has the ability to win a race and without this added factor the fans would be left craving more.

Sport

23/04/13

Issue 283

concrete.sport@hotmail.co.uk

23

Men’s Rugby primed for 2013/14 return Sam Tomkinson Sports editor After a year’s ban UEA’s men’s rugby club will be starting afresh. Off the field misdemeanours resulted in the club being banned for the 2012/2013 academic year and after completing a RFU leadership course the club want to make sure that they are seen in a positive light. The club are embarking on a five-year objective, set by the RFU, to make sure that rugby’s transition back into university sport is successful.

Speaking to club president Bruce Whiting, he outlined their approach to next year and how they are going to right their wrongs and prove their worth to the university as one of the major sports.

He said: “getting more people involved in rugby is one of our main things. We’re offering a variety of tournaments and other events so that, even if rugby isn’t their main sport, people can get involved in these tournaments.”

Trying to attract members is one of the components of the plan and something that could be testing. This is due to the teams being placed at lower leagues than they were previously in. The first team will start in BUCS Midlands Division 3 and the

second team in Division 4.

Whiting understands the concern that some may have but sees it as potentially being positive, as he explains: “we are in the first year of a bigger thing, and a whole year has missed out on rugby below us, it may be a good thing for us to be able to compete in these two leagues which are still a high standard.

“Hopefully the level will be enough to test us and be a confidence boost to the club to come back from where we were to

possibly getting promotion at the end of the season for both clubs, I can’t see that as a negative thing.”

Off the field antics resulted in the ban and making sure this is not repeated is of primary concern for Whiting. He added: “Our main focus isn’t the socials, it’s the rugby, making sure we perform on the pitch. We want other societies to want to go out and have socials with us and not have such a bad name on the club.”

By creating this mantra already shows

positive steps from the club. According to Whiting the aim is to create more openness and move away from the previous “clique” mentality: “that’s why we’re completely changing it. Our aim this year is to open up and beg our friendships back. But also, open up to other groups.

“Two years ago, if you had asked people from the club about going on socials with Medics or American Football it would have been out of the question. Now we’re open to everyone, we’ve all realised it’s up to us to build the bonds now and I think the biggest aim for next year is the openness of the club.

“There are going to be no friendship groups when it comes to team selection and the like. We’re already planning our socials so that we can go out with other clubs and other clubs enjoy going out with us. We want to prove that we are a nice bunch of guys that clubs want to mix with.”

Gaining the trust of the Union, promoting club membership through RFU-sponsored advertising and making sure that they are well behaved on socials are the off the field aims of the club. There is a reassuring feeling that Whiting, along with the committee, will be able to achieve these goals and restore the pride in UEA rugby that was lost.

Superb season of success for Men’s Football Charlie Savage Sports correspondent

Ga Chun Yau

The UEA men’s football team are on course for one of their most successful seasons ever, as they head into the business end of the year.

All three of the squads are in contention for silverware over the coming weeks, hoping to add to the two league titles already secured with games to spare.

Despite narrowly missing out on winning BUCS Midlands Division 2B in the last game of the season, the first team need just three points from their final five games to clinch the Anglian Combination third division championship. What makes this feat even more impressive is that the team are yet to lose a match in the league, dropping just four points in 21 games so far.

The second team went one further than their counterparts in BUCS Midlands Division 4B, winning their final match of the season to secure the title and the subsequent promotion that goes with it.

The second team lost just twice all season in the league, securing the title with a three-point margin over second-placed Cambridge II. Similar success has followed in their Saturday league, where a cup final awaits the squad on 9 May at the

Norfolk Football Association’s Football Development Centre, as they look to build upon a reputable league finish. Likewise, the third team have continued the trend in the cup, and are in the semi-final of their respective competition after already claiming the league title, which was clinched over a month ago.

President of the club, Simon Beeson, has attributed the accomplishments on field to the dedication that has been notable away from the regular match days.

He said: “credit must be given to our great committee for all their hard work, especially our five captains as well as our secretary, Kavi Luchowa, who has had to organise over 70 games this season.”

By the end of this season, the club could have collectively amassed five trophies throughout all three teams, comfortably beating the total last year of just a solitary cup win.

The work by the whole football team during this academic year has not gone unnoticed by the vast majority at UEA and, with the new committee selected for next season, the hard work has already begun in trying to emulate the trophyfilled achievements of the current group of stars in what has already been one of their most successful seasons in recent memory.

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Concrete Sport UEA

SPORT

Issue 283 23 April 2013

Men’s Rugby president interview

Greg Mann

Page 23

Ultimate players selected for GB sides Chris Teale Managing editor Four players from UEA’s Ultimate Frisbee team, known as Aye-Aye, have been selected for some of the sport’s Great Britain squads.

The sport has grown in popularity in this country and also at university level, with some of Aye-Aye’s players now having the opportunity to represent national sides.

Beccie Haigh is one of the team’s most experienced players, having already played at the University of Sussex and for the Great Britain Women’s and Women’s Beach sides.

She will travel to Cali in Colombia as part of the GB squad for the World Games, the international multi-sport event for sports non-Olympic sports, which take place from 25 July until 4 August.

Haigh first took up the sport as something to play during the summer, having played football for many years, and was immediately addicted to it.

She said: “It was mainly the people, spending the whole weekend with your

team makes them become like family. But also the depth of skills required kept me hooked, whenever I felt I had learned to do one thing I recognised other areas I could improve on.”

Aye-Aye will also have two representatives at the World Flying Disk Federation World Under-23 Ultimate Championships in Toronto. Anna Trebble and Howard Storey will travel to York University to compete for Great Britain’s women’s and mixed teams respectively.

The event will last for a week from 2128 July, with teams attending from across the world.

Storey has been heavily involved with Aye-Aye this year and has played the sport since being introduced to it before going to university. “A teacher at school, who I played squash with, represented the GB ultimate team,” he explains.

“He lent me his Frisbee and taught me the rules and some throws. I would get my mates together and we played a ‘jumpers for goalpost’ version of ultimate, we were all very rubbish!

“Once I joined the club at UEA, I was hooked both on and off the pitch and knew I was never going to leave.”

Meanwhile, Trebble came into the sport to try something new after playing hockey and netball previously, and has enjoyed the responsibility of leading the UEA women’s side while gaining a love for the sport.

She said: “I became women’s captain in my second year and started to enjoy the sport even more. Not only was I able to be fully involved in the club, but I was also able to push myself in my abilities in order to be a good captain, which inevitably got me where I am now.”

Matt Metcalfe was also hopeful of selection for Great Britain’s Under-23 mixed team, but unfortunately did not make the final cut.

Meanwhile, Alistair Middlemiss has been selected for the Great Britain Under-20 Open team, who will be competing at the European Junior Ultimate Championship in August, having also only got into the sport when he came to UEA. The selections show how successful Aye-Aye have been in recent years, with the national recognition coming after victories against a number of other university sides.

Men’s Football season in review

Ga Chun Yau

Page 22 The Masters

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