Concrete - Issue 252 - 15th February 2011

Venue reviews The Streets'

Venue's Susanna Wood talks Edinburgh Fringe Festival, poetry and Esther Rantzen with the erudite fun

eagerly anticipated final album, Computers and Blues

Tuesday 15th February 2011 • Issue 252 • UEA's Independent Student Newspaper • Twitter: @Concrete_UEA

osex ease, we're stu ents • Union ofUEA Students blocks Concrete's annual Sex Survey, despite prior approval.

• Officer admits to "contentious" nature of decision.

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Danny Collins Ed1tor

Concrete's annual Sex Survey has been blocked by the Union of UEA Students following the publication of last fortnight's edition.

The survey, which has been run for ten years without obstacle, was suspended after originally being approved by the Union before publication.

However, a reversal of this decision saw the

NEWS: Police crack down on parking seam

anonymous questionnaire, which was hosted by the Union's SurveyMonkey account, pulled after the final draft of the paper had been sent to print with the survey's details on its front page.

The Union have stated that the survey was pulled until a University ethics body approves its content, a stipulation that was not declared when Concrete published the Drugs Survey in November.

Continued on page 4

Students who have been tampering : A Cambridge consultation paper has with parking tickets to get free revealed the intention to charge the parking face disciplinary action. . maximum £9,000 for tuition fees.

Page 3

FEATURES: The darker side of sex

COMPETITIONS: Win Shakin' Stevens tickets!

Stephanie Stevens asks whether we can learn anything from the female travelling community.

Lauren Razavi examines the sex industry in the UK and our interest in all things "sex".

Bring your completed crossword t the Concrete office for your chanc to win tickets to see Shakin' Stevens!

Page 11

Page 12-13

NEWS: Oxbridge set to COMMENT AND charge £9,000 in fees OPINION: Dresses and drama queens

Page6

Venue Page 2

ISSLJ" 252

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concrete.news@ uea.ac.uk

UEA's Independent Student Newspaper

Medical Centre stop sexual health checks for men •

Co ncrete News paper Un ion House UEA Norwi ch NR4 7Tj co ncrcte.cd itor@uea .ac. uk Editoria l: 01603 593 466 Advertising: 01603 592 507 Edi tor:

Danny Collins

Deputy Editor:

Steph McKenn a

Chief Copy Editor:

Mia Wecker

News Editors:

Davina Kesby Ed Leftwich

Co mment and Opi nion Editor:

Emma Parrott

In ternational Editor:

Nishavitha Murthi

Features Editor:

Adam Penwick

Turf Editor:

i\nna Tomson

Lifestyle Editor:

james Dixon

Travel Ed itor:

Tom Hunt

Sp orts Ed itors:

Chris Kin g Rob Schatten

Chief Photographer:

Greg Mann

Deputy Chief Photographer:

Laura Smith

Advertising Manager:

jean Wills

Distributor:

Rob Schatten

Me n must now go to Norfo lk & Norwich University hospital fo r sexual h ealth ch eck- up s .

Ben Briceno News Reporter

Concrete

has discovered that the LJ EA Medica l Ce ntre will no longer tes t me n sex ua lly- tra ns mitte d for infections.

The LJEA Medical Centre adopts a stern policy regarding sexual health care in their refusa l to provide men w ith sex ua lly transm itted infectio n tes tin g, forcing male students instead to visit the hospital for a full sexual health screen in g.

There are exceptions to the policy, w ith the Medical Centre co ntinuin g to prov id e m e n w ith Chl a myd ia sc reeni ngs, sexua l advice and support.

Students have been left shocked by the decision to stop providing full sexual health screenings for men, with o ne st ud ent re ma rkin g: "Surely o n a university ea 111 pus, this is exactly t he sort of thing that needs to be concentrated on?".

Over the past decade there has been a substa nti a l in crease in the a mou nt of sexua ll y tra ns mitted

CONCRETE WEATHER

infections (STls) diagnosed in the LJI<, especially amo ng the younger generat ions.

Young people aged less than 25 experience th e hi ghest rates o f STi s in the co untry.

According to th e Hea lth Protectio n Agency, in 2009 there was a 3% increase from t he previous yea r in the number of newly-diagnosed ST is, wit h a total of 482,696 new cases. Th e va ri ety of infections, ranging from

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loud\ w1th utbrea ·s f ry ·,\1th bngh r sunn:. ram Chtll: and \\md:•. s elL r·.111d and br e=:··

Contributors: Ben Briceno, David Murphy, Alex Mans ell, Philip Thomas, Rianne !son, Susanna Wood, james I-lughes, Dan Pirozzolo, jaap Roze ma, jack Brind ed, Luke r·.:l ~ dJ;.· but large!'·' ,....1 1dy a ns o ~ n '\\ Smith, Stephanie Stevens, Beth Wyatt, Lauren Razavi, cl ud,,· hill;- and breez::, . "lurn e~ C Id and bree!)

Pia Langehe ine, Charlie Wallace, Greg Lewry, I-lasina Allen, Emma Williamso n, Rebecca Bell, Kerry Lane, Kri shnaven i Padala, Rachael Lum, Tim Miller, Ashley Lewis, james Schofield, !an I-lobbs, Simon O'M ea ra, Freddie Magee, Mark Roach, Chris Teale, Matt Scrafton

tt.

Proofreaders: Amy Acl ams, Amelia Edwards, Carmina Masoliver, Ann llartigan, Kale Ll ewe llyn

Unsettle-d a ~ pells ram. mte ~ pe-rsed v~·1 • nn:· spells, and t mmg m eh m1 er. Berom1 g dner b t c Id er to\'l:ards ne t v eekend. www .conneteweother .eo. uk

chl amydia, genita l herpes, gonorrhoea, syp hili s a nd IIIV, a re regarded as so m e of society's mos t common co ntagio us diseases a nd therefore require se riou s prevention a nd treatment.

Co nsideri ng the rates of gonorr hoea, ch lamydia ;:md

ava il a bl e for th e re leva nt tests, it is surprising that the Medical Centre's policy remains.

The policy surrou nding wo me n's sex ua l hea lth checks at the LJ EA Medical Ce ntre is co mp re hensive, involving a three-tier approach to sexual

ge nita l herpes diagnoses in me n peak in t hose aged between 20 a nd 23 yea rs, as well as the effi cie nt a nd eco nomi ca l m e th o d s

hea lth care.

The LJEA Medica l Ce ntre's representative was unavailable to m ake a ny co mm e nt a t this time.

UEA Investinent Fund needs you Horatio Troller News Reporter UEA is following in the footsteps of some American uni ve rs ities in se ttin g up an investment fund run e ntirely by st ud en ts, a nd is curre ntly searchin g for its first board of directors.

The proposal of the fund is to prov id e rea l wo rld of man ag in g ex pe rience inves tm e n t portfo li os, whi lst s imultaneous ly ge nerating financial benefits for UEA, in th e form of cl i rect fin a ncial aid a nd sc ho lars hips for talented prospective st ud e nts.

The aim of se tti ng up t his fu nd is to crea te a longterm organisatio n that will

put UEA a step ahead of its competitors in term s of business and economics.

The fund will utilise the sk ill s and experience of UI:A Alumni in t he role of m ento rs to he lp th e achieve its goals.

The e lection for the board of directors is clue to take place on March 11th for the 2011-12 academic year.

There are seven positions o pen to a ppli catio n.

Nomina tion s are ope n to any s tud e nt st udy in g fulltime at LJEA. The deadline for a ppli cations is 26th February.

Those interested in a pply in g, or want a ny m o re inform atio n, sho uld e mail eh riswlee 1 @g mail.com.

ISSUE 252

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Tuesday 15th February

Professor Green pulls out of Project opening night

Students dodge car park fees â&#x20AC;˘ Police crack down on students who have been evading car park tickets, with fines being handed out to offenders. â&#x20AC;˘ Transport Office at UEA says that guilty parties may face disciplinary action from the University.

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David Mur phy

The ever unlucky Project nightclub has once again been hit by bad news, after Professor Green pulled out of the club's opening night due to prior recording commitments.

The nightclub, formerly Lava/ Ignite, is situated on the Riverside complex and has witnessed its fair share of unfortunate incidents since its closure in 2007.

The prob lems for the Riverside club began after structural complications caused the original closure of Lava/Ignite. A lengthy legal process followed which was eventually settled and allowed work to recommence under Luminar Leisure, formerly of Liquid Norwich, and the new owners behind the ÂŁ2million renovations ..

This latest set-back hasn't dented the heightened sense of anticipation surrounding the new nightclub, as Project have moved quickly to announce a Chase and Status DJ set, along with Kiss lOO's DJ EZ and MC Kofi 8 for the VIP opening night on the 24th February.

Chase and Status are no strangers to Norwich, having played at the LCR as recently as 12th May 2010. After setting the bar high with this performance, much is expected on their return.

News Reporter

Several students have been caught attemptingtoavoid parking charges at UEA and face disciplinary action from the University.

No students have been named but it is understood that so far the University is dealing with all cases of fare dodging internally. The students will be dealt with by the Disciplinary Officer and are most likely to receive a fine for their actions.

A statement released by the Transport Office at UEA says: "Several students have been dealt with by the Disciplinary Officer and several more currently face disciplinary proceedings. They and their vehicle have been readily identified by checking ticket issue time against CCTV." One student, who wished not to be named, admitted to Concrete that they had illegally left the car park without paying. They told this reporter that "you hardly ever get caught and it's easy to do if you know what you're doing.

"All you need to do is damage your ticket in the right way and the machine can't read it properly.

Then it raises the barrier and you get drive off without paying a penny." They also admitted to

UEA have been encouraging third year students to complete the National Student Survey.

This year's survey has 'recently been launched, and aims to provide comparable information from all higher education institutions to gauge student satisfaction.

UEA has fared particularly well in student satisfaction surveys, consistently being in the top five and even coming joint first in previous years.

All schools have forwarded links to the online survey to third years; this is your chance to have a say about your time at UEA.

uni from where I live so I have to find some way of bringing the costs down".

The Transport Office has stated that it "prefers to deal with this issue internally at present" but has not ruled out legal action or the involvement of the police.

They wish to remind students 'that evading parking fees is "an offence of fraud" and that "the police are aware and may prosecute in future".

No one from Norfolk Constabulary was available for comment on the issue at this time.

Programme of "integration" begins to take effect across UEA

Alex Mansell

National Student Survey

having a friend simply lift the barrier up so they could drive underneath it.

When asked why they would risk the potentially serious repercussions of doing this they said "I already struggle to run a car here. I can't rely on getting buses to

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Davina Kesby News Editor

A restructuring operation at UEA has left some members of staff facing redundancy. In the process of "integration", many people working in the social or support services of faculties and schools are being redistributed to other parts of the University or face losing their jobs altogether.

The University wrote to all administrative staff informing them that they would be holding meetings regarding their future positions. Consultation meetings with members of staff who may be affected are currently underway, in order to clarify what opportunities

may be available for staff within the new structure.

A spokesperson for the University said: "A range of support services that are currently delivered either in faculties and schools or by various offices in the Registry are being integrated into a set of services to be delivered across the University.

"This is in response to the pressure on public finances which is affecting all universities but also reflects a wish to make services more consistent across the University, with the aim of providing a 'one-stop' approach to answering questions and solving problems".

Out of the 3900 members of

staff at UEA, 580 are expected to be affected by the changes. An estimated 32 posts will be lost, with the University determined to keep the number of redundancies to a minimum. The effect of these cuts is being diminished by a voluntary severance scheme and redeployment.

The issue of staff redundancies was brought up in Union Council on the 3rd February in an emergency motion. The motion stated that "the student experience will be drastically harmed if experienced front line staff are moved from their posts or made redundant".

After a debate surrounding whether the Union's policy against cuts to education funding applied

in this case, the motion was pushed back to a later date, so that the issues could be looked into in greater depth . The motion is expected to be re-drafted and will be presented to the next meeting of Union Council.

Ogden, Head of Annie Communications at UEA, said: "The University believes that this integration will not only achieve essential efficiencies, but will also bring benefits in the way that students are supported".

These arrangements are planned to come into effect on 1st August 2011, with more communication expected nearer the time in order to clarify any changes.

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Concrete Sex survey pulled Co ntinu ed fro m page I Da n Yo um a ns, Co mmun ity and Stude nt Rights Officer of the Un ion, sa id: "Th e Concrete Sex Survey ca n be a rea lly good, fun way to ge t people to ta lk about sex. But it's a lso importan t t hat su rvcys mee t ce rtain criteria- like being anonymous and t reatin g respo nde nts w ith respectthat arc best assessed by an ethics comm ittee.

Although recognise the decision to remove it was contentious, t he Union had to prioritise student welfare above all e lse."

The move by the Union will be seen as controversial given the popularity of the light-hearted and voluntary survey, which is currently being scrutinised by the University's ethics commission. If approved, the survey will be recommissioncd later in the academic year.

Features Edit01; !\dam Fenwick, who commissioned "the survey, said: "I was very disappointed with the Sex Survey being withdrawn. it's one our biggest features of the year and a Concrete institution.

We've always thought of it as a tongue-i n-cheek look at students' attitudes to sex. I hope that we will be a ll owed to proceed with this year's survey in what we hope to be our biggest yet."

Dan ny Collin s

Derby-Day campaign begins Prepa1·ations arc we ll under way for the 11th annual UEA vs. Essex Univers ity Derby Day. On 23rd March, spo rts teams from both uni ve rs iti es wi ll co m pete at UEA to once again fight for the Derby Day crown.

An extra addition for this yea r w ill be t he introduction of exh ib ition ga mes. Ro b Bloo mer, Finance Officer of the Union of UEA Stud e nts, sa id: "we arc go in g to make sure the who le atmosphere is g 1·eat - sett ing up a s tadium using marquees and floodl ights is the ult imate goal." These games have the a d ded incentive of be ing counted in the final points tally.

Th o ugh Essex won las t year on home soil, UEA are still leading 7-3 overa ll and Bloomer is ho pefu l of yet another win. "Our sports clubs are pumped for the occasion - we arc mo re t han ready for them. UEA wi ll be going out there to w in."

Alex Manse ll

First buses raise fares as quality of service is questioned •

Fi rs t bu ses inc rease fa res by a furth er l Op.

•

Norw ic h Nort h MP launc hes s urvey ask ing for res ide nts ' views o n b us se rv ice.

Dan Pirozzolo News Reporter

An increase in bus fa1·es has left many Norw ich residents feeling disgruntled about the service being provided by First buses.

A further lOp is being added to many tickets, with a single from the University into town now costing £2.30.

J\ spokespe1·son fo1· First said: "The increased fare revisions have been kept to a minimum, mindful of our commitment to making the bus the preferred travel option.

This is the first price increase the majority of our single and return fares have seen in nearly two years".

The increase has been criticised by some as families have already been hit by the increase in VAT. The leader of Norwich City Counci l, Stcvc Morphew, said: "Any increase is disilppo inti ng and will add further pain to hard-pressed fa mil y bu dgets".

He added: "prices are already very h igh and this is unlikely to encourage people Lo switch from their cars to public transport".

Norfolk County Council is also

proposing cutting the number of hours when bus pass holders can get free travel, planning to close the information desk at the bus station, and making park-and-ride travel more expensive in a drive to make £155m of savings over the next three years.

The MP for Norwich North, Chloe Smith, has launched a survey asking for views on buses. She says she recogn ises that "bus services are a big issue" and "if fares go up from the priv<ltc sector, people want to get a better service in return". She continued, saying: "companies such as first do seck to listen and they will not know what needs improving unless we tell them".

However, several customers appeared to be infuriated by what Chloe Smith was implying and said that she had been trying to get First to not just listen but to respond to her concerns for months but ha d left feeling totally ignored.

Miss Smi th concl uded: "T he public sector has naturally had to review w hat it can afford to do on behalf of taxpayers and I want to hear what they like and what they don't like."

Campus walkways renovated to improve waterproofing Maintenance work has been taking place <Jcross campus to resolve a prob lem with waterp roofing,

particularly on the upper walkway outside Waterstones.

T he building work is taking

place in order to rectify a problem that has been plaguing some of the s hops in T he Street. A few of t he outlets have experienced water ing ress fro m a b ove, with t hese renovations set to provide a safer env ironment for those working in the affected areas.

The waterproofing under the paving slabs on the upper walkway is almost 50 years old, so has co me to the e nd of its li fe expectancy, with disruption to staff a nd stude nts being kept to a minimum.

Some students have, however, been left puzzled as to how to make their way across certain pa rts of camp us, w it h access to the library from the !l ive being b locked off.

In addition to this, some

st u dents have rema rke d o n a pungent smell t hat lingered a round ca mpu s ap p roxima te ly a week ago .

The Arts build in g in pa r ticular was affected by th e s me ll , th e ca use of w h ich is unknown.

Accord ing to )ustin Rhys, Customer Liaison Officer for UEA's Estates and Buildings Division, the s m ell cou ld have bee n caused by the work of local farmers .

He sa id : "We arc unaware o f any work on campus that may have caused any airborne smell.

At times, t he odour of agricultural products used hy local farmers on t h e fie lds may be car r ied on the w ind and this could account lforJ it".

My Rhys accentuated that "this is just a poss ib le ex pl anatio n and by no means defin itive".

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NEWS

ISS UE 252

www.concrete-online.co.uk

UEA launches Forensics MSc T he Un iversity of East Ang li a has announced th e laun ch of a uniqu e new course in foren s ic provena ncing. T he taught MSc wi ll b e t he first o f its ki nd in th e wor ld a nd will have a distinctly e thi ca l them e , with pl aces being ava il ab le from September 20 11.

A d iverse se lect ion of sc hoo ls from Medicine to Mu seology will be d e live rin g the d eg ree, e ntitl ed Foren s ic /\rcha eo m etry a nd Pmvenan c in g St udie s. Th e inte rdi scip linary nature of the s ubj ec t re quires bro a d ex perti se in th e a reas of forensic che mi s try, geochemistry, food sc ie nce, archaeology, and genet ics.

Sp ecia li st training st ud ents receive will incl.ud e practical work and will offer bro <l d job o pportuniti es. Co urse director a nd leading forensic geochemist, Dr jurian llo ogewe rff, said: "The re is a worldwide d e m a nd for peo ple with th e kind of cutting edge sc ie ntifi c ski ll s thi s degree wi ll provid e".

Philip Thomas

Fairtrade fortnight

Oxbridge set to charge maximum fees • Ca mbrid ge co ns u lta tion pa pe rs re vea l inte nti o n to cha rge £9, 000

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in tuiti o n fees from 2011 .

Ria nne lson News Reporte r

Oxfo rd and Cambridge Uni versit ies have a nnoun ced their pl a ns to triple tuition fees in Se pte mb er 20 11, m ea nin g they wi ll both be cha r·ging th e max imum a mount of £9,000 per academic year.

Indication s of this decision ca m e from a consu ltatio n pape r; which s howed th at Cambridge intended to bring a bout this cha nge in /\utumn of thi s year a nd that th e amo unt pe r semester will he a staggering £3,375.

This inte rn a lly published pa per a lso detailed Cambridge's plans for s tud e nts fmm lower in co m e families. Those families whose total ea rnin gs equal less than £25,0 00 will be entilled to a maintenance bursary of up to £ 1,625 a nd w ill pay £6,000 per year; double the curre nt amo unt that stu d ents have to pay. ll owever, o nce th e total in come exceed s £4 2,000, th e re du ction will no longer s ta nd. /\swe ll as the ri se in tuition fees, th e re have a lso been num e ro us nation a l cuts to teac hin g, which have ins tiga ted the cla ims of Oxford's ProVi ce Chancellor, To ny Mon aco, that charging less th a n £8,000 would lose th e Unive rs ity co ns id e ra bl e a mounts of money. Mo naco fu rthere d th ese cla ims durin g a formal mee tin g with me mb e rs of Oxford Unive rsi ty by decl a r ing th at Oxford s ub s idi sed un de rg rad uates by £80m and that

if th ey w e re to "charge £9,000, th e additiona l in co m e would be £14m a year". Oxford w ill make its final decision o n fees in March.

With news from other unive rs ities emerging, UE/\ are ex pected to a nn o un ce th e ir d ecis ion in th e fores eea bl e future, with pros pective s tud e nts a lrea dy looking arou nd the campus. ProVi ce Chance llor (Academic), Tom Wa rd provid e d a sta te men t w hi ch rea d: "We are curre ntly p la nning for the new reg ime and wi ll , of cou rse,

Students shaken by attack Thi s year's Fairtrade Fortnig ht co mm e nces on 28 th February, with a va ri ety of eve n ts taki ng p lace ac ro ss ca mpus.

Union s hops will be running promoti o ns thmu g ho ut the fo r·tnig h t, inc lud ing di sco unts o n se lec te d produ c ts in th e UFO a nd cho co late tasting o uts id e th e Papers ho p on 9t h Ma rch .

Unive rsity catering outlets wil l a lso be doing th e ir bit, with Cafe Direc t offering a free fa irly-tra d e d ba nana with eve ry bag ue tt e a nd fairtrad e dr ink purchase d.

Annic Ogd e n, !lea d of Communications at UEA, sai d: "Th e University a nd the Stud e nts' Union wof'i< c losely to e ns ure th a t we ma intain Fa irtrad e status. This is a goo d o pportunity to join in and e nj oy the best th at Pairtrade ca n offer.

co ncr cte. ncws@ uea.ac.u k

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Susanna Wood Ne w s Reporte r

Police a re yet to apprehend yo uths who s tage d an unprovo ked attac k on a UEA st ud e nt in the Golden Triangle.

Th e in cid e nt, wh ic h hap pened in the ea rly hours of Saturd ay 29th Ja nu a ry, has le ft th e s tud e nt wit h a bmke n foot.

Th e seco nd -year s tud en t, w ho was w a lking ho me w ith four other LJEA s tud e nts following a ni ght of light d rinking at th e Fat Cat pub on Ne lso n Stre et, was a pproa ched outside th e Mr Chicken fast food res ta ura nt o n Warwick Stree t, just off of Unthank Roa d .

Preferring to re m a in a nony mou s, the s tud e nt to ld Co ncrete: "So m e la d s ca me out o f the s ho p a nd were immediately agg ress ive towa rd s us,

as kin g if we were la ughin g a t them.

One o f th e m threa te ned my fri e nd, and the n procc eclecl to p u nch him in th e fa ce for a bsolute ly no reason.

"At th a t point I tried to inte r ve ne and break thin gs up; I pus hed be twee n t he m b u t on e of the other IJds rou nd ed o n m e. He punc hed m e on the jaw. I th e n go t kicked in th e ank le w hil e I was lyi ng o n the fl oor~ and it cracked my lowe r fibula leg bo ne."

Th e st ud e nt has described the a ttac ke rs as a g ro up of four wh ite ma les, a round the age of 18, who had clea rly bee n dr inkin g.

Th e stud e nt a dd ed: "I was in th e wrong place a t th e wrong time as I us ua ll y fe e l rea lly sa fe on Un th a n k Road. Hop efu ll y I will be a bl e to clai m so me co mp ensa ti o n from th e Gove rnm e nt eve n if th e lads a re n't caugh t".

need to diges t a nd ta ke into acco unt the newly-a nnoun ced details o f ar ra ngeme nts underpinning fair access".

He reass ured pros pective s tudents by de cla ring: "The recent info rm a tion a bout th e pl a ns be ing dis cussed by Oxford and Cambridge wi ll not influence o u r own th ink ing."

1-1 is s tatem e nt went on to say: "We will d ecide how to res pond to the huge red ucti o n in publi c funding for teac hing in lig ht of our own commitment to an exce ll e nt

s tudent educatio nal ex pe ri e nce a nd to co ntinuin g o ur e fforts to widen access to uni ve rs ity. Our priority will co ntinu e Lo be th e provision of th e hi gh qua lity of e du cation a ll(} reso urces that we have es tab lis hed he re over ma ny years".

Many other universiti es a re expected to raise the ir fees to £9,000 and are inte nt on doing so to combat th e proble ms that th e cuts have caused , leaving ma ny co nce rn ed that individuals from lowe r incom e fa mi li es will be unab le to affo rd the

UEA scientists secure £30,000 Philip Thomas News Re porte r A UEA s pin out com pany Intelligent Fingerprinting has sec ure d £300, 000 investment in te chnology.

Th e revo lution a ry techno logy co mbin es fingerprint recog niti o n w ith the identificJtion of illi c it substances, se rv ing to a id in th e a pp re he ns ion and prosecution of cri min a ls.

The co mbin ed in ves tm e nt from th e Synerg is Techno logies toget her with lceni Seedco rn s pec ifica lly co nce rn s th e dev e lo pm e nt o f reage nt kits, which ca n be iss ued to law enforcement, border co ntro l or pu ni tiv e agenc ies for rapid and non -invas ive application in fore ns ic sc ience, road s id e po li c in g a nd hom e land sec urity.

Profess or David Ru sse ll

(CTO JrH.I Fo und e r, Intelligent f-ingerprinting), sa id : "By s imu ltaneous d e tec ti o n of persona l id ent ity and illicit s ubstances, we a re a bl e to offer law enforce m e nt agencies the a bility to crea te pe rs ona l profile s w hi ch <l rc, o th e rw ise un avai lab le".

The kit works on the principle that it ca n first provide a positive id e ntifi cat io n of th e sus pec t, a nd secon dly can asce rtain from sweat deposits o n th e finger, the presence of illegal su bsta nces . Mctabo litcs ca n b e id e ntifi e d on the fin ge r, which a re imposs ibl e to wash off.

T he hi g h se ns iti v ity tec hnol ogy can a lready detect cannab is, m e th a don e and coca in e, and d eve lopm e nt work co ntinu es for the id entifi ca ti o n of ot her illegal s ub s tan ces, individual biomarkers a net e ve n ex plos ives.

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D Dl&HT(CILUI

RIVERSIDE COMPLEX, WHERRY ROAD, NORWII:H

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ISSUE 252 12:!!;;!~:!.,_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __:~~~~~~=:!~!:!:!:~:2:':~~~---------------------" co n c rete .n ews@ u ea.ac.uk

Students reject Union smoking ban motion )ames Hughes News Re porter The powerful force that is student democracy has bee n exercised aga in this week afte r the Union of UEA Stud e nts ca ll ed a referendum o n two i s ues affecting campus life.

Th e referenda, which were he ld be twee n th e 10th a nd th e 14th rebruary, add ressed two separate iss ues that had bee n raised at Union Co un ci l.

Th e first vo te was regardin g th e matter of the NUS's 'No Platform' policy w hi ch preve nts fasci s t organisations from be ing ab le to s peak or promote th e ir cause o n ca mpu s.

This iss ue was put to a refe rendum in 2007 where it was rejected by the stud e nts of UEA; however, acco rdin g to th e Uni o n co ns titution, it mus t be rev iewed .

The 'No Pl atfo rm ' po li cy has bee n criti cised on t he g rounds of a ri ght to freedom of s peech

a nd demonstration. Sa m Hil to n, a third yea r stu de nt a nd member of Anarchist Socie ty has s ta te d "We need to beat [th e fascists] both physica lly and in te llectuall y" s uggesting that it wo uld a lso be detrimenta l not to allo w them to speak at a ll. lloweve1~ those promoting the ' No Pla tform ' policy have co me to its defe nce claiming that "it guards the rights of minorities o n campus who wo uld und o ubted ly become ta rgets for ab use if fa sc ists we re permitted to speak on camp us".

The call for res tr ictions on s mokin g aro und ca mpus was put to a referendum at a re ce nt meeting of Union Cou ncil. The cha nges would not rul e o ut s mo kin g in its entirety o n ca mpus, a lthoug h it wou ld restrict smokers to designated areas a nd s he lte rs arou nd ca mpus. The locatio ns and numb e r of th ese a reas a re yet to be decided.

Thi s has a lready sparked debate a m o ngst st ud e nts with

each manifesto promoting reaso ns for and agai ns t th e act ion raising equ a lly pressing po ints.

Those for th e restr ictions mai ntain the argument that the seco nd ha nd s moke is un avo ida ble when s moke rs stand at th e e ntrance of buildings, subjecti ng those also us in g the entra nces and exits to its harm unwillin gly.

Meanwhile, those aga inst the ban s ugges t th at it is 'unreaso nab le, unworka bl e and un fa ir' w ith untold consequences on Union reve nue, whic h they exp la in in deta il in their manifesto, found at www. ueastud e nt. co m.

Communications Officer of the Unio n, Tom Dolton, remarked that it is esse nti a l that s tud e nts "ma ke their voice hearci" when it comes to future voting or referenda of this nature.

Both m otion s fell, with 359 votes against the NUS 'No Platform' policy a nd 378 votes against the Smoke Free UEA po li cy.

Voting has taken place on whether to enforce a campus-wide smoking ban

ToID Ward addresses Union Council over technology failures Davina Kesby News Editor The firs t meeting of Union Council this semester took pl ace on Thursday 3 rd Febr uary.

The meeting began w ith an address to Council rega rdin g the tec hnology fa ilures at th e e nd of las t term from Tom Ward, Pro-Vice Cha nce llor (Acad e mi c) a nd th e Associate Dea ns from th e facultie s of FMH, SCI, SSF a nd HUM . jo na tha n Co lam-rrench, th e Director of Info rm ation Serv ices, was a lso in

atten dance.

Professor Ward sa id t hat th e panel were there to give cou ncill ors a n opportunity to ask quest io ns on what he ca ll ed a "monumental disaster". An e m phas is was p laced o n th e fact th a t co mmuni catio n a nd coord in a ti o n had bee n ex tremely diffi c ult, leadi ng to diffe rent sc hools bei ng g ive n different exte ns io ns.

Th e pa nel ac knowl ed ge d tha t in future it was important to e nsure coordi na ti on ac ross di fferent faculti es. jo nat ha n Colam-French said

that a major review was ongo in g as to how se rvi ces are be in g provided to stud e nts. Th e re placement par_t tha t was se nt to overcome the problem is now be ing kept as a s pare in case this should happen aga in .

The ci rcu msta nces were d esc rib ed as "who ll y exceptiona l", w ith departments being co ncer ned a bout how to guara ntee stude nts had rece ived in fo rm ation. The lack of use of the UEA Fa ce book page was met with criti cis m, but Professo r Ward accentuated that

posting thin gs on Face book co uld not guarantee th at a ll s tud e nts would get the message.

After th e address, Cou nc il co ntinu ed w ith its us ual bus in ess.

A se lec ti on pa nel for appoi ntin g a new exte rn a l trustee was e lec ted and Tom Dolton, Comm uni catio ns Officer of the Union, presented th e Strateg ic Plan to Council.

In ad diti o n to this, the constituti ons of STEP UK a nd Lase r were approved after co nce rn s a bo ut overlap with ot he r societies were answered.

Motions to improve IT and communication fac iliti es, to lobby for a fair dea dlin e ex te ns io n policy a nd to keep the post public were a ll approved. Cou nc il a lso voted to approve a m otio n th at proposed ze ro tole ran ce for sex ua l harassment. Th e final motion to be approved was one to condemn kettling, afte r s tud e nts were trapped in co nfin ed spaces at protests against tuition fees.

Cou nci l also voted to ho ld a po licy ba llot o n a Smoke Free UEA and NUS' 'No Platform' Policy.

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ISSUE 252

9

Tuesday 15th February

The Union referendum: a smoking gun?

The Union of UEA Students last week held a referendum to decide whether they lobby the University to enforce a campus-wide smo king ban. Jaap Rozema argues against such a stance.

Between February 10th-14th the Union of UEA Students staged a referendum concerning a smoking ban on campus. As this has already provoked a Jot of comments, particularly on Face book, it becomes superfluous to cover them here.

However, both the protagonists and the contesters of the smoking ban have used the same rhetoric and line of argument, largely glossing over the deeper dimensions in the bigger scheme of things which the referendum may lead us to. I will outline two viewpoints which should be privileged further attention by the wise creatures that we are.

Primarily, there is a semantic flaw and an inherent bias in the main campaign argument as there is no such thing as clean air. It simply doesn't exist. Clean air assumes that a certain ideal or given atmospheric condition is possible to establish.

The atmosphere is in a constant state of flux. In fact, air can't theoretically be clean as it is composed of various gases. However, if l allow myself to be flexible enough to interpret

the clean air outcry, whatever that may mean, as a protest against campus air pollution, what about the abundance of cars on campus?

As a foreign student nurtured in a bicycle-friendly environment, I am amazed by the number of cars among UK students. Getting rid of the many cars in the heart of campus would be much more effective than a smoking ban.

Secondly, and much more frightening behind this seemingly technical discussion on campus topology and air quality, is that repression and the decrease of natural entitlements is here entirely citizen-led.

Unfortunately, this country has a vast experience with the curtailment of civil freedoms in recent years. New Labour has made it a national sport to install as many CCTV cameras as humanly possible, making it the most watched society at a global level. The mantra of counter-terrorism has provided legitimacy to a whole array of measures that are utterly restrictive to people's movements and so-called 'undesired' behaviour.

Health & Safety is another exclusion and prohibition mechanism.

Previously solely belonging to the realm of semitotalitarian policy makers, the

no-smoking zealots at UEA have apparently infatuated themselves with the Orwellian notion of a controlled campus life, creating a student peasantry that sheepishly obeys the Health & Safety lunacy and many more of these

management dictums. We, the students, should resist these social straitjackets opposed from above.

Smoking outside is a basic right and a ban against it should be rightfully fulminated against.

I leave in the middle whether I

am a smoker or not as this is quite irrelevant. All l want to argue is that the UEA campus, our campus, should be a bastion of youthful spirit freed from bans, prohibitions and 'no go'.

Don't copycat the mad ramblings of New York.

Students, get creative!.

Turf Editor, Anna Tomson, argues that students should find new and creative ways to protest in the face of the increasing pressures faced by the higher education system.

Ann a Tomson As another student demo rolls around the corner and banners are clutched, voices raised and Cameron pretends he can't hear the angry cries of 'Tory scum' from Parliament Square, a politically active and engaged youth rises to challenge educational hierarchies once thought to be set in stone.

After the heated debates of last term over the use of violence and direct action, some students are beginning to consider new ways of protesting; perhaps the idea of

marching from A to 8 fills you with despondency, perhaps visions of balaclavas and burning placards aren't your thing, perhaps some new tactics are needed; enter creative campaigning.

There is a growing national movement to bring constructive ideas and art into the protest movement. Arts Against the Cuts is an umbrella organisation that has sprung up in the last few months for students and non-students alike to swap ideas and plan artbased campaigns to counteract the searing cuts to the public sector. At the last demonstration in London a book bloc appeared; a library of students waving shields in the shape of books in a literal - or literary! - demonstration of

the power of education against two-day event of free lectures, the police batons. And this wave workshops and skills shares with of creative campaigning isn't just demonstrations from sports clubs on a national scale, it is happening and societies as well as from right here at UEA; last week a members of staff. "University is an workshop titled 'Reimagining 路 experience that everyone should Political Dissent' took place as part 11 of a week of events on alternative living.

During the meeting, students and lecturers discussed alternative ways of campaigning and creatively putting a message across. Following the meeting a group of students decided that 'the cuts are a joke' and dressed as clowns at the anti-cuts march in London on January 29th.

In a movement to demonstrate be able to engage with and be the vitality of university, a group entitled to," say the group. "This is of UEA students have set up a way of celebrating that." Inspired 'The Really Open University': a by a similar project at Leeds

... now more than ever is the time to celeb rate the education we have."

University, t he event will run on campus on the 24th and 25th of February and all clubs, societies and lecturers are encouraged to take part.

There is certainly still a need for more 'hands on' tactics; the recent student riots in France are a clear example of the success that direct action can bring, but a diversity of strategy not only includes more people but demonstrates the multiplicity of talent and character of our student body.

In the face of disappointment as the vote to increase tuition fees was passed,路 now more than ever is the time to celebrate the education we have.

ISSUE 252

10

co ncrctc.opi n io n@uca.ac. u k

Is it time to riot like an Egyptian?

Afte r a week of wides pread rioting and de mons trati ons in Egypt, Jack Brinded asks why our intern ational leaders are sudd en ly gettin g behind the Egypti ans a nd qu estions whether ou r liberal democracy is really a system we can be proud of?

Th e 'cr is is' in Egy pt, as Sky has so s ubtly clubb ed it, has t<lught us in two sh ort weeks as mu ch about Western hypo cri sy as it ha s about Egypt itse lf, pe rha ps more.

As ll os ni Muba rak's reign fina lly comes to an end , the ri chest nation s on Earth have conve ni e ntly forgotte n their own cro ws of victo ry, havin g previously regard ed a globa lised world as proo f of cap italis m's s uccess, whil s t th e poverty-motivated struggle a broad has bee n wron gfull y pa inted as a quaint Arab ic up rising we could draw no pa rall els with . Beca use corrupt, eliti s t gove rnm ents ignoring public opini on, victimi sing society's most vuln era ble, using fo rce on di sse nters; th at does n' t sound famili a r at all.

As protests prog ressed, the USA and Ul-- tr ied des perate ly to exert influ ence ove r th e goin gs-o n in Ca im, <lttemplin g to claw b<lCk ~ om c of th e hegemony slippin g thmugh the ir finge rs, as well as to dup e peo pl e into beli ev ing th e ir governm e nts we re takin g th e mora l high-g round on thi s one.

This led to 197 0s sta nd -up co media n Wi ll ia m ll agu e (of the coa lit ion that hnltally represse d

stud ents), and perhaps more sickeningly, Hi la ry Clinton vo icing s upport fo r peaceful pro test (albeit w ith all th e co nvi ction of Mi crosoft Sa m) , des pite the fac t Egy pt, Jordan and Tunis ia's regim es had all rece ived milita ry a id from th e United States. So th e th eoreti ca l position he1-e is to support those on th e streets, but also to s upply th e wea pons that th e regim es s ubse qu e ntly fire on th em. A co ntradi cti on, I think.

Mind you, wh en it co mes to hypocr isy, th e West does have form. Noam Chomsky pointed out (in a ra re a rti cle fo1· Th e Gu ardian) th at Was hin gton mainta in ed its support for Ni colae Cea usescu, "th e most vicious of th e eas t Eu ropea n di ctators", until in 1989 when hi s reg ime co ll a psed. Th en Washi ngto n ha il ed hi s ove rthro w a nd th e victory of freedom ove r tyra nny.

But then aga in, Am e ri ca didn't have th e Isla mi c bogey ma n at th eir di spos<:il . Now, rath er than sw itch all egiances out-right, th e medi a in parti cul a r see ms to be rat her cyni cally ignori ng th e bottom up move me nt on th e s tree ts, in stea d creditin g the Mu slim Bmth erhood with more influ ence than they have, qu otin g th e group enco uraging peo pl e to kee p protesti ng. As if. without th e Broth e rh ood, th ey' d have decid ed "it's a fair cop, bring o n anoth e r 30 yea rs of Mubara k"

a nd gon e hom e. it's odd how when so methin g th e gove rnmen t does n't like ha pp ens, it's a lways cla im ed a tiny minority is res pons ibl e, th e Mu slim Broth erh ood, Ana rchi sts, th e French ...

Mea nw hil e sca re- monge rin g, wa r-cr iminal Tony Bl ai r, cheerlead er of auth orita ri a nis m, pra ise d Muba rak a nd bl ea ted th at if Egy pt moves too qui ckl y towa rd s demo cracy it may all ow th e Broth erh ood into power.

Th at's not ho w democracy wo rks; democracy is peo pl e tak in g ac tion th emselves and winnin g change from the bottom up, a nd it's so methin g our es ta bli shed ord er see m kee n to hu s h up. Whilst a wave of unres t sweeps ac ross North Africa and th e M id di e Eas t, it see ms conven iently forgo tten th at s imi la r se ntim ents are swee pin g Europe's streets too, as peop le ac ross th e 'civili sed' Wes t rally aga in s t crippl ing a uster ity bud ge ts and th e unrepresentative gove rnm ents imp le mentin g th em.

Ultim ately th e ca pi ta li st Wes t, w ith all its e mpty libe ra l rh etori c, is willin g to se ll out th e ri ghts a nd freeclom s of othe rs in orde1· to prese rve its ow n pe rve rted, profit dri ve n id ea of libe rty. That's wh y, Lire cl ofb e ing ignored, peopl e across th e world a rc reali s in g it's tim e we had so me Egy pti a n democ racy of our ow n.

David Cameron and his Chamber of Secrets How n ecessary are the never-end ing spendi ngs cuts? How did ou r level of national debt become so high? Luke Smith looks at what tricks the Coalition h as up th eir sleeves to prom ote spending cuts.

Luke Smith

An inte res ti ng move was mad e by the Gove rnm e nt re ce ntl y, so mething th a t may have slipp ed un der th e radar, mos tly owi ng to th e fac t it was not acco mpa ni ed by an offi cial a nn oun ce ment : Ul< na ti ona l de bt is now higher th a n th e £8 16bn fi gure publi s hed up

unti l now.

Thi s is beca use th e li a bility (d e bt) of th e Gove rnm e nt's s takes in th e pa rt-na ti o nalise d banks has bee n add ed to th e butche r's bil l. North ern Rock alone makes up so me £100 bi ll io n of thi s. Th e numbe r now sta nd s so mewhe re a rou nd the £2 trilli o n ma rk .

But w hy have th e Gover nm ent mad e this decisi on? For th e las t co upl e of yea rs th ere have been indi vidu als at The Teleg ra p h a nd Th e Taxpayers Allian ce th at have argued for a tota l rev ision

of th e fi gures t hat wo uld see th e in clu sio n of vari ous PFI's a nd publ ic sec to r a nd sta te pe nsion li a biliti es. Th e Teleg ra ph stuck to us ing the In stitu te of Eco nomi c Affa irs ca lcul ation s based on ON S s ta ti s ti cs to give us a projected debt £4. 8 tril l ion or £78,000 for eve ry pe rso n in th e Ul<; Th e Taxp aye rs Allia nce see m to have lovingly crafted th e ir ow n.

Whi lst th e Govern me nt have partly res is ted trave llin g dow n into thi s eco nomi c cui-d e-sac of a view, they have made pa rt of th e jo urn ey.

The fa irly obvious reason fo r not in cl udin g th e pe ns ion li ab iliti es in th e nation a l de bt is th a t thi s is not w hat th e Gove rnm ent a re s pe ndin g now, no r do th ey have a ny nee d to bo rrow for it. Th e fi gures re fl ec t a cha ngin g s ta le of a ffa irs tha t Gove rnme nts have s uccess ive begun to tac kl e.

Th e tra nsfe r of th e ba nks' li a biliti es is a noth e r matte r th ough. Its rea l de bt, ri ght no w, a nd just enough ex tra o n top of th e ex isting nat iona l de bt to see min gly s trength en th e Co nse rvati ve's

a rgum e nt fo r savage cuts. Th e funny thin g abo ut th e s takes in th e natio na li se d ha nks is that in a co upl e of yea rs tim e w he n th ey a rc so ld, a nd th ey w ill be solei, the Co nse rva ti ves will no do ubt a ffo rd themse lves th e lu xury of sitting back a nd say in g, 'look at the mess we so rted out' w hen it bea rs no real re lati on to th e debt prob lem that ac tua lly exis ts in th e Ul< th at th e Con se rva ti ves purp ort to be addressing. A cl ever acco unta nt's sleight of ha nd , but no one's foo lin g us '

The views in Comment and Opinion represent those of the individual writers and do not necessarily reflect those of Concrete

ISSUE 252

Tuesday 15th February

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Dresses, drama queens and domestic bliss

Big Fat Gypsy Wedding has proven to be a mass~ve TV success, with people tuning in to be shocked by the

Things turn sour for Sugar

outrageous dresses, but Stephanie Stevens asks whether there is anything we can learn from the female travelling community? ·

hanie Channel 4's latest documentary series 'Big Fat Gypsy Weddings' has proved a ratings smash, with over seven million tuning in each week.

The series lifts the lid on the world of the travelling community and aims to go beyond the lavish wedding ceremonies and look further into what it means to be a traveller in modern-day Britain.

It's easy to see why the show has proved so successful. lt walks a fine line between insightful and exhibitionist programming. The culture presented to the viewer is one of great diversity. It's a world in some ways lost in time. Girls leave school before their teens to look after younger siblings. cook and clean, whilst the men are solely responsible for providing for the family.

To 21st century eyes the shock value of such traditionalist beliefs is high. My initial reaction to the plight of the gypsy woman was one of horror. In a culture where girls are married on average b,y 16, their

entire childhood is centred round preparing for their future as a wife and mother.

Gypsy girls are groomed for a domesticated life of dependence.

Many leave school young keeping literacy levels low, and most do not have wealth independent of their husbands. This lack of freedom seems disturbing, however, for most of the gypsy girls interviewed, they wouldn't have it any other way.

The view of a woman's place being in the home is old-fash ioned; however. in today's career-driven society, the prospect of a woman happy and content with being a housewife and mother is refreshing.

A sole commitment to motherhood

is a luxury many a working mother would envy and shouldn't be looked down upon.

The major criticism comes when this lack of independence traps women in unhappy or abusive relationships. Dressmaker for the series' brides, Thelma . Madine claims that women expect to be dominated by their husbands. The dating ritual of 'grabbing: in which a man will use physical force to get a kiss from a woman highlights this, and provides the most compelling contrast to conservative values. Yet despite this, few of the young girls would choose to reject their culture.

It's easy to judge the role of a gypsy woman by one's own

cultural ideals, as I fear was my initial reaction. However. in spite of appearances this is a culture with high moral standards. Marriage and commitment to family is greatly valued and whilst courtship methods are questionable and certain aspects of the culture hard to reconcile, if a woman is happy in her role as a homemaker and mother surely that is the most important thing?

Society outs,ide of traveller culture has developed past traditional gender roles, however for many gypsy women, a-family unit controlled by a strong, patriarchal figure is a worthy aspiration, and who's to say that desire is wrong and we are right?

Musical documentary or moral disgrace?

With the news that the Ipswich murders of 2006 are to be made into a musical, Beth Wyatt looks into other

tragedies which have been immortalised in theatre and asks why we can't just leave them be?

Beth Wyatt The people of Ipswich probably look like those of any town, but if you look deep enough you will find that all is not what it seems.

During the run-up to Christmas 2006, we were horrified when five women were found dead. Gemma ~dams, Tania Nichol, Anneli Alderton, Annette Nicholls and Paula Clennell were prostitutes who were brutally killed by Steve Wright.

The murders are still a sensitive subject - and that is why I was disgusted to hear that the National Theatre has turned them into

a 'musical documentary'. Brian Clennell, father of Paula, sums up the premise perfectly by describing it as "so sick". Instead of pulling the plug on this insulting show, the theatre has commented that it will "not be sensationalist." The theatre clearly has no respect for the victim's families - who only last year had to sit through the BBC drama Five Daughters.

Sadly, there are other cases like this. Former Playboy model Anna Nicole Smith and student Meredith Kercher ·are both suffering the same fate. Anna Nicole, who died of an accidental prescription drug overdose, is the subject of a Royal Opera House production.

The opera has of course been described by the opera house as "thoughtful and sad" not "a sleazy evening''.

"These families are all having to relive their worst nightmares because of the sensationalist ideals of producers" I fail to see how the opera will not be sleazy, what kind of entertainment value is in the death of a woman who died only five months after the birth of her daughter and

the death of her twenty year old son?

The exploitation of Meredith Kercher's death is also sickening.

DVD to air in February, a US drama depicts scenes showing Meredith screaming as she held down by her murderers. It's a shame that a fantastic actress like Hayden Panettiere is involved in such a film. Understandably, Meredith's father John deemed it as "absolutely horrific''.

These families are all having to relive their worst nightmares because of the sensationalist ideals of producers and directors. Perhaps one day it will no longer be in fashion to exploit people's deaths, and we can leave them to rest in peace.

Davina Kesby The shocking news broke last month that Sugar magazine, a positive institution for teenage girls, will cease to exist as of February, owing to a 75% drop in circulation over the last decade.

My teenage years would have been significantly worse without Sugar guiding me on my way. Yes, I've made the transition to Heat now - stop judging me, please - but I still hold a torch for the once great teenage Bible.

Where else will teens read the freaky stories about people's strange bits? Where else will they learn how to kiss? The 'back of your hand' tactic was foolproof advice, as was 'kiss a peeled grape'. I wish I was exaggerating with that last one, but I distinctly remember us crowding around canteen tables, peeling grapes for experimentation.

Where else will teenage girls be whipped into a frenzy about why he just isn't that into you? And how on earth will they know how to change themselves to force that totally adorable guy into seeing them in that way?

What else will girls do in their lunchtimes other than read Cringe?

Aren't you just so glad you're not the girl who got her braces caught on her jumper in the changing room and it was, like, so totally cringe!

As fo r the piece de resistance, the glory of the Sugar problem page will never be equalled by any magazine. Bliss and M izz just won't cut it I'm afraid. They were hilarious. A personal favourite of mine: "I sat on a boy's knee at a party...could I be pregnant?".

On a serious note, the page also gave teenage girls everywhere the reassurance that what they look like and feel like is entirely normal.

So, as you read news, reviews and all about the teenage blues on the Internet, spare a thought for the girls who will have to find their way in life without the Sugar handbook, paranoid about what they look like, whether they're normal and whether they'll ever find a boyfriend.

Have an opinionated itch ~'rodflSP.erate to saatch? !m.all eoncrete.oplnloa•Qea.ac.uk ancJ we-will:ptpur voic~

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Cau~ing, inciting or controlling prostitution. for personal gain is illegal- meaning.the roles of bemg a pimp and madam is tllegal.

Running a brothel is illegal - a brothel being defined as one or more persons offering sex for money in the same building.

It's against the law to solicit sex or loiter on the street.

Since 2001, adverts in phone boxes have been banned.

Kerb-crawling is banned provided it can be proven that the person was causing an annoyance.

s .citizens of the earns more than £100,000 per year. contemporary world, we're She even employs an accountant, as all too aware of sex. Sex is any good businesswoman would. everywhere, and we've never been Secret Diary of a Call Girl averaged so blatant about it. Throughout the 1,242,125 viewers on ITV2 over nineties, the hugely influential Sex the course of its twelve-episode and the City franchise was forward- first. season. This gives us clear thinking in its approach to sex and insight into the nations' attitude the issues surrounding it. This towards the sex industry, or at least signalled an important change in · towards high-end prostitution. our attitude towards sex generally. 'Actually, we're pretty fascinated by So, will our attitude to the industry the whole th ing. surrounding sex be next thing to But t he world of prostitution change? From government STI isn't all glitz and glamour; on the campaigns to Hollywood films flipside, there's an altogether about 40-year-old virgins, the darker flavour to it. It's been world has sex on its mind. But what estimated that a massive 80,000 sex about th.e work that su r rounds the workers currently operate in the ever-elusive concept of S-E-X? The UK, and of that figure, a shocking UK's sex industry is worth more 4,000 women and children . have than £1 billion and encompasses been trafficked into the country everything from lads' mags to to work as 'sex slaves'. Combine street prostitution. But what do this issue with the idea that some we think of it, and are we already people only enter t he world of involved in it more than we think? prostitution in an attempt to feed On 28th September 2007, addictions or because they lack Billie Piper - formerly a teen pop feelings of basic self-worth, and it sensation who first entered the becomes clearer why the grittier public eye aged fifteen - made world of prostitution is approached her debut appearance as Belle du with a hush-hush attitude.

Back in jour, a high-end London call girl.

2009, Home The series is based on the real- Secretary Jacqui Smith suffered life experie nces of Dr. Brooke public embarrassment when Magnanti, and 'centres on Belle's her husband's fondn ess for adventures working as a self- pornography was revealed during employed London prostitute who a ser ies of scandalous reports over

A

It's been estimated that a massive 80,000 sex workers cu.rrently operate in the UK, 4,000 of which are women and children \Norking as sex slaves.

MPs' expenses. The nation seemed to explode in judgement not only over the expenses implications unveiled, but also over the fact that ]acqui Smith's husband was watching pornography. Ms. Smith publicly apologised and expressed embarrassment at the situation, saying she had "forgiven" her husband. But it's been estimated that 80% of men in the UK watch pornography, and that SO% of couples watch pornography together. Despite a huge pe rcentage of our population e ngagi ng with porn, it seems any public mention of it sends the nation into either a fit of giggles or a frenzy of disgust.

But why are we so ashamed of this widespread activity? We can accept that our MPs are human, can't we?

And what man in his forties hasn't watched porn at some point?

The sex industry was one of the fi rst commercial areas to realise and utilise the power of the internet, and as a result, pornography has ne'ver been easier to access. And that applies to everyone no matter what their age.

Clicking a tiny little box confirming that you're an adult is all it takes to convince websites you're worthy of t heir custom. As a result, the average age of first exposure to porn for boys is just eleven years

old- that's primary school children.

63% of 15-19 year old girls would rather be a glamour model than a nurse, teacher or doctor. Maybe it's shocking statistics like this that have created a national taboo over pornography, particular with the older 'parental' generations. But the figures become less startling when you consider the messages relayed by t oday's media industry.

We a re bombarded by pornographic images in all aspects of our daily life - from not-quiteexp licit music videos by the la test pop-stars to the sex-stained photoshoot s of h_igh fashion magazines, nods to pornography are everywhere. Our society is more sexuaJised than ever, and we seem to be modelling our next generation into provocateurs, with even children's fashion being edgier and sexier than the world has ever known. Whether this is encouraging a more positive, liberal approach to the sex industry in general or simply damaging the next generation of our society beyond repair is an important and separate debate, but the factthat the debat e exists certainly highlights the ways in which the sex industry is beginning to dominate the way we live. Even if on the surface we have a psychological crutch a bout

Whether this . .

Is encouraging a more positive, liberal approach to the sex industry in general or simply damaging the next generation of our society beyond repair

I

prostitutes and pornography, it's undeniable that our media is beginning to incorporate these things into everyday life.

Our interest in all things sex is often sparked further by observing our favourite celebrities engaging with it. Angelina ]olie and Brad Pitt take proud trips to designer sex boutique Coco De Mer when they visit London, candidly spending thousands on sex toys and the suchlike; ex-Spice Girl Geri Halliwell and Desperate Housewives s tar Eva Longoria . have both ta lked during interviews about t hei r use of sex toys. Oxford graduate and world famous actor Hugh Grant was famously caught with a prostitute back in 1995, and both actor Colin Farrell and scientist Stephen Hawking have frequented lap-dancing club St ringfellows in London over the past few years.

Anybody surprised by Hawking's extra-curricular activities might be interested to know that one in four lapdancers has an undergraduate degree, and the majority earn between £24,000 and £48,000 per year from dancing.

Prostitution and pornography a re areas that we can clearly identify when we think about the sex industry, but there are 'softer' areas that we may not always

associate with its scope. How many of us have innocently enjoyed the services of a stripper at a stag or hen par ty, or knov. people who have? How many of us have bought a naughty little fancy dress.outfit in Ann Summers for an extra special occasion? Things like this might seem more mundane than their counterparts, but nevertheless, they're clear indications of our e ngagement with the sex industry and the way it is impacting on us.

There 'are valid indications that we are moving forward, changing our attitudes and consciously opening our minds to the sex industry, and it's clear that more and more of us are involving ourselves in the se:< industry in one way or another - whether it be through watching internet pornography, buyin~ sex toys or naughtY outfits, or e•1en just being tantalised by Lady Gaga. But it's important to remember that the sex industry is not without its problems. Perhaps if there wasn't such a taboo arounj the subject it could be better regulated and we could protect the victims of this ultra-powerful multi-million pound industry.

Prostitution is the world's oldest known profession.

One in ten British

h men ave visited a prostitute.

There are at least 921 brothels In London alone, spread across almost every borough of the city.

In the US states of Alabam "b a and Mississippi, sex toys and VJ rators are banned.

More than 10,000 hardcore porn .films are made In LA every year, compared to a Hollywood average of 400 entertainment films . h. fil .

The first ever pornog l'Ecu d'Or' .(also kn rap JC m IS believed to have been 'A own. as La Bonne Auberge), which was made m France in 1908.

The world's oldest known dildo is from around 30,000 years ago. lt Is 20cm long and made ofsiltstone_lt was found in Germany.

There are approximately ninety sex shops In the UK.

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FEATU HES

o be honest, when I first the financial cns1s. Nevertheless, received the opportunity to even if people have little, they will go to Zimbabwe to work with treat their guests as generously micro-business groups and to join a as possible. They will not hesitate cultural exchange program, I didn't to give you the best piece of meat know much about the country. or the warmest blanket. They will I started to research the basic make sure that you always feel history and political facts about comfortable and that you are never the country and what I found out alone.

The community spirit in this made me feel a little uneasy. Most articles spoke about the ruthless country is truly admirable. The and corrupt dictator Robert Mugabe family with which I stayed in Ha rare and his political party ZANU-PF, were members of the Christian which has been in power since Pentecostal church. Pentecostalism - the country's independence in is currently oneofthe fastest growing 1980. Other headlines focused on religious movements, particularly in violent government initiatives to the global South. Religion gives hope redistribute land or to crackdown in desperate times and . accounts on illegal settlements. Also the · for a lot in people's everyday lives. recent economic crisis and the The links between members of the ensuing hyper-inflation was a community are as strong as family bonds. If a friend needed help with prominent topic. Everything discovered sounded negative and repairing his car, all private duties the prospect of visiting the country would be dropped and forgotten.

People do this because they feel was frightening.

However, what I learnt from responsible for each other but also spending time in Zimbabwe is because they know that one day they that one should never base their will need a helping hand in return. impressions of a country on what I had to get used to the relaxed that everything was they read and hear in the media. nature After all, a country is not the state approached with. We would literally alone, especially if the government spend ep.tire days at the garage just does not represent the people. A to get one auto part replaced. At country is not the events that the first I was rather irritated by this media finds newsworthy. A country attitude. I was not used to this sort is the beauty of its landscape, the of tranquillity. In Europe, efficiency citizens that are proud to live on and timing is everything. In Africa those lands and what those people (or in Zimbabwe at least) the joy one gets out of things accounts for more. make of it.

The people I have encountered There is a saying that goes - 'Europe in Zimbabwe are, without exception, has the clock, Africa has the time'.

The previous, tragic experience the most .friendly and hospitable people I have ever met. It is true of losing monetary value by the that the situation there is not minute, finding the grocery shop great. People have been hit hard by shelves empty, and the struggle to

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make a living has brought people together and made them stronger.

Everyone seemed to be a survivor.

With creativity and plenty of ambition people can build a castle out of a grain of sand. They have great business ideas and do not hesitate to give it a go.

Something I was involved in was the development of self-help groups.

A group of people get together and regularly try to put a small amount of money into a communal pot until they've saved· enough to invest in something that they can generate money with, such as a peanut grinder or a corn mill. This is one way a business can start with few resources. lt is amazing how much effort and dedication people put into making something that they believe in. And with all the assistance they receive from their community. with their extensive social networks, including all sorts of professionals, · Zimbabweans know they can make almost anything work.

The problem, however, is sustaining a business. What is yet lacking in Zimbabwe is stability and a functioning market. Currently much of the economy is unofficial and any illegal business remains · under threat of destruction by the authorities. At the moment, people are awaiting the upcoming elections. Although the dates remain undetermined, the elections have announced themselves with the resurge~ce of strategic violence by the Mugabe ZANU-PF eo-ruling party. However, at the time when I was in Zimbabwe, people were optimistic and had much confidence in the coalition government.

concrete.features@uea.ac.uk

In Europe, efficiency and timing is everything. In Zimbabwe, the joy one gets out of things accounts for more. There's a saYJ.ng'Europe has the clock, Africa has the time.'

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The governmentofnational unity was a compromise solution to the 2008 elections. Although the leader of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) opposition party, Morgan Tsvangirai, had received the majority of the votes, Mugabe was unwilling to hand over leadership.

Consequently, it was agreed that Mugabe retai.ned his presidential power whilst Tsvangirai was inaugurated as Prime Minister.

However; it took ano~er eight months for the parties to agree on the division of ministries between them.

Elections have always been related to political violence. The ZANU-PF party has roamed the country, pressuring people to support them or using violence against opposition candidates.

This year, people fear that another disaster will overcome Zimbabwe.

The approaching elections are the second ·opportunity for Zimbabweans to engage in the democratic process. From my perception, most people were in favour of the MDC. However support for ZANU-PF remains strong in the more vulnerable rural areas.

With the market slowly butsurely stabilising since the legalisation of foreign currencies in January 2009 and the acceptance of the US dollar as the main currency, the country has rapidly redeveloped. People have much faith in improvement and will go to great lengths to make positive changes for their country.

The question is whether politicians have the same endeavour and whether Mugabe will accept that his legitimacy has long run out.

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ISSUE 252

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Tuesday 15th February

Mapping the Atlas Mountains What lies at the top of Mount To ubkal, Morocco and how hard is it to attain the summit? Armed with a friendly local guide, some donkeys and a handful of oranges, Charlie Wallace sets off to find out...

At 4167 metres Mt Toubkal is the highest peak in the Atlas Mountains, North Africa. Located south of Marrakech, an early start can see you at base camp in the village of lmlil then onto Neltner Refuge by nightfall. A final ascent of approximately 900m to the summit the next morning. pending good weather, can see you back down by evening.

Most advise midsummer for the climb, however, in the summer there is a high storm risk and no snow, whereas in early April the snow-cap transforms brown rocky desert into searing, soaring white majesty.

Such is the enormity of the climb that it is a good idea to take a tour guide. Several small companies offer a fu ll service including cooked meals and bunkhouse accommodation for a reasonable price. On this occasion I was lucky enough to get a guide to myself, a Moroccan named Mustapha, a friendly, knowledgeab le man who provided good company. He gently nudged me beyond my usually poor levels of fitness to keep up a pace that saw us reach the refuge in below average time.

The path follows the Imlil valley up into the Atlas Mountains. The lasting impression the route gives of Toubkal is that of a mountain of colour; the blue streams, the white caps streaked with red rock; and the vendors dotted in huts along the pathway, sel li ng bright patterned Berber coats, coloured crystals and dyed patterned throws.

You are struck by the ingenuity

of a people that, impoverished as they are, manage to run successfu l businesses from precarious shacks halfway up a mountain, with no running water or electricity to speak of and only donkeys for transport. Bottled drinks are kept

"Bottled dri nks are kept cool suspended from string dancing in the flow of ice-cold rushing mountain streams." cool suspended from string dancing in the flow of ice-cold rushing mountain streams. Oranges are grown in abundance here and along the valley path orange juice is sold, freshly squeezed. Nothing is better after hours of climbing in the hot

sun. You can stop for lunch at the village surrounding the sacred shrine of Sidi Chamharouch, a giant whitewashed boulder at a drop in the river which has a religious significance that is said to pre-date Islam.

Further up, you reach the snowline and the pack donkeys carrying your excess baggage cannot go any further, leaving you to carry everything the rest of the way. The Neltner Refuge at 3207m is a large stone building resembling a small fortress. It sits at the top of the valley, snowy peaks rising up on all sides, so sharp and tall that they appear to overhang, as if the refuge sits in the palm of a great rocky giant's grasping hand, with looming stone digits.

The final ascent is made in the early morning for the best conditions. Because of the snow it is necessary to use an ice axe and crampons. They are relatively straightforward to use and only require a short safety lesson which your guide delivers. As you start to climb the sun rises, hitting the snowy peaks and jagged rocks, making them burn like red gold in the morning light.

A large metal triangle marks the summit, which gives a panoramic view of the surrounding Atlas Mountains. As with all summits it's a surreal place, strangely quiet apart from, preposterously, bird song. The tiny animals nest nearby to pick off the crumbs left by climbers' snacks.

The descent is made in a day.

The initial drop down to the refuge is steep, jarring and can be hard on the joints. However, from there on in, it's an easier, brisk walk back to the lower slopes where a taxi awaits to return you to Marrakech, a world away from the mountain peace.

Savannah's Southern Comforts GregLewry Travel Writer A stroll through Savannah's sultry, sun-drenched streets is enough to tell any traveller that they have arrived in America's most distinctive and intriguing culture, the Deep South.

Savannah, located eighteen miles off the Atlantic coast in the state of Georgia, oozes antebellum decadence. Its ancient trees, draped with Spanish moss, hang over the quiet roads of the inner city, letting only a few rays of the unrelenting Southern sun peep through.

Savannah's glorious architecture, dating from the colonial era, was built from the wealth of slave trade exports with Europe and the opulence is staggering. Grand mansions and gothic churches stand in the middle of the city, protected by black wroughtiron gates. Savannah's founder, james Oglethorpe, used the city to create his idea of Utopia and his greatest gift to the 'Hostess City of the South' is its unique design, celebrated across the world.

Walk for two blocks in any direction and you will come across one of Savannah's twenty-two public squares. These squares, named after famous American people and events,

intercept the grid system, providing a place to sit in the shade and watch Savannahians go about their day. The best way to see Savannah is to simply walk around these beautiful oases of parkland.

Those who have never heard of Savannah may recognise it from the famous bus stop scenes in Forrest Cump Qocated at Chippewa Square) from where Tom Hanks narrates the story and others may be interested to know that real life events at The Pirates House in Savannah were the inspiration behind Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Treasure Island.

This small but perfectly formed city hides many surprises behind its grand exterior and it is well worth visiting for the quintessential Deep South experience.

Sarajevo's Scarred Fa~ade Susanna Wood Travel writer Looking out over Sarajevo from the hills that encircle it, it is hard to believe that this was recently a war zone. Minarets from the city's numerous mosques lean next to modern tower blocks as peaceful church bells ring alongside calls to prayer. Nearly twenty years on from the siege that threatened to destroy it forever, Sarajevo's culture, history, and energy survive.

The picturesque Turkish quarter is a good place to start exploring.

Here, the UNESCO- protected copper workers produce anything from traditional Bosnian coffee pots to delicate jewellery while birds and thirsty workers alike flock to the ornate drinking fountain in Pigeon Square. Stopping to sample some Bosnian street food is a must; the enduring popularity of burek (filo pastries stuffed with meat, cheese, or potato) and evapi (kebab-like patties cooked on an open fire) means that McDonalds is noticeably absent from the eateries that line the narrow streets.

Walking along the Miljacka River you will pass the extravagant,

yet imposing. shell of the National Library, the contents of which (hundreds of unique manuscripts as well as thousands of books) were destroyed by shelling in 1992. The inside is slowly being replenished, but the landmark remains a symbol of the casualties of the war.

On the hills, massive graveyards, with dazzling white Islamic gravestones, watch over the re-born city; a grim reminder of the many lives lost in the siege of Sarajevo.

The locals are anxious to put their dark history behind them, but it is the very nature of this history which has helped shape the capital into the fascinating place it is today.

16 LIFESTYLE

ISSUE 252

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eo ncretc. lires tyle@ u c <t. ~c.u k

Multiculturalism's impact on life at university In the light of recent comments made by David Cameron, Concrete looks at th e und eni ably positi ve impact multiculturalism has had on the U El\

I

Hasina Alien Lifesty le w r ite r

Uni ve rsi ties a re ofte n co ns id e red to be a n inte nsifi ed mi cmcos m o f socie ty; a s pace w he re peo ple from d illc rcnt backgrou nds an d cul tures live a nd wo rk toge th e r in a ma nne r refl ective of the ge nera l stru cture of our co un t ry. In th e wa ke of Dilv id Camc ro n's attack o n multicultu ra lis m in 13 rita in this re fl ective pote ntia l increases in s ignifi ca nce. Ca me ron's sta teme nt tha t mu lt icultura li s m has l ~1 il c d in no way a pp li es to the ex pe ri e nce o f stud e nts <it o ur uni ve rs ity. UI ·: A was bu il t w it h th e fou ndin g ethos of a mixing of inte ll ectu a l d isciplin es, th e wa lkways o f th e ori gin a l ca mpus a ll lea d ing to a ce ntra l s pace, a nd it has grow n to a he a n e nviro nm e nt w he re cult ures as we ll as areas of acade mi c interest arc me rged a nd give n s pace to co mbin e a nd soc ia lize.

Ca mc ro n's a nn oun ce me nt a t the rece nt Munich security co n fe re nce has fu e ll ed deba tes a bout th e s uccess a nd be nefits o f mu lti cultu ra lis m in mode rn society.

Multicul tura li s m ca n be de fin ed in a numbe r o f differe nt ways a nd th e Prim e Minister 's s tiltc me nt has bee n crit icised for l!nk ing m ul ti cultura lis m to te r ro r is m a nd ex tre mi s m. If mul ti cul tu ra li s m is to be u nde rs tood in the contex t of o ne of its most co mm on definitions - th e acce pta nce o r pro moti o n

I feel lil<e a fraud on my course; everybody seems to know what they are studying and I always leave a lecture with a panicky feeling as though I need to start the entire year again so I can actually understand what the lecturers have been saying to us.

I complete my coursework and somehow just a bout pass bu t often I haven't the slightest clue what I'm writing about. I feel overwhelmed by how much I need to learn to catch up - I don't even know if I need to "catch up", or if the content is simply beyond my understanding. I really loved my subject until university. What can I do to get help?

of mu ltipl e cultures ex istin g peacefully a nd equ itab ly - then mul t icul tu ra lis m is actu a lly not only on e of t he most in cred ib le fea tu res of o ur soc iety bu t also a vita l cle me nt. Th e te nta ti vely- proposed move towa 1·ds a to ug he r a ppl ication proced u re for stu de nt visas as pa rt of a new Co nsc rv;ll ivc a tlc mp t to curb immi grati o n, gives these rece nt criti cis ms of multi cult ural is m a s ha rp e r edge for uni ve rs ities. Whi le the Gove rn me nt a rc d ctc nnin cd to t ry a nd redu ce th e fi na ncia l impac t thi s w ill have o n uni ve rs iti es (on e thi ng they un de rs ta nd is the im por ta nce of fo reign fees fo r un ive rs ity l'i na nccs) th ey have fa iled to co ns id e r th e impac t th is w ill have o n ca mpus di ve rsi ty.

One of th e co nce rns tha t has bee n ra ised as pa rt of the rece nt de bate is th a t mu lti cultura lis m ca n lead to rac ia l o r cultura l segrega ti o n, w ith di ffere nt cu ltures existing se pa ra tely s id e by s id e. l.ond onbo rn Film a nd Phil oso ph y stud e nt,

((Diversity is something to be celebrated

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JJ

Ch ri s Ga is ic, te ll s us his co nce rns tha t societies tha t a re focused on a pa rti cula r culture may see m to cau se socia l segrega ti o n fa il to recognise the inclus ive na ture of

Please may I suggest you co ntin ue w ith yo ur course. Ne rves a nd peer press u re may d istract yo u from your wo rk but perhaps a ta lk with yow lecturer may help yo ur selfco nfide nce. The love yo u have fo r yo ur subject s hould give you the stre ngth to carry on w ith your coursewo rk. Good luck and take care!

th ese soc ieties. Societies like th e Afri ca n Ca ri bbea n host events th a t everyo ne, w hatever th eir bac kgro und , ca n a nd is e nco uraged to get involved in. Th e Inte rn a tio na l Stu de nts' Soc iety is a fu rth e r pl ace w he re th e multicultura l na ture of our unive rs ity is ce lebrated . Th e ir webs ite sta tes the ir ma in a im is "to bring peo pl e togethe r fro m di ffe re nt pa rts of th e wo rld" a nd to "provide stud e nts at UEA w ith oppo rtun ities to try new thin gs lea rn abo ut d iffe re nt cul tures a nd above a ll have fu n." They o ffe r a wid e ra nge o f eve nts from diffe rent cultura l

conversations have been strained and we've fallen out over the smallest things. I feel like she's leading a different life which I am not part of. I have started to have feelings for a girl on my course and I know she feels the same. Do you think I shou ld cut my losses or try to make it work with my current girlfriend?

Clive Says: I'm a first year History student with a bit of dilemma. I'm currently having problems with my girlfriend of just over a year.

Going to separate universities has taken its toll on the relationship, whereas before I felt we had a lot of fun and spoke to each other on a regular basis, recently

Please may I sugges t you talk wi th yo ur girlfriend and discuss yo ur true feelings due to the se parate lives yo u may be living. Suspicion, jealousy and flirting are a ll very common factors wh ich may lead to argu ments. Any relationship is based on trust and this factor is the core of a strong relationship. Follow your true feelings and take care!

backgro und s, includ ing regula r film nights, a nd rece ntly, a ve ry successful s us hi ni ght in co lla bo ra ti o n wi th Ja pa n Soc. Mult icultu 1·a li s m is one of the thin gs th a t ma kes UEA s uch a dy na m ic a nd vibra nt pl ace to study.

Stud e nts fro m ove r 100 d iffe re nt co u ntri es live, study a nd wo rk he re, a nd 9ryo of fu ll time und e rgradu ates are in te rn ati onal stude nts. As seco nd yea r Lite ra ture a nd lli sto ry stud e nt, Freya Ba rry, e mphas ises ove r a plate o f egg fr ied r ice in Zcs t: "Eve n the food on ca mpu s de mo nstrates o ur multi cultu ra lis ml it's diverse, tas ty a nd introdu ces m e to th e cui s in es of a ra nge o f diffe re nt cul tu res

a nd lifestyles. lt acco mm oda tes as eas ily for th e re ligious or cultura l di eta ry require me nts as it does fo r vege ta ri a ns."

Dive rs ity is so me th ing t·o be ce le hr<ltc d a nd s hould rema in so.

Ca mc ro n cla ims th a t Britai n has "fa iled to prov ide a vision of society that !peo ple ! wa nt to belo ng to." Well belo ngin g to UEA's d iverse stud e nt body is so mething stud e nts a rc proud of. an d by livin g a nd \ea rni ng in s uch a cultura lly dive rse ca m pus, s tude nts both fro m the UK a nd a broa d a r • give n the o ppo rtu ni ty to lea rn lesso ns that ca nn ot be ta ught in sc hoo ls o r di cta ted by gove rnm ent po licy.

ISSUE 252

LIFESTYLE 17

www.concrete-online.co.uk

Tuesday 15th February

Sugary somethings for those special people in your life A perfectly unique cup cake

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ltsp vanilla extract lOOg self-raising flour

Lauren Razavi Lifestyle writer

The cupcake, at least as an image, has become noticeably trendier in recent months . From cupcakecovered notebooks to seasonably themed cupcake offerings. The cupcake is everywhere at the moment. If you fancy jumping on the bandwagon, the following recipe is a perfect introduction to making your own unique collections of cupcake goodness. Whipping up a batch on a dreary day will be sure to brighten the mood too! They also make a cute and tasty gift for almost any occasion.

Ingredients: • lOOg softened butter lOOg caster sugar • 2 medium eggs, beaten

For the butter icing: • lOOg softened butter 200g icing sugar Warm water as required Sprinkles of your choice: Hundreds of thousands, chocolate flakes and so on.

Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Line a muffin tray with cupcake casesthere are all sorts of colours and patterns available.

2. Cream together the sugar and butter until pale and fluffy.

3. Gradually add the egg and

vanilla, followed by the flour.

Mix until all ingredients are fully absorbed.

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4. Spoon the mixture evenly into the cases - don't fill too far as they rise up a surprising amount. Bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes.

Here is a simple and easy recipe for delicious chocolate truffles

5. While the cakes are baking, mix together-the icing ingredients until you have a smooth paste. For a new twist on this icing, try adding cocoa powder, vanilla extract or coffee.

6. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let them cool.

7. Once cooled, add a generous amount of icing to the top of each cake. Add sprinkles and serve.

All aboard for those studying abroad Rebecca Bell explores the intricacies of spending a year in America With many of the courses here at UEA, a year out in another country is often part of the degree - and this reporter is off to America. This means the experience of a US university in all its glory.

There are several expectations when it comes to discussing an American institution. A difference in the actual academic work is rather interesting. Students who have already been abroad say there are constant pop quizzes, testing students on, for example, the book they are reading. There will be more assignments to hand in, but it's supposedly rather easy and simple. It's just to make sure you are constantly active with your studies. This is in contrast to the UK system, whereby weekly reading

is given with most courses, and, rather than tests and pop quizzes, we discuss the week's topic and reading in seminars.

l

aPeople ... jump to the stereotypes"

When people think of American universities, they immediately jump to the stereotypes of the Greek system, the football team and, of course, the roommate experience. Coming from the UK system of usually having a single bedroom (as small as that may be), the idea of living with someone you have never met is quite a daunting prospect. Have you seen the new trailer for the film The Roommate? There is a small part

within the application process that is dedicated to the allocation of a compatible roommate. Here, you can specify things such as music tastes and living preferences. A messy person and a neat person, obviously, would not be sharing a living space together! · In a UK university, leaving the communal kitchen space and going into your private room and closing_ the door are almost second nature.

But in the US, that is a different story. The anticipation of realising your roommate is your best friend is rather unrealistic. You can only hope! But there are certainly a lot of reasons to get out, indulging in American traditions such as American football games and attending a frat party or two!

Emma Williamson Lifestyle writer

3.

4.

Ingredients: • 300g of good quality chocolate • 30g of unsalted butter • 250ml of double cream • A pinch of salt • lOOg of mixed nuts, such as pecan nuts, roasted hazelnuts and almonds • Cocoa powder (to dust)

set 5.

6.

Recipe: 1. Bring a little water to a simmer in a pan. Place the chocolate and butter in a large bowl, then set the bowl over the simmering water. Stir with a metal spoon until melted and glossy.

2. Heat the cream in a separate

saucepan until almost boiling (do not allow it to boil).

Pour the hot cream over the melted chocolate and mix together until smooth and well combined. Stir in a pinch of salt.

Line a roasting tray with greaseproof paper and pour in the melted chocolate. Set aside to cool, then chill in the fridge until Once the chocolate mixture has cooled and set, mix the chopped nuts together and sprinkle onto a baking tray.

Roll the chilled chocolate mixture into small balls using your hands, then roll each ball in the chopped nuts until completely coated, repeating the procedure with the cocoa powder. Place the truffles onto a baking tray or plate and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

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conc rete .ed itor(iil ue<1.ar.u k

N&N NHS Trust: Have your say

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Stu de nt s <1 t UEA are bei ng e nco urage d to h,we tlwir s;1y on t he pl a ns o f a local NII S Tru st whic h aims to e ns ure loca l peop le ,1 lo ng with c ur re nt <1 nd futu re NII S sta ff h;we a g reate r S<1y in th e d e li very of loca l co n1munit y-b;1sed hea lth dnd can: se rv ices.

Entitl e d 'Co m e on Boa rd ' - to e nco urage loca l peo pl e to beco me m e mb ers o i" t he Trust and even sit on its Bo;1rd of Gove r nors - Nor lolk Comm u ni ty llealt h a nd Care NIIS Trust (NCI I&C) has recently launche d its publ ic consultation and membershi p recn11tmcn t drive.

NCII&C has <1 strong re lations h ip wit h lJEA dnd, 111 particular, t he Facul ty of Hea lt h as m,my s tud en ts g raduating lrom th e Uni versi ty will wo r k fo r th e Tr us t d u ring t he ir ca reer. As me m be rs o l t he Tru s t, s tud e nts w ill be a bl e to e nh a nce th e ir CVs wh il e tak in g a d va nt age o f wo rk pl ace m e nt o ppo rtuniti es .

Chief Exec u tive, She il a Ad a m s-O'Shca cx pl <1i nc d : "O ur Tru s t has m <~ n y g ra du a tes rrom LJI-: A work in g ;1c ro ss th e wide range o f se r vices t hat we o il er to th e loca l po pul a ti on; rrom com mun ity ;1nd sc hoo l nurs in g to occ u p<~ ti o n ;:d Zi nc! s peec h & la n g u <~ge t he rapy. lly becom ing ,1 Comm un ity Founda t io n Trust (CFT), we firmly believe that we can give local people a nd patients much mo re 1nllucncc on how loe<1l community-ba:-.ed

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e

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serv ices d eve lop. As well as our current statt o f 2,BO O, WL' wish to hea r from our fu t ure s taff m e m be rs so tha t t hey a lso co ntribu te to o u r d cvclopnwn l.

"An yone OVL' r the age of 14 can beco m e a m e mb er o f o ur Tru s t lo r free, a nd a ny m e mb e r ove r 1(i co ul d po t cnt i <~ ll y s it o n o ur 13oa rd o l Gover no rs a nd re p resen t th e v iews o lt hcir co 1nn1unity. As suc h, we rea ll y wa nt to hear from all students abo ut thei r thoughts on our futu re p lans".

Students e<1n take part in the consultation in a n umber ol ways: • On lin e at www. no r fol kco mm u n i tyhea ltha nd ea re. n hs. uk j co n sultat ion • Pic k up a h ard copy of th e consultatio n from t h e receptio n a r eas of the Fac ulty of Health buildings, UEA Ca mpu s • Request a h a rd co p y from 08 00 731 0319, o r e mail n chandc m embers hip @ nh s .n et • Atte nd our Norw ich P ubli c Meeting a t T h e For um , Mi ll enn ium P lain on Mo nday 21 Fe b r u ary, 1 0.15am-12.30pm . At the meeting people will also be able to air their views on the key consultation iss ues and to find out more about the Trust

UEA student organises n

C

a

d g

e s

charity karting event

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The EACII Gra nd Prix is cha rity ka rting event in a id of East Anglia's Childre n's llos pices orga nised by third year Film a nd TV stud e nt Oliver Larkin a nd h is fi a ncee Cla ire Ba lla m.

This is the 6th charity ka rtin geve nt o rganised by the pa ir. who have a t present ra ised over £8000 for four diffe re nt charities, and th e format of the event remains the same as ever: Three

Sponsored drive rs form a team who race during an hour grand prix in a n a tte mpt to compe te fo r the Super Final a nd claim victory for the event.

If a nyone is interested in forming a team a nd getting involved (experience is not necessary) then e mail Oliver Larkin a t o.larkin@gmail.com or phone 01362 690303.

19 INTERNATIONAL -------------------

ISSUE 252 concrete.interna tional@uea.ac.uk

www.concrete-online.co.uk

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The year of the rabbit: a time for celebration As the year of the rabbit is welcomed in, Concrete International's Krishnaveni Padala and Rachael Lum report on some of the celebrations that have taken place at UEA Rachael Lum International Writer The Lunar New Year, for China, is an event as momentous as Christmas. On the eve of this festivity, it is tradition to return to one's hometown and have a reunion dinner with family or, in other cases, extended family.

Since this celebration usually coincides with UK university term time, interoational students are unable to carry out this annual custom.

To make up for this, the UEA South East Asian Society organised a Chinese New Year meet and greet event on the 2nd of February to welcome the year of the Rabbit this 2011.

Red was the main colour theme for the evening as a symbol of good luck and prosperity. With most attendees observing this, it was easy to spot the group dressed in scarlet hues upon reaching Congregation Hall.

The entrance fee was priced at £1 for S.E.A Society members or £2 for non-members. It was quite the bargain as students were able

to enjoy a buffet dinner as well as a night full of games for such affordab le prices.

In accordance with the reunion dinner~ the buffet became the main event. The delicacies in the line up included fried rice, chicken drumsticks, salads, curry and sushi, with desserts and fortune cookies distributed to each table. Additionally, there were several group activities conducted for the rest of the evening to assist the crowd in getting to know each other.

Throughout the night the music consisted of traditional Chinese New Year songs and pop hits from various other Asian countries, which brought out a festive mood among the students.

All in all, the event managed to achieve its aims. Many students got to honour the tradition of havrng a reunion dinner with the UEA community despite not being back in their home country. Others had a chance to experience something different. The S.E.A. Society is looking forward to planning other such events to promote more cultures and camaraderie.

Indian Society relaunch Bhangra night Krishnaveni Padala International Writer Kung Hei Fat Choy! Welcome to the year of the rabbit! With the many events that have taken place this week there has hardly been any time to eat.

The South East Asian Society hosted their very own meet and greet event, with a Chinese New Year-themed party. There was wonderful Chinese food cooked by the South East Asian society committee members and many fun games to play.

The night started with food, followed by games and ended with dessert. It became such a successful event that the members requested for even more games after it had ended!

The Indian Society bounced back into the New Year with a return of the Bhangra night. Students and members from all over Norwich came along to have a great night.

It was admirable to see so many new faces and many different ethnic groups being involved . There was a table of Indian snacks which people helped themselves to; and the entire night was filled with energetic

dancers who moved to the distinct beats of the vigorous drum players. This event was so successful that the DJ was requested to stay for much longer than he had bargained for!

Unfortunately, a wonderfully planned kite party was cancelled by the UEA Hindu Society due to delivery problems; however, this was covered by a samosa and masala chai party. There was a brilliant turnout for this event which started off with a traditional Hindu prayer followed by plenty to eat and drink.

Parties have certainly been the order of the day recently. The Medical Society have organised several events in order to raise money for their Half-way Ball. The ball marks the ha lf point in the journey to becoming a doctor, something which they are studying for five years.

Japanese society had a delicious sushi night where they made and ate their very own sushi filled with chicken, fish, cucumbers and soy sauce amongst lots of other de licious ingredients.

And, as always, UEA's very own International Society have been organising events every week, and this week's theme is

the obvious topic of Valentine's Day. Other events organised by the ISS include their Icebreaker event for the January intake of students and a sushi night. The pictures for all of their events

•

can be found on their website.

As you can see, there is no shortage of events at this university. They are just waiting for you to grab the opportunity to enjoy them .

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TURF

ISSUE 252

www.concrete·online.co.uk

co ncrete.tu rf@uea.ac.u k

Saddle up and change the world!

• From Lands End to John 0' Groats, Kerry Lane reports on a cycling adventure like no other Kerry La ne Turf Reporter As s heets of rain las hed ac ross th e Ed in burgh Royal Mil e, we watched anxiou sly as eve n th e mim e a rti sts a ba nd oned th e ir pos ts to run for shelter. it was the hei ght of th e Edinburgh Frin ge Festival a nd we were s upposed to be perfo rming in five minutes time. Th en, mirac ul ous ly, th e s ki es clea red and all thirtee n of us emerged fro m our various s heltered spo ts an d co nve rged on our pitch. As Mike ann oun ced our perform ance to th e passing crowd s we a ll go t into pos iti on - this was it, we were • ac tu ally go in g to pe rform on the Royal Mil e. I tri ed not to la ugh at Sam hav in g to curl up in a ball on th e soak in g wet ground and th e n we were off ...

We had cycl ed into Edinburgh th e day before over th e gorgeou s Sco ttis h hmde rs. /\s w e we re ca rrying our lives on our bikes and to w in g three bicycle tr a il er~ betwee n us, wi th our coo king equ ipm ent , bike tools and works hop lll <Jte rial s, we h<ld been a wee bit nervou s about sca ling the Scottis h IP!.luntJins . 13ut the preceding I 00 miles had given us more th a n enough p ract ice and we all mJde it to f~d inhut ·g h in grea t tim e. The

fee lin g of ac hi evem e nt I go t from sta nding o n top of th e hi ghest point s urvey in g the hea th er-cove red hill s a nd (a ppropri ately) wi nd turbin es was imm ense. We had no doubts now a bout w hether we wou ld make it to John O'Groa ts; we cou ld do anyt hin g' We were a bout half way through th e Otes ha Project's twomonth 'Lands End to Joh n O'Groa ts' cyc le tour. The thirtee n of us had s pent the las t month cycl ing up th e co untry, sto pping a long th e way to perform ou r play a nd to run works hops in schools a nd yo uth gro ups, at fes ti va ls and for co mmuniti es on s ub jects from food to fashion - s ho win g ho w sma ll eve ryday ac ti o ns ca n make a bi g difference. We were s taying in a ll kinds of interes ting places along th e way: on th e fl oo r of barn s, in community centres or camp in g in gard e ns, and eve rywh e re we we nt w e we re s preadin g th e Otcs ha fun a nd e nthu sias m for cha ngin g our wo rld. We tri ed our bes t to 1\'< lik th e ta lk, e<1 Lin g local vega n fo od , Lr;Jvellin g eve rywh ere by bike, compos ting ;~nd recyc ling all of our was te. We were Leachin g by exampl e - of co urse it's poss ibl e.

Look, we <11·c doing it a lready' Th e Otes ha Project is a yout hled cha rity that is cncou1·agi ng our

ge ne ra ti on to chan ge Lh l• wo rld Lh roug h eve ryday ac ti ons. As we ll <IS lll <ll1Y oth c1· a mazi ng projec ts, it ru ns th ese fJ hul ous cycle to urs eve ry s umm e r. La s t yea r's was a hit more e pi c th ;1n nonnal - longe r and furth e r - but thi s s umm er it is bac k to th e six- week tours tra ve llin g <lround an area rat her than up th e co unt ry. There a re two Lo ut·s to choose fr om - Nort hern Soul, w hi ch

will tr;JVe rse th e north of En gl;md, a nd Ta rta n Trail, w hi ch roam s th e Scottis h hi ghl a nd s.

So if yo u're look in g for so methin g to do thi s s umm e r, love your bi cycle, are <l hucltling <ICLOJ; can ru stle up veggi e meal s for bi g groups, want to live in a tra vell in g community, e njoy work in g wit h yo ung peop le, want to meet so me grea t friends, or just WJ nt <I world -

ch;mging, life-changin g ex perience , th en <In Otes ha lour may just he wh<ll yo u're loo kin g lo r. I would th oroughly reco mmend th em to everyon e. Anyone from 18 to 28 Gi ll appl y, w h;ltC VC I' s ki JJs th ey h;1vc - e nthu siasm is the on ly t·cqu iremcnl. r ind out more on the Ote s h;1 webs ile 1vww.o tesha.o rg. uk / progr;1m1n esj tou rs.

Got wood? Britain's public doesn't Tim Miller Turf Re po rter jus t 10% of 13ritain's la nd s ur face is wooded, co mpared to a n ave rage of 25% in oth er European co untri es. Th e United Kingdom is uniqu e in that thi s figu re is ri s in g, but a return to a more bea utiful s upportive a nd eco log ica lly co untry has bee n threatened by gove rnm e nt plans to se ll off a ll s tate-ow ned woodland in the nex t te n years.

1\ lo ng wi Lh th e other s ub s ta ntia I cha nges be in g made to th e co untry, we cou ld see our woods be in g cut down for timb er or turned into go lf co urses a nd holiday pa rks, with nea rl y 40 publi c fores ts in th e Lakes a lone pote nti ally und e r threat. The future of th e 1 200 jo bs in th e Enviro nm e ntal De pa rtm e nt

is also un clear.

The iro ny of th ese plan s speaks loud e r th a n a chain saw: Cameron told us he wa nted th e gree nest Gove rnm e nt eve r, yet th at w hi ch he lps keep th e earth a t a ha bita bl e temperature a nd a llows us to breath e co uld face th e well-worn Tory axe - the Government have promi sed to remove th e reel tape of pl a nnin g permiss ion, which wo uld protect the woods. it a lso does n't go unn oti ce d that 20 11 is the UN's Inte rn a tion a l Year of the Fo rests.

Forestry Commission , The which curre ntly ma nages state-ow ned woodland, has co mmitm e nts to re pl ace co nifers with native broadleaf trees s uch as oa k, beech, as h a nd lim e. Th e forests are expected to be so ld with no require me nt to hon our these

co mmitm ents. Th e pri va ti sa ti on of the fo res ts wil l doubtl ess ly in cur th e opposite - o ur re ma ining nati ve fo rest ry bein g rep laced with more a nd mo re mo noc ulturcs that a re not s uppo rti ve of ecosyste ms.

Anoth e r issue w ith se llin g off th e co untry's na tural he ritage is that the forests will be ow ned by 'lease hold', mea nin g th at access ca n be restri cted. So if the hi ghes t bidde r found a mo re profitab le use for the la nd , th e fores ts co uld be fenced off. In a ce rtain sense, we a re all in thi s toge th e r, as everything from ecological s ta bility to dog walking is und e r attac k.

If fores ts a ren 't cho pp ed clo w n, th ey co uld pote nti a lly be used as tax loo phol es: commercial forestry in th e UK is free from in co me tax, ca pital ga in s tax from timber crop , corporatio n tax a nd eve n

inh e rita nce tax. Funnily eno ugh, th e deb t the Governme nt w is h to clear from se llin g off the fores ts co uld eas ily be ra ise d through dea lin g with tax avo id a nce.

Before the trees ha ve eve n fallen in the woods, publi c o utrage at the pl a ns ha s a lrea dy bee n heard: protests have bee n he ld a t locatio ns s uch as the Fo rest of Dea n, where thou sa nds gathered a nd burned a s ta tu e of Big Ben. Ce le briti es have a lso vo ice d th eir co nce rn s, ra is ing s upport fo r the iss ue. The priva ti sat ion of s tate ow ned fo res ts has ye t to go throu gh th e ll o use o f Co mmon s, so now is the tim e for eve ryo ne co nce rn ed with th e future of rura l Britain to s ign pet iti o ns, co ntact MPs a nd , more pe rtin ently, co ns id e r ac ti on that wi ll mo re direc tly cha ll e nge thi s e nvironm e ntal vanda li s m.

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ISSUE 252

www.concrctc-onlinc.co.uk

Tuesday 15th February

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BUCS Rugby move to top ofBUCS tree

Results I Football Bed'shire M1 UEAM1

Netball UEA 2 Nottingham 4

33 39

Rugby Lincoln M2 UEAM 2

10 17

2 UEAM2 Nottingham M4 3

Bed'shire W1 UEA W1

7 33

Hockey Nottingham M4 0 UEAM1 3

Tennis Cambridge M2 10 UEA M1 2

Bed'shire W1 UEAW1

UEAM2 12 De Montford M1 0

1 3

5 1

Lacrosse UEAW1 3 Birmingham W2 14 Ox. Brookes M1 6 UEA M1 9

Bl!CS Cl!~ - Golf Warwick 2 UEA 1

4 2

INDEX

21 23

UEA Rugby Men's l swept to the top of the BUCS Midlands Conference 2B thanks to a brave performance and victory by the tightest of margins, 23-21, against promotion rivals Bedfordshire Men's l.

For the majority of sides, away victories in BUCS Rugby Union competition are difficult to come by, but a spectacular display of discipline and tenacity ensured UEA came out on top.

Captain Scott Golding, who led from the front all afternoon, kicked UEA into a 6-0 lead but Bedfordshire soon struck back through a converted try.

Whereas in the past UEA outfits may have allowed their heads to drop, Golding's team dusted themselves down before quickly reclaiming the lead, when full-back Stuart Dighton's one-handed offload put in Stephen Wilson .

The game was somewhat marred by a serious injury to the Bedfordshire hooker, which stopped play for nearly an hour, and following the restart UEA struggled to maintain their momentum .

Bedfordshire carved out a five point lead in the second half but missed three kicks,

and an excellent opportunity to extend their margin.

UEA then sparked back into life with a scintillating break from deep within their half, which almost resulted in a try for winger Mark Perkins. With ten minutes to go the UEA forwards mauled twenty metres to the try line before Golding swerved through for the

try to level.

Golding then converted to make it 23-21 to UEA with just a few minutes remaining.

Bedfordshire did have another chance before the final whistle - the hosts' fly-half kicking wide- to ensure that it would be UEA celebrating a remarkable victory, and their ascent to the top of the division.

Ashley Lewis

Steelers pack up under Green Bay onslaught

Every issue we're running a comparative table afUEA's sports teams as listed on the BUCS website, www. bucs.org.uk The table compares the various teams UEA fields in university sports by win percentage and points difference. Win percentage (furthest-right column) is the primary means of sorting the teams, with goal difference as the tie-breaker. Only teams who have played at least five games are included, so special mention goes to Water Polo Ml, who have won all three of their games this season.

SS ZtS · 13

Sports Correspondent

Bedfordshire Men's I UEA Men's I

WEDNESDAY 9TH FEBRUARY 2011 Badminton Nottingham W1 8 UEAW1 0

Ashley Lewis

0.00%

ISports correspondent James Schofield reviews the action from a thrilling Super Bowl XLV I· The Green Bay Packers triumphed in Super Bowl XLV after an exciting 31-25 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers in Dallas. The Packers were aiming for their fourth Super Bowl against a plucky Steelers side, who showed signs of a possible comeback during an entertaining third quarter.

The Packers dominated the half, storming into a 21-3 lead after two excellent throws from quarterback Aaron Rodgers (right) and an interception return from Nick Coli ins .

receiver Hines and running back Mendenhall reduced the lead to just four.

The third quarter ended on tenterhooks at 21-17, after a wide 52-yard field .:!!"-~~ goal from Pittsburgh's Suisham meant that the Steelers missed out on an opportunity to draw within one point of their opponents. Green Bay scored early in the fourth a

become the first Super Bowl to go into overtime after a Steelers' touchdown and two-point conversion reduced the Packers' lead to just three. However, it simply wasn't Pittsburgh's day and Mike McCarthy's Packers scored one more field goal to complete a famous victory.

"The match was not without controversy, with Christina Aguilera singing a wrong

f r o

m

line during the US national anthem" compounding Pittsburgh's woes twenty-one of the Packers' 31 points came after turnovers.

There was a possibility that the

For the Packers the famous trophy holds a special significance, as it is named after Vince Lombardi, the coach who led them to victory in the '67 and '68 NFL-AFL Championship, the precursor to the Super Bowl. The match was also not without its controversy. Following in the footstep of janet jackson's infamous "wardrobe mal function" at the 2004 Super Bowl. Christina Aguilera added to a string of celebrity mistakes by singing a wrong line during the US national anthem .

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SPORT

ISSUE 252

www.concrete-online.co.uk

co ncrete.spo rt@uca .a c. u k

UEFA shuts the transfer window

l

lan Hobbs Sports Co rres pond ent

High-flying Norwich City have a knack of co1n ing up with late winners, and grabbed a cru cial one aga inst Millwall at ( arrow Road. After falling , behind just before the h a Ul~ on-loa n Arse nal midfield er ll enri Lans bury (right) inspired a co meback for the hosts.

First his superb free- ki ck smas hed -.. off the post leaving Elli ot Ward to score the follow up.

He th en grab bed his first goa l in yellow and gree n to sea l a win with th e last kick of the ga me.

Th e club we re given a furth er boost las t

week thanks to a 拢2 investm ent

":tJ A

chairman Mi chael Foul ge 1~ whi ch will significa ntly boos t Paul Lambert's transfer kitty to futu re attract signings.

City's eightga me unbea ten run ca me to an end aga inst Burnley, despite a supe rb improvised fin is h from talisman Grant ll olt.

Lambert wi ll und oubtedly be disa ppointed with th e

defending that led to jay Rodriguez's late winn er for Burnl ey. Norwi ch boun ced back, though, with anoth er win aga inst ten-man Reading.

Lansbury opened th e scoring and after a Shane Long equaliser it was Holt who made the headlines once aga in with a stoppage time winn er at the fa r post.

Ipswich

Town

have go ne from strength to strength under th e leadership of Paul jewel!.

Town ca me from behind to beat Derby 2-1 thanks to a sublime 30-ya rd vo ll ey from new loa n signing jimmy Bullard. Ca pta in David Non路is, who may be leaving th e club at ' th e end of th e season

fo llow ing a brea kd own in co ntract ta lks, then wo n the ga me for the Tractor Boys with an exquisite fini sh. side jewell's this foll owed victory with a 3-0 demolition of Sheffield Uni ted at Portman Road.

Teenage r Co nnor Wickham sco red the pi ck of the goa ls with a fa ntas tic sol o effort, dribbling fro m his own half to bl as t home.

At the weekend, jason Scotl and (left) , rece ntly li nked with a move to old club Swa nsea, opened the sco ring late on aga inst Barnsley. ll owcvc r th e Tykes profiled from some abys mal defending by Town to grab a las t-gas p equali se 1路.

Athletics cross country for success I Sports correspondent Simon O'Meara reports on Athletics' most recent BUCS performance ~

UEA Ath letics recently made th e journey across the Midl ands to Birmingham to take part in the BUCS Cross Country Championships, a unique opportunity to go head-tohead with fell ow students in an ultimate test of endurance.

Prev ious races in the East Anglia League had resulted in a strin g of strong performances from the ladies' tea m and a n exceptional ca mpaign from th e men.

The race was held in Senneley's Park, a course featuring long hill s inters persed with shorter but mu ch stee per ascents, in contras t to the rath er fl atter typi ca l East Anglia League course. The strong headwind exacerbated th e potential for ex haustion amongst th e runn ers.

First up was the Men's 'A' team.

As the leaders bega n to stretch th eir lead on th e lOkm co urse, UEA runn ers jostled for pos itions.

1\fter a qui ck start in which elbows were scraped within the leading pack, Richard Hend erson and josh Entwistle fell slightly back.

Mea nwhile the steadier Nick Earl cl osed in, press ing past his fatigued tea m-mates on th e uphill sections to fini sh 78th ahead of Entw istl e's 89th and Henderson's 11 Oth. Al ec Bea ney

and Simon O'M ea ra ca me in 132 nd he qui ckly arose unaffected .

Tea m vetera n Pullen placed and 23 0th respectively.

Darren Southcott - unable to 211th behind a very exciting fini sh recover from an unfortun ate kn ee betwee n Cheung a nd West, who injury - was forced to withdraw from the meet. In his abse nce, th e tea m dropped one pl ace to 19th compared to last yea r, an ove rall improvement given that 43 tea ms fini shed co mpared to 35 a yea r ago.

UEA Ladies dealt adeptly with th e undul ating cou rse, th e tea m's abilities having been spread well.

Ellie Sprake experienced a joyous . return to Championship racing, finishing a splendid 94th following a smooth performance throughout.

Club secreta ry Heather Fisher ca me home in 184th and Tilly Hud so n put in a determin ed performance for her first BU CS Cross Co untry, fini shing 211th. All in all it was a signifi ca nt improvement on las t yea r's result - 29th out of 33 tea ms- as th eir co mbined effort saw th em to 30th of 41.

Men's '8', made up of runners jimmy West, Nick Pullen and Man Ming Cheung, were one member short, but had pl enty of ambition going into th e final race of the day. An energetic start saw West join several other runn ers in an ea rly tumbl e, but Battling display: UEA's josh

traded places before Cheung's decisive fin al 400 metre pace saw him finish 151st, one place ahead of West.

I

Chris King Spo rts Editor

UEPA's rece nt ann oun ce ment of fres h 'Licencing and Fin ancial Fair Play' regulations; which wi ll require clu bs co mpeting in Europea n co mpetition to adh ere to a 'brea k eve n requirement', appea r to have so unded a new era in Europea n foo tball.

Ex travaga nce looks set to become a thing of th e pas t, as the 'haves' of th e Premi er League will no longer be able to operate in fin a nciallyun stabl e mann ers, a nd s pend co lossa l s um s of fo reign money on ove r-va lued playe rs.

Yet UEFA's new ruleboo k, an atte mpt by Preside nt Michel Platini to "put stability and eco nomi c comm on sense back into foo tball '; co uld just sound th e death knell for th e opul ence of the transfer window.

To th e s urprise and consternation of many, on just four players, Liverpool, Chelsea and Aston Villa cons pired in Ja nuary to s pend 拢13 5 million.

"Only Arsenal and Tottenham would currently be eligible for the Champions League" So me top Premier League clubs may not find th e changes too mu ch of an issue. Of th e current top six, only Arsenal and Tottenham Hots pur would be eligibl e to compete in Europea n competition under the new regul ation s.

For clubs such as Manchester City, Pl atini's Europea n ord er is a devas tating blow, despite claim s by those involved with the club that they ca n realistically spend no w and break even l a te 1~ So it appea rs that th e dra mati c transfer dea dline day phenomenon will soo n be cast into th e pages of history, to be replaced by an era in which clubs may be forced to simply work with th e squ ads they have.

Only time will tell how this will impact upon European clu b co mpetiti on in the long- term, but in th e mea nwhil e it might be pertin ent to expect the spending on Andy Ca n-o il a nd Fernando Ton-es to beco me th e hallma rks of a bygo ne age for Europe's top clubs.

ISSUE 252

SPORT 23

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Tuesday 15th February

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So You Think You Know Baseball? Superb table manners give I Sports correspondent Chris Teale reviews America's Baseba ll is often referred to as the 'Great American Pastime', but it is also growing in popularity in the United Kingdom. Despite what the cynics say about baseball being little more than rounders played in strange uniforms, the growth of the game in the UK is seen especially at university level.

The game is governed by the British Universities' Baseball Association (BUBA), which was founded in 2007 and is now responsible for ten university teams across the country. One of the oldest of these is the UEA Pistols, who previously played under the name of UEA Blue Sox. UEA's baseball team is one of the most successful in the University's history, winning a number of tournaments including

the annual Fall Cup in Hemel Hempstead. Comprising the best teams in the country, the Fall Cup is played every October at the Hertfordshire Baseball Club, and is where UEA have enjoyed their greatest success.

This year already, UEA have competed at the Fall Cup, ho lding their own against the eventual winners Imperial College London, and have been invited to take part in a number of pre-season tournaments in Nottingham.

The club's president is Sam Rounce, and he puts UEA Pistols' success down to new players who are willing to work hard to improve, and in doing so additionally help the more experienced players to develop.

"We pride ourselves on being

I

national sport'

1 UEA a shot at promotion

a completely inclusive sports club, welcoming players of all abilities, both male and female. Often, many of our players are keen cricketers who are interested in trying something different, and baseball offers them this.

"Such is the number of tournaments through the year that we try and give a good percentage of our players a chance at playing competitive baseball against other universities, particularly if those people regularly attend training and are enthusiastic about the sport."

UEA Pistols train three times a week: Mondays indoors in the Sportspark from 3-4:20pm, and then on Wednesday and Saturdays from 1-4pm at the Colney Lane playing fields.

I

Chris King Sports Editor

UEA Table Tennis Men's I have the opportunity to win promotion to the BUCS Premier League having finished first in the Midlands Conference lA Division.

In order to secure the right to progress, UEA will have to compete against fellow promotion hopefuls St. Andrews and Leeds. Whichever team wins the most number of games in this 'play-off' of sorts will move up to the Premiership.

Table Tennis would become the first BUCS team at UEA to compete in the Premiership, a testament to the tremendous success the club has enjoyed and its excellent structure and organisation. The first match --. will take place at the Sportspark on February 23rd, against St. Andrews, before a trip to Leeds.

Over the course of a remarkable season, UEA Table Tennis Men's l have amassed three victories, losing just once, and despite being level on points with Loughborough at the top, have played fewer games.

Kubica hit by horror hand injury Renault Fl driver Robert Kubica has suffered a potentially seasonending hand injury while competing in a rally event in Italy.

The Pole crashed his Peugeot into a perimeter wall on the way to a stage start, and a section of the barrier smashed into the car's cockpit, trapping Kubica and partially severing his right hand.

Kubica was rushed to hospital

and underwent a seven-hour surgical procedure to save the hand, which doctors have described as successful. However, the injury and the expected six months of recovery time will have drastic implications on his season.

Renault have been left with the predicament of who should replace Kubica, with the leading candidate at the moment appearing to be

German veteran Nick Heidfeld, who didn't have a permanent seat in 2010 but returned for the final five races of the season with Sauber.

Heidfeld confirmed his ability on Saturday's test day at Jerez in Spain, topping the time sheets on his very first drive of the car.

The other candidates are Renault reserve driver Bruno Senna and free agent Vitantonio Liuzzi.

Basketball fall victim to late collapse I

Matt Scrafton Sports Correspondent

UEA Men's Basketball I Cambridge Men's I

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UEA Basketball Men's I slipped to a disappointing 80-51 defeat against an impressive Cambridge side at the Sportspark,leaving them rooted to the bottom of the league.

The visitors travelled to East Anglia as current league leaders of the Midlands Conference Men's 2B division, and their dominant display proved just why they had been so successful so far this season.

The first quarter began in an entertaining fashion with the two sides exchanging shots, as they both endeavoured to find their feet in the game.

Yet it was Cambridge who took the early initiative and began to take the upper hand, thanks largely to

the lighting-quick skill and accurate shooting of their playmaker and primary shooter, Yearwood; the point guard finished the game with an astonishing 34 points to his name.

Nevertheless, the hosts put up a valiant effort in the face of a strong side, and had their own talented player whom they could rely on in the form of Dwight Dunston, who scored heavily _during the opening two quarters.

Despite being outworked and outrun by the away side, UEA kept the game within touching distance until half time, with the visitors leading 36-29. However, the third quarter saw Cambridge take the match by the scruff of the neck and score heavily, courtesy of ruthless punishment of every UEA mistake.

While UEA offered plenty of enterprise, their finishing was found lacking and they couldn't handle the visitors' incessant

counter attacks, with Yearwood at the heart of every move.

Not only did Cambridge press ahead with their advantage, they routed and looked like scoring every time they ventured forward, and went on to outscore UEA by 22 points in the second half.

Matters were made worse for the home side, who began to lose their defensive focus, as centre Greg Smart fouled out of the game in the final quarter. The contest fizzled out towards the end with Cambridge perfecting their composed and drilled defence, ensuring their comfortable victory by an impressive margin.

UEA Basketball Men's l are currently level with Oxford Brookes and Anglia Ruskin on three points each at the bottom of the Midland's Conference Men's 28 league, having won two of five matches so far this season, but enjoy a superior goal difference. >

Super Bowl Concrete reviews this great American sporting institution, and the media sideshow with which it is inevitably associated

~Water I

UEFA Regulations Sports Editor Chris King looks at the pending changes to the way English clubs spend money, and what it means for the transfer window

Polo make a splash in BUCS

Freddie Magee

Sports Correspondent

The invincibles ofUF.A Men's Water Po lo have achieved what even Manchester United cou ldn 't - the team have come throu g h their e ntire season with an unbeaten record.

Sitting pre tty at the top of 13UCS T ier ZC, the UEA boys have had a great season, finishing with a goal difference of 43 (third best throughout allBUCS leagues).

The team brushed aside all * competition, drubbing both Aston I and Cambridge 11 in th e process.

President Sa m Parry says his personal highlight was the tightly fought victory over a hi ghly rated University Co llege London side, UEA scraping through a nail-biting game to win 15-11.

The secret to the club's success is sim pl e accord ing to treasurer Andrew Kinch, who readily attributes the achievement to one main factor- an increased intensity in training. With swim training included, the team now meets four

times a week for practice. Coach joel Clovis, a lecturer in Economics at UF.A, volunteers his time to help the team out. 1-1 is methods are less agg ressive than previous coaches. yet he seems to have instilled a

-

winning mentality.

As a result of winning Tier ZC the team has been drawn alongside UCL, Bath and Plymouth in the BUCS National Trophy semi-finals. With a long trip to Plymouth presenting a

logislical nightmare, not to mention a stern test in the pool, it remains to be seen how UEA will fare at this heady stage of competition.

Iftheir comm itm ent to the cause is anything to go by then Plymouth Sam Parry

A season to remember: Water Polo reigned supreme in the pool all year to advance to the National Trophy semi-finals

should face a tough challenge; travelling to Wymondham College to partake in regular training sessions is quite an ask.

The men haven't been the on ly team on a winning streak. On Su nd ay, 6th February 2011, the UEA Ladies Water Polo team travelled to Nottingham to play the last of four big league games that had been packed into eight gruell in g days.

An early Nottingham goal was a set-back for the weary UEA players, but team captain Claire _ judge rallied the squad and led by example, ending the game with an impressive tally of 4 goals. Exciting fresher talents Emma Kitchen, )essica Wass and Catherine Firth worked tirelessly, and spot-on defensive work left goalkeeper l~llie Scutt with little work to do.

The game was a heroic team effort, sheer hard graft paying off to leave UEA assured winners at 9 -3. The future looks bright for UEA Water Polo, with both men's and women's teams set to make the national finals in Cardiff, later on this year.

Football reach dream Carrow Road final I

Mark Roach Sports Correspondent

UEA Football Men's I Harleston Town

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5 2

Ul':/\ Football Men's I have a Carrow Road final to look forward to following a n exci ting 5-2 sem i-fi nal victory away at Harles lon Town in the Norfolk junior Cup. Th e hom e s ide started the brightest, pressuring a UE/\ back line struggling to get the ball clear on the boggy and uneven surface.

Against the run of play however it was the visitors who look the lead after only ten minutes, )osh Kelly firing a deflected shot into th e bottom corner after a we ll-worked move. The goal seemed to make Harleston more dete rmined as they continued to create chances in and arou nd the box, but the hosts failed to really test Aclam Burnett.

The vis itors looked dangerous on the cou nter, but d es pite this it

was ll arleston w ho remained in the ascendancy, eventually netting on 27 minutes when an in-swinging corner was bundled home. UEA settled clown after this, and Blackaby, Obi and I<elly all had chan ces towa1路ds the end of the first half as the visitors grew into the game.

Fortunate to go in level at halftime, the Yellows came out after the break firin g on all cyl inde1路s. They quickly forced a corne1; and when I<elly's delivery dropped to Chris Evans, his powerful shot struck the arm of the l-larleston defender and the referee pointed to the spo t.

Evans tucked away the penalty to put UEA ahead and from there the visitors increasingly dominated possession. just eight minutes later, Evans' through ball was dummied

by Matthew Wecllake into the path of Kelly who bent a sweet left-footed strike around the 'keeper to make it 3- 1. llarles ton continued to work

hard but struggled to break through the strong UEA back foul~ Evans soon added a fourti1 as another classy run proved too much for the l-larleston defende1; who felled him inside the area . Evans co nverted his second spot kick as the team moved into a seemingly unassailable three goal lead.

There was brief hope of a comeback for the home side, who scored a neat free kick through jake lmrie, but UEA withstood the pressure. 1\ fifth goal was added on 86 minutes when a whipped free kick from Mark Roach was nodded in by Blackaby, sealing a crushing 5-2 victory. it was a physical and challenging game for the visitors, who managed to right the wrongs of last year's semi-final defeat, with a determined a nd ha rd -wo rking seco nd half performance. UEA Football Men's I will now face Kings Lynn side Reffley Royals in the fi na l at Carrow Road.