Concrete 315

Asexuality Awareness Week >P11

Ultimate guide for student travellers >P20 20th October 2015 Issue 315

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UEA hockey teams face investigation >> Men’s first and second teams to be investigated for alleged violations of union’s code of conduct Jessica Frank-Keyes News editor The UEA Men’s First and Second Hockey Teams have been suspended pending an investigation into an alledged violation of the Union of UEA Students’ (UUEAS) code of conduct. 28 players from both teams – around half of the UEA Men’s Hockey Club – have been temporarily suspended from participation in union sports clubs, including matches and training, following the alledged breach.

An email, seen by Concrete, that was sent to the players last Thursday, says: “It has been alleged that on Wednesday 14th October, the first X1 and second X1 hockey were involved in activity that may have been in breach of the union’s code of conduct”. Concrete understands that the accusations relate to the following subsections of the code: “threatening or harassing any other person, whether physically or verbally; assaulting any other person; acting in contravention of the union’s equal opportunities policies; acting without due regard for the safety of others; infringement of equal opportunities, safe space, no platform or staff protocol policies; organising initiation ceremonies”.

Any member of UUEAS is subject to it’s code of conduct “while... representing or acting on behalf of the union at any event of whatever kind and wherever held”.

Photo: Will Cockram, Concrete Photography Speaking off the record, a well-placed union source said that the allegations will not be made more specific to prevent the club from preparing a defense prior to the official investigation.

The events in question occurred on the return journey to UEA after the first XI played

Oxford and second XI played Oxford Brookes on 14th October and quickly became the subject of intense and lurid speculation on social media. UUEAS released a statement about the allegations, stating that they are “supported by video evidence” and that the behaviour of the two teams “if proven, would

constitute a serious breach of the code of conduct. The two teams have been suspended pending an investigation, which will begin as soon as possible. It would be inappropriate to comment further whilst the investigation is ongoing”.

The players involved have been informed by the union that due to “clause 16.1 of the code in cases involving gross misconduct” they are liable to “a period of suspension of membership rights... whilst an unhindered investigation is conducted”.

The union has decided that “any member of the UEA Hockey Club that travelled to or from Oxford on October 14th has now had this right [to participate in union activities] suspended and no activity under the auspices of the club may take place until the suspension has been lifted”. Concrete understands that the offical union investigation will take place at some point this week.

Richard Shapland, the President and Captain of the UEA Hockey Club, spoke exclusively to Concrete about the allegations.

He claimed that he “can’t think of anything that went on that was that much too far for the union to see fit to suspend 28 players. It might be something to do with just one or two people, which, for them to suspend two full teams – forcing us to concede two matches – seems heavy-handed”.

Asked about the extent of his knowledge Continued on page 5

Union council meeting labelled “shambolic” by councillors Dan Falvey Editor-in-Chief Union Council, the democratic decisionmaking body of the Union of UEA Students (UUEAS) has faced widespread criticism from councillors present at the its first meeting of the year. Last Thursday’s meeting was criticised by councillors who claimed to be “shocked” by council’s conduct, angry at the showcasing of “personality politics” and annoyed that the meeting was “unnecessarily long”.

On 15th October, Union Council sat for the first time this academic year to vote on motions proposed by councillors. The meeting started at 19:00, , but did not finish until nearly four hours later. Council is well known for taking a long time to get through its agenda and regularly passes a guillotine motion in order to force the meeting to come to a close at a set time. This ensures that students are not still voting late into the

night.

For this reason, Jonathan Gillespie, who was present at council representing Conservative Future, proposed that council immediately agree to finish at 22:00, limiting the length of council to three hours.

However, Gillespie’s motion was narrowly rejected: 46% voted in favour of the cut-off, but 52% voted against. This was not the only attempt by councillors to impose a guillotine for the night. A further four guillotines were rejected by and, in the end, the meeting did not finish until 23.00. By this time over, 30 councillors had walked out.

“The lack of a formal closing time at Union Council was the cause for last night’s shambolic meeting” claimed Gillespie.

“Losing over a third of members is an absolute outrage”, he added. Gillespie was not alone in voicing his criticism. Aaron Hood, the union’s Disabled Students’ Officer, said that the meeting was “horrendously stressful for students with anxiety and it was an awful initiation for new councillors”.

Amy Rust, representing Politics Society, agreed. “I was sat with some new councillors who were shocked by how council conducted itself”.

It wasn’t just new councillors who found the process uninviting. UEA:TV’s councillor, Rob Drury, said that “even as a third-term councillor” he found the process “unnecessarily long, complex and difficult to understand”.

Gilbert MacNaughton, who was elected as chair unopposed at Thursday’s meeting, has responded to the criticisms: “I believe the anger over how long Thursday’s meeting [went on for] perfectly illustrates the fundamental clash between making council less intimidating and the desire that council remains a venue for ideas and policies to be freely and enthusiastically debated, a clash that led to a lot of anger on both sides”. He added: “Reconciling these positions is the only way that union council can function to the best of its abilities”.

But Theo Antoniou-Phillips was more

positive in his summary. “I was really pleased with how council went. Lots of great motions were passsed which mandate the students’ union to do some great work”.

One reason for the late finish of council was that the meeting did not formally start until 25 minutes after it was meant to. While many councillors believe the late start time is more evidence of council’s disorganisation, the move also indicates that the motions passed by council may not actually be legal. According to the union’s constitution: “In order for the meeting to make formal decisions there must be a quorum [the minimum number of councillors present for the meeting to be constitutional] within 15 minutes of the time stated on the agenda for the meeting to start”.

Responding to the claims, a UUEAS spokesman argued: “The required number of attendees had arrived for the meeting by 22:10. This was formally recorded through a quorum count later, but the required quorum by the deadline was never in doubt”.

20th October 2015

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Editorial Dougie Dodds

COMMENTcartoon

The University of East Anglia’s independent student newspaper since 1992 Tuesday 20th October 2015 Issue 315

Union House University of East Anglia Norwich NR4 7TJ www.concrete-online.co.uk

Editors-in-Chief Dan. Falvey Joe Jameson concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk Deputy Editor Peter Sheehan concrete.deputy@uea.ac.uk

The alegations made against hockey are serious But it is important not to take sides during an official investigation

Joe Jameson Editor-in-Chief

W

hen we decided to cover the story about the men’s first and second hockey teams being suspended, we did so fully in the knowledge that what mattered most was the topic, rather than who was at fault and why. We endeavoured to ensure that our reporting of the incident reflected this, especially as this investigation is still ongoing, and we are unlikely to ever know all of the facts.

Some may feel that this is has been a move which was high handed and based on little sound evidence, but it is worth remembering that there are very few instances where such action is taken by the union, and that any such allegations of this level must be investigated in order to ensure that no society or club develops an atmosphere which is unwelcoming or makes people feel uncomfortable.

It is then important, as well, to ensure that there is no hounding of committee members whenever situations like this arise, as it is unlikely to be a pleasant experience being dragged into a horrible political situation when really the aim of a society is to enjoy a particular game, or activity with like minded people. Sadly, people can occasionally get carried away with jokes which they themselves don’t perceive as offensive or upsetting, so it is crucial to ensure that anyone who does find something unacceptable feels that they will not be penalised for speaking out and saying so.

We see this sort of thing quite often in politics, where personalities can be built off the back of voicing offensive and insulting remarks

about groups in society and disguising them as ‘nationalist’ rhetoric. One such person is Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump, who has so far been able to gain more support in the polls than his adversaries, despite his often damaging and apparently thoughtless remarks. Global writer, Laura Schmidt explains that she is embarrassed to share her nationality with Trump, highlighting how he has failed to comprehend the complexities of his desired political position. Trump often says things in order to be divisive and a lot of his critics argue

“It is unlikely to be a pleasant experience being dragged into a horrible political situation” that should he be elected president of the US, it would be a disaster for inclusivity and societal cohesion in the US. Our centre spread covers diversity and inclusivity on campus, as well as nationally, by looking at a new student led campaign ‘UEA is Ace’ set up to support Asexual Awareness Week. This campaign, which is being backed by the union is seeking to raise the profile of asexuality on campus and encourage people to think more broadly about their sexuality and to raise awareness of the Ace spectrum. We spoke to Eliott Simpson, who has organised the events running between 19th and 23rd October, about why he felt that this was needed and where he would like to see the events lead to in the future.

In Comment, Abbie Mulcairn highlights how issues of discrimination are rarely perfected, with specific mention to the liberation of women, and how the recent protests at the premiere of Suffragette highlight there is much more work to be done in the

progression of women’s rights. The film has been lauded for a a number of achievements, such as the predominantly female cast and crew, but criticised for the strikingly low number of non-white cast members which, as Abbie highlights, represents how the media has effectively ignored the issues of non-white women. The protest was staged by feminist group, Sisters Uncut, and their action is one step of many on the road to creating a more progressive society which truly reflects the age that we are living in.

Progression which reflects our current age is not only limited to societal issues, but as Louise Fitzgerald points out in Science and Environment, to the adoption of certain practices and the uses of new technologies, such as genetically modified crops. This is a vastly controversial topic, which, despite the EU allowing each member state to decide for themselves, still seems locked in stalemate.

Whilst a fresh start seems unlikely for the issues over GM crops, it’s certainly what Liverpool seem to have opted for following the sacking of Brendan Rodgers,which sport writer, Nick Murphy, looks into. Rodgers’ exit is seen to come at an odd time given that he was sacked just hours after he held local rivals Everton to a draw. Whilst the club may have been rather lucky to secure the highly regarded Jurgen Klopp, the price was paid by Rodgers who has to accept his responsibility for Liverpool’s failure.

Responsibility brings us back to our front page and the issue surrounding the men’s hockey club. Societies are fantastic places to meet new people and enjoy your common interests with those who share them, the danger lies in those occasions where the line between an official society meeting and having a laugh with a group of friends in private is blurred.

Front page photo credits Top bar, left: Nick Brown Correction: In issue 314 the article “Ethnic Minorities Officer: union “went too far” over Sombrerogate” by Jessica Frank-Keyes was wrongly attributed to Charlie Methven.

Online Editors Rob Drury Tom Etheridge concrete.online@uea.ac.uk News Jessica Frank-Keyes Sam Mckinty concrete.news@uea.ac.uk Global Caitlin Doherty concrete.global@uea.ac.uk Features Olivia Minnock Alice Mortimer concrete.features@uea.ac.uk Comment Megan Bradbury concrete.comment@uea.ac.uk Science&Environment Jacob Beebe concrete.scienv@uea.ac.uk Travel Dahlia Al-Abdullah concrete.travel@uea.ac.uk Sport James Chesson Tom Gordon concrete.sport@uea.ac.uk Chief Copy Editor Tom Etheridge concrete.copy@uea.ac.uk Principle researcher Sam Naylor email TBC

Editorial inquiries concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk concrete.venue@uea.ac.uk Complaints & corrections concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk

No part of this newspaper may be reproduced by any means without the permission of the Editors-in-Chief, Dan Falvey and Joe Jameson. Published by the Union of UEA Students on behalf of Concrete. Concrete is a UUEAS society, but retains editorial independence as regards content. Opinions expressed herin are those of individual writers, not of Concrete or its editorial team.

20th October 2015

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News

Top apprenticeships lead higher lifetime earning that many degrees according to the Sutton Trust >> Page 5

COMMENT Megan Baynes argues that we need better student support services

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The Dean of Students building at UEA, where mental health servies are based Photo: Panoramia, Small Gray Box

Rising numbers of students seek help with mental health Charlie Methven News reporter Across the country, increasing numbers of university students are seeking counselling for mental health issues, according to two recent nationwide studies, and there are concerns that higher education institutions may not be doing enough to meet this increased demand.

A report published this year by Universities UK, an association of 132 British university executives including UEA’s ViceChancellor, David Richardson, found that demand for counselling services is seeing an annual rise of approximately 10%. Ruth Caleb, head of counselling at Brunel University and chair of the wellbeing group that produced the report, says that between 5% and 10%

of students are seeking counselling at most universities.

Over the summer, a separate report from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) echoed these findings, claiming that one particular institution saw an annual increase in demand for counselling of 50%.

It might be unsurprising that university students facing the stresses of living away from home and managing an increased workload would seek help; the HEFCE report suggests students are more likely to need counselling for more serious medical problems such as depression, low mood or anxiety. Between 2008-09 and 2012-13, the number of students declaring a mental health problem rose from just under 8,000 to almost 18,000, which is an increase of 132%.

Antony Seldon, Vice-Chancellor of the

University of Buckingham says: “I don’t think universities mean to be negligent. But if not deliberately, they are being negligent, they are not accepting their responsibility for these young people. And needless avoidable problems are occurring all the way up to suicide”. Student unions across the country have lately been active in calling for improved mental health provisions, with many unions participating in the Time to Change scheme, which aims to end stigma surrounding mental health.

At UEA, students with mental health issues can seek counselling via the Dean of Students’ Wellbeing Service, which offers both cognitive behavioural therapy and person-centred therapy. However, the DOS website warns that student demand is currently very high and that waiting periods for appointments are expected.

t is not surprising that a growing number of students are seeking mental health support. With rising tuition fees, increased student debt, worries about graduate employment, academic performance and social pressures, you would be hard pressed to find a student who does not feel affected by any of these pressures.

Further, with social networking sites encouraging us to post only the positive parts of our lives, it often turns into a competition of who is having the best, most exciting university experience.

The widespread expectation that we should all be living this happy, hedonistic lifestyle often leaves students who are worried and unhappy feeling like they must cope with this problem on their own.

Universities must have somewhere for these students to turn to.

With many of the pressures on students imposed by higher education institutes themselves, it seems only justified that there be a system of support in place for those who are struggling to cope.

Otherwise, administrations risk sending the message that those with mental health issues simply aren’t fit to go to university.

Emotional support needs to be integrated into the daily life of university campuses in order to demonstrate that higher education is an inclusive experience.

Almost everyone during their time at university will feel worried and in need of help – universities must recognise that this is the norm, not the exception.

Stress and academia come hand in hand, and it is the responsibility of the individual university to provide for those they are putting so much pressure on.

It’s time to remind people that students struggling with stress, anxiety and emotional issues aren’t failures. It is time to remove the stigma surrounding mental health.

UEA opens country’s greenest commerical building Louise Lazell News reporter Hailed as Britain’s greenest commercial building, by the University of East Anglia, the Enterprise Centre was officially opened on Thursday 8th October.

The centre was formally opened by special guest Lord Bilimoria of Chelsea, the entrepreneur who is the part-founder and chairman of Cobra Beer.

Now the new home to many start-up companies and students of UEA, the Enterprise Centre has been greatly anticipated. Managed

by Adapt Low Carbon Group and partly funded by the European Union, the building is the new regional hotspot for entrepreneurs, innovators and businesses, many of whom attended the opening to discuss their

companies. Guests included tenant businesses Chadwicks, Whole House Energy and Thrive.

Amongst these, the opening also featured exhibits from UEA student entrepreneurs, including alumna The Lady Knight – who helped arrange the UEA Student Enterprise as well as set up an interactive business based

100

yr

The anticipated lifespan of the recently opened UEA Enterprise Centre, the most environmentally friend commercial building in the UK

around discovering history through costumed interpretation in a series of different historical sights.

What makes the Enterprise Centre particularly stand out against many of UEA’s

other novel establishments? Its impressively low carbon future promises a 100 year life span, making it one of the most innovative and sustainable buildings in Europe as well as being Britain’s greenest.

The unusual list of components that create its distinctive look include Thetford timber, Norfolk straw and heather and hemp; the building is made up of at least 80% natural material. It also required 58 tonnes of recycled newspapers for insulation.

The centre’s use of renewable energy applications also promotes the building’s green qualities and greatly supports UEA’s pledges to improve sustainability further across the university.

As tribute to the university’s late former Chancellor, the opening included the dedication of the 300-seat lecture theatre to Sir Brandon Gough.

Photo: Jemma Watson, Photography society

20th October 2015

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News

Students to be forced to pay back more of their loan Lucinda Swain News reporter The Chancellor, George Osborne, plans to increase the monthly repayments students will have to pay back on their student loan it has been revealed.

The recent anouncement by the government indicates that people who have graduated since 2012 may have to pay an extra £300 a year on by 2020.

The government plans to freeze the salary level at which graduates have to start repaying their loans at £21,000; however, some have argued that the new threshold would result in less of the loan being written off and graduates paying back more. The National Union of Students have called the plans a “betrayal” by the government arguing

£300

The potential increase in monthly tuition fees repayment Photo: Flickr, Lee Davey

that the new budget plans will unfairly hit students.

At present, students start repaying their loan when they earn at least £21,000 a year, paying back 9% of everything they earn above that level. Consequently, under the present system, a graduate in low-paid work or one who is unemployed wouldn’t have

to make repayments. However, graduates with a higher-paying job will make larger repayments. For example: a university graduate earning £22,000 will repay £90 a year, while one on £30,000 will repay £810.

The Chancellor has hit back at his critics by insisting this alteration will ensure higher

education remains sustainable and accessible to all. Speaking in this year’s summer budget the Chancellor said: “It is a major set of reforms to make sure Britain continues to have the best universities in the world. It is fair to students, fair to taxpayers and vital to secure our long-term economic future”.

The Sutton Trust, an education charity, found in a study that women and people from disadvantaged homes would be the hardest hit by the proposed changes. They argued that the uncertainty as to how much a student will end up paying is deterring future university hopefuls.

Ucas: private schools “sleepwalking” through education Caitlin Doherty Global editor The head of UCAS has stated that she believes privately educated students are “sleepwalking” through the educational system. Speaking at the annual meeting of the Headmasters and Mistresses Conference, Mary Curnock Cook, chief executive of the UK’s university admissions service, accused privately educated students of a lack of originality when it comes to their educational choices.

Rather than exploring degrees in developing, skilled 21st-century “new economy” fields of study, such as robotics, independent pupils are instead favouring more “predictable” disciplines, with many aspiring to follow their parents into industries such as law, banking and the media. Across the British university system there are more than 30,000 different course choices. However, more than 50% of all privately educated students applied to only 1,500 of these courses.

Unsurprisingly, “medicine, history, economics, English, law, [and] geography” were amongst the most popular. Not only do pupils confine themselves to a narrow range of degree choices, but also, only a narrow range of institutions are deemed desirable, with many students attending the same universities as their parents. In Cook’s view “are students going to the same universities that their parents went to, but they are also studying the same subjects that their parents did”.

These statistics imply a heightened emphasis on ‘worthy’ degrees or careers, with many “think[ing] that the only jobs worth shooting for are in medicine, law, financial services and the media”. Despite the growth in developing disciplines such as creative design or those involving artificial intelligence, they are evidently not as appealing to pupils in comparison to older ‘facilitating’ subjects. 26% of students from the state school sector have

enrolled on one of these more modern courses, in comparison to only 13% of independent school pupils, a statistic that Cook deemed as dangerous: “These courses are not always the right choices for your pupils”. At a time when the job market is increasingly competitive, and student intake increasingly large, it is unsurprising that students are sticking with what they considerable to be more secure degree choices.

Nonetheless, in the mind of Chris Ramsey, head teacher at the independent King’s School in Chester, the educational and familial background of a pupil should be unimportant when considering the worth gained from a degree: “The most important thing is not what you study, but [your] passion” for it. One final piece of encouragement from Cook: ‘Perhaps... independent schools should encourage their students to be independent... and break the mould a bit’.

COMMENT Isaac Scoulding questions the critics of private education

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e heard some truly shocking news this week: it turns out that many privately educated students want to apply to the top courses at the top universities. Who would have guessed?

Mary Curnock Cook, chief executive of the UCAS admissions service, declared at a conference this week that privately educated students are “sleepwalking” through education into “predictable” careers in law, banking or the media.

Now I’m not privately educated myself, but does getting top grades and enrolling on the top courses at top universities really

Mary Curnock Cook, the cheif executive of Ucas Photo: Twitter, Mary Curnock Cook count as “sleepwalking” to those who have paid for their education? The Guardian announced recently that graduates from Oxbridge are likely to earn £10,000 a year more than students from other universities.

After paying for a first rate education, is it really a surprise that privately educated students want to enrol on the top courses at the top universities (or that the parents who actually paid for their education encourage them to) to increase the chance that they get a top paying job?

Besides, is it really a problem that courses in robotics or bio-engineering aren’t being filled by students from private school background? Are the state-funded school students that currently take up the majority of spaces on these courses not as qualified or worthy to be on them? As long as universities aren’t discriminating against either private or state educated students, does it really matter who applies where to do what?

Perhaps instead the fault lies with the top ranking universities for not offering a more diverse range of courses. Neither Cambridge nor Oxford offer you the chance to study either robotics or bio-engineering.

In fact, Cambridge currently offers only 28 undergraduate courses, the majority of which are academic.

In comparison, UEA currently offers 172 different courses (take that Cambridge), despite the fact that the two universities have a very similar number of undergraduates. If universities such as Oxbridge offered a more diverse range of courses in both vocational and academic fields, it’s possible many more privately educated students would consider applying for them.

Many privately educated students, especially those from top public schools, feel pressure from their schools and parents to aim for only the top ranking universities. It’s unfair to blame the students for the limited range of courses on offer at these universies.

20th October 2015

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News Apprenticeships may lead to higher earnings than degrees Martyn Townsend News reporter A week ago the Sutton Trust released their latest research, Levels of Success, which found that level five apprenticeships “result in greater lifetime earnings than degrees from non-Russell Group universities”.

These top-flight apprenticeships can yield earnings of £1.44m over a lifetime for those people who take them on, whereas a degree from a non-Russell Group university will only yield £1.39m. These figures do not include student loan repayments.

Russell Group graduates can be expected to earn more than both level five apprentices and non-Russell Group University graduates.

The latest figures suggest that Oxbridge graduates will typically earn £46,000, irrelevant of degree type, versus only £36,000 for non-Russell Group University graduates.

While level five apprenticeships are considered elite apprenticeships, and whilst the earnings potential is very competitive, level two apprenticeships are the most common.

Level two apprenticeships offer little added value, and people with these apprenticeships can’t expect to earn much more than those with secondary school qualifications alone.

On top of this, as those from wealthier backgrounds disproportionately populate level five apprenticeships, it may be easier for

UEA Men’s Hockey first and second teams suspended Continued from front page of what went on, Shapland said he had “received no official word”, adding: “I don’t know whether its something relatively minor – whether I should be looking at some major procedural changes within the club – or whether it’s a matter of reprimanding one or two people”.

Despite Shapland’s denial, he concedes that there may have been a problem in terms of general behaviour that went unnoticed by the committee: “There were a couple of incidents of gay chicken, which may have made a few people feel uncomfortable. But it’s certainly not something that we in any way make people do.

He continued: “It’s quite possible that this is something there is video evidence of – quite a few people have phones out on the bus, quite a few people are Snapchatting... It is possible. I have to say that, throughout, I was doing my absolute best to make sure that there was no one who looked anything other than entirely comfortable with the situation”.

“As club captain I very much wanted to make sure that everybody was comfortable.

In the distant past there have been issues with people taking things too far and I’m okay for members of the committee to behave as they want to – I know that as pesident I can sit there and if people do look uncomfortable then I can remove them from that situation, which I always wanted to do”.

“I honestly don’t think that anyone was made to feel uncomfortable – and obviously if it comes to it and I’m wrong I will absolutely eat my words and say we got it wrong. But I think it’s one of those situations where you

ink.

The latest government apprenticeship scheme was introduced by the Coalition government during the last parliament Photo: Wikimedia, Innotata

Photo: Will Cockram, Concrete Photography have to judge it one way or the other and I don’t think we got it wrong”.

He expressed understanding for the union’s position and agreed that “they are bound by policy in things like this”.

Shapland hopes that the issue can be resolved as fast as possible: “something like this dragging on – especially when it’s possibly a very minor thing – we don’t want it to drag on and essentially punish the 25 other people who weren’t even involved”.

The hockey club has been forced to forfeit two matches within the league due to the suspension.

those people to attain higher-paid jobs.

The study found that there are nowhere near enough of these level five apprenticeships, and the recommendation is for the government to launch a bigger apprenticeship awareness campaign.

The study also found a sharp gender divide occurring in apprenticeships, with 99% of beauty therapy apprentices being women, and 96% of engineering apprentices being men. This gender divide is less common in university studies.

Level five apprenticeships are very technical and courses are purpose-built for

36

k

The typical earnings for a graduate of a non-Russell Group university

certain vocations, where as university degrees tend to aim to broaden the mind of the students and attempt to offer a wider variety of potential vocations.

Different qualifications for different people: many students still have no idea what job they want when they graduate, whereas apprentices have to be certain about their career path.

A poll of around 1,000 18-year-olds found that 80% believed a degree was better for their long-term career prospects than an apprenticeship.

Our copy editors are committed to depleting red pens of their ink.

An extra pair of eagle eyes is always An extrawelcome! pair of eyes is always welcome!

Get in touch with Helena and Get in touch Frances onwith Tom at concrete.copy@uea.ac.uk concrete.copy@uea.ac.uk

20th October 2015

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News

Norfolk police launch campaign following sex attacks Caitlin Doherty Global editor Norfolk Police have announced their intention to increase officer presence in Norwich alongside the launch of a new victim-protection scheme, after a woman was sexually assulted last week near the Prince of Wales Road. This is the second such attack in recent weeks.

The unnamed female victim was attacked on Recorder Road, close to the night clubs of the Prince of Wales Road, in the early hours of Friday 9th October. The police sealed off the area to conduct forensic investigations, a restriction that remained in place until 19:00 on the following Sunday. The Crown Prosecution service is yet to press charges.

A similar attack was recorded on 6th September, when a young woman was apparently violently raped on the Drayton Road during her walk home from the city centre. Kieran Hackshaw of Norwich will face trial on November 13th after admitting attempted rape. Norwich magistrates heard how, after consuming a “considerable” amount of alcohol he approached a young woman on the street, “ripped her trousers all the way off and punched her several times” before leaving the scene.

In response to these incidents, Chief Inspector Nathan Clark confirmed that “extra patrols will be taking place around the Recorder Road area to offer reassurance to local residents”. Similarly, Norfolk and Suffolk Police forces have launched the Time to Stop campaign in an attempt to reduce rape in the East.

The campaign aims to protect potential

Council elects chair and vicechair for 2015-16 At the first Union Council of the year Gilbert Macnaughton and Jack Lewis were elected as Union council Chair and Vicechair. Both stood unopposed and were elected with more than 90% of the votes.

Macnaughton was Vice-chair through last year’s Union Council and oversaw some of the year’s most controversial debates including whether UUEAS should boycott Israeli products and to put pressure on UEA to do the same.

Quota for non-portfolio officers rejected

Photo: geograph.org.uk victims of rape and to support those subjected to it, as well as deterring potential offenders: in particular, young men between the ages of 17 and 24.

The key messages of the campaign include: looking after yourself and sticking with your friends when out and abou; not letting alcohol

cloud your judgement; and always arranging safe travel home.

Anybody with any information about either of the alledged attacks, and who is the victim of abusem, is encouraged to call the police on 101 or search “sexual assault referral centre” online.

Photo: Flickr, Gleen Wood

Union launches Don’t Drop Out: Drop In campaign Amanda Ng News reporter UEA students are once again being encouraged to talk to union advice workers to combat the issues that cause them to drop out of higher education.

Set up by the Union of UEA Students (UUEAS), the Don’t Drop Out: Drop In campaign has its mission engraved in its name. This campaign guarantees to offer guidance aimed at those who are struggling with the idea of continuing university, whether it be for financial reasons, social or even just a desire to leave and explore the “real world” beyond the UEA entrance. According to the social research agency: Education Research Centre (ERS), students who opt out of higher education end up “damaging [their] social skills and... employability”. They added that

Union council round-up

“young people who live at home... are less likely to undertake optional work placements as part of their degree, less likely to undertake graduate level jobs on graduation, less likely to socialise”.

The Don’t Drop Out: Drop In campaign aims to encourage students to talk to an advice worker and tackle their concerns

32

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The number of students who dropped out of university during the 2013-14 academic year

about university together; eventually reaching a pragmatic decision for their future.

Psychologists believe that the simple act of talking to another person is cathartic and leads to solving solutions.

The campaign offers face-to-face conversations with advice workers. If leaving

university becomes a student’s firm choice and they have no reason to stay and finish their degree, advice workers are also there to help them figure out a Plan B. This would also involve sorting out student finances and fees, as well as helping explain the legal implications to their contracts with the university.

Jo Swo, Welfare Community and Diversity Officer at UUEAS said that no student should “handle [this] on their own”, and the advice centre will always be available to help.

Some have argued that the scheme doesn’t go far enough, and that it is the responsibility of the university, not the students’ union, to be more thorough in vetting students to ensure that the course is right for them.

Professor David Peck, Vice Chancellor of Notting Trent University said that increasing the number of courses that require interview will allow a prospective student to gauge whether a course is right for them.

The union’s Women’s Officer, Beth Smith, and the Campaigns and Democracy Officer, Chris Jarvis, proposed an amendment to the bye-laws for the election of nonportfolio officers.

The amendment would have seen the introduction of a quota to ensure that “of the four non-portfolio officers, two places will be reserved for students who do not identify as men”.

The motion heard several speeches made from both those in favour of the change and those against before councillors voted. The amendment fell sort of the two third majority in favour of the change required when proposing a change to bye-laws.

Council passes transgender and non-binary students policy The union’s LGBT+ Officer, Theo AntoniouPhilips, and Doctor Who Appreciation society’s union councillor, Elliot Folan, proposed a resolution aimed at supporting transgender and non-binary students.

The proposal included plans to “press for UEA to work with the union’s LGBT+ Officer and Welfare, Community and Diversity Officer to improve UEA’s training on trans and non-binary issues, and to extend this training to lecturers and teachers” and “to mandate the union’s management committee to investigate the costs of offering [certain] products discounted or for free” to transgender or non-binary students.

These products include: shaving razors; shaving foam; and basic foundation available in a range of colours to suit a variety of skin tones.

The resolution was passed almost unanimously.

Water, water everywhere and nor any drop to drink Alex McCloskey and Amy Rust proposed a resolution to lobby the university to increase the number of water fountains avaliable for students around campus.

Speaking in favour of the motion McCloskey, who is the union’s Ethical Issues Officer, argued that water should be free and easily accessible to all students and that students tend not to drink enough water while on campus due to the costs price of bottled water.

The motion was passed; a few councillors voted against.

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20th October 2015

8

Global

Trump will not “make America great again” A

s an American exchange student at UEA, there is one question that I just keep being asked: “So, Laura, what do you think about Donald Trump?” The question is almost always asked in a hesitant voice, because my acquaintances are deathly afraid that I could be a Trump supporter.

Here is the simple answer to what I think about Trump: he makes me feel embarrassed to be an American.

I don’t want someone like Trump running my country nor being the face of my country.

He has shown that he is unprepared to handle difficult and controversial policy issues; for example the suggestion of building a wall along the Mexican border with the US would not only be a huge drain on resources but a catalyst for international tension and condemnation. Trump has also been belligerently insulting other Republican and Democratic candidates, has shown explicit racism toward Latinos and Muslims, and has made grand sexist statements toward newscasters, other candidates, and women in general.

In fairness to a man who is doing everything in his power to become President, we must look to why Americans are supporting him. Trump supporters believe his honesty and harsh statements about immigrants are refreshing and can “make America great again”.

But, as Trevor Noah, hoast of popular ‘fake news’ programme, the ‘Daily Show’, has pointed out, Trump relies on his grandiose loud statements and xenophobia to get his message across, and in the minds of his supporters, this tactic works.

As CNN reported, “Many [supporters] echoed Trump’s alarm about what they perceive to be an America being overtaken by outsiders, from foreigners entering the country illegally, to refugees seeking shelter in the United States.” However, this raises a lot

from the Americans for whom they were created: immigrants, women, and those who are black in our country. Freedom should not be the privilege of the white man.

Trump is almost a poison to America, and especially to America’s world image as a nation. He is too brash and rude to be able to interact with world leaders in a productive

“Donald Trump is a poison to America”

Donal Trump, above, and Ben Carson Photos: Wikimedia, and Flickr, Gage Skidmore

Laura Schmidt argues that the “belligerntly insulting” Donald Trump would be a disastrous US president

of ethical questions and is pulling American politics, kicking and screaming, into the past, almost into the 1950s many ways.

Xenophobia in a political candidate is never healthy, and Trump’s harsh comments may utilise this scare tactic effectively, but the actual implications of such policies could be disastrous. My country was founded on idealised freedom, and Donald Trump wants to take these freedoms away

and effective manner. His policy ideas are vague at best and incredibly problematic at their worst.

His progressive tax plan is perhaps the only potentially effective policy stance that Trump has taken. His ‘1-5-10-15’ approach, as it is labelled, advocates gradual taxation based on income, with brackets ranging from an annual income of $30,000, to over $1,000,000. But even this still has its share of problems, including the potential for a large tax break for Trump himself.

However, with his xenophobic comments and grand statements, it seems that Trump is slowly but surely losing his lead over other Republican Candidates. Ben Carson is trailing Trump with about 22% of votes – which means that Trump now only has a 4% lead. Republicans and conservative media are beginning to become fed up with Trump’s antics, and it is refreshing to see them focusing on other, more experienced political candidates.

Simply shouting to crowds that all immigrants are rapists and criminals does not solve any true problems in my country.

As this race continues, I think that fewer and fewer Americans will say they would support him which means that I hopefully will not even have to see Mr. Trump’s name on a ballot in the 2016 election.

Migrant chic: insensitive but unsurprising Emily Hawkins Global Writer This summer was plagued by sad headlines surrounding the refugee crisis in the Mediterranean Sea, as new stories of thousands dying emerged on a daily basis.

It was a summer epitomised by vitriol.

The mainstream British newspapers were filled with hatred towards these people, with a particular shocker written under Katie Hopkins’ infamous by-line: “I would use gunboats to stop migrants” which she declared in the Sun. There have been many vile descriptions of refugees in the media of late. For example, in Britain, multiple politicians and news agencies have been called out for their use of animalistic, dehumanising language in describing refugees in Calais: “boat-people” and “skinny people encouraged particular offence.

Despite the media’s hateful stream of propaganda, David Cameron still received substantial criticism for his employment of the word “swarms” to describe the situation at Calais port, and was accused of dehumanising refugees fleeing Syria.

New stories of the humanitarian crisis are being told every day, however, one of the more recent headlines to have hit the front pages is that of a Hungarian photographer whose work titled ‘Migrant Chic’ has been called out as a callous attempt to glamourise

the plight of refugees.

Norbert Baska, a Budapest-based photographer, uploaded his collection of photographs, entitled ‘Der Migrant’, onto his website in the early days of October, and almost immediately attracted mass online criticism. The series of 13 photographs, taken at a site supposedly meant to mimic that of the Calais camp, features models wearing designer fashion brands, while posing next to barbed wire and scaled fences. One of the most controversial pictures depicts a female model being dragged by two men dressed as police officers. Baska’s models, such as Monika Jablonczky, wear clothes which are ripped or undone, which as Robert Mackey from the New York Times writes “drew

Photo: Wikimedia, Schmidt Andrea

particular ire, given the cultural and faith backgrounds of many of those fleeing wars in the Middle East.”

After an upsurge of criticism, mostly on social media, Baska decided to remove the images from his website. The photographer also released a somewhat apologetic statement in light of the “heated emotions” that the publication of the photographs stirred. However Baska and his colleagues still remained adamant that those criticising the ‘Der Migrant’ series had misinterpreted the work and missed the “true message” behind the shoot.

In a statement to the BBC, he said; “It is meant to show that we cannot make a clear judgment on this issue. Depending on which

media you read or watch, you see them as either refugee families fleeing for their lives, or as masses of aggressive people. There is always another side to the story, that’s what we wanted to say. Do not judge on partial information”.

It is obvious that the humanitarian crisis has been a divisive issue, many news outlets have been quick to draw comparisons between the British media response and that of the German newspapers who printed ‘Welcome to Germany’ editions in Arabic for refugees coming into Germany. People have been encouraged to question the contrasting responses from the two countries when there very little separating them when it comes to wealth, development and infrastructure.

However, in the case of the ‘Der Migrant’ series, the portrayal of Hungarian models posing with smartphones against a backdrop imitating a glamorised refugee camp, the only response has been criticism for its insensitivity.

This controversy follows a video that emerged of a Hungarian camera-women kicking and tripping migrants near the Serbian border, some of whom were carrying their children.

However, should this insensitivity really be that much of a surprise? The Prime Minister of Hungary, Viktor Orban, recently spoke of the country being at risk of being “overrun” by refugees and Christianity in Europe being consequently threatened.

20th October 2015

9

Global American politician admits making animal sacrifice It has been discovered that a candidate running to be a member of the United States Senate for Florida once killed a goat and drank its blood as part of a pagan ceremony.

In 2013, Augustus Sol Invictus, whose name means ‘majestic unconquered sun’ in Latin, spent a week in the Mojave Desert where he abstained from eating. Upon his return to Florida he slaughtered a goat as a way of ‘giving thanks’. Invictus has been quoted as confirming his actions by stating “I sacrificed an animal to the God of the Wilderness”. The candidate is standing for the Libertarian Party and will be hoping to pull off an extraordinary achievement come November 2016.

Ollie Watts Terror hero stabbed in California Spencer Stone, one of the men dubbed a hero after the attempted terrorist attack on a French train in August, was stabbed multiple times in Sacramento, California in the early hours on 8th October. The 25-year-old currently serves in the US Air Force as a First Airman and was hospitalised after the events took place with three wounds, described as serious but not life threatening injuries. He has undergone significant surgical procedures but is expected to make a full recovery.

The attack occurred outside a nightclub where Stone was reportedly defending a friend.

The Sacramento police department

Russia continues Syrian campaign

ROUNDUP

360

have confirmed that the incident is in no way related to the attempted attack on the train, describing it as a “nightlife related altercation,” adding that alcohol is assumed to be a factor. No immediate arrests were made as all suspects had fled the scene.

Stone and two childhood friends from the Sacramento area were applauded and internationally recognised for their bravery for tackling the gunman on the high speed train who was armed with a Kalashnikov, a pistol and a box cutter knife.

They all received national awards from the French and American governments in appreciation of their actions.

Jessica Frank-Keyes

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Russia has launched bombing campaigns on both moderate rebel and Isis forces.

Russian intervention has been met with harsh criticism by the West. The US has claimed that Russia has not been targeting Isis but Western-backed rebel groups to help prop up Assad. Furthermore, the US has stated that the Russia campaign is “fundamentally flawed”.

Despite heavy Russian involvement, President Putin has stated Russia military role in Syria will not have ground forces deployed, “We’re not going to do it, and our Syrians friends know about it” he has told State TV. Russia’s Defence Ministry has said it is increasing the number of air strikes against Isis. Since first launching airstrikes in Syria on September 30th Russia has conducted more than 100 airstrikes according to the Russian Defence Ministry, encouraging many to claim that the Syrian crisis is developing into a proxy war between Russia and the US. The involvement of Russia has led to the Russian embassy in Damascus being shelled.

Meanwhile, pro-government supporters gathered to thank Moscow for its intervention.

The Russian foreign minister has slammed the attack as ‘obviously a terrorist act intended to, probably, frighten supporters of the war against terror and to not allow them to prevail in the fight with extremism.

The situation remains volatile.

Matt Howard Photos Left: Flickr, Eva Rinaldi.

Above: Wikimedia, Maria Joner Graphic: Wikimedia, US government

Features

20th October 2015

11

“You can’t sit with us” >>Page 14

The Great British Bake Off

Rebecca Graham asks whether Britain has been over-baked

W

hen the Great British Bake Off first graced our television sets in 2010, it quickly gained popularity. After becoming the most watched show on BBC2 it was moved to BBC1 for its fifth series.

Watching it was a weekly ritual in many households across the UK, although no one seemed to be able to express quite what made the show so engaging. “We were all on the edge of our seats for soggy bottoms, it made no sense”, claims second-year law student,

Illustration: Lucy McInally, Concrete Art and Design Estera. After all, it was just baking. Although the show was not without its drama: who could forget the Bingate episode and the fate of Iain’s melted creation. Even without this sort of disaster, each montage of the contestants furiously trying to complete their bakes in the allotted times was engaging and we could not wait to see the results from our sofas: who had failed, providing the judges with a raw or tasteless bake, and who had triumphed?

But maybe that wasn’t the whole of it.

Perhaps part of the attraction lay in the way the show played upon collective British nostalgia.

We were drawn in by the pastel mixers and counter tops that were reminiscent of a quaint, bygone England. The pristine white tent, the Cath Kidston-esque decor inside and the loveliness of judge Mary Berry represented an idyllic Britain that may never actually have existed but that was appealing and comforting to its audience.

Another aspect of the show which has

Susannah Smith asks if initiation ceremonies are an important part of including new students, or if they go too far

rugby club was banned for innappropriate behaviour. Not every university society is the Bullingdon Club, with its antiquated rules and exclusive membership, and yet critics continue to focus on the elements of peer pressure and humiliation common in such ceremonies.

The union’s activities and opportunities Officer, Yinbo Yu, has stated: “we want every student to feel able to participate in activities, so any… group that humiliates, degrades, abuses or endangers, regardless of the person’s willingness to participate, is obviously forbidden”.

The harm of an initiation, however, does not just come from the event itself. The people involved and the mentality or atmosphere of

“Societies struggle to integrate freshers into an already familiar group”

T

he freshers are settling in; they are not getting lost anymore; and they have whittled down the thousands of societies they joined. Soon they will be running around campus with egg in their hair trying to catch a bunny. Yes, it only happens at initiations.

Since rumours about David Cameron clattered around the media, conversation has turned to other bizarre student stunts.

Particularly initiation ceremonies – where new students do strange things and older students reminisce about unpleasantness they will now pass on to others.

Societies struggle to integrate freshers into an already familiar group. For new members it can feel like everyone knows each other and that you are on the outside. Efforts are made to turn Venn diagram-shaped clubs into circles and the tradition of initiations creates a sense of belonging. However, at UEA initiations are banned. The NUS runs fierce campaigns against peer-pressured drinking, encouraging universities to ban this type of event. With this in mind, believing that these ceremonies

perhaps aided its popularity is the contestants’ attitude towards one another, as second year English student Jack says: “the people seem to like each other and they help each other out which is refreshing to watch, especially when there seems to be so much nastiness in other reality TV shows”. It’s true that when one contestant is having a baking-related disaster, instead of revelling in their misfortune, other contestants often offer a helping hand.

The show does not resort to creating drama through in-fighting to promote its popularity.

All of these things have massively contributed to the rise of the Great British Bake Off to being one of the most watched shows in the UK. However, something about the show has felt different this series. Many people who used to watch it religiously are now falling behind by one or even two shows, with some even having the audacity to tune in for the final after skipping most of the lead up. One student suggested that this was perhaps because of the 2015 set of contestants, as she personally did not warm to them as.

But second-year history student Rosie disagrees on this point, saying that she “still likes the people on it, the problem is that it’s same old, same old”. So perhaps, rather than it being this year’s round of contestants or that anything has changed, it’s simply the fact that Bake Off has become repetitive. Perhaps, like other once hugely popular reality TV shows, it has had its golden years and is now slipping towards the territory of irrelevance; like X Factor, Big Brother and so many other shows before it. In a time where new and original TV is constantly streaming into our living rooms maybe we, as viewers, can only give our attention to the same show for so long before we grow bored of the familiarity and turn to something new to keep us entertained.

Photo: Flickr, Roberto Herrera

Anti-social societies? welcome new members in an amusing and inclusive gesture must be optimistic.

Most, but not all, the horror stories come from America and what is known as hazing.

America’s top hazing expert, Hank Nuwer, stated that in the US there has been at least one hazing death a year since 1969. In the UK, initiations appear less serious but the origins of such traditions are still worrying. Having to

perform a ritual to join a group rings of elitism.

Jack Halberstam, professor of American studies and gender studies at the University of Southern California told the Guardian that initiations often have routes in masculinity and come from “colonialism and class relations… deeply embedded in structures of class and white privilege”.

Three years ago UEA’s own men’s

the group are a very important element. The majority of incidents are by male societies and often passed off as ‘laddish’ behaviour or justified because older students endured their turn. And so the cycle continues.

Forced drinking, bulling and physical harm are always inexcusable. Anyone passing it off as ‘banter’ should be stopped. Yet at university, where you lose and replace a third of your members each year, cohesion is vital and unfortunately initiations tend to achieve this.

The responsibility falls to social secretaries, committee members and current members to ensure that society socials are enjoyable.

That means having a culture of acceptance not bullying. It should be obvious: eating live goldfish and dogfood is bad, bonding at 4am is good.

20th October 2015

12

Features

Asexual awa

Joe Jameson, Editor-inChief, speaks to Elliot Simpson, LGBT+ caucus’ Ace representative on union council First things first, would you mind defining what the term asexuallity means, for those who may not know?

Asexuality is most commonly defined as the lack of sexual attraction; it is regarded as a sexual orientation, which varies throughout the Ace spectrum, which is a large spectrum and includes those who still want to form close romantic relationships, but do not have the interest to obtain sexual desires. The term Ace is an umbrella term which is used to describe everyone who identifies in anyway as asexual.

The Ace umbrella will include asexuals, aromantics, demi-sexuals and grey sexuals.

This doesn’t mean that they are completely against, or cannot have, sex; many in fact do choose to have sex with their partners for a variety of reasons, which may be for the purposes of having children, or to sexually please their partner.

More broadly, is the aim of asexual awareness week to increase the profile of asexuality, or is it a way to reassure those who may not be sure about their own sexuality about coming out?

It’s a pretty close balance between the two; it is actually the reason why I felt motivated to start this campaign because it was when I drew on my own research and understanding of what it meant that I finally realised that I was comfortable with the term and that was my identity. I think that asexuality is so much more common than we might think, but there is a lack of understanding and so many misconceptions that people make when they hear the term which stops them from accepting that it exists. I hope that this campaign will spread awareness and maybe make people think about their own sexuality, and help them come out as Ace in one way or another.

Raising awareness is always worth doing, as I feel that we are often overlooked, especially in the media, where there is very little representation of asexual characters, as we live in a very heteronormative society, where it is assumed that everyone is straight unless proven otherwise.

Obviously the LGBT+ community is a big force on campus, but did you feel the need to run this campaign, in conjunction with the LGBT+ Officer, Theo AntoniouPhillips because Ace issues haven’t been addressed sufficiently?

I would definitely say that, yes. I haven’t experienced it at all here at this particular university, but I am aware that internationally, asexuals have received discrimination from the LGBT+ community, which is fueled by the misconception that because they are asexual, they don’t really fit into the LGBT spectrum.

This opens up the divide between romantic attraction and sexual attraction. You can be hetero, or bi romantic, but still be asexual, which can lead to asexuality being ignored or not being taken as seriously.

Do you think that the Ace spectrum suffers from the fact that sex education is commonly criticised as ‘inadequate’ in the UK? Sex education essentially forces onto young people, who are not sure of their own identity, that sex is accepted and just part of their lives, which they are going to come across. This can make people feel that they have to pursue sexual desires so that they can fit in, and are not excluded from society, which research has shown has serious effects to people in their teens and early adulthood.

As you have just been elected as the ACE rep for the LGBT+ caucus, would you like to see policies similar to those past by union council, such as the recent transgender and non-binary student policy?

Yes, definitely. Given the fact that for the first time I believe, we now have an Ace representative it’s more important now, than ever to strive for such values to be put into policies, and to see action taken to raise awareness and limit discrimination. I’d be very interested in proposing a motion which would see asexual awareness week become mandatory every year.

As a way of concluding, what advice would you give to someone who isn’t sure if they are asexual, or not, and want to come along to an event.

There is a lot of information out there to do your own research, which means that if you’re not sure you don’t need to rush. The world that we live in is so much more diverse and complex than we realise, there are so many different sexualities and orientations that are so often overlooked and undermined.

We should always be open to highlighting and expanding our policies to every single community possible.

The toxicity of masculinity: coming out as a male asexual Elliot Simpson

T

he process of ‘coming out’ is very important for forming one’s own identity, especially in regards to sexual minorities; not only for the purposes of seeking romantic partners that may identify similarly, but also for allowing society to respect them in light of their sexual and romantic preferences. However, in regards to the asexual spectrum, one that is often overlooked and furthermore lacking in terms of scientific research, it is relatively unclear as to how members of the community reveal and communicate their orientation.

Speaking from personal experience, although my own ‘coming out’ process was one ultimately met with acceptance and respect once I had clearly explained the terms of asexuality, the initial fear and anxiety leading up to that reveal highlighted to me an important flaw within our current set of societal norms.

Asexual individuals are most commonly described as those that do not experience sexual attraction, though the entire asexual spectrum is inclusive of myriad variations.

Although some asexual individuals may only wish to seek romantic relationships that lack sexual activity, others may still choose to have sex for varying reasons.

For someone who identifies as cisgender and male, growing up within such a heteronormative culture inevitably presented difficulties when faced with pre-conceived notions of ‘manliness’ and ‘manhood’. For a vast majority of my academic life, pervasive ideas of male to female interactions being seen as competition not only forcibly pushed standards of straightness, but also for the expectations for sexual accomplishment. In both school and social events, sexual activity

was constantly framed as a firm desire that all men should aspire to, and moreover be encouraged to use any means necessary to obtain. In an environment where sociallyconstructed attitudes describe men as aggressive, strong and unemotional, without previously knowing of the existence of alternative communities, I was instead left to feel alienated and broken for not being as openly engaged with the pursuit for sex as my peers seemingly were.

Even after becoming aware of the existance of non-straight orientations such as gay and bisexuality, the constant underpinning theme of sexual attraction only aided in cementing the notion that I was unwelcome within any conceivable community.

Even after finally having become aware of the asexual spectrum through independent research, those same social constructs of being expected to have an interest in sexual desire still prevented me from accepting my own identity. Even amongst the more mature and forward thinking adult communities that I engage with, consideration of a non-interest in sexual activity is still rarely evident, even more so amongst male-dominated groups where such expectations are usually present.

Although my rejection of stereotypically masculine activities did aid me in the revelation of my asexual identity, our society’s obsession with upholding standards of heteronormativity may very well be preventing other men from feeling safe to do the same. If we can perhaps transcend above conforming to gender stereotypes and sexual expectations, then perhaps we can create a more secure and welcoming social environment.

20th October 2015

13

Features

areness week

Amelia Morris explains the different identities that fall along the asexual spectrum

A

Main photo: Flickr, trollhare.

Circle photo: Flickr, davidgljay.

Illustration: Amelia Morris

sexuality: a sexual orientation defined by a lack of sexual attraction. But at this point, you probably already knew that. Did you know, however, that asexuality is actually a spectrum?

This can be a little harder to wrap your head around. Imagine, for a moment, a scale from one to ten. At ten we have hypersexuality (classified by a very high sexual drive or libido) and at zero is ‘gold star’ asexuality: zero interest in sex and absolutely no sexual attraction.

The asexual spectrum is the lowest portion of this scale, anything from zero to one. Everyone who calls themselves asexual fits somewhere within this small space, and may choose another label to help describe their sexual orientation.

Grey asexual or greysexual Anybody whose sexual orientation falls somewhere between asexual and not.

Usually, this means they experience sexual attraction so rarely that they feel they fall on the asexual spectrum. The term is deliberately broad so that people who feel as though the term asexual resonates with them for another reason can adopt the label.

Demisexual Somebody who only experiences sexual attraction when a strong emotional bond has been formed. This is often (wrongly) interpreted as meaning that the person wants to wait to have sex until they’re in love. While sometimes the ‘strong emotional bond’ can be romantic, it doesn’t have to be. And it’s not about waiting – demisexual people have zero sexual attraction until an emotional connection is formed.

Lithsexual or akoisexual Feeling sexual attraction, but not feeling any desire for it to be reciprocated. Sometimes, the sexual attraction actually vanishes the minute that it is. Alternatively, it can be a matter of feeling sexual attraction but having no urge to act on it. (Some people object to the prefix lith-, finding it to be appropriative, so akoisexual is now more commonly used.)

Quoirosexual or WTFsexual A label for people who can’t tell the difference between sexual and platonic attraction, or don’t feel capable of understanding/explaining just what sexual attraction actually is. As such, they’re not sure if they experience it. Since the terms originated online, WTFsexual is a jokier name for the orientation that is still in use.

Cupiosexual Desiring a sexual relationship despite not feeling sexual attraction.

These terms can be confusing to get your head around, and while it’s great to know them – particularly the first two – the most important thing to remember is that asexuality is a spectrum. It’s not as simple as a simple yes or no to sexual attraction, and as long as you keep that in mind you’ll be able to be respectful and understanding about asexuality.

20th October 2015

14

Features

“You can’t sit with us!”

Friendships, stereotypes and popularity at university I

n my egocentric bubble I strolled into UEA awaiting the cool, hilarious, minimally annoying friends who super-cool me has always deserved. Days passed, weeks passed and excluding the odd ‘lad’, all I encountered were “actual human beings”. ERGH! At UEA it seems our homage to Mean Girls is reserved mainly in quotation. This is not to say the sports socials are not made up of Popeye-shaped banter, that every flat is not embellished with a glittery, multi-coloured, all singing, all dancing type, or that a post gapyah group won’t at some point try to convince you to give up money. But it is to confirm that a zoo-like clique war, which some of us might have seen at our high schools, is unlikely to break out in the square.

With a larger pool to choose from made up of people from all over, of slightly different ages and of completely different backgrounds; university seems to allow friendships to form on mutual interest as opposed to mutual classroom. The majority of people who went to my primary school went to the same secondary school as me, whereas nobody from my school came to UEA (this is not to say that I didn’t seek out the one person who I had an inkling came from the same borough as me). Similarities are generally what make friends; the shared commitment to wear pink every Wednesday a la Karen, for example. Straight away there is some inbuilt likeness to you and everyone in your year, you are all going through a brand new experience at the same time! The same can be said for the people you share a course with, you would like to think you all have a common interest in whatever it might be that looked most appealing back in year 13 (does not apply for those greedy students doing

October 3rd was Mean Girls Day, but how applicable is the film to university life?

Alannah McGovern discusses… joint/ triple/ all-encapsulating courses like me – we just haven’t made our minds up). I don’t think the way we make friends at university differs greatly from how we have done at high school or in any other arena, the scope is just wider and there are more opportunities available to bring together like-minded people!

Although we would now all like to think of ourselves as mature enough to have a vast variety of people in our circle, stereotyped groups, away

from Mean Girls, exist for a reason. Like I’ve said, people are drawn to others who share interests; it is not inconceivable for individuals in a friendship group to hold similarities noticeable to outsiders. Difficulties arrive when these groups become exclusive. The main group that dominated my high school was formally known as ‘the popular group’ (I will not mention the colloquial label) and of course they were perceived to be confident, funny, good looking; always in and out of relationships, in and out of parties. They were the people to look to for gossip or a good time.

Consulting two of my most knowledgeable house mates on the topic of popularity – one who was playing GTA and the other whose oratory came from his bed, both concluded it to be helpful but at the same time agreed that it shouldn’t be a pressure.

Continuing on the subject of my housemates, take the two other girls. Neither would be classified as “girls who eat their feelings” or as “girls who don’t eat anything”, but both most definitely like to eat! Since moving in, my stomach has been treated better than I, and every evening has resulted in a culinary masterpiece. However, despite the fact that both would unfortunately fall short of the two groupings. They are not wallowing in their unpopularity, it seems they have successfully found each other and if they keep entertaining my taste buds, I too might give them the time of day.

Wherever you are, friendship comes from finding people you have a good time with and can stand to be around for an extended period of time – the formation of a cult, battling other groups for primacy or coordinated dressing need not even be considered.

At large at UEA we seem to have it pretty good: campus is largely clique free and as long as you enjoy the LCR – to some degree, – you can sit here!

Lacey Chabert, Mean Girls’ Gretchen Weiners. Left: Tina Fey Photos: Wikimedia, Sixsteps and Mingle Media TV

How to avoid hangover hell: tips & tricks Alice Short pulls a pint of good advice on how to prevent the exess of the night before creeping in on the morning after

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our head is pounding, your mouth is dry and your stomach is turning over.

Moving yourself from the comfort of your duvet seems an impossible thought.

Have you come down with freshers’ flu? No. It is your hangover hell.

During your first term, you expect to have at least one hangover and anticipate that you will be feeling anything but fresh. However, you don’t want it to become too serious or spoil your fun. There are a few things you can do to make your hangover more bearable.

It’s a well-known fact that alcohol has far greater effect on an empty stomach so before you start drinking, be sure to eat properly.

Pasta and bread are a good idea as these carbohydrates will slow down your body’s absorption of alcohol.

The popular culture of pre-drinking has led to the tendency of drinking too much, too quickly. Try limiting yourself to a certain amount and make sure you don’t exceed that.

Once at the LCR, continue to have a limit on your drinking (that means staying away

from shots and jägerbombs!). According to the NHS, dark-coloured drinks give you the worst hangovers, which means that the temptation of cheap jägerbombs should be avoided. Shots must also be treated with

“Ignore anyone who suggests trying hair of the dog” caution, especially if you have already been doing them at pre-drinks.

When you return home from the club, your first thought is to eat something.

Preferably the fattiest and greasiest food you can. You should follow this desire and order that Domino’s at 02:00, as it can help neutralise the effects of the alcohol.

Whatever drunken delicacy you do decide on should be accompanied by a large pint. Of water. Alcohol is a diuretic and drinking in excess can lead to dehydration, so it may also be an idea to bring another glass of water to

bed with you.

The next morning, you will know as soon as you wake up what effect the nights events have had on you. Sleeping as much as you can will obviously help, but if you need some extra support, take a painkiller or something like Resolve. This will help your head and stomach to settle.

When you feel like you can’t brave the day ahead, force yourself to. If you have a dreaded 9am lecture, make sure that you’re there. Even if all it teaches you is the lesson that Tuesday night fun should not intrude too much on Wednesday morning classes.

Finally, ignore anyone who suggests trying hair-of-the-dog. That is drinking more alcohol to avoid a hangover. Drinking in the morning is a dangerous habit to fall into and all it will do is delay the symptoms of your hangover.

Hopefully some hangovers will be alleviated around campus during first term.

Of course, the best known way to avoid a hangover is not drinking to excess and the ultimate cure is not drinking at all… Cheers!

Photo: Flickr, Mislav Marohnic

Comment

20th October 2015

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Has the US lost the battle over gun control Sarah Lundy

“Overreaction” doesn’t cover the response to the plastic bag charge Grace Fothergill

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n 1st October 2015, the news broke of the 294th mass shooting in the USA this year, this time at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon, where ten people were killed and twenty others wounded. Following this, President Obama made the ninth speech of his presidency concerning a shooting in the US, displaying what some are calling signs of defeat, but what others view as a demonstration of his anger and determination to tighten gun laws once and for all before the end of his tenure in 2017.

Back in June, political commentator Dan Hodges tweeted: “In retrospect Sandy Hook marked the end of the US gun control debate.

Once America decided killing children was bearable, it was over”. Since the incident at Sandy Hook in 2012, there have been 994 mass shootings in the US; Hodges suggests that the USA has reached a point where gunrelated homicides are becoming less and less shocking to the American people, effectively desensitising them, a point re-enforced

by Obama’s description of the “routine” Americans have fallen into following mass shootings but this is by no means the only side effect. According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Centre, mass shootings can actually result in some people demanding more rights for gun ownership; in the 2013 survey, conducted one month after the shooting at Sandy Hook, 45% of Americans spoke in favour of gun rights, compared to 29% in 2000. The argument that was put forward following the shooting in Oregon was that if there had been more guns at the scene, then the victims would have been safer, failing to take into account that had there been one fewer gun at the scene, there would have been

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Photo: Flickr, M&R Glasgow no danger at all.

Many people in the US have made the argument that guns establish safety and protection, but this is found to be completely false when compared with statistics from other countries. According to UN data, in 2012, the US had more than three firearm homicides per 100,000 people, whilst in the majority of other countries, including the UK, Canada and Australia, it was fewer than one; indeed, Obama stressed this point, highlighting how countries similar to the US have experienced mass shootings and responded by creating laws which “almost eliminate them”, so why should America be any different?

In his speech, Obama also made the point that “this is a political choice that we make, to allow this to happen every few months in America”; clearly, there are many barriers that must be penetrated before there can be any change. The US constitution itself reiterates, in the oft-quoted Second Amendment, the right of the American people to “keep and bear arms”. Moreover, the influence of bodies such as the National Rifle Association (NRA), who have around five million members and represent a great deal of support for proSecond Amendment politicians, needs to be taken into account. When Obama puts forward stricter gun regulation laws, those

Republicans in Congress who oppose the measure make it impossible for the laws to be carried forward, and it is this which has lead many people to conclude that the US has already lost the war against gun control. Until there are more gun-opposing Democrats in positions of power, there is no possible way to enforce gun regulations.

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lthough, that isn’t to say there’s nothing that can be done. The notfor-profit organisation Everytown For Gun Safety produced a report on 5th October detailing five ways in which Obama can encourage gun safety, without the need for intervention from Congress. Crucially, these include more assistance for states in the enforcement of existing background checks; this could help reduce the number of people with a history of abusive and violent behaviour who are allowed access to firearms.

Whilst these are simple measures, and it is unlikely that they would stop an attack similar to Oregon or Sandy Hook, the hope is that they would promote general gun safety and effectively lower the levels of gun violence in the US. Although this may not seem a good enough answer to the terrible violence of mass shootings, unfortunately, at this time, it is likely that they are Obama’s only options.

The Russian airstrikes in Syria will shift the balance of power in Putin’s favour, writes Ollie Watts

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ussia’s parliament approved a request

by President Putin on 30th September to begin a series of aerial bombing raids to be carried out against “all terrorists” in Syria.

With barely an hour’s notice to the US and to the West, Russia launched on their first military intervention in the Middle East in decades. Putin has reportedly said that his country is acting preventatively, with the aim of fighting, and subsequently destroying, the region’s militant and terrorist organisations on the land they already dominate, rather than waiting for the seeds of jihadism to spread. Russia has since responded to the widespread condemnation from the international community by publically claiming that the intervention was authorised

by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad, who, they have said, reached out to Putin to seek military assistance in the fight against both antigovernment rebels and Islamic State.

Nevertheless, concerns have been raised that Russia’s air strikes could result in an elevated death toll. Opposition activists and rebel fighters in particular have conveyed their trepidation towards Russia’s decision to use aerial raids, speaking of a shared fear that if the raids continue, Russia will incur more civilian casualties than in the previous four years. The US

Secretary for Defence, Ashton Carter, has also come out in open criticism of Russia’s unilateral decision to begin a bombing campaign, claiming that the approach is ill-fated, risks escalating the current civil war, and is tantamount to “pouring gasoline on the fire”.

It would appear that, rather than taking on Isil, Moscow is bombing opponents of Assad’s regime; evidence has arisen which verifies that anti-government rebels, backed by both Gulf and Western states, seem to be the true targets of Russia’s raids. Putin is one of Assad’s greatest allies on the international stage, with ties between Russia and Syria going back decades.

The Syrian port of Tartous is the final remaining Russian naval base in the Middle East, a fact which leads us to one of the crucial reasons why Putin has decided to intervene. Moscow has an underlying motivation to meddle in a region where, since the Cold War, their power has significantly waned. Russia is attempting to re-establish a foothold in the Middle East, whilst seeking to challenge America’s influence over the region.

Equally, Putin has taken action in Syria in the hope that this could lead to a thawing in relations with his Western counterparts, as he attempts to deal with the economic sanctions

enforced on Russia, along with a number of its top oligarchs. If Moscow is seen to be fighting a common battle with the West, he can only stand to gain from this; it is not only a daring move, but a tactical one, designed to draw attention away from Russia’s controversial occupation of Crimea and its continuing presence in Eastern Ukraine.

The airstrikes have blindsided Washington, and the prior failures of the US-led coalition have all worked to shift the balance of power in Putin’s favour. In once again providing backing for Assad, Putin will have forced the US to rethink its strategy, and to further consider the idea of maintaining Alawite rule whilst the issue of Isil is resolved.

The West’s lack of urgency in dealing with the crisis has encouraged Russia to step in and fill what they saw as a power vacuum. The US should not be afraid to work alongside Moscow, as they will need to be involved in any potential political transitions in Syria. America needs to reposition itself, as it cannot allow a conflict of ideology to manifest through a proxy war with Russia. It would be naive to raise fears of a new Cold War, but with both sides fuelling competing parties in the region, we cannot yet rule out a return to decades gone by.

new law came into force on 5th October, requiring major retailers in England to charge customers at least 5p for their plastic bags. This was part of a new government scheme aiming to reduce the more than 7bn plastic bags handed out in Britain each year, in order to tackle litter problems, boost our economy, and work towards solving serious environmental issues. All for the cost of 5p per bag, this certainly sounds like a step in the right direction; why, then, has Britain reacted so badly?

Most people would undoubtedly agree that there are many benefits associated with this new charge. Firstly, the government claims that it will boost the British economy, saving £60m on litter clean-up costs, £13m in carbon savings, and overall contributing a massive £780m to our economy, not to mention the fact that retailers will be expected to donate the funds raised by the plastic bag charge to good causes. In Wales, where the 5p charge was introduced in 2011, between £17m and £22m has already been raised for charities as a result, and the government has predicted that up to £550m could be raised here. Equally, let’s not forget the environmental benefits which the new charge has the potential to bring. With so many excess plastic bags, littering has become a severe problem, resulting in 8m tonnes of plastic being dumped into our oceans every year. Environment Minister Rory Stewart has said that reducing plastic bags will result in a “cleaner, healthier country”. Clearly, the benefits are huge for such a small change.

In spite of all of this, judging by some of the reactions, you would think this small charge represented an outrageous breach of our entitlement to free plastic bags. Within hours of the new law being introduced, the Daily Mirror and the Daily Mail reported “chaos” on the streets; social media newsfeeds were clogged by people ranting, and rumours of violent arrests circulated the internet. Many saw the funny side of it, making melodramatic jokes on Twitter, whilst others discovered their inner entrepreneur, selling discounted plastic bags on the ‘black market’, but there were some who seemed seriously offended, using words such as “complicated”, “confusing” and “unhelpful”, and worrying about how the fee could affect security issues, make shoplifting easier and increase the theft of baskets and trolleys. Another concern related to how checkout staff would cope, with special training about how to deal with argumentative customers being proposed.

‘Overreaction’ doesn’t quite cover it. The 5p charge is not a new scheme; Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, along with the majority of European countries, all charge for plastic bags. We know that the benefits are significant, so why are people so outraged?

It reflects poorly on our country’s reaction to change, and in particular our attitude towards environmental problems. The 5p charge is by no means unreasonable, and with much greater challenges ahead in working to reduce our carbon footprint, we will have to make sacrifices. Will England be ready to do this?

Following the fall out this week, I’m worried that it won’t be so easy.

20th October 2015

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Comment

The “Sisters Uncut” protest shows us that feminism doesn’t end with the liberation of white women, argues Abbie Mulcairn

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t the London premiere of the new film ‘Suffragette’ on 7th October, members of the feminist action group, Sisters Uncut, jumped the barriers around the red carpet to stage a ‘lie-in’, in protest against the cuts being made to services which help victims of domestic abuse. Their intention was to bring attention to the government’s programme of austerity and the impact it will have on the victims of domestic abuse; they were heard chanting, “dead women can’t vote”, and stating that “the battle isn’t over yet”.

The protest ended when they were restrained and dragged away by security guards, who, reportedly, continuously referred to them as “girls”.

What Sisters Uncut did was emblematic of what the suffragettes were doing more than one hundred years ago: fighting for equality while being demeaned by the patriarchy. They followed the feminist traditions of militant protests, and the aggressive conduct of the security guards, as seen in the footage of the event, has glaring parallels with how the original suffragettes were treated during the fight for universal suffrage at the turn of the twentieth century, and proves that in spite of the progress that has been made since then, radical action is still needed to push the agenda for women’s rights.

While ‘Suffragette’ should be praised for its largely female cast and production crew, it equally represents yet another example of the white-washing of women’s history. It is quite clearly a liberal feminist film, with its message that if women had the same rights as men, we would automatically be treated as equals; however, it largely ignores the intersections of oppression, such as homophobia, class discrimination, and, in this instance, racial discrimination, which make equal rights on paper difficult to recreate in reality. Not only does the film fail to represent the struggles

Photo: Wikimedia, Johnny Cyprus of non-white women, some historians have argued that its white-washing is “historically inaccurate”, and not just a “product of the time”.

Historian Anita Anand, whose book, ‘Sophia: Princess, Suffragette, Revolutionary’, depicts the role played by Sophia Duleep Singh in the fight for emancipation, told the Independent that there was much overlap between the British and Indian suffrage movements: “Sophia Duleep Singh...believed in sisterhood, and she sacrificed everything to fight for British women’s vote, and also fought for Indian women’s emancipation as well”, adding that she would have loved to see her portrayed in the film.

Historical inaccuracies haven’t been the

only problems the film has faced relating to race; the cast were also pictured wearing T-shirts declaring ‘I’d rather be a rebel than a slave’; a slogan which many non-white women found deeply offensive in its suggestion that

“Non-white women have had their history erased by the media” being a slave was in any sense a matter of choice.

Of course, any film based on true events is bound to suffer from historical inaccuracies of one sort or another, but the complete

white-washing of this film is symbolic of the systematic racism we have frequently seen in Hollywood.

Earlier this year, the film ‘Stonewall’ was met with criticism for its focus on a cis gender white male, and complete disregard for the fact that the Stonewall riots were started by a trans woman of colour.

Although ‘Suffragette’ is somewhat more rooted in history, it cannot be ignored that white women are having their story repeated time after time on the big screen, whilst nonwhite women have had their history erased by the media, in a way which is by no means limited to the film industry. For example, over the summer, Taylor Swift was censured by many for her response to Nicki Minaj’s tweet following the VMA nominations, as failing to understand her own privileged position as a white woman, and the other forms of oppression suffered by non-white women under the media spotlight.

The suffragette movement was incredibly important, but we shouldn’t look past its flaws. We need to acknowledge that the focus, by both Hollywood and the media in general, on white women, and the erasure of anyone who falls outside of the remit of white, cis gender, straight and able-bodied, is seriously problematic.

Sisters Uncut represent a clear step forward; they describe themselves as “a diverse group of women”, who “experience many different kinds of oppression at the same time, such as sexism, racism, transphobia, ableism, classism and homophobia”. Consequently, their protest has made a statement even broader than the one they were originally there to make, highlighting that feminism’s work did not end with the liberation of white women. Liberal feminism has done what it can; now it’s time for feminists to take action for those women who have been overlooked.

Cameron’s speech at the Conservative party conference reads like an emotive checklist, and his narrative cannot hold up Sam Naylor

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hen looking at a small portion of the hour-long speech David Cameron gave at the Conservative party conference in Manchester earlier this month, “the party of working people, the party for working people - today, tomorrow, always”, I can’t be the only person who is reminded of the Capitol’s address to the populous in ‘The Hunger Games’: “Panem today, Panem tomorrow, Panem forever”. This catch-all approach to highlight the party’s caring side, and move away from the image of the ‘nasty

“Cameron and Osborne seem more concerned with dominating the common ground” party’, could arguably be working in the Tory’s favour, although it also throws up images of Adam Curtis’ ‘Bitter Lake’ documentary. Some of the key issues which Cameron spoke about - welfare, social cohesion and terror among them - have become so simplified that we struggle to understand their wider context; issues and concerns are stripped back to sound bites, easily digestible and simple to process.

The onus of this, however, cannot solely be placed on Cameron; this form of political

dialogue has been consistent for the past decade or so, across party lines. This is one reason why Corbyn, and to a lesser extent, Farage, have become so popular in regard to their public speaking; they are not afraid to say what they actually wish to do within their respective parties. Theresa May followed a similar pattern in her party conference speech; her honesty is undeniable, as she pushes to strike a deal on asylum, stating that “the fewer people there are who wrongly claim asylum in Britain, the more generous we can be in helping the most vulnerable people in the world’s most dangerous places”.

This stands in stark contrast to Cameron’s broad, “one nation” rhetoric, whilst also demonstrating confidence in her power to make this wish reality. Although May’s sentiment is deeply flawed, not to mention damaging towards Britain’s identity in relation to immigration and multi-culturalism, at least we know where she stands. Cameron and Osborne seem more concerned with dominating the common ground, solidifying a political dialogue that speaks directly to the common beliefs of the British electorate. They play the role well; disconcertingly so. If I close my eyes, and my mind wanders towards the lofty heights of idealism and the enactment of policies for the greater good, then for a fleeting moment, I too begin to believe; however, this illusion crumbles as soon as I remember that

any sincerity on Cameron’s part is all artifice.

It is as if his speeches are centred around an emotive checklist: the vague, catch-all phrase “hard-working families”, the inclusion of his own wife and children (so as to appear human), and of course the crucial reminder that terrorism is bad.

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hilst Labour is shifting towards a more solid identity, the Conservatives seem to be declaring that they can be whatever we want them to be, even going as far as to steal Labour policies and implement them as their own; the national living wage and the national infrastructure commission are two of the biggest examples of this, although this is then balanced out with more overtly Tory ideas, such as Osborne’s rumoured tax credit cuts.

Consequently, it is difficult to pinpoint exactly what the Conservative party is trying to be.

The mantra at the conference this year was: “Security. Stability. Opportunity.” However, it is a struggle to find any depth or deeper understanding of what this placid sentiment actually means.

The one thing Cameron was clear on was his view of the Labour party and their “irresponsible” leadership; Corbyn, with his “Britain-hating ideology”, must be stopped at all costs. What Cameron really fears is context, and he will use all the streams of emotive

language that he can to try and undermine that. He will twist, steal and manipulate words to form false promises, supported by hollow phrases and a narrative which, try as he might to represent “the agents of hope”, will only result in spreading fear. “Thousands of words have been written about the new Labour leader, but you only need to know one thing: he thinks the death of Osama Bin Laden was

“The Conservatives are defining what context is” a tragedy”; this statement, also taken from Cameron’s speech, is one such example.

The Conservatives, supported by much of the British mainstream media, are defining what context is. They are attempting to create a monopoly on what is right and what is wrong.

Cameron received a standing ovation for stating that a tragedy is the death of Western citizens, although no mention was made of the thousands of civilians who have been killed in retaliation in the Middle East; why muddy the water for the British public? If Cameron continues striving to dominate the maximum reach of the political spectrum, then I cannot see how the “One Nation Conservative Party” narrative will hold up. There is too much contradictory rhetoric, promising everything but delivering very little.

20th October 2015

18

Science&Environment

Anti-parasitic drug discoveries win the Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine Nick Brown Sci&Env writer Malaria and river blindness are two of the most pressing issues when we talk about health and disease on a global scale, especially in Africa. Both diseases are contracted following a bite from an insect that is playing host to the causative parasite. The insects in question are Simulium black flies in the case of river blindness, and female Anopheles mosquitoes for malaria.

In the past few decades, progress in controlling the spread of these infections has been limited, especially in the case of malaria, as there are four species that can affect humans. However, the deadliest species is not the most prevalent, whereas the most common species is seldom fatal. Each of the four species of malaria can respond to the medicine designed for the different species differently, resulting in potential drug resistance. Therefore, developing a universal, cure-all vaccine is almost impossible.

Especially when the parasite is able to evolve quickly and adapt to evade immune responses.

On the 5th October, the Nobel committee made the decision to award the Nobel Prize for Physiology and Medicine to Professor Satoshi Omura and Dr William Campbell for their research into the discovery of Ivermectin, a drug that tackles the infections caused by the roundworm parasite, such as river blindness and elephantiasis. This drug has proven most effective since it has been in circulation. As a result of this medicine, roundworm diseases, most of which affect some of the poorest nations in the world, are now on the verge of eradication.

Also awarded the prize this year was Professor Youyou Tu from China for her invaluable discovery of the drug named Artemisinin, which has been highly effective at killing the malaria parasite. Since its discovery, Artemisinin has been used in combination with other malaria medicines,

COMMENT Louise Fitzgerald argues that we should should embrace genetically modified crops

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ast week I came across a documentary on Netflix called GMO OMG; living in a house full of science students it made for an interesting watch. The most infuriating thing about the documentary was that Jeremy Seifert, presenter and film-maker, was so aggressively against Genetic Modification (GM) that he barely told us any of the benefits. In his view, GM crops are so poisonous that he actually dressed his two children in full hazmat gear before letting them run around in a field of GM corn.

Last December, the European Union ruled that it would allow member states

Photo: Wikimedia: Jim Gathany resulting in 100,000 lives saved in Africa alone. Following the announcement of the award the Nobel committee said: “the two discoveries have provided humankind with powerful new means to combat these debilitating diseases that affect hundreds of millions of people annually”.

The other recipients of Nobel prizes

this year include Takaaki Kajita and Arthur McDonald, who won the prize for physics, for the discovery that neutrinos switch between different ‘flavours’. The prize for chemistry went to Tomas Lindahl, Paul Modrich and Aziz Sancar for their discovery of mechanisms in cells that repair DNA. Angus Deaton won the prize for economics for his analysis of

consumption, poverty and welfare. Svetlana Alexievich won the prize for literature, for her writing being a monument to courage and suffering in our time. Finally, the prize for peace went to the Tunisian National Dialogue Quartet for its decisive contribution to the building of a pluralistic democracy in Tunisia in the wake of the Jasmine Revolution of 2012.

to make their own decisions about the licensing of GM crops, and October 3rd was the deadline for EU member states to opt-out of cultivating GM crops in their territories. Out of the 28 member states, 15 filed the relevant paperwork to prevent GM crops being grown on their land, including Denmark, France and Germany.

Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales have all opted out on a regional basis, making England the only country in the British Isles to allow GM crop cultivation.

Whilst England has not previously cultivated any GM crops it is thought that GM maize and oilseed rape could be sown as early as next spring.

GM crops can actually deliver a number of environmental benefits. Adapting crops to become resistant to poor quality soil or drought conditions reduces water use and can increase yields in many areas.

The only GM crop currently approved for cultivation in the EU is Monsanto’s maize strain: MON 810.

MON 810 has had the Bt toxin inserted into it which protects the maize from insect attacks, in particular the European Corn Borer. Recent publications have found that “Bt toxins are some of the safest and most

selective insecticides ever used”.

Another benefit of GM is the reduced use of pesticide. Many reports will state that weeds are now becoming resistant to glyphosphate. Whilst this is partially true, it is also true of every other pesticide or drug ever used, for example, MRSA is resistant to numerous antibiotics.

problem in much of Africa, Asia and South America, and it’s estimated that Vitamin A deficiency contributes to one million preventable deaths every year. Despite its promise no countries have definite plans to cultivate golden rice.

Unfortunately, we seem to be going backwards with GM. The growth rate is slowing at just 3% last year, bringing the total land mass of GM crops to 181 million hectares, less than one-tenth of the 1.5 billion global hectares of cultivated land.

In 2013, the EU annulled its approval of BASF’s Amflora Potato as regulation procedure was not followed.

I admit that there are problems with the governance and regulation of GM; Monsanto, for example, famously took a farmer to court in 2013 for re-planting seed. Monsanto see all of their seeds as their intellectual property and don’t let farmers re-plant, which often causes longterm financial problems for farmers.

Ultimately, who are our government to decide whether we should ban GM crops or not? There are over 64 million people in the UK who will potentially be eating GM, so surely it should be the consumers who get the final say.

15

The number of member states of the European Union that do not allow the cultivation of genetically modified crops

Whilst Europe’s GM farmland is relatively small, with only around 100,000 hectares of MON 810 being cultivated, mostly in Spain, it’s worth remembering that GM is pretty much the norm in America, where more than 90% of corn, soy and cotton are genetically modified.

Anyone who did A-level biology will remember learning about golden rice.

For a number of years scientists have been inserting beta carotene (the pigment which makes carrots orange) into wild rice. Beta carotene is a pre-cursor for Vitamin A, an essential vitamin for good eyesight. Vitamin A deficiency is a big

20th October 2015

19

Science&Environment

Elephants rarely get cancer, but why?

What’s new in science

Jacob Beebe Sci&Env editor It is accepted by the scientific community that cancer is not caused by a single mutation in DNA, but by an accumulation of a number of mutations that result in the disease. That being said, it has been commented that some mutations are more prevalent than others in their contribution to cancer. For a long time, scientists have been puzzled by the fact that elephants appear to rarely develop cancer. New evidence has unveiled a possible explanation for why humans, as a species, appear positively riddled, whilst elephants appear to exist relatively cancer free.

One of the most prevalent mutations observed in human cancers is in the p53 gene.

P53 is responsible for stopping cells from continuing to grow if DNA becomes damaged.

Often called the ‘guardian of the genome’, p53 is a vital anti-cancer precaution taken by the cell. If the DNA becomes damaged, p53 stops the cell from growing, attempts to repair the damage – if the damage is not repairable, it will also lead the cell to die so that faulty cells are not passed on.

It is easy to see, therefore, how mutations in p53 may lead to cancer, with faulty cells continuing to grow and divide uncontrollably.

This is why the gene is referred to as a tumour suppressor.

Scientists have now discovered that in elephants, there are extra, modified copies of this vital gene – 38 to be precise. In the case of

Photo: Flickr, Brittany H. humans, who have a meagre two copies of the gene, mutations in both copies are required to contribute to cancer. In elephants, with so many extra copies, a more significant buffer is created, protecting the cell from producing mutant p53 proteins. Furthermore, elephant cells appear to have a more robust process for disposing of damaged cells that may have become cancerous.

This is a significant step forward in natural evolutionary prevention of cancer. Co-senior author of the research, Joshua Schiffman M.D. stated: “Nature has already figured out how to prevent cancer. It’s up to us to learn how different animals tackle the problem so we can adapt those strategies to prevent cancer in people.”

Whilst it is clear that this is not a Holy Grail solution to curing human cancers – these are elephants after all, it adds to our knowledge of cellular turnover and tumour suppression in cancer. In addition it also sends a strong message about preserving our natural environment. It is clear that this is yet another argument for wider conservation methods and the preservation of biodiversity. Nature can sometimes provide the answers for us for some of the most devastating diseases that plight our existence.

Scientists working in China have discovered teeth belonging to modern humans that date to at least 20,000 years earlier than the previously thought.

Global warming means that spring will arrive earlier in the US Scientists say a gene-editing method could make pig organs suitable for use in humans.

A 125 million year old fossil has been unearthed with its mammalian internal organs intact as well as its fur.

Neuroscientists have found a brain circuit that can trigger small regions of the brain to fall asleep or become less alert.

Experts have found that larger brains do not lead to higher IQs. Europe’s climate change chief is astonished at the positive progress by governments towards a global deal on CO2.

Researchers have succeeded in converting skin cells into fully functional placentagenerating cells.

An Indonesian volcano has erupted electric-blue lava.

Malaria protein could provide a more universal treatment for cancer.

A UK-based robotics company and Disney have joined forces to produce 3D-printed prosthetic arms.

Now researchers have discovered that the pattern of brain activity from one person to the next is as different as a fingerprint.

Photos Left: Flickr: Paul Rowe.

Right: Wikimedia: Ceranthor.

20th October 2015

20

Travel

Travel safety: the top ten Alys Barr Travel writer

1

Keep your money and cards in separate places, don’t keep all your cash in your day pack and definitely don’t keep it all in your backpack at the hostel or hotel.

2

Hide a small amount of cash somewhere inconspicuous, just in case; rolled up inside a tampon is a great trick, or stuffed inside socks. Never leave valuables in hold luggage or in storage compartments on public transport.

3

Invest in a portable safe to keep valuables secure in your accommodation. PacSafe also have ‘anti-theft’ rucksacks, equipped with lots of cool features to drastically reduce the chances of opportunistic robberies.

4

Get in the habit of checking behind you when you leave somewhere; you’d be surprised how many jumpers, phones, books etc are lost due to people not following this simple step!

Photo: Nick Brown. Circle, bottom: university2013, irishfireside

5

Don’t advertise your possessions; walking along decked out in jewellery, with your DSLR camera around your neck, iPhone in hand and wallet sticking out your back pocket is just asking for trouble.

6

Travel insurance is a must. You can never plan for the unexpected and the last thing you want is a hefty hospital bill as a souvenir!

7

Keep a copy of your passport, booking confirmations and insurance details online (e.g. Google Drive).

8 Photo: Wikipedia, Suzaran Japan Foods

Photo: Flickr, Kat

The ultimate guide for student travellers Nick Brown Travel writer If it’s your first time travelling, it can be a bit daunting to start with. Getting off the plane into sometimes a completely alien environment, whether it be the hustle and bustle of streets in Bangkok or Phnom Penh, the noise from all the traffic around Addis Ababa, or even just sheer task of trying to find your way from the airport in Berlin to a hotel or hostel. Once you get past these trials, you are on your way to an experience of a lifetime. If you are struggling still after this period, here’s a few tips to help you adapt comfortably to your new environment.

1 Try all the food Try eating absolutely everything that you can eat when you travel. Especially as a student, being adventurous with your palate is usually the cheapest way to get a meal. Buying snack bits from a street market

is always going to be cheaper than fast food or restaurant food. Items such as fried chicken, curries or if you’re feeling particularly daring, deep fried grasshoppers will always be available in the different street markets across the world for low prices. Plus it will allow you to gain more of an experience of the local culture.

2 Keep a diary Keeping a diary is the best way to document your travels, especially if internet isn’t available to write a blog. It’s also a perfect place to keep tickets that you want to hold onto for a scrapbook when you get home.

“Once you get past these trials, you are on your way to an experience of a lifetime” Your diary is your one constant reminder of everything that happened on your travels, and is perfect for looking at years after your travels to remember the little things that you forgot.

3 Make friends with people in your dorm Doing things in a larger group can be fun, whether it’s going down to the market to get dinner together, going for a night out

to the wide variety of pubs, clubs and bars in traveller hotspots or even just to chill out and swap stories for inspiration at the end of a long day of wandering around temples, castles or side streets. Making friends also helps with safety as there are more people to watch out for you and to make sure nothing happens to your bag or pockets when you’re not paying attention.

Research the destination thoroughly beforehand. Find the best spots to visit, but also the ones worth avoiding. Try not to get your map out too much - this screams ‘I’m a lost, vulnerable tourist!’.

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Be sensitive to local traditions and awware of what can get you in trouble. You can be sent to prison for public displays of affection in Dubai, getting topless in Fiji, or feeding pigeons in San Fran. Vicks inhalers are forbidden in Japan and you can earn a hefty fine for smoking or chewing gum in Singapore.

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Most importantly, keep your wits about you, trust your gut instinct and use common sense!

4 Take a travel guide book The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. This is true when applying it to travelling. The travel guide will allow you to plan back up trips in case your plans fall apart.

These guides combined with ideas from fellow travellers will benefit your travels greatly and also give you insights into the various places that you visit. Plus it’s a great device for hitting massive mosquitos that bother you during the night.

5 Relax and love life The worst things when travelling happen when your attention is not 100%. Arguments with people that you’re travelling with for the next few weeks can hamper plans and lead to unpleasant rifts. At the end of the day, you’re travelling to get away from studies, work and monotony, so enjoy your break and have an alert but relaxed attitude when travelling. It is an experience of a lifetime after all.

Photo: Wikipedia, Martin Kingsley

20th October 2015

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Travel

Photo: globalethicsnetwork, Ella Williams

Laura Schmidt looks at how to conquer the fear of being an international student studying in the UK I t is incredibly strange to realise that as a third-year university student and twentyyear-old, that I am essentially starting university all over again. This is the feeling I had when I arrived on campus at UEA one short month ago, as an exchange student

“I felt like a freshman again, but this time, I already know how to navigate this battlefield” from America. I was filed into a lot of queues to receive paperwork, sign documents, and I constantly had to ask people where I was supposed to go. I ended up getting lost a lot on campus, even though in reality, campus is not that large. I felt like a freshman again, but this time, I already knew how to navigate this battlefield.

I went out as much as possible to try to meet new people, got to know my flatmates, and downloaded both a map and a lot of recipes onto my phone. There’s been some mishaps already, but I feel like I’m starting

to get the hang of navigating daily life. There is a bit of a language barrier—if you weren’t aware, American English is quite different from British English. So yes, I still call trousers ‘pants’, and I still call biscuits ‘cookies’, but eventually I will learn the British way!

However, the biggest challenge since arriving on campus has not been locating the Elizabeth Fry building, which is prohibitively difficult, by the way, or trying to pay my rent without a UK credit card; it’s been dealing with the myriad of emotions that culminate within me on a daily basis.

When I first arrived here, I pushed off my feelings of homesickness, instead keeping myself busy with writing, meeting people, or even just eating a lot of food. But I’ve come to realise that this is not a healthy way to continue during my time here at UEA. My emotional state here is a huge part of my journey, and I need to embrace the fact that while I do miss home on occasion, my new temporary home is here.

So here is my advice to anyone thinking of studying abroad (whether you are currently studying abroad here at UEA or thinking of traveling away from UEA for Erasmus or

study abroad): just do it. Seriously, Shia LaBeouf’s advice is very fitting here. Study abroad is not always easy and it may require

“It may require you to be braver than you think you are right now, but it is so worth it”

you to be braver than you think you are right now, but it is so worth it. Despite missing Minnesota and my family, I would make the same choice to come to UEA again and again, and I have some very convincing reasons why you should expand your horizons, too: 1 New experiences like this only can make you a better person. You don’t know yourself and your limits until you push yourself. That’s true in academics, but it is also true for your life.

2 You get to meet new people and experience a different culture. Okay, so as far as embracing culture goes, it’s not like I’m travelling that far from home in some sense, but it has still been eye-opening. And I’ve made so many fantastic

connections with people that I hope will last a lifetime.

3 You’re young. If there was any time in your life when you can pack up your life for 3-12 months and go try something completely different, it’s right now. Life gets more complicated and messy as we get older. Take any experience and opportunity you can; your older self will thank you for it.

4 You will miss everything you’ve left behind.

That’s a fact. But technology makes it easier to stay in touch. And sometimes it can even be great to miss people—that way you know you have something special to return to.

P

erhaps studying abroad isn’t for everyone, but it has been the right choice for me. Juggling a lot of responsibilities and a lot of emotions has been difficult, but being able to go down into the kitchen and laugh with my flat mates, or just hopping on a bus to try a Nando’s for the first time has made the transition easier. So yes, I will continue to miss home until I get on my flight back to America. I know, though, that as soon as I get on the plane, I will also start to miss my new home that I’ve made here at UEA.

20th October 2015

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Sport UEA sport round-up Jonathon Steventon Men’s Football President UEAFC 3 | 1 Hoveton Wherrymen Cyril Ballyn Cup Round 2 On Saturday, UEAFC first team faced Hoveton Wherrymen in the second round of the Cyril Ballyn Cup after defeating Mattishall Reserves 4-3 in the previous round.

Possession was going back and forth between the two sides as both midfields tried to hold a grip on the game, with no real chances being created within the first 20 minutes. This forced manager Gary Butcher into making a change. Sam Golden replaced Jon Addai and went up front with Russell slotting into centre midfield.

It didn’t take long for Golden to make an impact as he was played in behind the defence, rounded the keeper and squared the ball for George Marsden to tap into an empty net to make it UEA 1-0 Hoveton.

UEA were now growing into the game and putting the Hoveton defence under pressure. Moments after a last-ditch interception against a UEA attack, Golden was one-on-one with the goalkeeper again, seeing his shot get saved.

However, the balance of play soon changed when a long and hopeful ball was played in behind UEA’s right back.

Hoveton’s pacy winger Tony Burch nipped in behind and made no mistake by firing the ball low into the far bottom corner of the goal.

The second half got off to a barnstorming start, with Hoveton conceding a penalty.

Sam Golden stepped up, but the keeper guessed right and got down well to save.

UEA took advantage of fatigued Hoveton’s mistimed tackles, delivering numerous long free kicks into the box.

The lead was soon regained when Owen French got on the end of one of these free kicks and flicked the ball onto the path of Golden, who made up for his penalty miss with a controlled header into the bottom corner of the goal. UEA 2-1 Hoveton.

Hoveton started to press UEA more as time was running out.

In the end, the opposition could not find a way through, and the victory was secured in the dying moments when Russell got through on goal, rounded the keeper and slotted the ball home. For UEA it wasn’t the best performance overall, yet they worked hard and were able to grind out the win and book their place in the quarter finals.

The final score was UEA 3-1 Hoveton. Man of the match was Owen French East Harling Res 2 | 4 UEAFC 2s The Us came into this game on the back of a 4-2 win against Easton Reserves and were eager to build on this league success and secure their place in the next round of the cup.

The boys came out of the blocks tremendously, dominating play, dictating the tempo and controlling possession. The deadlock was broken within the first 15 minutes with captain Mark Allen scoring directly from a free kick just outside the box. The rest of the first half followed a similar fashion, with the boys taking control of proceedings whilst the opposition were struggling to compile any sort of challenge on goal. The lead was then doubled from the spot by Will Hanson; calmly stroking the penalty into the left side of the goal, 2-0 UEA. Despite the excellent first-half display, the half time team talk put great emphasis on the devastating effect that complacency from the Us could have on the game, something that has caused the boys to drop points in the league games previously.

As the second half commenced there was an overriding sense that the story of our season so far was about to repeat itself. Some lazy UEA defending saw East Harling claw one back on the counter.

Shortly after, East Harling broke with pace against a confused and disorganised UEA defence. The home striker proceeded to level proceedings with a good finish.

After this UEA captain Mark Allen decided to get the starting 11 back on the pitch in order to try and reclaim the dominance of the first half. This began to take success

immediately, with Ed Groves hitting the post, Eddie Ntim being denied from ten yards and Mikey Romain scoring a goal that was called offside.

The Us started extra time the better side, dominating possession and threatening the East Harling goal repeatedly. East Harling were sentenced to ten men after Felix Hempel was fouled on the left hand side of the penalty box. East Harling’s player subsequently decided to petulantly throw the ball at Felix and incurred a red card as a result.

UEA eventually took the lead in the second half of extra time when Allen was able to beat his midfield opponent with a touch of skill and slide the ball through to Will Hanson, who rounded the keeper and tucked the ball into the net from a tight angle. UEA’s dominance was never in doubt after that, with the boys extending their lead, when eventual man of the match, Hanson, completed his hat trick with a delightful lob over the on-rushing East Harling goalkeeper.

4-2 victory in the end for the 2s – who made extremely hard work of what should have been a fairly straight forward victory.

Graphic: Wikimedia, Domaina

Human after all: UEA hockey hot streak ends Joe Fitzsimmons Venue editor Saturday 10th October, and the UEA men’s hockey first team took on Shefford & Sandy Hockey club. UEA were so far undefeated in over two years, and were planning on continuing this streak in the regular league game. The heavy rain that preceded the match throughout the morning had left the AstroTurf waterlogged. With UEA starting the game with the first pass back, the men’s first team quickly drove into the Shefford defence.

Getting some shots off early, UEA showed off their clear advantage in speed and passing accuracy.

Shefford showed an early frustration with some easy giveaways, and UEA continued to dominate possession. Five minutes in to the first half, Shefford were given the first short corner of the game, but the pads of UEA goalie, Josh Thody, blocked their shot easily.

UEA were the first to score, with a high rebound from Shefford’s goaltender.

Captain Joshua Class attempted to keep the team focussed, as Shefford responded quickly, almost equalising the score within three minutes, were it not for a kick save by goaltender Thody. UEA possession continued to dominate for much of the first half, and set up most of the scoring chances. Highlights included a series of fakes by number 51, David Gilbert, that broke through the entire Shefford defence and set up a scoring chance that unfortunately went wide. In response to this, Shefford rallied and were able to maintain pressure on UEA’s defence, decreasing their turnovers, and picking up the pace. During a Shefford attack on the UEA goal number 69, Christopher Whiting, took a hit to the shins.

As a result, UEA were awarded a free hit, which gave them the opportunity to take the

Photo: Joe Fitzsimmons, Concrete Photography pressure out of their own end. UEA’s second goal came midway through the first half, with a shot that sent the Shefford goalie sprawling in the wrong direction.

As the first half drew on, UEA began to lose control of possession, and Shefford’s scoring chances increased. Awarded a corner shot, Shefford set up an easy one-timer shot that was sent straight into the bottom corner, setting the score at two-one. Despite this potential comeback Shefford were still clearly frustrated at their inability to convert on their many scoring chances. Frustrations went higher still for both teams when UEA forward Benn Mann took a serious hit to the neck from a high stick, which forced him to be substituted off. These tensions were not helped by a heavy bout of rain that made pitch conditions even worse as the first half drew

to a close.

As the whistle blew for the end of the first half, it looked like this game would end as with another of UEA’s wins. Right from the whistle heralding the second half, however, this quickly changed.

With UEA leading two-one coming into the second half, the team appeared recharged.

Benn Mann also returned to the pitch, his injury apparently shaken off. Shefford too seemed revitalised, and with their new found energy managed to snap a quick shot early in the second half to bring the game back to two all. UEA seemed unable to respond to this, and were unable to set up a scoring chance, despite the high pressure they were putting on the opposition. Shefford’s frustrations returned to the fore when their forward was given a yellow card for aggression.

Nonetheless their mood was soon revived by a battle in front of the net that gave them a three-two lead.

This marked a clear turning point in the game. Shortly afterwards, Shefford were awarded a short corner, and with another well-placed one timer were able to increase their lead to four-two. From this Shefford seemed content to relieve their pressure on UEA, and possession shifted up and down the pitch with chances for either side. UEA were awarded their first short corner of the second half mid-way through the period, but were unable to get a shot off. Such stymied chances set the precedent for the rest of UEA’s half.

Despite frequent sets up, UEA were unable to convert. One instance led the Shefford goalie to run out of his zone to steal the ball from UEA forward Ben Mann, leading to an errant shot sent wide in the scramble. As the half entered its final ten minutes, UEA started to apply intense pressure to the Shefford defence. UEA’s passes became quicker, and their shots harder. This applied pressure came back to haunt them though, as a hard shot from one of UEA’s own connected with their captain Glass’ foot, sending him to the ground in pain. Glass returned to his feet, but was noticeably impaired for the remainder of the game.

UEA kept up the offence for the remainder of the game, but were unable to make anything of their chances. The final whistle blew for a four-two victory for Shefford.

With that, UEA’s record was shattered, and a frustrated team were left to warm down as Shefford celebrated. Although this was not a catasrophic defeat, the manner in which UEA lost is cause for concern. As the team move into a BUCS competition in the coming weeks they must now face the challenge knowing that they are no longer the untouchables of the Hockey world.

20th October 2015

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Sport

Jürgen clocks in as Liverpool’s new manager Esther Veas Sport writer Fewer than 18 months after Brendan Rodgers guided Liverpool to second place, their joint highest Premier League finish, the NorthernIrishman has been sacked from his post at Anfield.

In his place is Jürgen Klopp. The charismatic German has developed a cult global following during his time at Borussia Dortmund, and has already been welcomed to the Premier League with open arms. But where did it all go wrong for Rodgers?

At one stage during that remarkable 2013-14 campaign, Liverpool sat atop the league, nine points clear of eventual winners Manchester City after 11 successive league victories. In the end, a season that promised so much for the Reds is now cruelly remembered

zero

The number of trophies won by Brendan Rodgers in his time as manager of Liverpool FC

for Steven Gerrard’s slip at home to Chelsea, a moment immortalised in song up and down the country by football fans.

Regardless of Liverpool’s failure that year, Rodgers should be remembered fondly by the Anfield faithful. No manager has produced more exciting or entertaining football on Merseyside than Rodgers since the inception of the Premier League in 1992. When Suarez, Sterling and Sturridge were all firing, Liverpool were the team to watch.

Arguably it is the break-up of that trio that has cost Rodgers his job. It is not unreasonable to suggest that Liverpool have become a selling club. This is something that had already become clear before Rodgers arrived at Anfield, with Xabi Alonso, Javier Mascherano and Michael Owen all being sold.

Under Rodgers the theme continued with

Brenden Rodgers, the old Liverpool manager Photo: Wikimedia, Geoffrey Hammersley the sales of Raheem Sterling to Manchester City and Luis Suarez to Barcelona. It is hard to pillory Rodgers for parting ways with Suarez when Barcelona came knocking. However, if you are going to sell your best players every season, albeit for vast profit, an image is

created whereby you are seen as a secondrank club. Jamie Carragher declared last week that Liverpool are in danger of ‘becoming a Tottenham’. Forget danger, arguably the Reds are already there.

A football club can no longer exist solely

on past glories, which creates a huge problem for a team such as Liverpool. The good news is that, in Jürgen Klopp, Liverpool have acquired a manager well versed in getting a proud football city to its feet once again.

Although some consider the Reds to have acted somewhat hastily – Redknapp calling Brendan Rodgers, ‘a victim of modern football’ following his dismissal – they have acted decisively. With Chelsea and José Mourinho not currently seeing eye-to-eye, a feeling has been growing that if the two parted company in the near future, Klopp would have been on the Stamford Bridge radar. By sacking Rodgers, Liverpool put themselves at the front of the queue and ultimately got their man.

Aside from the high profile sales of Sterling and Suarez, the injury to Daniel Sturridge cost Rodgers and Liverpool dearly. With Suarez and Sturridge both absent for large parts of last season Liverpool instantly lost over 50% of the goals that fired them to second the year before. Add to that a transfer committee that sanctioned the signings of over £70m worth of deadwood, including Mario Balotelli and Dejan Lovren – the less said about that £20m the better – and you have a combination of factors that appear endemic of Liverpool’s demise last season.

It should not be forgotten however that in his time at Anfield, Rodgers displayed characteristics that made him difficult to feel sympathy for. His ego, arrogance and obsession with possession based statistics often made him a target for opposition supporters. It is also fair to say that aside from that wonderful 2013-14 campaign, Rodgers never truly knew his best XI or favoured style of play.

Under Klopp however, Liverpool have a new man with a new approach looking to go in a new direction on Merseyside. He has already won over supporters, and if he can inspire the players to a similar level to his time at Dortmund, the Reds could be on to something special.

Formula One: driven by money?

Esther Veas Sport writer Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone has suggested that Formula One could be sold this year. The 84-year-old revealed there are three interested buyers. At the top of the list is Stephen Ross, owner of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, who has reportedly been working with investors from Qatar in order to secure a majority shareholding. However, Ecclestone has allegedly been asked to continue his role as “commercial chief” as he has been doing since the 1970s. As the sport’s governing body recently ruled, he has control of the commercial rights of F1 until the end of 2110, and while it is quite unlikely that he will live that long, it shows how valuable an asset he is to the sport.

This has to do with the enormous amount of power Ecclestone has enjoyed since the 1970s, and might be why this announcement came as a slight surprise. After all, this is the man who has just secured Pirelli’s continuation as F1’s sole tyre supplier until 2019; little goes on in the sport without him knowing. It was in 1974 that, as a team owner, he founded the Formula One Constructors Association, known as FOCA, which handled

and sold the TV rights to the sport. This was key in the dissemination of Formula One, once a niche sport where television exposure was not guaranteed and was secured on a race-byrace basis, now a sport watched by millions worldwide.

The increased television exposure makes it a perfect site for sponsor investments, both for teams in order to cover the ever-growing costs, and at a general sport level. According to the Telegraph, more than 300 brands sponsor Formula One overall, generating a revenue of almost £1bn annually.

However, Ecclestone’s business criteria are sometimes perhaps hard to understand. In an era where television viewership rates are extremely high but still declining, Ecclestone has voiced his disapproval of a wider use of social media, deeming a younger fan base unnecessary. In his opinion, an older demographic with more disposable income is more likely to be beneficial for the sport, which has been sponsored by very valuable companies like Emirates or Rolex since 2013.

There is no room for doubt: Formula One is a business, and a very expensive one at that, as exemplified by the constant battles for TV rights in different countries. The case of the BBC versus Sky Sports comes to mind, with the BBC initially thought to be on the verge

of leaving Formula One after the licence fee freeze of 2011 brought upon serious budgeting problems. However, Sky Sports stepped in with a deal that now covers the entirety of the season while the BBC only offers half of the races live. Similar issues have arisen in other countries, such as Spain, where races will not be broadcast on public channels from the 2016 season onwards, thus allowing the highest bidding private company to exclusively televise them. This all makes following the sport a very expensive ordeal.

So while Formula One continues being economically successful, it is the fans that are suffering the consequences of this evergrowing business. Aside from the highlypriced television coverage, the content also seems to be lacking. Deals to host Grands Prix such as that of Singapore, Abu Dhabi or Azerbaijan (which is set to be the host of the 2016 European GP) have constantly been signed by Ecclestone for their inclusion in the calendar, with each season lasting longer than the previous one. The catch? Most of these circuits are all mass-commissioned from the same circuit designer, Hermann Tilke, and so they tend to look fairly similar, with huge tarmac run-off areas. This all contributes, inexorably, to depriving Formula One of much-needed excitement.

F1’s Bernie Ecclestone Photo: Wikimedia, Habeed Hameed

Sport 20th October 2015 Issue 315

Formula One: money & Bernie >P23

All change at Liverpool >P23

Norwich under-21s narrowly beat visiting Villareal James Szumowski Sport writer Norwich under-21s beat Villareal under21s 1-0 in the Barclays Premier League International Cup. Having lost their opening fixture to a very strong PSV Eindhoven side (four of whom went on to play in the 2-1 victory over Manchester United in the Champions League last month) Norwich U21 needed a victory from their second group game against Villareal to stand a chance of qualifying for the knockout rounds. Villareal’s under-21 team play in the same league as Real Madrid and Barcelona’s, and are currently first, having won six of their opening seven games.

In a relatively relaxed first half, both teams were restricted to only a handful of snatched chances between them. Solid defending, as well as the occasional absence of penetrating runs from the obviously nervous forwards, three of whom were 16 years old, meant players were rarely able to get in behind the opposing defence. The best chance of the first half fell to Villareal, with Leo Suarez’s inwardcurling free kick being tipped around the post

by Canaries keeper Killip.

The second half opened similarly to the first, with neither team threatening the other’s goal too severely. That was until, in the 55th minute, Middleton was bought down after a 60-yard run just inside the box by a hapless Carlos Julio Martinez. Benny Ashley-Seal stepped up and took a rather poor penalty, side footing the ball without any real pace or direction squarely at the keeper. His head dropped momentarily, and he needed a friendly word before he could regain his concentration.

The game really kicked off following a defensive mix up in the Norwich area. A back pass to Killip was badly controlled by

Photo: Flickr, Pittaya Sroilong the keeper before the ball rolled worryingly towards the goal line, Killip only just saving his own blushes by hacking it clear at the last moment. From that clearance, Norwich began a nice passing move that resulted in the ball finding Louis Ramsay 20 yards away from goal. The left back, the most attacking minded of the back four, took a touch before

beautifully curling a shot in to the top corner of Cantero’s goal, leaving him with no chance.

Villareal’s obvious annoyance at their performance caused the game to take a rather nasty turn. Time wasting from Norwich resulted in a minor scuffle. Martinez, the same player responsible for the penalty, needlessly got involved and slammed a Norwich player

Crystal Palace and Leicester City excel in Premier League

teams to retain possession, even those who do not necessarily have the squad to do so, it becomes easier to regain possession of the ball and counter-attack. Pair that with players who are working hard, consistently scoring and are fast enough to break quickly and you have a winning formula. As long as the results are good, fans will likely prefer substance over ‘style’.

It is also important to factor in that teams who would normally be competing for fourth and fifth place have not been performing effectively. Liverpool have had an incredibly

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Isabelle Wilson Sport writer It is hard to imagine anyone could have predicted that eight games into the season the Premier League table would look as it does.

Chelsea are flirting with the relegation zone, Liverpool and Tottenham are floundering around tenth place, and perhaps most surprisingly Crystal Palace and Leicester are competing for fourth place.

Both teams have had an undeniably strong start to the campaign. Leicester’s Jamie Vardy is the league’s top goal scorer having netted seven times in eight games. Only Manchester City have managed to score more than the Foxes, although Leicester have conceded 15 goals. Palace have impressively only conceded seven times so far this season, and have the same goal difference as Manchester United.

So, what is the secret to their success? It is interesting to note that Leicester and Palace

to the ground, earning himself a straight red card. The remaining 15 minutes of the game were tense, with Villareal finally throwing everyone forward. In the end Norwich were lucky to see themselves through as Fran Sol missed an open goal from three yards out.

All in all, however, it was still a successful European foray for the young Canaries.

Photo: Flickr.com, docteur es sport are the two worst ranked teams in the league for both passes per game and possession. Yet both have been consistently turning out good results.

It seems to come down to effective counter-attacking football and pacey players.

It is not particularly ground-breaking, but

both teams have been utilising their fastest players to full effect. Away from home, counter-attacking football has normally been the preferred method for lower league teams.

Protect your goal at all costs, and attack in numbers when the chances arise. However, as it becomes more ‘in vogue’ for bigger

Crystal Palace have risen 12 places compared with this time last year, going from 16th to fourth

average start to the season, and Chelsea are yet to find their feet.

Both Leicester and Palace are also predominantly left alone by fear mongering sceptics. If a big team slips up, it is immediately labelled a crisis. Leicester were battered fivetwo by Arsenal, no one was overly surprised and they bounced back and beat Norwich away the following weekend.

Of course, the league table may look completely different in May, but eventually you would expect the bigger teams to step up their game. However, we were saying as much last year, and Palace managed to finish in an unlikely tenth place. But everyone loves a good underdog story, and every dog has its day.