Concrete issue 240 23 02 2010

ISSUE 240

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TUESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 201 O. e www.concrete-online.co.uk

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STUDENTS WOULD PAY MORE FOR DEGREE A recent student survey has shown over 50% of students are willing to pay up to £5,000 for a degree.

Concrete survey mirrors national survey's result with 8% saying they were willing to pay up to £7,000.

Andrea Stromskag A recent survey conducted by the Opinionpanel research group shows that over half of students are willing to pay up to £5,000 in tuition fees at university.

After 37,000 students from different universities around the UK took part in the national survey, Concrete conducted a similar survey on students from UEA. When being asked if hey would consider paying more in fees for their degrees if it meant that they would receive a higher salary once they had graduated, the students were split in their decision.

56 percent of UEA students answered that they would be willing to pay more, while 44 percent answered no.

One in four UEA students

also did not see themselves· paying more than £3000 for their degree, while the majority seemed to be willing to pay from £4000-£5000. A surprising eight percent said they were willing to pay over £7000 for their education.

Rounding up the UEA survey, students were asked to answer if paying fees up to £5000 would have stopped them from going to university completely. While 70 percent answered that this would not prevent them, a startling 30 percent said that this would have stopped them from attending university completely.

The results from the UEA survey are not drastically different from the ones collected in the national survey.

However, Opinionpanel recorded and considered

gender, race, class and current subject studied.

Economic background was a small factor for the answers given. For example, fees at £6,000 would deter 44% from fee paying schools and 54% from state schools. The survey found that the most important driver in encouraging students to pay more for fees was the current subject studied and at which university, even if other factors, such as economic background, differed. lt found women were significantly more likely to reject higher tuition fees than men. Students from some ethnic background were more likely to reject higher fees than other groups, regardless of economic background.

The president of National Union of Students, Wes Streeting said, in response to the survey, that "this report is valuable evidence of how

genuinely variable fees would cause serious negative effects. lt is clear that students from disadvantaged backgrounds, women and those from some ethnic minorities would be priced out of elite universities, pushed away from the subjects they really want to do, or forced to make the..calculation - ti0 that higher edu 1 isn't for them".

Adding to Streeting's reply, Professor Vignoles, Director of the Centre for Economics of Education (CEE), responded to the survey saying that universities must be "mindful of where they position themselves in the market".

She continued saying that the findings suggested that the optimum model would be one in which universities charge variable fees depending on the

0

ZIMBABWEAN CRICKETER HENRY OLONGA COACHES UEA CRICKET TEAM

Tl UED PAGE 3

UEA SCORES HIGHLY AMONGST ITS CRUMBLING COMPETITORS Chris King

In a survey recently compiled by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), the state of buildings at UEA has compared favourably with many leading universities.

Both residential and nonresidential buildings ranked highly for their condition and

functional suitability, with just 3% of UEA buildings scoring a 'D' grade for the former, and none being ranked below a 'C' for the latter. Residential buildings at UEA were particularly highly-rated, with 78% achieving a 'B' rating for condition and 68% achieving the same grade for functional suitability, whilst 32% were afforded the

highest rating in this category.

On a national basis, however, a significant proportion of university buildings have been deemed "inoperable", "at serious risk of major failure or breakdown" or "unfit for purpose" by university surveyors. Major casualties of the report include such high-ranking institutions

such as the London School of Economics (LSE), which saw 41% of its lecture theatres and classrooms judged unsuitable for their current use just two years ago, and Imperial College London, which had 12% of its non-residential buildings termed inoperable at around the same time.

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2 NEWS

TUESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2010

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UEA "OUTSTANDING" AT MODEL UN CONFERENCE

GOTCHA!

MarkShead Three UEA students were deemed an "outstanding

contents NEWS TURF OPINIONS FEATURES EDITORIAL INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL FOOD FOCSOC LIFESTYLE SPORT

delegati on" at a mod el UN Conference on biodiversity.

The event, held on the 4th and 5th of February in Paris, invited inte rnational environmental science students to participate in the conference. involved each it "delegatio n" representing a country within the UN, t hen understanding that country's mind-set on environmental issues, such as natural resources and indu strial im pa ct on the environment. UEA's delegation included three students; Ri chard Hodkin, Marine Richard and Jonathon Davison.

Desc ribed by th e stud ents as "i ntense" and "stre ssful", delegates had to put their own fe elings aside, as they tried to take th e perspective of a national government and businesses on environm ental iss ues. The UEA delegation was to represe nt Italy, which was ass ign ed to them on a random basis. Wh at mad e the process all th e more challengi ng was that dp ates worked with int~,1onal students; primarily from France, but others were from Morocco

initiative. They were one of on ly two other delegations to receive the award out of th e 70 delegations present.

Reflecting on experience, the agreed th at it was enjoyable and info rmative, although challenging at times . What particularly appealed to the stud ents was that studying sciences were and included in UN scheme, which is usually aimed at politics or economics stud ents. Richard, M arine and Jonathon were grateful for the support provided by the Philip Reckitt Educational Tru st, and UEA's School of Environmental Science, whi ch contributed greatly to t he delegation's funding for the confe rence.

Campesinos! is going to be amazi ng!

You make an interesting crossword -maker, but world-class drinker.

UEA'S RESEARCH REPUTATION QUESTIONED David Churchill DANHOLLEY

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and Germany amo ngst other places, making language an occas ionally difficult obstacle to overcome. Everything also had to be conducted in the spirit of a UN conference, meaning comp romi se and negotiation skills were in constant use, and no-one wa s allowed to interrupt.

The conference primarily challenged students to come up with policies, on behalf of their country and businesses, and th en share their find ings th rough group discussions and speeches. A jury of specia list s in the fi eld assessed the delegations' abi lity to "develop indicators of biodiversity" an d awarded certificates to U EA's students for being an "outstanding delegation"awa rded on the basis of originality and

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into hydroge n production, not the photoefficiency".

The UEA Professors also confi rmed that scie ntific support for research produced

by UEA had not wavered

The verac ity of scientific research produced by UEA has once aga in bee n chall enged by a number of sceptics in the fallout from the "Ciimategate" fiasco.

was summarised on the website of the pop ular science magazi ne New Scientist, whi ch attracted a number of sceptical com ments regarding the quality of scientific research at UEA. One comment made in relation to New Scientist's rendition of

despite recent allegations of scientific fraud made against

The Times Higher Education Supplement, wh o reported the fresh cha ll enges, claim s they signify that a "s hadow of suspicion " has fallen across all scientific research produced by UEA after recent allegations of scientific manipu lation levelled against UEA's Climatic Researc h Unit (CRU} .

The challenges have emerged in relation to a scientifi c paper which wa s coauthored by Professo r Nann and Professo r Pickett of UEA's School of Chemistry. The paper, wh ich w as originally published in the world-leading German sc ientific journ al Angewandte Che mic (Applied Chemistry},

the paper's findings stated: "I am suspicious about the 60% figure and susp icious that it comes from the UEA which ... has suffered from the rece nt CRU scandal".

But Conc rete can reveal th at such criticisms are unsubstantiated. Speaking to Concrete, Professors Nann and Pickett were able to confirm th at "New Scientist screwed up th eir reporting of the paper's findings .. .They sa id we were claiming a photoefficiency of 60% which we didn't. What we actua lly said wa s much more modest - that we obtain ed a 60% yield which refers to th e electrons from th e system going

CRU: " We've had no indication from professional colleagues of any negative effects on the science we su bmit to journals."

UEA's Pro Vice-Chancellor for research, Professor Trevor Davies, reite rated the high esteem with whi ch UEA research is still conside red.

Wh en asked wheth er scientifi c support for the university's resea rch had wavered, he re sponded : " No not at all.

Some of these sceptics just make assertions which are backed up by no evidence at all. The robustness of our scientifi c research has been demonstrated by th e rigorou s peer review process."

Celebrate special moments with a Gotcha!

One of your chums got a new girlfriend ? Want to rekindle the magic of a long lost relation ship ?

Is a friend celebrating a spo rtin g or academic achievement, specia l birthday or momentous occasion?

If you 'd like to place a Gotcha ad, get in contact with Jean Will s at : jean. wil ls@ueastudent.com

concrete.news@uea.ac.uk

NEWS 3

TUESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2010

"How important is the personality of politicians FOOD FOR THOUGHT YOU VOte for?" asks Heather Crowley Jonatban Brady

"I think it's very important because that's the person you're electing to see leading your country. Nowadays the parties aren't as different in their policies and have gone a lot more centre.

"I wouldn't like to see it being as important as it is in America, with as much money put into it, but I definitely think politicians should try and promote themselves as more · approachable."

"I think it is very important because you are talking to the people and you can't engage the public if the politician turns out to be a wet fish.

"I was disappointed with the Brown bul lying thing because no one should ever act like that to get what they want but I'm not sure on the sources [validity], but with the crying on Piers Morgan's show that is totally irrelevant to new politics."

" it's important but not the most important factor.

Personality has an effect on someone's policies and the direction the politician is likely to direct their country in, but the line has to be drawn where logic and pure ability has to come into it.

"I think too much has been made of the incident where Brown cried publicly, as well as the bullying allegations."

"I think that whilst it is important to have a good personality in politics I don't think people should overlook the actual politics itself or the manifesto and policies of the politicians.

"I think it's very interesting that it has come to light now [the Brown bullying allegations] but it happens in every work place and I don't understand why he's being targeted personally."

STUDENTS WOULD PAY MORE FOR DEGREE degree subject.

Data for the national survey was gathered from members of Opinionpanel's student panel who were surveyed during their first term at university between

2006-2009.

Speaking to Concrete David Sheppard, Academic Officer for the Union of UEA Students, said the results were unsurprising: "If there isn't an alternative option all the

research shows is university is a good investment.

If you're looking at it in purely financial terms it would still make sense to this much.

"I have concerns however, that it will impact those from lower socio-economic backgrounds. There is a danger

it may deter people from more disadvantaged backgrounds."

Commenting on the Union's current position campaigning for free university education, David Sheppard said "if we. want the fairest access system then a no fees policy in the only way forward ."

because they've faded fron: the media spotlight."

Diverse and cultured UEA After the meal, inflated students gathered last Friday egos ruptured for the first half to support a fundraising of a quiz, brainstorming the dinner on behalf of the charity answers to topical questions group RedR, which provides from "What island do both disaster relief by training aid Haiti and the Dominican Republic share in common?" workers across the world.

Sunmi Kim, ENV student to the obvious "What country and organiser of the event in does ravioli originate from?"

Congregation Hall, was joined Blackberrys and iPhones by a network of volunteers especfally lit up for the last who prepared, cooked and question: "What year did catered for the event and Haiti gain its independence?" oversaw the assortment of The quiz was an opportunity exotic foods to the plates of to edify the guests about the international communities over 80 guests, meals ranged from Thai noodles to Victoria RedR is supporting, rather Sponge. From the outset, the than just be an appendage to message was clear "Donate- the evening. then grab a plate."

One person described the RedR is a leading charity evening as "cultivating" while group that supports aid Sunmi added, "I want people projects across the globe, to leave tonight knowing they ranging from the crisis in have learnt about different Darfur to the more recent humanitarian aid sectors, maybe take action Haiti earthquake.

Sunmi and volunteered on a six month themselves". . The evening managed to raise over £300 placement in London where she gained first-hand and Sunmi would like to thank experience of RedR's training all those who volunteered scheme; it aims to foster basic their time and effort. skills that can be taught as In particular she gave survival techniques in disaster special thanks to DEV stricken communities. She students Tristan Willis, Sally said, "We want people to Walker, Lisa Bunclark, Yingbe aware of the ongoing · shan Lee, Chiaki Furukawa, Emma Tatum-Hume and Lysa humanitarian crises that we don't often get to hear about Koh for their support.

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4 NEWS MUSLIM STUDENTS SURVEY Muslim students at universities across England are being asked to t ake part in a survey to provide an accurate picture of thei r experiences on campus, The survey has been developed by the National Union of Students and the Federation of Student ~slamic Societies, in partnership with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, Th e survey is being conducted

by NatCen (National Centre for Social Research), an independent research organisation .

The resu lts of the survey will be used to promote the welfare of Muslim students. on Questions will focus students' needs, the ir views on important issues, experiences of discrimination and cohesion with other students.

Talking about the importance ofthe survey, Nabi l Ahmed from the Federation of Student Islamic Societies said : "Accurate and robust research is needed more than ever today for Muslim students to challenge misperceptions and doubts, and to represent us for who we really are", Muslim students who take part in th e survey will be asked to complete an anonymou s An online questionnaire. internet survey of students from all backgrounds is also being conducted, so that the views of all students can be compared.

LONDON FUNDING UEA has announced that it will offer ten scholarships for its innovative MBA course in Strategic Carbon Management The new course which is based at the university's is London study centre designed to enhance knowledge and business experience of issues arising from the reality of climate change in relation to corporate environments , Five scholarships worth £5000 will be on offer, with a further five worth £3000.

TUESDAY 23rd FE-BRUARY 2010

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UNIVERSITY BAN AMNESTY DEMONSTRATION Nick Church The University has refused permission for UEA students to hold a public demonstration on campus depicting human Israeli rights abuses at checkpoints , Additionally, the University has ruled the decision final , bypassing the possibility for an appeal s process usually allowed in such cases , The demonstration, in association with the local Amnesty society, would have seen part of the campus Street, leading to the square, being blocked by a cardboard wall. Students involved in the demonstration would act as Israeli soldiers and others as Palestinians going through the checkpoint, having their bags and IDs checked ,

lt was made clear to the University the entire wou ld be demonstration voluntary.

There would also be another student explaining the reason for the demonstration , After applying_ for perm1ss1on in October, it took four weeks before the University replied, denying primarily on the basis that some may feel pressure to participate.

Additional concerns were raised by the University that the staged fight - the idea subsequently dropped by the group after the Un iversity 's first reply and "checkpoint itself could cause offense or distress to students, staff or members of the public who have been subjected to such procedures in the past" senior David Mead,

lecturer in LAW and a specialist on domestic human rights, commented: "Whatever the basis for their refusing a permit, I would be fair ly sure it is not proportionate , The .essence in cases like this is that the onus is now on state bodies, such as universities, to demonstrate a case why your rights shou ld be limited.

"What evidence do they have that · anyone will be or distressed?" offended suggesting there was not a clear, lawful basis to deny the right of peaceful assembly contained in the Human Rights Act of 1998 and in some case s there might be a positive duty to facilitate peaceful protests, A spokesperson at UEA said : "A small group considers requests for any events and activities on campus which

might have an impact on staff an d stude nts going about their usual business , Concerns about practicality and convenience are paramo unt and the group would refuse permission for anything whic h would adversely affect students - for ·example events with loud music during exam

periods.

"In t his case pe rmiss ion was refused because of concerns that people may feel pressu rized t o participat e in the proposed Checkpoint 'it could and because create substantial logisti ca l problems, as the Street is a busy thoroughfare ."

FEARS OVER UEA-SPONSORED CITY ACADEMY Gordon M alloy Sponsorship for the City Academy on Earlham Road is due to change if Norwich City Council is given its unitary status by the government's Communities and Local Government department Currently, Norfolk County Council sits as a trustee for the school, eo-sponsoring it alongside UEA and City College , If unitary status was granted for City Council thi s would give them control over schools making it more natural for this council to sit as trustees for the

an independent school and will continue to be that, still run by a trust, if Norw ic h gets the Norwich Evening News unitary status, The unitary reporting that sources close to City Academy would rather change doesn't have any impact:' continue sponsorship without a local authority, leaving just The change to unitary status UEA and City -College , is to be challenged legally by Dick Palmer, the principal Norfolk County Council, as well as Devon County Council in of lead sponsor City College, which Exeter City Council seeks has spoke out reassuring parents that unitary statu s unitary status. They hdpe for and City Council's potential - a judicial review, which was in involvement will not affect part fueled by Peter Housden, the school and quality of the seni0r civil servant for education . Speaking to the the Communities and Local Government department, Evening News he said: "We warning against the unitary don' t have. any issue with

schooL However, concerns have been raised over City

Norwich City Council. Our working relation ship with them is fine . The academy is

Council's "abrasive attitude" to academies in the past, with

to be given "direction" from MPs to implement the plan, which in effect absolves him of

responsibility if the plans fail placing this on the ministers themselves.

idea to the Communities Secretary, John Denham .

Mr. Housden had asked

ZIMBABWEAN DISSIDENT COACHES UEA CRICKET TEAM Heather Crowley A former Zimbabwean Test cricketer, who famously wore a black armband in the Cricket World Cup in protest over the policies of the Zimbabwean •government, visited UEA to coach cricket and give a pub lic talk , Henry Olonga was the fi rst black cricketer to pl ay

for Zimbabwe and wa s part of the team 's first Test victory. His decision to wear a black armband alongside his teammate Andy Flower in the 2003 Cricket World Cup led to a warrant issued in Zimbabwe for Olonga's arrest, on charges of treason which carries the death penalty. He has since been forced to retire from internati ona l cricket.

Speaking the about reasons for wearing the armband, Olonga and Flower released a statement saying : "In all the circumstances, we have decided that we wi ll each wear a black armband for the duration of the World Cup .

In doing so we are mourning the death of democracy in our beloved Zimbabwe. In doing so we are making a silent plea

to those responsible to stop the abuse of human rights in Zimbabwe ."

The right arm fast bowler is now pursuing a career as a cricket commentator, as well as a professional singer releasing an album in 2006 .

An interview with the cricketer will feature in the Sports section of the next issue of Concrete .

6 NEWS VOICES FROM GREECE Louis de Bernieres, author of Captain Corelli's Mandolin, is to give readings from the translated works of Yannis Ritsos, one of Greece's most popular poets.

Mr. Ritsos, who died in 1990, won the Lenin Peace Prize and the centenary of his birth was celebrated worldwide in 2009. The event Voices from Greece, will see other esteemed professors give talks and readings of the poet's work and there will also be music using Ritsos' poetry performed by the Greek Ensemble. by the eo-orga nised School of Language and Communication Studies at UEA, the event will take place at 4pm on Sunday February 28th, in Lecture Theatre one . Entrance is free and all are welcome. For further information contact Helen Anagnostopoulou-Banakas at h.anagnostopoulou@uea .ac.uk

TUESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2010

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LEEDS STRIKE PUTS NATIONAL FOCUS ON UNI CUTS Chris King

Workers at the University of Leeds are set to hold a series of one-day strikes in protest against cuts to higher education and mounting job losses. The strikes, led by members of the University and College Union (UCU), are scheduled to take place on 25th February and the 2nd and 4th of March .

The strikes are part of a campaign against compulsory redundancies and the efforts of the University to save £35 million through cuts to a number of areas, including staff. A un iversity statement spoke of the need to "work with the UCU to mitigate the effects of public sector spen ding cuts on our students, staff and research ", whilst indicating that talks were ongoing in order to ach ieve such cooperation .

The statement continued that by _ emphasising "industrial action will not resolve the funding crisis education ". facing higher However, with 54 staff already having lost their jobs and the possibility of further redundancies (with up to 700 jobs at risk) and strike action may be unavoidable.

In addition to the scheduled .protests, UCU plans to hold a regional rally in the first week of March as part of its " Defend jobs, defe nd educatio n" campaign.

The strike action has received support from a number of groups, includ ing Youth Fight for Jobs, who organised a demonstration involving around 100 students in Leeds town centre on 13th February, yo uth protesting again st unemployment and cuts to university fundihg . However it has been opposed by the Leeds University Union (LUU), which

has recently set up 'Education First', a campaign designed to encourage students to email departmental staff in a bid to avert a campus-wide strike .

Despite this, tensions remain within the student body over whether to support the LUU positio n or demonstrate solidarity to the UCU .

The Leeds protests have very much affixed the nationwide spot light onto the issue of cuts to higher

education, with UCU general secretary Sally Hunt warning that 9,000 jobs at universities across the country may be at risk and describing the situation as a " rea l crisis". This is despite Lord Mandelson 's assurance that Labour were not prepa red to " undo the colossal investm ent that we have made and the excellence in our universities that we have bui lt up" since comi ng to power.

MPs TALK ABOUT RACE RELATIONS IN NORWICH NUS ANNUAL CONFERENCE

lucy Moore

Members of the publ ic The Union of UEA Students were given a chance to quiz is holding four meetings this week discussing the variou s politicians and commu nity leaders when a 'Question proposed motions for the National Union of Students' Time' style debate was held at Blackfriars Hall in Norwich last Annual Conference.

Each meeting wil l week.

The panel, which featured discuss motions proposed for four different 'zones' former Home Secreta·ry Charles relating to student - issues: Clarke, MP Norman Lamb, Higher Education, Society Councillors Anthony Little and and Citizenship, Union Samir Jerag and community Development, and Welfare. activist Gita Prasad, was chaired by senior BBC reporter The meeting will look at possible amendments and Clive Lewis. The event was motions before they are taken to Union Council for approval.

Dates for the meetings are : Society And Citizenship- Weds 24th Feb, 2pm in the Part-Time Oavid Churchill Exec Office, Union House; Higher Education Thurs 25th Feb, 12pm in the Board A leading neuroscientist from Room, Union House; Welfare - the Un iversity of Cambridge Thurs 25th Feb, 2pm in Room has encouraged universities to 1.33, Union House; Union consider introducing random -Development - Thurs 25th Feb, -drug tests for students that 5pm in the Board Room, Union would detect thE! consumption House. of brain enhancing drugs.

Speaking at a lecture before Four delegate positions are part of this year's elections the Royal Institution, Professor Barbara Sabakian warned that and nominations can be made before 2pm on 26th this Friday. the use of drugs such as Ritalin

organized by the Runnymede Trust, an organization which aims to promote a multicultural Britain . lt wa s the first of a series of debates that are due to be staged across the country, focusing on race relation s and commun ity cohesion .

Issues raised included t he political representation of Romany Gypsies, immigration control and institutional racism within t he police. The panellists were also asked questions on how they would improve the exam results of black youths and whether it would ever be

appropriate to ban items of religious expression such as the hijab.

As well as these more general race issues, the panel were asked what one thing they would do to make Norfolk a more racially un ited county. Norman Lamb and Anthony Little both spoke of the importance of role models for black and ethnic minority communities. Whilst Lamb be lieved that ethnic minority footballers from Nctrwich City were great mentors, Little was keen to encourage political involvement for t he under-

represented communities, urging them to get involved in parish council meetings and oth er form s of pol itical self expression. Charles Clarke spoke of th e "shocking" difference his children had found between schools in London and school s in Norfolk where t hey had witnessed scenes of racial abuse in the playground . He urged schools in areas such as Norfolk where minorities are underrepresented to educate children effectively to ensure that racism could be stamped out early on .

STUDENTS SHOULD BE DRUG TESTED SAYS EXPERT and Modafinil is on the rise amongst students.

The substances have been dubbed "smart drugs" since they are used to increase the brain's alertness and attention span, but Professor Sabakian believes that their consumption raises "enormous im plications for universities".

One ethical implication that she emphasised must be addressed, is that consumers of the drug

could gain an unfair advantage over their peers in academic assessments. Many "students who don't use them feel this is cheating" she added . " This is something that universities should at least discuss."

The relative ease with which students can obtain "smart drugs" via the internet is seen as compounding the issue. A poll wh ich recently featured in Nature magazine

suggested that as many as one in five students now purchase and consume "smart drugs" in order to improve their performance in exams and other related academic tests. "If these drugs become legal", said Sabakia n, "it will be difficult to say you can't use them for a competitive exam ...

Should there be urine testing?

These questions have to be looked at".

UEA BUILDINGS The survey reveals that in more than 90% of higher education institutions in the UK, at least 10% of buildings have been judged as being below the "sound and operationally safe" category. Additiona lly, one in 10 universities have seen at lea st 10% of their buildings categorised as inoperable and at se ri ous risk of collapse . The worst offenders includ e HeriotWatt University in Edinburgh, Leeds M etropolitan and Nottingham Trent, with 42%, 36% and 21 % re spectively of non -residential buildings, inc luding lect ure theatres and librari es, deem ed inoperable.

Following these universities revelation s, ac ross the country have defended the quality of the ir bu ildings, pointing out that hundreds of mi llions of pounds have been spent on improving estates since the report was compiled . A spokesperson for Imperia l College London, for instance, revealed that "over the last three years, the college has spent on average £100 mi ll ion annually to provide the highest quality faci lities for stud ents and academic staff", w hil st . an LSE spokesperson stated " we have a 10-year £200 million ca pital plan dedicated to creating a world class campus commensurate with our academic standing".

Despite thi s even those institutions (including UEA) for w hom the survey's outco me was mostly favourable, look set for a struggle to ma inta in such high standards as grants for capital projects, such as the construction of new buildings, are set to be cut by 14.9% in the academic year 20102011. When added to the vast funding reductions of £915 million recently announced by the government, the signs for the future are anything but encouraging.

Nevertheless UEA havs undergone or is current ly constructing numerous significant capital investment projects on buildings such as t he Tho mas Paine Lecture Hall and the new School of Medicine, both on Chancellors Road .

8 TURF .

concrete.turf@uea.ac. uk

TUESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2010

UEA Amnesty supports Burmese political prisoners Joshua Alien At lpm on Wednesday 16th Feb ru ary, UEA Amnesty mem bers staged a die- in protest in t he Hive, col lecting sig natures for the release of po litical prisoners in Burma .

The following day, Amnesty staged Buddhist meditation in the Hive in solidarity with Burmese monks whi lst collecting money for Prospect Burma, a charity for the education of exiled Burmese students.

Burma, officially renamed Myanmar by the military junta in 1989, is the largest country in mainl and Southeast Asia .

A British colony until 1948, the democratic government of Burma w as ove rt hrown in 1962 by a nom ina lly socia li st

mil itary regime w hich has rema ined in power ever since. Des pite ri ch reso urces of natura l gas, Burma quick ly became one of t he wor ld's poorest countries. General discontent wit h the regime was exacerbated in 1987 by the cancellation of all currency notes not divi sible by nine, which General Ne W in cons idered to be a lucky number; this bizarre decree is exemp lary of what Newsweek called "an ama lgam of Buddhist and Marxi st illogic".

Student protests occurred spo radically until the ma ss eruption of 1988, where so me 500,000 people marched for democracy in t he cap ital, Rangoo n. At least

3,000 peo pl e were kill ed by t he army and po li ce in t hese peaceful protest s, in clud ing many Budd hi st mo nks. In an attempt to appear impa rtia l, the military junt a pro m ised a free and fair election after the 1988 protests, with democracy leader and Nobel Peace Prize holder Aung San Suu Kyi winning by a landslide in 1990. However, this democratic vote was immediately annulled by the junta.

More recently, the protests of 2007 were in many ways a repeat of the 1988 upri sing.

The government's removal of fue l subsid ies, ca using the price of fuel to doub le almost instantl y, precip itated

Norwich carbon-cutters A new form of lifestyle 'g reening ' has reached Norwich and may well be appearing on campus next year.

The Carbon Con versations initiative helps individuals make changes to the ir lifestyles to he lp them tread more lightl y on the ea rt h. lt wo rks t hrough empo weri ng in div idu a Is to act , provid in g a sup po rt netwo rk and sharing experi ence in a similar ap proac h t o Weig ht Watc hers .

Groups are curre ntly be ing run in Norwich by membe rs

of Transition Norwich a loca l community unit working towards a future of env ironmental sustainability and non -relia nce on peak oil. The process starts with wo rking out where you are now, fo ll owed by a look at house ho ld energy, travel, eating and consumer habits ove r six sess io ns. The idea is to come up with a plan rat her th an radica lly alterin g eve ry aspect of life in t he space of t hree mont hs. it 's also about wo rki ng together as a group .

The initiative was started

by a psychologist in Cambridge called Rosemary Randa ll and aims to make change easier and more fun. Trans ition Norw ich curren t ly has so me big plans to get these groups going across the city and the University shou ld be getting its fair sha re st artin g in the new academic year. There 路 wi ll be more info rm ati o n nea rer th e tim e, but if yo u wo uld like t o be ke pt in t he know, th en co ntact info@ transi ti o n no rwic h.org.uk Kerry Lane

Community agriculture

anot her mass movement led by students and monks to take t o t he st reets. Again, a bloody mil itary crackdown ensued, with protesters beaten , shot and arrested without charge.

Japane se journalist Kenji Nagai's autopsy indicated that he was shot at point blank range ; his camera wa s never returned despite Japanese req uests .

In light of these examples, the question must be asked why the international community ha s failed to put effective pressure behind its condemnation of the Burmese regime . The economic link betwee n Burma and China is certain ly an obstac le, as Burma's ports provide

important trade routes for China's inland provinces.

Western criticism of China, and the refore pressure on China to remove support for Burma, is undermi ned by t he mass ive debts of Western

countries to China. This reliance on China must be counte red w ith t he rejec ti on of cheaply-made Chinese goods and t he repay ment of debtto China, wh ich prec ludes any humanitarian progress .

Conservation psychology Nobody likes to be nagged .

Spouses hate to be constantly reminded to take out the rubbish or fix a shelf and employees feel disgruntled after being repeatedly told how to do their jobs. it's therefore not surprising that t he field of conservatio n psychology has discovered th at th e publi c often reacts negati ve ly to eco-friendly campaigns nagging them to change their polluting lifestyle habits.

Multi-disciplined researchers realised 路 that it is vital to understand human nature in relation to major factors involved in environmental conservation if

twinges of culpability when the habitats of pandas are demolished before their very eyes. However, as the latest research from conservation psychology has uncovered, such gui lt trips may not be th e most effective way to positive ly engage an au dience or persuade t he pub li c to ca re more about t he environment.

So if guilt trips and nagging are not t he answer to persuading people to care about the environment, what is?

Conservation psychologists advocate losing the apocalyptic imagery in favour of more upbeat 'what we can do' messages. The Government's

examp le, pee rs w ill shortl y fo llow su it, giving in to t he surrounding social pressu re.

Similar systems can be seen on UEA campus. Driving a car onto campus is not encouraged; not only is there limited parking but alternative method s of transport are promoted.

The Union's advertised SOp-a-journey bus

GREEN

If you have ever fancied t he idea of working your own

invo lved effective ly owns a part of the land th rough the

is shared equally between the members and it works

eco-friendly campaigns are to have any real impact .

overall campaign is heading in the right direction, calling upon

fares (when buying a bus pass) means that students and staff

farm , Transition No rwich have come up with the next best thing. lt comes under the title of 'Community Sup ported Agriculture'.

The basic idea is t hat t he com mun ity ow n th e fa rm ; everyo ne wh o wants t o be

monthly fee they pay for their membe rship . The community pays someone to fa rm the lan d for t hem, but decide themse lves what is grown and ca n go along to he lp out if th ey w ant. Everythin g th at is produ ce d on th e land

out cheaper than using the supermarket.

Transition Norwich are currently setting up o ne of these schemes and t he on ly req uirement is at least a yea r 's co mmitment. If you are inte rest ed in being invo lve d th en please do email info@ transitionno rwic h.org for more infor mation. Or if you wou ld like to know more about Communtiy Supported Agriculture th en check out www.makinglocalfood w o r k. co.uk.

Kerry Lane

In the UK, television viewers will be familiar with the Government's attempt to actively encourage British citizens to live more lives. environmenta lly-kind The latest 'Act on C02' advert currently advocates driving five mi les less a week; alt houg h noone will dispute its important message, the practice of such advice may be lost on its target audience because of its 'doom and gloom' picture.

Simi larly, adverts run by the WWF harness the emotive factor as viewers fee l the

the nation to 'Act' on climate change. Similarly, sloga ns like 'Recycle - the possibilities are endless' and 'Keep Britain Tidy' have slowly entered the Briti sh consciousness as positive clearcut active messages w hich seem sim ple to conduct.

Oth er t han positive marketing ploys, there are other tactics which have proved useful tools in the eco-friendly campaign arsenal. The phrase 'following the flock' cou ldn't be more appropriate; if other people's eco-friendly actions are hig hlighted as a good

feel pressed to adopt costeffective, and greener modes of transport. This fits well with the in -vogue eco-responsible socia l atmosphere cu ltivate d

by UEA and its student s.

Eco-fr iend ly campa igns are no different to ot her sorts of advertis ing.

Ma rketing professionals realised early on that to persuade audiences to buy their products they needed to understand the psyche of their target viewer. Why, then, shou ld green causes be any diffe rent?

Jessica Friend

Applications are invited for the position of Concrete Editor for the period September 201 0 to June 201 1 .

The position is only open to current students at the University of East Anglia, and may be taken as a ye"r 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: - Excellent grammar and editing skills.

- Team leadership and management qualities.

- Good organisation and time-keeping of a variety of duties.

- An understanding of the needs and structure of the Concrete society.

- Knowledge of Adobe lnDesign CS4 and Photoshop CS4.

- A keen eye for design and mistakes.

Students interested in applying for the role of Concrete Editor should send a CV with covering letter, a proposal that outlines any plans for or changes to the newspaper (up to 3,000 words), and are also required to produce at least one computer-designed page of Concrete that incorporates any future creative ideas for the newspaper.

VICE-CHANCELLOR DEF a.Dr:n

n-1h11UU,._,..

..-...c-a.-q-

r...-

All applications should be sent to the current Editor, Hannah Livingston, by emailing concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk. The closing date for applications is 3pm on Friday 19th March 2QLQ, and interviews will be held on 21st & 22nd April201 0.

wrtl<t"'~--

If you would like to know more about the role of Editor, please come to one of the Q & A sessions: Monday 1st March, 1 pm, Concrete office.

Friday 12th March, 1 pm, Concrete office.

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10 COMMENT & OPINION

TUESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2010

concrete.opinion@uea.ac.uk

The crying game As a general election draws ever closer, Davina Kesby looks at the recent tactics of our top politicians in their quest to win both the hearts and minds of the British voting publ ic. Has crying come back into fashion?

So, we all know that there's going to be a genera l election in the not-sodistant future. it's getting to crunch time for our politicians and it seems that they wi ll do anything to get those extra votes. In the la st fortnight, the focus seems to have been on seizing the female vote. In the same week that Gordon Brown appeared on Piers Morgan's Life Stories, Alistair Campbe ll popped up on the irritating yet ent ertaining Loose Women.

Let's co ncentrate on Mr. Brown's appearance on Life Stories. I am one of the few people who have found Piers M organ to be relatively tolerable and in some cases quite likeable. Yet his role in what could be viewed as a seriously questionable pub licity stunt may force me to change my mind.

Brown was grilled about the death of his daughter Jennifer, who

survived just ten days before she died in 2002. During th e questioning, he wept while talking about the fact that he knew his daughter did not have long to live. Now, I am not trying to

"Policies seem to ploy second fiddle to personalities" make light of wh at is evidently a tragic situation, but the Prime Minister would almost definitely have known that thi s wa s go ing to be a topic of conversation beforehand. So were his tears a cynical attempt to allow voters to see his more emotiona l side in th e hope that they will vote for Labour? it's not just Brown who's at it though. David Cameron also got choked up when talking about th e

death of his son lvan on Scottish TV. Let us not overlook the fact that both men have been through extremely tragic circumstances, but where in either of th ese television interviews are we told about concrete policies?

Policies seem to play second fiddle to personalities . lt seems that personal ity is the primary vote -winner now. We want to know what our po liticians' favourite bi sc uits are, rather than where they stand on health care.

This is characteristic of the celebrity culture in co ntemporary society.

Other people who have appeared {and cried) on Piers Morgon's Life Stories include Cilia Black, Katie Price and Danni i M inogue. Now, Gordon Brown can be added to the list.

Both Cameron and Brown's crying coul d be seen as a publicity

stunt, but talking about such awful events would make an yon e upset.

Th ere is absolutely not hing wrong with showing emotion under tough questioning, despite how co ntrived the questions might be.

So why would Alistai r Campbell ro ck the boat and start cryin g on Andrew M arr's show about the fact that Tony Blair is an 'honourable man'? Campbell might have been ab le to worm his way back into the Labour party publicity machine, but he isn't going to worm his way into th e hearts of the British people with

this ap proach. What has happened to Blair is in no way on a par with the tragedy su ffered when losing a child.

Overall, it seems that our politicians are playing along with the way that British politics is going now.

The British pub lic are won over by personality po litics . This cannot be particularly good for our democracy as a whole. So, dearest politicians, bureaucrats and spin doctors - you can cry all you want. Sob, weep, shout from the rooftops how you fee l. But please, please can you tell me some of your policies as well?

Debate: Should we have electoral reform in the UK? Fact box Jack Brinded Th e current system used for the UK general elections is an overly simplistic one of majority rule, and provides an unrepresentative and undemocratic outcome. At last it seems the time has come for reform, and for some fo rm of Proportional Representation (PR) to replace First Past The Post {FPTP), with a referendum promised some time in th e nea r future by the Labour governm ent.

Labour seem to have undergone a deathbed conversion out of fear that they will be in opposition for a decade or more, but no matter. lt is the right conc lusion to reach, even if it 's for the wrong reasons. One of the rather tired criticisms of PR is that it gives extremist parties a greater chance of wi nnin g seats . Not on ly does t his argument miss the point of a repre se ntative system such as our own, which is to give members of the public someone who represents their views in parliament, regardl ess of how distasteful or offensive we find them, it also excuses the failure of the dull, lacklustre mainstream parties

to reach out to di se nfran ch ised members of the electorate .

PR wou ld give th e two (and a half if you count th e Lib Dems) biggest parties a real incentive to make more effort to get in touch with fringe voters and appeal to more than just the 'midd le class'. As well as excluding large sections of society from the democratic process, FPTP (nearly) always provid es a large winner 's bonu s to th e victorious party in an electio n, whereby they acquire a huge majority of seats in Parliament that is not proportional to the percentage of votes garnered .

Obviously this is why the present system remains unaltered until now, since no all-powerful government ever seems willing to legislate away its own so urce of might. Time after time FPTP has lea d to an overmig hty government of questionable legitimacy that could effectively vote through whatever it pleases for the following four to five years .

Considering th is country likes to pride itself on being a 'liberal democracy', precisely how in-kee ping with liberal philosophy is that?

At the moment, the UK uses the first past the post system, or FPTP. The proposed referendum would suggest a change to the alternative vote system, or AV. Single Transferable Vote is considered to be the most proportionately representative system.

STV is used in Ireland as well as in our Union elections!

Against Gareth Coventry First Past th e Post {FPTP) is a sim pl e and quick way of voting which provides a mechanism for parties to form stable governments. These stable governments can be judged by voters and they can decide whether to keep the party in power or to throw them out. Of course, this does not imply that the current system is perfect, but then no electoral system is perfect; they all have their own various advantages and disadvantages. lt is misleading and wrong to claim that one system is superior For when compared to another. example, under alte rnative vote {AV), th e proposed alternative to FPTP, although it is relatively simple to use and ens ure s tha t the success fu l candidate gains at least 50% of the constituency vote, it can still produce a result that is even less proportion al than that generated by FPTP. As well as th is, it can still discriminate against smaller parties.

The issue of electoral reform is considered by many to be a peripheral

" I've had squishy ones and crunchy ones"- Oavina Kesby PSI 2

issue, a fact which wa s acknowledged by the Jenki ns Report on electoral reform, and is even more so wh en compared with so-ca lled 'bread and butter' issues. This does raise the que~tion as to why the Government seems intent on pushing through this reform at this time.

The current impetus seems to come from either an attempt to court favour with the Libera l Democrats in case of a hung parliam ent, or th e fa ct that under AV, Labour would have gained a larger majority in both 1997 and 2005 than they did under FPTP. Perhaps in light of the MPs' expenses scandal, someth ing had to be see n to be done in order to appease the public's anger towards the political establishment. The se reasons are not parti cu larly justifiable as the issue of electora l reform is too important to be squandered in an atte mpt to gain a short term party political advantage. If we are to reform the electoral system of this co untry, then it should be with public consent and with an electoral system that does not benefit a particular party.

concrete.opinion@uea.ac.uk

TUESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2010

COMMENT & OPINION 11

NUS

My (:riettd Lilke was playing the AIN betB the other dBfJ, wf!Bn U IBid the (:o/101/ing tentencs:

delegation Dan Youmans

It occurs to me tftst tNre is no otfter occasion wltsn 5/ICft a seq~tence o(: words cowld be deemed 6C(:St1rBC'IB

Standing together The Saucy Sun Duncan Smith British trade unions have long been a vital part of the political ecosystem.

Whether fighting unacceptable working conditions, negotiating fair pay rises and multi-million pound trade deals, or just providing somewhere for members to complain to their management without feeling under threat, they are indispensable.

The NUS. does not just provide discount cards for shops, services and clubs; it is the trade union of students.

We may not have an employer/ employee relationship with our universities, but there is no difference in the aims, values or purpose of the NUS and those of any other union.

Unions have a duty to support each other when facing hard times, such as the £400 million of cuts to university funding next year. Last month, the Leeds branch of the University and College Union balloted their membership following the announcement of £35 million cuts.

At a time like this, students should be standing together with lecturers defending higher education, but Leeds University Union asked students to

send a pre-written email to their lecturers, condemning potential strike action out of a selfish and shortsighted desire to 'keep putting our education first'. To say that these cuts would have anything other than a massively negative impact on students is ridiculous, and a students' union trying to stop the UCU in this way is truly shocking.

Thankfully, UCU members did not allow themselves to be undermined and overwhelmingly voted in favour of strike action - with some morally minded students even organising grass-roots protests in support.

Industrial action is never to be taken lightly, but when our education is under threat, students and lecturers need to come together, unite in our goals, and realise that by dividing we would create a situation where the only people who would win are those who see universities as machines, where anything not making a profit should be discarded.

When this issue hits UEA- which is only a matter of time - we should work with our lecturers, not against them.

We need to work together to defend our higher education.

IF YOU HAVE A COMMENT OR OPINION THAT YOU WANT TO GET OFF YOUR CHEST ON ANY ISSUE, THEN THIS IS THE PLACE FOR YOU. PLEASE CONTACT CONCRETE.OPINION@UEA. AC.UK AND WE'LL GET YOUR VOICE HEARD!

Henry Croft - - - - - - - - - - -- Last week, the seedier details of this year's Concrete Sex Survey managed to arouse the interest of The Sun. They published a small article entitled 'Students So Saucy' which ignored the bulk of the survey and instead excited itself with the thought of UEA students 'acting out their fantasies' and romping to the tremulous throbbings of Wagner.

Now, expecting The Sun to produce a serious piece of journalism is a bit like expecting the Chuckle Brothers to produce a criti£ally acclaimed production of Hamlet. But this does, however, raise a more serious issue.

By presenting the results in this way, The Sun has· exploited data in an attempt to titillate a certain demographic of, presumably, lonely and sexually frustrated people. it also failed to name Concrete as the source of the survey, giving the impression it was a University commissioned survey. With all the -

in recent times, the press intrusion and inaccurate reporting that has been put under intense scrutiny.

In addition, reliable journalism is often hindered by today's rich media interface. This modern 'web of news' creates a confusing and cluttered media landscape.

According to research conducted by the George Washington University, all journalists are using Google for their online research, and 61% are turning to Wikipedia.

Maybe this signposts the future of journalism; maybe the future will be collaborative and multidimensional; facilitated by the internet and other media.

Yet whatever the future, this trend is inevitably damaging the value of journalism. A recent YouGov

trouble surrounding the data on climate change, I'm sure the last thing UEA needs is to be associated with people trying to masturbate to the Countdown theme tune.

This tendency towards trivia and inaccuracy, as well as subscribing to lazy journalism, is also part of a larger trend: newspapers have long been sacrificing standards to maintain sales.

Maybe the recession can be held partly to blame; newspaper coffers are empty and cutbacks are hardly conducive to the integrity of journalism. This may have catalysed,

survey found only 7% of 2,024 people questioned trust UK national newspapers to behave responsibly.

In this case a survey that, in the first place, reports people being caught in flagrante by elderly aunts, clearly does not pertain to be the pinnacle of investigative journalism and therefore, it should be read for what it is: a bit of fun. This sort of stuff is fine as long as the consumer knows what they are getting. After all, reading The Sun for its statistical integrity is a bit like watcbing pornography for its realist value: both will result in disappointment.

NUS, or the National Union of Students, represents seven million students in the UK. If you're a member of an affiliated students' union, such as ours at UEA, you automatically become an NUS member {hence the NUS logo on the back of our campus cards). The NUS represents students in government meetings, leads various campaigns, and runs training events for students and student union officers.

The NUS Annual Conference is the main democratic decision making body of t he National Union. For three days (13th-15th April), delegates from up and down the country will be gathering in Newcastle Gateshead to debate motions, hold officers to account, and network. Hence, it's really important that UEA sends a good range of delegates.

UEA elects delegates in Week 10, after campaigning in Week 9.

Normally, delegates are bound by Union policy -·so you have to vote in that direction. For example, on the issue of 'No Platform', UEA delegates have to vote against it - since our union has anti-No Platform policy.

That is, unless you say on your manifesto very clearly what you want to disagree with.

The Union used to be able to send ten delegates to Annual Conference. Last year this was decreased to eight, and then slashed to five for this year. With one place reserved for our Communications Officer, that leaves just four places open for students.

So, it's even more important that we have a diverse range of students run in the delegate elections, and go to shout for UEA on a national stage. Nominations are open until Friday of Week 7. You can pick up a nomination pack from Receptio·n in Union House, or check out ueastudent.com/voice/elections.

0 0

I 12 FEATURES

TUESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2010

concrete.feature·s@uea.ac.uk

Alternative Obituary 201 0 Arnold Stang of early Hollywood films such as Seven Days' Leave, My Sister Eileen, The Man with the Golden Arm (with Frank Sinatra and Kim Novak), and it's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Stang also had recurring roles in 1V sitcoms such as The Cosby Show and The School House.

As well as Top Cat, Stang provided the voice for Popeye's nerdy chum Shorty (who was a parody of Stang) and he was also the spokesperson for Chunky chocolate bars (catchphrase, 'Chunky, what a chunk qf chocolate!'), he was the Honey Nut Cheerios Bee, and was also the spokesperson for Vicks Vapo-Rub and double-glazing, for which the catchphrase was, bizarrely, 'Arnold Stang says don't get stung!'

Later in his career, Stang was famous for being Arnold Schwarzenegger's sidekick in the camp comedy classic Hercules in New York (where Schwarzeneggar was credited as 'Arnold Strong') and he was in the 1993 Dennis the Menace movie.

Stang died of pneumonia at the ripe old age of 91 in his. home in Massachusetts.

Bdward 'Umaga' Patu

November 12th 1964 - December 26th 2009

March 28th 1973 - December 4th 2009

ove Christmas, except among enthusiasts of the American underground music scene, but his story is truly inspiring. Though he suffered from depression and was restricted to a wheelchair after a car accident at the age of 18, he went on to forge a critically adpred musical career lasting two decades, recording over a dozen consistently inventive, engaging and acclaimed solo albums.

Along the way his talent and spirit helped him befriend fellow Georgia resident Michael Stipe (who was responsible for Chesnutt's first recordings after hearing him play at a local club) as well as Patti Smith and Jeff Mangum. In an interview with NPR Music shortly after his death at the age of only 45, Stipe described Chesnutt as "one of our greatest songwriters, and one of our greatest voices:' while Mangum, the genius behind Neutral Milk Hotel, wrote: "In 1991 I moved to Athens, Georgia in search of God, but what I discovered instead was Vie Chesnutt. Hearing his music completely transformed the way I thought about writing songs, and I will forever be in his debt:' Chesnutt died on Boxing Day after slipping into a coma. When the news emerged, the community that had supported him and been touched by him joined together in mourning.

His given name may be unfamiliar to many, if not all of you, but perhaps some of you will know him by his stage name: Umaga. One of the great WW.E personalities, anyone tuning in throughout his glory days in 2006-7 knew that the sight of his trademark dreads and tribal tattoos meant a fierce, unpredictable and entertaining match was in store. The winning streak he· enjoyed in this period gave him the nickname 'The Samoan Bulldozer' and led to some classic matches, such as his bout against Bobby Lashley in 'ltJrestlemania 23, during which Vince McMahon and Donald Trump bet their hair. In fact, Fatu went undefeated under the name Umaga for 34 matches.

Unfortunately, his behaviour outside the ring damaged his otherwise impressive career. In 2003, when he was knowr as 'Jamal', he was released from his WWE contract following his involvement in a bar fight. He returned

David Carradine

Maggie Jones

American Actor

Long Time Corrie Star

11ralter«hro!Uiite

TedlennedJ

US TV Personality

Vie Chesnutt ·_

in 2005, after a brief stint with the TNA and Japan All Pro Wrestling, but was released again after violating the WWE •ralent Wellness' programme for the second time and refusing rehabilitation.

Sadly, he was rumored to be making a return to professional wrestling just before he died at the age of just 36, following his second heart attack.

Fatu leaves behind a legendary family of Samoan wrestlers: Afa and Sika of The Wild Samoans are his uncles and were his trainers, his older brothers are Rikishi and Tonga Kid, and his numerous famous cousins include Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson.

Yveslocher

May 1st 1980 - January 13th 201 0

And the Ones You Probably Know About ...

Billy Mays became the only television salesperson to appear on prime-time chat shows such as The Tonight Show with Jay Leno and The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien, he signed up to be the face of M,exican fast-food chain Taco Bell and he had his own 1V series on the Discovery Channel called Pitchmen.

Sadly, Mays was found dead in his home by his wife on June 28th 2009 at the age of SO from heart disease.

Television has lost one of its most endearing, passionate characters.

FEATURES 13

JaJBeatard

July 20th 1958 - June 28th 2009 Should you happen upon a 1V commercial and enjoy it so much that you'll endure the people screaming at you at strategic intervals, you'll notice that they all have certain things in common. The casual, neighbourly persona, the excessive use of 'thumbs up', an insatiable passion for cleaning and a generous way with free products; these staples of the direct-response television salesperson were perfected and made famous by Billy Mays.

Mays' distinctive beard, abrasive shouting and endless enthusiasm for products named 'Green Now!', 'Kaboom!' and 'Mighty Putty' made him a cult figure across the western world.

Hailing from McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, Mays dropped out of university and trained as a salesman on the Atlantic City Boardwalk. Mays travelled all over the United States for 12 years before he was discovered at a convention and signed up as a pitcher for the Home Shopping Network. His commercials were an instant hit with the public and the network charted a notable increase in sales from his first pitch.

TUESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2010

You may have noticed that there have been an awful lot of celebrity deaths over the past year. The national press had to find the column inches to pay tribute to the big stars meaning that, inevitably, the deaths of lesser known but incredible individuals missed out on the anention they deserved. Melissa York an~ Duncan Vicqt-Brown pay tribute to these unsung heroes.

BiiiJIIaJS

September 28th 1918 - December 2.0th 2009

Most famous for being the voice of yellow Hanna-Barbera cartoon feline Top Cat, Arnold Stang was actually a prolific comic actor of the 50s' 'Golden Age' of American television and film.

A small bespectacled man who often played a confident New Yorker, Stang once described himself as looking "like a frightened chipmunk who's been out in the rain too long:' He had a distinctive, squeaky Brooklyn accent which became his trademark.

Stang began on radio as a child and continued with shows such as The Goldbergs through his adolescence. As an adult, Stang worked on a number

concrete.features®uea .ac.uk

Last Kennedy Brother

Dom Delouise

Patrick McGoohan

Actor and Comedian

Prisoner Star

l'arrah Fawcett

Bd.Mcllahon

Charlie's Angel

US TV Presenter

leithFioyd

Bicardo Montalban

TV Chef

Khan from $tar Trek

Stephen GatelJ

Brittany MurphJ

Boyzone Singer

American Actress

Jade Goody

LesPaul

Reality TV Personality

Electric Guitar Pioneer

TonyBart

WendJ Richard

TV Artist and Presenter

Eastenders Stalwart

JohnBughes

latasha Bichardson

Legendary Director and Producer

Stage and Screen Actress

Michael Jackson

Patrick Swarze

Legendary Singer and Dancer

Screen Heart-throb

Jett Travolta

Mollie Sugden

Son of John

British TV Star

ease, Johnson

Jasmine Piore

Johnson&Johnson heir, Tila Tequila's fiance

· Swimsuit model, murdered by boyfriend

llarrJ Patch

James Owen The Rev' Sullivan

Last surviving soldier of World War One Trenches

Avenged Sevenfold Drummer

This is cheating slightly, as Jay Reatard (Jimmy Lee Lindsay Jr:s stage name, and the name by which he was most widely known) died in 2010, but the tragedy of his death deserves attention. Jay was a prolific recording artist, with an intimidating body of work as a member of The Reatards, The Lost Sounds, Bad Times, The Final Solutions, Nervous Patterns, Angry Angels, Destruction Unit and Terror Visions, as well as his solo project under the name Jay Reatard.

In total, his discography consists of 19 albums, 41 singles/EPs and eight

April 7th 1930 - December 26th 2009 compilation albums, spanning a career lasting only 14 years.

He has been described as a "force in punk rock", and his .work ethic reflects his integrity and his 'no bullshit' attitude.

This is reflected in his car:~er choices (In 2008 he signed with Matador Records, turning down offers from bigger labels because Matador were 'the only ones keeping any of the promises they'd made along the way.') as well as his fiercely DIY approach to his music; his first EP features just himself, singing, playing guitar and beating a bucket for percussion, and he ;till played all the instruments on some of his last recordings.

His death, at the age of only 29, was a shock to all who knew him and his music, and a deeply saddening waste of talent. Jay was found dead at his home in Memphis. Though there were initially suspicions of a homicide, later forensic work revealed that he died of 'cocaine toxicity', and that alcohol was a contributing factor in his death. He had been working on new material right up until his passing.

Yves Rocher was born in the small French village of la Gacilly, Southern Brittany and went on to found the Yves Rocher cosmetics company, products of which are now sold in 88 countries, earning profits of €2 billion and employing 15,000 people.

A local healer taught Rocher the recipe for a herbal ointment and Rocher set up a mail order business to sell it. From then on, Rocher developed ot her herbal cosmetics and insisted ever since that every ingredient used in his products was 100% natural. Other cosmetic companies followed suit and now practically every one of them boasts about their natural ingredients.

Rocher was a highly political figure and saw the promotion of natural ingredients as a way of democratising the cosmetics industry because natural ingredients were available to everyone and made the products more affordable. Rocher was also mayor of his village and stood in regional elections.

Yves has kept the business within the family by passing it on to his son (now also deceased) and his grandson.

llaurice Jarre

BeaArthur

September 13th 1924 - March 28th 2009

May 13th 1932 - April 25th 2009

Bea may not have been especially well known over here, but in the States she was no less than a household name; a rare example of an actress who successfully balanced critical acclaim and wide, mainstream appeal. Her first love was theatre, and in 1966 she won a Tony Award for her portrayal of Vera

Before he died, the French govern mer..· awarded Rocher the Legion d'Honneur and he was also a member of the Order of the Ermine.

Yves Rocher died in Lariboisiere Hospital in Paris on 26th December 2009 after suffering a stroke and he was buried in la Gacilly on 30 December in the presence of 5,000 people, where the Yves Rocher botanical garden remains to this day, completely free and open to the public.

Charles in Mame, acting alongside Angela Lansbury. Her career took a turn, however, when she guest-starred as the outspoken liberal feminist Maude Findlay in All in the Family.

Her charismatic turn gained attention from CBS executives who, she recalled, immediately asked: "Who is that girl?

Let's give her her own series."

And so 'Maude' was born: a show notable not only for its popularity, but also for its status as a taboo breaker. lt addressed many issues that other sitcoms would not, such as Vietnam, the Nixon administration, divorce, drug use and spousal abuse. She was also a renowned campaigner for animal rights, as well as for the rights of women; the elderly and the Jewish and LGBT communities. Her death, at the age of 86, was met with national mourning, and the lights were dimmed on Broadway in her honour.

The death of this musical giant went largely unnoticed by the national press. Maurice Jarre, born in Lyon, France, was one of the most successful composers of the century. Mostly famed for his film soundtracks, Jarre originally opted to study engineering at the prestigious Sorbonne University in Paris but dropped out, to his father's extreme displeasure, in favour of music school. However, Jarre proved all his critics wrong by becoming a successful conductor and, eventually, the director of the Theatre National Populaire.

Jarre began composing film scores in the early 50s, and his subsequent works have been universally acknowledged as iconic masterpieces. Jarre won three Academy Awards and two Golden Globes, earning a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Jarre won his Academy Awards for Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago and A Passage to India. His other film credits

include The Message, Dead Poets Society, Ghost, Franco Zefirelli's Jesus of Nazareth miniseries (describ!'!d by the 1V Guide as 'the best miniseries of all time'), Fatal Attraction, Cocktail, and Jacob's Ladder.

Jarre died of cancer aged 84 on 28th March 2009, but he leaves a legacy of masterpieces.

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.14 FEATURES

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TUESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2010

Be prepared for when

Zombies Attack!

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If you lay awake at night, trembling in constant fear of a zombie invasion, then Concrete Supernatural Expert Biggis Willington is on hand to tell you how to turn your paranoia into preparation.

The common zombie has become a staple of the horror genre since George A. Romero's Night of the Living Dead in 1968. The idea that human beings can return from the grave as sadistic cannibals heli-bent on eating the squishy bits of their former friends and family is so compelling that the zombie film has evolved from a B-movie concept into full r .:.~.own blockbuster cinema, ala Zack Snyder's brilliant remake of Dawn of the Dead in 2004. In fact, if anything, zombie films are becoming increasingly more popular. (And yes, even if you give them awful names like 'the infected', they're still zombies. Danny Boyle, we're talking to you). So why is that exactly? Sure, there is always a hard core mob of zombie fans that will see any new fi lm about the shambling (or in some cases, sprinting) hordes, no matter how gory/far-fetched/ iunny, just because it features zombies. But that can't be the only reason, surely?

If the woeful 2012 has taught us anything, the end of the world is alluring to cinema goers everywhere. We will happily sit through hours of massive natural disasters, impending meteorite strikes, deadly viruses, and even alien invasions if it means that something will nuke the White House or, if that's not available, the Eiffel Tower.

But it's not just the apocalypse that makes a zombie mo"l(ie so special, it's everything else. lt's the humour, the shamelessly onenote characters, the gratuitous gore, the perilous journey, the slow disintegration of life as we know it, that leads us to watch again and again. Who can· honestly say they haven't thought about what they would do in a zombie crisis? Which

of your housemates would survive? Which one would you happily decapitat e for waking you up every morning at 2am, safe in the knowledge that they were already dead? Where would you go? Who could you trust? Having formulated a survival strategy fo~ just such an eventuality, (stop laughing, it WILL happen,) our advice is to find an American.

If films have taught us anything, it's that Americans and guns go together like fat kids and cake. If they don't already own one, chances are they will find one within ten minutes of the zombie disaster

"Who c an honestly say they haven't thoug ht about w hat they would do in a zombie crisis?

Whic h of your house mates would survive? " occurring. Take Romero's Diary of tfle Dead, for example. One of the expendable teenagers of the opening half hour manages to produce a pistol that no one knew she had, seemingly from her own ear. (Although, given that she tries to shoot herself and suffers what can only be described as an 'epic fail', we suggest making sure that the person with their finger on the trigger possesses at least basic hand-eye co-ordination, and is of a generally cheerful disposition.) In a fine country such as ours that tries to prevent casual murder, or 'home defence', finding a firearm and then someone

who can use it will always be a difficult but invaluable thing.

But one digresses. lt's probably a little pre-emptive to try and prepare you for the impending zombie apocalypse, but it makes you think, doesn't it? If, like us, you do worry about waking up one morning to discover a zombie-filled world, take solace in the fact that you have probably already met one. Anyone who has been down Prince of Wales road on a busy night knows it's full of violent, shambl ing, semi-humans, moaning like unenthusiastic hooker who, given half a chance, would eat your face.

Zombie films have a lot to offer, giving us unique insight s into human psychology and behaviour. There's -always the 'Leader', the guy or girl who gets it done and keeps everyone together; the squarejawed hero who makes the tough decisions with perfectly judged witticisms and great hair; and then there's the 'Love Interest', the guy or girl that's doinking the 'Leader' jn a manner that seems perfectly acceptable despite t he fact they lost their own spouse and kids weeks, days, hours, or minutes earlier. There's the old guy, who always spouts dry philosophy or dispenses wisdom, being cranky and generally acting like an idiot before having a completely inexplicable personality reversal and dying heroically to save the others. Then t here's 'the Dick': 'The Dick' is t he guy who wourd happily sail down a river on his mother's corpse if it meant he'd survive. In the movie, 'the Dick' always dies, usually horribly, as scriptwrit ers have an in built sense of justice.

In real life, however, he'd probably survive. it's all about having the right mentality.

There's also a lot of practical advice to be gained from zombie films; most obviously 'hit them in the head', along with 'don't wander into dark abandoned rooms on your own or you will die' and even 'zombies that walk slower than clubfooted toddlers will nevertheless exhibit the uncanny ability to appear right behind you when you turn around.' There's also the priceless 'if you set a zombie on fire, the only t hing this will achieve is that you are now being chased by zombies

that are on fire.'

Bleak though my analysis of the zombie world may be, there is some fun to be had, the superb Shaun of the Dead and the equally good Zombie/and being two notable examples. The simple truth is that killing zombies is funny, killing living people much less so. We all remember the glorious sequence in Shaun of the Dead in which the protagonists attack a zombie landlord with pool cues to the music of Queen before ramming its head through a

Curry

jukebox - hilarious. However, replac~ that wit h an actual living man and what you get is a strange sort of cult murder weird.

As a final musing, suppose being a zombie is actually better? After all, the Qnly worry you have is where the next meal's coming from; no work to do, no bills to pay, no deadlines (excuse the pun), no responsibility, just ambling through life certain in the knowledge t hat whilst you may get smellier, you probably never looked so thin.

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EDITORIAL 1~

TUESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2010

CONCRETE EDITORIAL concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk Hannah livingston

EP

C IEF COP

concrete.travel@uea.ac.uk RacheiConquer

DITOR

concrete.editorial@uea.ac.uk Denise Bartlett

FOO

Nayo Hunt, Jess Hytner, Suze Wood, Ella Fairhurst, Grace Flaherty

concrete.food09@gmail.com Edward Leftwich

concrete.news@uea.ac.uk Nicolas Church

Deputy Ne s Editor

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Georgie Adolpho-Couling, Sarah Morgan, Danni Ward

Proo eade

NEWS EDITOR

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D OR

concrete.editorial@uea .ac.uk Alice Violett

E ITOR

Write Hannah Livingston, Alisa Bristow

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FOCUS EDITOR

David Churchill

concrete.editorial@uea.ac.uk Alice Violett

Reporters

Wriers

Lucy Moore, And rea Stromskag, Mark Shead, Jonathan Brady, Heather Crowley, Gordon Malloy, Chris King

Holliday

F EDITO concrete.turf@uea.ac.uk Rebecca Wiles

Lauren Pout, Georgie Adolpho-Couling, Jemma

LIFES

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OR

concrete.lifestyle@uea.ac.uk Samantha Lewis

Wnte te

Vicki Wheatland, lsabel Skrine, Joseph Jenner

Joshua Alien, Kerry Lane, Jessica Friend

OPINIO S ED TOR concrete.opinion@uea.ac.uk Davina Kesby

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concrete.sport@uea .ac.uk Danny Collins

e Dan Youmans, Gareth Coventry, Jack Brinded, Henry Croft, Duncan Smith

U E EDI OR concrete.features@uea.ac.uk Melissa York

W 1ters

Ben Frith, Chris King, Georgina Wade, Henry Croft, Simon O'Meara, Mark Roach, Ross Gledhill, Emily Neilan

The article stub entitled "Samurai Student" which featured in Concrete issue No. 239 said the student involved was carrying a samurai sword in the Union Bar. This was incorrect, the student was carrying a bokken, a wooden training sword . The Management Committee also decided not to ban the student from Union premises after this issue went to print.

We express sincere apologies for the stated errors.

NON-EDITORIAL CHIEF

HOTOGRAPHER

Greg Mann

Duncan Vicat-Brown, Biggis Willington

Photographers

I TERNATIONAL EDI ORS

CORRECTIO

anglia

1pbureau.com

Christopher Buthart, Casper Palmano, Greg Mann, Kyle Spencer, Laura Smith

INTRODUCTIONS TION

concrete.international@uea.ac.uk Qingning Wang & Filipa Mendes

Martin lippiatt

W ters

CARTO NIST

Chen Zhao, Nisha Murthi, Hannah Livingston, HuiZhou

Hector Lowe

info@angliafriendshipbureau.com wvvw.angliafriendshipbureau.com

WEA HER FORECASTER Dan Holley

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16 INTERNATIONAL

TUESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2010

Cheongsam and Chinese women The cheongsam is a "body-hugging" (direct translation) one-piece Chinese dress for women; the male version is th e changshan.lt is known in Mandarin Chinese as the qfpao, and in English as a mandarin gown. The now stylish and often tight-fitting cheongsam wa s created in the 1920s in Shanghai and was made fashionable by socialites and upper-class women .

When the Manchu ruled China during the Qing Dynasty, certain socia l strata emerged. Among these were the Banners, mostly Manchu, who as a group were called Banner People.

Manchu women typically wore a onepiece dress that came to be known as

the qfpao or banner quilt. The qfpao fitted loose ly and hung stra ight down ones' body. Under dynastic laws in 1636, all Han Chinese were forced to wear it in stead of the traditional Han Chinese clothing, under penalty of death. After 1644, the Manchu relinquished this edict, allowing people to continue wearing Han's clothes, but as time went on they opted to wea r the qfpao and changshan . In fact, only court officials were forbidden from wearing Ming court dress. In the following 300 years, the qfpao became the adopted clothing of the Chinese, and was eventually tailored to suit the preferences of the population. Such was its popularity that th e garment form survived the political turmoil of the 1911 Xinha i Revo lution that toppled the Qing Dynasty.

Showgirls and women in video games are often in cheongsam. These are usually made of rubber or silk, deep in colour for the cameras, and wit h short sleeves and mid-t high length. They are commonly worn with short socks and white shoes.

Some airlines in Mainland China and Taiwan have cheongsam uniforms for their female flight attendants and ground workers . These are plain in

Ch n Zhao

color, hemmed to just above the knee with a close fitting wool su it jacket of the sa me color as the cheongsam.

The workers wear stockings and low heeled shoes. Their working places are often air-conditioned so they remain cool.

In the 2008 Summer Olympics, cheongsams were the uniforms of the medal holders. They were also worn by female members of the Swedish and Spanish teams in the opening ceremony.

concrete.int rnatlonal@uea.ac.uk

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Baju Kurung: traditional outfits of Malay women NI h Murthl Take a stroll through any street in Malaysia and you are bound to notice many women dressed in a simple long sleeved top to the knee, paired with a sarong, in a dazzling range of colours and fabrics. This is baju kurung - one of the official traditional outfits of Mal ay women in Malaysia. The term baju kurung can be roughly translated as

'confined dress' in Engli sh.

The history of baju kurung is not very long. Before the 20th century, a Malay woman of Malaysia would only wear a piece of clothing called kemban, a sarong tied just above their chest. lt wa s during the rule of Sultan Abu Bf!kar of Johor in the 1800s that Malaysia started to popularise the baju kurung, as it was both visually pleasing and yet was in accordance with t he laws of Islam where modesty is a pre-requisite, as is covering all of the body except the hands and feet.

A loose top with a rounded neckline held together with a single button or brooch is what baju kurung normally look like. The clothes can be made in a range of materials, but light cottons remain the most popular.

More luxurious fabrics like silks, songket (gold embroidered material), pure cottons, brocades and lace are re se rved for special occasions. This outfit is usually accompanied by a scarf to wrap around the woman's head.

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The modern day baju kurung is worn by almost every Malaysian woman, from school children to civil servants, corporate figures and even members of royalty. lt is also not uncommon to see Chinese and Indians in Malaysia dressed up in baju kurung as office wear.

Inside beauty +tui Zhou Beauty is never going to be an unpopular topic, regardless of the fact that standards of beauty are measured differently from country to country. Words such as "hot" and "sexy" are frequently used in Western countries; while in the East, " beautiful" or "cute" would be heard a lot when describing a girl. Different cu ltural values have an impact on people's definition of beauty.

Back to the time ofTang dynasty in China, being fat used to be regarded as beautiful; while in modern China, the skinner, the better. However in most western countries, it is not necessary to be skinny, but body shape is still something people

are se nsible about. Somehow the media has played a major role in leading our understanding of beauty within both Western and Ea stern countries, especially in movies and commercials which can shape peop le's subjective impression of beauty. Girls all around the world tend to dress them se lve s in the way that society expects them to, in order to be attractive.

But what is beauty? Or what does beauty mean individually? From one side, the globalised media enable people to see different beauties from different cultures and therefore create some kind of diversity of beauty, but the problem is that they

all tend to over-emphasise physical attractiveness . Under this influence of media, people, no matter from the East or the West, are paying less attention to the inside beauty of individuals. People's perso nalities, their kindness and friendliness are no longer used in measuring beauty: people are more likely to be treated as objects, only the surface of which matters.

Wouldn 't it be better if the inner beauty of the individual can be more recogni sed and appreciated? The greatest treasures are not those invisib le to the eye but found by the heart.

Do you want to write for us?

We are always looking for students to write for the Concrete International section. So, if you are interested in reporting news, cultural events, ideas of places that ought to be seen with in the UK or wish to share any advice with our readers, feel free to email us at qingning.wang@uea.ac.uk or I.Fernandes-M -Soares@uea.ac.uk . Equally if you have any questions we can answer in t his space, don't be shy, just drop us an email!

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Gaelic Tartan H nn h Living ton The Scottish Kilt, and the tartan it consists of, ha s been in and out

before it is tied into a traditional kilt. The sett (or tartan pattern) is

of fashion over the years. The kilt began its life as the traditional garb of men and boys from the 16th Century Scottish Highland s, predating the Samuel L. Jackson and Vivienne Westwoo d incarnations quite considerably.

The kilt was embraced as th e symbolic nation al dress of Scotland around the end of the 18th Century, not coinci dentally coinciding with the repeal of the 1746 Dress Act in 1782. The act, which banned tartan along with other expressions of Gaelic culture, was a part of an attempt to homogenize Scots and English culture.

The main body of the kilt is made from a swathe of thick wool en fabric, which is often up to eight yards long

arguably as important as the act of wearing a kilt. Originally the pattern would have symbolized the area from which the person wearing it originated, as the weaver would have made the tartan for a specific area, but from 1815 clans were required to submit their family arms. Eager to prove their auth entic Scottish status, many clans submitted their 'family tartan '.

From th en on kilts, and the tartan from which they are made, were worn not only as a mean s of identification but out of pride . Many people wear kilts and tartans today which celebrate Scottish heritage, and the continuation of Gaelic culture.

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concrete.travel@uea.ac.uk

TRAVEL 1

TUESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2010

Unorthodox Ukraine

Paris on a budget Sarah Morgan

Danni Ward negotiates the Cyrillic alphabet to find her way past austere concrete buildings and in to the heart of Kiev's untouched grandeur.

As I stepped off the Ukrainian national-filled plane into the basic Soviet airport in Kiev, I wondered what I had ·got myself into. I had longed to explore the 'other Europe' for years. I was intrigued by the Soviet culture that had struck paranoia into the guts of two generations. Kiev interested me in particular. lt is the home of that delicious garlic butterfilled chicken dish which looks so normal on our supermarket shelves, yet I knew nothing about where it came from. So after a month of trawling through badly translated Russian websites I was here, trying to figure out how to get through customs.

When my cab eventually pulled up to the Hotel Rus I was faced with the austere characteristics of Soviet architecture. lt was a domineering concrete block, whose interior had not caught sight of a decorator since the 1980s. While I rested my fatigued body on the thin sponge bed I could feel my hope for an awe-inspiring adventure seeping away. But, with a drop of determination, I decided to

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catch the metro into the city centre to prove myself wrong.

As I slowly descended the 40-year old escalator I was stunned to find myself in the grandest station I had ever seen this far below the ground. lt was a long hall with high arched ceilings reaching nearly 30 feet. The floor was made from huge slabs of marble and the walls were intricately tiled. I would find at my destination, Zoloti Vorota, that the arches were even adorned with grandiose chandeliers. I was paralysed by awe.

I envisioned the excitement of these great halls being used as Soviet bunkers. I would discover there was a whole second city underground, filled with shops and restaurants, to help the residents deal with the cruel Ukrainian winter.

I was brought back to reality when I realised that every single sign was written in Cyrillic script. I could barely pronounce the Russian place names, never mind figure out what they would look like written in Cyrillic.

The sour-faced staff were little help, to say the least. I would encounter this problem time and time again in the Ukraine. The country was not set up for Western tourism. After staring at the platform sign for a good 15 minutes it dawned on me that some of the Cyrillic characters were the same as the Greek alphabet. Slowly but surely I was able to figure out that AHinpo meant Dnipro (the river running through the city), and I knew where I was headed.

Perhaps the most famous sight in Kiev is the Caves Monastery, a series of colossal gold-adorned churches where Russian Orthodox pilgrims can pray over glass coffins containing the mummified bodies

of monks. Although these churches were dauntingly stunning, what was really fascinating here was the micro-miniatures exhibit. This was an art exhibition that . could only be viewed through a microscope.

The artist, Mykola Syadistry, wrote the world's smallest book at 0.6mm 2 and crafted a golden chess set on the head of a pin, among many other breathtaking pieces. All the churches, palaces and government buildings that fill Kiev are utterly impressive in their grandeur, but the delicate diligence of these detailed works will continue to astound me.

Nearby is the Museum of the Great Patriotic War (that's the Second World War to you and me).

As you might expect, the exterior of the museum was aggrandised by 50 foot statues of heroic Soviet soldiers going into battle. I had been looking forward to visiting this museum, to learn about the war from a different point of view. Alas, I would never know, for the entire museum, save for a couple of displays in German, was in Ukrainian. Once again my trip had faltered because I was a western tourist.

As much as the language barrier made my trip difficult, it made it even more of an adventure. As English speakers, we are so used to everyone being able to speak our language. In Ukraine I really felt like I was in another world. The grandeur and the wealth of the capital city could easily be found in a western European city, but the culture and the language made it so excitingly foreign . Somehow I feel that the city would lose its mysterious thrill if it opened its appeal to all manner of English-speaking tourists.

Paris is a city that never fails to romance you. Whether you visit as a couple, already in love, or happily single, you will be unable to hide from its charm which radiates from each street corner. Paris is a city of great style: in food, in art, in architecture; all of which conveys a sense of secure self assurance, a sleepy confidence Although Paris boasts some impressive landmarks, all of which are worth a visit, I found what really made me fall for Paris were the understated elements. The neoclassical elegance of the buildings, all of which look pleasingly similar in their block patterns, and each displaying a huge amount of tiny, balconied windows.

The narrow streets lined with coffee shop signs, antique-style tables with dusty books, and sounds of alluring chatter amongst the wispy smell of cigarette smoke, red wine and espresso.

For the cash strapped I suggest the Louvre and a trip up the Eiffel Tower, which at night is particularly breathtaking. These two sights both request a small entry fee (although the Louvre is free every first Sunday of

the month) but are well worth it. The rest of the Parisian sightseeing can be next to nothing. The area around the Arc du Triumph is spectacular in the evening, and if you venture a mere five minutes from the main strip you'll find many an excellent, reasonably priced bistro. I've found that accommodation is cheapest around the Gare du Nord station, but having stayed every time near the Eiffel Tower, this is what I still recommend. For something a little less touristy, head to one ~ ­ the outdoor markets. There are food markets most mornings in individual districts, selling wine and the best cheese. For a food lover, one of the best things about Paris is that there is no bad wine or cheese; the cheapest is still delicious.

Love in Crete Georgle Adolpho·Coullng As the 14th February floats further and further into the past, the light, idealistic air of passion and romance is squashed into a corner and replaced by that heavy elephant we know as reality. Yes, maybe reality has reclaimed its place for now, but what if you don't have to wait 365 days before Cupid pulls out his arrows again? Perhaps not a stereotypical destination for young couples in love, Agia Pelagia is certainly an affordable one, boasting breathtaking bays and crystal clear waters that will bewitch you with excitement and romance in no time .

Situated in the heart of Crete, this charming village is home to a quiet region of natural beauty known as the Blue Bay Resort. lt overlooks one of Crete's most magnificent bays, Mononaftis. Couples have the choice to sit amongst residents on a lively beach or swim a few strokes around the bay and take their pick of several private coves that lie unspoiled around the water's edge. The calm, relaxing atmosphere doesn't stop there; decorated with tables for two, the restaurant's balcony offers

remarkable views over the sea, whilst an elegant bar painted deep red holds couples in wicker armchairs as they watch the sunset. Every Thursday night residents are offered a traditional Cretan barbecue laid out beneath the stars. Every table, bar one or two, will be occupied by an intimate couple sharing a bowl of Kalamata olives, listening to the live entertainment. Each couple is individually interrupted by the event's photographer, who asks them to stand close to each other while he snaps his camera . The next morning at breakfast he will be there waiting to give you the snapshot of you and your lover, reminding you that reality can bring you just as much romance as February 14th.

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1.8 FOOD

concrete.food09@gmail.com

TUESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2010

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An Ode to Humanity's Golden Nectar Ed Leftwich Benjamin Franklin once sa id "Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy ".

These immorta l words articu late the fee lings of most of the world's adu lt population, apart from atheists. Beer is all things to all peop le. lt ca n be cold and refreshing, full and comforti ng, crisp and clean or fru ity and bitter. When the world falls around your ears, or life dea ls you a welcome bonus, beer is the re to celebrate or commiserate w ith you. lt is the greatest invention in the hi sto ry of man, making water safe to drink and bad memories drift swiftly away.

Beer generally falls into two categories: ale and lager. Ale predates lager by a long way, and differs in th e brewing process. All beer is brewed in vats. Ale s are brewed w ith a yeast that floats at the top, fermenting. Ales are fermented at temp eratures from 15 to 25 路 c.

This process, and warmer temperature, all ow more comp lex flavours and aromas to develop as well as deeper colours .

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Lagers are brewed at colder temperatures, with the yeast sinking to the bottom of the vat. Fermentation take s place at 12-18路c. This co ld fermentation allows the malt and hops to assert the ir fine flavours, but doesn't al low the aromas, fl avours or colours to develop. The result of these differences is that ales have a much more comp lex flavour, tend to be alcoho lically stronger than lagers, and are drunk at warmer temperatures. Yet lagers tend to be lighter and more refreshing, and drunk at co ld temperatures.

These two categories tend to cause a rift in society: the People, and the CAMRA (CAMpa ign for Real Ale) men. The CAMRA man is ge nerally old, male and white, ha s the airs and pretention s of a wine buff, yet believes that because it is beer he loves, it is acceptable to behave abrasively and in a

condescending manner. Against this man is the rest of the pub-goi ng world, who think that this man is a prick. As a barman myself, it is possib le for me to attest that listening to these old men's monologues about their favourite ale an d its characteristics is not endearing. On the other hand , liste ning to two grown men debate the virtues of Carling and Carlsberg (two beers that are so equally bland as to leave most people feeling bored halfway through a pint), never struck me as a conversation worth having either.

The point to be made is that ale shou ld not be the preserve of the CAMRA crowd. The SU bar always has a selection of different ales, and there is a good

chance that you will like at least one of them.

By the same token, not all lager is bland, boring and without merit; just try Staropramen, Brahma or Kingfisher. Don ' t drink the same lage r/ale/stout all the time: m ix it up and try all the different drinks with an open mind.

Sure, you may not like all of them, but that's better than being stuck drinking the same thing constant ly.

If it 's not healthy to eat only one kind of food all the time, sure ly it can't be good to constantly drink one thing, and it's definitely boring. Don't let yourself be const rain ed by preconceptions about the kind of people who drink certain things; try what you fancy and remember that beer covers such a huge ran ge of different flavours, aromas and tastes that there will be something that you like: you just have to find it. And finally, in the tradition of la zy journalists everywhere, an easy quote to fini sh with: in the immortal words of Homer J. Simpson, " Mmmmmm, beer".

Beer Battered fish (that isn't Cod), with Chips Beer Can Chicken The key to great fish an d chips lies in the batter, and all the best batter is made with beer. Thi s is such a great mea l; not the hea lth iest, but so tasty.

Try to use fish from sustainable sou rce s, and try to resist eating cod.

Although probab ly the best fish, they are now an endangered species, and on ly you can he lp keep them on the menu for the future.

So stick with haddock, or hake. Any white fish wi ll work; just adjust the cooking time to how thick or thin the piece of fish is .

Method 1. Preheat the oven to 180. c/Gas 6.

Now when we say beer can we aren't making a mildly raci st joke about Jamaican bacon, we mean a beer can, with beer in it. The type of beer doesnt matter t oo much in thi s case, thou gh stout doesn' t work we ll, and steer clear of any cans with widgets in, unless you want a nice helping of melted plastic with your chicken.

150ml of your favourite beer.

2. For the chips, peel t he potatoes and cut into whatever size you prefer. Wash well in co ld water, drain and pat dry with a clean tea towel. Cover in your seasoning an d some oil. Place on a baking tray in the middle of your preheated oven and bake for around 25 minutes, depending on how crispy you like t hem.

3. Season the fish and dust lightly with flour; this enab les the batter to sti ck.

For the fish: 2 175g thick haddock fillet s.

120g se lf-raising flour, plus extra for

For the chips: 3-4 large floury potatoes, such as Maris Piper, King Edward or Desiree.

4. To make the batter, si ft the flour and a pinch of salt into a large bowl. Whisk in the beer to give a thick batter, add ing a litt le extra if it seems too thick. lt should be the consistency of double cream,

Method

dusting.

Sa lt and freshly ground black pepper.

Seasoning; sal t and pepper is fine , but maybe try some curry spices or ch il li.

but slight ly sticky.

2. Melt 1/2 of the butter. Mix in 1 tablespoon garlic sa lt, 1 table spoon paprika, salt, and pepper.

lngredients Sunflower or vegetable oi l for deep fry ing.

5. Heat the fat until a breaduumb fries to a go ld en brown immed iate ly when it comes into contact with the oil. Don ' t let it get any hotter than this.

Safety warning: do not leave hot fat unattended at any time, and always have a fire blanket or simi lar readily available.

6. Season w ith salt and t hick ly coat two of the fillets with the batter. Ca reful ly place in the hot fat and cook for 8-10 minutes until golden and crispy.

Remove from the pan, drain and sit on a baking sheet lined with greaseproof paper. Shake off any excess fat and se rve with the chips. Always good with mushy peas, though if you're too so uthern to dea l with that, t ry a sa lad.

CQncrete's Token Endangered Cod

Ingredients 220g butter.

2 tablespoons garlic salt.

2 tab lespoon s paprika.

Sa lt and pepper to taste.

1 500ml can beer.

1 whole chicken (about 1.82kg) .

1. Preheat your oven to 180. c.

3. Drink half the can of beer, leaving the remainder in the can.

Add remaining butter, garlic sa lt , paprika, and desired amount of salt and pepper to beer can. Wrap in some foil , and lightly grease, place upright on a solid baking try. Grab both chicken legs and squeeze the cavity over the can, so it's inside the chicken. Ba lance the ch icken standing upright like a tripod, on the can and th e legs.

Baste chicken with the melted, seasoned butter.

4. Place the chicken in the preheated oven. Cook for about 11/2 hours.

5. The most important part of this recipe is that you drink at least ha lf a can of beer. If you leave too much in the ca n, there w ill be too much beer, and that would be a tragedy.

Concrete BB

&east

0

.

I concrete.food09@gmail.com

FOOD 19 ..

TUESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2010

Concrete Favourites: Norwich's Liffle Refuges I

The main problem with Concrete is that it is full of writers. 路 This causes many problems in terms of reliability, tendencies to be incredibly fussy about the rules of grammar, and an inclination to have very strong opinions about things that may not necessarily matter at all: Having all these writers does have its plus sides though: creativity, colourful company and wonderfully abstract humour are but a few.

The most useful thing about having lots of writers, however, is having a wonderful guide to every little cafe and slightly off-the-wall bar in the surrounding area, and every other area that said writers have visited. This is a lot of cafes and bars; we are thinking of writing the writer's guide to small independent cafes.

lt seems that these places are like nectar to us. They are quiet yet interesting oasises that provide serenity to muse.

Inspiration can be found amongst the odd bric-a-brac on the walls and strange patrons that grace these establishments. So when we asked for a few of the best, so many were mentioned that we simply forgot a lot of the suggestions, as we had temporarily misplaced our notepads. So herE;! are a few: we know this is only a pitiably small selection of the wealth of cafes and bars that Norwich has to offer. There are many, many more, and that's before we even start thinking about pubs and restaurants. So our apologies if you think we are missing out on gold, these are but our humble opinions.

Amity Point Cafe Frank's Bar Ed Leftwich

lt must be said that I think I live in possibly the best house in all of Norwich. The building itself isn't particularly great; in fact, it's pretty poor. The reason I think this is because literally 2030 seconds' walk路around the corner is my actual definition of heaven in its earthly form: Amity Point.

I am aware that we only reviewed this place last issue, but as far as I'm concerned, it's one of the best little coffee shops I've ever been in, and deserves the attention. On Onley Street, just off Unthank road, this place was set up with the mission of providing the best coffee, in my opinion they have fulfilled this wonderfully.

A purveyor of high quality coffee, tea, cakes, sandwiches and soups, everything is ethically sourced and environmentally friendly. The owner and all the staff are so friendly and create a fantastic atmosphere that makes you feel genuinely appreciated whether it's busy or you're the only person in the shop.

The food is all freshly prepared and absolutely delicious. lt's all vegetarian, but don't let that stop you as their food is tasty and filling, and the imaginative ingredient combinations are sure to have you heading back for more. My favourite place in Norwich, I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone. Check out their website: www.amitypoint.co.uk.

Hannah Livingston When r first started living in Norwich I had a small obsession with the Birdcage bar. Something about the dimmed lighting, tasselled burgundy granddad chairs and resident cat kept me going back. But when it came to food, there was a stumbling block: despite never underestimating the value of a good Jelly Baby, meals there are a no-go.

After exiting left out of said building and ambling down the cobbled street you will come across one Frank's Bar, nestled into the hug of an ancient building. The decor is a mixture between a Pepysian tavern and an indie dive,.making it a place ideal for hard drinking, wistfully pondering a novel over a slow Guinness or enjoying truly scrumptious local cuisine in an informal setting.

There's an array of meals to choose from on the set menu; but what makes the food lovely and local is the specials boardmeals that are changed and updated seasonally based on what tastes best when. If all this hasn't swayed you, they do Sunday film screenings based around different themes: January and February's theme is New Year, New York, so shimmy down there on 28th of this month if you'd like to see Regarding Henry for free.

(A tip: if it's a Sunday and you're hungover, nothing tastes more comforting than thei r blueberry pancakes.)

No 33 Cafe Bar Ailsa Bristow Hidden away on Exchange Street (past Jarrolds'), No. 33 Cafe and Bar is the perfect place to chill out. Although its small size means it is frequently crammed with people, it manages to maintain a relaxed vibe: even sitting at the bar by the window means you can enjoy the ample opportunities for people-watching.

The crush of people often seen queuing to eat here is a testament to its menu; deceptively simple (offering a selection of breakfast/brunch options, light bites and panini) and the food never fails to impress, with substantial portions of delicious food.

The " light lunch" of Posh Mushrooms on Toast (mushrooms, goat's cheese, red onion and red onion marmalade on foccacia) could easily be your main meal of the day, making it great value for money. Furthermore, for the fussier eaters out there, the friendly staff are more than willing to alter dishes to your personal preference with the minimum of fuss or ~=--路 upset.

All in all, No. 33 is the perfect place to spend a lazy afternoon. A word of warning: you can't book tables at the weekend, which can make getting in a bit hit and miss, but it is definitely worth the wait to get a table.

,.

20 IN FOCUS

TUESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2010

Help altruistic student scale Kilimanjaro for Alzheimer's Georgie Adolpho-Couling

Sexpression: Let's talk about sex!

Lauren Pout

As any devoted fan of The Lion King will remember, during t he opening scene of The Circle of Life, Mount Kilimanjaro appears as the backdrop against a golden sunrise, its picturesque white tipped peak standing eveo taller than the clouds that surroun d it. Mount Kilimanjaro marks Africa 's highest point, with the summit reaching 5,895m.

An estimated 25,000 people attempt to reach the peak every year, a number of considerable whom don't have the physical or emotional strength to reach the top. But 19 year old Megan Phelps from Brighton is determin ed to go all the way in aid of Alzheimer's _. Society - a cause that is very

tE-\

close to her heart. with dementia Living can be devastating, but the society's volunteers touch the lives of over 30,000 people every week by providing home care and support services for families strugg ling to come to terms with such a cruel disease.

Unfortunately, Megan can' t simply jump on the back of a baboon named Rafiki and be lifted up the mountain in an all singing, all dancing Disney musical! In order for her to trek those 19,340 feet, she must raise a total of £3,750 which will go to the Alzheimer's Society and help with research to find a cure for the disease.

There are 700, 000 people

with dementia in the UK and it is estimated that numbers will be as high as one million by 2025, so the society is vital in the fight to provide hope for suffe rers who feel as if there is no way out . Plea se donate as little or as much as you can to this worthwhile cause at www.justgiving.com/ megsphelpsl, knowing that your contribution will be a much-needed stepping stone in somebody's life.

ATHLETICS CLUB

Presents

seJRT Run

tor

Hands up if you had sex and relationship education at school? If your arm is waving around up there, how was it for you? Good? Bad? Or plain ugly? If your memories of sex and relationship education at school involve an embarrassed looking science teacher and a banana then you're not alone (we, too, are scarred), but hopefully the times are changing, and we can all be a part of it.

I would li ke to introduce you to Sexpression, a new student society which is part of the Medsin group - currently we are all medical students but don't let that put you off, we're open to all! Our aim is to help educate young people in sex and relationship issues and empower them to make informed choices about their reproductive health .

Over the last few months we have been working towards delivering a set of workshops

to secondary school pupils on chlamydia and contraception, including one entitled 'a re u ready?', encouraging students to think about the right time to have sex. The idea is not to lecture students, or to replace formal SRE, but to allow the·m to discuss sex and relation ship issues in a relaxed atmosphere, and encourage them to think about the choices they might make. We also aim to answer questions they might not feel comfortable asking their other teachers. We hope to start going into schools at the end of March.

When we have our other metaphorical sexual health hats on, we are also involved in trying to promote chlamyd ia screening.

Chlamydia is the tnost common sexually transmitted infection, affecting 1 in 10 sexually active young people, and as it is often asymptomatic, it often goes untreated.

You tnight have

noticed the table in the Hive a couple of weeks ago, offering screen ing - this scheme is certainly something we will be promoting and expanding at UEA in the future .

If you would like to get involved with Sexpression, particularly with promoting chl amydia screeni ng in . any way, or you have any fabulou s ideas about it, we would love to hear from you - uea. sex press ion@googlemail.com .

Plan an epic journey for chance to win £100 and help RAG

RE ~ EF

Jemma Holliday

Fun

How far can you go by train for £100 in just 24 hours?

A new National Rail website, www.bestvaluefares. co.uk, is challenging students to put their journey planning and money saving skills to the test by seeing how far they cou ld travel by train for £100 using only advance tickets and promotional fares.

The race is on to put together the longest rail journey in Great Britain using only advance and promotional tickets, which takes in the most interesting destinations, to a maximum value of £100.

Journeys could include Birmingham to Liverpool from £4 for an 88 mile journey and

Enter on I ine at : www.justgiving :com/uea-sportrel ief

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• Competitors without soorts insurance enter at their own risk •

~'V" ENGLA~ATHLETICS

concrete.editorial@uea.ac.uk

@ • POliT ENGLAND

Manchester to Glasgow from £9.50 for a 223 mile journey.

Students don't need to travel anywhere to enter, they can just su bmit their journey plan and four lucky winners will . be on track to win £100 each.

Entries will be judged on miles travelled, creativity of route and the number of great British destination s visited.

What's more, the winner of the best overall journey will get to make their trip for free and receive a further £500 donation to the RAG charity of their choice.

The journeys, which be planned for must Monday 1st March 2010, have to be researched using

bestvaluefares, which is paid for and rurt by train companies and features the latest rail fare deals and attraction offers.

Students must submit their £100 journey entries via www. bestvaluefares .co . u k/ ragweekchallenge by 28th February 2010.

Full terms and conditions available at www. are be s tvaluefares.co.uk/ ragweekchallenge.

............................................................................................... ~ New Society!

~

: The UEA Gentlemen's Society is a newly-ap proved society which "provides alternative socials : : such as croquet, horse racing, whisky and cigar nights and other such gentlemanly activities : : to be done in the most gentlemanly fashion ." The society is open to all; you can find them on • Facebook or by emailing david ._j.hill@uea .ac.uk .

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------< concrete.llf TUESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2010

LIFESTYLE 21

Ditch the damage Dare to detox?

This fortnighfs Confessions come all the way from Canada, as lsabel Skrine tells us what lif~ is like on a semester abroad.

I've now been in Vancouver for just over a month on a semester abroad at Simon Fraser University (SFU) . lt is sensational being out here ancf the Winter Olympics make it even more exciting.

I must admit I had many preconceptions about Canada, primarily that it was going to be very cold.

Funnily enough they have actually had to transport snow in to facilitate the ski slopes, and from what I hear, it is a damn sight warmer than Norwich.

I also thought that I would be leaving behind the stunning UEA architecture but there's no way I'm missing concrete, as SFU is very much a home away from home in its appearance. SFU does differ to the flatness of Norwich however, as it is situated on a mountain and surrounded by sea. This is pretty epic but disorientating when trying to make my way back to halls after a night out. lt is no surprise to me that the thing I am craving the most is a cup of decent English tea. This foul herbal stuff just isn't the same. I am also greatly missing clubbing and the LCR. Most of the nightlife here consists of Irish pubs and kegs of beer; obviously not that much to complain about.

I must say I do like the Canadian preference for forming an orderly line, rather than hustling at the bar for a pint of their finest. And we Brits thought we were the king of the queues!

Thanks to the wonders of the Olympic break I am just about to make a trip to Colorado and then California to visit two friends I lived with in the first year. Whilst yes, things are a bit strange and it is going to take a little while longer to get my head around paying in dollars, I really do feel stupidly lucky to have the opportunity to study here.

Averse to spandex and don't fancy cuning down on partying in exchange for rigorous sessions in the gym? Vicki Wheatland advises us how to detoxify the Concrete way.

Feeling sluggish and moody, lacking energy, or looking bloated? Fancy losing weight, having radiant skin and increasing your metabolism? lt may be time to cleanse your body with a detox. Although the typical student lifestyle isn't necessarily suited to a dietary overhaul, our late night ready meal binges and copious amounts of alcohol and caffeine rarely give way to exercise and sipping green tea. But we all need to allow our body time to purify and replenish .

So what is detoxing? Experts claim it is a total indulgence of the body's needs, as it provides the body with a break from impurities, enabling it to neutralise and regenerate energy. lt seems that today we are constantly exposed to toxins and harmful chell)icals, particularly through the

hidden sugars in processed foods .

Combined with other substance abuse, such as smoking, alcohol and drugs this can cause the body's natural detoxification process to become overloaded and start to slow down . Therefore, allowing the body to rest, cleanse and nourish will free up energy t~at can be used elsewhere to help burn fat, increase mental alertness and monitor hormones.

Persuaded? We are! So what are the best ways to detox? Detox diets usually suggest the key is to keep everything natural. Processed foods laden with sugar and fat should be replaced with fruits and vegetables, and alcohol, caffeine and sugary carbonated drinks should be avoided in favour of high amounts of water.

In effect, if it grows in the ground, eat it, and if it doesn't, avoid it! lt is all well and good to

reaching for the crisps!

suggest a healthier more natural diet, however Concrete recognises that healthier lifestyle choices can often put pressure on the pennies.

Rather than spending your weekly budget on herbal tea and bags of nutty goodness, Concrete has a few tricks up our sleeve to satisfy your health and your purse strings.

Expert's suggestion: Eat vegetables full of fibre such as artichokes, chorella and seaweed .

Concrete's option: There are many other cheaper vegetables that are equally as high in fibre such as broccoli, spinach and radishes.

Expert's suggestio n: Sweat out toxins in a steam room or sauna .

Expert's suggestion: A daily workout at the gym .

Concret e's option : Practice hydrotherapy by taking a very hot shower for five minutes.

Follow with cold water for 30 . seconds. Do this three times, and then get into bed for 30 minutes.

This technique encourages excess sweating and the cold water will also force your vessels to constrict and squeeze toxins out of your pores.

Co ncrete's optio n: Take a run around the u.niversity lake.

Expert's suggestion : Eat organic foods - pesticides and chemicals have to be broken down by your liver, therefore organic foods allow the body rest from vigorous detoxification .

Expert's suggestion : Take Vitamin C capsules. These help the body produce glutathione, a liver compound that drives away toxi ns.

Concrete's option : There's no avoiding the fact that organic is technica lly better for you in terms of toxins and pesticides; however, a thorough scrub of ordinary vegetab les should remove 80% of chemicals .

Concrete's option : Eat lots of oranges. High in Vitamin C and also a healthy snack to stop you

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Totally addicted to ... FIFA Joseph Jenner admits that he can't resist a sweaty game of Playstation footba ll, even when Sartre beckons.

The strained silence intensifies the fug of testosterone that fills the front room : four young males bent towards the TV screen, attention rapt, the final minutes of extra time coming to a close with the scores level. If I am defeated, many hardearned po ints will be lost. This can't happen . The referee raises his arm to signify that a substitution is being made and we mimic - if someone walked in right now they would think they had wi t nessed four guys Nazi saluting a TV. FIFA 10 sold 1.7 million copies

in Europe in its first week alone and it can be guessed that the vast majority of the buyers are male. lt is after all the most indolent way to vent male frustration and competitiveness. At university in particular, after a day of flexing our intellectual muscles, as opposed to chopping logs in Finnish forests or wolf whistling from scaffolds in Norwich city centre, a manly tool is essential.

What perhaps signifies the addiction most of all is what occurs when we play football for real.

Making a run, I'll call for the ball only to be given a pass that falls

way behind. Fuming, I'll turn round to .say: 'that was supposed to be a flipping triangle pass, not an X pass, what's your problem?!'. Playing football now involves the shapes of controller buttons being yelled across the pitch .

Ultimately, as with most computer games, FIFA 10 is a form of escapism. Sadly the reality is that me and my housemates now do impressions of commentator Andy Gray daily, and if I lose I will be in no fit state to do anything but strop, which is a little worrying . On the other hand, the incomparable joy I experience when winning makes this addiction a risk worth taking.

Upstairs, Sartre's Nausea lies on my desk; it desperately needs to be finished for tomorrow's seminar.

However, it seems to me that I can either read a novel about the nothingness and futility of existence, or engage with such an existence in my front room . I sneak a late goal just before the final whistle: life is good.

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>------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TUESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2010

22 SPORT

concrete.sport@uea.ac.uk

Canary Corner

SUCCESSFUL BUCS FOR SWIMMING Concrete Sport reports on an encouraging weekend for UEA's swimmers a s they battle it out with the world's best.

Henry Croft

Ben Frith

•

Norwich City continue to stand majestically at the crest of League One as they seek promotion back to the Championship.

Following defeat at Millwall the Canaries needed lifting going into their match away at Brighton. They came away with all three points thanks to a dramatic turnaround that was clinched by late goals from Grant Holt and Gary Doherty.

A year ago heads would instantly have dropped following Brighton's first half opener; however, a fighting spirit now exists in Lambe rt's men that allowed them to successfully overturn the deficit to win 2-1.

In the pa st month Norwich have come from behind three times to snatch . victory, symboli si ng a se lfbelief that has been lacking in recent years . Prior to this spell, Norwich had only come from be hind to win on three occasions since August 2007, when they fought back to beat Southampton 2-1.

This Saturday the Canaries were unable to repeat hi story, losing 2-0 to a strong Saints side . Two goals from Lee Barnard ended Norwich's impressive home run, with a debatab le red card for Darel Russe ll preventing the home side from making any reali stic attempt to avoid defeat.

Back in Augu st 2007 it was Jamie Cureton who scored both Norwich goals. Three years on and the former

fan favourite has be~n loaned out to Shrewsbury on a deal which one suspects might become permanent at the end of the season.

Cureton has actually scored four goals for the Canaries in the Premier League, scoring against the li kas of Arsenal and Chelsea as a teenager in the 1994/95 season. His position as a fan favourite was secured the fo llowing season when he dyed his hair green for a match against bitter rivals Ipswich Town .

However, in his second spell at the club, he cons istently suffered from goal droughts. Last season Cureton netted ju st twice in 22 league appearances for the club, a goals to games ratio that no centre forward wants to be attributed with .

Hopefully he can regain so me form at Shrewsbury and end his career on a high note.

Thi s year 's Valentine's weekend sa w the pinnacle of the UEA swimming calendar, as 1S members of the UEA swimming team headed up to Ponds Forge International Venue in Sheffield to compete in the BUCS Long Course Swimming Championships .

This weekend was a great opportunity for UEA students to compete against some of the world 's best swimmers . As a resu lt of a new partnership between BUCS and British Swimmtng, British swimming heavyweights such as doub le Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Aldington and 400m backstroke world record holder Joanne Jackson were, for the first time, invited to compete against student athletes as part of their training schedu le for the London 2012 Olympics .

Despite competing against a tough field that , even with the new stricter swimsuit regulations in place, saw seven new BUCS records being set, UEA still managed to do themselves proud.

There were many stand-out

swims: Oliver Willby made th e finals for the lOOm and 200m backstroke, coming tent h and ninth respectively, and Tom Hollingsworth and lzzie Kaufler both made the finals of the 200m butterfly, finishing sixth and eighth respectively. President Sam Heard also finished sixth in the gruelling 1500m free sty le, where the winner was heat declared.

Overall, there was little surprise that Loughborough managed to retain the men 's, women's and overall championship trophies from last year. The top male performance went to Liam Tancock of Loughborough for a strapping SOm backstroke, and the top fema le performance went to Hannah Miley of Robert Gordon University in the 400m.

UEA finished a re spectable 25th with 22 points, which was a notable improvement on last year's position, especially as for many UEA swimmers, thi s was their first taste of competitive swimming.

First year Sam Parry, competing in his first Long Course BUCS, said how he was 'thril led by the dynam ic, competitive atmosphere which contributed to a high team morale as

wellas benefiting all my swims.'

Indeed, many swimmers managed to set new personal best times, and by competing against swimmers of such a high calibre, this weekend has imbued the team with experience, vigour, aspiration and a competitive mindset that will undoubtedly lay the groundwork for an exciting team performance at Derby Day.

ATHLETICS ORGANISE SPORT RELIEF FUN RUN Simon O'Meara Rem ember the last time you participated in sport? Chances are it improved your well -being as you reaped one or more of its benefits : improved fitness, friendship, cooperation, or sex appea l.

So thi s year, why not participate in the UEA Athletics Sport Relief Fun Run and raise money for a fantastic cause at the sa me time? The club will be running a three -mile fun run on March 19th with prizes on offer for the best dressed competitors.

The course will take in the sights of the broads and cost £5 to enter, all of which will be donated to Sport Relief.

Sport Relief aims to· improve the lives of the poor and vulnerable in both the UK and other target countries, often with a focu s on children . Six-year-old Ram of Delhi, Ind ia, is · one examp le of this; the Sport Relief-funded children's home gave him a sa fe altern ative to the streets he had been left on, alone, by an un sc rupulous restaurant owner.

With nobody to care for him, no

education and no income, Ram cou ld have been forced into a desperate existence, like those depicted in the awful scenes of 5/umdog Millionaire.

Within the UK, problems are not as severe as for the likes of Ram; however, social issues do prevent youngsters achieving their potential; a tragic circumstance for a rich country. Problems suc h as poverty, racial ten sion, gang culture,

seJRT

REL1 EF

bullying and lack of educational and recreational opportunity are the

boredom are thu s not only kept

root cause s of many community problems. Are there troublesome youngsters in your area?

Sport Relief funds community based sport projects, often led by motivated youngsters. The se build bridges between youngsters in the community, and on an in dividua l basis improve confidence and other essentia l sk ill s. In our city, Norwich City FC run a 'football in the community programme' in which coaches hold training sessions with a range of community groups, providing a recreational opportunity for all ages. Youngsters who may otherwise have chosen anti -socia l behaviour as a mean s of alleviating

busy, but given a real chance to better themselve s.

Th is year Blue Peter prese nter Helen Skelton is already half way along her solo kayak of the entire Amazon River in her bid to fund raise, and UEA student Heather Fi sher is running the London Marathon in April. What will you do to ri se to the Sport Reli ef challenge?

The UEA fun run is open to individuals or te ams of three and the route is easy-going enough for even the most novice of runners .

Email uea_athletics@hotmail.co.uk for more information . To enter log on to: www.justgiving.com/ueasportrelief.

concrete.sport@uea.ac.uk

SPORT 23

TUESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2010

'CALAMITY GAMES! RAVAGED BY PRESS Chrls King In the wake of the tragic death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili, the organisers of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics have been criticised for the manner in which they have run the games.

VANOC, the organising committee for the Olympics, has come under fire from the British media in particular, with the Guardian warning that the Games were in danger of being remembered as "the worst in Olympic history". lt has been suggested by certain British newspapers that the hosts may have been partly to blame for the tragedy, which occurred just hours before the opening ceremony and shocked the world. This is due to the fact that Kumaritashvili, along with every other non-Canadian athlete, was only given limited access to the luge track, which is considered t o be the fastest and most dangerous in the world.

The Daily Mail, commenting on the Canadian "Own the Podium" campaign designed to make Canada the foremost sporting nation in the world by the 2010 Winter Olympics, said, it "should not mean placing

competitors in jeopardy, particularly in a sport in which fatalities have occurred, albeit infrequently".

The Games have been additionally affected by weather problems, with Vancouver experiencing its warmest winter for a century. Organisers have been forced to pay £245,000 as melting snow on Cypress Mountain made certain sections of viewing areas unsafe, whilst further problems have emerged regarding the Olympic flame.

Spectators have complained that the barriers surrounding the flame prevent it from being viewed easily, although Games chief John Furlong stated that once the restricted view was noticed, organisers were immediately "trying to find a way to create a remedy and we've done that now". lt appears that despite the vociferous criticism of the games from within the UK, the rest of Europe hasn't completely followed suit, with French newspaper Le Figaro describing British complaints as an "Anglo-Saxon controversy".

Criticism has also been laid at the door of VANOC regarding the injuries . to up to 20 spectators that occurred when a barrier collapsed due to a

LAST GASP GOAL DENY MEN 'S FOOTBALL Mark Roach

sudden crowd surge. lt remains to be seen whether the 'Calamity Games', held in what one Swiss radio interviewer described as a "Caribbean climate", will go on to become the worst in Olympic history.

Nevertheless, what is for sure is that the performance of Canadian athletes, who remain amongst the top five in the Medals tables, should live far longer in the memory than the Games itself.

HOCKEY STORM TO VICTORY OVER NOTTS Georglna Wade UEA Men's 1st XI hosted Nottingham 5th XI at the Sportspark on Wednesday in the latest round of the BUCS Men's Hockey championship.

With the season nearing its end, each match is proving to be increasingly crucial to deciding positions in the BUCS league tables, so play was as intense as to be expected.

Despite the chilling weather, the UEA were all set to try and edge their way up standings.

Impeccable composure and teamwork became apparent when UEA quickly snatched the lead with an early goal, setting the pace for the rest of the match. Soon after, a stunning chip from the UEA offence and a mistaken dive from the Nottingham goalkeeper saw the ball fly overhead and into the net, taking them to 2-0 into the lead.

However, this was not to deter the boys from Nottingham, fo r they regained their composure, took full advantage of a short corner and managed to sneak one past the UEA goalkeeper to score.

During the latter moments of the first half of the match, tensions rose

and play was temporarily halted after some questionable tackles from both sides. In an attempt to prevent any further disagreements on the pitch the referees called over both team captains to consult with them. They were advised to play cleanly, and the game swiftly continued with UEA snatching another goal to make it 3-1 just before the half time whistle.

Despite the cold and a two goal deficit, Nottingham returned to the

game with spirit and tenacity, but UEA didn't waiver for a second. The second half of the game was interrupted shortly by the referee presenting a member of the Nottingham offence with a yellow card after a nasty tackle which sent a UEA midfielder to the ground. This did nothing to stunt the efforts of the boys from UEA who went on to secure another three goals through the combined efforts of Adam Wedlake, Joe Broadbent and

Gaz Algar.

The match concluded with UEA taking a convincing win of 6-1 - a solid result in preparation for the next championship matches.

Captain of the BUCS team James Fanger commented "I'm very happy with the result; it's another convincing win for the UEA team. This should set us up well for the two remaining matches of the season against Northampton anel Lincoln."

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UEA Men's Football's dreams of Carrow Road are over after losing a cruel semi-final by three goals to two after extra time in the Norfolk Junior Cup. The U's should have been ahead after just ten minutes when Chris Gunn's one-on-one effort was saved by the goalkeeper, though they did take the lead minutes later when Foulsham failed to deal with a high ball into the box and Gunn bundled the ball home.

The home side pressed for an equaliser, creating a number of half chances from set pieces, but it was UEA who doubled their lead as another long ball through the middle was taken down by Adam Seekings, who cut inside the centre half and slotted the ball home.

As in many football matches, ha I,.. time was the changing point as the home team came out fired up for the second half and were rewarded on the 52nd minute when a mistake by the U's goalkeeper was capitalised on by Foulsham's prolific striker Ben Darby.

UEA lost their heads and the inevitable equaliser came seven minutes later when a half clearance out of the box was hooked in by James Woodhouse. The scores remained level until full-time with opportunities for both teams; Luke Blackwell's shot was cleared off the line an~ Foulsham's low ball across the box was blazed over from close range.

In extra time the game began to open up with most of the first half being played in the Foulsham last third but no real chances being created.

As the teams turned around for the last time it took just two minutes for Foulsham to score. As UEA pressed for a winner they were hit on the counter, a cross field ball was picked up by Simon Prior who superbly drove at the UEA back four and his left foot shot was placed to perfection into the bottom corner of the net to put the home side in front.

UEA pressed and pressed for an equaliser but could not get through a determined defence and the whistle was blown for full time, sealing Foulsham's place in the final.

The Yellows will have to wait until next year for another chance but will look back at this game knowing that they could have performed better, leaving all of the players thinking of what might have been.

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concrete.sport@uea.ac.uk

TUESDAY 23rd FEBRUARY 2010

OLYMPICS

HocKEY

SWIMMING

SPORT RELIEF

Chris King assesses the reaction of the British press to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Concrete watches UEA men power to victory over Nottingham as they begin their end-of-season run in.

Henry Croft reports on UEA Swimming's successful weekend at the starstudded BUCS Championships

Simon O'Meara encourages students to take part in UEA Athletics' charity fun run.

UEA VOLLEYBALL SHINE AT NATIONALS Ross Gledhill

Emily Neilan

The weekend of th e 13th and 14th of February saw the top 32 student Volleyball team s from across England and Ireland desce nd upon Norwich .

The University of East Anglia's Sportspark was host to th e biggest sporting event in th e student volleyball calendar, seeing 16 men's and 16 women 's teams competing for the title of stu dent national

lt has been a success ful cross country season for the UEA athletic s club, with a hectic past fortnight that saw the endurance team attendi ng the 2010 BUCS Cross Country Champ ionships in Stirling, taking two team s to th e Hyde Park Rel ays the following weekend, and competing in a mid-week XC league fixture in between.

BUCS Cross Country was called off la st year becau se of snow in Ab erdeen; this year it was once again held in Scotland , but unlike in 2009, the snow did not hold off the ru nn ers.

' ~ am pion s.

70 teams battled it out ove r four qualifying tournaments towards the end of last year for a place in the finals. UEA competed hard in the qualifying round s to secu re their berths in th e fin als. Thi s yea r wa s the first year that al l teams were able to play on one site; previous years saw team s travel to Leeds to compete.

With competition stro nger than ever, thi s year saw the 2009 men's and women's champions Leeds Metropolitan University defending their title.

Saturday saw both UEA teams battling to be top of their pools, with the women fa cing Loughborough 2nd, Leeds and the perpetually strong University of London Union.

Despite this, the UEA women played amazingly and finished in the top two of their gro up, qualifying for a place in the top eight.

The men had a couple of tough games against Loughborough 1st, Sheffield Hallam 2nd, and

Success: Both teams qualified for the national student finals with the women losing out in the final to Leeds Metropo_litan_. _路;. .

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Middl es borough - narrowly missing out on their place in the top eight, having finished third in their group.

The Sunday saw the w omen face an Irish team from Cork, who th ey beat convincingly to move into the semi-finals. In the semifinals the women came up against Oxford and, after playing so me amazing volleyball and fighting for every point, th ey got the result they de se rv ed and found themselves in the final against the defending champions Leeds Metropolitan.

As the crowds gathered the

women starte d to warm up; they knew this would be the hardest game they have ever played. The whistle blew and the game began; th e women played very well but their opposition showed how experienced and powerful th ey were, winning the first two sets to see them retain their title. UEA ladies finished in an incredible second place.

The men 's final saw the defending Leeds M etropolitan taking on previous champions Sheffield Hallam. Both teams were extremely stro ng with Leeds taking the first set

convincingly. The second set saw Hallam fight back to level the sco res at one set apiece. The final set saw a very close ga me with Hallam eventually taking the titl e to become nation al stud en t champions.

The weekend proved to be a great weekend for UEA Volleyball.

The experience will prove invaluable next year when UEA will aim to go one better and gain a national title.

Huge congratu lation s must go to both team s thi s year who have done the club and University extremely proud .

Cricket

Christian Union Football

Korfball

Women's Football

Former Zimbabwean cricketer, Henry Olonga, yesterday visited the Sportspark to coach the UEA Cricket Club.

Olonga, the first black player to for Zimbabwe, gained fame when, alongside current England coach Andy Flower, he wore a black armband during a test to symbo lise the death of democracy in Zimbabwe. He was subsequently forced to go into hiding.

The Christian Union Football Club's UEA Rovers have qualified for the final of the Bishops Cup for a second successive year followin g an enthralling 4-3 win over St Johns on Saturday.

After falling behind early on in the semi-fina l tie the Rovers roared back, with goa ls from Dan Welch, Freddie Magee and captain, George Lumley, enough to secure victory.

UEA's seco nd team recorded their most emphatic win of the season so far, beating Sti ngers 15-6 in Norfolk League Division 2.

Goals came from every player on the court with special mentions to Li sa Stevens, who bagged four, and Moritz Rein hard who chipped in with three.

Elsewhere th e thirds also ta sted victory, triumphing 4-3 whil e th e first an d fourth teams su ffered defeat.

The UEA Women's 1st XI take on Leicester 1st XI on Wednesday 3rd March at Colney Lane to decide w ho wins the BUCS Midlands Conference 2B. Of the must-win game captain, Bernadette McSharry, said, " The team knows this will be a tough game and so are preparing well physically and mentally. We need to be on top form for this match! "

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MEN'S ATHLETICS STORM TO SILVER IN HYDE PARK RELAYS

The men's team, consisting of Rich ard Henderso n, Nick Earl, Alec Beaney and Joe Ha zze l came a brilliant 18th and the women 's team, consisting of Tarley Barnes, Sarah Kimpton, Emily Neilan and Hannah Sierra , despite having their top athlete, Hollie Rowland , injured also did a fantastic job over the beautiful Stirling campus course. lt was just the right amount of mud and hills to make for a brilliant race.

Both St eph Twell and Andy Vernon won individual titles, showing just how much talent there is growing at universities in British athletics. The trip wa sn't al l hard work, however, as UEA showed the other universities how to ce leb rate properly, dressing up in LCR-inspired 999 costumes!

There was no tim e to rest for the athletes though, as the following Wednesday they were straight back in action in the East Anglian CrossCountry League, with a winning girls' and boys' team at Fritton Lakes, near Great Yarmouth.

Three days later, they were off to London to take part in the worldrenowned Hyde Park Relays, hosted

by Imperia l College.

The girls were strong ove r the 3km course and are looking good approaching the indoor track season, while the boys blitzed their Skm course, managing to come home in an abso lutely fabulous seco nd place to take the silver medal.