Concrete issue 124 14 03 2001

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Issue 124 路Wednesday, March 14, 2001

STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR

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FREE

Camgus network victim of web grank

by KATIE HIND, News Editor

SURFING STUDENTS were left red-faced when a popular website was sabotaged with porn by perverted pranksters.

Hotmail turned into hot sex when students logged on to the famous free email service - only to be greeted with an invitation to watch "Lolita's sex videos".

Network bosses at UEA's IT service at first thought the hitech hijinks was another in a series of high profile attacks on the Microsoft-run site, until a Concrete investigation tipped them off that only campus computer users were affected.

The attack, which was staged on the morning of Friday, March 9, didn't affect students at either 1~搂~~::""'1 Cambridge University or Anglia Poly1echnic University, both of which share a high speed interne! connection with surfers at UEA. Other web users up

and down the country were unaffected by the prank, which also took its toll on numerous other American-based websites.

Close look Techies acted immediately to shut off access to the sites while they took a closer look at the practical joke.

"We stopped access to Hotmail at first until we could find out where the problem was," explained ITCS Head of User Services, Steve Mosley.

"First of all we thought it was hackers trying to direct people to go to the porn site if they went

to Hotmail. But on investigation we found an incorrect entry in our domain name server cache."

The domain name server acts like a phonebook, converting website names to the interne! ID number of the computer where the webpages are stored.

"As yet, we do not know the reason for this incorrect entry, but a likely source is the external site that provides UEA with the domain name server look up for .corn sites ," added Mr Mosley.

And he re-assured students that UEA's network is secure.

"We found no sign of hacker attacks on our servers," he added.

But security was the last thing on the minds of porn-loving students. "I would have watched it and I wouldn't have been at all embarrased , I love porn," said Rob Plummer (CHE 1).

2 NEWS

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Concrete WEDNESDAY, M ARC H 14, 2001

DELEGATES ELECTED .

NINE delegates, who will resent UEA at the annual National Union of Students conference next month were elected last week.

Current sabbs Becky Thorn , Emma Price and Polly Morgan all won places, as well as Women's and Community and International Officers Lee Webster and Matthews. other winners were Alex

THIS YEAR'S LOVE THE BBC are appealing for you ng people to take part in a TV documentary about life and love in Britain today.

Th e series, which is currently being made, aims to fea ture late tee ns and twenty-somethings talking about sex and everyday life in the 21st century.

If yo u want to take part contact Emma Slack on 020 7241 9241 email he r at or emma.slack @walltowa ll .co.uk

be a success.

The project will mean there will be bins for paper, cans, plastic in each kitchen, well as a glass bank on Suffolk Road.

strike

Union miss chance to support

By NICK HENEGAN

BUNGLING UNION bosses robbed UEA students of the chance to join a national protest against crippling debt, a Concrete investigation has revealed.

Wh ile lec ture theatre ' ac ros' the country were left empt y on llmrsday. M arch I as th ousand s of students j oined in a day of boycottin g classes. student s at UEA carried on as norm aL The on e day ' tudent strike was boycoll because we didn' t have the the ce ntrepiece of a week of demos support of the teac hers union, so if we had :,upported it we would have organi sed by th e National Uni on of Students to hi ghli ght the problem got student s in to trouble, bcca w.e of student debt teac her' wouldn' t ha\'e given them But co nru,cd Union offi cers the day off." cl aimed NUS Olflccr.

M eli ssa Ahrchart.

Refused " We did research it because we rea ll y wa nt ed to do it. bu t if it's refu se d to bach. the boycott. ac tuall y going to harm stu dent\ because th e) thought th at local leaching unions were opposed to grades th e Un ion j ust ca n' t support the acti on - when in fac t the) it" 'he added. supported it all along.

But accordin g to Dr Gcorgc " We didn ' t support the lecture Smi th . the Assoc iation of

(AU T ) Un i\crsity Teac hers rcp rescn tali\c on campus. UEA's biggest teac hing union did \ uppon student s hoycolling lectures. " The AUT does su pport th e N S act ion but this is not an AUT protest \0 we wcren 't called upon to cance l lec tures. But it's nol a muller of cance lling lectures - because if we did you wouldn't have a boycoll ... he explained.

"The studenb have to do what the) feel is necessary to gel the ir point acro\s hut to say that the AUT

Support did not support the NUS action is cra1y." added Dr Smi th .

NUS chiefs in London were also baffled by the Union's dec ision.

"Our informat ion was that

Nati ona l Assoc iation for Teachers in Further and Higher Educat ion and th e AUT did support th e boycott ll

Curious all sounds a hit curi ous. there must be crossed wi res so mewhere;路 said a NUS spoJ..espcrso n.

And student s were di sappointed th at they were n't give n th e chance to take direct acti on aga in st fees.

Sai d M ark Tanner (LAW 2), " I wo ul d defini tely bee n up for boycollin g lect ures. I wen t on the fees march last year. Th e Union sho ul d ha\'e given us the choice."

In stead. th e Uni on路, protests ce ntred on creatin g a wall of debt. leading lO th e prese nt ation of a J.:.f.Sm debt cheq ue to llomc Oni ce mini, tcr Charl es Clarkc.

A LIBERATING EXPERIENCE UEA'S LIBERATIONS groups got their say last week when they campaigned for equa l rights as part of a week of freedom.

Liberations Week saw the LGB society put on a play live in the Square in protest at Sec tion 28,

INFORMATION MEE 1ING

Monday 19th March Between 4 . 30pm and 6. 30pm UEA, Norwich, Elizabeth Fry Building, ~ne a !! D llil~& Room 01.10

which deals wit h th e teaching of homosex uality in schools.

Petitions Women also call ed out for th ei r rights by presenting a play, Va gin a Monologues, as well as getting together petitions, fo llowed by Li berations

party in the LCR. LGB President, Jon Cox b randed the week a success.

'The messages we were carrying was quite complicated and it needed a lot of explaining, but we l1ad a lot of interest and got lots of signatures on our petitions," sai d Jon.

JUST TURN UP - OR, call in advance for afree info pack and application forms.

CALL NOW TO BOOK AN

I NTERVIEW ON THE DAY

Concrete

WEDNESDAY, MARCH

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14, 2001

NEWS3

events, focusing on stories and celebrities in the news. programme is set to lively and the first filming will place at the Magdalen Street studios on March 16, with free refreshments and an Ikon ticket dished out to audience members.

For more information call Gezz on 01603 752426.

Student left unconscious by vicious thug!

By KATIE HIND News Editor

AN ASIAN student was left bruised and battered after being beaten up by a gang of youths in the University car park.

The second-year student was knocked unconscious and spent the night in hospital after vicious thug attacked him as he was leaving the Pam's House club night in the LCR on Saturday, February 24.

"I was with five friends and two of us fell behind. We went into the car park to get our a lift home from our friends," said the Polynesian student, who wished to remain anonymous.

Racist "Then a man came up to me and gave me loads of racist abuse, I told him it wasn't very nice and we got into an argument."

"The next thing I knew four of his friends g<;lt out of their car and jumped me. Then I remember waking up in an ambulance," he added.

And the student launched a stinging attack on his racist attckers.

"I think it's childish and totally

uncalled for," he said.

"I was out trying to have a good time with my mates and I was attacked in an unprovoked way," added the Management student.

University Liason Officer, PC Richard Bell is appealing for witnesses to come forward to help catch the villains.

"We haven't found anyone yet, but the attacker is thought to be the owner of a white Nova and there were at least two or three others who may have taken part in the assault," said PC Bell.

Assault "It's a serious assault which potentially could have been a lot more serious as the boy was knocked unconscious. It was a

racist attack and that's how we are treating it," he added .

University Security Coordinator Ron Elliott insists UEA is safe but warned students not to leave club nights alone.

Unusual "As always , people should always leave events with their friends to avoid walking on their own and to keep to well -used, well-lit areas," said Mr Ellioll.

"These type of attacks or any kind of assault is unusual and things with racial motivation are even less," he added.

Witnesses should call PC Richard Bell on 01603 768769 or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 Ill .

PICTURE THIS AN ACCLAIMED expert will take to the sky when he teams up with the University next month to lead an aerial photography course.

Derek Edwards, who is a retired aerial photographer for Norfolk Museums Service will run the 20-meeting course, which also looks at archaeology.

And Mr Edwards is looking forward to the course - and is urging anyone with an interest in photography to join in.

"I am very excited about the prospect of getting started.

"There are no requirements for the course apart from an interest in aerial photography," he said.

For more information, call 01603 593266

ELECTION THREAT

Militant students to disruRt ballot

PROTESTING STUDENTS are set to disrupt the non-sabbatical elections this week in an attempt to make candidates disclose their political standing.

The group, who call themselves the Political Openness Society are threatening to run a countercampaign to reveal the political affiliations of the contenders.

Threatened: Thursday's vote

And depending on a ballot of its members, the gang, who are to make a complaint to the Union's Elections Committee about the subject, may try to ruin Thursday's elections.

Communications Officer, Wayne Barnes denies that a complaint has been made but is still concerned about the actions of the group.

"Up until now the Returning Officer has not received any official complaint and thus the Elections Committee will not sit," said Wayne.

"Obviously we are concerned with suggestions of disruptions and will do all that is practically possible to reduce or prevent it," he added.

â&#x20AC;˘ Last week a complaint was made to the Union over the NUS delegate elections, alter a block email was circulated, claiming to reveal the political views of certain candidates. Students Forum was due to receive a report on the subject from Elections Committee yesterday.

ICH PEOPLE CARRIER ÂŁ6

4 NEWS

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Concrete

W EDNESDAY, M ARCH

14, 2001

NEWS IN BRIEF The king of veg A KEEN gardener has sung his way into the Guinness Book of Records for having the biggest vegetables ever.

Barry Micklethwhite claims he grows King-sized veg by singing Elvis songs to them.

His giant parsnip, which won him a place in the famous book, grew to a massive 3ft in length.

Phony funds A WOMAN in Texas got away with $137 change after handing over a bogus $200 note - with George Bush on one side and the White House lawns saying rooms for rent on the other.

And police even claimed that the note, which was used to pay for snacks at a local dairy, was too obviously fake to be considered a counterfeit.

Sea ya A NORWEGIAN driver has been jailed for 18 days for throwing a speed camera into the sea after it caught him speeding.

The motorist returned to the scene three days after it flashed, to dismantle the camera and hurled it into the sea.

Police found the camera with the film still intact.

Genius in a bottle?

A BOOZE-LOVING engineer has invented a talking vodka bottle that suggests another round of drinks every time the top is taken off.

The bottle, that was invented in Russia, suggests another round of drinks every time the top is removed and as more vodka is drunk, it sings drinking songs and laughs loudly.

Historic victory A WOMEN'S soccer team notched up the biggest score in the history of the game when they beat their opponents 57-0.

Every Willenjhall Town player hit the back of the net during the amazing victory - even the goalkeeper and manager.

Security chief's warning after P.honecalls

By KATIE HIND News Editor

UEA STUDENTS and staff have been issued with a stern warning to remain on guard at all times after science staff were questioned about their work with animals.

Security co-ordinator. Ron Elliot t alerted staff and students via ema il after suspicious phone ca lls were made to a researcher and a recep tionist in the last two weeks.

The caller,. who lied about And ju'>l a week later. a B 10 their identities. were seeking receptionist was interrogated by a information abou t any worh female ca ll er ashing questions about the use of animal parts for research. that takes place with animals.

During the lirst week in The caller c laimed she was from March a female researcher at Arts and gave a false name · which the John lnnes Centre was is not registered with the University approached by someone want · at all.

Mr Elliott fears that the staff ing to know about their work could be at risk from \Cry extreme with animab. activists - and he wants everyone to he aware of the situation.

"Staff have been approached by people asking about what acti,ity takes place at various establish· menh. including the UEA in relation to work with animals:· said the security hms.

wish you were [X) ffi\ [?[?V more often? (now you can be ... )

Extreme ··1 put out a reminder for everyone to be very carefu l about people approaching them. because we have seen some of the extreme act ion that animal rights ac ti vist s have taken. which has resulted in people being badly assau lted and injured:· "We don't know if these people have contact with any of these

extreme activists. "lt would appear from the information they gave that they are not genuine. so you question the motives of people who use those sorts of tactics," he added.

But Mr Ellioll insists that the warning is just a safeguard and staff should not feel threatened.

"We want to make sure that we keep an eye on staff and 'tuden ts at the University who may and could possibly be subject to any form of

that bchm iour. lt is just a precaution. nohod) has hcen threatened." he added.

Attacks Huntingdon Life Sciences. an animal research lab 111 Cambridgeshire. almost shut as a resu lt of violent attacks on its staff and backers , the most recent of which saw its managing director attacked with a baseball hat outside his home.

MONEY WORRIES Uni bosses slam new funding_P,Ian

UNIVERSITY bosses have branded a new above inflation fun ding increase as insufficient.

They claim that the derisory sum - 3.3% above inflation - is not enough to make up for the fall in funding per student over the last ten years .

UEA will share the £4.75 billion bonanza from the Higher Education and Funding Council for England (HEFCE) with other universities across the country.

New Happy Hours The Graduate Students ' Club Monday-Fri day 7 -8p m £I Kronenberg, Gu1nness . Fosters . St rongbow. Bass.

Polly's Folly. Bombadier, & Old Speckled Hen (other offers available at bar... )

But the University's Director of Communications, Alan Preece claims the cash will be not enough for the money that has been lost in the past.

Complex "The funding of universities is a complex area which includes both the Higher Education Council element and research funding, which comes through different ro utes and in which UEA has been very successful during the past year," explained Mr Preece.

"This HEFCE award does not go very far to make up lost ground, as funding per student has declined by 38% in real terms since 1989," he added.

And the University cuts could

also leave the Union with less in the pot.

They plan for a 2% reduction in their funding each year and Union Communications Officer, Wayne Barnes claims this could have damaging effects on campus facilities for students.

Reduction "We are unaware of what the outcome wi ll be if the reduction does occur, but obviously we will become more dependent on our commercial outl ets," said Wayne.

"I f this does not replace the lost funds I would perceive the loss to occur in replacing assets and we expect to find if or how much a reduction will take place at the end of May," he added.

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LAW students rubbish new course structure

By CHARLOTTE RONALDS Assistant News Editor

LAW students are up In arms following a move to abolish all second year free choice units, and they claim their degrees will suffer as a result.

All first years on Law, and Law with European Legal Systems courses received a letter stating that a Earlham Hall bosses are set to make all first and second year units compulsory.

And the change, to be introduced in September, will also see all 10 credit units scrapped.

The school claims the revamp is necessary because of the "heavy and intellectually demanding" workload required on the courses.

But Law undergraduates are furious at the decision, arguing that

rather than a need to reduce the workload, it is staffing problems that are driving the cutbacks.

"It does seem that they've got major staffing problems at the moment. This year one of my options was cancelled after the first 10 credits because one of the lecturers went on sabbatical and so the lecturer doing my unit had to fill in," said Verity Eunson, (LAW 2).

And staff issues seem not to be the only worry as overcrowding is on the increase.

"One of the lecturers is on long-terms sick leave which means that two seminar groups have been pushed into one, with 30 students

in it," added Peter Scarf (LAW I).

But, Dean of Law, Or Caroline Ball defended the plans - claiming that staff numbers are not an issue.

Optional "Because of faculty illness we've had to cancel one or two units but it's nothing to do with this reorganisation," said Or Ball.

"The driver behind the changes is the fact that we were conscious that some of our students were doing too many optional subjects in their final year and were possibly not getting as good a degree as they might deserve," she added.

Yet students feel that they are being hard done by.

Dubious "It doesn't affect our work load at the moment and I have yet to meet any student with any worries so I'm dubious," said Jarnie Ratcliff (LAW I).

"I'd prefer it if they re-evaluated the situation, but I don 't think that they will."

FIVE TAKE ACTION

Students stage exhibition in spite of stingy uni WAM students have finally got the green light to exhibit their work after months of misery.

The students will display their work in the show named "Five Take Photos", which is a compulsory , part of their course, writes Charlotte Ronalds.

Allison, Jenny Jenny Thompson, Vicki Gould, Daniel Heywood and Bessie Goldsmith, who are studying Photography, will at last be able to exhibit their work after nightmares with location and funding.

Exhibition The exhibition project is worth 40 credits and they had to organise and fund it entirely by themselves.

But the students faced problems after the Sainsbury's

Centre said they were too busy to host the exhibition - and the University refused to stump up

Expected

students by offering them the venue for free and giving them an additional ÂŁ70 funding.

"The Arts Centre is probably a better venue because it's in town so it won't just be students who

any funds for the project.

"The University hasn't helped Relaxing us at all, but I guess we never expected the!'ll to," said Daniel see our work," explained Daniel.

Heywood, one of the students "lt's just a nice place and much whose work will feature in the more relaxing," he added. exhibition.

I Yet despite their recent luck, the The show will be held in the students are still short of funding. cafe Bar at the Norwich Arts lt will cost them ÂŁ400 to put on the Centre from April 22 to May 1 and exhibition, but they're hoping to entry is free. raise some of the cash by selling And the centre has proved their photos. to be helpful to the r-::============"~

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FILM STAR FUNDRAISER The LCR will be turned into Hollywood for a night when RAG society present their Oscar Ball later th is month.

Students should dress up as movie star or character m a film for the night. will be pop music an soundtracks in the LCR

nated to Hope House, a k charity which raises oney for disadvantaged ildren .

PROTEST AGAINST DEBT Students are being given the chance to protest against world debt at the GB summit in July.

Anyone who is interesed in travelling to Italy should attend a meetin g on Wednesday, March 21 at 12 noon in Union House, Room 1.33.

OFF THEIR HEADS? TWO maths lecturers will be swapping their calculators for shears when they have their heads shaved for charity.

Or Thomas Ward and Or Hammerton will lose their locks in the Hive on Red Nose Day - if maths students can collect 拢500.

UniversiW. bosses change rules on pj@giarism

By CHARLOTTE RONALDS Assistant News Editor

UNIVERSITY bosses have re-written their policy on cheating in an attempt to stop innocent students from having their records smeared. ll1e university has changed i ts poli cy on plagiarism and co llusion in order to stop students from being accused of being di!>honest replacing guidelines last revi sed in December 1997.

Th e move is to stop staff writing letters to students' school s if they believed th at pl agi arism or collu>ion had occurred, but could not prove their >uspi cion.

Chiefs thought the letters could be damaging to the ' tudcnt. as they

have been all owed to remai n on the fil e - even if the >uspicion of plagiari sm is later th rown out.

Guidelines Section 4.5(b) of the Guidelines for the Faculty and Administrative

staiT which read s: " If the lectu rer cannot prove his or her suspicion" will be deleted from the policy and be repl aced with the new cl ause, ''If the lecturer cannot prove that an offence has been comm itted. the !>t udcnt must be informed that no ac tion wi ll be forthcom ing and no record shall be maintained.''

Dean of History. Profcs>or Edward Acton is happy with the change.

Approve " I thoroughly appro ve of the rewrite. UEA is ve ry enlightened. it's spot on and a great piece of justi ce," sa id Professor Acton.

"Wh at muddles me is th at is that it was ever different. hut that's not th e issue here, the i>sue is the new rule," he added.

But students don't 'cc m to be aware of what th e curre nt pl agiarism ru le> ac tuall y arc .

Logical " I dellnitely de tec t a certai n logical coherence in thi !> change. I feel most people plagiari se and take a lot of libert ies. I plagiarise all the time." said a first-year WAM student.

And Lydia Wildc (BIOI ) agreed.

"I didn't know it was that big a deal. but obviou, !y it's rea ll y important. " I think it \ good that student>

Happy: HIS Dean, Edward Acton

should he given the benefit of th ~ doubt :路 she said.

Pl ag iarism and co ll u<,ion can lead lo be ing an academic or disc ipl inary matter, depending on whe ther it j, a first offcncl!, ho"

scwrc the case is and what the intelllions or the ' tudent are.

Innocent >tu dents accused or plagiarism shouId no longer have their records smeared. thanks to the rule change .

COOKINCi UP A STORM

TWO UEA lecturers have rubbished claims that food poisoning outbreaks are a result of poor cooking - after completing ground-breaking research.

ENV lecturers Or lan Langford a nd Dr Graham Bentham have scotched the lo ng-held belief that the tummy bugs are caused by a lack of culinary skills, and instead blame unhygienic farms and abattoirs, writes Sarah Shubinsky.

The work , wh ich was th e 1980s, when there were lots . - - - - - ------. published of hot summers. in New T he pair fo und that food Scientist, poisoning outbreaks were linked to heatwaves whe n the food was looked at food being prod uced, two to three poisoning weeks before people got ill. incidents Blamed since the "Th e con sum er has always 70s and been blamed , but now it looks found th at like th e whole food production the process is th e culprit," said Or number of Langford . outbreaks "In hot weather, animal s are shot up in

more vulnerable to germs and they may be transported up to 400 miles to be slaughtered, and when they get to the abattoir, and have caught diseases en route, they are at risk of crossinfection ," he added .

Poisoning And Or Langford is now calling for more funds to be put in to research to cut out poisoning .

"There were 90,000 cases of food poisoning repo rted in 1999, a figure which is dece ptively low as most cases are not notified to the authorities. What we need to do now is fund more research to find where problems occur and determine better practices."

"We're creating new ri sks th at we are not equipped to deal with ," he warned .

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ELECTION SPECIAL • ELECTION SPECIAL

Non-sabbs candidates vie for rour vote on March 15 CLUBS &SOCS Helen <ireaves

INTERNAL Chris Ostrowski

I know how crazy it is setting up a new club/society; and even when it is set up tehre are stull always problems trying to find free rooms, new members, more money (!) etc.

Therefore, I want to be around to help you solve these problems and make the most out of your club/society!

I'm Chris Ostrowksi and I am a first year Law student, NUS delegate and Forum representative. If elected I will ensure that the Union is more accessible for everyone.

This will mean greater publicity for Union representatives so that you know where to turn when you have a problem.

CLUBS & SOCS Simon Walklate

NUS Toby Matthews

Since arriving at UEA I have joined many sporting and non-sporting No photo clubs. Clubs play a vital role in submitted making this university what it is, and are often the most memorable ..____ ___, part of your time at university. I want to be there to support and promote your club at UEA.

Hi , I'm Toby Matthews and I'm standing for the post of NUS Officer.

I would use my position to defend students against top up fees and other threats. Experience: I have attended NUS Regional Conference, and will be attending the National Conference at the end of the month. Vote Toby.

COMMUNITY Nathan Bennett No photo submitted

No manifesto submitted

PUBLICITY Paul <ioodchild My name is Paul Goodchild, I am a second year History student standNo photo ing for Publicity Officer. I want to let submitted you know what's going on in your Union. I want to increase awareness of Union activities and policy. I also want to support your societies' events. Make the change, make the difference, vote Goody!

COMMUNITY Sarah Gurney

SPORTS Line Jenssen

Hello! I'm Sarah Gurney ard I want to be your Community and International Officer. Fantastic! But v.tP{? I aim to promote:A more integated university; Better representation locally, nationally and internationally; Safety around UEA ard Norwich There's only one thing left to do: Choose Sarah Community ard International Officer extraorcinaire!

Hello all! My aims for the next year among others will be to: Keep close links with and between the clubs, the Sportspark, the University and the Union; Ensure that smaller clubs feel ---===---" part of the Union sporting community; Look into improving funding, the educational user fee, and changing the facilities at Colney Lane.

ENVIRONMENT Pete Collins

OVERSEAS Moritz Dinger

I'm Pete Collins, a first year ecology student currently representing 810 students on Forum ard the school board.Wrth the university piloting recyding schemes, ard the new Union Constitution virtually demanding an environmental audit, the post of environment officer is very important and I believe I could perform that task effectively.

As an overseas student I have seen the problems students face No photo when coming to a foreign country. submitted I want to help and use my own experience to make it easier for others to settle in at UEA. I shall make it my goal to integrate overseas students into the Union life as much as possible.

ENVIRONMENT Ali Paul

WOMEN'S Andi Herrington

Hi, my name is Ali and as your Environment Officer I would aim to introduce green policies that benefit you.

I will campaign for student discount bus fairs, better bicycle security, quicker and easier recycling , and more organic food .

As Women's Officer I will continue to raise awareness on sexual health issues, I will work with other members of the Executive to eliminate all forms of discrimination, and ...___ ____, I will put pressure on the University to increase the security presence on campus, especially late at night after events in the LCR.

...,.-=-•

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INTERNAL Alex Dawson

ALL POSTS Re-Open Nominations

If elected I will lobby the University for: more study space in the library; an immediate end to hidden course charges; improved lighting and more security staff; better links to be made in conjunction with the Union to students who study at off campus locations. Manifesto: www.bigfoot.com/-alexdawson

Vote for RON if you believe none of-the candidates standing for a particular post are up to the job.

If RON wins, the Union will start the election for that post again, allowing new candidates the chance to stand. lt doesn't mean that Ronnie Corbett gets the job. Pity.

'tH BELGIAN MONK 7 POTTERGATE

01603 767222

WORK AROUND YOUR STUDIES Shifts 6am- 2pm 2pm- lOpm 6am- 6.30pm 6pm- 3am 7.30am - 4.30pm AVAILABLE FOR FOOD PICKERS & PACKERS TRANSPORT AVAILABLE FROM UEA

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WEDNESDAY, MARCH

LEADERS 9

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14, 2001

CONCRETE

LEADERS

LEADERS

Issue 124 Editor James Goffin

Logic boycott?

The prank played on UEA web surfers last week had ~students receiving a ·different kind of message to the one they were expecting. But such incidents are becoming increasingly common as email users targeted by electronic junk advertising material catering for every fetish imaginable.

Porn has always been at the forefront of new technology and the internet is no different; it 's j ust a little worrying how dependent we have become on computers and their constant flow of informat ion.

Presented with lolitas when we were expecting our latest emails can reduce us to gibbering wrecks, and leave us not knowing where to click .

Or George Smith's response to Un1on criticism of the AUT' s decision not t o cancel lec tu res has a commendable clanty of logic . If lectures had been cancelled, how co uld anyone have boycotted them? it's a shame the Union didn 't recognise th is vi rt uous c irc le, and at least give student s the opt ion to support national action with t heir backing. it might have made more sense than pret ending to be Scottish.

Grubs up

Deputy Editors Adam Chapman Nick Henegan News Editor Katie Hind Assistant News Editor Charlott e Ronalds Features Editor Will Halsey

COOKING UP A STORM

:_:-~::;:::-~~ The recent findings of two UEA lecturers that food poisoning is more likely to be the fault of food producers and packers than the cook comes as a massive re lief to the average st udent chef.

Campus kitchens and those in student houses have never been the most hygienic of places, but at least now we can reassure visitors that, whatever we do to thei r food , it's probably had worse done to it already.

§~

.,:f)

Assistant Features Editor Jo Locke Sports Editor Alex Thorpe Editorial Contributors Metin Alsanjak · Katherine Everitt Sophie Hemsworth · Brian Jepson Seth Landau· Mike Meisels Mike Milner · Catherine Morris Abiga il Phillips · Sarah Shubinsk y Mark land Stark ie ·David Swettenham Sadiq Usman Photographers Nick Henegan Daniel Heywood Ed Webtrlngall

Letters to the Editor PO Box 410 · Norwich · NR4 7TB Tel 01603 250558 Fax 01603 506822 · E-mail su.concrete@uea.ac.uk

Death by chocolate?

I'm writing to add my voice to that J Osborne, M Shepstone, and J Linnell (Letters, Concrete 123). I too am disgusted that the Union thinks I can 't make my own moral and ethical decisions.

I must admit that I provisionally agree with the Union's stand on the matter of Nestle. But I reserve my full decision until I have the full information on the subject. Unfortunately, I can't make that full decision for two reasons ; 1) the Union doesn't state the full facts about the ban in its outlets - we have also only seen one side of the argument, what is Nestle's side - and 2) the Union has already decided my moral stance for me.

I thought this Union was a democracy, with each student able to make their own moral and ethical decisions, but obviously I was wrong, and this Union is a fascist dictatorship!

You may argue that the decision to ban was by a majority vote, but what percentage of students actually voted? Not enough to make it a majority vote, as with all votes at UEA for the 6 years I have been here. And if it was not by a majority vote, but by following the NUS blindly, then my disgust is increased. This boycott should be the decision of the individual, not of the Union. After all, if we let the Union make this decision for us, who knows what decision they'll make for us next? it may not be one we agree with at all!

D Gillings (CHE PG) I just read the letter from the 3 students complaining about the Nestle ban and had to comment myself.

This particluar gripe came up very often while I was at UEA (92-96) and the same response came up if you don't like it, go to the Union General Meeting, table a motion, and vote it off. it's very simple and that is the point of a democratic Union.

If you want to make a change to Union policy you have to take a role in how it is run. it is very easy to sit and complain about rules and regulations being forced upon you , but un.til you are prepared to get up and actively make an effort, you really have to lump it.

The Nestle ban is, and always has been , justified morally and democratically. The ban was created and upheld by quorate UGMs. If more students actually made an effort to attend UGMs and use their vote, complaints such as th is one would sound a good deal less whingey!

On another topic, re: Livewire's new transmitter.

Wow - finally. I remember this was being mulled over when I was Head of News in 1995/6 - we even went so far as to ask if small transmitters could be built into Nelson Court and Constable Terrace. I am

amazed that it has taken so long to get such an essential piece of equipment.

At last Livewire can start to be the station we always wanted it to be. Best of luck to the whole set of them! Next step - interne! broadcasting - we can't get Livewire in London, you know!

George Forth, London LAW 1992-6

Comments Unfou·nded?

I am writing in response to the article "Choose life?"

(Concrete, Issue 123), regarding the recent CU advertising campaign . Firstly let me make it clear that I am not a member of the CU nor a Christian (nor an American), in fact I am an atheist. However, I could not let such a blatant display of ignorance go unmentioned. it seems that Mr Chapman is confused in his argument. Perhaps it was inappropriate for the CU to use the slogan "Who's Your Daddy", especially since I remember it to have come from the Oliver Stone movie U-Turn in which Nick Nolle pants this as he has sex with his screen daughter Jennifer Lopez. However, surely this shows that the CU are more light hearted than Mr Chapman would give them credit for? They are not "being American" and "telling people how they should live their lives", they are just trying to get people interested in the church without scaring them off. There is no cynical agenda here, as Mr Chapman would have us believe. His linking the "Choose Life" slogan to the pro-life campaign is, frankly, ludicrous.

When Mr Chapman tells us that "a greater miracle would have taken place if these people had looked in the mirror before parading their beliefs around campus", one realizes how woefu lly inept his journalism actually is. Is he arguing for the freedom of choice or is he trying to make a point on sartorial elegance? If Mr Chapman actually believes that it is wrong to tell people how they should live their lives "on a daily basis" then he should be willing to let people believe and wear what they like without criticizing them.

The CU are doing no harm advertising what they believe in the same way that the Labour Party or the Conservatives or the Socialist Workers aren't either.

Before Mr Chapman stands on his soap box to defend the freedom of choice again , he should look at himself first.

Tom Sutton (EAS 1) I'm glad that it's been noted that the Christian Union are zealous about their faith, and that we're seen to be excited about believing 1n God, a real ity in our lives bringing us purpose, hope, forgiveness and life

in all its fullness. This was one of the key aims of the February mission on campus to raise awareness about Christianity.

11 is incorrect however to suggest that the CU were trying to tell people how to live, when in fact we were trying to introduce you to the most important person in our lives, our Friend and Saviour Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, it seems that some people have taken the usual stance of stereotyping Christians "self righteous hypocrites" without giving them a chance to explain themselves. Trust me, this wasn 't a crusade, we're not in the business of manipulation and enforcement, everyone has their own free will, with their own decision to make, either to reject or accept Jesus into our lives, to choose to seek Him and find Him or to choose not to. My advice would be to ask questions to the Christian on your corridor or on your course; challenge them, watch them and see if their faith makes sense.

I'm sad that some people have not seen past the statements on the front of the sweaters, ("Choose

Proofreader Fiona Shearer Advertising Manager Clare Hamilton-Eddy Distribution Manager Steve Quirke

Concrete is published by UUEAS Concrete Society. © 2001 Concrete. ISSN 1351-2773.

Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the PubliSher or Ed1tor. Use of the name The Event is by arrangement w1th the copyright holders. Planet Z og Ltd. No part of th1s newspaper may be reproduced through any means without tile express permiss1on of the Editor. Printed by Eastern Counties Newspapers.

Thanks to Union House Stewards and ECN. Oscar: I'm commg back for you. You w111 be mme.

Life" and "Who's Ya Daddy?") . . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- --., designed to be controversial and attention grabbing , nor read the verses on the back "Earth and skies will pass away, but my words will never pass away'' and 'What use is it for man to gain the world, yet forfeit his soul", and comment on them rather than judging the slogans at a superficial level. it's unfortunate that people can't see beyond the appearance, be it a WAY ABOVE ANY LOCAt Et sweater, or a church building or the NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH GUJDEUNES Chaplaincy on campus, to see the work of Christ on a person's heart that would stir them to such an extent 6;QOpm to live for Christ instead of Self.

Many of us don't like relig ion slammed in our faces and beliefs ...1 Now offering the best train ~ ...1 paraded on campus because of the r ing available in this coUrlt!J'. view that religion is a closed subject ...1 3 month Pre Apprenticeship and that personal beliefs should not ~ GUILD 0 TESCO I Tra i ning ~ call for details and be invaded . Perhaps we are scared , HALL ...1 METRO I proud or feel vulnerable wh en availability ......._...;..,....J ~ DOVEST addressing life's big questions, such as what is truth?, the existence of Also incorporating God , what happens when we die? , and what is the point in life? I rejoice STUDIOS in the fact that the answers are found when we meet with Christ.

Internet access and so Ct.G Tristan Baldry (MGT 3)

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10 FEATURES

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Concrete

WEDNE SDAY, M ARCH

14, 2001

one Many secrets of the war have only recently come out, but very few involve pigeons and psychologists. David Swettenham looks into the interesting relationship between animals and research ... ou'll have heard it said many times before: "Never work with children or animals". Ifs a maxim that just about anybody connected with the entertainment business ignores at his or her peril. After all , need we men tion such notable cases as the Blue Peter elephant - who's valiant attempt to defecate over Valerie Sin gleton will be fond ly remembered by an en tire generation of right-minded youngsters? Or, indeed, the utter, unmentionable travesty against all things pure and decent: Michael Barrymore's Kids Do the Funniest Things?

Curiously, though , it is a rule that has gone relatively unheeded by members of the psychological fraternity. And no bad thing eithe r. For, in so flagrantly flouting the golden ru le of enterta inment, psychologists have succeeded in producing some of the most bizarre, unsettl ing, and at times positively idiotic resea rch ever to have graced the annals of academic li terature.

Take, for instance, the case of 'Little Al bert'.

This experiment, conducted by John Watson in 1920, has attained a kind of folklore status within

Y

psychological circles. Little Albert , by all accounts a vision of infantile innocence, was observed to hold no fear towards a white rat. However, apparently unsatisfied with this admirable display of cou rage, Watson decided to find something that wou ld elicit a response of fear: loudly whackin g a piece of metal just behind the baby's head. Unsurprisingly, th is practice scared the proverbial (and, one might speculate, the literal) crap out of poor Albert.

Of course, Watson 's point was to demonstrate that, by consistently pairing the two stimuli, Little Albert would all y come to fear the white rat without the loud metal bang. And for this important lesson in

•

orn1n

learning theory, the world (with the Skinner decided to cross a pigeon with exception, I imagine, of Little Albert) a five-ton air to surface missile. Tl1e thanks him. thinking behind the idea (and yes, Yet it is solely with animals that there was thinking behind it) was that psychologists have enjoyed the most the remarkable perceptual acuity of the common pigeon cou ld, through a success over the years (not, I hasten to add , in the Welsh sense of the process of conditioning , form a state-of -th e-art, cutti ng edge missile guidance word). Here, the name of B F Skinner all but overshadows any other. This system. From that moment, 'Project may in part be due to a rather Pigeon ' was born . unhealthy obsession with pigeons; Top-secret lab tests were conducted in which pigeons were strapped into Skinner's rule of thumb seeming to be 'No pigeon, no point'. You can imagine specially designed harnesses, the his delight then, when , in the midst of BF Skinner: pigeon obsessed slightest movement of their neck m uscles operating a complex targeting system. Indeed , World War 11 , his passion for pigeons actually became a matter of considerable national imporby 1943 a missile called 'The Pelican ' (presumably lance.

'The Pigeon' was deemed a bit of a silly name) In the greatest fl ash of geni us since someone was on the brink of production , research was continuing apace, and a crack kamikaze team of said , "I know, why don't we try slicing the bread?", patriotic pigeons had been carefully assembled for the purpose. Sadly it was at this point that some bright spark pointed out that to entrust five tonnes of high explosive to an animal with a brain the size of a split-pea wou ld be about as sensible as putting a beaver in charge of the White House.

Project Pigeon was unceremoniously cancelled and the rest, as they say, is history.

Thankfull y, psychologists have not yet thought of strapping chi ldren to missiles, but should Michael Barrymore ever have a desperate need for ratings, and let's be honest, it's only a matter of time, it's fair to say that Channel 5 would probably stoop that low.

The thinking behind the idea was that the remarkable perceptual acuity of the common pigeon could form a cutting edge missile guidance system

cover up

British companies are considering giving their workforce duvet days to cut the practice of pulling sickies. Adam Hawkins wonders if UEA might consider introducing them ... t's Monday morning , it's 7 o'clock, the rain is questions are asked. Some companies insist that lashing down , and you have a stinking office absenteeism actually drops wi th the introhangover. The thought of standing up makes duction of official duvet days. you want to be sick, let alone the trauma of But what use is this popular business practice going to work. Your bed has suddenly become for students? For a student every day can be a an incredibly appealing place: an oasis of bliss in a duvet day. We are seen as the laziest section of society and let's face it we deserve it. My jamgrey and uncomfortable world. The answer to Monday morning blues? Pull a sickie. packed schedule contains a mammoth six hours of Who hasn't phoned up work, put on a feeble , contact time. W ith such a taxing marathon of a timetable I can hardly be expected to attend all my croaky voice and pleaded for th e day off?

Businesses lose hundreds of working days each classes, can I? year due to "phantom" illnesses. Viruses seem to Policy on absences varies from school to incapacitate people one school. The department of moment and yet disappear English and American Who hasn 't phoned up with such speed that the Studies officially require work, put on a feeble, worker can bound into the attendance of at least 50% office, alive and well , the of all meetings in any unit. croaky voice and very next day. lt has been up to less than half pleaded for the day off? Turn estimated th at we ·take an your seminars and it co uld be time to wave goodbye average of eights days off to that degree. A great many of us barely scrape sick a year. lt seems that people will always take the 50~o minimum. Anyone who has ever had a t1me off for spurious as well as legit1mate reasons.

But instead of attempting to stop the "sickie"' some Friday mornmg class knows how the LCR takes its toll. "In one class I had the numbers just went businesses have decided to regulate them, and down and down over the term," says Kevin allocate a certain number of 'Duvet Days· to each employee per year.

Hannagan (EAS3). ··sy the end of the semester most people JUSt didn't bother." lt seems that stuA Duvet Day is like a personal bank holiday. A dents are already taking unofficial duvet days. "You day when you can't face work and JUSt want to can take time off and usually no quest1ons are lounge around. The perfect remedy for a hangover. asked," remarks Hannah Hammad (EAS4). If eviThe employee s1mply phones th e office and tells dence is required that the duvet day is a practice them that he. she is having the day off and no

I

that many students already indulge in , just look at the viewing figures for Ri chard and Judy. n these post-grant days of student debt many of us have part-time jobs. I am sure that those students who have weekend or evening work would welcome duvet days. Matt Hogg (SOC 3) works for a telephone banking company three nights a week. He says that his employers may well introduce such a scheme. "I wo rk for quite a forward thinkmg company. If I can't make it to work, they are usually understanding." Most people with parttime jobs aren't so lucky. To test out employer's

I

willingness to give workers a day off at short notice I phoned the pub I work at ten minutes before my shi ft was due to start. "Hi boss," I said, putting on my most charmmg voice. "I can't work tonight."

"What's the matter, are you ill?" she replied "No" I told her. ··1 just can't be bothered." I explained that I was tak1ng a duvet day. By the t1me she finished laughing I had decided I had better go to work lt would appear that the duvet day doesn t work well for part-t1me JObs. So. is there any chance of UEA introducing duvet days? Probably not, but that hasn't stopped anyone from choosing Tnsha over a textbook

Conc rete

WEDNESDAY, MARCH

www.concrete-online.co.uk

14, 2001

•

FEATURES 11

on erence ea 1n With UEA hosting a conference on cannabis, and the Naked Olympics in the Sportspark, Norwich is clearly a liberal place to meet. Will Halsey found out how far people would go... he students of UEA who have travelled to Norwich from locations all over Britain have many opinions of the local culture.

Many will involve accusations of inbreeding, others alleging a somewhat backward thinking attitude. Others still will point to the lack of motorway access, but ultimately, while Norwich is in many ways in fine city, it is difficult to look upon it as a groundbreaking city.

However, spring in Norwich sees two notable gatherings, concerning such liberal subjects as legalising cannabis and swimming naked. So much for the reserved, conservative Norfolk attitude; they're up for some nudists and potheads, make no mistake. But this begs the question of where th~ line will be drawn. How easy-going are our East Anglian hosts? Concrete decided to investigate just what people would be prepared to tolerate, under the guise of fictional conferences put on by event organiser "James Smith".

First target was Norwich City Football Club, bitter, hated rivals of Premiership Ipswich, one of the top six clubs in Britain. Not so long ago the clubs were battling it out in the First Division, prompting proud cries from the Norwich faithful of "You'll never be a city!" So, bearing all this in mind, how would Norwich react to Ipswich wanting to hold a celebration of their Premier League season at Carrow Road, home of

T

Norwich City?

Shockingly, it was quite ' favourable:

'

described as surprising to say the least, it is important to find out how odd an organisation has to be before the answer is 'no'. Hence the second call was on behalf of the Sausage Appreciation Society, an organisation that exists to sing the praises of the sausage.

Maid's Head: Good morning, how can I help you?

Concrete: I'm calling on behalf of a group

~~------~~~~~~~~lF~CHi[(:.U~~U;E~A~:~H;o~w~m~a;ny~w:o~ul~d~th~i;s~bero~ rl::-'l~:-1~::-"i~:::---r~:----:;~r--/,r-:~r.....-:wo-~

called the Sausage Appreciation Society. Every year we have an annual get-together, and we were wondering if it would be possible to have a banquet?

MH: Right. Have you got any dates in mind?

C: Only provisionally. They'll be about 50 of us.

MH: That doesn't look too bad.

C: Great. On the catering front, obviously due to the nature of the get-together, we'd be requiring something sausage based. Could we have any control over the menu?

MH: That's something you'd have to discuss with the chef. We have a set menu but we don't have a selection of sausages on it.

C: Would it be possible to bring our own?

MH: You can't bring your own in, but chef might be able to get hold of some.

C: OK. I'll be in touch soon. Thanks a lot.

I'm calling on behalf of the Sausage Appreciation Society...

Canary Catering: Hello, Canary Catering.

Fiona speaking, how can I help you?

Concrete: I'm ringing on behalf of Ipswich Town Football Club...

F: [laughs] C: Basically, Portman Road, Ipswich's stadium, is under development after Man City visit on the May 5. We were looking at holding a party to celebrate having such a fantastic season in the Premier League and we wanted to keep a football theme to the evening. Maybe Saturday, May 19?

F: I'm afraid Delia's City Brasserie is on Saturday night. Only Top of the Terrace is available, which overlooks the pitch. You can have a scoreboard sign ...

C: That sounds do-able.

F: To be honest, that room is really for 250 people, so you'd have a £500 room hire...

C: Money may not be a problem, actually...

While the thought of such an event can be

C: Around 120 people.

The problem in finding a venue is we have to find one appropriate to the condition, and the difficulty is that we don't have lim-

No rwich Sports Village: How can I help?

Concrete: Hi, I wonder if you can help me. Are your services available in the sum me~ NSP: Could just tell me a bit more about it...

C: Basically, I'm ringing on behalf of a network of local S&M and fetish groups across the country and every year we get together to meet likeminded people. Each year has a different theme, and I thought your swimming pool might be interesting.

NSP:Yes...

C: Would you be willing to do something like this?

NSP: To be honest I'm not entirely sure, my colleague will be able to give you a definite answer...

C: Right ...

NSP: What else would you be looking for, exactly...

C: Well, a meal in the evening and use of the pool.

[Put on hold for about two minutes]

NSP: I've had a word with my colleague, and she wonders if you could give a bit more information about what you'd like to do throughout the day...

C: lt would basically be a few good fun things.

During the day we'd have a few lighthearted events, maybe some swimming competitions in different outfits, nothing too strenuous...

NSP: OK, let me write this down ...

C: We wouldn't be naked.

NSP: [laughs, nervously] Right, and you want accommodation for one night... . So, S&M gets a nervous, provisional thumbs up as well, confirming the image of Norfolk as a forward thinking venue for a gathering.

The final call, something of an afterthought, concerned UEA being one of the top conference venues in the East. Here the idea was to find out if the conference services would embellish the wonderful campus and accommodation facilities in order to pick up a summer weekend booking. To their credit, they didn't. Phoning on behalf of the Claustrophobes' Support Group, the question was whether they would portray Norfolk and Suffolk Terrace as any more than the cells they actually are.

UEA: Conference Services, can I help you?

C: I'm calling on behalf of the National Claustrophobes Support Group, and I'm looking for a venue for a suf"(lmer conference...

itless funds. But we need spacious accommodation so as not to aggravate people's conditions.

UEA:Wehave plenty of ensuite accommodation on campus, and we can offer you a larger than needed lecture theatre ...

C: The key really is what rates you offer.

UEA: Yes. The accommodation is charged at £32 per single person per night...

C: How big are the rooms?

UEA: Not terribly big, but not too bad.

C: Is there any non-en-suite accommodation that would be cheape~ UEA: There is, but I wouldn't recommend them ...

C: Would they not be appropriate?

UEA: I don't think so... They are priced at £23.50 per person if you are interested.

C: I'll bear that in mind...

lt is somewhat worrying that Conference Services basically admit that a major percentage of student accommodation isn't very nice, but at least they are scrupulously honest, a rare attribute in business today.

Indeed, if anything has been learned by this foray into the event organising business, it is perhaps not that Norfolk is the place for whatever gathering you fancy, but rather that if you have the money, people are more than willing to take it for whatever reason given. Even something as deepseated as East Anglian football rivalry means nothing when a £500 room hire is available.

Still, as long as Delia Smith doesn't enter the Naked Olympics, I suppose life will go on.

To help start a Sausage Appreciation Society on campus, email smith_James101 @hotmail.com

Monday

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\

Children by degrees

You've got to be kidding ...

For many, un,versity is as much about the social life as the actual degree. Will Halsey spoke to a mature student who has other ideas ... niversity. it's an easy life, isn't it? A few hours a week, a bit of reading, often a three or four day weekend for arts students and a loan to be spent on drink and take-away food. Or not, as in the case of Louise Smith. You see, life is slightly different when you're a mature student with three children to support while attempting to secure a degree from EAS. "I start at six in the morning; explains Louise.

"We leave the house about eight, walk a mile and a half to school, before I walk to university. Then I pick the children up, we eat, we bath, I iron, make packed lunches, fill in forms, help with homework, help with reading, talk about football, do half an hours' story with two of the children, then I work until about midnight. That's my day every day."

For the average undergraduate straight out of school or college, any daily schedule that doesn't contain daytime television will seem like hard work, but 24 hours a day isn't even enough to fit everything in for Louise. But while missing the odd lecture or school occasion doesn't sound like a capital offence to your average student, the mentality of the parent begs to differ.

"I feel so guilty if I can't go and watch one of the kids getting their 50 metre swimming badge" she

U

A Concrete survey reveals that UEA students are the parents of the future, but future is the operative word. Abigail Phi/lips looked at the results .•. arenthood has an image problem. A recent trip to a crowded supermarket full of screaming children and red faced parents convinced a friend and I that we would never, under any circumstances, have children. They make noise, they make mess, they consume vast resources out of proportion to their tiny size, and when they finally learn to exchange the screaming for speech nearly every sentence begins with 'I want'. However cute they are, the best kind of child is one you can hand back to its owner at any point. lt's not only the screaming. A browse around toy shops will give you an insight into the enormous financial costs of providing children with all they need for learning, play and healthy development.

Not to mention the time and infinite patience required. From fairly early in our schooldays we're taught of the enormous responsibilities of parenthood and most of us take these lessons on board.

UEA students are no exception. In a Concrete survey, 89% agreed that 'no-one should have children until they're mature enough' and, interestingly, 61 % felt that 'at least one parent should stay at home and care for the children.' Time and maturity are widely recognised as essential to good parenting, more so than money it would seem, with only just over half· of all respondents agreeing that 'no-one should have children until they're financially secure.' But whatever the costs are deemed to be, they are large and beyond what most students can provide.

So, terrified by screaming tots and drilled throughout school on the woes of early parenthood, do any of us actually want to be parents?

Well, it appears we do, but not until the time is right.

85% of all respondents said that they would like to have children. 12% claimed not to want children at all, apparently agreeing with the respondent who wrote 'they're little bastards' on the questionnaire. There were also a small number of 'don't

P

knows', clearly content to defer the decision.

In keeping with national statistics which put the average child bearing age at 29 as of last year, 61% of the students questioned felt that between 26 and 30 is the best time for having children, and 31% preferred 31-35. Clearly the maturity fact)r is one we take very seriously.

However, many of us aren't far off 26, the age range students seem to prefer, so decisions regarding parenting are not too distant. Besides, what happens if that nightmare scenario occurs and you or your partner becomes pregnant?

When asked this question in the survey 53% of women said they would 'keep it and cope' while 43% said they would have an abortion. As 99% of the men said they would support her in this situation though not move in with her or marry her, those 53% of women would be largely single parents, at least in the sense that they would be tie primary carer and would live alone with the cnld.

Both these situations represent a new age in parenting. In our grandparents' and, to a lesser degree, our parents' eras single parenthood and abortion woud not have been the norm.

That's not to say they Cidn't occur but had this survey been conducted 30 yec:rs ago at the birth of UEA, most people would pmbably have done what only one respondent said they would do - get married or at least move in together with the other parent.

In many ways, this movement represents a change for the better, with fewer people trapped by social pressures into making hasty decisions.

There is also a much healthier emphasis on women's right to choice, this new age accepting that not all women see motherhood as an inevitable and unavoidable responsibility which they must face at some point in their lives.

In this age of gender equality, increasingly demanding careers and a new set of values, the old family patterns are disappearing. Modem society often rejects the old image of the family.

Divorce and single parenthood are not unusual,

says. "If I've gct an important lesson that day and the kids say they've got sore throats, I line them up and pour calpol down, and I feel so bloody guilty that I'm not doing what they want me to do."

Missing lectures and seminars, again something most students are want to do from time to time, also results in terribe guilt for Louise. But sod's law has more to do with this than angry tutors.

"11 is always lhe same person's lecture you miss; she bemoans. ' lt doesn't matter what happens during the week, but you can guarantee that if last Thursday one of the kids was ill, you damn well know that next Thursday someone will be ill. And that's terrible."

However, the stress of missing important events does not compare with the stress around the kids' most important date, Christmas.

"Christmas is the worst. I have all the children doing performances, then University breaks up a couple of days before the schools do, in which I have to get all fleir presents, otherwise they are with me for the Christmas shopping. And I'm trying to get three essays in."

While UEA is reasonably supportive to student parents, with a grant towards childcare available, this doesn't co>;er half terms, which explains why children can be seen on campus in October and

If I've got an important lesson that day and the kids say they have sore throats, I'll line them up and pour calpol down

However cute they are, the best kind of child is one you can hand back to its owner at any point.

and many modern parents combine full-time work and parenting. Women have the freedom to focus their lives on whatever they choose, and parents have the choice of whether or not to stay at home in the early years of their child's life.

Parenthood is not only a social issue but also political. The government recently announced proposals for a parent support scheme which would essentially pay parents who wanted to give up their job and stay at home for longer, thus not

'missing out' on their child's early years. The sentiment of the scheme is a good one but Ruth Lea of the Institute of Directors claims "there could be some resentment because [childless taxpayers] will be saying to themselves: 'I will be financing someone else's lifestyle choice.'" Labour MP Harriet Harman defends the scheme, though: "Children are not a lifestyle choice, they are the future of this country." But are children simply a lifestyle choice? The jury's out.

Those stats in full ...

Ready for parenthood?

Same-sex parents: Only 17% of those questioned agreed that 'it is potentially damaging for a child to have two parents of the same sex' but a large proportion were undecided.

have is either 2 or 2-3. Only 3% said they would like one child, which is surprising considering that the number of children couples are having is decreasing.

What are your views on children?

Modern Fathers: In response to the question 'if your partner told you she was pregnant what would you do?' not only did 99% say they would support her but no-one chose the options of 'advise her to have an abortion' or ' run!' 55% said they would be prepared to be house husbands and give up their jobs to look after the children.

Single Parents: Only 19% agreed that 'it is potentially damaging for a child to grow up wlh only one parent' indicating a general acceptance of single parenthood in modern society.

2.4 children: On average most people said that the ideal number of children they would like to

Natural Carers: An astonishing 36% agreed that though women don't have to have children 'ttey are still the natural carers' but the other 64% mostly disagreed strongly with the statement, showing it's a divisive issue.

"There are too many people. Everyone should have two children or less to keep the population down."

Neal Ro berts CHEM 4

Would you like to have children?

"I'd rather not."

Sev Bernaaconl LAW 4 "Not before I'm thirty."

Richard Aspden HIS 3

"People have a responsibility to have lots of children as otherwise the population will decrease and we'll have an ageing population."

Glles Chappell LAW 4

"Yes, I want a football teams' worth, then I'll train 'em up" Anon EAS3

"They're monsters. They're like people but... shrunk."

Anon HIS2

"I've never wanted children. I'd rather have two dogs instead."

Lucy Smith HIS PG

Indeed, there seems to be no real consensus on the rights and wrongs of it all. Many issues have arisen about the rights and responsibilities of parents from abortion and same-sex parents to working mothers and teenage pregnancies. 11 appears that for UEA's student body, the decision regarding children can be deferred for few years.

For now, at least, the children most students are worrying about are the simply the ones screaming in Sainsbury's.

a

Pregnant at UEA ••• W ith 1 in 10 students falling pregnant each

year, pregnancy at university is an issue which most sexually active students must contend with. Most of us remember the sex talk at school where there would be embarrassed giggles from the girls and laddish remarks from the boys, but how much of it sank in?

And why is it that teen magazines are providing most sexual education to girls? Britain has the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the world aside from the United States, and experts are still confused as to why this is. Research shows that the majority of women who fall pregnant unwillingly do so due to failure to use contraception property. lt is rarely the fault of the product.

Last year the Health Centre dealt with 20 unwanted pregnancies which resulted in termina· tion. Many people couldn't bring up a baby whilst studying, or cope financially. This doesn't even take into to account the emotional aspect. Concrete found out what UEA students would do if they or their partner fell pregnant.

"''d panic straight away if my girffriend got pregnant. After I'd calmed down I'd want to be involved in decisicn making. !t'd be my baby too."

"I don't think I coud go through with an abortion. I couldn't live with the guilt. I'd probably give up unl for a while and try and come back when the baby was older. I'd have to borrow money from my parents, but I know someone who had a baby at uni Md it worked for her. But I'm really careful so I doubt lt will happen.'

"I'd run a mile if a girt I shagged got "I don't know what I'd do, it's pregnant. Women are always going my worst nightmare. I would orob:Jbl:'~ try~to~;;;~•on it's 1heir body and their decision, so it as quiet as possible and probably get an aborlet them get on wi:h it! Condoms are enough tion. lt's easier said than done though." aren't they?"

February. "I can't ever be in university after 2pm unless I pay for it," explains Louise. "The University runs workshops on writing, computers, presentations, but when do they run them? Two 'till four, four 'till six. I'd love to do them, but it's impossible for students with children to do things at that time."

Other aspects of university life are also geared towards the work-shy youngsters - "I can never get a book out of short loan because I can't get it back in time" - while all-day practical courses such as film-making are also impossible to fit in. ouise, 34, took an access course before considering university, and only then after prompting from friends. The dilemmas that a degree threw up were clear - while the schedule did in many ways allow a lot of time with the children, the financial difficulties of bringing up three children -aged eight, ten and 13- while not working in any paid capacity are severe. However, the benefits of company are worth it.

"I remember walking down the street saying 'right kids, this is the choice. Mummy goes to work, you get more toys and maybe we can go on holiday. Or, Mummy goes to university, you won't any toys, you won't get any trendy clothes, but I'll be there for the summer holidays.' They said it has to be university."

However, the children do benefit from more than simply having their mother around, although the intellectual environment does become too much sometimes.

"We'll be watching EastEnders, and one of the kids will start critiquing it. They see things with a critical eye. I'm interested in Frankenstein and Charles Dickens, but sometimes I just want to watch the TV," Louise complains.

Indeed, it is the punishing schedule that is the key downside to studying while bringing up kids, with unfortunate timetabling piling more pressure on parents.

"Knowing I'm in University all day Tuesday, my Monday morning involves getting my reading done while cooking two meals - one for Monday, one for Tuesday - and getting things ready for clubs on Tuesday night. That's the thing with children - every last minute has to be accounted for."

The schedule also leaves no time for socialising, another crucial part of the university experience for the undergraduate without children.

"My academic advisor was concerned I wasn't getting the social aspect of my degree. I don't have time - I can't do evening things, in fact I can't remember the last time I went out in the evening.

Sometimes I feel really sad about that, but I have other commitments."

Other commitments- more specifically, three other commitments - also mean that essays and presentations don't get the time they demand, something else that is incredibly frustrating to student parents.

"You know, as soon you start, you'll never be able to do as well as you could do, and that's a really horrible feeling. Sometimes it makes me resent having children, because things come tumbling in and I cannot research the ideas that I have, or write the essay I wanted to write. There's so much more I want to say, but I don't have the time to do it."

Ultimately, the life of a student parent will be a mixed affair. Incredibly frustrating on the one hand, and yet brilliantly rewarding to the children at the same time. Similarly, the schedule is punishing term-time, and essays cannot be done justice, but the flipside does allow a huge amount of time with the children in the extensive university holidays. And Louise, for one, feels this divide strongly.

"Sometimes, when my brain is buzzing, university is the most wonderful thing in the world. Other days, when you've got deadlines, children and you haven't seen your friends for weeks, I think to myself what the hell have I done?!"

L

14 FEATURES

www.concrete-online.co.uk

Concrete WEONESOAY, MARCH 14, 2001

•

reac es

OfWIC

Following t he Seattle riots two years ago, global resistance is a massive issue. Seth Landau met Kevin Danaher, organiser of the Seattle protest, and looked at resistance here at UEA...

n November 30, 1999, the streets of Seattle erupted in violence. Police batons, pepper spray, rubber bullets and tear gas filled the avenues of the city as the image of the United States as a peaceful consensus democracy gave way to violent images broadcast around the world.

Trade unionists, environmentalists, student activists, advocates for developing countries, human rights activists, and people from many other walks of life all converged to show their distaste for the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the current mode of the globalised world economy.

Simultaneously, street protests in London and in cities around the world took place and the debate over globalisation entered into the collective consciousness of people who had never even thought of the word, much less of the WTO. Later, massive civil protests in Washington DC in April, 2000, then in Prague, Nice, and soon Genoa have signalled that opposition to the current mode of economic globalisation will not easily fade after its coming out party in Seattle.

So where did all of this come from? Why are people so concerned with globalisation? Why such anger over international trade? And perhaps most importantly, how does this affect the average per· son?

Since 1995, opposition to economic globalisation has grown exponentially. Here at UEA, many students are involved, either through activism or through everyday activities such as buying fair

0

trade, with the debate over globalisation.

Recently, students held a 'Giobalise Resistance' conference on campus with well over 100 attendees. Kevin Danaher, the found-e r of Global Exchange and Cl main organiser of the Seattle protests, was one of the principle speakers. He states that the dominant institutions in the Globalised World Economy are "unaccountable, undemocratic, and serves the interests of the elite."

Furthermore, "solutions created within Washington (home of the IMF and World Bank) will never solve

00

tph e rP_.~oblems of the world's

'

'

health system, and the public transportation in the UK are driven by the same forces which made this happen in the US fifteen years ago: the neo-liberalist consensus" says Danaher.

Ken Cole, a lecturer in development studies, says this can be viewed as a general trend in the globalisation process. "The processes of the last 50 years have made exploitation global. Whereas the World Bank believes that globalisation is a pesitive process, other actors such as the UN Development Program and many activists around

Here. at UEA, s.tudents are InVOlVed etther through actiViSm or • • buymg Fatr Trade

Alistair Paul (DEV 1), who works with Globalise Resistance and the Development Society, echoes this sentiment decrying the global institutions: "For instance, the WTO is an organisation with power to demand countries allow economic restructuring even when this causes the destruction of people's livelihoods." Critics claim that many of the negotiations and decisions made within the WTO are made behind closed doors by bureaucrats who are appointed (not elected) by countries' governments. The key claim is that globalisation puts "profit over people".

While the poor in developing countries may or may not benefit from globalisation, critics of neeliberalism contend that globalisation currently hurts the poor in the developed countries such as the UK. ''The privatisation which hurts education, the

the world, believe that local control leads to progress."

Siv Hesjedar (DEV 1), who works with the Socialist Worker Society as well as the Globalise Resistance group on campus, agrees. "These criticisms are resonating with students, who are beginning to question what's going on in the world, and who are making the decisions which affect their lives. "it's very pacifying to blame the system, but you have to see the connections within it and work for change in order to create a better world:' Students have been increasingly involved with the global discussion on world trade issues. Their interests vary from concerns about sweatshops, environmental concerns, human rights issues, third world debt and the power over our governance systems wielded by TNCs. Because of this diversity of interests, the anti-globalisation activists have been branded as not having a coherent message, and just shouting for the sake of shouting.

Casey Ryan, Union Environment Officer, says this is not the case. ''Though the opposition to nee-liberalism is amorphous, it is important to under-

stand that global problems of poverty, inequity and environmental destruction will not be solved through piecemeal work. We need to think beyond the limits of single issue campaigns and see the connections in various struggles."

Kevin Danaher agrees. ''The diversity within the movement is not a weakness. 1t is its main strength. lt represents democratic process amongst people who care, instead of the economic consensus represented by Blair, Bush, Clinton, or whoever."

UEA student Hesjedar explains that this is so attractive to students because "there's room for people who don't have their ideologies set, but feel that the current situation is not sustainable: that the system which exists only to maximise profits can't go on:· "If you operate your society on a money principle, the people with money will rule:• says Kevin Danaher. And this leads to global resistance occurring, for better or worse. "As TNCs become global, so does resistance," says Ken Cole.

Certainly, activists argue that there can be no spectators in the debate. "There are no sidelines.

You have to choose your place in these changing times:· explains Danaher. "What kind of world do we want to live in is the question in front of us:· Casey Ryan stresses the local activity. "Even small actions on the local level are important," he maintains. "For instance, the decision whether or not to boycott Nestle, or buy fair trade coffee has an effect on the globalised world economy. But our power to influence the world doesn't stop there.

Our actions outside of what we buy are just as important to contributing our voices to the debate."

Whatever the outcome, the globalisation debate will not go away any time soon. Currently there are massive protests being planned for Genoa, Italy (where the G-8 will meet) in July, and then at the meetings of the IMF and World Bank in Washington DC in September. While violence may occur, the issues at hand are far more complicated and far-reaching, and should not be brushed aside as mere bumps in the road towards economic utopia. As Kevin Danaher states, "There is nothing else at stake in the debate than our communities."

The alphabet game: the a~ronyms of globalisation ...

WTO:.World Trade Organisation. The predominant world body in trade disputes and negotiations with over 110 member states.

IMF: International Monetary Fund. Responsible for the stabilisation of international currencies. Implements SAPs. SAP's: Structural Adjustment Programmes. These are implemented by the IMF and WB on recipient countries as conditions of aid. Often require liberalisation of markets and restructuring of economies.

WB: World Bank. One of the largest lending institutions in the world.

Decisions made by shareholders (of which the G-8 countries are predominant).

GATT: Formed from the Bretton Woods negotiations after WWII, regulated international trade before the formation of the WTO in 1995.

Aim is to liberalise trade and reduce tariffs.

T RIPS: Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights.

Passed along with the creation of the WTO, guarantees property rights on patents internationally. Heavily criticised for exploiting developing countries, who hold relatively few patents.

TNCs: Trans-National Corporations. Corporations with markets and suppliers in more than one country.

Concrete

WEDNESDAY, MARCH

FEATURES 11

www.concrete-online.co.uk

14, 2001

Graduate of distinction Awarded an honorary degree by UEA, Neville Lawrence recently returned to talk about his work in prison and school reform. Jo Locke met him ... y first experience of Neville Lawrence was the sound of his laughter booming down the corridor as he walked into an office in the Elizabeth Fry building. Having observed the Lawrences' ordeal over the last eight years in every newspaper and news bulletin, it was the last thing I expected to hear. The beaming smile that greeted me was not the face I had seen crumble when the killers of son Stephen walked free, and I wondered if it was a different man who had walked through the door.

Neville Lawrence has become a symbol, like the enigma of his son's name, to the fight against racism in Britain, whether on the street or institutionalised, but what struck me most was his humility. The general public have supported his fight, knowing he is a typical man and, above all, a father. But now his life is less typical.

"I used to be an ordinary everyday person, I went to work, looked after my family and this is a whole new lifestyle for me. I'm making a lot of mistakes as I go along but learning all the time."

Since the end of the inquiry in 1999, Neville has been very active in highlighting other issues of discrimination, particularly the need for prison reform .

"I'm trying to make people aware about some of the issues involved in looking after prisoners.

Some people think that if someone goes to prison they should be treated like animals, they think that the person stops being a human being . I'm saying that's not the case."

Neville Lawrence's work in prison reform is made all the more interesting by the fact that his son's killers may face jail if 'compelling' new evidence comes to light. Following the call for reform of 'double jeopardy' rules - which prevents suspects acquitted of a crime facing retrial - Neville is optimistic about the chances of a retrial.

"I believe that these people are guilty and in my eyes, we've never had a fair trial. If there's any way we can bring them to trial, and have a fair hearing, I'll feel a whole lot better. I need a jury to reach a verdict, 12 people to make a decision.

"In my case, if they were to look at the evidence again because of this new law, they'd see that the trial wasn't done in the way it should have been, and that these people are guilty of murdering my son."

Such an on-going process has taken its toll on the Lawrence family, and you have to wonder what kept him from giving up. "I use religion in my everyday life, and what has kept me going is being able to be anywhere at any1ime and have someone to talk to."

Neville relied upon . his strong religious background from Jamaica to maintain his faith. "Religion was part of me from being a child and I draw strength from that. My son's death in a way told me there was something that I needed to do, and I feel some sense of destiny in what I'm doing now."

Neville talks easily about the pain he has suffered since the loss of Stephen on the April, 22, 1993, but momentarily his face changes back to the man of the press reports. 'When tragedy hit my family I immediately began to look for somewhere to hide. An hour after my son died I started to look for somewhere to hide and there was nowhere to go, so I started thinking about my religious background and I prayed. I prayed for strength, and for patience, and later I knew that I had prayed for the right things. I needed a lot of strength and patience because of all the confusion and problems of the case."

M

who's different. That's why I want to talk to kids in school so that they know more about different cultures and feel a little bit more comfortable in friendships with people of a different skin colour".

Neville comes across many obstacles in attempting to increase the tolerance of diverse cultures in Britain today, but slowly they are being broken. "Talking about the problem of racism is the only way to break the barriers in society; laws only have a limited effect. By talking to someone abou1 how they're feeling , you can understand that person," declares Neville. "I want to teach people that if they use a racist word it's going to cause pain. I want to make people think about what they say so that they stop and think the next time they go to say it."

Despite the undoubted problems that still remain in Britain, it is actually ahead of mainland Europe.

"I went to Europe for the first time last year and was amazed to find that Europeans can't address the problem of racism in the same way that we can in the UK. "lt took the death of my son to make people talk about this: before people denied the issue. People realise now that just making a statement can be racist, looking at someone in a certain way can be racist, it can be the way you talk to somebody in a way that you think you're better than them."

Indeed, it is this attitude that prevents Neville truly embracing England. "I've lived here for 40 years but I don't feel this is my home. The way I have been treated here has not made me feel like this is my home. I've always done what was asked of me, yet when I asked for something back I got nothing. I've had to put myself and my family in danger to get answers which we shouldn't have had to have fought for in the first place."

Neville has also learned the hard way a lot about the way the British justice system works. "I thought that night Stephen was murdered, it would be very easy to catch the killers. I thought if they caught the first person then he'd talk and they'd catch the rest. Three days later there had been no progress and I started to wonder what was going on." Neville explains how slowly the case developed. "lt was only after four years that we started to realise what happened that night. If your child goes out and doesn't ever come back, you want to know why. To this day I still don't understand how someone could go out, see an innocent person at a bus stop and kill them. These people are not human beings. If you don't have the same colour skin as they do, you're no one: an animal.

They have no respect for people. If they see a black person in the street they think there goes a robber. I'm not a robber, I know nothing about robbing."

To this day I still don't understand how someone could go out, see an innocent person at a bus stop, and kill them.

t was from Jamaica that Neville learnt about British culture. He wanted to travel to England at the age of 18, naTve of any1hing like racism.

"Colour did not matter in Jamaica. At school we learnt all about English people and the way of life. I probably know more about English people than some English people know about themselves. We came over here and people didn't know any1hing about us, some people thought that we lived in

I

_ ;r~:s~l:s_ a_ p!~b~e~-o~ i~n_o~a~~e:

he stress of being in the public eye has affected Neville's life dramatically, but he tries to maintain the normal life he held before that fateful night. "When I'm not travelling all over the country I try to keep out of the reach of the press. I try to live a normal as possible life; to look after my family and spend time at home." And despite such intrusion into his affairs, Neville is slowly getting adjusted to his new role. "This whole lifestyle is completely new to me and it takes time to get used to the situation , that if 1 say something it'll be in the press, and if I go anywhere people

T

~~r·:rt_ ~-~ __ ~a_n~ t~ ~a~k-~ ~~-!~~~ ~

.... ~~p!e.(,.~·~ •

knowing who you are".

Neville reveals he has quickly learnt the tricks of disguise. "I walk around in a cap and very often I remain anonymous until I take it off," he smiles. "it's nice that people feel that they can come up and talk to me because that way I can know what people are thinking, and discuss some of the things I'm trying to do. I don't want to do any1hing which the wider public don't agree with. I know a lot of mothers and fathers are grateful for what we've done. I don't want to offend anybody, but at the same time we needed answers". lt was the moment the Lawrence's got answers that proved Neville's highest point since Stephen's death. "The most remarkable thing was the fact that we got the inquiry which we had been told by so many we would never get, and I myself got a lot of answers from that, things which I had suspected which were given proof. The inquiry gave us something to work at, and gave hope that if something like this happened again, there would be some sort of precedent".

Neville does not know what the future holds in store for his destiny, nor the fate of his son's killers.

But the Lawrence's are determined to get justice for Stephen, and other victims of discrimination.

He has received standing ovations at conference after conference, yet remains a quiet and thoughtful man. it's a very small world, and he can't see why we shouldn't be able to get along with each other.

I ask Nevi.lle if there was a question that he'd always wanted someone to ask him. He closes his eyes for a second, then looks me straight in the face. "If I had the chance to put myself in my son's place would I do it?" He pauses. 'Without question.

The day after my son was murdered I realised he had not lived a life. I have lived a life and I often wish that they had killed me instead. He would have had a chance to live." He pauses again.

"Nobody's ever asked me that question."

Edit0 r

Full lime, Norwicl1

Applications are invited for the position of Editor, Concrete, for the period September 2001 to June 2002.

The position is open only to current students at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, and may be taken as a year-out during a degree (intercalation) or directly after graduation.

The successful applicant need not have previously been involved in the production of Concrete, but must be able to demonstrate the following skills: • Excellent grammar and editing skills • Team leadership qualities • Administrative flair • Familiarity with OuarkXpress and Adobe Photoshop • Knowledge of print production techniques Closing date for applications: Monday, April 2, 2001

Aclvntisiny

Manager

Distribution P~ut tim,

Applications are invited for the position of Advertising Manager, Concrete, for the period September 2001 to June 2002.

The position is open to any student studying at UEA during 2001/2, and involves selling the adverts that finance Concrete to local and national customers, developing new relationships and nurturing existing clients in a professional manner.

The successful applicant will have sales experience and a friendly telephone and personal manner.

Closing date : April 23, 2001

Manager

P,ut

tlntt'

Applications are invited for the position of Distribution Manager, Concrete, for the period September 2001 to June 2002.

The position is open to any student studying at UEA during 2001/2, and involves overseeing the effective · distribution of Concrete to 3,000 study bedrooms and over 50 campus pick-up points.

Applicants must be aged 21 years or over and should be in possession of a full UK driving licence on taking up the post.

Closing date : April 23, 2001

Full cktails of all positions and instructions on how to apply can he round at;

ht l fl ://www.concrl.'t c - onlim~.cu.u k/jobs

CONCRETE

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Concrete

WEDNESDAY, MARCH

14, 2001

Amsterdam is known for its sex, drugs, and relaxed atmosphere.

Will Halsey ordered a small beer and went window shopping... magine there's no heaven, it's easy if you try." So I was greeted at Amsterdam 's Centraal Station by a singing female midget. Admittedly, she was not doing John Lennon 's classic justice, but, in many ways, she did provide a weird, wonderful and perhaps fitting introduction to a city that embraces all cultures and attitudes.

Most famously, of course, the relaxed policy towards soft drugs.

However, despite the high trade in British drug tourism, it is the entire Dutch culture that demands attention, offering a glimpse of a society governed by common sense and .trust in its population. Does the allowance of drinking until the early hours and making cannabis freely available create a drunk and drug dependent society? Of course not. But add the legalisation of brothels and the long standing acceptance of prostitution and you have a recipe that would make William Hague bring those 14 pints back up.

This is not to say that Amsterdam does not have its problems. Indeed, the citizens are worried about immigrant and under-age prostitution (legalising brothels in 1999 was seen as a way of curbing the growing immigrant sex trade), and hard drugs are a problem. Indeed, it is impossible to walk through the red light district without passing one of 1000 hard drug dealers shuffling around and whispering their wares.

But confounding my expectations, it is not the availability of cannabis - ordered from a simple menu in any coffeeshop - that is most surprising or refreshing thing about Amsterdam. In fact, it is the drinking culture that stands out more, with the whole alcohol mentality a million miles ·away from Britain . While the majority of social drinkers in th e UK attempt to knock back as many pints as possible before 11pm, the Dutch avoid the pint and instead drink in quantities closer to half pints, often with two fingers of head. This frothy head improves taste, according to Dutch drinkers, though this may be a matter for debate. Nevertheless, bars stay open until three in the morning, many offer a tab, and the whole affair is that much more civi lised .

The Dutch are in a different league when it comes to a drin king cu lture; Britain, it coul d be said, is just "not ready yet", to quote the Grolsch advertisements.

But Amsterdam is not merely a nocturnal paradise - the daylight brings with it a visibility of stunning architecture and an attractive network of ca nals. While reminiscent of Venice for obvious reasons, the canals in fact provide a crucial drainage service that keeps the city from disappearing into the ground. In fact , there is a saying in the Netherl ands that God created the world but the Dutch created Holland .

Another notable feature about the buildings th at flank the narrow avenues and alleyways is that they slant dramatical ly inwards. Although the city 's residents deny this is an issue, it is impossible not to notice the high stru ctures looming over you. lt is as if th e co nstruction workers stopped for a joint halfway up. Either that or a couple of swift

'' I

Heinekens. Heineken , by the way, doesn't taste like piss in Holland - the Dutch simply wouldn 't drink what British pubs serve up.

Another constant feature of the city, though , is the proliferation of workmen digging up the road .

However, one of the explanations for this is even more bizarre. lt appears th at the Dutch government strives to maintain full employment, and with income tax set at 37% (Bri tain stands at 23%), public money is plentiful. Due to this, Amsterdam 's roads and pavements are regularly dug up and relayed to give people something to do. Indeed , it is perhaps the only thing that Amsterdam's seriously relaxed population are somewhat perturbed about. t is impossible to visit Amsterdam , though , and not look in wonder and - in some cases disgust at the sex on display. The whole red light district, found between Warmoesstraat and Damstraat to the East of the city, is littered with sex shops (all with window displays that boast sex toys of unimaginable size: think grown man's arm) , which offer pornography a-plenty and everything beyond. Indeed , the window displays also show a healthy selection of 'erotic' videos, though anyone who actually buys Dog Anal or Fuck My Dog for masturbatory purposes deserves a custodial sentence. lt is on th e main canal in the red light district, though, that the most interesting and shocking aspect of Dutch liberalism can be found , with pro stitutes quite literally in shop windows, dressed only in underwear, offering th emselves to punters. Th e procedure, I am told, is to tap on th e glass and th en discuss the act and the price, but it is difficult while walking past knowing whether to look or not. it's hard not to, though (no pun intended).

Al so part of the sex cu lture in Amsterdam are the live sex shows that, unlike London or

I

New York offer, er, live sex. However, while the product may actually be what they advertise (the experience is allegedly more interesting than actually erotic) the promotional prowess of the proprietors is poor at best. One tried to sway me with "Come on guys, spanky wanky! " Not effective.

11 cannot be denied that the sex and drugs create an eye-opening experience, but while it is an integral part of any visit to the ci ty, there is more to Amsterdam than cannabis and sex shops. Th is is a city where you can just wander th e afternoons away. Or, if you prefer, take the tram ; the aforementioned income tax leaves more than enough money to create a top-notch public transport system . However, the preferred method of trave l for the residents of the city is by bicycle.

Every railing in Amsterdam has many, many bikes chained to them , all old with brake cables ripped away and handlebars that belong in a museum . And you wi ll not spend more than a day in the city before being offered one of these bikes at a reasonable price. Wh at is more surprisi ng, though , is that a reasonable price stands at around six guilders, or £1.50. In fact, the Dutch are only angry when a bike is stolen because the lock goes with it, which are generally ten times more expensive than the bikes themselves. Indeed , one story of life in Amsterdam was of a gentleman who happily rode his bike around the city for several months, before deciding to buy a bell to warn pedestrians of his presen ce. The bike was stolen th e next day. Still, if you are not biking or walking around the labyrinth of canals, or the Vondelpark, a vast expanse of green that sits outsi de the city centre, you may we ll be eating large

Flights to Arnsterdam ~ill set you back around £70, with Easyjet a good option.Accommodation ~an be found cheaply, with hoslel accommodation from about 40 guilders a nighf (£:1 2) . For hotels, you' ll be payi ng more, but triPles or quads can s_ave cash If _you 're travellin-g in a group.

Food is "reaspryably c\Jeap and the portions are 1 impr.essive. Try to avoid 'tourlst: men us . !,hough, Cannabis Is bought In coffee shops by the gram, and"onE! ?f \WO grams yvill set you back about 2~ guilder&• Toilets For the best toilet l!i Amsterda m check our the Home ~own P h~ nlasY coffee shop tu cked ~eh i r:td Da SqJare. Jus tbink"-of UV light to get sb e 1dea w.tl ...

Concrete has teamed up with i.Js\t CAMPUS and Eurotrain to give you t e chance of winning two train tick~ ts from Lor don Liverpool Street to Centraal Stat1on 1 Amsterdam.

To check out alternative transport to the city and elsewhere in Europe, ci'Jeck out the usit CAMPUS website on www.usitcampus.co.uk Alternatillely, you can call on 0870 240 1 010.

To win the tickets. simpl answer this simple question : What is Amsterdam's main - ie. central railway station called?

Put your answer, together with your name and contact teleffi'ii4!~f!i"\11'1 phone number in the Concrete competition box in the Hive by 1'-'l-~'"""'.J..,.,. Friday, March 23.

Good luck!

I i IJ;iiJ j:;&l l•!f tions of food at good prices in one of the many restaurants. Do not, though, expect good service, for while th e chi lled, super relaxed atmosphere is a joy to behold in Amsterdam, it does mean th at waiters and chefs will get round to it when they can be bothered . But who cares? Kick back, relax, eat and drink when it is ready. Just enjoy a culture that seems to get so many things right , while arg uably highlighting so much that is wrong in Britain.

Indeed , if John Lennon did ever imagine what heaven wou ld be like, Amsterdam surely wouldn 't be too far off.

Concrete

WEDNESDAY, MARCH

FEATURES

www.concrete-online.co.uk

14, 2001

60 Second City

17

ess

Gothenburg

We live in a culture obsessed with helping itself. With thousands of books on the market, Katherine Everitt looks into this peculiar obsession with solving problems ...

Urn, so why do I want to go there?

Well, my good friend, being Sweden's second largest city, Gothenburg is crammed with style, culture, good cuisine, great nightlife ... did I mention style? You've seen the lkea catalogue, so you know what I mean.

Sounds promising. Where should I begin?

A good place to start would be the Slottskogen, a huge park near the centre of the city. As well as being a beautiful spot to relax it also houses the city zoo (yes, there are elks) and the Museum of Natural History...

Sounds boring ...

No, it's actually pretty cool. There's lots of amusing stuffed animals including a vast blue whale, which used to be a cafe, but it smelt too much so they closed it.

Okay, whilst we're doing the culture thing, what else is there to do?

Well, there's the Art Museum, situated at the very top of Avenyn, one of the main streets in Gothenburg. Permanent exhibits include works by Swedish painters, Carl Larsson and Anders Zorn, as well as Monet, Renoir and Rembrandt, to name a few.

Isn't there anything a bit more, er, fun around?

Luckily for you, Gothenburg boasts its very own theme park: Liseberg. Yes, within walking distance from the city centre you can experience giant rollercoasters that make you sick, big spinning things that, um, make you sick, and hamburgers that do pretty much the same thing. Beware two things, though: Firstly, in the summer, Liseberg can get very crowded. Secondly, the official mascot is a green rabbit with neon pink ears. Frightening.

What about food then? I heard the Swedes actually eat reindeer.

Occasionally, yes. Although I personally wouldn't recommend it - rather tough you see.

Hmm. Anything slightly more appetising?

Actually, being virtually on the coast, there is a lot of fish eaten in Gothenburg, pickled herring being a particular favourite. However, if you're not a fish fan there are lots of goodies to tempt your fancy. Haga (one of the oldest parts of Gothenburg) and Vasagatan (off Avenyn) are jampacked with lovely street cafes where you can sit, eat and relax before setting off again .. .

Hang on! I'm far too lazy to walk this far. Surely there's an easier method of transport?

But of course! The best way of getting around is by tram.

The tram system here is cheap, reliable, and runs just about everywhere.

So where to now?

How about the shops? The Swedish, you see, are a fashionable lot and as such Gothenburg has a huge array of trendy retail outlets to satisfy such needs, all located within a few blocks of each other smack bang in the city centre.

Particularly cool places include Design Target (full of unnecessary yet funky, designer trinkets) and Nostalgi (near Vasagatan), which is a must for retro-kids and t-shirt lovers.

You mentioned nightlife earlier. Care to elaborate?

Sure. One of the best clubs to go to is Nefertiti. Originally a jazz club, it now puts on a much wider range of music, though it is usually stuff a bit more left field than S Club 7.

Of course, it is not the only club in the city: being a university town, Gothenburg has clubs and bars to cater for every student's needs.

Sounds pretty groovy, all in all. Any bad points I should know about?

Well, the worst part about Gothenburg is the fact that nothing is very cheap here, so you might want to wait until the next chunk of your student loan comes through before you arrive.

Anything else I should know?

Flight-prices flutter around the £100 mark, and if you're still not convinced? Well, there's always the vodka ...

MarJ.cla d StgrJ<it

word his 'thing' was veryone is familiar with self-help - the about Perseverance. country is obsessed with it. Books that can improve you love life or The book was much confidence sit proudly on the shelves more historical , illusof Waterstones with a seemingly trating his point by magical aura. looking back and reflecting on the lives Take Bridge! Jones, for example, a notorious of Napoleon, Galileo neurotic for whom self-help is a way of life. Vet and Disraeli among it seems she caught the mood of the nation (or, others. at least the mood of the thirty something female generation).

Smiles' intellectual Most titles offer a few helpful hints but genermusings are now a cry from the likes of ally do not hold much life-changing advice for Men are from Mars, most of us, but plenty of people are seemingly Women are from more than happy to live their life according to one of a plethora of 'life improvement' books.

Venus. For one thing And it's not only in America, oh no. The fine, John Gray's book has spawned such followGeorge W. Bush-controlled country, where people have more money and food than they know ups like Mars and what to do with, isn't the only hotbed of devotVenus On a Date and Mars and Venus In ed self-helpers. However, what is less known is the Bedroom, not to that the issue of human self-improvement is not a new thing at all; in fact , it's not even a twentimention the infamous board game. eth century phenomenon.

Unfortunately, Self-help books have been around for donthough , the names of In need of help? Renee Ze/lweger as Bridget Jones key's years. The very first book was simply called Self Help and was published back in some books and booksellers don't do much to The choice on the market, despite the velimprove the credibility of these wannabe social ume of texts, is limited. Most just give scientific 1859. it was written , quite aptly, by a man scientists. Be Your Own Teacher names to relationship problems. The vast called Samuel Smiles. it sold is just a bit too cheesy and majority are just a new or rearranged version of Smiles' intellectual many thousands, Happiness Producers is a blasomething already written . A few are quite diffimusings are a far cry tant turn off. There's the straight cult to take seriously: Mind Your Own Business which shows that we have in fact and Life Is One Damn Thing After Another from John Gray's Men to the point Don 't Sweat.Com but surely just the title of this throw up images of crazy Americans, for exambeen long been are from Mars, Women website is all the advice you concerned with pie. However, after reading them you'll allegedly are from Venus self-improvement. need? One other site even be able to clarify your territorial boundaries in a gives a story of 'How reading a relationship and take charge of your life.

His message it's difficult to say whether these books really much simpler was and - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - self-help book helped to transdoesn't allude to any change of lifestyle which form 'a quiet church mouse' into an 'assertive work - although it's hard to believe they would some of today's books advocate. He believed achiever'. But despite the change in generation , but should they fail rest assured there will another title on the market shortly. Alternatively, that success in life depended not on our intelthis story goes back to Samuel Smiles' first lect but on "the energetic use of simple means statement though; what this man needed to of course, you could go down the pub with a and ordinary qualities, with which nearly all friend and talk things over. But that would be help the problems in his life was perseverance human individuals have been endowed." In a with certain appropriate advice. too easy, wouldn't it?

E

''

The surrendered wives club • h "f th" k th t Laura DOyIe, an Amer1can OUSeWI e, In S a

have gone along with her message. The Chicago Tribune has stated that "surrender can

the key to a happy marriage for women is be sweet and might improve your marriage."

In these days of reactionary Republican poliSUbmiSSiOn to the male. Metin Alsanjak tics and the reinstatement of religious values, a investigates this peculiar form of self help... traditional reworking of the •-~-----:::l:';-----:l fifties wife the d full-service seems plausible enough.

dere Surre'!

WlFe

ccording to a recent study handle household finances and But it's not going to remain at Rutgers National focuses on her own self-care quarantined in the US. In Marriage Project, 50% of and fulfilment." fact The Surrendered Wife marriages end in divorce This basically translates to is already sitting on our ...,,.,_,_. . bookshelves . [in the US]. Another 25% surrendering all neurological ~ of marriages stay together even though they activity that might result in comWhen I put the concept are unhappy. So even though everyone starts munication. Why on earth would of the surrendered wife to out hopeful, believing a lifetime of passion and some fellow students, I anyone listen to anything so terrijoy is in front of them, 75% of the time that fyingly regressive in today's world anticipated a little bit of doesn't happen." says Laura Doyle. But this that has been struggling so long shameful admittance woman has a solution : surrender. to have equality between the that, yes, as a male I Laura Doyle is in many ways sexes? Well , according would like to live like a an unremarkable American to Laura, because it King. Being worshipped wife. Except, she has written a works. by my adoring wife, best selling self-help bookdespite my apparent Websites are littered The Surrendered Wife - that 'new man' credentials, with positive responses claims to do much more than wouldn't be too bad a from American women make a marriage "divorcelife. However, th is was who feel that being a surproof", she knows how give not the case. The rendered wife really d o V I e couples 'intimacy'. Furthermore, makes a difference, statbackwards feel of she knows how to get rid of ing such things as, "I think this particular form of 'NET' (Needless Emotional I'm falling in love with my self-help came through immediately. "I Turmoil) . and to give married husband all over again. We've been think it's more Victorian than anything else" couples a better sex-life. said one student. Another said "it would give married for 27 years and I have So what's the catch? For her "controlled" him for most of that you a feeling of power but you'd get bored of it there is no catch, just a simple Surrendered: Laura Doyle time ." "it all made a lot of sense. So after a wh ile." This echoed perhaps the most set of steps that a wife can take to have her much sense. So I'm taking your suggestions to concise response I'd seen on the debates heart...". And these are not a few freak cases. 'spiritual rebirth '. As she says, "The basic prinposted on the interne!; one person, for sure, Its popularity is shocking . it reached all the way ciples of a surrendered wife are that she: doesn't think Mrs Doyle will be around for long : "You won't hear another peep from her after 3 relinquishes inappropriate control of her husup to number seven in the Amazon book chart band, respects her husband's thinking, when it was published by Simon & Schuster a months." receives his gifts graciously and expresses month ago, and it currently resides at number And for the sake of saving our generation gratitude for him, expresses what she wants seventy-one. The American networks have from the repressed inequality that dominated ¥"UI1out tJying con r91 hipl relies j;>r) him o given her 9 lot of air-time, <lrW jhp newspaper$ the past, let's hoije. t~a,t:s tru~

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18 FEATURES

www .cone rete-online.co.uk

Hea dscrat che r 01. ,.)h.J,o.u:~.:,. . - of~h~~::::-:n:au_ses?- - -. patr-on sa1-----, nt

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Whi ch gas is there more of in the Earth's atmosphere?

0 •

0 0 0

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With which drink is the Greek god Dionysus most closely associated? lA) Wine

IlB) Cider

IC) Ale

IlD) Milk

Q2) Dionysus mosaic

0

Who wrote the Famous Five books? lA) Richmal Crompton

IlB) Anna Seaton

le) AA Milne

IlD) Enid Blyton

Q4) Eric Clapton

0

Which song, written by Eric Clapton on the occasion of the death of his four-year-old son Conor, won a Grammy Award in 1993? lA) Tears in Heaven

IlB) The Supernatural

le) My Father's Eyes

IlD) Wonderful Tonight

IlB) Galle

Taurus

le) Kandy

IlD) Tissamaharama

Life couldn 't get much worse this fortnight with death, • plague and pestilence ruining your very existence ... Oh ~ and your house will blow up. Only kidding . Your life is going to be bloody wonderful yet again ... blahblahblahblahblah. There is such a thing as being too good, so don 't be suprised if people stop you in the street and start stamping on you r halo .

Most people can't deal with perfection.

Who is married to director Jim Threapleton and gave birth to their daughter Mia in October 2000? lA) Kate Hudson

IlB) Kate Beckinsale

ICJ Cate Blanche!!

IlD) Kate Winslet!

What is the capita l of Mauritius? lA) Terre Rouge

IlB) Tamarin

le) Port Louis

IlD) Souillac

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lA) Alan Rusbridger

IlB) Paul Dacre

Il D) Shadows and Fog

IlD) Richard Desmond

Q) Charles Laughton

a (01: ':)

(6 ·a (8 ':) (L ·v (9 ·a (g ' V (17 'a (£'V (l '8 (1 :sJaMSUV

Celebrity Big Brother brought forth interesting insights into Vanessa Feltz's opinions on female activity in the bedroom, suggesting that women masturbate as often as men. A recent Mori poll also declared that 80 per cent of women get more pleasure from food than from sex. We asked your views on the matter...

The Enlightenment: An interpretation: The rise of modern paganism £9, Candide (Voltaire)

80p. S.Marsh@uea.ac.uk FREE TROPICAL FISH TwoMonth-old Silver Lyretail Mollies.

Good for community aquarium, hardy fish. Too many babies for our tank size! Email James.Cummings@ uea.ac.uk GUITAR and amp for sale.

Vantage strat copy with Humbucker, VGC , and Ampeg 70w with reverb and chorus. £225 ono greg.brown@uea.ac.uk 07740 645432 or 01603 485471 DREAMCAST for sale. 8 games, 2 controllers, memory card , £200 ono.

Will split.

Email Adam.Ford@ uea.ac.uk LIVE MIXER , folio notepad , 4 mono inputs, 2 stereo, fx sens and other lovely things, all mono

~...I. All Geminis (bar one, and you know who you are) are

going to have a fulfi ll ing fortnight with far-reach ing advances in sexand love. Those who have been using you of late will finally make a decision as to what they really want, allowing you to decide whether you really want them . You are the one with the power though, so ignore the insecurities of ot hers and take things as they come . It 'll be worth it.

"No! Women definitely aren't that dirty! I'd definitely go with sex, but that depends if the food has cocoa in it. I'd definitely choose alcohol!"

Bernadine Brewer (EAS 1) "If you bake a cake it will always rise .. . unlike men. Plus you don't have to keep telling a cake that it is big and good all the time. And you don't have to make it a cup of tea in the morning .. . unlike men . And women qo masturbate as often as men .

Bad sex will , of course, lead to more masturbation."

Alex McGregor (HIS 3) "The big cookie pieces in Haagen Dazs

channel have both jack and mike inputs. Somebody please make me an offer I ca n't refuse .

J.Light @uea.ac. uk JVC CD I Radio I Cassette portable stereos £30, CD with display, FM/MW, Size (w) 42 (H) 16 (D) 21, good conditions, quite new.

Contact B.Zhong@ uea.ac. uk GOLDAIR Fan Heater £8, 2 heat settings, cool air facility ,floor standing, Size (H) 11 .5 (W)25.5 (D) 19.5 quite new with boxes.

Contact B.Zhong@uea.ac.uk VW GOLF, 1.6 valve, white with sun-roof, very low mileage . £1000 ono. Call Jo on 07775 512795.

WANTED HOUSEMATE wanted to live with two girls and a boy in lovely selfowned house in the Golden Triangle. Rent: £170 per month not including bills. Interest in all things tacky a bonus, but not essential. We have cable too! (A

world with perhaps the exception of Robbie Williams. And any woman who says they don't masturbate is a filthy liar. I've been known to fall asleep with my hands down my pants."

Gemma O'Donnell (EAS 3)

"If women get more pleasure form food it probably explains why there are so many fat mingers out there!"

Lou Prouart (SWK 3) " Masturbation is goodl lt keeps you young and vibrant. .. and who understands women anyway? "A Nicholl (MGT 3)

Advertise anything - even yourself - for free. Simply write up to 25 words for your ad and pop it in the Concrete box in The Hive, or email it to su.concrete@uea.ac.uk Terms and cond itions apply.

Not available to private traders or businesses little bit of bribery never went amiss). Please contact Elin on E.Jones @uea.ac.uk.

HOUSEMATE wanted to move into 3 bedroomed house in Golden Triangle. Non-smoker. £165 pcm not including bills from September 2001 . Phone 01603 6626 11.

HOUSEMATE wanted to share with two girls and a boy. Must know how to wash and be nice. £160 per month. Ring Astrid or Markland on 01603 762691 for details.

TWO SINGERS wanted for nu/rap/metal band to join forces in original established band, consisting of drums , 7 strings, 5 strings and DJ . Appl icants must be competant in either rapping/sc reaming songs , studio time/gigs waiting . Tel Todd on 01553 775974 or e-mail on neon .muncaster @at.dre TWO HOUSEMATES wanted for Golden Triangle house. Must be non-smoking an d tidy. Ring Nigel

At last you've noticed that your life has become about as ~ dull as a particularly bad shag . The fact that you 've been near-on comatose for the past month was surely a small sign . This fortnight gives you the opportunity to do something about it, but you are going to have to be proactive rather than reactive, else you're j ust going to miss out .

_.

Leo

Virgo

she goes to bed because it helps her sleep."

Barry Perez (SYS 1)

Classifieds BOOKS : The Enlightenment (Porter) £3, Habsburgs & Hohenzollems (Oppenheim) £4, The Enlightenment (Outram) £5,

Gemini

With insecurities over you r future reaching cr it ical point this fortnight you could be forgiven for lashing out at anyone who gets in your way . But, due to the influences of those close to you, you will try your best to ignore these urges. Events in the next month wi ll put everything in perspective, so for the time being you will have to realise that not everyone is out to get you. There 's a psychiatric term for that : completely loony .

Student speak

FOR SALE

I

Cancer What was the name of the only film directed by actor Charles Laughton?

IC) Linda Lee-Potter

"That would explain all the fat birds on campus and why our housemate is so fat.

She told u·s that she masturabtes before

1111'1'"

Q5) Mail readers

IlB) Night of the Hunter

"Yes. Dairy Milk rocks my world!"

R Gill (EAS 2)

{.Ci'IJ

'WIW

le) I, Claudius

"I would answer the question but I think I might be going a bit blind ... " Sam Evans (BIO 2)

~~

lA) Calumba

lA) Persona

"There's nothing a girl can do for me that I can't do with my own hand. You've heard of feminism , well this is masculinism."

Z Smith (SOC 3)

Aries

Which Sri Lankan c ity played host to the Second Test Match played this month?

IlD) Thomas ~--------1

Who is the editor of the Daily Mail?

•

Horoscopes For once things are looking up (and who says I always give you bad horoscopes)! You are dest ined to walk around Norwich with a big dopey smile on your face all fortnight after major developments in every area of your life bring far-reach ing consequences. Just try not to look too stupid ... people might mistake you for a local.

ICJ Francis

~~A;:)::C=ar=b=on=D=i=ox=id=e==~IIB) Nitrogen ._le..:..)_H.:...yd_ro....::g;_ en_ _ _

Concrete WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 2001

on 01603 470537.

TWO second-year girls with two spare rooms in our modern four bedroom house. One from the end of March till the START of· nex-t year (September), the other room from the end of March for the whole of next year. Wycliffe Road, 5 minutes walk from campus. Rent: £160.33 pcm . Full faci lities, front and back gardens, fully-fitted kitchen, microwave, washing machine, fridge/freezer, garage, bathroom with bath & power shower. Please contact: Lisa 07968 06 1358 or Katherine 07941 472576

J.

You are in line for a series of stupid mistakes this fortnight as your better judgement seems to fly out of the window at supersonic speed. Of course this is all your own fault as you seem to be under the assumption that you are the all-know ing, all-seeing . News flash! You aren't God. That, after all , is my job.

How else do you explain the unnerving accuracy of these horoscopes, eh?

Libra Cor! You are a bit of a goer aren't you? Excuse the Suf} speak but you 'rre in danger of becoming the Barbara Windsor/ Sid James of UEA. We ' re talking seaside postcard smut here . With this development in your att itudes towards sex comes a flurry of new offers. Try not to chase people around The Hive in your pants, though . You're not Benny Hill.

· Scorpio Open your mind! How many people wou ld you like to be .--.~ shagg ing? One? Boring! Two? Now we 're getting someJf where. This is the opportunity available to you this •. · ·' fortn ight and , God knows, you need it. Find a couple, worm your way in and indu lge in a litt le tnreesome. Someone is going to get pissed off sooner or later. Just make sure it isn 't you.

!

JJ.

Sagittarius ......,_ The word "quandry" does not even go far enough in \ describing the hard decisions you have to face this fortnight . You will hurt people in the process but it is necessary for your long-term happiness. That may sound selfish but there 's no point in going ·into something with your eyes wide shut. You'll only end up making an arse of yourself. ~

Capricorn

a"·

Forget the problems that have been troubl ing you of late.

They aren't real ly worth giving yourself an aneurism over are they? You wi ll move away from taking every little thing so seriously this fortnight, allowing you the scope to get out there and carve your own road, rather than relying on the advice of others on how you should live your life.

Aquarius !I You 're

1"'1'-t

PERSONAL

a weirdy-beardy religious type! Yes, this fortn ight you will get in touch with your spiritual side, making you a bit more relaxed with all the harsher areas of your life.

1 Thi s doesn't mean that you'll start blessing everyone in sight, or c hecking every seminar room for its bearing to Mecca, but it al lows yo u to rise above the petty t ri vial t ies current ly in your life .

BUSTY BITCH seeks someone who isn't put off by her incredibly high sex drive. Also has to be interested in sex. Only kidding!

Am actually really really pure and virginal and need someone to show me the way. So, contact Concrete, Box 106. You won 't be disappointed!

You are going to have to realise that you 're not the ~~ world 's biggest victim this fortnight. Th ere are others in ~ this world who have far more important things to deal with than your usual sub-Oawson's Creek dil emmas. Many people will be queu ing up to tell you this. The only question lies in how you recei ve this (not so) surprisi ng revelation on your (lack of) personality.

Pisces

..

Graduate Courses

L is for Librarian Librarians or information managers are concerned with organising information so it is readily accessible to a certain community.

They must have the ability to deal effectively with people, intellectual, organised and IT efficient. Competition for post-grad places is keen, as a course is essential for becoming fully qualified.

What is the course called?

MA/MSc Information and Library Studies.

Where can I take it?

The two courses at Loughborough University and the University of Central England in Birmingham (UCE) are both fairly typical of the handful available in the rest of the UK. Which one should I apply for?

Generally, trainee librarians are required to have at least 9-12 months of relevant experience normally acquired by volunteering or applying to libraries specifically. A list of institutions offering this type of experience is supplied by the professional bodies (listed below). Loughborough's course is one that holds this condition for entry on top of a minimum 2.2 class of degree in any suitable subject. Applicants should also demonstrate good communication skills and a commitment to information provision and services. As most of you will lack this necessary experience immediately after completion of your first degree, UCE is a good example of a course with less stringent selection criteria. A minimum of a 2.2 degree is required and relevant experience is only preferred, in addition to interests in records management and IT. What is involved in the course?

Loughborough's course is vocationally oriented and includes modules covering information management, sources, and use and searching. Assessment is by coursework and dissertation . UCE educates in the theory and practice of librarianship and information studies and offers optional modules on work wilh young people and the community. Students study a total of 10 modules and a substantial piece of independent work for their dissertations.

How long do the courses take?

Loughborough and UCE both run full-time courses of 12 months and part-time courses of over 24+ months. UCE's semester begins in September, Loughborough's in October. Both universities state that courses are usually full

by September.

How much do they cost?

The latest information available is that Loughborough and UCE both charge £2,675 for their full-time options, but you should check with the institution for possible changes.

What prospects are there after the courses?

The prospects are good! Loughborough notes that 90% of students had an offer of employment within 6 months of completing their course, while UCE says its corresponding statistic is 100%. These jobs are reported to be closely related to the course content, for example, librarians, cataloguers, and information specialists. Posts were acquired at schools, universities, college and public libraries and commercial organisations. UCE states that it is getting more difficult for students to get jobs in public libraries but on the whole more jobs are being created recently due to the interne! sector.

Where can I get more information?

Loughborough University: 01509 223052 or at i.a.smith@lboro.ac.uk. The University of Central England: 0121 331 5625 or at Katherine Rowbotham sis@uce.ac.uk.

FEATURES

www.concrete-online.co.uk

Concrete WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14, 2001

19

Campus Comment

Lousy Costly Rip-off

Sick and tired of the waste of money that is the LCR? Matt Wright sure is ...

ow, don't get me wrong: in two days I will be in the LCR

N

difficult question to answer.

First years go because they don't know any better, while the rest

~:;~k~n;.u:~elf

You may not think ~~::·b::a~;~o;es~=~~~!~

'' before feeling crap the next day. However, the Umon • certainly won't be feeling so bad when they count up the ? money they have made out of their own students. E.veryone adm1ts that the LCR IS crap; indeed, the consensus is that to enjoy it, you have to be very go because they do know better but it's the best place to meet up drunk or dead. And yet people go with everyone. And we all pay the and pay ridiculous amounts of money for the Last Chance LCR extortionate price of at least £3.

- even though there will be one Not much you may think - but next term. Why? Well, that's a where does it all go? Well, for a

£3 iS mUCh _ bUt Where dOeS lt all g C t . I t 0 • er a1n Y nO on the DJ.

CONCRETE Get Involved!

Would you like to be part of the country's most successful student newspaper?

We have opportunities for writers, photographers and Illustrators, providing invaluable experience and great CV material.

Past writers have gone on to write for and edit national newspapers and magazines Contributor meetings take place every Monday at 1pm In Room 1.33 of Union House.

lt's your paper so get involved!

THE INDEPENDENT Student Newspaper of the Year

Thc>Guardlan Student Newspaper of the Year: Runner-up

start, certainly not on the DJ. Not only does he play the same tracks in the same order every

COs he is somehow qualified.

Either he knows someone in the Union, or the Union cannot be bothered to find a quality DJ (surely there must be one in Norwich?).

Our money doesn't go on cheap drinks either. Not only have the bar prices risen from last year, tell me where is the monthly bottle for £1? Perhaps a 300% profit wasn't good enough.

Nor does our money pay for a late licence, while security now

seems to want us all out by 1.30am. So, can the Union either drop the entrance fee or sort out the shambles they have created.

And if not, tell us where our money is going - it's certainly not securing big bands at the UEA (sorry JJ72) or going some way to fill the empty shell that is the Breakers site. Just please don't say its going on a new Colin Moore election campaign.

Prices and Services A4 single sided copies ..................... 5p A4 double sided copies .................... 10p A:3 single sided copies . ........... ....... . 10p A4 full colour copies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. SOp A:3 full colour copies .. .... ...... ......... £1.00 A4 black and white transparencies . .......... 45p A4 full colour transparencies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . £1 A4 full colour from slides ................ ... 75p A:3 full colour from slides ...........•..... £1.20 Comb-binding ..................... from £1.50 Fast-back binding ................. ... from 70p A4 laminating ...................•....... SOp A:3 laminating ....................•..... £1.50

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Concrete

WEDNESDA Y, MARCH

14, 2001

Thanks to the foot and mouth epidemic farming is in chaos but it's not just agriculture that is suffering, sport is also on the rack. Mike Milner takes a look at the implications of the recent sport ing cancellations ... distorted because of yet another crisis about meat.

However, if the Irish government's stance is cautious it has created a situation in the British horseracing industry that could ultimately be disastrous.

In the UK, horseracing has been partially suspended because horses are recognised as carriers of the disease as the distance they travel from stable to meeting is long .

Although the Ministry of Agriculture has said that the risk of horses spreading the disease is low, the racing fraternity believes the risk is too high.

Trainers in rural areas are in favour of the ban because they are watching their friends and colleagues suffer. Martin Pipe, one of the country's leading trainers, is based in an area that has suffered foot-and-mouth, and does believe that the suspension is for the benefit of agriculture. There is a widespread feeling of helplessness, but there is nothing racing can do apart from sit and wait.

As the number of cases increases, there is hope that racing will not suffer as it did during the last foot-and-mouth outbreak in 1967. Racing was suspended for six months, the result being widespread financial strife that is likely to be magnified today. Economically, there will be a massive dip in the turnover of the bookies, owners will not be winning any prize money and jockeys will be earning nothing.

8

â&#x20AC;˘

Brian O'Drisco/1 can 't show what he can do against England

he England Rugby Union side has sport in the Republic to ensure that the disease does not come into the country and has so far sucprogressed into one of the top three cessfully worked. Horse-racing, the Gaelic sports, sides in the world. Clinical victories football, rugby and all sports that involve the signifover Australia and South Africa last autumn were followed by the destrucicant movement of people or animals that can tion of Wales, Italy, and Scotland in the Six carry the disease are suffering.

Nations. Over the last two years, they have sufEngland will be disappointed that they will not be able to continue the fered the humiliation of If England are denied momentum they have seeing the Grand Slam gained from the Calcutta snatched from their grasp the Grand Slam this Cup victory. As much as twice (any Welshman will year it won't be France have not lived up tell you about when Scott because of any failings to the hype, Ireland have Gibbs walked through the developed a new brand of English defence in the on the pitch. attacking rugby , based 85th minute, likewise any around the sublime skills Scotsman and the victory of Brian O'Driscoll , and are the only side that can in the mud at Murrayfield last year) . threaten English dominance.

Yet, if England are denied the Grand Slam this The fixtu re in Dublin would have seen 15,000 year it will not because of any failings on the pitch , English rugby fans descend on the emerald isle, but because of the current crisis that has swept but for the good of a bacon sandwich, it has been across British agriculture, the onset of the foot and called off. The risk was deemed too great. The mouth disease. centre-point of north hemisphere rugby has been The Irish government decided to suspend all

T

Racing has been decimated by the disease.

the loss could cost bookmakers, coupled with the loss of Cheltenham, in the region of ÂŁ100 million.

This will also have a similar knock-on effect on the betting levy, which is largely responsible for keeping racing alive. lt has been revealed that the Cheltenham insurers can expect a claim of some ÂŁ8 million for the abandonment of the meeting, but this is considered to be one of a number of claims from the trainers and it could rise into tens of millions of pounds.

Aintree's managing director Charles Barnett, who reaffirms that unless there is an outbreak in Liverpool area the meeting will still take place from April 5-7, said ''There is still fours weeks to go until the Grand National and a lot of water to pass under the bridge. But we are an urban I metropolitan racecourse so do not have the same problems facing the rural courses." ut the fears of the industry were compoundDespite the widespread fear that the disease will ed by the news that the showcase of continue to spread , racing has resumed in fits and horseracing, the Cheltenham festival , was starts. Last Saturday, even the Queen Mother got lost. This was due to two factors , the withdrawal of involved in the crisis. She attended a meeting at French and Irish trainers, something that would Sandown Park in Surrey, have decreased the qualibut was forced to walk Lucky for us it looks ty of the event, and after it ' ' disinfectant to fell foul of a ruling from like Cheltenham will be through ensure the disease did the Ministry of Agriculture. postponed for a month. not come onto the course.

The ruling disallowed racThe process, however, ing at the venue as a Farmers could lose of walking through disinnumber of sheep had their livelihood. fectant, is a contentious been grazing on the one, because foot-andPrestbury Park until the mouth can be carried by the wind and it can be middle of last month. The Ministry of Agriculture's carried if an infected animal brushes hedges or original guidelines called for a gap of 14 days trees that are in turn brushed by a human or vehibefore racing could continue, but on Monday, this cle. was increased to 28 days, meaning the festival Europeans are also worried that the spread of could not go ahead. the disease cannot be controlled. All of the British Irish jockey, Mick Fitzgerald, who won the football sides , who were competing in European Cheltenham Gold Cup on See More Business action recently , were also forced to walk through said , "I am absolutely gutted. There was always a disinfectant when they arrived at the various airdoubt leading up to it, but we were hoping that we ports. had turned the corner. Obviously, our sympathies Foot-and-mouth could, in theory, postpone every have got to lie with the farming community, who sporting fixture nation-wide. If the outbreak continare having it a lot worse for us. Lucky for us it ues at an unprecedented level that even the Chief looks like Cheltenham will be postponed for a Veterinary officer, Jim Scudamore, has been surmonth. Farmers could lose their livelihood so it's a prised by, it could lead to the suspension all sports lot worse for them." in order to ensure that the unnecessary movement Nevertheless, cancellation until mid-April will still of people will not spread the disease further. cause problems, it is likely that the ground will be As the Northern Ireland Assembly tried to force firm , which will be totally unsuitable for many of the the postponement of the Ice Hockey Challenge horses.

Cup Final in Belfast and the Badminton Equestrian Yet, to many of the British public, the threat of the loss of the Grand National is a lot more severe. Trials were called off, sport will be , for the near future, in chaos. lt is the most heavily betted race in the world and

SPORT

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Concrete WEDNESDIIY, MIIRCH 14, 2001

21

SPORT SIDELINES Has the fat lady sung?

THE SCOTTISH Rugby Union Is suffering from an acute sense of embarrassment after presenting their league championship well before the title race is over.

Hawick lifted the trophy on Saturday after getting an unassailable lead over the team In second.

But the SRFU had failed to count on Melrose, who aren't out of it yet.

If they win their three remaining games scoring more than five tries, and unbeaten Hawick lose their final two without scoring a try the BT Scottish Premiership will go to Melrose.

..,

Collv-wobble comeback?

Y.tv. sliP. down table after three defeats

By SADIQ USMAN and NICK HENEGAN

THREE DEFEATS in three games, Including a woeful4-1 defeat away at Watford, has left the Canaries floundering in mid-table.

The fortnight started badly, losing to play-off hopefuls, West Bromwich Albion.

Coming back from the 2-0 loss to settle into a rhythm and there were Huddersfield on Saturday wasn't few notable chances that came always going to be easy so when either way. fifth place West Brom came to Carrow Road everyone knew the Canaries were in for a tough night, Ex-Norwich man, Rue! Fox two weeks ago. looked to be full of running and working with Jason Roberts and lt would be fair to say that a draw Lee Hughes asking questions of the would have been a fair result and Norwich defence. only a controversial penalty decided the outcome of the game.

This was a sign of thjngs to come Both teams were average during and in the 32nd minute, the referee the first half as they found it hard to gave a penalty for a foul on Roberts

Working

by Mackay.

The fans were outraged but there was no way the referee would change his mind.

Lee Hughes buried the resulting penalty to score his 17th goal of the season.

It was all orwich during the second half with the visiting team relying on the pace of Roberts, who by now was the most unpopular man in the park.

Andy Marshall, the man of the match , was excellent in goal making, most notably a superb save from a Roberts bicycle kick from six yards out.

But it was the same old story for orwich' s lacklustre team up front as they squandered chance after chance.

Paul McVeigh shot into the keeper's hands from six yards out and a Russell strike brought the best out of the keeper but the home team didn ' t take their chances and they paid for it.

After the game, Worthington , losing his first home game, chose to vent his fru tration at the man in the middle saying, "I asked for a performance and I got one. We were robbed of a hard earned point today''.

Smith smashed the ball home from distance.

As the game ran away from the visitors Watford increased their lead with a Helgusen strike and the rout was completed in the 85th minute with a well taken goal from eilsen.

DIVISION ONE P 12.Barnstey 37 13.Wolves 34 14.Norwlch 37 15.P'mouth 36 16.Gillingham 36

W D L GDPT 12 8 17 -6 44 11 10 13 1 43 u 10 16 -U43 9 15 12 ·5 42 9 14 13 -4 41

NCFC TOP SCORERS lwan Roberts Chns Uewellyn

15 6

STAF[!ORD RANGERS have launched an audacious bid to tempt rogue striker Stan Collymore out of retirement.

The Black Country non-leaguers want their former hero to bolster their chase for the Or Martens League Premier Division title.

Collymore last played for his home-town club back in 1991 when they just escaped relegation from the GM Vauxhall Conference.

The 30-year-old announced his retirement from football last week.

~~N~~N~~~h~~~~~~o

Poverty' spirit of Comic Relief, Derby County boss Jim Smith Is selling a pair of his own boxers.

The autographed pants in a flowery design are up for grabs through an on line auction for the Institute of Cancer Research.

The latest bid on qxl.com was £65 and the auction closes on March 17.

Other people who have underwear for sale include Roberto Baggio (£205), Paullnce (£105) and Muzzy lzzet (£20).

Ouch: Time to quit A women's football team has quit after a complete slaughter In a league game. Burton Brewers lost 57-0 at Willenhall Town in the West Midland League. So far this season the Brewers have lost all eleven games they've played, scoring only three times and conceding an amazing 234 goals.

•

Grabbed

Malky Mackay: Conceded crucial penalty against West Brom

Last Saturday the Canaries travelled to Vicarage Road to face a Watford side with on ly one win in their last six games.

And it looked as if the home side's lean run would continue after Forbes grabbed the lead for Norwich in the fifth minute with a powerful header.

But the lead didn ' t last long as Dutchman, Norden Wooter, levelled matters with a fine solo goal just four minutes later.

As the game progressed Marshall in the Norwich goal was called upon to make an increasing number of saves and it was inevitable that Watford would take the lead.

They duly did on the hour as

BUSA BLOW OUT

UEA'S MEN'S badminton side crashed out of the BUSA knockouts to Sheffield Hallam after a 5-4 away defeat to the northern side.

Missing the tactician of the first pair in Paul Gerrard and facing a Hallam side fielding UEA man Pears' younger brother, UEA's slow start after a long journey put pay to any hopes they had of progressing through the BUSA competition .

Going 3-1 down in the first four games hit the UEA chances hard and, though a win was mathematically possible, the fight back was too hard.

And the gloom in the UEA camp doesn't end with one defeat as five of the six first-

teamers quit the team at the end of the year either through graduation or study abroad.

Struggle Next year promises to be a struggle unless new talent surfaces in the 2001 freshmen.

The last three years have been very promising with promotion into the top divisions in local and BUSA leagues, but UEA badminton looks set for a period in the doldrums.

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22

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Concrete

WEDNESDAY, MARCH

14, 2001

By CATHERINE MORRIS

SUMMER IS just around the corner which means that the new cricket season can't be far behind .

..

After reaching the second round of the BUSA championship last season, Mark Roberts would like to see an eq ually committed team with ' strong individual performances' this year.

Badminton Women

v Beccles

(a)

Friday, March 16 Basketball Men

v Lowestoft

(a)

Saturday, March 17 Football Mens 1 Mens 2 Mens 3

v Earlham v Jarrolds vTBA

(h) (h)

(?)

Hockey v Mens 2 v Mens 3 v Womens 1 v Womens 2 v Womens 3 v

Holt H'q ins (h) Dereham 3 (a) Gorleston 2 (a) N Walsham 1 (h) N Walsham 2 (h) Diss (a)

Results n Football

He puts the less than brilliant captains. For him, Atherton had performance in the Indoor "dedication and graft" , Stewart led Championships down to the "early with his "wealth of experience and professionalism," and Hussain start to the season and tight schedule" with a touch of "plain old bad shows "eagerness and commitluck." ment."

Concerning his role as captain, Duncan Fletcher has shown how crucial a good coach is to a sucRoberts has a lot of respect for Steve Waugh's "authoritarian cessful team and is continuall y approach" which has brought praised by Hussain for being the Australia so many consecutive vicsilent partner. The UEA side find tories . He also finds admirable inspiration in Norfolk pros Steve qualities in all of England's recent Goldsmith an d Paul Bradshaw . . . - - - - - - - -.....,..,..,.------. who, according to Roberts , " really know their stuff'. The side have indoor net sessions twice a week which will move outdoors after Easter in preparation for some big . matches.

Roberts stresses that there are no rea I rivalries happening on the university circuit but admits that it is "always nice to beat the big guns". His opinion of the team is that they are ':H:avi:nga-:-bow':"" I: -:-U:-:=E:-:A-c-n:.ck:-e-:-te ~s-:-in-t:ra --:in-i:ng_ __, not superstars but "capa-

·•

"

ble cricketers that arc dedicated and always looking to improve".

Cheated The big question in cricket at the moment is about the quality of umpmng, many feeli ng th at England were cheated by some dubious decisions in Sri Lanka.

Roberts, however, makes the point that umpires "are human and do make mi stakes," calling the decisions " unfortunate for England" in

the context of the match.

Being UEA captain , Roberts has some wise words for the English Cricket Board. He says that "England wi ll never compete with the likes of Australia and the subcontinent if they continue to maintain their antique attitude to youth cricket." It is a message that will ring true in the ear of such young players as Schofield , Franks and Tudor who have all failed to keep a place in the national side.

Cricket is often seen as a baffling game with far too many rules and strange names (silly mid-off and googly to name but a few) so I asked Roberts to sum up the game in a mere three sentences for all those cricket virgin among us: "A funny combi nation of stumps, bats and balls. Oh, and for all the Yanks it's a bit like Basebal l, onl y not as soft. And there's more sweari ng with jokes about maidens and things."

.

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Concrete

WEDNESDAY, MARCH

SPORT

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14, 2001

23

' Baseball returns to UEA after ten years 1

THE UEA Black Sox baseball team got their first season for over ten years going in impressive style with an 11-11 tie at the divisional champion Oxford Kings.

In a seven inning match, UEA showed signs of a bright future. Trailing 6-10 going into the seventh, five runs, including a home run apiece for Brian Hsieh, Chris Tremonte and Andreas Kar1, edged the visitors into an unexpected lead.

Fielding a side con- and Matt Rush at pitcher taining only six people were backed up by Tom who'd previously played Routh who notched the the sport at some level, sides highest batting out of the squad of 12, it average at 0.750. shows the potential the President and coach university has in 'import- Julia Talke was delighted' sports. ed by the result.

H" h t "I'm extremely es pleased with the overall The side consists of performance, particularthree Americans, one ly with only six players German, Taiwanese having played before. and Austrian, and six "The performance was pretty spectacular home-grown players.

There were excep- all round," she said. tional performances The Black Sax's next from Simon Wallwork at game is away to first base.

Southampton's baseball And Chris Tremonte side.

sg

All change: Jo Hi/son takes over from Kirstie Donaldson in the relay heats

By SOPHIE HEMSWORTH

UEA'S SWIMMING squad traveled through the snow to Leeds for a top gala where they competed against star opposition.

Ben Thomas proved his strength by winning places in the final of the 200m and lOOm backstroke, placed seventh in both, with times of 2:25.78 and I :06.98 respectively.

The men's 400m medley relay Joanne Marriott equally displayed team, consisting of Thomas on backpower in her breaststroke races, narstroke, Dan Vickery swimming rowly missing a place in the final for breaststroke, Simon Dennison doing the 50m, and achieving seventh butterfly and Budd on freestyle, narposition in the I OOm event, with a rowlly missed out of the final, but time of 1:23.07. showed good swimming nevertheStamina less.

The women's 400m freestyle Chris Budd exhibited stamina in relay team gained a place in the the longer distance races, gaining a final, but needed to be altered due to time of 4:52.28 for the 400m, and an injury to Marriott, and illness of 19:35.45 for the 1500m. Excellent Anna Tyrrell. teamwork was indicated in the relay The eventual team. containing events.

Helene Gleeson, Jo Hilson , Sophie Hemsworth and Kirstie Donaldson swam hard, finishing in eighth position.

Great swimming was shown by the whole team, which also included fan Bond, Dave Mayman and Karolina Fomvik.

Coach John Holden was pleased with the way the swimmers conducted themselves over the weekend.

Significant "What i significant is that with the new 50m pool at the UEA , the swimmers are now looking towards more of a racing focus with the team coming more to terms with long course events," he explained.

Standing firm: Alistair Glover

TENPIN ~ HEROES EARN GB CALL-UP

By MIKE MEISELS and BRIAN JEPSON

THE UEA ten-pin bowling club had a tremendous day at the BUSA championships in Nottingham, coming 5th overall and having three bowlers chosen for the 11-man Great Britain BUSA squad.

The trio of Gareth Salaam, Brian Jepson and David North were selected for their consistent performances throughout the year as well as on the day and UEA now have the largest representation of any university in the BUSA team.

The mens 2nd team came 19th out of 27 teams with Nail Ferris and Andie Palmar bowling better than some first team players, showing the strength in depth at the club.

An inexperienced ladies team consisting of Cheryl Wright, Andi Herrington and Alison Sparrow came 15th and good things can be expected of them in the future.

Justifying A week later the three selected GB bowlers came travelled to the London Trios tournament, seeing off the BUSA champions Portsmouth, and justifying their call up to the national squad.

Throughout the day UEA A were battling with various Portsmouth teams and in a nail-

biting finish UEA A were awarded the winning trophies.

This year also saw UEA enter the University and Colleges TenPin Bowling Association (UCTBA) inter-university championship for t~e first time, where they were drawn against Nottingham, Loughborough and Warwick universities in the group stages.

This brought the only disappointing resylts of the year with the 16 strong squad of UEA losing away at Warwick and Loughborou~h. but winning at Nottingham.

The return home fixtures were a lot more competitive and UEA narrowly lost the first 6-1 0 to Nottingham, drew the next with Warwick 8-8 and then completed

a hard fought 9-7 victory against BUSA runners-up Loughborough .

But this wasn't enough to secure a place in the quarterfinals.

If UEA were down-hearted about their results in the UCTBA league, they never showed it on the national stage.

together her best tournament performance of the year to easily claim the trophy for the Women's High Series Handicap and, due to their performance in the first phase, Salaam and Jepson walked away with the trophies for High Scratch Game and High Scratch Average respectively.

In the final phase, competing against arch-rivals Portsmouth in the scratch event, UEA were able to wipe out Pompey's lead and outclass them with a comfortable tournament win of more than 200 pins, taking the day's trophy haul for Salaam and Jepson to three cups.

In the handicap section, the tension was building up for James Alien and Mike Meisels.

With a huge deficit to make up after the first phase, the team set about doing just that, moving up from fourth to second, and only missing out on the victory by 18 pins.

Pressure At the Leeds singles at the start of the year, club chairman Stuart Gibson proved that UEA could more than handle the pressure, by romping home to an easy overall victory.

And the trophy haul continued at Sheffield in February, with the young doubles team of Andrew Cassely and Adam Leigh proving that the future of the club is safe, by finishing third in the handicap doubles standings.

Yet another impressive performance by UEA saw the bowling club take seven more trophies to add to their ever-growing collection of Silverware.

Individually, Chervl Wright put

â&#x20AC;˘ Victorious (left to right): Mike Meisels, Gareth Balaam, Brian Jepson, Cheryl Wright and James Alien

.... ..

·- -

-- --- ~ --- ---- ----~

---- --------------

fighters bring home trophies from first competition

By MIKE MILNER

KARATE COMPETITION debutantes looked fighting fit as they stormed to victory in a prestigious tournament.

FENCING CORRECTION

.

The three representatives of the UEA Karate club went into the Colchester Open, which took place on Sunday, March 4 with high hopes but they ended the day with more than they could have ever hoped for.

They ended up walking away with two gold 's and one silver, and they could not be happier.

The tournament brings in competitors from across the country and from a variety of martial arts. lt is fonn of 'sport' karate that was new to the members of the UEA team, as their training covers every aspect of the fighting style.

Learning about the compet ition only a month previously, it made UEA's success even more impressive.

Trained by Steve Davi s, who has fought at international level and retired as British Karate Champion , the UEA team demonstrated the speed and agility to pull off this deserved team success.

..

-- . make a number • corrections regarding article headlined "UEA's silver foil" in the last issue of Concrete.

We accept that the tone of article, which dealt with a fencing match between UEA and Loughborough , was unfair in portraying what was narrow defeat as a rable" failure . The fi nal was UEA 119 , Loughborough 135, not as printed.

We also accept that although club president Paul Southam was penalised for illegal footwork, the faults were not solely responsible for UEA losing the match, with M( Southam scoring the most points for his team ring the match.

Further, we are happy to make clear that the

Competing in the eighth Kyu category, Gavin Wonnald and Euan Davidson sealed comprehensive and convincing victories over they beleaguered opponents. Each fought in three bouts prior to the final, where personal loyalties where put aside for the honour of victory.

Size In a tightly fought final, Wormald managed to overcome the considerable size difference between the two opponen ts, Davidson stands a foot taller than Wonnald, to seal victory.

Mike Osborne victory was a similar story in the seventh and sixth Kyu category. He again beat his

opponents and secu red a 4-0 whitewash in the final. His success was made more remarkable by the fact he was diagnosed diabetic seven weeks previously.

Osborne commented, " lt was an excellent result for us. None of us have fought competitively before and we did not know what to expect and it is a reflection of how good a coach is because thi s is a different sty le of Karate to our normal training."

The UEA Karate club cont inues to go from strength to strength and it is hoped that at their next competition , UEA will be able to enter more fighters and bring home more silverware.

Fighting talk: UEA karate club in action

APRIL FOOLS

THE BIGGEST match in UEA's football team's history wi ll take place at Carrow Road during the Easter break.

UEA FC's Norfolk Junior Cup final has been scheduled for April 2 at ?pm at the home of Norwich City.

On the road to the final UEA blew away a host of class sides including Halt, Watton, Horsford and Zenith.

Confidence And having al ready dispatched the Ang lian sides from Combination League, UEA should be full of confidence as they face Thorpe Rovers in the showpiece final.

Thorpe are riding high at fifth in Division Two of the Combination , officially three lev-

its sincere apologies fo r ce or embarrassme caused to the fencing club the article, and is happy to the record straight.

Concrete Prize Crossword #17

m

Sponsored by

Ill Waterstones ACROSS

•

l.

8 9 l.O l.l. l.3 l.4 l.7 l.9 2l.

22 23

Transvestites ( 5,8) Reduc e (7) Hellicopter propeller (5) Was beaten ( 4) Of Spanish origin (8) Long, narrow views (6) Rough (6) Cheap and nastier (8) Eject saliva ( 4) Two times (5) Migratory bird ( 7) Betrays (6,7)

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els above UEA in the pyramid , and chasing promotion to senior football.

The date of the final wil l mean that the team won 't have a full holiday, but there is no chance of a replay, with extra-time and penalties on the night if required .

Tickets for Carrow Road will cost £5, and the team wil l want as much support as possible UEAFC crashed out of the BUSA knockouts to Leicester 31, with Terry Swann scoring the only goal.

set by Morgan

(,_____ _] r-- - ---- -- - -- - -- -------- - -, There 's a £10 book voucher from campus bookshop Waterstones up for grabs for completion of the crossword, ideal for all those cou rse book purchases. Fill in you r name and a co ntact number or e-mail address below and put it with the completed grid in the competition box in the Hi ve by Friday, March 23 .

Solution #l.G

Name ......... ...... .

School ..... ................................ ..... ... .

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