Waveney set to make way for new residences EXCLUSIVE
WAVENEY TERRACE could be demolished to make way for new student residences if campus chiefs get their way. The breeze-block zig-zag has been put on their hit list after a buildings survey revealed that it could cost so much to refurbish that starting from scratch is the only sensible move. 'We need to look at Waveney and decide whether we can deliver what students need with the existing buildings," revealed Jenny Grant, UEA's Director of Residences and Services. "If we can't refurbish, can we build instead?"
Sensible And she insisted that the Waveney site is the only sensible place for the University to build new student rooms - especially as English Heritage have applied to have the Ziggurats listed, making them untouchable. "We have to maintain Norfolk and Suffolk Terrace, because they could be listed, but we don't imagine that they are going to want to list Waveney. "And it's in the area where we would want to build. it's the best site for residential buildings," added Mrs Grant.
Scrap Students seem in favour of the plans to scrap the ageing residences. "lt must be the worst accommodation on campus. lt
won't be missed," said Tom Whalley (LLT PG) And Vanessa Betsou (LLT 1) was even harsher in her criticism of the bargain rooms. "I think they should demolish it, because the rooms are like prison cells. lt's not as nice as Nelson or Constable." The shock news comes as the University confirmed a massive refurbishment plan as part of this year's rent settlement with the Union.
路 Rents Under the deal, rents will rise by 3.3 per cent but in return campus bosses will double the number of fridges in residences following a Concrete campaign to improve kitchen conditions. "We've always had plans to gradually improve refrigeration, but I think it really became an issue this academic year," conceded Mrs Grant. "The Union suggested we bring things forward and do it all at once, because otherwise you end up with some people having a better deal "than others. I'm pleased we came to a good
solution." Maintenance staff will also be working over the summer on Norfolk and Suffolk Terrace, performing large scale structural work to fix leaking roofs, and continuing work on Nelson Court and Constable Terrace to put right faulty shower pods. Union Welfare Officer Claire Kober is confident she got the best deal going. "We've got an agreement that University will only raise rents a maximum of 1.5 per cent above inflation, and that's important for students of today and tomorrow," said Claire. "The fridge situation was completely unacceptable, and we've now got fridge capacity doubled in all the older reisdences."
Good deal And she said that {lespite the rise, campus accommodation was probably still a good deal. 'We compared the rents with private sector around Norwich, and rents are quite fair compared to a hell of a lot of other places," insisted Claire.
Candidate A: Candidate B: Candidate C: Can't be arsed:
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2 NEWS
www.concrete-online.co.uk
Concrete
W EDNESDAY, MAY
24, 2000
Got a story? Let us know_at the Concrete office ••• tel: 250558 emall: su~concrete@uea.ac.uk . . ',
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.BARRE Sabbs branded 'secretive' as election . ._._. .row ,. . -..,_,_ escalates
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(At least we hope it is) By JAMES GOFFIN, News Editor IT HAS plagued the Union for over a year, but the Communications Office farce has taken
yet another twist with the revelation that t he sole candidate for the job has not been a student since January. Colin Moore - who has suffered mo re electoral defeats tha n any othe r Uni o n c andidate and inspired the bi ggest vote for Re-Openin g No min ati o ns in re"cent me m o ry- was ex pe lled from hi s degree course in Ja nuary thi s year.
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• a re- run of the Non-Sabbatical C:omms e lec ti on th at was declared void after Union bosses coun ted valid papers as spo ilt
• the NU S Confere nce delegates e lecti on • the ballot to select nex t year's Finance Offi ce r El ection bosses even de layed the repeat Comms vote and NUS ba llot for Co l in 's ben efit, aft e r they all eged that an arti cle in Concrete could affect the electi ons. And Co lin has continued to sit on Studen ts· Forum . even chairing the student parli ament on a number of occasions. But Union Wel fare Office C laire Kober - one of just two remaining sabbatica l officers - clai ms that the latest ball s- up doesn' t make th e Uni on look any more incompetent.
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"I don 't think it 's embarrassing for the Uni on, becau se we can "t chec k up on eve ry stu dent 's academ ic records throughout th e year." she said . " We chec k the register th at the Uni versity produce at the beginning of the year, but it's not updated
during th e year. T he majori ty of students listed stay students until the end o f the year. though." And Col in is a lso refu sin g to take the blame fo r the mess, insistin g that the University arc trying to fidd le the dates. " I wo uld say I left in May. but I didn' t respond to a letter they sent me . so they have backdated it to whe n I was las t in a tt e n da n ce. wh ic h was wh en regis tered in J a nu a r y, ·· c laimed Co lin . "I was o bviously there but they ' ve been fiddlin g with my leav in g date:·
he comp lai ned. But students arcn · t happy that they"ve been mucked aro und either.
Dishonest '' I thin k it is disho nest. and if he di dn "t have the stat us to run for the positions he should have given other people the chance... comp la ined Jane Bishop (WA M 3) And Linda Tull y (SOC 2) agreed . " I don' t thin k its fa ir t11at he has bee n re presenting s tude nts even tho ugh he was n' t one:· she said.
Guilty plea A POSTGRADUATE student has pleaded guilty to firearms charges, following an incident in December. Jazz Kopecek Rathore (EAS PG) was charged with possessing an Imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violent after he brandished a fake handgun at staff at a McDonald 's drive-through restaurant In Durham. Police sent armed officers and a force helicopter to the scene, where they arrested Rathore and Durham University st udent Terry Charles. Appearing at Durham Magistrates Court, Rathore pleaded guilty and has now committed for been sentencing at Crown Cou on June 5.
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NEWS 3
www.concrete-online.co.uk
Security cock·URJ~uts student safety at risk EXCLUSIVE By JAMES GOFFIN, News Editor
STUDENTS AND staff have been put at risk by tl')e University's failure to safeguard private information on the campus computer network. Investigations by Concrete have revealed a black hole In the network that mean.t personal data about thousands of students has been available to prying eyes to read, change or delete at will. Techies failed to put a simple password control on information held on UEA Security's computer system, meaning the whole security and parking databases were publicly on view.
Password The systems hold sensitive data including the names, addresses, and car registration numbers of 5,200 students and staff. They also contain reports on all crime on campus, with full details of victims and suspects. And malicious computer users could have got their hands on full staffing details
for the Porters' Lodge, with rotas and security staffs' home addresses and phone numbers left vulnerable on the network. Security Manager, Barry Jeckell - whose computer was at the centre of the digital leak - was completely unaware of the risk until alerted by Concrete, and shocked by the implications. "The information is information that we would not like to be available to anybody, especially if they have got access to do whatever they want with it," he said. And Union Welfare Officer, Claire Kober, was astonished that the University had been
so laxed. "The University has to hold that kind of information, but the emphasis should be on it being held securely. lt's very concerning that it's not." UEA bosses have now scrambled to fix the leak, and ordered a high-level review of computer security across campus.
Systems "This is highly regrettable and shows the importance of security for electronic systems as well as other systems," admitted Or lan Ellery, Director of ITCS. "We will investigate how this has happened and any lessons learned will be communicated widely to make sure that it is not repeated in other areas. I will be writing to the University's senior management team to ask
them to ensure they are aware of the situation and that they check their own systems." • The news came as porters issued a crosscampus warning about computer thefts. The Institute of Food Research has been the target of two raids this month ,. and has lost thousands of pounds worth of high-tech equipment. Barry Jeckell encouraged students to be aware of the threat, especially to the Library's 24-hour IT lab. "Anyone with a campus card should know that it is for their use only," insisted Mr Jeckell. " If someone's forgotten their card, it's their hard luck - you might seem to be doing them a favour but you 're just making a mockery of the security systems," he warned.
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4 NEWS
www.con crete-online.co.uk
I can't believe there's no butler Pensioner power has forced the resignation of a 'newspaper editor- over a butter row. Freeloading oldies lodged complaints after the Blldeston Bugle printed a hoax article telling Suffolk pensioners to queue in the hope of receiving free handouts of ' surplus butter' from the European Butter Mountain, only to discover it was a joke.
Why change a good thing? Chaos is rei gning on the waterways of Venice after mechanics changed the steering on motor ferries. A joystick-style control has replaced the conventional tiller, but is provi ng too much for drivers to handle. In addition to several pile-ups, the system's largest ferry veered off its normal route and collided with San Michele Island. One also broke loose from the Grand Canal and caused havoc on the open water.
Madness
A painting has been auctioned over the Internet for $135,805 (£90,000). The abstract canvas was purchased in a garage sale in California and went to auction for just 25 cents, but offers rocketed after punters got wind of r umours that it was an undiscovered work by the late modernist artist Richard Diebenkorn.
Not a Word! A Brazillian couple have claimed they haven 't spoken a single word to each other for over 35 years. Geralso Catsro, 71, of Rio, revealed to sceptics, " I did not want to interrupt the silence. lt just seemed better that way!' But he was hasty to mention how proud he was of the pair's five children.
Soul Believers Police in Tokyo arrested the leaders of a foot-reading cult this week on suspicion that they were cheating their followers. The cult, known as Ho-no-Hana-Sanpogyo, are reckoned to have swindled devotees to the tune of £470 million. Leaders claimed they could foresee people's futures by inspecting the soles of their feet.
Music sounds bet er wit you AN AMBITIOUS new musical festival at venues across Norfolk has been put together by a group of UEA students. Launched in March and running through until June. the concert series is shm\ ing oil the talent'> of students. gi' ing them the chance to perform in halls as dm:rse as Norwich Cathedral and Stalham parish church.
University Plain Post Office The Small Shop UEA
Norwich NR4 7TJ
Artistic Director and final year 1\lusic student And re\\ 0' Brien 1s dclight..:d with th<.: project's success so far. " lover) concert has hcen really well attended. and the performances have hecn great." enthused Andrew. "And I think the stude nts perform ing have gained a lot too. it's good experience to get up in front of an audience. and develop a stage pcrsonna , especially if they \\.1111 to have a professional career later." The ksti\al was made possihle \\ ith a £2000 windfall from the Vice-Chancellor. Vincent \\'ans. "The VC g1vcs his salary from the East of England De,elopment Agency to ULA. and puts it towards .supp011ing activities that haven't got an) other funding." explained CE1\ spokesperson '\nnie Ogden.
Enterprising "Andre\\ asked for help and the VC thought it was enterprising antl \\Orthwhilc. and would act as a sh!mcasc for UEA musicians across the count)." But more than cash support.
,\ndrC\\ is keen to get students' bums on seats at the concerts.
Perform "The \\hole 1ntent1on of the festival is to give students the chance to perform to any audience. hccause normally they only pia) for their exams. "The tickets arc all rea ll y cheap. ,..,_
and tickets are a\ailahle either on the door on from the music department." atlded .\ntlrew .
Cheap For details or the concerts. check the MuSic department noticehoard or use the searchahle listings datahase on the Co11crete website.
CONCRETE W EDNESDAY, MAY
24, 2000
NEWS 5
www.concrete-online.co.uk
On the ball Endsleigh slammed for P-Ointless P-Olicies By SARAH TAFT STUDENT INSURER Endsleigh have been left red-faced after selling a UEA student a " worthless" insurance policy for his bike. Pete Thompson (DEV I) bought the £91 cover along~ide the insurance for hi-. room in orfolk Terrace. as accomodation rules forbid students to store bikl:s in residence~ . But shocked Pcte aware of the "tuauon that student\ University"s rule about bikes. This discovered that the policy did on campus are in. If I'd left my bike branch has only been open for eight not include bikes which were locked up outs1de a how.e 111 months. and with anything new you left outside ovemight. after nthank Road then I would have to stan from somewhere." becoming a v1ctim of theft undcNand. but this is different." Pete. who had to cough up £600 just ,.,eck\ after shelling out for a new bike didn't think much of for the cover. the £9 1 the insurer refunded a' an The annoyed student Endslcigh's branch manager at act of good faith. " In a way it is reckons Endslcigh misled EA. Kelly Frankland maintains them admitting that they are him. leaving him with a £700 that the company. pan-owned by wrong." US. takes great care to explain 11s bill for a new bike. ''I paid this premium in policies. But Endsleigh deny that their good faith. Endsleigh arc "We always say here are the ge>turc to the Development tudies supposed to be the "<,tudent c\clusion . there's nothing in the student was an adm1ssion of guilt . favourite" but they are small print. We don't hide anything " We refunded the money because nogging bike policies to from any of our clients." as a student he was really unhappy students which in effect But she did admit that there had and fell like he'd hccn mis led. We're been some confusion over UEA's arcn ' t valid," stonned Pet e. bike storage policy. not out to rip people ofT," explained Ms Fankland. " I per<,onally didn't know the "If a student is abiding by campus rules and keeping their bike locked up outside, then thi' policy docsn 't mean anythmg:· Pete admit<, that he "a' mv arc of the gap in the policy, but trusted Endslcigh to match up the policy to hi'> need'> . " I thought that they were
Policies
Guilt
Premium
DETAILS OF this year's Graduation Ball have been released by Union ents, with the date set for July 14. The whole bash is being held on campus this year, with the pre-ball meal being held in a massive marquee on site. In previous years, the event has been split between the LCR, for the main hijinks, and a local hotel for a pre-bash dinner, but has been moved back to UEA to meet students' demands. This year, the Union are promising live bands, discos, fairground rides and various forms of bungee madness for the £27 ticket price. A limited number of meal tickets - which add a fork buffet to the package - are also on sale for £37. Only this year's graduands can buy tickets, which went on sale yesterday, Tuesday, May 23, from the Union Box Office. Sales ·are limited to two tickets per person, with registration cards required for ID.
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Phat and •
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JUICY BUDDING STUDENT DJs are being offered the chance to prove their deck skills in a national competition. The Ju ice DJ 200 I awa rds. sponsored by the Dailr Telegraph. are open to DJs of all mu sical sty les at un ive rsit ies ac ross the country. Loca l heats will be held in earl y autumn . with reg ional and nati ona l heat> to fo ll ow. Prizes include decks and mixing equipment. and up to a grand in cas h. For mo re inform atio n. vis it ww\\·.ju iccd.co. uk.
Web reps VITAM INIC, THE Europewide online music . community, is looking 'tor regional reps to promote the site and its service~.
The site offers a free service to aspiring pop stars, offering and enabling them to upload track on the site as MP3 files, making it easy for netusers to hear their music. To apply for the chance to be one of Vitaminic 's five student representatives , simply email them on competition@vitaminic.co.uk explaining in less than 100 words why Vitaminic should employ you.
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GRADUATE STUDENTS' ASSOCIATION EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING TO DISCUSS A SABBATICAL OFFICER FOR THE GSA TUESDAY 30 MAY AT 19:00 in the Grad's Bar Happy Hour 18:30 - 20:00
TV at Time DRUNKEN NIGHTS on the town are normally forgotten- but not anymore. UK Uncovered, the spin-off from hit tv shows Ibiza and Greece Uncovered, is coming to Norwich for the summer and is looking for students to star in the programme. Time spokesperson, Gemma lllston. " The Tuesday will be student orientated, mad and energetic, and the Thursdays are going to be more about Mad dance. "The filming attracts so "The cameras will go in and fil m generally, but we're also much attention, they should going to be following some be really good nights," said ...---- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . . . . . , p e o pIe around all night from w h e n they ' re getting ready to when they go home," she said. Punters interested in starring in the s h 0 w '---- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ' s h o u I d The show's cameras will be visiting the city's Time nightclub on June 13 and 27, and July 20, and at Ikon on dates yet to be confirmed.
turn up to auditions seven days before the filming dates, to reg ister their interest and have a chat with the production crew. • Time are also looking for students who want to join the media team working behind the scenes. Crew members will interview clobbers , help with production and get hands on experience of making a topdrawer tv programme.
Project " We 'd really like to get some UEA students involved in the whole project, and it will be great experience of working on a production team," explained Gemma. If you want to get involved, phone Concrete on 01603 593466, and we'll pass your details on.
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In the name of • sc1ence BURSARIES OF up to £10,000 are being touted out to science students with an Interest In communicating, under a exciting new scheme. Together with the Wellcome Trust, the Association of British is Science Writers dishing out a massive £80,000 to assist science graduates tackle postgraduate training in journalism or science communication. Students Interested in vying for the package should be completing a science degree with a view to a National Council for the Training of Journalists accredited course. Or you could be about to start a course with a specific science Journalism option already included. The closing date for any entries Is June 7. For more details, all you have to do Is emall absw@absw.demon.co.uk
Students show their talent for RAG charity show By JANE KIRBY
THE TALENT of UEA students has helped to make a charity fundralser a resounding success. Rag Soc's T2K talent competition, held on May 12, raised over £1000 for millennium charity, Children's Promi e. 500 rodents packed out the LCR to be entertained by 15 acts ranging from singers and band to dancers and a comedian. Judges included Panic PR and Select model agency, with sponsorship from Marks and Spencer, the Ha Ha Bar, Anglia Railways, and other local firms. Cash prizes, plastic Oscars and champagne were handed out to singer Cele te Lovick for Be t Overall Act, Blend for Be t Group Performance and comedian Alex McGregor for Be t Solo Arti t Lead inger of Blend, Toby Watson (SWK 2), aid he was surprised by his bands' uccess. "We were really pleased but very hocked when we won. We wrote
the song three weeks before the gig and had two rehearsals beforehand." He added that the band now has po sible line-ups at Live in the Hive and in The Square. And Solo Artist winner Alex McGregor (HIS 2) said, "It was a wonderful night. All the acts were of terrific quality.
Proud "If only my mum had been there to ee me, I know she would have been proud," he winked. Rag Publicity Officer, Pete Large, was delighted with the event. 'The night could not have gone better. All the perfonners in the show were really good as. was the great team of srudents who helped
out." He continued, "Now we've got a talent how off the ground again, hopefully it will become a regular event becau e UEA students deserve that kind of expo ure." The event pu he Rag's total for the year over the £5000 mark: other events this year have included Halloween and Valentines' disco , the Late Lunch Do, and the Rag to Riches auction. Said Treasurer, Emma Price, "We re-started'Rag from nothing this year and we're very pleased with the money we rai ed for charity. "We hope that students continue to support us and make next year even more successful."
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CONCRETE WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2000
LETTERS/ LEADERS 9
www.concrete-online.co.uk
Leaders
Leaders Issue 113 Editor James Tapsfield
Deputy Editors Mark Edwards Caroline Jeater
News Editor James Goffin
Assistant News Editor Clare Hamilton-Eddy
Assistant Features Editor Will Halsey
Sports Editor Nick Henegan
Creative Writing Editor Kris Siefken
Web Editor Pete Chapman
Ad manager Jane Kirby
Distribution Manager
Wave goodbye Campus folklore has Waveney Terrace marked down as being based on the designs of a Swedish prison. lt seems that the University has finally decided it's time to sentence the ageing residences to death - and it's probably about time. Many students graduating this year will have fond memories of rowdy nights in Waveney, but they will also remember the horror of arriving fresh-faced on campus to a bunch of breeze blocks. Assuming the replacement residences avoid the teething trou bles experienced in the Village, Nelson Court and Constable Terrace, then UEA bosses should crack out the sledgehammers tomorrow. Then again, that is a rather big assumption ...
Unsafe security? To sign up for a humble email account, every student is forced to compose a com plicated password . Yet when it comes to safeguarding the University's own security database, even the most basic forms of protection were ignored. As more and more information is held about us on computer, and everyone becomes more technology-savvy, it is crucial that such data is kept sale from potential misuse. · Such sloppiness not only shakes faith in Security's ability to protect students, but in the ability of th e whole University to operate effectively in the modern world.
Pints and profits When you 're out drinking , who owns the pub is probably the last thing you think about, but it can make a big difference. Following th e merger of Luminar and Northern Leisure, the same co mpany wi ll own Time, Liquid , Ikon, 5th Avenue and Rick's Place. Students co uld reap the benefits of such a massive company, if it decides to use its spending power to keep prices down but if it's more interested in profits, you could be spending less time in the pub and more time in the bank, begging for an overdraft. When Time opened it had a devastating effect on Liquid , basically forcing them to abandon their once-popu lar student night. lt seems unlikely that - owned by the same people - two clubs will run such aggressively competitive nights.
James Graham
Editorial Contributors Sarah Taft, Katie Hind , Jane Kirby, Nick Philpott, Debbi Marco, Steve Collins, Kate Smith , Mike Wilson , Francesca Babb
Illustrations Rachel Clutterbuck
Photographers Nick Henegan , Caroline Jeater, Mark Edwards, James Tapsfield, Kate Smith
Copy Editing Jane Kirby
DTP James Tapsfield , Caroline Jeater, Mark Edwards, Nick Henegan
Page 22 story© Mike Wilson 2000. Thanks to: My mum and yours. Everyone who has written and supported us this year.
Thanks to: UH Stewards, everyone 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 'rudies' in the woods, sexist editors (sorry) or lucky buggers who've had an amazing team this year without the express permission of the Editor. Printed by Eastern Counties Newspapers ltd, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 1RE.© Concrete 2000.
Letters to the Editor PO Box 410 , UEA, NR4 ?TB Tel 01603 250558 Fax 01603 506822 e-mail su .concrete@uea.ac.uk
Ethical overload? Dear Sir, We were dismayed to read the letter 'Ethical Overload?' in the same edition of Concrete (May 10) in which UEA's adoption of an ethical investment policy made front-page news. While achieving balance in the media is important, it little behoves a serious newspaper to publish unsigned letters. But perhaps this merely ref lects the depths you had to plumb to find any opposition to the policy! Certainly it seems that our anonymous antagonist had given little thought to his or her position . S/he asked , "how many normal students actually care" where funds come from , and so will doubtless be interested to learn that the Not in Our Names group col lected over 2,500 signatures over a few weeks last year. S/he also made the perspicacious observation that the idea behind buying shares is to make a profit. While it's good to see that his/her education has not been entirely wasted , it cou ld equally be argued that the idea behind mugging old ladies or selling drugs to children is to make a "profit". That doesn't mean such activities are morally acceptable or that Univers ities should have a stake in them . That the comm itted and hard-working students who are the driving force behind this highly successful campaign should be advised to "get a life" by someone so dull and coward ly as to sign a letter "bored chemtstry student'' is, frankly, laughable and pathetic! Yours faithfully, Rob Tinch , ENV
Dinner grumbles Dear Sir, lt is preposterous for the Sports Dinn er's organisers' to pin all blame for the failure of the event solely on the sports clubs, and their respective members. I also find it incredible that organisers have adopted the attitude of, "if you are not going to turn up, we are not going to do it ever again!" Such an attitude is both irresponsible and
reprehensible. To simply "want out" of something because of failure should hardly be the attitude of elected Union officials. lt doesn't take much for someone to figure out that the timing of the event and cost demands were simply incompatible wi th th e academic calendar and students ' li mited finances . A workable suggestion would be to have the event in the week before we break for our month-long Easter holidays (ie week. 9) , instead of week 11, which is barely a fortnight before the start of our exams. If the Dinner had to be cance lled because of a lack of participation , could the even t organisers' not have simply come clean and said so rather than viciously bashing the sports cl ubs? That would have given everyone some cause for reflection and thus helped forge a course of improvement for the year ahead. lt seems to me that every time the Union loses money, it must be the fault of students and not the organisation itself! Elected officials bashing the very students who elected th em to office in the first place is very annoying. Finally, I wo uld like to add that I had wonderful, cherished memories of last year's event and was really looking forward to it again thi s year. lt is my desire th at the event organisers wo uld not be dejected with their failure to host the Dinner this year, and rise to the challenge again next year. Yours faithfully, Garich Lim Shington (HIS 2) President, UEA Tennis Club 1999/2000.
Thatcher bash Dear Sir, With reference to an article about 'political satire' from page seven of The Event, issue 112 (May 10) , I find it quite astonishing that after the BN P furore , nobody bats an eyelid at the caption beneath the Spitting Image puppet of Margaret Thatche r wh ich states "An arti sts' impression of Satan's wife." Not only is it absurd to present a mainstream British Prime Minister, who won popular support in THREE General Elections and served the co untry as PM for ELEVEN years, in a Demonic fashion , but it is all
the more baffling when her sound economic · policies are the main reaso n why those from less privileged backg rounds find themselves at University today. I suggest to the trendy-liberal mouthy minority that they forget their Citizen Smith style of reporting and actually read up on Thatcher's policies for once, instead of worshipping insignificant tinpot despots like Che Guevara and other 'right-on' characters Yours faithfully, Aidan Magee, SOC Ill
Greedy Gap Dear Sir, I was disappointed to read the article ridiculing Gap in the last issue of Concrete. lt slagged off their adverts and boring clothing , instead of centring on the real issue of their unethical practices. They employ women in Pakistan to work in factories all day making jeans for just £10 per month (yes that is per month not per day, or even per week) . The workers can hardly live on thi s. Carefree shoppers in the west then buy the clothes they make for about £40 a pop. In a country where poverty is extreme and HIV rile, British tax payers, not Gap, pay for a health clinic for their workers - is this the action of the colourful , hip company they try to portray themselves as? Rage Against the Machine have tried to bring the public's attention to this issue in their pop video parody of Gap ads, in which women sit at sewing machines and their employers take money o·ff them . They end the video appropriately with the slogan , "Everyone in denial". I hope that people will now think twice about buying clothing from Gap and realise they can do without that 'essential' Gap sweatshirt this summer. Yo urs faithfully, Anna Seaton, EAS 2
Please mark your letters for the attention of the Editor, James Goffin. We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity.
10 Headlines 11 Voting in crisis 18 Student suicide 15 Mobile phones
c/s News of the year 20 Photostory special 21 X-word
' Here today, fish 'n' chip wrapping tomorrow. But as any stressed sub-editor will tell you, some headlines will never be forgotten. Will Halsey took a closer look...
•
otcha!" The Sun's famous headline • from the Falklands war-sums up both how memorable headlines can be and also how much effect they have. And if you are reading this, the one above has done all right as well. Put bluntly, which is always a good start, a h_eadline should draw the reader into an article, attracting attention while giving an idea about the story. "Christians Pissed Off" headlined a story in the Monitor about a group of parishioners who were unhappy about the delay in appointing a priest. The bluntness is impressive, and although the ethics are questionable, it certainly attracts attention. However, while headlines do have to lead into a story, they can be guilty of stating the bleeding obvious, and
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'If St "k • 't S HI d r1 e ISn e e Quickly, it May Last Some Time' seems blatant to the · f "d" •p•O •I•nt_o_ s.t.u•p•l.•..ty..· - -- - · therefore leaving nothing to the article itself. For example, "If Strike Isn't Settled Quickly, lt May Last Some Time" seems blatant to the point of stupidiJY. Likewise, "Something Went Wrong in Jet Crash, Expert Says", is making a rather obvious point. In defence of the papers, though , some studies leave little room to write a
r---- - -- - ------ --------------------CBan TYJfLe .J=aftte story. "Study Finds "A hundred thousand welcomes"
•• _,. 10 real ales always available Probably the largest selection of Irish Whiskeys in the country ~ Great value Sunday lunches and our 'Taste of Ireland ' menu ~ Sky Sports on the big screen ~ Come and join u for good beer, a great atmosphere and mighty "craic" , UEA Crawl Society award winner ~
O'lourke hl·mself
Sex, Pregnancy Link" is of questionable value, while "Alcohol Ads Promote Drinking" also seems pretty self-evident. The New York Times perhaps takes the biscuit with "SuNey Finds Dirtier Subways After Cleaning Jobs Were Cut". Really? lt is the news, though, that unsurprisingly you might say - makes up most of the newspapers.
92 POTTERGATE, NORWICH However, there are some times when ....__ _ _ _....;._ _....;._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___.stories that are a
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little weak, and have to be pumped up with a dramatic headline. The best example comes from The Sun, when they ran an article on the Libyan leader Colonel Gaddafi. Following reports from a woman reasonably close to the leader that he might - might, that is - be homosexual, the tabloid ran with the subtle "'Mad dog' Gaddafi's a Raving Poofter". Other memorable headlines include The South London Press' take on possible job losses after the Texas DIY company was taken over: "Texas Chainstore Massacre?" Also in south London, the rising demand for and price of salmon was brilliantly captured in "Salmon Rush Day", guaranteed to draw the reader in even they didn't give two hoots about fish. · But when it comes to tabloids, it is sex that really whets the appetite of the experienced headline writer. The Stockport Express Advertiser got a little hot under the collar with a story that doesn't have a massive Stockport angle .• The headline also te~s the story somewhat "King of Spain's ManseNant was the Naked Sex Slave of a Peruvian Top Cop's Nightclub-Owning Former Wife". The Daily Star, however, renowned for rarely having a sentence that long, restored tabloid order by reporting the story of a divorce granted because of the husband's bad language. "F***I The F...... Wife Has F***** Off'. Far less vulgar was The Sheffield Star, who reported the tact that rain was preventing owls from breeding. The inevitable headline? "Too Wet To Woo". Even more than sex, though, The Sports pages always provide endless punning opportunity, and more than a fair share of memorable headlines. The tabloid baiting of ex-England manager Graham Taylor may not have been intellectual, but the turnip headlines were incessant. The punning continues across all sports, though, and when a broken bone forced round-the-world racer Lawrie Smith to abandon his attempt during the third leg, the Guardian couldn't resist "Smith breaks foot in third leg". A catchy headline connected to the London Marathon appeared in Liverpool when a local clergyman announced he would run for charity. The Echo stated, "You can't get quicker than a quick, fit, vicar". And closer to UEA, in the mid-1990s when Norwich City were forced to sell star striker Chris Sutton, The Daily Mirror remembered a John Steinbeck novel and announced, "Canary-woe". However, headlines such as these, while
creative and often humorous, represent the better of the daily offerings. Headlines become even more memorable when the sub-editor has clearly not read through the paper before publishing. "Doctor Fuchs off to Antarctica" obviously sounds a little less respectful than the story intended. Likewise, "Woman Attacked by Tube Station" sounds a little bizarre, but was actually the South London Guardiarls way of referring to a serious assault. Perhaps it is in the same area as "Stolen Painting Found by Tree", where inanimate objects run wild. In The Vale Advertiser. though, an article about an exhibition of John Thomas' photographs carried the headline, "John Thomas on show". While this could have been a true cock-up, it seems more likely this was a know1ng headline from an editor dying to get a knob joke into the paper. The list goes on. "Police Found Drunk Up On Garage Roof gives an idea why crime figures are rising, while the medical journal that reported the withdrawal of eye drops surely didn't mean "Eye Drops Off Shelf. Back in the world of sport,
'Police Found Drunk Up On Garage Roof' gives an idea why crime figures are rising. "Shot Off Woman 's Leg Helps Nicklaus to 66" suggests that golf is far more violent than it appears. Getting it completely wrong, though, was one sexual health related headline, which instructed, "Never Withhold Herpes Infection from Loved One". Positive messages can often be lost in headlines. "Chef Throws His Heart into Helping Feed Needy" would make some people examine their food a little closely, while "Air Head Fired" surely made a personal attack when one wasn't necessary .. Finally, there is one golden headline that is forever quoted - although it remains unclear whether it has ever actually appeared in print. However, you can be sure that if someone ever should escape from a mental institution, rape a laundrette attendant and run off, "Nut screws washer and bolts" will be in the papers the nex1 day. Well, you never know.
ftnd out more onllne•.. http://www.forteantimes.com/
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24, 2000
o rea Und_ er 10 per cent of students vote in Union sabbatical elections, and the situation is even worse for non-sabbs. Mike Faulkner asks why, and what could be done to improve matters ... aybe a future Tony Blair is currently sitting somewhere on campus, drinking a cappuccino and honing vital political skills. Perhaps you have just made a disparaging remark about the already receding hairline of the next William Hague. Or then again, perhaps not. In fact, the chances that future politicians are learning the ropes at UEA are slim indeed, because, frankly, student politics is in a bad way. Elections around here seem to stir up about as much interest as the National Thumb War championships, live from Milton Keynes. Just look at the figures: the sabbatical elections held just before Easter boasted a stunning 10 per cent turnout, with about 1,000 of the 10,000 plus membership bothering to drag themselves into Union House to register their vote. And, historically, this is not particularly low. For the past decade voting figures have remained at around the 10 per cent mark, and most sabbatical officers have had the express support of under six per cent of the membership - fewer than 600 students. For non-sabbatical elections and referenda things have been even worse. The reality is that candidates who are members of a large sports club or society have a substantial advantage, as do candidates who lead an active social life - although Communications Officer elect, Wayne Barnes, denies that sabbaticals can be elected solely by their mates: ''Votes are achieved through walking around talking to people. Nobody has that many friends."
cares? "students have suffered" with one less sabb all year, and this may well be true. After all, the things that are being done are always more noticeable than the things that are not. Claire is also keen to stress that the Union provides more services than students usually realise . "it's more than just the bars and ents. For example, people are involved in sports clubs and societies, and they are all funded by the Union . And then there's the Advice Centre. The thing is, people may think, 'the student union doesn't mean anything to me', but think that while sitting in the
There is also a strong case for interne! voting, although security issues would have to be addressed. But Rebecca Williams of the Electoral Reform Society believes that the first aim must be to improve publicity: "People have to know what's happening: where they can vote, when they can vote and how their vote changes things." These suggestions would cost money, but the Union has an income of around one million pounds every year to spend on the welfare of students. The plight of Union democracy - an.d it is hard to deny that it is in a bad way - is surely worth a few
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The reality is that candidates who are members of a large sports club or society have a substantial advantage in elections. While she accepts that there is a problem, sabbatical Welfare Officer, Claire Kober, remains upbeat about the situation, and suggests that the figures do not paint the whole picture. "Looking at the bare statistics, it is not a huge proportion of our membership, but higher education has changed and many students cannot reach the ballot box." However, while studying clearly has changed recently, it hasn't changed that much. There are presently over 3,000 students living on campus, never mind the second and third years and postgraduate students who regularly visit UEA's hallowed grounds. Claire also points out that other universities have the same disappointing response. "If you look at student unions across the country, the number of people who vote here isn't too bad." This is 路 probably true: UEA's student population may be as
SIMON CAVE (HIS) "People feel student union officials have no effect on student life. The problem is with student attitude - it's easy enough to go and vote. Those in the job should be more visible as well. You never see them around and don't get the chance to meet them."
likely to vote as any other in the country. But that just highlights the fact that the problem is widespread. it is stretching belief a little to say that the lack of voters is due to a lack of good debaters and prosp~ctive politicians at UEA; there are plenty of talented people. it seems more likely that they just don't have an audience that cares enough to vote for them. But why don't students care about union politics? Well, perhaps we should ask another question: Why should we expect students to care? This year there has been no Communications Officer, and over Easter the Academic Officer left. This means that at present the Union is functioning with only half its regulation number of sabbaticals. Yet even Claire admits that most students haven't really noticed. "If you walked up to someone in the street they'd probably say no, there hasn't been a difference." She does, however, insist that
ELAINE McKINNA (810) "I was too busy to vote really. I don't remember seeing anything about the election. Final year mature students find it difficult to get involved because of project work. I didn't even realise I was a member of the Union."
bar. That's fine - people access the student union at differen~ levels." Whatever the Union is there for, it relies on the participation of its membership for its continued existence and non-participation is reaching crisis levels. Claire insists that she ''would back anything to improve the number of people voting", and Wayne Barnes also seems determined to change things. "We know it is-a problem. We're looking to take things out of the Hive, even if it is just putting a ballot box in the Village." This seems a very sensible step, and one that could be taken even further. Mary Chapman Court residents are similarly physically distanced from the sole voting station, and maybe a ballot box could be established in the Golden Triangle. Other suggestions include extending the voting period to a few days in order to allow people a chance to vote, and offering a free drink as an incentive.
NICK CHASE (ENV) "I didn't vote - I'm not sure why really , I just didn't feel the need. Time was also a problem, with other things to do. Voting on e-mail is the way to do it, to get 'on message' with the candidates and what 1hey want to do, then choose online."
thousand pounds. As Rebecca Williams emphasises, "Raising the profile of the elections is definitely important. it is a human rights issue people have a right to vote and should take it up." For many years now, students have been staying at home and not getting involved . Whether it is simply bars and ents, or a whole lot more, the Union has to get out of Union House and, as Wayne Barnes says, "take it to the students for a change." Otherwise the turnout will continue at this low level year in year out, and student politics will limp through the beginning of the new millennium in a spectacularly disappointing manner. And eventually - perhaps sooner than you think - it will reach the point when it is more humane to put the Union out of its misery and end the democratic process entirely. Because if the students don't care, what is the point?
EO COOK (HIS) ' I didn't know what it was all about. I wasn't sure about who the candidates were, and there wasn't enough information about the jobs they were going for. I also think students don't see the problems the candidates think exist."
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Three students have committed suicide at Edinburgh 路university this year alone. Step hen Collins spoke to potential victims at UEA and the organisations who are there to help them ... just felt like something was rotting inside of me and it felt like it was spreading to my head. lt almost had a physical property. And I just thought, I'm going to feel like this for ever. I've already thrown two years of my life down the toilet and it's come back again . There I was, living with a house full of UEA students, with al l these new friends that I'd made, watching them watching me slowly slip away." David (name altered) is a second year student at the Norwich School of Art and Design. For a large part of his life he has suffered from depression - a depression which has, in th e past, caused him to consider taking his own life. Though he may not have been aware of it, David has over the past few months been the subject of much attention in the national press. This attention has attempted to place depression amongst young people within the context of some easily identifiable 'trend ', a culture of increasing academic expectations and pressure to succeed amongst young people. The 'student depressed' are - it would seem - symptoms, signifiers which can be tenuously linked together to form a decent theory, fill a page. The catalyst for this concern has been a tragic succession of deaths at Edinburgh University over the past six months. Four students at the University have died since November last year: three committed suicide, and one fell to her death while rock climbing - whether by horrific accident or choice is uncertain. Kale Hodgson , 20, Emma Harron, 19, Dinesh Jagdish, 22, and Catriona MacAulay, 18, have all been painted as falling fou l of an overarching culture of success; the tragic 'victims' of an accelerated university li festyle geared towards success, with no room for 'failure' . . But is this ki nd of blanket diagnosis valid? Can we really attribute suicidal feelings, depressive tendencies or any kind of emotional/psychological problems faced by stu dents to one cause - to increased pressure? In the current climate of exam tension such conclusions might be easy to draw. But David , along with many others, feels that the academic pressures that become so evident around exam times are only th e tip of the icebe rg. "They say it's all about exam pressure, but I think social factors are just as important. University at first is like a kaleidoscope of experience -just so many people. And the flip side of that is when you suddenly fee l like you know no-one .. . it's not individual factors , it's a catalyst of many things together''. The idea that "many things together'' is the usual cause of an individual's depression is reiterated by UEA's counselli ng services and students who have experienced depression . Nightline is UEA's nighttime counselling service, situated in Norfolk
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"I didn't want to die but I didn't care if I lived - if 路a car had hit me it would have been fine. You're just completely apathetic." Terrace C03, room 12, and they can provide anything from a private chat (male and female staff are always on hand) to free condoms, Tampax and a women-only refuge. They refute the notion that causes of emotional problems among students are simple. "Everybody copes with pressure in different ways. Anything can get you down at any point in your university career - that's actually quite a common
thing. There is a strong support network here, the type that isn't there in the outside world . The Counselling Centre, the Health Centre, Nightline are all readily accessible, absolutely confidential. Everybody will be happy to listen to just anything you want to talk about. Nightline is open all night, you can come in and have a coffee and just sit and chat about anything for a while." Sarah Houghton, Educational Counsellor for the University, also refuses to accept the idea that depression can be put down to the one single factor of 'pressure'. She does believe, though, that the university experience today is different from 10 to 20 years ago, and that greater pressure upon students to achieve, particularly at exam time, can cause problems. She outlines the importance of avoiding an excessively stressful or a selfdestructive process of exam preparation . 路"it's a question of planning your time. Don't stop doing things that make you feel better; make time to see your friends, and I hate to say this to a student audience, but don't drink too heavily, and get plenty of sleep." The Samaritans claim that while all the above are necessary to a healthy state of mind around exam time, the main thing to avoid is facing stressful situations in isolation - such as during revision periods. Again, the emphasis is placed on the importance of being able to talk to friends, tutors or
CONCRETE WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2000
counsellors - anyone who can help alleviate the dangerous isolation into which many students shut themselves at this time of year. But what of the stigma often attached to even ta lking to someone about your problems? As one SOC 2 undergraduate pointed out, his experience of depression was exacerbated by a difficulty he had talking to people about his condition: "I was afraid of boring my friends with problems which just seemed so completely trivial, which I couldn 't put my finger on . The most annoying question is being asked, 'What's the matter?', and feeling either that you're being a burden to the
"The most annoying question is 'What's the matter?', and feeling that you're being a burden to the people you want to talk to." people you want to talk to, or that you 're such a miserable bastard the whole time that you' re boring them. " Similar difficulties in commun icating th e seriousness of the condition were experienced by another second year student suffering from depression , with a fear or misunderstanding of the problem furthering her sense of isolation: "People would ask me where I'd been recently, and if I said, 'I'm depressed at the moment,' then they'd switch off immediately." Her situation remained something that cou ld not be easily communicated, yet its gravity was all too real. "I didn't actually want to die but I didn't care if I lived - if a car had hit me it would have been fine . You 're just completely apathetic. it's complete emptiness, just feeling , 'What am I doing? What's the point?' Numbness. Almost an absence of feeling rather th an any feel ing at all." Ultimately, it seems the abiding message that both counsellors and sufferers wish to convey is that
depression is not something that exists in isolation . As David puts it, "The scary thing is there's no visible signs. I think if you take a stroll through the University at any tim.e, you will pass someone who feels the walls closing in around the m." Its invisibility seems to make it insidiously incommunicable - yet, as the aforementioned SOC 2 student put it, "The main thing is to get into the frame of mind where you feel you can talk to someone." The multifaceted nature of depression cannot be simplified into one singular cause; it defies generalisation. Every case is more or less unique. The key is not to cut yourself off if your are not happy, because to do that, especially in a stressful exam period, is not only self-destructive but unnecessary considering the amount of support available at UEA. A final word on the illness might go to one of David's lucid ly articulate descriptions: "You do always need the hope that it continues to work out right. Like any kind of illness, it does at the end of the day come down to wanting to help yourse lf. If you've got a broken leg you 've got to get it stuck in a cast. You mustn't just lie down and say it'll go away. It'll take time to heal , and it's just a question of allowing for it- saying, 'Right, this is here', and work round it, deal with it like a broken leg and try saying , 'I'm having a bad day today, but I know I'll have a better one."' The Uni versity Counselling Office is situated on campus above the launderette 01603 503504 Nightline: Norfolk Terrace C03-12 6pm - Barn every night, term time The Samaritans: 01603 611311 19 St Stephen 's Square, Norwich (24 hr telephone service, B.OOam- 10.00pm personal callers)
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We are the .children of the mobile, but will we also be its victi.ms? Oebbi Marco switched hers off for a while and investigated ... t's finally happened. We have a label. We're not the swingers of the Sixties, or the punk rocked Eighties, we're not the apathetic Nineties or even the non-buzz word, the Noughties. We are - say it loud, say it proud - the mobile phone generation. Don't pretend you don't know what I mean. This Christmas mobile phone sales went through the roof, even children as young as 10 years old were pestering Santa Claus, via their parents, for one. There's probably no-one reading this who hasn't, at oRe time in their university life, been sitting in a lecture or seminar where a mobile phone has started ringing which results in everyone, bar two people, reaching for their bag.
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And those two people, in case you were wondering, had left their phone at home that day. Don't get me wrong, I'm not totally against mobile phones, I own one myself. The yuppie image connected to mobiles has long gone, and now tlhey are getting even smaller, and increasingly "hands free", nobody even has to know that you' re using one - although you do tend to Jook like a mad person, walking down the street, muttering to yourself. What I do object to is the 'trigger happy' style of phone use: "I'm in the pub!" "I'm on a train!" "I'm on the loo!" Worryingly enough, a large percentage of people have admitted to answering their phone while in the middle of "other business"
- think about that when you hear strange background noises on the other end of the line. However, there are more sinister consequences of being the mobile phone generation - radiation. Scarily, nobody actually knows the real risk of mobile phones. "Hands free" was quickly brought out by the phone companies in order to quash any fears, but Which? magazine soon brought out a counter report suggesting that you might as well put your head in a microwave. Well, it didn't really say that, but they did point out that the "hands free" ear piece channels radiation into your brain more effectively than the handset itself. Of course the mobile phone companies were quick to discredit this report, saying that Which? magazine was not using any scientific research methods that they recognised, and the research that they had conducted showed that mobile phones posed very little health risk at all. An independent report released recently has said that mobile phones are not a proven health risk, with side effects like memory loss, tumours and additional heat in the brain, all being unfounded. The report did admit that using your mobile phone will increase your brain heat by one tenth of a degree, but pointed out that brain temperature varies by one degree throughout the day anyway. The government, however, remains unconvinced, and has insisted that mobile phones must carry health warnings regarding the dangers of radiation 路 from handsets. The main fear Involving mobile phones are the masts that are needed to project the signal. Britain already has 20,000 of these masts, and with the mobile phone industry路growing at such a great speed, there will be many more. The government is restricting the installation of masts near schools and residential areas, and Norwich has only eight so far. South Norfolk local authority has admitted that they have no specific policy for mobile phone masts and are waiting for the
World Record breaking cyclist, Bruce Bursford, was killed while training in Norfolk because a lorry driver was distracted by his mobile phone. government to decide if there is a risk element. If they do decide there is an element of risk, John Tomlinson, Assistant Chief Planning Officer, expects the government to supply local authorities with guidelines and consistent advice, in order to regulate the industry. This is all well and good, but how long is it going to take? What about the meantime, when people are living in blocks of flats that have a mobile phone mast erected on the roof: even if they don't own a mobile phone, they could still be living like hamsters in a microwave. And what about the rest of us unknowing consumers? Right now we have a mobile phone glued to our ear for a good part of the day, but what about in 20 years time? Are we going to be part of a generation suing major corporations for making us terminally ill, ruining our lives, and for making us addicted to text massaging? lt's a scary thought that what is fashion today could be a threat to our welfare tomorrow. Isn't this beginning to remind you of the smoking issue? Little was known about the dangers of smoking cigarettes until the 1960s, and by then a lot of people were addicted. As a result, Philip Morris and other massive tobacco corporations have been paying out millions in compensation to
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all those poor victims who didn't know that inhaling carcinogenic fumes into their lungs 20 times a day would actually damage their health. But while we can look back scornfully with the perfect vision that hindsight allows us, we too are in danger of becoming victims of our ignorant bliss. But apart from these uncertain health threa,ts, there are more obvious dangers to mobile phones: talk driving. Recently, world record breaking cyclist, Bruce Bursford, was killed while training in Norfolk because a lorry driver was distracted by his mobile phQne, which was ringing in his hold all bag. Drive down any road and you will see a driver with a mobile phone in one hand, talking away, oblivious to the fact he is only half in control of a machine capable of causing death. it's people like that who deserve to have their brains fried . Thai is, if they haven't already. Mobile phones allow us to phone, tax, connect to the Internet, and soon, the manufacturers' promise, so much more. But what more is there? This flood of techl']ology is tiring and depressing: you can't watch a film, go to a restaurant or even go to the loo without hearing the bleeping of a mobile phone. I was on a train recently, surrounded by the buzz of business men, drama students and teenage. girls, all engrossed in their separate conversations with the little pieces of plastic they had pressed to their ears, when the elderly man opposite me put down his book and said, "How do you think they'd feel if I read my book out loud?" "Go for it!" I told him, and would have continued to pledge my support had my phone not started ringing. Well, what do you expect? I am a member of this mobile phone generation, and if you can't beat 'em - phone 'eml
September ith UEA's student populace refreshed after a long summer spent making sarnies and doing other such crap jobs to fund the booze bingeathon that is Freshers' Week, things started off with a bang - quite literally for the University. University chiefs were forced to cough up £23,500 for a potentially fatal explosion in an ENV laboratory, having been found in breach of five safety laws. · But UEA was soon rolling in the cash again, as everyone's favourite turkey tsar, Bernard Matthews, announced he was to sponsor UEA's developing Olympic swimming pool. The bootiful Prince of Poultry shelled out £50,000 for the privellege, and the
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ampus safety was the issue of the moment in October as news broke of another sex offence in the Sunken Gardens - the second in six months. Then there was the case of a Resident Tutor who wrestled a UEA graduate to the ground, after he had been seen breaking into Nelson Court and rifling through fridges. And security worries were heightened even further when a female student was mocked by porters after she raised fears of walking across campus late at night to get to the IT centre. UEA catering outlets were also under fire, as students lambasted the introduction of food vouchers. Freshers had been asked to part with £225 without having even tried a morsel of 'food' from the Diner. Stressed-out Law students were up in arms after school bosses decided to scrap essential course handouts, leaving it for students to find the material on the Internet and cough up for pri nter costs. But there were smiles on the faces of accommodation bosses, as they celebrated their smoothest-running Freshers' week in living memory.
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Quote of the month: Stephen Fry (right), " If you confess to splitting open dead rabbits and shagging them, then when you are discovered shagging a dead rabbit you will be a lot less embarrassed."
May .
fter a month's break to pick up the Easter eggs, summer is beginning to break out all over UEA's beautiful campus, and although some people were beginning to shed their clothes to achieve a tan, it wasn't quite the full monty. However that is what you could soon be seeing: UEA has revealed that the Sports Park could possibly play host to the European Naturist Swimming Championships. But students won't be allowed to play in the fun and games of it all, admitted Britain's Naturism Sports Officer, Roger Johnson. "lt is not an all-comers thing. You have to be a member of British Naturists and qualify in the lead-up competitions." And although the pool may need a spring clean after a few accidents at the Championships, it will soon match the squeaky clean ethical campaign. University bosses finally caved in to student demands that they should only invest in ethical companies, becoming the first British university to adopt this policy. There was sad news going fnto the Easter break, with the death of long term benefactor, Sir Robert Sainsbury. .--- - - --==---------, Sir Robert has generously donated art from his personal collection to the Sainsbury Centre since
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November ·
October
pool is due to open over the Summer. The school of EUR hit rut at University bosses in the wake of the tragic death of the school's Dean, Professor Roger Pipe-Fowler. The school was angry at the unacceptable levels of stress put upon him by the restructuring of the schcol. The Union were also facing troubles this month, having owned up to losing the paperwork for a deal governing rent rises. The agreement was struck in 1995 after the rent strikes, bur when it came to digging out the signed copy it seemed to have vanished. Whoops. Meanwhile, students' sat up and paid attention to the headline 'Free Skunk!', only to.discover that the University had not come to an arrangement with Howard Marks, but that a UEA student had won a national competiton for a free Skunk Anansie gig to be played at the Waterfront
UEA's fair campus also found itself to be immortalised by literature, after UEA graduate, Jon Buscall, set his novel on the UEA campus. Unfortunately his verdict was not a favourable one: he -branded UEA the University of Excessive Americanisation. A group of UEA students proved th.at we're not all apathetic and a bit useless by picketing a McDonalds restaurant in the City. The protest was part of a worldwide campaign against the chain which alleges that their food is linked to increased risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. And finally (in the words of Trevor McDonald), a group of students made life on Trinity Street that little bit more interesting when they covered the street with biscuits, taping them to fences and doors. ~ The biscuits didn't stay around for long, though - ...... _ :-. peckish homeowners soon munched their way ;.,...<-,;....,., through them. - '1-.•
Quote of the month: Tony Benn, "The cabinet meets for 25 minutes if the Prime Minister has time and hasn't got a photo opportunity that will interfere."
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work effectively. And Academic Officer, Lisa Eldret, made another simple point: "How many people are going to want to read the constitution in its entirety?" At present, the closest UEA gets to royalty is a bit of Bohemian Rhapsody at the LCR on a Thursday night, but that could all change - Prince William could be joining the masses of freshers . William, who is second in line to the throne, stuck UEA down on
Tapsfield hit back, reasoning, "Concrete operates independently within sensible rules, and we've stayed'within them. This was an anti-racist article, and it is important that we cover these issues. The sabbs have just made an emotive, political decision." Meanwhile, a new satilatical team was voted in, although the election was marred S•) mewhat by a poor turnout, with less than 10 per cent of UEA's students turning up to the ballot box. And grunge lovers were celebrating that Bush finally managed to turn up and play their gig, but it seems that the LCR holds some mystery curse for the rockers. Guitarist Nigel Pulsford fell off the&~~~:.J stage and twisted his ankle.
s the Comms war goes into its sixth month, surely the most important question to a~k is: does anyone care anymore? But Concrete battled on bravely bringing you all the tedious action from the front line. The Sabbs' had now been accused of !being secretive, after banning students from the meeting that was due to·investigate the previous election cock-up. Meanwhile, Professor John Charmley was launching his own stinging attack, but this time on the Government's tuition fees policy. "Mo {Mowlam] could afford to roll a joint, but modern students find it hard to buy a joint," he stormed. Legend has it that Waveney Terrace was built from the plans of a Swedish prison, and University chiefs seemed keen to return to those days, installing . bars on the windows of Norfolk and Suffolk Terrace. The bars were supposed to · improve safety after the University was told to slash the
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his UCAS form and applied to join the School of World Art and Museology, but the Prince's spokespeople were keeping stum about the royal's plans. it would be a bit scary if a small area of Norwich turned into an lbizan party paradise. But that was what club promoters were promising when 'superclub' Time ~pened in December. The club was developed on the Riverside site, next door to the new UCI cinema, and has been a popular student haven on Tuesday nights since it has opened. Mass demonstration was the order of the day as 150 GEA students took off to the bright lights of London to join 15,000 others demanding the abolition of tuition fees. And none other than Morrissey turfed popular burger vendor, Rodney, off his pitch· this month. Union.Sabbs thought the smell of Rodney's burgers might be a bit off-putting for the foppish exSmiths singer - a famous vegetarian activist.
Quote of the month: Andrew Montgomery (Lead singer with indie hipsters, Geneva, talking about the future), "The very rich w ill f**k things up and piss off to the moon, o r w hatever."
January
February
Quote of the month: Andrew Motion (talking about releasing his Millennium poem a clay early to the Daily Maif), " lt was a piece of bollocks! What on earth do they think I live on? Sherry? Am I not allowed to make my money? I' m not just a lackey of the system."
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Quote of the month: Richard Whiteley, " I was used to the boarding school environment, but at Cambridge it was people smoking and climbing into.corridors after midnight, and I thought, 'God, that's o utrageous!"'
omenclature, friteralia. Any idea what they mean? No? Neither did the · exp3rts from the Plain English Campaign, when Concrete showed them a sentence from the draft of the new Constitution which was over 200 words long. In fact some of the writing was so bad that it quickly became a contender for the Plain English Campaign's annual Golden Bull award - a prize that celebrates examples of trul~ bad English. The Union hit back though, with claims that the legal jarg::>n was necessary to allow the constitution to
Meanwhile, the University made a move back towards finals this month as UEA academics
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Quote of the month: 'E' Mark Everitt (front man for the Eels), " Um, I'm pretty good in bed."
March
nominations were received for the post. Even at this point it didn't seem meant to be... A £100, 000 makeover of the Union Paper shop and Post Office was branded a waste of money after queues increased, and a state-of-theart till system had teething problems. · Jon Buscall's novel College.com hit the headlines again in November, after the publisher used the recent campus sex attacks to flog more copies of the UEA based book. Rag Soc managed to successfully scare up some cash for charity after their All-Hallows' Eve Ball. The ball was a sellout in the LCR, and 900 students did their fang and grooved to the monster mash - raising over £2000 for medical charity Lupus in the process.
December
semester exams. The move, which will assist academics in thei r marking, was condemned by studerts as a "terrible idea." HIS students are up in arms after school bosses cancelled some vital third year units. The school has run out of funds, and cannot afford to provide·replacements for vital lecturers who are on sabbatical leave, parti~ularly Professor John Charmley who runs the International Relations units in the school.
1973.
l'le University decided to fight back against students who continued to waste money through false call outs to the fire brigade. UEA chiefs finally decided it was time to take the gloves off, and begin prosecuting students who lost UEA money, and wasted the emergency servjces' time. The University was forced to stump up a whopping £15,000 for 46 false alarms. In an interview with the Poet Laureate, Andrew Motion, Concrete revealed that the top prof would be stayiog loyal to UEA, rather than heading for the gleaming spires of Oxford or Cambridge. Motion scotched t!'le rumours that he was leaving by saying, "There is no other job I would like to have." Unfortunately only a few got to read the interview, because the paper was immediately pulled from circulation over a controversial interview with a local British National Party activist, accompanied by an illustration of the BNP paper Freedom. In a statement announcing the ban, sabbs said they were "shocked.and ashamed" at the article, which "could only be described as racist propaganda." But Concretfis Editor, James
ampus catering outlets were once again under fire as Concrete revealed the results of its survey on student eateries. Students had it in for fast focd joint Breakers 2, with a whopping 74 per cent claiming the menu was unsatisfactory. They weren't too happy with tle Diner either: 64 per cent thought the value for money it provi•j ed was poor or very .poor. And this is despite the fact that campus catering receives a subsidy of £120,000 a year. But there was only cold comfort for students who decided to cook in ther residences. An Environmenlal Health Officer condemned the state of campus kitchens as 'appalling' after being informed that some residences had 14 students sharing a single fridge. Lads' mag, FHM, was taught a lesson in taste after producing a fresher's guide, which was dished QUI frae on campus. The guide included a supposedly humorous article on student suicide slated by Union Welfare Officer, Claire Kober as 'offensive'. The long-running debacle over the Union Communications Officer took another
number of accidents .---- """"!:......-----:-:~~~ by the Government's Health and Safety Executive, but students hit back presenting UEA bosses with a 340signature petition, claiming that the bars were a fire risk. EAS received another creative writing compliment, this time from a Senior Lecturer in the school, Robert Clark. However it was not the creativity of students' fiction that Clark was commenting upon, but instead their grammar and spelling, branding the use of English as "unsophisticated". Perhaps if students weren't so busy enjoying a bit of rumpy pumpy, then they could have worked on their grammar mistakes Concrete's sex survey revealed a graphic picture of carefree sex amongst UEA students.
Quote of the month: Moby (vegan and possibly a blatant hypocrite), "When we made the Natural Blues video, the stylist went out and brought these shoes for me. I would never buy leather for myself, b ut it seems really wasteful if someone gives you a pair, not to wear them."
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us·t as we thought it was safe not to 1)1ention the Communic;ations Officer position, it soon swung bac;k into the limelight. Sole candidate, Colin Moore, was narrowly elected into the position, beating off a vigorous and anonymous 'Vote RON (Re-open nominations)' campaign, by just one vote: 1t was soon rumoured that the 24 spoilt papers had shown a preference for RON, but instead of using a number 1, they had been either tcked or marked with an X. There were i11mediate calls for Colin Moore's resignation, but he insisted that he was going to stick with the job. And Union politics were thrown into further o'laos, when the Conservative faction on Students' Forum planned to boycott all further meetings. The row erupted after a scheme - proposed by the Conservatives - to have books in the Lib~ary sponsored by local companies, was rejected, with the Tories claiming it was done purely on party political grounds. UEA's creative writing course received furth3r honours when eo-founder of the course Malcolm Bradbury, and one of its first pupils, lan McEwan, were given a knighthocd and a CBE respectively in the special Millennium honours list. Lovers of the silver screen were in for a treat as the ABC and
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UCI waged war to get customers. The ABC drastically cut prices to £3 and just a £1 for special day1ime showings as they saw their profits drop an enormous 70 per cent since the opening of the new UCI theatre at the Riverside complex. Students in Nelson Court were dealt a shocking surprise when they looked out of their window, only to find Suffolk Terrace engulfed in fire. · But the conflagration was fortunately not a grill filled with economy burgers going up; instead it was a bonfire to celebrate the Big C Appeal's twentieth anniversary.
Quote of the month: Bob Hotness, "The tlfing about Countdown is that it's so much slower paced than Blockbusters was. With Blockbusters you never really knew what anyone was going to say, you really had to keep your eye out."
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CONCRETE WEDNESDAY, MAY
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FEATURED 19
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24, 2000
Graduate blues W
ell, for us final year students, life at UEA is coming to an end . No more lazy summer· days spent in the square, no more drunken Thursday night LCRs followed by the essential Rodney burger. Basically, for most of us, no more Norwich. it's quite a momentous occasion really - so surely it deserves an apt celebration: something in the cathedral maybe, followed by one last night of drunkenness in a posh hotel with suitable entertainment and beverages provided. But no. What do we in fact get for our three or four years of turmoil and tears at UEA? A ceremony in the manky old Sports Hall followed by a £30 LCR (£40 if you want dinner). Pretty impressive huh? This is supposed to be a special day, one that we will never forget, and parents come from all over the country to watch proudly and cry at
the realisation that their babies have finally grown up. No doubt the wonders of the sports hall will have them reeling , and you never know · they migl¥ have fixed the air conditioning system by July as well. Other universities seem to have it sorted: Birmingham gets a ceremony at the Great Hall and a champagne reception , followed by a ball at the International Conference Centre. Leeds gets a ceremony in their Great Hall followed by a ball at a stately home. And although Southampton's ceremony may only be in their music hall, they get a graduation carnival a la Grease, followed by a Tarantino-themed ball in the Guild Hall exhibition centre. The numerous reasons that have been given to justify keeping us on campus include the cathedral 's inadequate seating capacity, and that it isn't "correct" to have the ceremony in a Christian environment when a number of
people graduating aren't of that religion . lt has to be asked, though, why other universities such as Kent aren't quite so politically correct. But perhaps the strangest aspect of this whole fiasco is that while even the sports clubs have had enough
of the gym's peeling paint and stale air, and are moving across to the new sports park, we are still going to be forced to graduate th.ere for the forseeable future . Now, is that sense?
Francesca Babb
Student speak lt's that time again - England's footballers are set to do battle in a major Championship. So with the nation holding its breath over the outcome of Euro 2000, we ask UEA students how they think England will do. Or if they even care. I'd like for England to win, but it will be very difficult. You have Spain, France and Italy who could all test England.
Florian Muzka (WAM 2) We'll definately get to the semi-finals, but we are bound to lose on penalties.
James Cook (HIS 3) We'll win it. The passion we need is going to be there this time.
James Hutchinson (MGT 3) I think we should forget about 1966 - I'm sick of hearing about it. We should just start playing football.
Justin Galliford (ENV 3)
Can we have a new graduation venue? Please?
I haven't thought about it, to be honest. They'll probably do very badly though.
Nick Irons (SOC 2)
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This fortnight we estimate how many students prefer basking in the square to revising for those all-important exams.
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Career fear: Air traffic controller What do they do?
Does it pay well?
The role of an Air Traffic Controller is to co-ordinate the movement of air traffic, eg commercial planes, private jets, alien aircrafts, the odd UFO (you get the idea ...) and ensure that they stay a safe distance apart. it's essential that you keep flights running on schedule and avoid any delay, as passengers do not appreciate being kept waiting.
You can expect to earn something between £40,000 and £55,000, depending on your qualifications, position and experience. Working at one of the larger airports is the way to earn the big cash .
How do I get in? Three years' general work experience, or four years' study, are needed. lt helps if you have experience as a pilot, navigator or military
controller. You need to pass written, physical and mental examinations too. A high level of intelligence is required, as it's crucial that you can make logical decisions amidst wailing staff and landing aircraft. After that it's just a question of working your way up that ladder.
How do I find out more? Try hitting the FAA web-site (www.FAA.com)
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Anything else I should know? Your job may be rendered obselete by computers by 2010, so make sure you have plenty of transferrable skills. A lot of time will be spent out on runways in the path of oncoming aircrafts, and in-front of green-glowing screens that display flashing images of slow moving blobs. So don't do it if you're prone to migraine. Kate Smith
I don't give a r:nonkeys about football. Nikki Lister (EAS 2) I think we are going to win it, it's the law of averages. We haven't won anything since 1966 so we're due a bit of luck. Also, I think we've got a good set of strikers this time. We're taking four, which is positive.
Alan Golding (EAS 1) I hate football and there's too much of it on
TV. Saffi Ayub (SOC 3) If we play well we'll do well but if we don't then we'll lose.
Gemma O'Donnell (EAS 1) So there we go. A good dose of optimism, some sensible pessimism and a little hearty hatred on the side. Sounds like the recipe for a perfect championship.
20 FEATURED
www.concrete-online.co.uk
The UEA photo casebook Michaela had fancied Tad for all of her three years at UEA. ..
CONCRETE WEDNESDAY, MAY
24, 2000
FEATURED 21
www.concrete-online.co.uk
CONCRETE WEDNESDAY, MAY 24, 2000
Horoscopes
Concrete Prize Crossword #06
Across
Down
I . Fancy a laugh? (6) 4. Round the ragged rocks the ragged --- ran (6) 9. The nation's Auntie (4) 10. Bruce and Jim's game (10) 11. An illicit moment (6) 12. Sound artist (8) 13. Not an option (9) 15. Colour me dead (4) 16. - to a flame (4) 17. Friendly living (9) 2 1. Keeps it together (8) 22. Smart but angry (6) 24. Apologetic monk (5,5) 25. Painful land (4) 26. As loud as a library (6) 27. Breakfast soap opera (6)
I. You can't shout "Fire!" here, especially in the US (7) 2. Intriguing group (5) 3. My1hs and- (7) 5. Criminal heart failure (6) 6. The end, purr-haps? (9) 7. Big game in the same locations (7) 8. Sounds like good verse (13) 14. Mother church (9) 16. Crazy bovines (3,4) 18. Hold back (7) 19. Not artifical (7) 20. Sleazy apple (6) 23. Empty, search for happiness? (5)
•
Aries
March 21 - April 20
Have you got a dream that you're fearful to chase? Sit and consider what it's worth because this week with Neptune strongly influencing the negative feelings you're experiencing, realising what you want is more a possibility than you think.
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Start striving towards more realistic goals this week - setting your standards too high only causes your confidence to falter if you fail. A recent hurdle has caused you to rethink your master plan , but don't! Encouraging news is about to come.
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Gemini
May 22 - June 21
olie..ia·M·ars.a.'ri'Ci·M·eircli Y'fCiiri ri9..ci9iTiini:·y;:ili.riow..passess.itie ...
Issue 112 solution
ability to gain control and strength in an area of your life that has, of late, left you feeling weak and helpless. Use more authority and people will instantly treat you with more respect.
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This issue there's a £10 book voucher from Waterstones up for grabs - ideal for all those course book purchases. Fill in your name and a contact number/ e-mail address below, and put your completed grid in the competition box in the Hive before Wednesday, May 31 .
Name: ....... .................................................................. ........ . Contact: ......................................... ................ ... ................... ..
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Cancer
June 22 - July 22
Our little crabs are an inspiration to everyone this week. You're full of confidence and your energy levels are sky high. Be prepared to receive praise and recognition as you use this newly acquired attitude to help others.
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You've been putting something off which cannot be avoided any longer. But providing you approach the situation in the right frame of mind, you might actually enjoy it. Try to be more adventurous, sometimes it pays off.
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Virgo
August 23 - September 23
................................................................................................................ Be prepared to admit you are wrong this fortnight. it's something you find difficult to do - you often see what you want to see and rarely stop to consider the truth of the matter. Be open minded because otherwise it will only cause upset.
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Libra
September 24 - October 23
You are attempting something new th:s week, it's you defiant streak surfacing , looking for adventure. Although initially it looks like it won't work, your determination will see you through and you will succeed .
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Pub quiz: Famous children
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1) What are the names of Tony Blair's four children? 2) In which film did Francis Ford Coppola give his daughter, Sofia, a starring role? 3) For which football club did Harry Redknapp sign his son Jamie at the start of his career? 4) What are the names of John Lennon's sons? 5) What was the name of wartime leader Winston Churchill's famous political father? 6) Which fashion house does Stella McCartney work for? 7) How old was Liza Minnelli when her mother, Judy Garland, killed herself? 8) What is Jade Jagger's job? 9) What father and daughter combination are currently starring in the 'One to One' TV ads? 10) Whose grandfather organised the 1951 Festival of Britain?
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At the moment, you are dealing with a situation that seems oppressive. Actually, you have a lot more freedom than you think. Realise that you are in control, don't leave things to chance - something you know you have a tendency to do.
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SagittariUS
November 23- December 21
................................................................................................................. Something big is on its way. Don't be afraid to express how you feel - you will reap the rewards if you do, and imminently if Jupiter in Venus has any1hing to do with it. Sit back, relax and take it in your stride.
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Let go of the past. You are very attached to every1hing familiar, but now's the time to move on, and the sooner the better. Do it confidently and you will encounter a series of extremely exciting options.
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You are torn between following your heart or listening to your head. You feel like every1hing is going downhill and are not sure which way to move in order to turn things around. You must make a conscious decision as to which path you will travel.
Pisces
February 20 - March 20
A minor accomplishment is not all it seems to be. Set yourself free. Neptune is encouraging you to revise your goals, and you know what you are capable of. Make your move this week and things will turn out better than you dreamed possible.
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I Brahms, Beethoven and, er, body parts. Clare Hamilton- Eddy gives the inside story about the UEA Orchestra's recent tour of Germany... e've managed to p¡ack Norwich Cathedral easily in the past, but the question was whether the Germans be equally as appreciative of our music. The actual logistics of making it to Germany was also a worry: after two years as a full-time student I'd almost forgotten what 6am - our departure time looked like. We were naturally quite apprehensive as we set off for Dover. Usually before a concert we are assured of at least some support from the audience, and whether it is from grannies or friends, loud clapping is always welcomed by the musician. But what would the Germans (who have produced prodigies such as Beethoven and, more recently, Anne-Sophie Mutter) think of the UEA Symphony Orchestra? For the past year, the Orchestra Committee had worked extremely hard to make this tour happen. The Orchestra had been asked to perform as part of the International Music Festival in Koblenz and, to compliment this, we were going to put on an evening concert in a small town nearby called Winningen, and a lunchtime concert at the Conservatoire in Cologne. Considering that we were only there for three full days , this meant that it was going to be a tight schedule - especially with the additional rehearsals. it's not like those pesky rock stars who only have to throw up on stage and produce a blood bubble in their nose and the tour's hailed as a success Uust ask Richard Ashcroft). Classical music tours are far more demanding . But we were confident that the programme wou ld be a success after plenty of rehearsals prior to the trip (six hours a day at times) and, after an extremely well-received concert in Norwich Cathedral only weeks before, there was no apparent reason why
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we would not impress the Germans. After a rather long and tiresome journey, we finally arrived at the youth hostel in Koblenz. The hostel was a converted castle, beautifully situated on the top of a hill , and boasted a magnificent view of the Rhein and the Mosel. Unfortunately, however, it wasn't long before we experienced our first setback. On the journey we had stopped for a bite to eat. For all the vegetarians this was not a problem, although we had to settle for bread and margarine. But some of the meat eaters amongst us opted for the intriguing goulash option. Big mistake. Despite being exhausted after days travelling, for those poor unfortunates it was a sleepless night as their bodies rejected the
been struck we soon relaxed into the music and, in my opinion, put in a very creditable evening performance. I didn't seem to be alone in this opinion either, as the audience were rather overenthusiastic. The Town Hall was packed out, with people standing at the back, and, by the end of the concert, the majority of the audience was also standing to express their appreciation of the music. And the appreciation seemed justified. The goulash . Luckily, the hostel was well equipped with orchestra opened the concert with Brahms' Tragic toilets. Air fresheners , on the other hand , were in Overture, Op.81, which , like the title suggests, short supply. creates an intense and dramatic atmosphere, dominated by its dark passages which seem to Alt hough some of the orchestra members looked bring out the best in every section of the orchestra. rather pale and weak the next morning , we all set off for Winn ingen in good spirits . On arrival we This was followed by a recorder concerto by received a warm welcome from the residents of Cooke. Alison Baldwin's magical performance of this complex piece stole the show and secu red the this rather smart town and soon forgot that we were in a foreign country. After an intense but fact that all the places would be filled once again after the interval. Dvorak's Symphony no. brought necessary three hour rehearsal, we got a chance to do a bit of sight-seeing before the concert the concert to a close. This symphony proved to although most of our time was spent trying to find be challenging in all respects and required intense a pub in which to sit down. amounts of technique as well as musicality. But it The Orchestra was a little apprehensive about how was also extremely rewarding to perform and I we would be received, but after the first chord had personally feel that the Orchestra deserved to be ------...,...-----..., proud of its efforts. This enjoyable evening became even more pleasurable when the orchestra was presented with several crates of wine by the Winningen Wine Queens. Having noticed the two women sitting on the front row dressed in bizarre outfits clutching gigantic glasses of wine, I had wondered whether we were actually performing at the right venue. 11 is apparently German tradition for some towns to appoint 'wine queens' who present performers with wine as a token of thanks. Naturally, they also seem to drink a lot of wine although no-one complained and , without wanting to appear rude by not partaking of the festivities, everyone soon joined in. The second full day started with some sight-seeing around Koblenz. Norwich's twin town boasted a rich selection of sights including a Beethoven memorial, its very own wine village as well as a range of churches and castles. We then re-grouped at the local school that was to be the venue of our second concert. Another rehearsal made sure that we had tightened up any uncertain passages from the night before, and after a reception in the Town Hall , we performed once again . Although we were given another warm welcome in Koblenz, several people ......,.._..................._...........__ _.......___. actually walked out of the concert half the
Two people walked out of our concert. Apparently they found it too loud, but what did they expect at a concert?
a
way through one of the pieces. When we asked why this was, we were told that they had found it too loud. What people expect when they come to a concert I don't know. Pushing aside any ideas of being tired was essential by the third day as we were to perform at Cologne Conservatoire, a place where everyone knows everything there is to know about music. So there was to be no pulling the wool over anyone's eyes in this concert. Quite a few music students and lecturers came to give their support and, taking into consideration the tight schedule, we performed another creditable concert under the professional and extremely experienced eye of our
I opted for the Body Worlds museum, featuring real body parts treated with a technique called plastination. Interesting. conductor, Sharon Choa. The only slight mishap was when , after the rather shorter-than-usual interval, two of the brass players failed to make it back on stage due to a slightly longer-than-usual fag break. But we left the Conservatoire feeling that we had at least given the students something to talk about. The remainder of the day was spent looking round Cologne. The magnificent cathedral is one of the main priorities for sight-seers and does indeed live up to its gothic reputation. We were spoilt for choice with the other sites, which included several breweries, the University, a chocolate museum, a museum of modern art and the museum that I opted for, the 'Korperwelten' or 'Body-Worlds' museum. This is an extremely controversial exhibition which features real body parts treated with a technique called plastination. Very interesting . So that marked the end of the UEA Symphony Orchestra's tour of Germany. I think that it is fair to say we had some kind of impact upon the Germans. We also proved that, as an orchestra, we could perform some challenging yet wonderful music. 1t was definitely a trip to remember. What other university orchestra could combine food poisoning, body parts , vast amounts of free wine and good music all together in the space of a few days?
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By Mike Wilson
IC3 being pushy, selfish, out only for himself? Sighing he rolled onto his side, watching the door, waiting for her to come back. Supposing he said something, supposing he said, "Love, I think we need to talk about our sex life." Oh god, people only said that in films and second rate films at that. No, if he said anything he'd have to say it very carefully. If she thought he was criticising her, it would only make thing worse. He closed his eyes. Should he wait for her to take the lead, for her to take the initiative? But would she? She didn't now, not as far as sex was concerned. He seemed to be the one who always initiated things; she never seemed to reach for him anymore. That hurt. lt felt like not being wanted, but that was just paranoia wasn't it? She loved him and she liked him, and he loved and liked her, so why wouldn't she talk to him? Why couldn't he talk to her? He had to do something and he would; he just didn't know what yet.
"I'm coming" The voice, low, breathless, panting out amongst the other harsh breaths: competing with the sounds of damp skin sliding and separating on damp skin, hair and fabric scratching against each other. They stop. She, biting her lower lip gently, her legs locked tight around him, ankles crossed. His mouth wide open, tendons showing in his neck, his anns tight around her. Side by side, both with their heads tipped back. They relax, face to face, light smiles on their faces. "Love you", both state in unison. Then a kiss and another. Later, by some minutes. "How's your arm?" She asks, the bar of bone under her pressed hard into her ribs by her own weight. "Fine," he says, ignoring the pins and needles in his hand as he twists it up to stroke her back. "How's your leg?" he asks. The small of his back twinges at its sideways arch across her thigh. 'Okay' she replies. "it's where it's supposed to be." She smiles, hoping he doesn't feel the trembling of her muscles. She hopes they move before the cramp starts.
Coming back into the bedroom she saw him laying on his side with his eyes closed. She paused, opened her mouth to speak ... No, now wasn't the time because now she was cross. Look at him, asleep! Doesn't he know we've got a problem? Doesn't he care? No, now isn't the time. She took a deep breath, letting it out slowly; she wanted him again. She wanted him inside her, making her body tremble as she came again and again. No such luck. On her way to the bed she grabbed up a !-shirt and after pulling it on, she ·got into bed as gently as she could so as not to wake him. She lay on her side, her back to him. She'd have to set a time to talk to him. Perhaps in the morning? No, they were always too rushed. Tomorrow night then? Before they were in bed, or when they were in bed? She pulled the sheet up to her ears: despite the t-shirt she was beginning to feel cool, but if she pulled the duvet on he'd wake up saying it was too hot. Still there were other ways to get warm .
Later still. They lie quietly. She on her side, her hand holding his hand where it rests on her hip. He on his back, head turned toward her. Fresh sweat still sheens their bodies, clinging the single sheet to them. The scents of sex, of lubrication, and ejaculation hang in the air of the room . He yawns, silently. She sighs, softly. Okay, she thought, it was okay, felt good. He'd felt good, but.. But, not quite long enough! Anothe.r couple of minutes, that was all she needed, then it would have been so much better! lt started right: kissing, cuddling, stroking. She'd loved the way his tongue had flicked across her nipples, teasing her before he'd bit, oh so gently. After that moment... well, that was when it started to drift. lt hadn't useq to be like that, and she wasn't sure just when, or how, it had changed. l-:le'd moved down her body, kissing, and licking, hands sliding over her skin. Instead of becoming closer though he'd seemed to moved away. Not exactly mechanical, but remote, as if he was just working on her body. She liked what he was doing, but she wasn't sharing it: he was keeping his body away from her. She didn't want to just feel his mouth, his hands: she wanted to feel with her mouth, her hands. To caress and taste him. Why had he changed? He said he loved her, seemed to say it as often as he ever did, hugged her and kissed her just as much. But now when they made love he felt distant. He breathed out deeply. She hadn't come. Or had she? He wasn't sure any more. He knew he should be sure after all this time - and all those times - he should know if she came. A couple of times in the past, he'd asked her. She'd said yes or no, and he believed her. He stared at the back of her head; at the nape of her neck revealed by the fall of her hair. Leaning forward he kissed it, heard her murmur. She enjoyed sex, they both did, but it wasn't right somehow. She wasn't quite as vocal as she'd used to be. Oh, she wasn't quiet, but there weren't any yells. She didn't talk as much either, no demands to f**k her harder, or slower. Just "that's nice", or "keep doing that." What was he doing wrong? Whatever he did it didn't seem to work and he was feeling more and more frustrated . Frustrated,
not because they weren't having sex, they were, but because it wasn't ... wasn't what? Fulfilling? Meaningful? What was he doing wrong? She didn't touch him like she used to do, she didn't use her hands, her mouth like she had. Did he turn her on anymore? She rolled away from him, over onto her stomach, his hand sliding to the small of her back. She lay still for a moment but his hand didn't move: it didn't stroke her, it didn't follow the curve of her buttocks to slide between her legs, cupping her, holding her. She flicked the sheet off and got up. In the bathroom, sitting on the toilet, she stared at her hands. She'd started to bite her nails again. So what should she do? Kick him out? Or kick herself out? Everything else was fine, wasn't it? Well, it looked as if it was: they got on well with each other, they enjoyed lots of things together. Sure, they had differences but that was part of the fun of being a couple. lt would have been boring if they'd liked everything the same. He was still her friend . She could still talk to him about anything ... Anything, but sex! Was sex such a big issue? Did it matter if she was a bit frustrated now and then? She shook her head at herself in the mirror. Yes, it !**king well did matter! it was important. Why
should she feel incomplete? She sat on the edge of the bath. She'd enjoyed the past half hour or so, but she remembered when that would have been just the start, just the appetiser. Now, instead of a feast, she'd found herself on a diet, and it didn't suit her. Supposing she went back in there and told him · just what she wanted. No, that wouldn't work. He was better than a lot of males she'd known but he still had that delicate male ego. So, an indirect approach was called for but that too presented problems. He - like most males - wasn't too quick on picking up subtle hints. In fact most of the time she needed to hit him with an anvil before he got the point. Play it by ear? Yeah, he must sense that something wasn't right, surely? He watched her walking from the bed. Just watching her w~lk turned him on . He'd thought about caressing her when she'd moved. What to do now? He knew that they needed to do something but the question was what? Maybe when she came back he should start making love to her again . He wanted her, but did she want him? If he moved close to her, stroking and kissing, if she felt his hardening pr**k pressing against her, would she roll on top of him and make love to him? Or would she feel he was
He blinked . He must have dozed off just for a second because she was back. She sat on the edge of the bed pulling at-shirt on . So, now wasn't the time to talk. He watched her slide into bed, her back to him. He had been going to suggest that they cuddle up together - for the closeness, the comfort of it - but seeing the t-shirt made him keep quiet. He'd like to have a cuddle; even more, he'd like to be inside her, having her knees dig into his ribs, her hair brushing his face. Tomorrow they'd talk. Tomorrow they'd sort this out somehow. Looking at her back he sighed, he really wanted to curl up against her. A moment later. "Are you awake?" "Yes." "So why don"t you come over here?" "Do you want me to?" "Yes." Some minutes later. The murmur of two voices drifts in the air. She lies with her back against his chest, her hands holding his hands where they rest against her shoulder and her breast. A t-shirt fonns a crumpled heap by the side of the bed.
Submissions for this page (short stories, 1800 words max, a·n d poetry) should be made to Kris Siefken in the Concrete office, or emailed to su.concrete@uea.ac.uk. Please include a contact number or email address. All rights revert to the author upon publication, although subsequent publications should acknowledge prior appearance in Concrete.
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rom us Well this is it, you were warned that the year would go quickly and as far as we're concerned it's gone a little too quickly. Pretty soon exams will be a distant memory and the Square will be a mass of families, graduation gowns and champagne. To those of you leaving UEA we hope that your time has been as enjoyable as ours, and that the Union has provided you with many good times. Just think of all those LCR's Retro's and Gigs, gone are the forgotten Thursdays and hazy Fridays, it's time to face the world. To those of you returning next year, you can expect to see a few changes around the building and the Union's outlets, you're in for an exciting year ahead with the new sabbatical team - we wish you and them the very best of luck. lt's been an interesting year for us, we've achieved agreat deal in our year, most of which you've never even been aware of. Highlights include the packed Ents schedule and the National March for Education. lt hasn't always been easy this year, we've faced plenty of petty opposition, and had to cope without a Communications officer, but we've still achieved so much for you and those who suceed us. We would like to thank Lisa Eldret, our recently departed Academic Officer, for all of her hard work and dedication this year and especially for representing your interests on countless numbers of University committees. We would also like to thank all of those who have made our year so enjoyable, notably all our year so enjoyable, notably all our staff and representatives who work tirelessly to ensure that the Union of UEA Stud~nts continues to be among the best in the country. From your ever decreasing Sabbatical team Claire Kober Wekfare Officer
Andy Marriott Finance Officer
UNIVERSITY PLAIN POST OFFICE PC Bell will be available for SATURDAY MORNING CLOSURE private consultation on any lt is necessary to change the business hours of the University Plain Post Office in order to maintain a full service at peak times and to bring the office in line with other campus offices. From Saturday 3 June University Plain Post Office will close for business and on following Saturday mornings. In the event of a need for Post Office services after that date please visit either Lovelace Road Post Office or Eartham House Post Office. Business Hours (week commencing 29 May)
Monday ) Tuesday ) Wednesday) Thursday ) Friday ) Saturday
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matter in DOS on 31 May and 14 June between 1-2pm. Also, Norfolk Constabulary are trying to get as many cultural viewpoints as possible from the local community so that officers who are trained can approach any given situation with an open mind. The police are looking for students who would be willing to attend some trainingsessions at County Hall to speak to small groups of 6 offices about their cultural and religious beliefs and answer questions, particularly on bereavment. The training sessions will take place on 13 June, 26 July and 6 September between 10.30am and 3 pm. Lunch will be provided together with payment for travelling and other expenses. Students can contact Janet Havers in DOS for further information.
lt's that time of year again, you've only got until May 31st to get your grant account request forms in. · Don't forget you've got the chance to include a justification sheet to tell me exactly why I should give your society loads of money. Don't let your society be-the one that misses out! · Andy Marriott Finance Officer
International Students.•• are you getting ready to leave UEA? Do you have kitchen equipment and cutlery you would like ·to sell? Then come to the .•.
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• ...Tuesday 13th and Thursday 15th June in The Hive (Union House), 11.00 ~til 3.00pm
Unfortunately, due to regulations we can't buy any electrical items from you. However, we will give you the going rate for second hand: saucepans, plates, cups, mugs, frying pans, chopping boards, graters, cutlery... We store the goods over the summer, and re-sell them to n~xt years international arrivals. The Bring & Buy sale is run as a service to students and is non-profit making.
6th - 7th - 8th June 2000
_Try Kayaking, Sailing or Windsurfing FREE Students are invited to take part in any of the above activities. Sailing and Windsurfing will take place on Oulton Broad and Kayaking on the Yare near Campus. All activities will be conducted by experienced/qualified members of the respective clubs. Powered safety cover will be operated for sailfng and windsurfing. Transport to Oulton will be by Union mini-bus. This will leave Union House at 9-30 each day returning between 6.00 and 7.OOpm. As those taking part will be at the venue all day there will be an opportunity for some to try both sailing and windsurfing. Kayaking will provide for one session of approxiamately two hours per day. r
Wet-suits will be provided for windsurfing but participants will have to provide suitable footwear ie. old trainers. Those taking part in sailing and kayaking will need warm clothing and footwear suitable for the activity. All participants will require a towel, swimming costume and change of clothes. Closing date for applications will be NOON WEDNESDAY 31ST MAY. Alist of places and session times will be put up in the Sports Centre by Friday 28 May. Successful applicants will be expected to confirm, or their places may be offered to other applicants.
Details from: Les Allworthy, Sports Co-ordinator. Union House Val Baker, Reception. Union House Vanda Turrell. Sports Centre WATBISPORTS WEEK B-B路Q Pre LCR barbeque on campus on Thursday 8th June. Food and LCR ticket included with reduction for club members and those who attended watersports week. Please see Sailing and Windsurfing club boards for further details.
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路. Wednesday 20th . September 2000 Helpers, Union.van drivers and coordinators needed to assist with new student arrivals. Rewards consist of: euu H lper T-s irts e UEI ticket e UEI ig tic et Sign up in the Student Advice Centre and attend the meeting where roles are allocated at 2:00 p.m Tuesday 19th September in The Hive.
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C ONCRETE W EDNESDAY, M AY
24, 2000
ear As the sporting year gradually comes to its end, Nick Hei1egan takes a look at the .~ highs and lows of UEA's sporting year, and to the hopes and dreams ahead ...
t's that time of year again. For most of UEA's sporty students the boots have been put to the back of the wardrobe and the kit has been washed and neatly folded away for the summer. So what could there possibly be to do during those long summer months? Well there's Euro 2000 of course but the interest in that will only last until the quarter finals when England get knocked out · and Wimbledon will be exactly the same. Oh and there's the Olympic Games, but they don't start until September. Another boring summer then? Not on your life. No, that's the beauty of sport, once it's all over people can chat about it for ages. But just in case you get sick of sitting in the pub reminiscing about that cracking goal England scored against Germany, or that special day when Tim Henman almost ,.. made it to the final of Wimbledon , Concrete is on hand to remind you of the triumphs, the nearlies and the disasters of UEA sport this year. Things kicked off · or should that be cast off? · brightly last June as the Women 's Boat Club excelled at the Henley Women's · Regatta. The coxed fours , comprising Helen Ferrier, Natasha Howard, Hannah Bloxham and Kale Pankhurst, with Adam Chapman at the helm , beat off a host of international talent to reach the semi-finals. The result meant that the team secured themselves a place in history by being the most successful UEA crew ever. In October UEA returned to BUSA competition with mixed results. ·While the Women's Football Team hammered Kent 7·1 , with Kelly Gray scoring a hat-trick, the , men, also playing Kent, went
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down 3·1. Meanwhile the rugby club was reeling from the news that they would be forced to play a season of non-competitive weekend rugby after the Norfolk League was disbanded. "There was no support from the clubs ... it became a farce ," said Norfolk RFU chiefs. "it's disappointing," concluded the Rugby Club.
their crown, the Seconds also put in an exceptional display, coming third overall. The display was particularly pleasing for the club as the year before they had only managed to grab second-from-last place. Also in November, the Boat Club showed that the win at Henley was no fluke and proved that they could replace senior members who had left in the
The highlight of November, after bonfire night of course, was the Korfball team's outstanding performance at the Inter· university Championships in
summer. At the Tiffin Head both the male and female senior crews won. "We realised the potential of new blood at the start of the year," revealed club Vice President John Etty. With Christmas approaching there was no sign that UEA were in charitable mood , as both the Men's Basketball and the Women 's Rugby teams fought their way to BUSA
There was something of a St Valentine's Day massacre in February as a host of UEA teams crashed out of BUSA Nottingham. While the Firsts beat defending champions Manchester University in the final to snatch
victory. Also in the winning mood was Rupert Gladstone, who, along with former UEA student Tim Lenton , won the gruelling Karrimore International Mountain Marathon. The pair were forced to carry their own food and camping equipment as they tackled some of Scotland's highest peaks over the two day event. The achievement was enough to earn Rupert the accolade of UEA's joint Sports Person of the Year. In the festive mood , though , were a group of UEA's sportsmen who donned skirts to take on the Women's Netball team in a charity match. Unsurprisingly, the women won but still convinced that the match could be snatched from the jaws of defeat the blokes insisted on taking the game into an unprecedented fifth quarter. Wheezed Union Sports Officer, lbi Gowan , who inexplicably turned out for the girls. "I never realised how tiring netball is". With the new Millennium in full swing and a restorative Christmas break under their belts, UEA's athletes put in a series of commanding performances in the County Cross Country Championships. Wayne Lincoln , Emily Collins and Lynn Potter all qualified to represent Norfolk in the national Inter-Counties Cross Country Championship. On the football pitch the Men's Firsts were also doing well. As well as excelling in the local league, which they were eventually to win , they reached the semi-finals of the Norfolk Junior Cup with a 1-0 quarter· final win against CEYMS thanks to a fine first half goal from Graeme Byrne. There was something of a St Valentines Day massacre in
February as a host of UEA teams crashed out of BUSA competition.
on a lack of strong opposition , Sports Centre bosses again pointed to the tact that there
was still the problem of Wednesday afternoon lectures to combat. With the Easter break approaching and the local leagues winding down , the end of the month was capped by the news of BUSA snooker success. England Students international , Chris Haydon was well on cue as he achieved his dream of winning the BUSA individual snooker title after he beat long time rival and fellow international Andy Cahoon of Northern Ireland in the final. And things improved further over April. While the Cricket Team were pipped to third place in the BUSA Indoor Cricket Championships, the Ten-Pin bowling club secured its first individual title in its short history as Dave North won the Student Men's Handicap Series Title. Meanwhile, the Boat Club were again the stars of the show as they collected three bronze medals at the BUSA regatta, their best performance ever. Also putting the performance of a lifetime was Jess Draskau who secured joint Sports Person of the Year with a tremendous display in the London Marathon which saw her come in as the top student runner and thirty-eighth overall. And -the Rugby Club finished the season strongly by winning the North Walsham Floodlit Sevens and a week later securing the Norfolk Plate at the expense of Fakenham . There we have it then. it's been a season of thrills, spills and blokes in skirts, but what could possibly be next? Well , with the new sports park and the profusion of grand plans that go with it on the horizon , there should be a bit more glory. Oh , and naked swimming, of course.
With the new Sports Park and the grand plans that go with it, there should be a bit more glory · oh, and naked swimming In the space of only two weeks out went all the football , hockey, badminton , squash , tennis and basketball teams. But it was not all bad . UEA's athletes performed well at the BUSA Cross Country Championships in Edinburgh, while the Equestrian Club was riding high after their second BUSA victory on the trot. But then there were none. By the start of March , with the exception of summer sports, there was not one team left in BUSA competition, a sorry state of affairs that prompted furious debate among UEA's sporting community. While the Union and clubs blamed the failures
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CONCRETE W EDNESDAY, M AY
24, 2000
• SPORT 29
www.concrete-online.co.uk
Wicked wicket Cricketer Alan Sharlom has been caught out by league bosses for yelling Ali G catch phrases when he takes a wicket. Instead of shouting " Howzat!" the cheeky bowler shouts " Boyakashal" and " Bo Selectal" but opponents complained, suggesting that his banter was designed to put off the bewildered batsmen. Club Captain, David Bridges, said, " Aian's a nice guy and a great bowler. But I've asked him to keep his Ali G impressions for the bar".
Eighth wonder
Concrete looks back on another season of mediocrity for City_
A young golfer made an astonishing entry into the sport by scoring a hole in one on his first ever round. Sco.tt Bradshaw, 13, aced the 160 yard eighth hole at Norton Golf Club on Teesside. Said Scott, " My Dad bet that I wouldn't get a hole in one. His face was picture when I got home."
Villa or villa?
By NICK PHILPOTT
AS THE domestic football season reached its climax and our thoughts turned to Euro 2000, holiday brochures and beer gardens, the mighty Canaries failed to pull themselves out of the mid-table mire. No one could argue that Norwich City's season has been anything better than mediocre, and their twelfth place finish fell way below the high hopes of the fan at the beginning of the season. Similarly, the gap of 20 points to the play-off positions shows that City have never really been promotion contenders, particularly after a poor start which saw them dangerously close to the drop in September.
Faithful League results have ranged from the highs of victory over the nowpromoted Manchester City, and play off contenders Ipswich Town and Bolton, to defeat against whipping boys Swindon Town. The cup competitions were definitely worth forgetting for the City faithful, as Norwich lost in the third round of the FA Cup at home to Coventry City (Coventry's on ly away win since colour television has been introduced) and crashed out of the Worthington Cup in spectacular fashion, losing 6-0 on aggregate to Fulham. The reason for this, as any of you who have been to a game will testify, is the meagre return of 45
league goals in 46 games, which i half of the total that the winners Charlton managed. Quite why this i so low i hard to judge, although the season-long injuries to the midfield megastars Bellamy and Mulryne have made it hard to find a partner for the impressive lwan Roberts , who scored over 20 goals. This season also saw the departure of talented winger Darren Eadie to a life of Premiership football with Leicester City, for a £3 million fee. In the background to all this has been a change of manager, as respected coach Bruce Rioch decided to depart, reputedly due to the Eadie sale and the lack of ambition in the Club.
HowevJ~~J~~pection
of his record while at Carrow Road (W30, D30, L30) would not seem to match up to the size of his own opinion of himself.
Delia Smith quickly installed City's Director of Football and former Northern Ireland manager Bryan Hamilton, who began his reign with an impressive win. Even more satisfying for orwich fans was that the victory was again t play-off finalist~ and local rivals Ipswich. Despite these problems, there has been no struggle against relegation and there appears to be grounds for success next season.
CITY STATS
Money for nothing
DMSION ONE
10.QPR 11.Bik'bn 12.Norwich 13.Tran'mre 14.Not'm F
Aston Villa fanatic, Ray Hodgetts, has turned down a free luxury holiday in the Caribbean just so he can see his beloved team in the FA Cup final. Ray and his wife, Janice, had been invited to spend a week in a £5 million villa owned by a wealthy tycoon who offered the holiday as a gift after Janice worked as a house keeper in the millionaire's England home. But Ray rejected the opportunity and told his wife, " You go to your villa and I'll go to mine."
PWDLGSPt 18 12 62 66 16 14 55 62 1517 45 57 12 19 57 57 14 18 53 56
46 16 4615 46 14 46 15 46 14
NORWICH CITY TOP SCORERS lwan Robtlrts 17 Lee Marshal! 5
In this day and age, what with the Internet providing information at the touch of the button and the reasonable price of a local phone call, you would have thought it would be easy to find out how your favourite team was faring. Not so, it would seem, for ITN's Africa Correspondent, Tim Ewart, who spent £100 calling BBC Radio Suffolk from Pretoria for a report on the play-off clash between Ipswich Town and Bolton Wanderers.
Development The impact of Phi! Mulryne and Welsh whizkid Craig Bellamy cannot be underestimated, while the likes of Dalglish and Ru sell were continually showing signs of development as the season progre sed. City will hope that with this season slipping away unnoticed, next season will see them challenging and giving us all a bit more to shout about.
OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY 7 DAYS A WEEK • 20 Snooker tables • 4 pool tables •satellite TV • Video Games • £250 jackpot machines • Hot and cold food available 24 .hours a day, 7 days a week • Licensed bar at low prices 10am·11pm, 12·10.30pm Sun
ISTUDENT MEMBERSHIP £1 I S. Mary's Plain, Norwich Tel: 627478 Only 5 minutes from Norwich market
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CONCRETE W EDNESDAY, M AY
24, 2000
New Sgorts Officer gromises better Busa results for UEA By CAROLINE JEATER THE OPENING of the new sports park is set to finally herald a new era of sportin g success for UEA. And with this transitional year approaching. the Union Sports Officer is likely to have an even more im port ant ro le. Elected with an 80 \·otc majority o\er his nearest rival. Mark Atkinson is now aiming hi gh. .. The biggest aim is making sure that all students get fair use of the ne" Sports Centre. and there is the right mix of students and e lite athletes. While \\C want th ese athletes because we have to improve sport here. it needs to prm ide for everyone.
Disappointing But the disappointing BUSA res ults thi s season have fou nd few of the major clubs tak ing honours at national level. This is a situation that Mark is hoping can be reversed in the future. especial ly if a new restruc turing plan of the BUSA leagues takes off as planned. .. BUSA is going to be split up differen tly, we could possibly be in a different divis ion and instead of pl ay in g London teams we will be facing teams from De Montfort, Leicester and Bedford. it co ul d also inc lude Loughborough. but as they are in the Pre mier League the majority of our teams won' t have to face them.
we kno\\ that at the moment they arc out of our league:·
Facilities With an ever increasing number of sports clubs battling l'or funding and training filCili ties. perhaps the most pressing problem ha> been trying to ma~c sun: that all clubs arc equa lly represented in terms or funding and sponsorship. And Mark is keen to see that the main sports at UEA get the support they deserve ... We need to realise that the outdoor sports are the main ones. I mean rugby. hockey. cricket and footba ll · the sports that bring in the most people. .. The Union ·s policy is sport for all , so those are the ones we need to concentrate on - not just the top I0 swimmers for example ...
a
n
opening
of the sports park a r e l
he
Controversy The controversy ove r keeping Wed nc;sd ay aftern oons free fo r sport is one argument that is still caus ing headaches. and he hopes to see more coope ration with the university in making sure th at those studen ts wanting to compete gel their chance. ··o ne o'clock is supposed to be the cut off.
ran
By ALEX AFTER SEVEN m onths of hard c ompetition, t he UEA Grand Prix has reached its thrilling conclusion. Going into the final event, which t ook p lace on Wednesday, May 10, it was between Sal's Marrows and last years runners up Feche la Vache. And it was Sal 's Marrows who triumphed in the athletics competition and claimed Grad Prix victory. With a score of 260 points they were just four points ahead of Feche la Vache, leaving them to rue their luck for another year. But at least Sal's Marrows were happy. " lt was a great victory.
pressure on the uni versi ty... For Mark
Everyone put in lots of effort and performed really well " said team member Scott Tooley (MTH 2).
Enthusiasm Third place was claimed by Blappers with a commendable 229 points and they also received a special " Enthusiasm Award" for their dedication to the competition.
start of a long term process to boost all spo rts. He adds, '· I am rea ll y look ing forward to it, I thin k it is going to be a new era for sport at UEA ...
KENNING Silverware was _also claimed by the top first year team, Moomins 'R Us, who were slightly off the pace with 170 points.
Battling The Grand Prix started back in Octol1er with the Fun Run and ever since the 17 teams have been battling it out in events rangi ng fro m five-aside football to an obstacle course. Although 17 teams and over 150 people took part in this year's event, numbers have been decreasing steadily in
recent years, from a peak of over 30 teams in 1997. " Over the last few years the number of teams competing has dropped, but we are hoping to revitalise the event next year with the Sports Park and sponsorship deals ," explained Assistant Director of Sport and Physical Education , Dave Crosford.
Competing " We want to attract more first year teams so they can stay involved for the full three years," he added.
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c CONCRETE W EDNESDAY, MAY
SPORT 31
www.concrete-online.co.uk
24, 2000
Dorsett and Prince score a 40 RartnershiR to secure victory for UEA over OP-ening day victims, Middlesex By NICK HENEGAN, Sports Editor on the brink of victory. Yet Middlesex refused to give up the game, and when Knott was bowled for two runs it looked as If UEA would be denied victory. But Prince and Garrod rode left them with no less than five the storm of Middlesex ducks and floundering at 36 for 6.
FOLLOWING THEIR impressive performance in the BUSA indoor competition, the Men's First XI started the outdoor season in the best possible fashion with a win over Middlesex University. The match, which was played on Sunday, May 7, saw a commanding bowling performance that almost counted for nothing as UEA lost a series of early wickets. But a 40 run partnership between Prince and Dorsett secured a two wicket victory. Having travelled to Middlesex, UEA won the toss and put the home team Into bat.
bowling and fielding performance, UEA managed to limit their hosts to just 88 all out. The pick of the bowlers was Brazill, who left the opposition stumped with figures of 3 for 26, whl.le Cook, Cotes and Prince each notched up two wickets.
Dispatched The decision seemed to be paying off as they took first blood with just 12 runs on the board, and thing got even better for UEA as Cook and Cotes dispatched the next two Kent batsmen for the addition of just three runs. In what was a tight
Confident UEA went Into bat confident of reaching their target without too much trouble, but they were soon proved wrong as some aggressive bowling from the Middlesex openers
et Brazil l b M.Coles 10 et Stevens b J.Cook 2 b M.Coles 0 et Dorset! b J.Cook 3 et Stevens b M. Prince 26 et Garrod b A.Brazill 10 et Nott b A.Brazill 0 et Dorsett b A.Brazill 0 et Coles b M.Prince 0 lbw b L.Garrod 16 NOT OUT 2 Total (3 1 avers) 88 all out
0 J.Cook M.Coles A.Brazil I M.Prince L.Garrod
6
7 8 8 2
M 2 2 0 5 0
bowling but, as usual, our batting flagged," appraised team captain James Stevens. On the team's hope for the rest of the BUSA competition James added, " Hopefully we will end up near the top of the league:路
Wickets But the seventh wicket partnership of Prince and Dorsett were unfazed by the loss of early wickets and quickly settled Into their partnership. it was their combination of patient but aggressive batting that brought UEA right back Into the match and when exceptional opener, Dorsett was finally bowled leg before wicket for 40 runs they were
UEA Innings
Middlesex Innings S.Shegal H.Anwar F.Mir T.Kahn N.Singh P.Khagram A .Mundiya M.Hussain A.Sehgal R.Sood R.Sindhu
pressure and reached their target with two wickets In reserve. " lt was vital for us to win. We fielded well as a unit and put pressure on with the
R 14 23 26 12
7
w 2 2 3 2
P.Dorsett J.Melhorn M.Roberts J.Stevens G.Taylor M.Coles J.Cook M.Prince C.Knott L.Garrod
lbw
et
et Total
0 Mir Kahn Singh Raquib Anwar
8 8 5 2 2.1
M
b Raquib b Mir b Mir b Mir b Mir b Khan b M1r NOT OUT b Smgh NOT OUT (25 . 1 avers)
R 22 1 30 2 13 14 0 0 3 UEA won by 2 wickets
40 0 0 10 0 0 0 11
2 1 89-8
w 5 1 0 1 0
UEA hit out against Middlesex
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Award fest
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Rug~y
1st's steal troRby double with final victory over Fakenham By LUKE TURNER, Rugby Correspondent THE MEN' S Rugby Firsts finished their season with a flourish pace which gave him th e space to as two second half tries from Peter Taggart secured a spread the ball to Dwight, who pushed triumphant victory in the Norfolk Plate final . it wide to Taggart who burst down the UEA travelled to Fakenham on Saturday, May 6, eager to double their wing to score his second season's trophy tally after their victory in the orth Walsham Sevens j ust a try of the half and secure • week earlier. the victory. But it was soon clear that that there Doyle, who then found John Pritchard With I 0 minutes would be no walkover. who bounded over the line for the try. left, UEA made it 21-5 Wi th the Fakenham defence solid UEA stretched their lead to 18-5 with a Dwight penal ty. and temperatures soaring, scoring after another stunning move. The game was lost opportunities were scarce. Ryan McVeigh showed a nash of bu t Fakenham refused Nevertheless, after just nine minutes UEA were three points to the good after fly-ha lf John Dwight converted a penalty.
Unconvincing But they were unable to extend their lead before half time due to some strong play by the Fakenham forwards . After the break, UEA looked like a different team and it took them only ·""" three minutes to score their first try of the afternoon as Taggart received the ball on the wing and brushed aside some unconvincing tackles before touching down in the corner. It was clear, though, that UEA could not rest on their laurels and five minutes later they were punished as the Fakenham forwards proved too strong and barged the ball over the line to bring the score back to 8-5.
Destined · It stayed that way until the final quarter of the match. when some inspired play from the UEA backs put the tie beyond rakenham. In just ft\'e minutes two tries ensured that the plate \\as destined to make it to UEA for the ne\t year. The fiN wa' ,C( ur hy Dwight. who buN through the home 'idc ·s defence before pa"ing the ball out to Paul
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to lie down and in the final minutes their forwards pushed over for a try. The score was left at 21-10 and as the final whistle blew there were cheers of delight from the travelling faithful as UEA lifted the Plate. Said proud team member, Ryan McVeigh, "We expected to win, but we are very pleased because th e club hasn't won a 15 a side trophy for a long time."
AS THE sporting year drew to a close, UEA's sporting community gathered to honour the achievements of top c lubs and individuals at the annual Service to Sport Awards last week. The ceremony, which took place in the Sainsbury Centre, saw awards handed out for outstanding performance: and service to University sport, and a s peech from Welsh International fencer Cathy Davis. The most prestigious award, Sports Person of the Year, was shared this time around by two of UEA's top athletes. Training partners, Rupert Gladstone and Jess Draskau jointly claimed l=i•---====~a-.=;_...; .......J the accolade after their marathon successes. While Rupert - along with former UEA student Tim Lenton - won the gruelling Karrimore International Mountain Marathon, Jess put in an outstanding performance in the London Marathon to finish as top student and a fantastic thirty-eighth overall in the women 's race. Said Rupert, " I found out that I was going to win in March and then after Easter I found out that someone else was also getting it I knew Jess had done well and we train together so I was just hoping it would be her:•
....
Delighted "I'm delighted to win but I think Jess and Tim deserve it just as much as me,'' he added modestly. Jess, who was running for the charity BREAK, was similarly delighted with the award, saying, " I' m chuffed to bits. I'd just like to thank all of the people who gave me so much support." The Men's Team of the Year was won by the Indoor Cricket team who were denied a place in the final of the BUSA Indoor Championships in the cruellest possible circumstances after losing in a bowl off. But their third place finish was enough to secure them the award.
Corn mended The Women 's Hockey Club was also commanded as the Firsts bagged the Women's Team Award after a tremendous season in the local league and a degree of BUSA success. The Club as a whole was honoured wit h_the Progress Award. Individuals were also given the Service to Sport Award for t heir contribution and commitment to sport at UEA. While Paul Beal was credited with almost single handedly keeping the Sailing Club afloat, Jamie Older was acknowledged for his six years' service to the Hockey Club as both a player and a coach. The event capped a year of mixed fortunes for UEA's sports teams, but there was optimism that once the Sports Park is up an running the University will be up there with the best.