Concrete issue 103 20 10 1999

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AttemP-ted raP-e outside Waveney Terrace is second sex offence in six months

Pie: IRIS WAAS

By JAMES GOFFIN, News Editor A UEA student Is recovering from a traumatic aHempted rape, after she was sHack~ on the University campus.

The vicious attack took place on Saturday, October 9, as she walked through the Sunken Gardens between Waveney Terrace and the Sports Hall.

The girl had been visiting friends in Nelson Court, and after leaving from the back of the building, walked through the deserted spot sometime between 12 midnight and 12.30am.

Once in the gardens, she was attacked from behind by a male who forced her to the ground and indecently assaulted her.

The 26 year old student managed to fight off her attacker, and get away from the scene.

She then flagged down a taxi which took her to Bethel Street police station in the city centre, where she reported the attack.

Police Police are keen to hear from any witnesses of the incident, or anyone with any infonnation which may help them identify the attacker.

The offender is described as a white male, aged in his late 20s to early 30s,

between 5ft Bin and 6ft tall, and of medium to stocky build. He had short neat fairish hair, a fair complexion, and was dressed in dark clothing.

Other news: - Nelson Court robbery 3 - one in 10 get pregnant at Uni 2 - New Comms Officer on cards 8 lt is the second time in only six months that the Sunken Gardens have been the scene of an indecent assault, although police are not linking the two incidents.

The area is shielded from view by high hedges that surround the garden, .making it a blind spot for campus CCTV cameras.

Union Welfare Officer, Claire Kobe r, says action needs to be taken to make the area safer.

"The garden is very dark. The

lighting is just not adequate in any sense of the word," she complained.

"People should have looked at it before, but I will certainly raise it now as an urgent issue."

"Lots of people walk across there because it is a shortcut to our most populated residence ," she added.

And campus security co-ordinator, Ran Elliott, promised that the University would take action to put things right.

Plans "There are plans afoot now to improve lighting within the garden, and we will also be looking at removing some of the hedges," he promised.

If you have Information that could help catch the attacker, phone PC Tony Ryan at Norwich CID on 276692, or Crlmestoppers on 0800 555111.

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Concrete Wednesday, October 20, 1999

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Got a story? Let us know at the Concrete office... tel: 250558 email: su.concrete@uea.ac.uk

RED MOLE UNI GUIDE Forget UCAS and The Times, students now have a better way of rating university life the Red Mole survey.

Based on more vital statistics than A level points score or research ratings, the poll asks students to rate their uni on the attractiveness of students and the quality of nightlife, amongst other criteria.

And according to the survey, the best universities are up north.

Dundee scored top for female tatty, while Lancaster rated highest for gorgeous men.

The best nightlife can apparently be found in Leeds, and the most appreciated sporting facilities are located at Loughborough.

For the full results, and to vote in the latest round of the survey, visit the Red Mole site at http://www.redmole.co.uk

Baby boom

Not only can you get your fortnightly dose of Concrete on paper, but now we're moving on to the world wide web for real.

The all new web site features searchable listings, news updates, student polls and back Issues, quite apart from all the stuff you get In the actual paper.

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www.concrete-online.co.uk

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cean rntle .,:atlt:e "A hundred thousflnd welcomes"

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10 real ales always available ~ Probably the largest selection of I Whiskeys i !f.,t,.~_co un t ry ~ Great value~\ibay lunches and 'Taste of Ireland' menu ~ Sky Sports on the big screen ~ Come and join us for good beer, great atmosphere and mighty "craic" ~ UEA 8rawl Society award winner

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One in 10 students gn_pHgnant at University according to new survey .:J

MEDICAL EXPERTS at UEA have added their support to plans to make emergency contraception more easily available to young women.

The move comes in the wake of a national survey that revealed a shocking one in 10 female students admitted to having been pregnant before they graduated.

The survey, carried out by the National Union of Students, also uncovered that at least 73 per cent of these pregnancies were unplanned.

And a further one in five female stu dents surveyed claimed that they occasionally or often have sex without using any contraception.

Now, researchers at UEA have detailed evidence that supports the case for pharmacists selling emergency contraception over the counter.

"We found that the overwhelming majority of the 1500 we surveyed were in favour of supplying it themselves,'' said researcher Or Neil Cooper, from UEA's School of Nursing and Midwifery.

Groundswell

O'Bourke himself

"This represents a real groundswell towards making the morning after pill more widely

available" he added.

Concerns Despite concerns that pharmacists may not have sufficient training or information in this area, Or Cooper says his research proves the idea should be put into practice. ''The pharmacists did express a number of concerns. But the overriding feeling is that it would be of benefit,'' he said .

Hannah Furre , Union Women 's Officer, echoed Or Cooper's opinion, although she was also keen to point out the dangers of the pill.

"I think that it is

really important that the morning after pill is easily accessible, especially with the time limits," she agreed.

"But it is equally important that it is not used as a normal contraceptive and that girls know what the side effects are."

News3

Kitchen .raider caught by vigilant Nelson Court Resident Tutor

By CLARE HAMILTON-EDDY, Chief News Reporter A UEA graduate was arrested on Thursday night on suspicion of stealing food from several kitchens on campus.

Startled residents returning to Nelson Court found the unexpected visitor making himself at home, and rifling through their kitchen .

"We saw him go through the freezer and fridge, and he turned the microwave on and nicked a few bits of u ele s food like an onion and sweetcorn, stuff like that," said Claire Taylor (MTH I), who lives in House 24.

Calm "When we went into the kitchen he was just really calm, packed his stuff up and went."

"It wasn't nice at the time as we didn't know how he had got in. It just felt as though he had invaded our territory," added Claire.

Luckily, eagle-eyed Resident

Tutor, Michali Achilleos, had spotted omeone acting suspiciously only minute before the incident.

"The guy was trying to get into the kitchen window of one of the blocks.

I asked him what he was trying to do and he said that he was trying to surpri e one of his friends o I walked back to my flat."

But when the tudents raised the alann, Michalis was soon in pursuit of the stranger, and tracked him to Hou e 3.

"Once I real i ed that it was the same guy I went to try and find him.

By this time he was in the kitchen of another flat."

"The glass in the window had been smashed which must have happened when he was trying to get in through it," explained Michalis.

since he was told five days before about a student who had returned to his rootn in the plush residences to find that two men had locked themselves in. it was only after he had turfed them out that he reali ed that his CD player, after- have and some money had been stolen.

Held down " It was quite amazing as in a matter of only about five minutes he had managed to get from one kitchen into another," he added.

With the help of other students and nearby Union security guards, the Resident Tutor held down the disgraced alumni - who has not been named - until police arrived.

According to Michalis, he had been looking out for strange activities

ICH

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little gnasher A red setter belonging to an elderly couple has developed a taste for dentures. The crazy c:anine called Amy decided to try out the unusual snack while her owners were taking an afternoon nap.

The peckish pooch apparently "just got hungry and ate them " .

prisoner of love An inmate of a Brazilian jail broke out in a quest to be with his lover, a fellow jailbird. Pedro da Silva tricked his way out of prison dressed as a visitor, and then went on to free his girlfriend Luciana, all set for a stolen night of passion.

But the unlucky couple - both doing times for handling stolen goods - were caught, and now face being locked up for even longer.

dr doliHie

A zoology student at Leeds University reckons that he has found a way of communicating with animals.

James Gordon discovered that by using his didgeridoo he can talk to elephants, and now hopes that he can put his unusual skill to good use, persuading elephants not to trample African villages.

Students warned over bike safety_

By SARAH HOOKES

BIKE THEFTS add up to a quarter of all campus crime , according to figures released by UEA security bosses. l.lut J..: , p itc the high lc,cl' or cyck: crime . 'tudenh arc 'ti ll not L'Otn in g fmward to h;l\..: the ir h i~ c' '..:c ur it) coded. one olthc mu' I rece tll 'ictim' or th e prohkm . " hieh h'" ,,:e n al ka'l ,e,·cn bikes "' iped in the Ja,l IIH>nt h.

Stolen I k had hi' h ike 'lokn lrom outside the Puq Room w h ile he \\a' \\orking a1 1he Uni on har.

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a chocolate surprise A woman who knocked on her neighbour's door covered in nothing but chocolate has been arrested in Santa Cruz, California. She told police that the stunt was her latest attempt to bed her unrequited sweetheart, the bloke next door.

animal crackers

An £80 a night dog palace has opened its doors to Japanese mutts. The pets sleep on silk sheets and can also take part in a £60 yoga course. The pedigree pets also get the chance to enjoy a dating service, weddings, and funerals.

left '"" th e rear "All that "heel. I had chain ed the hike up "ith a J) lt>L· L· csplaincd Ben . .-\ nd he \\as rurio us 10 di ,cm er 1h.11 dc,pilc the htgh b L'i ol stokn L') cJ e ,. c\'cn th e oflil'ial llni\L'I \I I) h 1ke rack\ Jack CCr V

Devastated .. , \\:1' de\':1\la ted 10 ha \e 111) hike 'lokn .• md 'Cl\ ;utllO) cd to lind that the r:~cb "L'I'L'n·l C\ en cm ered h) c:Hnera<· l'Ompl.lined lkn.

Pete Thomp,on r DE V I l 11"1 a

Graduate Student's Club (Members Only Club) 19th October Pool Competition Night 26th October James Bond Quiz Night

Free Entry Liquid Prizes

Come dressed for the part and your team scores double points Some of our prices: Double Vodka & Redbull £3 Fosters & John Smiths £1.20 Kronenbourg & Guinness £1 .70 Most Spirits + mixer £1 .20

Don't forget HAPPY HOUR Friday 7 ·Bp m All pints and spirits £1 only!

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Terrace room "hen he returned home J'or ihL' \\ Ce kend . " In my na i,C I) I iu sl locked u p the rear wheel. "' the) iu'l unclippcd it:· ,aid Pe te .

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Lincoln Street break in stark warning for students

By CLAIRE HAMILTON-EDDY, Chief News Reporter

VICTIMS OF a house intruder are warning fellow Golden Triangle residents to be extra careful and to always Jock up behind them.

The scary incident took place in the early hours of Thursday, October 7, when two housemates went clubbing, leaving one girl on her own in the house.

Frightened "They just walked around downstairs and turned the hall light and the downstairs light on," explained one of the frightened residenL~. who have asked not to be named.

"The girl who was upstairs began to realise that, because there was no talking going on. it wasn ' t us so she called out our names."

"The person was obviously put off and tried to run out the front door but that was locked so they went back out the way they came," she added.

Although nothing was actually taken, the intrusion has left the students unnerved and concerned

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Concrete Wednesday, October 20, 1999

While she was upstairs, an unwamed guest came in through the back door of the house on Lincoln Street and started rummaging around.

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for the safety of their own home. '·None of us want to stay in the house on our own at night, whereas we would have done before. lt's put us on edge, and it really upset the girl who was in the house."

Norfolk Police spokeswoman PC Kimberly Dieh l warned students living off campus to be on their guard.

Break in "Terraced houses are probably one of the easiest type of properties to break in to because there are secluded passageways where you can hide."

"If the gate to a fenced in back garden hasn't been secured, that leaves scope for burglars to work," she warned.

And PC Diehl warned students not to pit costs against safety. " lt ·s just a question of fitting five-level mortice and

downstairs windows."

Vulnerable " lt doesn ' t have to be expensive.

If there are three or four of you sharing a house you can split the cost and still have peace of mind."

- Students wanting further advice on how to ecure their house should contact the Norwich Crime Prevention Unit on 276509.

swa

By CAROLINE JEATER

WHEN IT comes to pranks, students normally take the biscuit.

But in a unusual twist, residents of Trinity Street woke last fortnight to find they had been given biscuits - and dozens of them.

The student street was covered with digestive biscuits, sellotaped to doors, it was the whole windows, and street signs. street," she added.

Local police Baffled have also been The snack attack took place left confused by early on Tuesday, October 12, the unusual and has baffled the road's stunt. " We've digested residents. " lt was quite a shock, we the evidence, but were all rather perplexed at so far we 've only what had gone on," said come up with a few Rachel Headon, MGT Ill. crumbs," said PC Klmberly Diehl. " At first we thought it was

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a News

Concrete Wednesday, October 20, 1999

Porter convicted of stealing from UEA

By JAMES GOFFIN, News Editor

A UEA porter has been prosecuted for stealing from the University while on duty.

He was caught after a secretary set up a sting operation by leaving marked banknotes in her office desk.

Ken Sayer, 58. pleaded gui lty las t wee k to two counts of burglary, and asked for another similar offence to be taken into consideration.

Caught He wa~ caught after Belinda John on, a secretary in the Dean of Students' office. left two marked £5 notes in her desk in late July, following a prev ious theft when £40 had been stolen.

The next day, police were called in when it was discovered the cash had gone - but a search of Sayer's home turned up one of the marked notes in his wallet. £500 worth of laser printer cards stolen from the School of

Development Studies last Chri stmas were also found during the raid.

But according to DC Jack Frost, of Norfolk Police, the amounts taken were less important than the circumstances.

"The abuse of trust was the serious aspect of it. He was a security offi cer and he was breaking in," he said.

The conviction marks a sad end for Sayer, who had worked as a securi ty guard on camp us sin ce 1982, but he escaped impri sonment after magistrates took his previously clean record into account.

Curfew Instead, Norwich Magistrates Court issued Sayer with a three

month curfew order, forcing him to stay at home between noon and 6pm every day, except Sundays.

Disgraced They also hit the disgraced former porter with a £40 compensation charge, and a £ 120 bi 11 for costs.

The Uni versity are now keen to put the incident behind them. ·'It has been dealt with by the police and by the courts, and we have to move on," said Security Co-ordinator, Ron Ell iot. ''It was a sad day to see a member of the security service before the courts, but it illustrates that where dishonesty is detected it will be pu rsued."

Grade A hoax

By MARK EOWARDS

A HOAX essay that lecturers awarded a 2:1 has led to calls for reviews of marki ng procedures.

Ri chard South , a history stu dent at Edinburgh University, submitted a spoof essay as part of an extra English Literature course he was taking, in protest at wh at he saw as th e pretentious posturing of the teaching staff. lecturers returned it to Richard He even invented theori es, In th e essay, Richard quotes with a 60% score, the equivalent includ in g the "cardi asic from made-up sources, including of a 2:1 degree.

"Professor Levi Erskine-Bioom, embodiment of literature", and Emeritus Dean of Scatalogy at nonsense quotes such as "the Genuine Trinity College, Cambridge" and only thing a man needs to read a To make matters wo rse , a from fictional books like the book is glasses."

"Rectus Historicus" and "Art But despite the obviously genuine essay he handed in on the topic earned only a 2:2.

Banditry". spoof nature of the essay, However, the English Department at Edinburgh is claiming that tt was well aware of the "ironic" tendencies of the script, and marked it accordingly.

"The marker enjoyed the wit and invention of it and gave reward accordingly, but clearly the marker's comments were equally ironic," claimed lecturer James Loxley.

Irony "One of the fu ndamental fig urative quirks of language is irony - saying wh at you mean by saying what you don't mean and this exam was dedicated to exploring that premise ," he added.

But Richard remains unconvinced by his university's explanation.

Fantasy "Highbrow efforts to pass of the marker's reaction as knowing irony are more implausible than

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News 7

Concrete Wednesday, October 20, 1999

By JAMES GOFFIN, News Editor PROTESTING STUDENTS from UEA have joined in a worldwide picket of McDonald's stores, complaining about the company's ethical stance.

A dozen students from the Society for Environmental Action took thei r stand at the Norwich city centre branch of the multinational re taurant chain on Saturday, handing out leaflets explaining their oppo ition to the company.

The protest passed Qff relatively peacefully, although one protestor was dragged out of the re taurant by McDonald's taff when she attempted to distribute flyers to customers.

In the leaflets the protestors allege that the giant' food is unhealthy and linked to increased risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes.

They also claim that McDonald's business and employment practices are unfair, and that the company actively trie to silence criticism of the corporation.

Union Lara Clement , Environment Officer, explained the thinking behind the protest. "lt's all about awareness raising and educating people to get beyond the McDonald's advertising," she said.

Exploit "People weren't aware . of the issues we were raising. it's not just about being vegetarian, it's about a multinational company that exploits its workers and the environment,"

claimed Lara.

"We got lots of intere t and lots of members of the public wanting to get involved."

And she said that all the groups' claims have been proved during the recent McDonalds libel trial, which at 314 days was the longest ever libel trial in Briti h legal history.

Motivation But according to McDonald's Robert Parker, spokesper on whatever their group claims are incorrect.

"They've got their information wrong," insisted.

"We promote food a being tasty, popular, enjoyable, and fresh, and we explain to all

in each of the products so they can make an informed choice about what they eat and what their children eat."

Opportunities "McDonalds is a great place to work. We've got over 1000 restaurant managers, and half of them tarted off as hourly paid crew, and so the opportunities for them are tremendous. It's hard work, but mo t people enjoy working for us," he claimed.

a News

Concrete Wednesday, October 20, 1999

Comms Officer on the cards as Dean of Students rules against aP-P-eals THE UNION has come a step closer to getting a full sabbatical team , thanks to a ruling on last year's Communications Officer election.

The process of choosing the key postho lder was thrown into chaos last year. when three of the seven candidates for the job were disqual ified afte r the election - incl udi ng the top two vote winners.

And it hit deadlock over the claiming that it was not his role to summer, as work stopped on an judge on breaches of Electora l appeal by disqualified candidate Standing Orders.

Sanjay Daryanani due to the But despite Sanjay's public vacation break. announcement that he will not take up his further right to appeal - made in a letter published in today ' s But now Dean of Students. Or Concrele- Union bosses have not yet Kiff Mattheson has issued his made any decision about how to press response to the complaint. rejecting the appeal against the decisions of Elections Committee on with a re-election for the vital post. and Students Forum.

After initial worries that a Comms Sanjay had appealed because he believed that Union committees Officer would need to be elected had no power to prevent h im within a month of the start of the standing in a re-e lection for the semester. Union sources have post. that previous appeal meetings indicated that a closer reading of the had not been properly run. and that Union's unwieldy constitution means any breac hes he may have made of that there is no time limit on the election rules had no effect on the appointment. outcome of the vote.

Questions ;,till remain. however, as to whether students in their final year last year will be eligible to stand, and Dr Mattheson dismissed the first how many current students will be two parts of Sanjay·s appeal , and willing to interrupt their study refused to judge on the th ird, partway through the year.

Response

Breaches

Dismissed

Sanjay: Appeal rejected

The background Last year, following the elections for Communications Officer, a number of complaints were made to Elections Committee about the actions of some of the candidates, leading to three being disqualified.

Sarah Macken, who had clinched the election by one vote, was disqualified for breaking a controversial ruling over the use of emall in electioneering.

Sanjay Daryanani, who had come second, was disqualified for various breaches of election rules, including submitting of receipts for How we reported election crisis last year spending.

Amy Kingswell, who had polled fourth place, was disqualified for advertising on a large banner, contrary to election rules.

As well as disqualifying them, Elections Committee recommended that the three should be prevented from

standing In a re-election for the post.

Initially both Sarah and Sanjay decided to appeal against the rulings, and twice had their· appeals rejected by the Union's 'parliament', Students' Forum.

Sanjay decided to take his appeal to the next stage, a Union General Meeting, but the meeting did not achieve quoracy.'

He then continued with the appeal process, calling in the Dean of Students, Klff Mattheson.

But the the Comms appeals process came to a halt due t o the summer vacation, and Or Mattheson has only recently announced his decision.

Sanjay could now appeal to the Registrar & Secretary and ask him to call in an outside arbitrator, probably from Essex University.

The UK Government wants to see more British graduates working alongside our fellow Europeans in the institutions of the EU, tackling the social, economic, environmental and other issues that confront us al l.

If you'd like to find out about a career in the European Civil Service - and also about the European Fast Stream, run by the UK Govern ment- come along on 1Oth November 1999.

Ask the Careers Advisory Service for details.

University of East Anglia on 1Oth November 1999 '' '

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Letters/ Comment 9

Concrete Wednesday, October 20, 1999

Comms appeals

Diner backlash

he Union of UEA Students is a great institution, often undervalued for all the hard work it does for students at UEA. lt is surely the raison d'etre of the Students' Union to serve its members to the highest standard. I wanted to be a part of that institution. I wanted to take the student movement forward. I wanted to be the strong effective and experienced Communications officer our Union deserves. lt is for these reasons that I stood for election.

My original decision to appeal against the decision taken by Forum was based on a desire to see natural justice and democracy upheld. The badly thought out and long-winded Union Appeals Process has now caused the matter to drag out for six months, which is clearly unacceptable. lt is time that the interests of the students came first and foremost and for that reason I will forgo my right to appeal.

The Students' Union needs a Comms Officer, and has been without one for far too long. While I still maintain that Forum's decision was both wrong and unconstitutional, I think the interests of students are best served by them having a Comms Officer as soon as possible. By appealing I may clear my name, but at the same time will inhibit the running of our Union.

I would like to give thanks to those who voted for me in the election and those who have approached me over the past few months to offer their support. I am particularly grateful to those who never doubted my integrity. I must thank Amy Dunning for sticking by me when it was unpopular to do so. I am especially indebted to Antony Little, lan Mackie and Sarah Macken for their faith in me, and unstinting backing throughout.

I offer my support to the current Sabbatical team and, of course, the new Comms Officer. I hope that he or she will be elected swiftly and be allowed to get on with the task of serving students

T

was very upset to read Nicola Poole's (The Diner manager) blase comments about the lack of campaigning vigour among students these days, and her view that " hopefully we won 't have any trouble" . I gather from the article in Concrete that Ms Poole talked to the Nestle Rep about their problems but it would appear that she failed to consult anyone who was making the claims against them • how many times have you heard a major multi-national directly own up to claims of foul practice and say " lt's a fair cop, guv, you've got me bang to rights there! " Considering she seems to have some knowledge of the boycott of Nestle products this is a very naive stance • and one that possibly shows a lack of ability in a commercial manager.

Anyway, what shocked me most was that I should have read this article within days of having watched a Channel Four programme, The Mark Thomas Comedy Product which dealt with Nestle's breaches of the World Health Organisation International Code of Marketing for Breastmilk Substitutes.

After hearing the opposing view to Nestle's, can you really still believe that the installation of the machine in the face of a Union boycott is morally justifiable? lt may also be worth noting that Norwich has been particularly affected by the uncaring nature of Nestle's business practices. After all, it bought the Rowntree company and swiftly shut down one of the City's major employers.

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Campus security The attempted rape that took place by the Sports Centre last week was the second such incident in under six months.

Yet still nothing has been done to ensure that the area is properly lit or covered by CCTV cameras.

This failure is indicative of a wider neglect of campus security, evident from this fortnight's news.

The University simply do not seem to take the issue of campus security seriously enough.

But what is more serious than student safety?

Tim Chatterton, ENV Sanjay Daryanani, SOC 3

Chaplaincy controversy arlier this year we heard, day after day, stories of terrible brutality in Kosovo. Villages were invaded, the men shot and then the women and girls repeatedly raped. The Vatican criticised the UN medical teams who were giving the morning after pill to prevent conception. In the earlier war in Bosnia the Vatican had withdrawn aid to Unicef for the same reason • they disapproved of the morning after pill. These girls, some as young as 11 , should wait to see if they have become pregnant by the men who murdered their fathers and brothers and then just accept the fact. In passing, it is worth noting that the morning after pill can hardly be described as causing an abortion. I thought that this story needed some explanation so I went to the Chaplaincy. I assumed that one of the primary functions of the chaplaincy is to help students resolve ethical and moral problems. I took a newspaper article to the Chaplaincy and added

E

•Editor: James Tapsfield •Deputy Editors: Mark Edwards Caroline Jeater •News Editor.

James Goffin •Chief News Reporter: Clare Hamilton-Eddy •Features Editor: Jack Hanauer •Sports Editor: Nick Henegan • Web Editor: Pete Chapman •Ad manager: Jane Kirby •Distribution Manager: James Graham •Editorial Contributors: Adam

" I would be most grateful to have your comments" with my name and address. I was told that the priest was on holiday but I could get a reply on his return. He did not reply so I went to the Chaplaincy again with two colleagues. Again the priest was not available and again I was assured that he would write to me soon.

That was six months ago. When it became clear that I would not receive a reply from within the University, I sent the same polite request to the Roman Catholic Bishop of Norwich. His secretary replied promptly. She wrote that the bishop was on retreat, " but when he returns, he will write to you personally." Guess what happened • nothing. I suppose that it could be argued that no response from either of the priests is, in fact a significant response.

Comms at last lt looks like the Union might finally get a Communications Officer.

Not before time.

But the debacle of the Comms election has had one positive result.

The Union constitution has b@en exposed for what it is: unwieldy. badly thought out and in desperate need of renovation.

The moment has come to update it so that the Union can stop fighting internal battles and start dealing with things that matter to students.

Douglas Hurding, EAS

Ban ham, Sarah Taft, Katie Hind, Sarah Hookes, Mo Grills, Dominique Camilleri, Charlotte Ronalds, George Walker, Tom Scully, Lucy Sacre, Nicole Fortmann, Kelly Colbert, Mike Cutts, Metin Alsanjak, Debbi M •Copy Editing: Jay •Cartoons: Pete Large •Photographers: Russell Burton, Rob Lutyens, Steve Cullingworth, Nick Henegan, Caroline Jeater, Mark Edwards, Iris Waas, John Williamson •DTP: James Tapsfield, Caroline Jeater, Mark Edwards, Nick Henegan • Thanks this issue to: Clare and Nicole for the use of their spectacular abode.

·Special Thanks to: UH Stewards, everyone at ECN •Concrete is published by the Union of UEA Students. Opinions expressed are those of the Contributor and not necessarily those of the Publisher or Editor. Use of the name 'The Event' appears by arrangement with the copyright holders, Planet Zog Ltd . • No part of this newspaper may be reproduced or transmitted through any means - including cretins or expensive halloween props - without the express permission of the Editor •Printed by Eastern Counties Newspapers Ltd., Norwich, Norfolk NR1 1RE.© Concrete 1999.

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• f

·"·' 10 Burial grounds 12 Abortion debate 14 Useful degrees?

15 Immunisation

16 Phone chatlines 18 Nuclear power 20 Photo story 21 Horoscopes

•

• The first environmentally-friendly burial ground is being based at Colney fields in Norwich. Mark Edwards and Clare HamiltonEddy look into a grave issue ... here are some things we all have in sparkling streams and focussed around a natural common. Everyone hates David Beckham pond. (except maybe Man United fans and they Colney burial ground- which is the first cemetery of its kind in England - is due to open for business don't count) , everyone loves Tony Stair (except maybe Britons), and everyone has early next year, and with Norwich and many other to die (except maybe Peter Pan) . Of these shared cities due to run out of burial space in the next few experiences it would probably be generally years, the woodland sites seem to be a sensible alternative. conceded that the latter activity is the least pleasant. Not only is death a bit of a drag for The innovative scheme also boasts numerous those suffering it, it also leaves the family and advantages over the run-of-the-mill cemetery, friends of the deceased with a huge great hole in including a solution to vandalism , and providing their lives. Hardly surprising, then , that their initial privacy to the mourner.

"You hear reports of normal cemeteries being concern is·not for the environmental issues connected with the burial of their loved one. vandalised and people damaging headstones, However, th ese days concerns are starting to be leaving rubbish ," explains Managing Director, Melvin Colby. "But here at Colney we can provide raised about the rapid filling up of conventional graveyards, and it is with this in mind that a all our different services in a secure and pleasant revolutionary new type of burial ground is being environment.': The site will include swipe cards, developed just minutes away from UEA. The site, which will allow only immediate relatives access to at Colney Wood, is a woodland burial centre the grounds, leaving both deceased and bereaved where bodies are left to rest in peace in 12 acres in peace. of pj ct ~resque pine trees, i~ terwoven it ~. .. No expen ~e h~s been syared Jn. rr aking sure that •• .... • . ..+~ •.. • . .f-~ ..- "' ......·~ ... .. . . . .-l • ...

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the site is as user friendly as possible. "Pathways will be made throughout the woodland to accommodate the disabled , and there will be a memorial hall where ceremonies can take place which will accommodate all kinds of beliefs," Mr Colby revealed. ''We have no objection to anything ."

Of course there is the argument that sites like Colney do not provide as permanent a memorial as traditional cemeteries. The wooden carvings will eventually rot away, and then the spot will be used again, leaving ancestors nothing to look at but a different carving designed for another individual. But Mr Colby argues that their methods

"The wooden carvings wilL eventually rot away, and the burial plot will be used again." of commemoration match a technologically advanced world .

"We have archives where we can store people's information . We can record their achievements; all the things they have done in their lives . We can even scan photographs in . This will all be stored on computer and will be accessible via the Internet. This means that relatives as far away as Australia will be able to read about deceased family members." lt may not go down all that well with traditionalists, but you can 't argue with the fact that you can read far more information on a computer then you could. ever f[t on a heaostone. t

The main advantage of the site, though, is that it is environmentally friendly , not only in that the same bit of land can be used over and over again, but also because the woodland will be preserved , creating a healthier environment and encouraging more wildlife to come to the park.

Mr Colby gives an example.

"If a tree is left struggling to find light, then you end up with weak trees, so we had to cut quite a few down . What we want to do is change it back to a natural woodland, but that has to be managed ." And there is no question of the East Anglian character of the site suffering as a result.

"We are hoping to plant trees that are native to Norfolk, so that we can make it as natural as possible. We have already noticed a wider variety of birds coming to the woodland because of the extra light."

So, in a world that seems to be growing gradually more eco-conscious every day, you can now be friendly to the environment even after you 're dead . But at the risk of speeding you on your journey to extinction , it is only fair that you should be informed that one of these picturesque little plots will set you back something in the region of £2000.

So maybe you'll want to pay off a few of those half-dozen student loans before you put too much thought into this particular investment.

• For more details about Colney Wood Woodland Memorial Park, contact James Boddy, Colney Hall, Colney, Norwich NR4 7T~ (tel 01603 81155) • ~ t i,. '•

I

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what is life

eatured With a recent study suggesting that one in 10 female students get pregnant at university, it ~:~~;~:r~e:~~s~~t~~~~~yc~IT~~ i~f~~~the seems the problem of whether to have an abort .I On I"s 0ne many 0 f US have t0 face. Here Sarah Macken puts the pro-hfe case While Emlly f~om Hunka defends a woman's right to choose. ~~~~:~.~e:~c:bf~~~a;g ~:~::cognise 12

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bortion is not just a word, it is an operation . 95 per cent of abortions in Britain are carried ou t for social reasons, and it is the only medical procedure that deliberately sets out to end a human life .

Recently the plight of a pregnant 12 year old girl hit the headlines. Age was not the only significant factor in this particular case . The media appeared mystified by an act of charity, from a fund set up by Cardinal Winning in Scotland , to help women who genuinely could not afford to keep their babies. This particular scheme has assisted over 200 women since it was set up, and Germaine Greer, author and feminist, has hailed it as providing real choice to women facing a crisis pregnancy.

In our eagerness to dehumanise the life of the unborn child , do we also reduce the humanity of a young girl who was 23 weeks pregnant to nothing more than an age? If we really considered what an abortion would haye meant for this girl, would we have been so eager to jump on the bandwagon with the Abortion Law Reform Association (ALRA) et al, who vociferously suggested that she should have an abortion?

An abortion at that stage is not a quick and easy procedure - not that any abortion ever is. At 23

A

bortion will always cause controversy. lt is going to cause controversy because, despite the claims of LIFE, it is not a straightforward 'black and white' issue.

Which is why it loomed large in the media last week, when Cardinal Winning promised a pregnant 12 year old financial assistance from a scheme set up for mothers to be. The act caused a furore. To say that the girl was bribed into keeping her baby does not really hold water; she'd already decided against termination when her father approached the Cardinal. Rather it was the Cardinal's own decision - to support a 12 year old - that caused the fuss, because this was not a selfless gesture from a selfless institution . Cardinal Winning's scheme was set up with the specific aim of encouraging women not to have abortions.

This is worrying because it aims to eliminate choice altogether. Having a chi ld is not a simple, smooth procedure, easily dealt with, painlessly wrought. 11 is a lifetime commitment for the woman involved, and , of course, involves the child too. Spokesman for the Catholic Church , Monsi gnor Tom Connolly defended the scheme, saying , "A life is a life irrespective of the quality of that life, and thank God for this scheme so that even if the girl has been misbehaving, a life has not been killed." But life just isn't that simple. Quality of life plays an enormous part. Is it right to condone bringing a life into being irrespective of circumstance?

Much of why the Cardinal's decision is so controversial is because the girl is only 12.

There are those who wou ld view her cond uct as "misbehaving", but we should also bear in mind that in Britai_n we have the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Europe, and as a society we cannot escape blame for this. Perhaps sex education is ineffective, perhaps the constant and shameless barrage of sex on TV, film and in advertising has something to do with it (Basil Hume himself said as much) . But it is the pregnant child who has to face the consequences, not society and not the Catholic

â&#x20AC;˘

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had to give birth to a dead baby. However, th ere is a chance the baby may survive the procedure,

have abortion s simply because they have no alternative? Does the University do every1hing possible to help pregnant students who want to

everything medically possible would be done to

"How many students at UEA have abortions simply because they have no alternative? Is it a stark choice between leaving university and aborting the baby?"

keep the baby alive. Do you really believe that if a 12 year old girl was put through that procedure she could simply go back to school and forget it ever happened? lt is now known that the unborn child can feel

'

pain nine weeks gestation. lt has also been scJentJfJcally demonstrated that the unborn child

weeks the baby is fully formed and only has to grow until birth. In fact , this is the case from about 12 weeks. An abortion at 23 weeks would take the form of induced labour, and this girl would have

its The help given by the Scottish scheme was a laudable act of charity, and we would do well to learn from it. lt is one thing to call yourself prochoice, but quite another to actually provide the alternatives so that women have other choices apart from abortion . How many students at UEA

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Church. lt ought to be pointed out that the 'gift' from the scheme is only a token gesture - a pram and a hamper of baby goods before the

"The pro-life lobby would argue that life begins at conception, but if termination is done properly and legally the foetus does not feel or comprehend" birth . After that the girl receives nothing .

Maybe in medieval times girls of 12 were

Concrete Wednesday, October 20, 1999

I mothers but in our society they are viewed as minors. They have no means of earning money and they are still obliged by law to be in school.

If, like the girl in question, the mother wants the child, loves the child, and is in turn supported by family who can help care for it, then the child has every chance of success in life. But if the pregnancy is unwanted, then that child's life is under threat. Misery and resentment (and almost inevitable poverty) are no basis for life.

And what of those women who become pregnant through rape? If someone who is violently abused is forced to give birth, the baby will come into the world in the context of pain

keep their baby and continue their education? Is accommodation and support available for young single mothers, or a creche available for newborn babies? Or is it a stark choice between leaving University and aborting the baby?

Until you are campaigning for alternatives to abortion that give women more than one choice, you have no right to call yourself supporters of a ''woman's right to choose".

Jane Roe (ALRA) suggests that girls giving birth are losing their childhood, but fails to recognise how much is to be lost by this girl having an abortion, especially as she had made it quite clear that she did not want one. No one has asked how much of her childhood has already been lost by having sex at such a young age.

A family has been condemned by the media for helping their daughter keep her baby; a church castigated for providing a real alternative to abortion .

The reverse case would be the family forcing her to have an abortion and abortion organisations paying for it. The media condemned the family but does this mean they support the latter?

We now live in a society that affords more protection to animals than to our own unborn child re n. We shout about "a woman 's right to choose" while castigating those who try to ensure that there is more than one choice, and we discriminate against those who campaign for the "right to life" to be equally applied to every human being.

and brutality. it's all very well to argue that there's a possibility that an unwanted child will grow up to be loved and secure and happy, but that's a huge gamble you're taking with a human life before it has even begun.

Before it has begun. The pro-life lobby would argue that life begins at conception, but if termination is done properly and legally the foetus does not feel or comprehend . The time limit for an abortion is 28 weeks but less than one per cent of women have abortions after 23 weeks. The foetus does not feel pain or distress; it has no consci ousness. This is not murder. Murder is deliberately extinguishing a life. Murder is blowing up clinics with petrol and killing three doctors, as pro-lifers in America have done.

Abortion is not to be taken lightly, and, as ever, there are those who abuse a system that created to promote quality of life . I am not suggesting that abortion should ever happen on a whim . 11 is a serious life decision , which the overwhelming majority of women do not take lightly. But this is a choice about being able to be a mother. A women knows when it is right to be a mother, and when it is not. I'm pro-life; I believe that life is the most sacred and precious of gifts. But life should have meaning and potential. Life should have choice. By denying the right to abortion, you deny the right to a life with quality and hope.

If you are worried about abortion, or just want more information, there are plenty of p laces to turn to both on campus and off. The Advice Centre and the Health centre can provide you with professional counselling, and also have contact numbers for outside bodies who specialise in helping people through these crises.

Which side of the arguement do you agree with? Take part in our on-line survey and cast your vote.

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14 Featured

Concrete Wednesday, October 20, 1999

The Government now estimates that over half the population will attend university at some point in their lives. But, asks Debbi Marco, does this mean that degrees are no longer worth as much as they used to be? fter three years of hard work, being broke and drinking watered down beer, you 've finally graduated . Pretty soon you 're going to be joining the rat race in a desperate search to find the job of your dreams, and you 'll be relying on your degree to help you. But will it?

According to John Beard of UEA Admissions, numbers in universities have increased by between 10 and 15 per cent over recent years , resulting in degrees flooding the job market.

Effectively this means that the jobs employers were previously filling with A Level students are now being filled with graduates making it seem that a degree is very necessary in the current job market.

However, for many employers, just having a degree is no longer enough . Often they look for a minimum 2:1 grade, although most concede that the subject and the university attended is not that important. Sylvia Reynolds of the Goodman Derek Solicitors says that "it is the calibre of applicant that is important, not what subject they did ." Good news for everyone who has taken a degree in Underwater House Building, but if subject

A

matter doesn't count, what does?

A Level grades are very important. Like skeletons buried deep in your closet, these three letters are not just your key to university; they can also affect your job prospects, with companies requiring As and Bs as well as your degree.

Alongside A Level grades is work experience. "lt doesn't matter what it is in , experience is vital , even if you've just been working in McDonalds," says Catherine Pinchen of PriceWaterhouseCooper. Her company is

"A degree shows that a person is bright and switched on, and therefore trainable, but is really very little help in the long run." looking for transferable skills such as teamwork and initiative; whether you can recite the entire list of American presidents in chronological order is fairly irrelevant.

Jonathan Kohn , who is in charge of Graduate Recruitment at Shell UK, explains how the application process is similar to a hurdle race. You must be successful when leaping the application form, th e interview and then the assessments. Kahn does understand that sometimes people have a bad day and don't

perform as well as they could , but "that's just tough ," he says. The job market is cut-throat, and you have to be tough to survive.

Not everyone is looking for a degree in his or her prospective employee. Catherine Wicks from Select Recruitment explains how a degree "shows that a person is bright and switched on , and therefore trainable but is really little help in the long run". Frank Taylor, head of editorial training for the Telegraph Group, says that although "degrees are considered , it depends largely on the individual". Experience is more important in his eyes and he bases his decisions very heavily on the interview and attitude of the candidate.

Indeed , this is what many students are finding when they go out into the big wide world armed with their degree. Tom Harberd , who graduated last year from UEA with a first in English and Creative Writing , views his degree as "a short cut to saying I've got a brain" - after that you 're on your own. Paul McGonigal, also a UEA graduate, explains that while he personally enjoyed his degree and learned a lot, degrees are pretty much ten a penny. "Everyone's got one and they don't know what to do with it." A lot of the time this is because when an individual finishes their degree , they realise they do not want to pursue the subject, and must go and find out what they really want to do, either in the form of further study or work experience.

So how are graduates faring in the job market? A recently published report , which can be picked up in the UEA Careers Centre, has also asked th is question. Janet Anderson, from the School of Economic and Social Studies, has researched the progress of graduate students three years after they completed their degrees. Her findings are actually quite promising, with 75 per cent in full time work. Out of these lucky people, 80 per cent said they would class their job as "graduate level". The report also went some way towards explaining why students, when they first graduate, fall into a job that is either not of graduate level or relates in no way to their degree. The reason for this, according to Anderson's study, the increased level of student debt. Many people, after leaving university, will take the first job offered to them in order to earn some money, regardless of whether it fits in with their career plans or not. However, within three years, the study shows that most graduates had either switched jobs and were now satisfied that they were achieving their employment aims, or they had chosen to embark on further study or training in order to obtain their goals .

Student debt not only influences job choice but

also work experience. Matt Johnson, a PhD student at UEA who graduated with a first in Maths last year, explained his difficulty in finding employment. Although he had a first , Matt got turned down for most of the jobs he applied for, and suspects it was because of his lack of experience . But he points out that because of his financial situation , it was impossible for him to

"Many people will take the first job offered to them in order to earn some money, regardless of whether it fits in with their career plans." take unpaid work experience during his summer holidays; he had to spend that time earning money in order to fund his degree. "Paid work experience is very hard to find because so many people are willing to work for free ," said Matt.

o what is your degree worth in the end?

Basically, it is worth as much as you want it to be. As Alison Cambray (ENV 4) points out, "A degree is not the passport it once was."

In order to maximise your potential and employability, you must couple your degree with work experience in order to prove to your prospective employer that you are capable of mpre than ingeniously bluffing your way through seminars and finding new excuses to spend copious amounts of time in the Hive. But a degree is not really the be all and end all of everything . Matt Osborne, a History and Politics graduate, believes that getting the job you want "is all about determination and not about qualifications" There are a few things you can do to get yourself ahead in the job market. As Sylvia Reynolds points out, the standard of CVs and applications is disgusting considering the applicants are university graduates, ''They are full of spelling mistakes, types and missing pages." This is definitely not the way to impress your prospective boss. If you 're stuck for ideas of what you want to do when you graduate, head down to the Careers Fair in the Sports Hall on Friday October 29 and talk to employers about what they are looking for.

Most of all, don't worry if you don't walk out of university and straight into your dream job.

Research shows that it takes a few years before graduates realise their potential. And while you can no longer rely entirely on your degree to open doors for you , you 've got two feet - kick them down yourself!

S

Featured 15

Concrete Wednesday, October 20, 1999

All students are now being offered Meningitis jabs, and the use of vaccinations is becoming increasingly common. practice. Kelly Colbert explores the safety and future of immunisations njections. We've all been there, standing nervqusly in line, waiting with clenched buttocks for our turn to have our flesh punctured with a long, thin, needle. lt doesn't seem to matfer that the injection in question may well end up saving our lives, inoculating us against potentially lethal diseases like tetanus and, more topically, Meningitis. They still turn the majority of us into gibbering wrecks for a few hours before we actually have them. Silly really, but at least the moment we walk out of those surgery doors we can relax in the knowledge that the ordeal is over.

Or can we? Questions are now being raised about the safety of the vaccinations themselves, leading to serious concerns about that occasional trip to. the doctor's. Although rare, on some occasions severe reactions from vaccines can be as harmful as the diseases that they are trying to prevent, and people are being put off. In 1990 almost 80 per cent of British children were immunised against various preventable diseases, but numbers are now dropping.

Vaccines originated way back in 1776, when the British Physician, Edward Jenner, scraped cowpox onto the arm of an eight year old boy. His theory was that a mild bout of the disease would fool the body's immune system into producing antibodies to resist the disease. This would teach the body to fight it, and thus provide immunity from future infection. His theory proved to be accurate and by the mid-Twentieth Century there was a vaccine revolution taking place that would change our lives forever.

Today babies in the West often receive the first of their many immunisations at the age of two months.

Children are recommended to have the combination vaccines DTP (Diptheria, Tetanus and Petussis) and MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella), but there are many more vaccines available, protecting against Tuberculosis, Hepatitis B and Flu among others.

The world's immunisation service saves two to three million lives each year by managing diseases that were once killers. lt is hard to imagine what it would have been like for people living before the

I

vaccination revolution. Thankfully the terror of smallpox epidemics is history, as compulsory immunisation against the disease began in England in 1852, leading to its eventual eradication.

We are similarly no longer haunted by the most • lethal diseases of the Nineteenth Century. Polio, which can lead to paralysis, and tuberculosis,

"In 1990, 80 per cent of British children were immunised a1gainst various preventable diseases" which once prematurely ended the lives of millions of children and adults, have both virtually disappeared from the West. These days there are far fewer life-threatening diseases at large, and much of the credit for this benevolent state of affairs belongs to the vaccination process.

However, it's not all good news. Anti-vaccine campaigns insist that the public should be more cautious about the process, drawing attention to the t~agic although mercifully rare - cases of previously healthy children suffering adverse effects after receiving vaccinations. Mental retardation, Optic Neuritus, medication resistant convulsions and Gullian Barnes Syndrome have all afflicted a few patients.

11 has also been suggested that there are links between vaccines like OPT and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, as well

reminders that vaccines do not always have the intended effect of improving standards of health.

In response to these concerns, the establishment has started making more effort to inform the public about vaccines. The National Vaccine Information Centre say that they "support the right of citizens to exercise informed consent and make educated independent vaccination decisions:· While the Health Information Service try to provide the necessary information for people to make well informed vaccine decisions, it is hoped that the leaflets being distributed will lead parents to consult doctors about their concerns, rather than rashly dismissing immunisation as an option.

The intention is to inform the public of the pitfalls as well as the benefits of vaccines. The disadvantages include temporary side effects such as soreness, a slight temperature and a rash, as well as the rare chronic reactions. The message from the United Nations is that, "By taking the right action now [ie immunisation], millions of children and their families can be saved suffering and death from vaccine-preventable diseases".

So is vaccination the right action? Well, probably.

There is a one in a million chance of getting Encephalitis or a severe allergic reaction from the MMR jab, but doctors believe that if the measles vaccine was scrapped there would be millions of deaths. lt is important not to be complacent. The West may have experienced a huge decline in infectious diseases during this century, but the viruses and bacteria do still exist. We only have to look at developing countries where immunisation is limited to give evidence that there are still dangers. In 1993 500,000 babies died from neenatal tetanus in the Third World. Such infectious disease could easily make a comeback in the West if immunisation systems were not in place.

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lt is not surprising, then, that many people believe the benefits of vaccines are worth the tiny risks of a severe reaction. One mother explained how she

"In 1990, 80 per cent of British children were immunised against various preventable diseases" felt: "I was a little worried when the time came for my son to be vaccinated, but before his immunisations I was told all about the risks and then I was informed of all the benefits. I decided that the benefits outweighed the risks, so I confidently chose to let my son be immunised".

As we enter the new millennium, vaccines are as important as ever. A wider use of immunisation in developing countries would save millions of lives each year, and death rates in the west could fall even further if new vaccines at present in development prove successful. Lyme disease, Asthma, Rotauins diarrhoea, Pheumococeal pnemonia - all these afflictions could be a thing of · the past.

Although it can offer scant comfort to those who have seen lOved ones die or develop serious disabilities, there appears to be little doubt that vaccines have provided far more benefits to the human race than detriments. One can only hope that the commendable efforts of scientists to develop the technology further and save even more lives are not undermined by the rare but influential horror stories.

Useful contact numbers: The Health Information Service - 0800 665544 Jabs - 01942 713565

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Families of vaccine uall•ayt:u children and adults are providing the publicity. They are coming forward and fighting· lawsuits with the help of organisations like the Vaccine Injury Compensation programme. Their tragic stories are painful

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17

16

Pretty much every student must have seen adverts for phone chatlines, but what actually-happens when you call one up? The intrepid Jack Hanauer took a deep breath, downed a swift vodka, and fingered that dial. .. e all feel the need for a bit of a chat from time to time. Perhaps an essay's going badly and we just need a comforting voice to tell us that it will all come together soon. Maybe we've just heard some really good news, and have an urgent need to share it with someone. And sometimes it's simply a case of the basic human desire to hear another friendly voice.

Nothing wrong there. Indeed, it's the people who don't have this desire or don't feel able to make contact with others that give the most cause for concern. Whether it be a matter of deeming oneself too superior to speak to lesser mortals, or of not having enough self-esteem to imagine anyone else would want to speak to you, it seems as though something is going very badly wrong there.

But as unappealing and unhealthy as a reclusive lifestyle may seem to most -of us, it seems that it is possible to go a little bit too far in the other direction as well.

Any student worth his or her salt will be only too familiar with the image of a television

W

screen filled with dashing young men in various poses, urging you with their boyish charm to call ManTalk and chat to the hundreds of fun and exciting consenting adults who are "waiting to hear from YOU!" You know; there's the slick one sporting DJ and shades and not quite pulling off the intended air of effortless cool. And surely you can remember the sportier, fresh· faced young man neatly attired in a fetching red and white skin-tight little number, pumpi'lg his arms back and forth suggestively and flashing his irresistible toothy grin?

No? Well how about the hetero versions? Surely during a late night TV session, when trying to escape the horrors of Renegade and Adult Ricky, you've found yourself being enthusiastically urgej to "call 0898 50 50 50 Chatback! that's 0898 50 50 50 Chatback!" by an attractive young woman smiling jus: a little too broadly and then later had the embarrassrrent of finding yourself humming the ever so catchy jingle tune?

If you're still a blank, well, you haven't exactly missed out. But if on the other hand these images are all too recognisable, you'll agree, I hope, t'lat they are not the most convincing of advertisements. Most of us would surely never even consider calling any of these numbers in earnest.

Indeed it is hard to imagine that anyone else would either, but the facts speak for themselves. Turn to the advertising pages of any tabloid or glossy magazine and you'll be inundated with numerous nubile young men and women trying to win our custom. lt is hardly likely that this would be the case if no-one ever called up. The sheer number of lines tells us how popular these services are, and considering that they usually cost from 60p to £1 per minute one can only assume that they're fairly profitable for somecne. (Not surprisingly, given the moral questions surrounding chatlines, the individuals behind them are not particularly accessible, so we were unable to ascertain exactly holY profitable.)

So what is the attraction of these chat lines? How do they work? And who are the clients who ensure that they remain viable business ventures?

Well, only one way to find out really, so one dark and dreary East Anglian night I snuggled down in a nice comfy seat, phone in one hand, valium in the other, and prepared m)self for some hardcore chatting.

The first thing that you will hear if you ever find yourself inexplicably drawn to chat lines is a recorded message, hinting that you may not be in line for the conversational tour de force you might have been expecting.

"Hi! Welcome to Party Line, your virtual chat system," chirped the lively, female voice after all my p·ocrastinating techniques had b~en exhausted and I had eventually dialled the first of the four carefully selected numbers.

Virtual, eh? S!ill, onward.

"First we ask you to record your name and an introduction message." Fair enough, I thought, just a procedure to go through before the real action. So I introduced myself as Troy, and described the rugged good looks and formidable frame that cannot be separated from such a name. I signed off with "something humorous and funny" about myself, as suggested by my diserT)bodied friend, and waited. lt was at this point that I realised things were not going to be as I had hoped. I was informed that my message had been "sent", and was then inundated with numerous other pre-recorded introductions. I wasn't going to get a chance to really "chat" with anyone at all.

Surely a responsible adult like myself should be able to make the choice about whom he converses with? I wasn't even allowed to give out any contact information

"Where'sh my shexy green eyed enchantresh? ltsh your beautiful blue eyed wonderboy back on I.me... "

about themselves, nothing to say about what they liked doing. Nothing. Empty, sad, miserable lives.

But if this client group made you feel as if all chat services should be banned immediately, just to stop these poor souls from being swindled and degraded any further, the final selection of customers had the opposite effect. These callers left you wanting the lines to remain exactly as they are, just so that they could continue to be taken for every penny they possess. ow the terms "pervert" and "weirdo" are probably not looked upon too kindly by the political correctness lobby, but frankly it's hard to think of . any other terms that satisfactorily convey the extremely disturbing natures of these callers. Maybe they would prefer "morally-challenged" and in a "confused state of mind". Either way, these people were certainly a little out of the ordinary. Of course, many. would argue that there is nothing wrong with an 'alternative' sexual appetite. You could very reasonably suggest that as long as it doesn't do anyone else any harm, what's the problem? By all means. Perhaps you would say that if CollA gets his sexual thrills from telling complete strangers about his evenings spent "lying in bed totally naked, stroking my rock hard eight inch cock and feeling my balls", th en he has every right to. lt doesn't hurt anyone else. But surely there must be concerns about what else is going on in the mind of such an individual. The ominous tone adopted by the "dirty bastard [who] wants to talk now", and deranged comments of the huskily whispering young woman who commenced her courtship rituals with the natty line; "one, two, I'm coming for you. Three, four you'd better lock your door'', leave you with genuine worries for what these people are doing when they are not dribbling lecherously over the phone. Perhaps they do lead entirely normal lives by day, and there is nothing stranger than their rather unusual telephone manner.

You would certainly hope so. But it does make you wonder.

And whatever your take on the mental health of chat line clients, you still have to ask whether they can conceivably be benefiting from their little chats. 1t is hardly likely that the Davids and Kellies of this wortd are going to build up formidable reserves of selfesteem and kick-start their lives from the kind of exchanges that take place on Party Line. Perhaps

N

and the operator had the gall to tell me to watch my language. Outrageous! Virtual chat ind~ed.

But just a few minutes later I was only too grateful for such distancing safeguards.

Broadly speaking I came across four different types of individual taking advantage of the great public service that is chat lines. The least depressing were the callers who seemed to be dialling the premium rate numbers for a laugh. The kind of people who may have just got back from the pub and feel ,like messing about for a few minutes before collapsing in a drunken stupor. The extremely inebriated chap who constituted the first of my encounters was a prime example. "Yeah," he slurred incoherently. "Where'sh my shexy green eyed enchantresh? ltsh your beautiful blue eyed wonderboy back on line."

Then there were the two young ladies obviously having a whale of a time "looking for a nice tasty geeezah".

Slightly pathetic, maybe, but not much worse than that.

Unfortunately the other categories revealed some far more worrying elements of humanity.

Inconceivable as it may seem, there were those who appeared to be ringing up genuinely hoping to form enduring relationships over the phone. Take Sieve, who I spoke to on one of the gay lines, and who told me all about his love of golf, tennis and working out in the gym, before describing himself as "kind of boring, kind of plain, but that's me". Ah, bless.

Unfortunately it just wasn't to be - things simply weren't working out between us. And frankly, judging by the numerous other night callers I came across, I really don't fancy his chances of meeting Mr Right on line one little bit.

David will come across the delightful young lady who I Very depressing indeed, even if such apparent naivety encountered, performing her smashing hummed version of the Beverty Hills Cop theme tune, is perversely uplifting amidst the overwhelming tide of filth I encountered that night. interspersed with comments such as "Push it. Yeah, But if Steve was sad, there are many others who are push it real good," and they'll begin a happy and positively suicidal, if you get my meaning. fulfilling life together. Perhaps he'll meet "Naughty These are the individuals who really seem to have lost Natasha", the self-proclaimed "curvaceous, blonde· their way in life. The ones who were probably so haired, blue-eyed b abe from West Yorkshire", and go frequently labelled 'loser' at school that they started to . off with her instead. Although he'll be doing well to hold on to her if the comment that she's "looking for you and believe it themselves, until eventually they lost all their self-esteem, and started paying for the chance to make you and you and you" is anything to go by. contact with other people in straits as dire as their own.

Bu.t you can't help having doubts. lt seems far more Fairly symptomatic of the chronic state of affairs was probable that David and his fellow callers are in line for David. This unfortunate young man deemed it wise to more and more embarrassments and let downs. Hardly share his full name with all the other service users, the kind of experiences that lead to full, contented lives. which is well and good - if you have absolutely no More feasible that such people will be driven to (further) introversion and detachment from the rest of regard for your personal safety. And in all truth his society. chat-up line did leave just a little to be desired too.

And what about the influence of the lines on individuals "Hi, this is David, girls," he crooned. "If you want a chat, like Hard Cock Colin and Counting Girl? Maybe one (or get back to me." Hardly the epitome of mysterious both) of them will get it together with the "genuinely allure, although somehow you got the impression that good looking" London lad who gets "really rough , really he was actually dreading nothing more than someone taking him up on his offer and replying. And what about hard, really sweaty", and find satisfaction there. Or maybe not. frantic Kelly, who started every message with "hellothere-good-evening-hi·how-ya-doing" rattled off at Whatever the consequences of these "services" for the users, one has to conclude tl'lat chat lines are not the dizzying speed, and never seemed to get any further than asking if I and all her other prospective suitors most important social legacy of the telecommunications wanted to talk. And that seemed to be the revolution. I certainly won't be using them again in the foreseeable future . overwhelming characteristic of this particular kind of But then again...that Sieve did sound rather nice. caller • absolutely nothing to say: nothing to say

"Colin gets his thrills from telling complete strangers, 'I'm lying in bed totally naked, rubbing my rock hard eight inch cock and feeling my balls."'

....

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1a Featured

Concrete Wednesday, October 20, 1999

With the Sizewell power station just an hour's drive away, nucle_ar safety is an immediate concern. Metin Alsanjak and Jack Hanauer examine the chances of a local meltdown ... okaimura, 10.30am, Thursday, September 30 1999. Three workers in a uranium processing plant put eight times the correct amount of powdered uranium in the nitric acid reacting basin. There is a sudden flash of blue light - brutally informing all present that they may just have been exposed to enough radiation to kill them. The worst nuClear accident in Japan's history has begun. And all within 70 miles of one of the world's biggest cities, Tokyo.

Last month's nuclear accident was a tragic 路 disaster, resulting in 45 people being admitted to hospital with radiation poisoning. But the implications extend much further than the uncertain fates of these unfortunate few. Although not in the same league as the Chernobyl disaster,

T

this is the most recent in a long line of nuclear industry cock-ups. And if such an accident can occur in one of the most technologically advanced nations in the world, what is to stop it happening here in the UK? 1t wouldn't have to be Sellafield way off in Cumbria - because here in balmy Norwich we have the good fortune to be located just one hour's drive away from the Sizewell Nuclear Power Plant near Leiston, Suffolk.

Sizewell A, the first nuclear reactor at the site, was built in the Sixties. when nuclear power was still seen as the great white hope for the power industry. Although the shadow of nuclear weaponry was always present and protestors were never far away, nuclear power was still seen by many as a way of producing power that was cheap and clean. But despite gaining a second

reactor in 1995, things at Sizewell - and things in the industry in general - have not exactly gone to plan.

Only four years ago, on March 2, 1995, a lorry from Sizewell deposited a load of radioactive material at Leiston railway station. The waste was waiting to be transported to Cumbria to be reprocessed at the Sellafield plant. But its journey was delayed. somewhat when the crane lifting it broke down in mid-elevation, leaving the hazardous matter hanging at a precarious angle which is where it remained for the next 12 hours.

A few months later, in September of the same year, it emerged that Sizewell B, the newer of the two plants, was still having its safety system tested - eight months after it started generating power. And in August of this year the draft of a report by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate was leaked which suggested that British Nuclear Fuels had reduced staffing levels so severely that there might be no-one qualified to deal with a "severe accident" at the plant.

Now, nothing came from the fiasco at Leiston station. The situation was, eventually, sorted out without any radioactive contamination, and according to the British Nuclear Industry Forum, used fuel transported by rail and ship has a history of "40 years without a single accident leading to the release of radioactivity". That's may be so, but leaving highly radioactive flasks dangling unprotected for half a day hardly constitutes the epitome of safety, does it?

As far as we,. know, there have been no "serious accidents" at Sizewell B either. But surely if a safety system is to be deemed 'safe', all tests

"The kind of reactor used at Sizewell 8 could still be subject to an accident like Chernobyl" should be completed before the plant is allowed to begin generating. Interestingly enough, since the completion of the tests the reliability of the mechanism has been reassessed. lt is now said to work 999 times out of 1000. Not bad at all, but only a tenth as consistent as originally claimed.

And what about that thousandth occasion?

As for the staff cuts, the final version of the Nil report is expected within the next few months, and it would be unfair to jump to conclusions before we have all the evidence. But if there is any truth in the leaked document it is not the most

FAX: 01603 632977

encouraging of scenarios.

BNFL bosses are always nuclear power in the UK is extremely safe, and Peter Hollins, British Energy's chief executive, was quick to dismiss the recent concerns. "Safety is now, and always will be, this company's number one priority," he said. "This is a value shared by all our staff, and there is absolutely no way that we would consider changes that would put this at risk."

Nice to hear it, but not everyone is convinced.

Rachel Western, a nuclear expert from Friends of

reassuri~-~at

"The hazardous material was left hanging at a precarious angle for more than 12 hours the Earth said that the staff cuts make it "questionable whether they [Sizewell B) should have a license", adding that the kind of reactor used at Sizewell B could "still be subject to an accident like Chemobyl". Not particularly encouraging, but Robin Thomas, the UEA Radiation Protection Advisor, takes a very different view.

He believes that the chances of an accident as severe as Chernobyl are "really very, very low where Sizewell is concerned", although he did qualify his statement by saying that "one can never be absolutely certain about anything".

So where does all this leave us? Well, the nuclear debate may soon be obsolete. Nuclear Electric have slashed the number of nuclear design experts they employ by 95 per cent, from around 400 in 1990 to a core of only 20. There are also no plans to build more power stations in Britain. lt may well be that the death knell for th~ nuclear power industry has been sounded.

But can we expect nuclear to bow out with a nice safe whimper, or a bang of huge and deadly proportions? Well, in all probability there will be a plethora of minor cock-ups before Sizewell, Sellafield et al are consigned to history. The human element means that mistakes will always be made, just as they were with such terrible consequences in Japan last month. Hopefully, however, the men in the dapper white coats will keep the words "meltdown" and "nuclear" entirely in the realm of nightmares.

Left: Working in the labs at Slzewell; and Below, the power station itself.

19 Featured

Concrete Wednesday, October 20, 1999

•

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icture the scene: deserted buildings 'restaurant'. Much as it grieves me to use that surround a windswept, rain drenched term to describe an establishment that seems barren void. As the leaves are blown in unable to deal with something as simple as swirling eddies, a solitary figure struggles serving their customers within an hour. At least against the forces of nature ranged you can read the entire Sunday Times and all the against him, retreating further into scarf and coat. pullouts while you wait for your burger to arrive.

They are the only person in what was once a But can you? The Union paper Shop now also bustling, vibrant community. · shuts at a ridiculously early time, as does the Now don't worry, I'm not about to launch into a Western complete with blowing tumbleweed and a guy with the meanest pair of six shooters in all of Texas. In fact I'm describing our very own UEA campus at the weekend. In their infinite wisdom University and Union bosses have decided to shut down pretty much all of UEA's shops and eateries for much of the weekend. Whereas a few years ago the hungover Sunday morning could be made UFO, meaning that the only people who can get more agreeable by a fry up in the Diner, that most any fresh food are joggers, and frankly they don't deserve it. esteemed of catering outlets is now shut all day, leaving Breakers 11 as th"e only available For the average weekend layabout, the only - - . - - - - -....------,.,.--.alternative is to make the long trek down the Avenues to the Coleman Road shops, perhaps one of the most depressing walks in history; even following the coffin of a close relation would be preferable to the dismal view of the street stretching ahead, with the traffic lights as the beacons of hope upon the horizon. lt seems that the only choice we, the starving weekend student, have is to go to the one establishment that does remain open for much of Saturday and Sunday: the Union Bar. lt would be foolish of me to suggest getting plastered and angry before looting those establishments that refuse to open. Instead you'll just have to fill yourselves with beer and crisps, and send the bill for your alcoholism treatment to the University. Except they'll be closed.

"Where can the starving student go at the weekend with every shop shut on campus ... the only available restaurant left is 'Breakers Two"'

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20

Featured

Concrete Wednesday, October 20, 1999

The UEA photo casebook Billy-Bob was a nightmare housemate for Rufus and Jemima ...

Phoarrrgh! Great porn this, ain't it? Go and make my tea, love.

Here, my pretties ...

A little present for you.

Featured 2 1

Concrete Wednesday, October 20, 1999

Horoscopes

So you think you know about. ..

Political Coups CrOSSWOr 1. Name the army general who took over Pakistan last week.

2. In what year did Hitler stage his failed Munich Putsch?

3. What coup leader organised the Rumble in the jungle with Muhammad Ali? 4. Name the two key figures in the Spartacists movement who attempted to take over Germany after WWI. 5. Which member qf the Romanov family was alleged to have reappeared over 80 years after the family had been wiped out by the Bolsheviks during the civil war?

6. In which country does Colonel Gadaffi hold power?

7.Who in Europe was deposed in a bloodless coup in 1990?

8. Name the King and Queen that Robspiere helped depose in the nineteenth century 9. In which year did Fidel Castro take power in Cuba?

10. Who was killed at the Battle of Bosworth by Henry VII? Ill pJeq:J!Il

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CLUES Across I. Floating disco (12) 9. Final prop of the play (7) I0. To collect and compare (7) 11. Leave out (4) 12. Great (5) 13. Authoritative prohabition (4) 16. Floating stud who delivers (7) 17. Traumatised (7) 18. Naughty but nice (7) 20. Head of state (7) 23. Climatic condition at the end of the Cold War (4) 24 James Dean film (5) 25. Liquid cold weather food (4) 28. Medineranean fruit (7) 29. Hard Labour (7) 30. 11Juminescent ( 12)

Down I. Penchant (7) 2. Twice year) y suffering that student's undergo (4) 3. Scolded by Ra (7) 4. Extortion (7) 5. Pay when red (4) 6. Not a professional (7) 7. Waveney, Norfolk Nelson oun? (13) Too to aaunt 4"/

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Between stop and go (5) Public announcement if marriage (5) Train, bus .... (7) The concluding part (7) Taken at a meeting (7) Read to minors (4,3) Leaning Italian city (4) 27. Batman's favourite item of clothing 4

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Mike Cults decided to go to Australia almost on a whim. But after a month his only regret was that he couldn't stay longer... hadn't packed, I didn't have anything to put my clothes in and my visa was non-existent.

This was at lunchtime on Tuesday: my plane was to take me to Singapore and then Melbourne at 9pm that night. I had booked a flight on the Saturday and was amused at the idea of being over the other side of the world in a few days. I forgot, however, to consider the preparations.

After driving to Heathrow airport in a friend's mini with rucksack , friend and mum in tow, I got to the travel desk and waited to be seen by the nice clerk. At least, she was nice to start with .

"Do you have a Visa?"

"Urn, I was told that was being done electronically."

"Do you realise that your passport runs out four days after you come back?"

I

"Is that a problem then ?"

"Wait here."

At this point my mother started prodding me and asking what was wrong . After a brief argument about the cost of the ticket and why I hadn't checked my passport I was angry, and so were the people in the queue behind me. But fortunately when the clerk returned she had good news for us: Everything was in order and I was on the flight. My mum was happy she hadn't thrown £660 down the drain , and I was happy to leave.

"Get me out of this country," I thought.

After a flight that turned out to be nowhere near as bad as I had feared, we touched down in Melbourne and my brother, who been living there for nine months, came to pick me up. I hadn't seen him for over a year since he departed to circle the globe. Most travellers , it seems, end up in Melbourne in a region called St Kilda. it's a crazy place, effortlessly exuding a cosmopolitan vibe, unlike London which always seems to be trying far too hard. St Kilda used to be the vice capital of Melbourne, but slowly it is being rejuvenated.

People from all over the world live here and they all have a common bond: complete confusion when it comes to ordering drinks. England is pretty standard when it comes to ordering beverage: "Mine's a pint," you say.

Australians, on the other hand , feel the need to have about 20 different measures: pints, schooners, pots, jugs, bottles in all shapes and styles, and many more that I just couldn't be bothered to remember. lt gets all the more difficult as the night wears on .

After about a week in Melbourne we availed ourselves of a car (courtesy of Rent-ABomb) and did the Great Ocean Road along the south western coast of Victoria. lt is much like the beginning of Goldeneye where

Bond and Onatopp are racing along that magnificent road cut into the mountain, but this is along the coastline - a vast amount of scenery to absorb all at once. The road winds around ragged cliffs, windswept beaches and tall bluffs, passing through lush rainforests and towering eucalyptus. The most outstanding section is the Port Campbell National Park, which features an incredible collection of limestone sculptures, including the Twelve Apostles, London Bridge and Loch Ard Gorge. Truly amazing at sunset.

Before we made the trek to Adelaide we stopped back in Melbourne and visited a street called Pin Oak Court just before entering the Dandenongs. lt doesn't sound very impressive until you realise who lives on it. This is where Madge and Harold argue, the Kennedys reside, and Helen Daniels finally passed away after 172 years in showbiz. I played football in Ramsay Street! lt sounds a bit sad, but it was actually one of the best moments of my trip to the other side of the world.

The Dandenongs is also an impressive place to visit if you want to meet parrots. For a buck you can buy some seed, and with a bit of patience you too can have six or seven colourful birds feeding all over your head, arms, legs and anything else vaguely like a perch. Also here is the mystical William Rickett's Sanctuary, whose

"Australians feel the need for about 20 different measures of alcohol, pints, schooners, pots, jugs and bottles in all styles" organic, Aboriginal based sculpture hides in the lush forest , and at least provokes thought.

From here we .headed to Adelaide, hiring a relatively cheap and luxurious Britz three berth van for the purpose. A Melbourne friend of my brother's is originally from Adelaide, and gave us some advice. She warned us a) not to drive into Adelaide at sunset, and b) not to go down Hindley Street because that's where all the prostitutes, pimps, and general scum of the earth hang out. Unfortunately, due to our late start we hit Adelaide at sunset and were constantly blinded as we descended the hill that brings you into the town . On top of that we also wandered into Hindley Street because that was the only name we could remember from the places she had told us. We were doing well.

Adelaide and Norwich have one particular thing in common; they both have a disproportionately large number of churches. This is largely due to the efforts of the early, who aimed to build a 'solid , dignified ci)y'. The churches are now less abundant, replaced by a phalanx of pubs and nightclubs. However, being English doesn't give you direct access into the busiest pub in town , the 'traditionally English' Elephant and Wheelbarrow (which is actually as traditionally English as crepe suzette).

But even with these problems the city is beautiful , and very remin iscent of London. The centre is surrounded by parkland and the more metropolitan area is ringed by the hills of the Mt Lofty Ranges and water of the Gulf St Vincent.

From here we went up to Barossa Valley and then on to the Flinders Ranges. The best known

feature of the range is the huge natural basin known as Wilpena Pound, which is ringed by 1000m (3280ft) cliffs . lt is truly an amazing place, especially if you walk at night around the parks.

This is when - if you 're lucky - you might catch a glimpse of kangaroos and other endemic species up close.

After the Barossa Valley we undertook the Nullaboor Plain, which is the main area between Southern and Western Australia. The plain is huge. In places it is completely flat, and there are no trees to be seen for miles. it's eerily quiet until the road skirts round the Great Australian Bight, where you can spot whales at Warrnambool.

Camping on this stretch of the road is also a scary experience. At one site, in Nutbush , we were the only people there. lt makes you aware that you are in the middle of nowhere, especially when you only pass two cars a day.

Just as we were about to arrive in Perth we hit a plague of grasshoppers. As we drove along the 96km stretch in the middle of the Nullaboor Plain grasshoppers slowly started flying into the windscreen . Then suddenly the sky was full of the little things. By the time we got to the next service station there were 100 or so of them limply fighting for life stuck to the front of the van , and I had to pull them off one by one, sometimes perpetrating further injury as legs came off in my fingers.

I didn't really want to go to Australia this summer gone, but I did and don't regret a thing, except not being able to stay longer. There is such diversity and contrast across the continent that it is sometimes hard to take everything in. As for Australians, they aren't so bad. Apparently Philip Martin is a bit of a pervert in real life, but what the hey. We can 't all be good neighbours.

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Top: The real Ramsay Street; Left: Valley of the Giants,

ac 1 e

+ How to get there:

Prices to Australia vary, with students able to get special offers, and if you are prepared to wait, better prices. If you head out in November to Sydney costs range from £484 + tax with Korean Air, increasing to £600+ with BA and Quantas. In our summer, prices get cheaper with returns from £484, but other airlines costing around £500.

+Tickets: Open ended tickets can be very expensive - it might in the long run be better to simply switch dates on your ticket. Check how much this costs, beforehand.

+Visas: All visitors to Australia except New Zealanders need a visa. This isn 't too complicated if you are British and have the right documentation. You can stay for three months on a tourist visa.

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Question: What do the Nestle IIDfCIJtt, the elan inrestment a rpaign

and rent strikeslllre in t:G on? lnlwer: Tile! all_bea• tJflieill Union pDiief If USMI The Union General Meetings (or UGM's) which take place once a term are a powerful forum for decisions affecting students to be debated and voted upon. UGM's are the highest decision making body of the Student Union and decisions made at quorate meetings become union policy. General Meetings allow students to have a real chance to raise issues they feel strongly about.

Anyone and everyone is welcome and needed at UGM's. Every vote and opinion counts and your presence means your ideas are listened to. Hyou don't turn up you can't complain about policies being carried out in your. name. Equally, if you feel strongly about something, you can turn it into union policy by submitting a motion and getting people to turn up and vote for it

However, if you still believe that UGM's are powerless and pointless, think again...

HOW UGM'S.HAVE BEEN USED IN THE PAST. ••• In January 1999, Concrete broke the story that GEC Marconi's share register revealed University share holdings worth £69,000. GEC Marconi have been connected with the sale of arms to repressive regimes.

Ameeting of staff and students was called which led to an intense campaign to persuade the University to adopt a clean investment policy. Over 2,500 people signed a petition in suppo~ of the campaign, which was presented, to registry staff at the ensuing demonstration.

At a UGM in March a motion was submitted to commit the Union to campaigning on ethical investment. Students voted overwhelmingly in favour of the motion.

_w,.,.,

As a result the University has set up a working party involving senior university staff and student representatives to investigate the university's investment policies. UEA now stands out to be one of the first universities in the country to ethically invest its money.

1

AffenlotHI Tlllllilll

Wednesday afternoons have always traditionally been kept free of teaching to allow students to participate in the wide range of sporting activities available at UEA. Last year, the Executive realised that lectures and seminars were in actual fact being timetabled for Wednesday afternoon's, which meant that 20% of students involved in sport at UEA were unable to play for their chosen team. The matter was raised at a UGM and students voted to campaign against Wednesday afternoon teaching. This led to the University assuring students that teaching would only occur at this time if it was completely unavoidable. The campaign continues this year with growing University support, within the next year we hope to be in a

,,.,Stri

situation where Wednesday afternoon teaching is completely abolished!

1

In 1995, the University increased student rents beyond acceptable levels. The Student's Union fought back by distributing leaflets encouraging students not to pay their rent.

In October 1995, at a quorate UGM, students voted in favour of arent strike. The Union set up a separate account, which students paid rent into and this money was used as a bargaining tool with the University.

Success! The University offered students £40 and promised that they would do everything in their power to keep residents rents down until 2003.

Thanks to the Union's efforts and student's determination to stop profits coming before students interests the University was forced to listen to us!

lMOrDIIEJ lS The first UGM for this year takes place on 1 ......,11199. This gives every student the chance to get involved in the creation of anion policy. The motion can be about anything, as long as it affects students as students and doesn't involve breaking the law. The issues that become official policy stay that way for three years, so you're affecting future students as well as present Things can happen if you want them to!

This year the deadline for motions to be submitted is Spm on 25 October. Motions need to be given to Usa Ellnt, tilt AcaiMic Olliar (her office is upstiars in Union House). You can also e-mail her on~ Once you have submitted your tert you need to round up support and encourage people to turn up to the meeting! The University sets quoracy, which is the amount of students who need to turn up to make any policy official. lt is normally 1/25 of the student population • about 400 students. If you feel strongly about something, it is likely that other students will too - you need to find them and IIAIIE 1111111JRIIIIPI

lt can be done! As you can see, others have done it before and so can you. The Union will give you all the support you need, including how to write a motion and advise on publicising your campaign. Just come and see us in our offices upstairs in Union House.

.....,

AM tn 1111111 nteJ lt's ,_a.. to be lleri •

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news

vert1sement

Do you: -.

Have ideas about how the University could be made better?

Want to ensure that student opinion is heard?

Want to improve your communication and negotiating skills? 路 Ever thought of becoming aStudents Forum representative?

Being a Forum representative gives you the opportunity to ensure that students are involved in the running of the Union and University.

The Unions also offers training to all representatives in a wide range of skills, from negotiating to public speaking, so being a representative will also look great on your CV!

What is Student Forum?

AUnion based committee that meets once a fortnight. lt is made up of the Executive and student representatives from each school and discusses issues of Union policy and matters affecting students at UEA. Students Forum also keeps the Executive Committee accountable to the student body.

What can Students forum do?

Some of the issues discussed by students forum la路st year include:

e Ethical Investment at UEA

e Wednesday Afternoon Teaching e Library facilities

Any member of students forum can place an issue on the agenda for discussion. If you feel strongly about something, forum is the perfect place to try and do something about it!!

To find out more about

*Students Forum* Leaflets and nominations forms are available from the Advice Centre in Union House or e-mail the Academic Officer su.acad@uea.ac.uk .

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un1on news

advert·sement

By now so eof you will have bee recnited to represent your pee11 withi your school or the Union. Or, you may be active with one of . oar many Clubs and Societies.

As rt of the National Stu nt Learning Programme, which is funded by the NUS a and the Department of Ed cation and Emplo nt. The U ion is offering aseries of free trai ing sessions for Cl and Societies a St dent Re resentatiYes.

~~

The following training sessions are currently available:

Tuesday 19th October

6:15 • 8:45 pm

Wednesday 27th October

2:15 • 4:45 pm

Wednesday 3rd November

2:15 - 4:45 pm

Wednesday lOth November

2:15- 4:45pm

( Monday 29th November )

6:15- 8:45pm

Running for club/society effectively and meeting skills for clubs and society members Students forum, how it works and the role of representative.

Being a school representative, for School Board Reps and staff student liasion committee members Public speaking + feedback and communication Further meeting skills + Lobbying and problem solving

And for the future •••.•.

.

We would like to start running some transferable skills training sessions, which will be available for all students to enable them to develop all those vital skills which looks so impressive on a CV!

We are starting with: Tuesday 23rd November

· 6:15 • 8:45 pm Time management Stress management

Coming soon ••••• Presentation techniques••• communication skills•.• assertiveness training For more information or to sign up for any of the sessions, come to the Student Advice Centre in Union House or e-mail

j.pee/@1111.ae.uk

Volunta Services Week Friday 29th October - Thursday 4th November 1999 llam - 3p in the Hive

Want to put something back into t~e local community?

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Want to gain transferable skills through valuable work experience?

• . ,. . . . . . .A.X

Want to enhance your employability and impress employers with an outstanding CV? The annual Voluntary Services Week gives.you the opportunity to find out more about the work carried out by local and national charities and voluntary organisations. ,. ·nit is yo c ce to get i olv • I ·eets • do kea • •

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The University of East Anglia

Parent and childrens roup meets Every Tuesday morning from 28th September 1999 10 30 am to 12 pm at Nelson's Court Common Room 8 Parents can: *Share a coffee and make new friends. *Get local information and support. *Get ideas about play for your children While children: *Have a chance to meet other children. *Play with lots of fun toys. *And a nursery nurse will help them with new play ideas. ·

All free of charge .

Dis acade•ic year as see• tH la11e• of a joillt i1itiatiYe betwee1 tH stldellt 11io1, 11iYenity aid tH GSA to establiU a parelt aid c~ildre1's gro1p. De Hid for sa aaro•P was first idelltified so• ti• ago bit tH •Ita MYI proted 11 ideai..,.,U1ity to t1r1 tH idea illto reality.

n••

The group is intended to provide a weekly meeting place for.all students (or their partners) with preschool age children. The group first met on the 28 September and meetings take place every Tuesday morning from 10 am until12 pm in Nelson Court Common Room B. Anursery nurse is on hand to help the children with their play ideas. Parents can get to know one another over a cup of coffee and two heaJth visitors attend the meetings and are more than willing to answer any questions. The group has purchased a number of toys which are available for children to play with at meetings.

The next stage of the programme is to develop atoy and book library for the use of all students with children. If anyone has any toys or books of good condition that they wish to donate then please contact Janet Havers in the Dean of Students Office.

FRESHERS

PLEASE TAKE ·AMINUTE TO TAKE THIS DEBT AVOIDANCE TEST: 1. Are you a first year undergraduate who started in Higher education in 1999?- (If yes go to two) 2. Have you applied to your LEA (Local Education Authority) for student support? (if yes congratulations, you will be able to apply for a student loan every year until the end of your course. (If no go to 3) 3. You should apply to your LEA immediately even if you do not think you are eligible for support fees, or do not want to take out a student loan at the present time. Your LEA will assess your eligibilty in principle, but you will not be required to take out a student loan.

WARNING: If you do not apply to your LEA by the 24th January 2000 you could lose your eligibilty for help with tuition fees and/or a student loan for the ·whole of your course, even if your circumstances change.

Any questions, contact the Student Advice Centre, upstairs in Union House.

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Sport 27

Concrete Wednesday, October 20, 1999

BUSA FIXTURES RESULTS Fixtures are subject to change BUSA FIXTURES WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 27

V V V V

Grenwich Grenwich Grenwich Grenwich

Mens 1 Mens 2 Mens 3 Womens

Bucks Bucks Brunei CCCC

V V V V

RUGBY Mens 1 Mens 2 Mens 3 Womens

V V

V V

Bucks Free Kent Free

Mens 1 Mens 2 Mens 3 Womens

(a)

V V

HOCKEY Mens 1 Mens 2 Mens 3 Womens 1 Womens 2

V V

V V

V

cccc

(h)

Grenwich Kent Grenwich Brunei!

(a) (a) (a) (a)

Mens 1 Mens 2 Mens 3 Womens 1 Womens 2

V

cccc

V

UCN

V V V V

(h) (h)

Mens 1 Womens

V V

Bucks Free

(a)

V

2-7 0-9

Mens 1 Mens 2 Womens 1

(a)

UEA

V

Mens 1 Womens

UEA 1 UEA 2

V

UEA 1 UEA 2

(h)

Harts Free

V V

UEA

V

GOLF UEA

V

UEA

V

SQUASH Mens 1 Mens 2 Womens

V V

V

Luton Kent CCCC

Mens 1 Mens 2 Womens

TABLE TENNIS Mens 1

V

Nth Lond (a)

V V V

V V

Grenwich (a) !(h) Luton

Mefls 1

30-60 25-25

Kent UCN

(a)

(h)

71-0 94-0 12-67

St.Geor St.Geor UCN

(h) (h) (a)

Mens 1

4-1

Kent

(a)

M'sex

(h)

v

Mens

=- '"'" ,,. . • • , • ~«>ll'lEl

v Si

r ••• •... v ...

B'ham

(h)

Beccles Old Buckenham UEA Evergreens Sprowston Broadland 2 Dereham 3 Pelicans 2 Watton 2 Norwich City 2

Free

Herts Free Brunei

(h)

Denver Dereham Fillies Yarmouth 2 Harleston Colts B Old Buckenham 2 NorwichCity 4 Harleston 4 UEA2 Norwich Union 3

(a)

Kent

(h) 1

I)) ., "'' ~. ,

2 2 2

2 2 2

1

1

1 2 2

1 1 0 0 0 0

2

2 2

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 1

8 5 4 10 3 3

1 1 0 1 0 4

6 6 6 3 3 3

2 2 2 2

2 1

13 6

0 0

5 5

0 0 0 6

Martin and Acock Norfolk Womens Hockey League Divi i n f a Pts p w d

(a)

Kent

Baunel

4-2

Martin and Acock Norfolk Womens Hockey League D"vi i n 1 f a Pts p w d

TENNIS ~«

(h)

(a)

(a)

TABLE TENNIS

TENNIS Mens Womens

OM Beds

(a)

LOCAL LEAGUE TABLES

SQUASH

(a) (h) (a)

(a)

TENNIS

GOLF

Nth Lond (h)

Herts Kent Kent

Mens 1 Mens 2 Mens 3

(a) (a)

LACROSSE

Bye

3-2 2-1 3-0

RUGBY

(h)

CCCC CCCC

V V

LACROSSE UEA

(a)

~

(a) (a)

NETBALL

Grenwich (a) Luton (a)

(a)

BASKETBALL

NETBALL V

(h)

Herts Cambs

9-20

Mens

UEA 1 UEA2

(h)

•!J3;t•t}il

(h) (a)

Kent Kent

V

(h) (h)

~

BADMINTON

BASKETBALL Mens 1 Womens

Mens 1 Womens

(a) (a)

Kent Brunei Free Brunei Kent

V

Kent Kent Kent Kent

l:t1•lMI:ii•HI

HOCKEY

BADMINTON Mens 1 Womens

(a) (a) (a) (a)

Essex Essex Free CCCC

V V

1-3 0-0 8-0 7-2

Mens 1 Mens 2 Mens 3 Womens

RUGBY

(h)

WEDNESDA~OCTOBER13

FOOTBALL

FOOTBALL

(a) (a) (a) (a)

BUSA RESULTS

BUSA FIXTURES WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 3

FOOTBALL Mens 1 Mens 2 Mens 3 Womens

& TABLES

••t• .,. ~ "• t

• orUJ

Wwsm ~ ·

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

2 2 2 1 1 1

0 0 0 0

0

0 0 0 0 0

0 0 0

10

1 1

4

8 7

1 0 1 4 1

1 1

1 1

3 3 2 0

0 0

2 2

1

10

0

7

1

8 3

3

6 6 6 3 3 3 1 1

0 0

28

Sport

Concrete Wednesday, October 20, 1999

With another fivulayers sent off last Saturday, Nick Henegan takes a look at what goes on in the head of referees .. t's official ; the Premiership has gone mad. With 29 sendi ngs off and 414 bookings this season the situation is certainly disturbing, e s Pe c i a I I Y

I

their star men.

And keep it under your hat, but a number of xenophobes, known more widely as "purists", have

undoubtedly football 's most persecuted, have come in for the most stick from players, managers and the media alike.

• Yes, it seems that the poor

lt seems that every pundit and COlUmniSt in the COUntry haS a ~~~~de~ring that tho~ theory as to why the number of dismissals will top dismissals is up by 50 per cent the century mark by on last season

May 1f the current trend continues.

And with the recent outburst by Arsenal's Patrick Viera, in which he reacted against his sending off by attempting to accost the referee and spitting at Neil Ruddock, and the Merseyside derby earlier this month in which three players were dismissed , there are suggestions that the league has degenerated into indiscipline and violence.

As usual, when controversy erupts it seems that every pundit and columnist in the country has a theory as to why the number of dismissals is up by 50 per cent on last season .

Some suggest it is the fau lt of petulant players, pepped up on their own egos, while others poi11t to managers refusing to effectively discipline

come out of the~ woodwork blaming the influx of foreigners

and their propensity for theatricals.

But as usual a certain group,

~=~·~re~~

anything right.

According to many, including that wellknown nemesis of refs, Sir Alex Ferguson , the man in the middle is being overzealous with the carding system, either unwilling or unable to look beyond the rules.

Even the inventor of red and yellow cards, Ken Aston MBE, has put the boot in , claiming that, ''The amount of bookings these days is ridiculous.

Referees do not use their heads."

And full time loudmouth, Paul Gascoigne has also had his say, claiming that referees ' conduct has resulted in the game losing its edge and becoming .more like netball: At the same time, however, referees have been accused of not doing enough to curb illegal

behaviour on the pitch .

Chelsea's international centre back, Frank Leboeuf, has recently been quoted as saying , " Referees just don 't exist, even though they ' ve b

e e n

Such a system is advocated by Gordon Taylor, the Chief Executive of the Professional Footballers Association , but he also believes that footballers should exercise a greater degree of self discipline while on the field .

Another possible way to reduce bust ups comes back to referees.

11 appears that inconsistent decisions boils the blood of fans , players and managers far more than bad ones.

This fact is recognised by Mike Lee who insisted , "Referees are required to compare notes over the way they dealt with different incidents."

"11 is an important part of them understanding consistency, ensuring they are reading the law the same way."

After all , referees are not supposed to be personalities ; the best are those who officiate the game in an efficient manner without courting excessive attention.

Of course, on occasions, referees cannot help but send players from the field , and in such instances the onus needs to be on players to retain their self control , restraint that hasn't been too evident in recent weeks.

Only as the season progresses, however, will it become apparent whether all the debate and posturing has had any effect on improving matters.

But it is worth considering that the autumn air may play its part in inciting controversy on the pitch.

After all , it was this time last year that the wild man of football , Paulo Di Canio, sent a certain referee reeling. · ·

Since football first graced the playing fields of Britain the referee has always cut a lonely figure trying desperately to maintain fair play

reacting lately by sending off some players," and suggesting that the Premiership is the most violent league in the world.

Caught between a rock and a hard place indeed , but can referees ever get it right?

The answer would appear to by a resounding 'no!'

Indeed, since first football graced the playing fields of Britain the referee has always cut a lonely figure , trying desperately to maintain fair play in the middle of 22 players all intent on beating the opposition no matter what.

And more often than not the losers find the "man in the tasteful array of colours" an easy scapegoat for their undeserved defeat.

Unfortunately for refs, as the stakes of an increasingly money orientated game have risen inexorably over

~~-============---==~--------------------------~

recent years, they have been taking criticism more frequently and in a more savage form than ever before.

But in an age where the pressures of the big stage are compounded by the seemingly endless FIFA and UEFA directives, can they ever use the common sense approach that many are demanding?

Again the negative is applicable.

In a statement earlier this month , made in response to the recent outrages, Premier League spokesman, Mike Lee, said, "We've recognised that we have to abide by th e letter of the law as laid down by FIFA." But he was keen to add that the responsibi lity for fair play should not be placed solely on referees, suggesting that, "Players and managers have a responsibility to make sure that the laws are understood and abided by."

As these various factions bicker about who is to blame for the glut of red and yellow cards, the question remains as to how such problems can be overcome.

During the last few weeks many solutions from the common sense to the insanely unorthodox have been proposed.

Sin Bins are one popular idea.

Modelled on the system used in ice hockey, players would be sent temporarily from the field instead of being booked , the theory being that this would be an appropriate punishment without spoiling the spectacle of the game by permanently reducing numbers.

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Sport 29

Concrete Wednesday, October 20, 1999

'

Teachers shown yellow card Scrounging teachers at a London school are facing a parent backlash after they allegedly claimed free Champions; League tickets for themselves. ' Arsenal sent the school 20 tickets for their Wembley clash against AIK Solna, but pupils claim that the teachers bagged the lot and binned any spares.

One irate parent said that the teachers involved should be " named and humiliated".

But the local council in charge of the school defended the teachers, saying that they used them because they arrived at short notice and because the evening kick off was " quite late for children of that age".

.,.

Grateful to Gazza Premiership bad boy Paul Gascoigne showed his softer side when he handed out £20 notes to pensioners in a north east betting shop.

He then gave the old folk a top tip and to add to their delight the horse powered home at 14-1 .

Returning the next day to collect his winnings he again dished out the cash-but no tip.

One elderly punter said "Gazza gets a lot of bad press but he's got a heart of gold" .

Up for Ali Britain's first licensed female boxer, Jane Couch, is set to take on the daughter of all time great Muhammad Ali. Leila All made her professional debut last week, knocking out April Fowler in 31 seconds.

But Couch was undeterred, saying, "That Fowler lady was no opponent. Leila will know she is in a fight against me."

If things go to plan then the bout could take place at Earls Court early next year.

push forward for first away victory

Concrete makes its fortnigblly visit to Carrow Road

By MARK EDWARDS AFTER A two week break, the Canaries finally returned to action last Saturday with a trip to Stoke for a showdown with Port Vale.

Even before a ba ll had been kicked City were being written off, largely because Vale Park is an infamous bogey s ide for orwich, and will always be viewed with dread for City fam. after a 6-1 thrashing a few seasons ago.

The Canaries have not had the the bottom right corner of Paul whi;.tlc. knowing that the game best away record this season. but Musselwhite's goal from the inch cou ld on ly get better. with just eight minutes to go it perfect cross of Darren Eadie.

The only exciting incident of a looked a;, though the orfolk dour lirst half came when referee contin gen t wou ld be travellin g David Elleray turned down a home content wi th a point.

In an infuriat in g match for penalty appea l for the home side But Craig Fleming made the ;.upporters neither team ;.eemed to after Ci ty defender. Lee Marshal!. return journey a more enjoyable give their a ll . and both ;cts of fan;. appeared to have handled in the box. experience after lashing the ball into were grateful for the half time The game hcgan to open up in the

Infuriating

what a racket l.·t.Jit!iijll Kent 1 - 4 Men 's first)

second ha If. and chances were finally hcing cr.:ated.

Safety City ;.eemed to have the better of the match. and were unlucky not to take the lead in the 58th minute when Eadie\ strike wa, parried to safety by Musselwhite .

And Mu sselwh ite was in th e thick of the action again minutes later. when he had to hold on to a stinging drive from Daryl Russell.

But Vale hrought themselves back into the game. and it looked like an all too familiar picture for Canary fans .

A superb performance from Mall Jack son was capped off by a headed clearance under the bar to deny Pot1 Vale the lead.

Cleared And on.\ ich came even clm.er to losing the match when Marcus Bent had hi;. allcmpt c leared off the line.

But the lir;.t awa) 'ictory was ;ellled for on.~ich with Fleming·; goal. securing Brucc Rioch ',job for another wee~ or >O.

Star of the future 16 year old Mark Selby, who is the youngest man on the 128-man world ranking circuit showed what was to come in the future at the Preston Grand Prix last week.

The young starlet made breaks of 135 and 102 against world number 17, Dave Harold, before being beaten 5-4.

But there is still no doubt that Norwich should be looking to achieve ;,omething more than midtable obscurity.

Important Mr Rioch wa; obviou;.ly delighted with the result. the first away victory s in ce April. sayi ng. " 11 wasn't a classic but it was a very important three points for us.

"The lirst half was typical of two t~atm lacking confide nce. and I always thought whoever scored the first goal would win .

"I thought our performance just about deserved to do that:· he added.

But Mr Rioch's opposite numhcr Brian Honon was distraught about the final result. "11 wa.' a particularly disappointing result because we got

.

caught with a sucker punch. it was a terrible goal to concede from our point of view. " I couldn't fault o ur general effort. but confidence is low and our quality where it maners most simp ly wasn't good enough", he added.

...

CITY STAYS DIVISION ONE

P W D L GS pt

15.Nottm For 11 16.W.B.A. 10 11 17.Norwich 18.Crystal Pa111 19.Portsmlh 10

3 2 3 3 3

4 7 3 3 3

4 1 5 5 4

16 10 10 16 11

13 13 12 12 12

NORWICH CITY TOP SCORERS lwan Roberts 5 Paul Oalglish 2

--

THE MEN'S Firsts squash team went into their first BUSA match of the year hopeful of recreating the form that made them one of UEA's most successful teams last season.

The match on Wednesday, October 13 saw the team travel to Kent in buoyant mood, an attitude that was evident on the court as they totally outclassed their opponents.

First on court was Andy and the first game became a Finally came James Kahumba, whose powerful struggle for dominance.

Tapsfield who increased the game combined with fluid lt was a struggle that Trim margin of victory with a fine movement to easily won, and some outstanding display. overcome the Kent man 3-o. precision and strength in the Dominated Next up was number four, second and third games Jon Rhodes. ensured that he ran out a 3-0 Tapsfield dominated the winner. first game and despite tiring Powerful The match was secure by towards the end still came A good length game and this point, which was fortunate out a comfortable winner. the tactic of moving the burly considering that Mark Bagnall President, Jon Rhodes, but powerful opponent played well below his best. said of the victory, "The team around the court allowed generally performed well, Struggling Rhodes to cruise to victory in there is room for straight games.

The number two, who is improvement but it is still Number three, Andy Trim, struggling to regain his form, early season and we are had a harder task. never looked in control of the planning to go into serious His determined adversary match and was resoundingly training to secure the same refused to be brushed aside beaten in three games. success as last year."

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Sport

30

Concrete Wednesday. October 20, 1999

UEA brought back down to earth in BUSAs '4•I.Ji=OQ

Me n's firsts 1-3 Kent

I

By TOM SCULLV T HE UNBEATEN Men 's Firsts had th eir run ended by an impress ive Kent side on Wednesday, October 13, showi!lg the huge gulf between loca l league and BUSA competit ion. :\11\ hope' '> J' d'c lllll<llc' a nd dl:lc l lll llh.?d pcr!'OJJ11;}11CC \1 ere da,h..:d h\ ,, lad.J u,l r..: lir' l ha iL from\\ h ic·h l I \ 1\ L' J'L'

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Lacrosse lose out to DeMontfort in first match I!Jd;t.}}ijuEA 9 - 20 DeMontfort-Bedford

I

By GEORGE WALKER THE LAC ROSS E team g ot off to a poor start in their BUSA campaig n with a goal fest against De Montfort-Bedford .

The match , which took place on Wednesday, October 13, saw UEA struggle in the early stages, allowing the Bedford side to take an early two goal lead.

After th is initial period UEA came to life an d began to create chances, but due to t he strength of the visitor's defence they were unable to convert pressure into goals.

UEA got off the ma rk with a goa l created by lzzy Finch , who burst down t he right , sprayin g an exquisite pass to Suzie Mill s who fi nished well with a reverse stick goal.

Devastating UEA battle over possession

.

An d they c lawed back a sec ond as Lau ra Cord iner netted. th anks to some

precise passing and deva stati ng speed.

Thi s left UEA 5-2 down at the end of t he first quarter, but De Montfort were still dominant and threatening to take control.

UEA co nt inued to fi ght back, and earl y in t he sec ond quarter Finch scored her second after a glorious crossf ield pass from Green found her in front of goal.

UEA managed to keep posse ss1 on an d had the better of the second q uarter.

However. in their ea gerness

to score , U EA left gaping holes in defence and were exposed to a four goal onslaught.

At ha lf time things did not look good for UEA as they trailed 9-3 The thi rd quarter saw UEA starting well again, illustrated by another Green goal.

Good defending from Brigid O' Brie n, as well as solid positional play th roughout the team allowed UEA to hold on to possession .

Decisiveness Howev er, once again , th e team lacked decisiveness, and cou ld not withstand the De Monttort pres sure t hat allowed them to extend th eir lead.

IJEA were now struggling as their po ssess io n was becom ing more scarce and

the visitors soon extended their lead to 13-4.

UEA hit back with two goals from Kale Pommery but by this point t he game was beyond their reach .

Scrappy The final quarter was an intensely scrappy affair as fatigue set in.

But UEA did not give up, matching De Montfort goa l for goal.

O'Brien continued to defend with strength , al lowing UEA more freedom in attack.

A Molly Dennis goal was the pick of the bunch but a shocking miss a few minutes later by the sam e pl ayer epi tomised UEA' luck all afternoon.

In typica l fighting style, Suzie Mills gave the team the final wcrd, wi h a classy goal.

Sport

Concrete Wednesday, October 20, 1999

31

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Panthers hold on to lead in a nailbiting finish f:t.j§jij#i:Jji!i UEA ladies 49-46 Broad land Devils I

By METIN ALSANJAK

IN AN intense and gripping match, UEA's Ladies' basketball team tipped off the season against Broadland Devils on Monday, October 4.

The match got off to a frenetic start with UEA seizing the initiative creating the initial opportunities and putting the visitors under incessant pressure with some slick passing and sweeping movements. team was willing to give an inch. certain basket.

And such play was evident in the scoreline with the home side But it was Broadland who took Broadland were duly awarded the initiative, closing the deficit to three free throws but somehow building up a ten point cushion by the middle of the ftrSt half.

37-35 and then managing to level mi s ed them all.

But the Broadland Devils were the match.

But the Devils were unperturbed This was the fLrst time UEA had and levelled the scores at 44 each. not a team to give in easily and the 22-1! lead was soon demolished. conceded the lead, and they were And with time ticking away the obviously feeling the pres ure. visitors took the lead for the first Demolished This was relieved by captain time, but almost immediately UEA The Devils' rebounding prowess Alexia Paphiti, who managed to natched it back, leaving the score at 49-46. took UEA by urpri e and prompted steal the ball in her own half and fears from the coaching staff that charge up the court to score a Snatched the game was turning fast in the stunning basket.

In an incredibly tense last 40 opposition's favour.

Exceptional seconds UEA managed to maintain This did not deter the home team The dying minutes of the half their composure to hang on for an who showed grit and determination admirable victory. saw some exceptional play by both to mai"lllin their narrow lead.

Coach, Ryan Coles, said "I'm And the final moments of the half team , with each scoring a series of very pleased with the team 's saw one of the game's outstanding tremendous baskets. performance, they didn ' t lose their With three minutes to go the moments as Nelly Honwana burst heads even though this is the fLrst hearts of the home supporters were through into the opposition's time they have played together. I keyhole and passed the ball through in their mouths as a cynical foul the leg of a defender straight to a from a UEA defender prevented a thought it was very impressive." team mate, who duly netted.

The half ended with UEA 27-24 to the good, but with the Devil looking confident and collected.

The competitive nature of the match refused to dimini h in the Influential captain, Alexia Kelly Honwana's outstanding second half, and it was obvious that Paphiti, scored an impressive 21 skill and perceptive play around it was going to be a fraught fight to points and was a constant the keyhole created a basket to the fmish . attacking force throughout. remember.

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Kelly Gray_grabs three as ladies slot seven P-ast Kent '*•I.ii:f.i!i

UEA ladies 7 • 2 Kent

I

By LUCY SACRE

UEA LADIES' FC blasted back into BUSA competition with a demolition of Kent, leaving the opposition a long and subdued journey home.

The match on Wednesday, October 13 saw an enthu iastic UEA side comp lete ly dominate and ass ured the best poss ible start to thei r season.

It was Kent who had the first opportunity to score, their dangerous number nine creating space for herself and forcing UEA keeper Natalie Whelton to make a flying save.

Onslaught The UEA defence coped admirably with the initial onslaught and quickly began to push forward themselves.

A delightful through ball from Leonie Hudson presented Becky Parsons with a golden opportunity that she duly put away, sliding the ball deftly past the bemused Kent keeper to put UEA in

front.

UEA relentlessly applied pressure on to Kent 's ineffective defence and they didn't have to wait long to double their lead.

The Kent keeper was left floundering after a well-delivered corner and it was Kelly Gray who was first to react, slotting the ball home.

Gray was on hand again to score UEA's third, striking a delightful volley that left the keeper stranded.

Untouchable The home side were now looking

untouchable, and unwilli ng to rest on their laurels, they soon scored a fourth.

Sublime Defender Katie Young powered forward, striking a sublime fi rst time shot from distance that left the opposition defence powerless.

Despite the UEA onslaught, Kent never conceded defeat and on the stroke of half time their number 13 burst through the usually unflappable defence and decisively hammered the ball past the keeper.

UEA found the second half a more challenging affair bu t with Michelle Pratt and Becky Brimage impressive at the heart of the UEA defence there was never any danger of Kent clawing their way back into the game.

It was UEA who made the eventual

breakthrough as their continual pressure forced a corner that was tapped in by Leonie Hud son after a furious goal mouth scramble.

With 15 minutes to go Kent responded by scoring thei r second , yet the day was undeniably UEA's, a fact illustrated in the dying minutes when Tracy Taylor's cross found Kelly Gray, who was only too happy to finish off her stunning hat trick.

Unsatisfied with scoring six, UEA burst forward again, and Hudson grabbed her second of the game in the fmal seconds.

Impressive After the match a delighted Kelly Gray said "It was an impressive performance, with each and every player contributing to the result."