http://felixonline.co.uk/archive/IC_2002/2002_1240_A by Ravi Pall

fl04l 19 June 2002 Issue 1240

The Student Newspaper for Imperial College

http://www.union.ic.ac.uk/felix/

Molko: looks a bit like Alex and sounds a bit like Moloko. Like Clockwork. (Page 27)

It's a tick. For our questionnaire. Obviously... (Page 13)

Summer Ball Success This year's Summer Ball has been hailed as a success, despite concerns that insufficient tickets were sold to enable the event to break even, i n spite of the large donation given b y the Rector to enable the event to go ahead. While m u c h effort h a d gone into making sure that the evening w o u l d r u n smoothly, less attention w a s p a i d to its advertising, meaning that while those w h o w e n t to the Ball enjoyed themselves thoroughly, the U n i o n may find a funding shortfall w h i c h it may have difficulty i n absorbing, particularly after the b i g losses of previous years. A lack of cash h a d threatened to cancel the Ball earlier this year, but it w a s revived after the College agreed to donate ÂŁ20,000 to underwrite w h a t it sees as " a n important part of College life." While it w a s thought that this year's Ball finances w o u l d once again place its future in jeopardy, last week's meeting of U n i o n Council w a s assured that the event w i l l take place i n 2003, possibly w i t h a similar donation from College as w a s received this year.

w h i c h w a s launched from the roof of the Sherfield b u i l d i n g at the stroke of midnight, and considered to not have been far short of the B u c k i n g h a m Palace offering.

J T Q r o c k i n ' d a joint., The night's entertainment w a s provided b y Cornershop, M o s Eisley a n d the James Taylor Quartet on the m a i n stage, while the I C U B i g Band, a n d Jazz a n d Rock societies p l a y e d to appreciative audiences i n the M a i n D i n i n g Hall. Dance music w a s provided upstairs by, amongst others, M a r k H o m e , the Scratch Perverts and Timmi M a g i c . Less t h a n a w e e k after the Queen's G o l d e n Jubilee celebrations h a d lit u p the night sky of central London, the residents of South K e n s i n g t o n w e r e treated to another i m p r e s s i v e fireworks display,

29 Issues, 5 Writers, 100 000 W o r d s , 5C I n L o n g Year For Felix News. T h i s Year's News In Brief

The feel-good nature of the event w a s marred however b y a group of students w h o s a w fit to steal confectionery, biscuits a n d other items from the Senior C o m m o n Room, also u n s u c c e s s f u l l y attempting to steal some of the alcohol on offer later i n the evening. College Security have made it k n o w n that they have clear, colour C C T V footage of the m e n a n d w o m e n involved i n these incidents, a n d strongly advise t h e m to make themselves k n o w n to Security. Otherwise, the images w i l l be released to Imperial's publications - i n c l u d i n g Felix - w i t h a request for anyone w i t h knowledge of those identified to contact College Security to assist i n the investigation into the thefts. John S

REFERENCE Imperial College and S c i e n c e Museum Libraries

college news

Accommodation Sought College officials are currently involved i n negotiations that c o u l d see e x t e r n a l s t u d e n t accommodation b e i n g leased to Imperial to ensure it maintains i t s guarantee of h a l l accommodation for all freshers and first-year postgraduates w h i l e Southside undergoes its p l a n n e d refurbishment.

refurbishment project i n the autumn of 2003. Felix understands that the h o u s i n g offered i n these properties w o u l d b e b a s e d o n accommodation licenses of 51w e e k s ' duration, and so w o u l d be most suitable for postgraduates. The College w o u l d t h e n be able to use its o w n properThe properties - sited o n ties to offer undergraduates C r o m w e l l Road a n d Queens a c c o m m o d a t i o n for shorter Gate Gardens - are are o w n e d license periods. b y a neighbouring academic Union President, Sen i n s t i t u t i o n that m a y not G a n e s h , t o l d Felix that t h e require their use for a period of negotiations were still at a v e r y early stage, b u t t h e three or four years, potentially freeing t h e m u p for u s e b y College is w o r k i n g h a r d to Imperial students. A s reportensure that it offered sufficient ed earlier t h i s term, t h e levels of hall accommodation. College faces a potential crisis Mr. G a n e s h w ent o n to say over a lack of student b e d - that he h a d b e e n assured that spaces due to its plans to sell the guarantee of accommodaC l a y p o n d s village i n E a l i n g tion for first year undergraduand that Southside halls are ate a n d p o s t g r a d u a t e s t udue to close for a two-year dents w o u l d be met.

Meanwhile, in another development, the Rector has apologised over the w a y i n which the news that Clayponds village is to b e sold next year w a s released. The decision to approve the proposed sale w a s made before consulting the student body, and met w i t h a n angry response at a meeting of the Union's Executive Committee last month. Mr. G a n e s h told Felix that i n order to improve communication b e t w e e n the College, the U n i o n and its students regardi n g matters of accommodation, a m o n t h l y meeting b e t w e e n h i m , t h e Rector, Deputy Rector a n d the Director of Estates w o u l d n o w take place "to ensure that students are kept aware of developments." John S

Issue 1240 19 J u n e 2002 Editor: w i l l Dugdale Deputy Editor: A l i Wren N e w s & Sport: A l e x C o b y & J o h n Stratford M u s i c : Dave E d w a r d s Books: J o n M a t t h e w s A r t s : J o n Brenner Film: Darius N i k b i n Crossword: Dr. Hot Fudge W i t h Thanks To: A n y o n e and Everyone Felix, Beit Quad, Prince Consort Road, London, SW7 2BB Tel: 020 7594 8072 Email: felix@ic.ac.uk Felix is a registered newspaper: ISSN 1040 - 0711 Copyright ÂŠ Felix 2002 Printed by M C P Litho

Francis Warned David Francis, Deputy President for E d u c a t i o n a n d Welfare, w a s gi ven a formal w r i t t e n w a r n i n g at this year's last meeting of Union Council. Union President, Sen G a n e s h , w a s obliged to issue the w a r n i n g to M r . Francis due to t h e alleged libellous content of a report that h e h a d s u b m i t t e d to C o u n c i l i n M a r c h . This followed a complaint b y M u s t a f a Arif, t h e president of C i t y a n d G u i l d s College U n i o n , and relates to comments made by Mr. Francis regarding the issue of the electronic L E Q system, w h i c h many people allege Mr. A r i f t a m p e r e d w i t h . Although most senior U n i o n figures b e l i e v e t h a t these allegations are true, Mr. A r i f h a s not formally b e e n

brought before a College disciplinary committee to a n s w e r these charges, a n d as s u c h they r e m a i n u n s u b s t a n tiated. A senior U n i o n source s a i d that they thought that t h e warning h a d "been a long time coming," a n d that " D a v i d Francis h a s b e e n a l a w u n t o h i m s e l f for t h e w h o l e year, w h i c h is symptomatic of Sen G a n e s h failing to l e a d the U n i o n or manage the w o r k of h i s d e p u t i e s . " It i s not k n o w n whether this v i e w is indicative of the v i e w s of C o u n c i l as a whole, as there are other senior U n i o n members w h o believe t h e comp l a i n t to b e a w a s t e of C o u n c i l time a n d more about personalities t h a n the issues at h a n d . Alex

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news felix

Overseas Student Applications Up The number of undergraduate applications to British universities from Chinese students has risen sharply i n the last year, according to official statistics released by the Universities and Colleges A d m i s s i o n s Service (UCAS). The n u m b e r of s t u d e n t s from C h i n a w i s h i n g to study i n the U K has increased almost ten-fold in the last three years, w i t h an increase in applications of 69% this year. These increases may be connected w i t h the fact that students that come to Britain to study from outside the E u r o p e a n Union pay m u c h higher tuition fees t h a n those from w i t h i n it, and some believe that British

universities may be intentionally attracting overseas students to help the funding crisis currently prevalent i n the c o u n t r y ' s higher e d u c a t i o n system. While there have been w i d e spread decreases in the number of students applying to British universities in the past couple of years, mostly attributed to the abolition of grants and the introduction of tuition fees, applications have risen b y 2% across the nation as a w h o l e t h i s year, w i t h the

A number of politicians have s u g g e s t e d that this year's minute increases in application numbers has called into question the likelihood of the government meeting its target of 50% of all those under 30 e x p e r i e n c i n g some form of higher education by the year 2010. Speaking to B B C N e w s , The Liberal Democrat's Education spokesman, Phil Willis, decried the target as n o w "little more than a pipe dream," but the Higher

biggest increase occurring in Scotland - at more t h a n 5% where fees have been aboli s h e d . In contrast, a p p l i c a tions from under 21-year-olds

Educ at i o n Minister, Margaret H o d g e , defended the Blair 'vision', c i t i n g that a p p l i c a tions were n o w on the up after an initial d o w n t u r n following

The following were a w a r d e d Colours this year for service to the Union. Half Colours M a t t h e w J Smith Paul Wortley Dan Lehmann Richard Roberts Louise Timms David Wembridge E l l e n Bazely-White Diana A n d e r s o n Kevin C l e m i t s h a w Eleanor Haine Jennifer Wood Priscilla C h o w Chris L i s t o n J a c k i Wielkopolska David Tregidgo Helen Clubb Roy Gilbert Paul Hotton L i a Davies Chloe Bermudez A n d r e w Smith Nnenna Onuba Ravi J a i n Rupal G a l a Chris Powell Irfan H a b i b J o h n Paul Clarke L o r n a Robinson M a r y Jane Poynor

in E n g l a n d rose by just 0.1%.

Rosanna J o n Alexandra Archard A l i s d a i r Wren Nona Ahamat Stuart Davis Demetrius Onoufriou F u l l C ol ours Patrick Hoar Stuart McDermott Edward Brown A n d r e w Gallagher Burly C u m b e r l a n d Ronald N g Annalisa Massara A m y Elliott A l i s o n Bostock Chris A d a m s C hi r ag Patel Samuel Sharpe Jatil Damania Barry Edmonstone Robin Greenwood A n d y Heeps M e l o d y Williams Philip Power M a x Werner Thomas Tibbits Nikhil Joshi Imran Sharaf Amardeep C h a n a Chris Christofou A n d r e w Lawrie

the i n t r o d u c t i o n of fees in 1998. She w e n t on to say that while there h a d been only a 0.1% increase in the number of under 21-year-olds applying, a p p l i c a t i o n s b y 18-30 yearolds h a d risen by 7.3%. Meanwhile,

a report

pub-

lished by Universities UK reported that the basic infrastructure of the British Higher E d u c a t i o n system is in a state of disrepair. The report estimated that around ÂŁ10bn of funding needs to be found to ensure that the b u i l d i n g s o w n e d b y Higher Education institutions across the country c o m i n g to the e n d of their intended lifespans remain safe and usable.

Benedict Gove A d a m Hasen Thofee Adamjee Steven Little N a d a Yousif A l e x Liddle A m a n d a Saunders-Vest Daniel Rose Enrico Ferri O u t s t a n d i n g Service A w a r d s Helen A r n e y Oliver Pell Richard Tang Shazia M u n i r G a v i n Daisley Shovi G h o s h Ruth C h a p p i e T i m Collins D a n Thompson Ramnath Ramanan J o h n Donovan Ruth Roberts U ni on Fellowships A k i r a Kirton Mustafa A r i f U n i o n Distinguished Fellowships Gus Paul David C. Rolls

union talk

State of the Union The Union's A n n u a l General M e e t i n g took place this term on Thursday 16 May. The A G M is your chance to hear w h a t your Union is doing for you, the students, by students.

completed, greatly improving the entertainment services at the campus. The gyms have also been refurbished at Wye, Charing Cross and Silwood.

This year, the U n i o n underwent a huge constitutional change to fall in line w i t h the College's n e w faculty structure. While this took m u c h time and work, we're confident that w e are n o w better equipped to represent you to your departments, and ensure you receive the education you deserve. We also abolished the distinction between postgraduate and undergraduate students. This year also s a w a dramatic development in the services available to students. The basements in Beit Q u a d were completely refurbished, and n o w provide a state of the art m e d i a centre, dark room and science-fiction library i n the West W i n g . The E a s t W i n g houses the Chaplaincy, U n i o n A d v i c e Centre, R A G office and M i c r o C l u b , providing urgently needed student support services. The C h a r i n g Cross refurbishment w a s also

The Union relies heavily on volunteers to help it run. This year, the Higher Education F u n d i n g Council established the Active Community Fund to encourage recognition of volunteers. E v e n before this, the Union w a s working to better support

the volunteers that form the backbone of its activities. A n e w student activities coordinator, N i c h o l a s Gore, has b e e n appointed to help run the clubs and societies aspect of the Union. Training w i l l n o w be provided to club volunteers at the beginning of next year, and the student activities centre is n o w located in the East W i n g basement, closer to these support services. This year has seen some great events organised by students. Most recently, the Summer Ball w a s a huge success after the Rector kindly donated ÂŁ20,000 towards the event. Thanks go to all the Summer Ball team. International Night dazzled a vast audience last term, and the R A G Sports Day filled the Queen's L a w n w i t h bizarrely dressed athletes. This year, along w i t h R A G , Imperial students have raised over ÂŁ100,000 pounds for good causes. Finally, I'd like to thank all those people w h o give their time to run and take part in the Union. I look forward to welcoming many back next year, and to those that are leaving, the best of luck. Sen

IMPERIAL C O L L E G E UNION

Recreational Clubs Committee Colours Awards 2001-2002 In recognition of their efforts this academic year, the Recreational Clubs Committee wishes to announce the following Colours awards Full Commitment Colours Katie Sykes, Melanie Tan Half Commitment Colours Alan Bamford, Alexis Biller, Gemma Cansell, Rebecca Day, Gareth Gretton, Ruth Harman, Kah Lee, Stephen Perrott Half Achievement Colours Martin Taylor, Jennifer Wood Half Social Colours Pooi Cheong, Hemraj Nithianandarajah Awards will be presented at final meeting of this academic year; Thursday 1 3 June 2002 at 5pm in the Union Dining Hall th

felix talk

South Ken Electrical Power Shortage A s the summer weather gets increasingly warmer, the South Kensington campus could find itself faced w i t h a power shortage. If nothing is done, w e could be faced w i t h a black out. There w i l l be a controlled s h u t d o w n of sub-stations on a least priority basis w h i c h means Southside residences, then Sherfield, w i l l be shed, followed by the academic departments. Last summer, even w i t h an automatic load-shedding system that intermittently s w i t c h ed off non-essential loads for short durations, the South Kensington campus frequently came w i t h i n a few percent of its maximum available power limit of 11 megawatts. N e w refurbishment projects in many departments has added extra load to the supply, and it is forecast that demand w i l l exceed the limit this summer. Summer is the time w h e n the problem becomes apparent because of the extra electricity required for cooling systems and air conditioning. Standby generators w i l l be u s e d this summer in three m a i n buildings and that w i l l help to reduce the excess demand. However, these measures alone w i l l not be enough to reduce the d e m a n d to 11

megawatts. The Estates Department has been taking precautions to prevent this happening in future years; there are plans to increase the supply available by laying a n e w cable through Hyde Park by 2003. The only w a y to prevent a black-out this summer is to reduce the electricity demand, especially during the main periods 10.30 - 15.30 M o n d a y to Friday, but of course w e w a n t to be saving electricity all of the time. So what can you do to avoid an electrical s h u t d o w n in summer 2002? There are some simple h o u s e k e e p i n g habits that could make a sufficient difference if everybody follows these guidelines: •Set air conditioning thermostat controls to a m i ni m um of 22°C. A 1°C saving on room temperature saves 10% of the heating/cooling energy. • S w i t c h off unnecessary main lights. M a k e best use of daylight and local task lighting. Every k W of lighting power u s e d in every room has to be removed by 0.35 k W of cooling power, so equipment left on wastes power t w i ce over. •Ensure that blinds are kept d o w n to prevent excessive solar gains, w h i c h

w o u l d have to be cooled. If blinds are left up overnight, the s u n w i l l already be cooking your room by 09.00 the next day w h e n you arrive. •Keep doors and w i n d o w s closed in cooled rooms. • Fume cupboards w a s t e fan power and remove all the expensively cooled air. Help by not u s i n g fume cupboards as chemical stores and close off all nonessential systems •If you have a choice, try to restrict use of high power consumption equipment such as lasers, glass washers, compressors, large pumps/motors and sterilisers during peak periods. • S w i t c h off u n u s e d P C s , w h i c h waste power and add to the cooling load. A s a minimum, s w i t c h off the monitor w h e n unattended, as this w i l l reduce the work station's power use by almost 75%. • A s s i s t your department i n identifying non-essential equipment, w h i c h can be added to the load s h e d d i n g system. For further information you can contact the energy manager, M i c h a e l Parry on m.k.parry@ic.ac.uk.

medicine feature

Medicine In The Digital Age Looking at the changes in the lifestyle of our parents' and grandparents' lives it is hard to disagree that life has improved substantially. E v e r y decade has seen a technological revolution. If the '70s, '80s, and '90s have seen semiconductors, P C s and the Internet respectively, in the 21st century 'pervasive c o m p u t i n g ' w i l l be poised to transform our lives. This w o u l d mark a fundamental transition i n medicine w i t h an increasing adoption of pervasive c o m p u t i n g a n d b r o a d b a n d networks in the provision of h i g h quality care. Today, the network a n d computer are as essential to providing medical care as the stethoscope and reflex hammer. This n e w environment of bits and optical pulses is transforming v i r t u a l l y every aspect of medical care. This text addresses the opportunities central to our transition to a 'digital age' i n medicine. So, here's a sneak preview: I have been assimilated. I a m hooked u p to an electronic device 24 hours. A n d I love it! This is h o w many people might feel in the notso-far future. If you are a s k i n g w h y ? , then think about this. The Smart M e d i c a l Home (SMH) is a project at the Center for Future Health, University of Rochester in collaboration w i t h MIT's M e d i a Laboratory. A c c o r d i n g to P h i l i p p e Fauchet one of the cofounders, "today w e w a i t until you get

sick, drag yourself to the doctor, and then w e throw this multimillion-dollar heroic technology at you. So w e wondered if it w a s possible to do early detection, even before you got sick, w i t h technology that is very inexpensive, consumer friendly, and doesn't require a complex change in lifestyle." The Smart M e d i c a l Home w o u l d include a series of devices w o r k i n g i n conjunction in the home to monitor a family's health. W i t h the present work on networking protocols like Bluetooth, etc, it is not far before w e could realise such a smart home.

any language you prefer) w h a t steps you n e e d to take to treat your infection. Cripes, hypochondriac alert... The

California-based

Stanford

University M e d i c a l Center and Providence Everett M e d i c a l C e n t e r in Seattle, Washington, became the first t w o medical facilities i n the U n i t e d States to implant Biotronik's novel pacemaker, w h i c h features home monitoring technology. Home monitoring is the first technology of its kind to be approved b y the Food and Drug Administration, and is anticipated to revolutionize the w a y physicians currently monitor their pacemaker patients.

Consider placing an adhesive bandage

The home monitoring system implanted

on a cut, and having the bandage tell you i m m e d i a t e l y that dangerous b a c t e r i a have got into the w o u n d and you need to seek a doctor's help. Once you scan your bandage, the chip w i l l connect to a home P C responsible for monitoring residents' health, reporting w h a t k i n d of bacteria is present. The house w i l l check a medical database via the w e b to determine what k i n d of treatment is necessary, confer w i t h other sensors that have been monitoring your gait for signs of stroke, your skin for signs of melanoma, and your medicine cabinet to make sure you haven't been t a k i n g anything that may conflict w i t h any n e w medication, and suggest to you in spoken E n g l i s h (or for that matter

is one of the most exciting technologies that have been developed in the field of arrhythmia management. This technology w i l l serve as a platform to deliver true 21st century patient care b y allowing p h y s i c i a n s to provide more prompt response as w e l l as more complete patient m a n a g e m e n t to those w i t h arrhythmia problems. W i t h home monitoring, the pacemaker can be customized to automatically transmit a detailed cardio report to the physician's office on a daily or w e e k l y basis, or if the patient experiences a significant change in their heart condition, allowing the p a t i e n t ' s c l i n i c i a n to be able to respond more effectively to their patients' c h a n g i n g cardiac status. This remote wireless pacemaker could become a critical telemedicine application, where cardiologists could monitor their patients w i t h cardio-vascular conditions anywhere i n the w o r l d . In the future, c o n s u m e r s w i l l use p e r s o n a l m e d i c a l technology i n the privacy of their homes to maintain health, detect the onset of disease and to manage disease proactiveiy.

A Smart Medical Home

Another area of interest i n the w a y technology is b e i n g u s e d for medical monitoring is 'Smart clothing,' that not only has the capability to make you look smart but w o u l d be able to think as well. VivoMetrics of Ventura, California, have b e g u n beta-testing its LifeShirt. It looks like a sleek fishing vest and records more than 40 health parameters. S e w n into the vest are electrodes for heart monitoring and three conductive bands that gauge the movement of the heart and lungs from

feature medicine changes i n their magnetic field. The sensors measure both vital signs and indicators of psychological state, such as sighs. The data can be sent v i a the Internet to a doctor w h o c a n adjust m e d i c a t i o n s according to fluctuations. However, N e x a n of Alpharetta, Georgia, has invented smart monitoring without w i r i n g clothes. Its sensors - w h i c h look like a n elaborately b e n t p a p e r c l i p adheres to a patient's chest and radios data to a storage device u p to fifteen metres away. Electrodes i n the sensor measure respiration and contraction of the heart. The interface b e t w e e n flesh and silicon is evolving quickly. I quote one of the visionaries Mario Ferrari, w h o said, "the child is not born yet, but at least w e have the marriage." D a v i d Ross i n the S e p t e m b e r 2001 Technology R e v i e w stated that every year approximately more than 50,000 Ameri cans w i t h diabetes must undergo foot or leg amputations. In many of these cases, poor blood circulation is the villain. Imagine, then, h a v i n g socks w i t h built-in pressure sensors that w o u l d alert y o u to put your feet up for a w h i l e . Smart socks are just one example of the g r o w i n g p u s h to make high-tech home medical devices a part of our everyday lives. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a personal futuristic jogging suit, like a second skin, w i t h interfaces to the inside and the outside? From the outside your jogging suit monitors the weather a n d terrain, while on the inside your bio-physiological state is detected. The suit c a n analyze your movement, a n d advise on the duration and intensity of the exercise, accordi n g to your personalized t r a i n i n g programme, stored on a smart card. W h e n your suit 'notices' that you are getting tired, it can encourage you to go on, or it c a n i m m e d i a t e l y a d a p t the t r a i n i n g scheme for the next days, a n d if necessary make the 999 call to the doctor.

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hi'LifeShirt' reporters but preventive aids that detect dangerous medical conditions. Researchers at A n d e r s e n Consulting's Centre for Strategic Technology Research are redefining the concept of 'personal' comput i ng b y b r i n g i n g the Internet into the bathroom w i t h the Online M e d i c i n e Cabinet (OMC).

pharmacy. A n d u s i n g smart labels, it w a r n s if you pick up the w r o n g medication. Sounds too good to be true, but this k i n d of technology is available. 2002 marks a decade of accomplishments i n the field of interactive computer based technology - virtual reality - for use in medicine.

The O M C is a computerized bathroom cabinet that greets you, c h e c k s your

One such example: nowadays w h e n doctors perform an abdominal examination on a patient, they have to rely on their hands to do m u c h of the guesswork. Tender livers, p e a - s i z e d tumors, a n d s w o l l e n spleens are often diagnosed this way, and followed up w i t h high-resolution scans that take precise recordings of the size and location of those b u m p s and lumps.

blood pressure, communicates w i t h your health care provider a n d reminds you to take your medicines on time. It combines s p e c i a l sensor technology, embedded computers a n d the Internet to create w h a t A n d e r s e n calls a "situated portal." The O M C integrates technologies such as face recognition, voice s y nt he s i s, flat p a n e l d i s p l a y s a n d smart labels. O n entering the bathroom the computer initi-

The doctor

can

poke at the computer screen pointer

with and

the would

feel i n his finger that

Most of these first-generation gadgets grab d a t a o n v i t a l signs a n d t h e n radio the information back to a home health station or a receiver connected to the P C . N o w physicians and engineers at a hand-

he is actually touch-

ful of universities and start-ups are p u s h i n g the technology even further. Their goal is to harness n e w materials and powerful microelectronics to make devices that are even more intelligent and self contained to make not only data

ates a dialogue by greeting the person through voice technology. Special sensors detect w h e n a medicine bottle is lifted out of the cabinet and w h e n the supplies are running low. If a refill is required, the O M C generates an email request to the

i n g it

A n e w virtual reality glove b e i n g develo p e d b y researchers at the State University of N e w York at Buffalo promises to change that. The information w i l l be transmitted to the second doctor through a haptic feedback device; a small, transportable robot that fits on a user's h a n d like a thimble. The robot allows a user to manipulate an image on a computer screen and feel the physical results of that virtual manipulation. The doctor can poke at the computer screen w i t h the pointer a n d w o u l d feel i n his finger that he is actually touching it. Future health care delivery w i l l rely on an aggressive, preventive model that is vastly different from the reactive, episodic m o d e l u t i l i s e d today. I n d i v i d u a l s w i l l assume a more active role in their care. M e d i c a l systems, i n c l u d i n g home health systems, w i l l exhibit collective intelligence of individual devices. One w a y or the other, our daily lives w i l l levels.

depend on computing at many This is just the beginning...

RCSU On Monday 18th March, the RCSU's Three Handled Pot

went missing at the RCSU's Beer Festival

Currently, it has not been returned. A Reward of ÂŁ200 is now being offered for it's SAFE RETURN The Pot is made of Pewter and has a Glass Bottom. It has Three Handles, each approximately equidistant around it's circumference, and can hold roughly 3 pints of beer. It's main distinguishing features are a large engraving of the R C S Crown, as well as the names of all Executive Committees from the Mid 60's up until the Late 70's/Early 80's

ÂŁ200

For Information leading to the

SAFE RETURN of the RCSU's

Three Handled Pot as well as an

Amnesty of 3 weeks for whomever took it. Any information relating to the Three Handled Pot will be treated IN C O N F I D E N C E , and should b e addressed to edward.piggott@ic.ac.uk or telephone 020 759 48075 [ext. 48075] o r 07754 851720

talk felix

Entertaining Angels The old w i s d o m says, 'Don't look a gift horse i n the mouth.' That is of course unless it is a completely free handful of delicious h i g h q u a l i t y chocolate. L a s t w e e k w e were g i v i n g away, yes giving away, chocolate, biscuits, coffee, tea bags and fruit juice. It w a s all part of a series of events to raise awareness of Fairtrade products and w h y they are important i n an effort to end global poverty a n d w o r l d hunger. If you are a regular reader of this column y o u w i l l have taken the Fairtrade message to heart by now, so no further sermonising on that issue! Instead I w a n t to think about the experience some of us h a d s t a n d i n g of the w a l k w a y trying to give a w a y a free sample of a tasty morsel all i n a i d of a genuinely good cause. M a n y people stopped and chatted, m u n c h e d a n d s l u r p e d a n d read the leaflets. Some came back for more, a n d a few came back a n d back. That w a s great. It w a s a moment of freely given gifts. But those of us d i s p e n s i n g the chocolate had a common experience: w e felt the deep suspicion of m a n y people w h o hur-

ried past. "Free chocolate - where is the catch?" " W h a t are you selling?" " W h a t w i l l this cost me in time a n d energy to stop, find out what it is about a n d taste the chocolate?" Several volunteers felt they w a n t e d to have T-shirts that said, 'I am a decent, pleasant human being really a n d I genuinely w a n t to give you this gift, for free and there are no h i d d e n catches. H O N E S T ! ' N o w some of us are shy, some of us are i n a hurry, and a few of us may have good reason to be w a r y because of previous b a d experiences... but that still fails to explain the huge number of people w h o hurried by, finding it impossible to believe that something could be offered as a free gift w i t h no catch. We seem to live i n a society that, by and large, sees it as norm a l and acceptable to not get involved. Now, there are some good reasons to be w a r y of strangers, but mistrust and cynicism on this scale surely points to somet h i n g wrong. Our freebie chocolate experience concerns me because of w h a t it says about the w a y w e are being conditioned not to

be s u r p r i s e d . We are e n c o u r a g e d by unnecessary anxiety of u r b a n life not to take even a very safe risk, the risk of a fleeting encounter w i t h a stranger. Is this about a deep c y n i c i s m towards anything offered for free? A n avoidance of any unplanned encounters, an isolation from any surprising contact w i t h others? Not all strangers are dangers, and (reassuringly) not all contacts are conducted like this. In some places, rural villages for example, people stop to pass the time of day, to chat or simply to make eye contact and smile. In the Judao-Christian tradition there is a valued story about A b r a h a m , the father of many nations. It runs like this: one day, sitting at the door of his tent, A b r a h a m w a s confronted by three m y s t e r i o u s strangers p a s s i n g by. He took the risk of hospitality, openness a n d h u m a n engagement, and (so the phrase w a s coined) 'entertained angels unawares.' From that encounter he became the father of many nations precisely because of his openness, his w i l l i n g n e s s to engage. He took the risk of b e i n g open. Shouldn't w e ?

Radio: Impossible It's an impossible mission: to sell science to a few thousand undergraduates who, day i n a n d day out, live a n d breathe science, and w h o are quite possibly utterly bored w i t h it. But impossible missions suit some people just fine, a n d those are the committed people s t u d y i n g science c o m m u n i c a t i o n . Tune i n to IC Radio b e t w e e n 6 a n d 7 on Thursday evenings, and you w i l l be admitted into the w o r l d of M i s s i o n Impossible. The M i s s i o n Impossible s h o w is to science w h a t n a p a l m is to a bail of hay except that w h i l e n a p a l m w o u l d destroy your average haystack, Mission Impossible merely chooses to ignite science w i t h a refreshing b r a n d of humour and intrigue. What w i l l you hear? Rest assured that Imperial's science c o m m u n i c a t i o n students are out searching for the best science n e w s every week, ready a n d packaged for you i n a five-minute burst of current affairs. A n d any topical science n e w s

during the week w i l l be digested a n d debated during the show, w i t h special guests from such places as the Science Museum. M i s s i o n Impossible also promises to bring you fiction and drama on the radio. There's Imperial College's first ever radio soap opera, 'Empirical College,' w h i c h the production team w o u l d like to call a comedy series, if only the plot didn't involve quite so m u c h infidelity. A n d the s h o w ' s special reporter Stian Reimers produces a weekly update on the science w a r s - the eternally r a g i n g battle b e t w e e n those w h o believe science searches for the 'truth', and those w h o argue that science just a piece of modern culture. Or, does anyone enjoy a quiz? There's a different science quiz on mission impossible every week, and most recently the production team came up w i t h the first 'Science C a l l M y Bluff show. For example, do you think 'bathycolpian' is a bout of

unexpected depression, or a deep, fleshy cleft? A n d do y o u t h i n k the M i s s i o n Impossible s h o w is unnecessarily vulgar? A n s w e r s c a n be sent to our e-mail address: imperialradio@hotmail.com. There's also a weekly update on what's new, w h a t ' s hot, a n d w h a t positively stinks, in the w o r l d of technology and gadgets. If you read this before 20 June, then be sure to check out M i s s i o n Impossible's end-of-term-special - a s h o w purely devoted to the study of where science is today. What does science mean to you? W h y do you study science, and w h y is science important? M i s s i o n Impossible w i l l also be running over the summer, a n d as w i t h all of the IC Radio shows, you c a n listen a n d d o w n load at www.icradio.com. Remember, science isn't just about the cold and clinical search for the truth - it's about fun, intrigue, humour, a n d above all, the human beings w h o actually do it.

summer ball

Summer Ball Well, w a s n ' t it fun, boys a n d girls? I've been to several, and

t i n g better every year. I w a s there w i t h my trusty camera, a n d

without d i s s i n g last year's, I have to say that I think they're get-

some relatively fast film, s n a p p i n g away, a n d I w a s

quite

ball summer

Photo Montage pleased w i t h some of the piccies I took. To be honest I'd only t a k e n m y camera to get a free ticket, but once these babies came

out, I felt it w a s my duty to share them. So I hope you were there, I hope y o u enjoyed it a n d I hope there's a photo of you beneath.

FREE COUECTIOn SERVICE OR /TUDEflT DI/COUM7 RVRIIRBIE!

Freephone 0800 62 22 44 or visit www.spaces.uk.com 19 locations across London and South East.

views your

Who knows, we might even lis The summer term is over - for most of you, at least - and you are about a third of the w a y through the last Felix of term, so I'm sure the last t h i n g that you w a n t to be t h i n k i n g about is the fact that i n three month's time it all starts again, but I'm going to anyway. We w a n t to make Felix even better next year, and the only w a y that w e can do that is to find out w h a t y o u w a n t from it. So just fill out this questionnaire and hand it back to any security desk or any of the U n i o n bars - i n c l u d i n g C h a r i n g Cross, Silwood a n d Wye - and y o u should start to see improvements from the very first issue. If that's not incentive enough, w e ' v e also got an absolutely obscene number of free V I P paintballing trips to give away, so if you send this back, a n d fill out the box at the end, then you've got a fairly good chance of w i n n i n g a trip for you a n d some mates to go to any of three venues i n the South East, be equipped w i t h semi-automatic weapons and get to run round in the woods.

'Felix should include more reports from less mainstream sports teams, clubs a n d societies.' Disagree

Indifferent

•

Agree

•

'The Diary should contain more factual information.' Disagree

•

Indifferent

•

Agree

•

Felix w o u l d be improved by a 'page 3' feature.' Disagree

•

Indifferent

•

Agree

•

'Felix should feature more from the campuses outside South Kensington.'

A n y w a y - on to the questions! 1.

Disagree

Indifferent

Agree

•

D o y o u t h i n k t h a t there s h o u l d be less, t h e same a m o u n t , o r m o r e of t h e f o l l o w i n g :

Felix is simply there for amusement a n d should not be a forum More

Less

• • • • • • •

Club R e v i e w s

• • • • • • • •

Coffee Break

•

• • •

College N e w s World N e w s Sport Sabbaticals Music Reviews F i l m Reviews Book Reviews

Humour 2.

• • • • • • • • • • •

•

• •

Opinion

The Same

for serious debate,' Disagree

Indifferent

Agree

•

Is there a n y t h i n g that y o u p a r t i c u l a r l y w a n t to see i n Felix next year?

Is there a n y t h i n g that y o u n e v e r w a n t to see i n Felix again?

Indicate w h e t h e r y o u disagree w i t h , are indifferent t o w a r d s , or agree w i t h t h e f o l l o w i n g

statements:

Felix should be somewhere any student can voice their opinion, no matter w h a t that opinion is.' Disagree

Indifferent

•

Agree •

Name: Dept: E-mail:

This Week

Sixth F o r m O p e n D a y

Oc: i':::"i: 7

W\tM'!S&'X

Student Activities

So yes. I realise that this isn't a very terminal Felix. N o heartfelt goodbyes, a n d no l o n g w i n d e d rants about I'm not going to do that. things that have p i s s e d m e Firstly, I don't really believe in off. This is possibly because selecting people w h e n I k n o w I'm not easily angered (at I'll forget others w h o have least for long), a n d possibly been more important; secondbecause I'm too lazy to bother. ly because I have s u c h a b a d A s i d e from a l l this, I w o u l d memory for names that I can't like to ask all of you w h o are remember most of them; thirdmoving o n whether y o u feel ly, I'm m u c h too lazy to have you've made the most of your to think about it that hard, w h e n all I really w a n t to do is time here (and this coming from someone w h o has possigo to bed, and fourthly I find it all rather m a u d l i n , a n d I've bly made too m u c h of his time always b e e n rather b a d at here). I hope you all feel that strange feeling that I do of joy goodbyes. Especially w h e n and sadness combined w h e n it's m y friends w h o are leavy o u leave k n o w i n g (and I ing, and not me. realise I sound trite, b u t I'm This is the third year n o w really not very poetic) that w h e n I've had to say goodbye something wonderful has to friends I've made at IC. I ended, that w i l l hopefully be suppose it's m y o w n fault for replaced w i t h something even being here so long, and I supbetter. pose I enjoy it o n some level, but in the end it is always sad I said I wasn't going to say to have your friends m o v i n g any thank-yous, but I'm havon around you, and for you to ing trouble reaching the e n d be left alone like the nowhere without mentioning some of m a n at the e n d of that song b y the people w h o have made the Beatles in Yellow this year wonderful, so I w i l l Submarine. B u t I have m e t do it w i t h references. The refand made friends w i t h many erence doesn't n e c e s s a r i l y people I have felt very stronghave to be about you, just as ly for, and it is sadly likely that long as you understand... I w i l l never see m a n y of t h e m L o v e to a l l w h o get: again. So to you I w o u l d like to esquirol!, Champagne i n the say that w h i l e I may not be morning, wagas, minkey, bagthe most honest person about puss, Bitchmonkey, so many facts, I am honest about feelc h i c k e n s , Felix sofa chats, ings, and I can promise catelifestyle issues, kissmonster. gorically that I have never lied Be Seeing You...

Cheesy Wotsits Nothing W h i l e most of u s areN o t h i n g has ever happreparing to go home, a p e n e d ever on a few die-hard alcoholics Thursday. Fridays, as w i l l still be d o w n the you know, play a large Union doing permanent part in m y downfall, but damage to their livers. Thursdays, nothing. Hospital, Until Next Term Infinite Emptiness ;

;

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Spiderman

At The Movies

Sorry about this rather depressing turn, but up until n o w I have b e e n r u n n i n g around w i l d l y trying to get things done, and it w a s only once I started w r i t i n g this very c o l u m n that I realised that this w a s , as they say, it.

Wednesday Thursday

Go and see it. It's fun, and slightly darker than your average summer blockbuster. Almost gothic, i n fact. M m m , gothic. Reminds me of... Gotham, I suppose. tss

Baise-Moi Came out a w h i l e ago, but annoyed people because the title is rude in French (literally 'kiss me,' b u t it has 'other' connotations) Violent w o m e n galore. Yahoo! & ' W y y y y § . ' ' ' f

;

Television & Radio

So o n to business. I have been looking back i n the past, and there have generally been many thanks bits a n d stuff done b y a l l the editors, a n d some rambling, etc.

to anyone about h o w I have felt. If y o u leave this U n i v e r s i t y t h i n k i n g I loved you, t h e n I most probably did.

resources to g o through the

Gigs & Concerts

Hurrah! The last editorial that a reasonable number of y o u w i l l ever read. Not the last one I have to write, of course. N o , I have another year to go, but for you lucky few, yes, you fortunate ones w h o w i l l b e escaping the interminable drivel of my m i n d , this is it.

Destiny's Child Primal Scream They're survivors, a n d 'We w a n n a g e t h i g h , they're i n d e p e n d e n t and w e w a n n a have a w o m e n . W h a t more can good time.' Words that you a s k for? I don't forever echo around m y know. Perhaps a nice b i g brain in a t e m p t i n g mancar and some cash. ner, but never achieving. Wembley Arena Shepherd's Bush Empire

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The Final Word

Editorial

Union Events

this week

• • •

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this? organ, b u t from w h a t I c a n tell, t h e sec\ tion w i t h the highest y y y y y y y y y ; y : ' y y : . ' roadoiship is h o diarv final piece of writing 1 f

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year review

That Was The Year ed to cost £17,000, w i t h a £5,000 contribution from t h e Imperial College Trust - many spoke out at w h a t they s a w as a breach of democracy. Speaking at the time, former Union President A n d y Heeps told Felix that I C U had fallen "into t h e pits of democracy that so befall other student unions." October Students returning to Imperial's Wye campus in Kent found that their o w n U n i o n b u i l d i n g h a d undergone a £20,000 refurbishment over the summer months.

Beit H a l l : £17 m i l l i o n of three star s t u d e n t l u x u r y September The start of the n e w College year s a w the re-opening of Beit H a l l and its East a n d West basements, after the College and Union refurbishment projects w e r e finally completed during the summer vacation. The Beit H a l l project intended to provide students w i t h 'three-star accommodation' - w a s due to be completed a year earlier but w a s overrun b y financial problems. The original contractors hit financial difficulties i n June 2000 and w ent bankrupt later that year. This helped to increase the cost of the project from £12.5m to almost £17m.

There w a s a mixed reaction w h e n Imperial College U n i o n u n v e i l e d i t s n e w corporate identity and logo. Felix reported that the incoming sabbatical officers had approved the rebranding without consulting the U n i o n Executive. The b r a n d - n e w s a b b a t i c a l team were keen to implement the updated branding i n time for the arrival of freshers at the end of September, but after a breakdown in communication between the incoming and outgoing sabbaticals, the n e w look w a s chosen a n d approved b y the sabbaticals alone. While f e w people objected to the branding itself - estimat-

The h a l l w a s officially reopened on 28 September by L a d y Beit, w h o unveiled

a plaque on the East w a l l of the archway entrance to the Q u a d . Otto Beit, a direct ancestor of hers, gave College the money for the c o n s t r u c t i o n of t h e original Beit Quadrangle.

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Logo: Is I C U a n a ut o c r a t i c regime?

The Rector made s w e e p i n g changes i n the top management of the College's Estates Department, b u t senior College officials refused to comment o n t h e motive behind the changes. Estates w a s split into three separate departments; Property, Maintennance and Projects. The Director of Estates, Ian C a l d w e l l , w a s unceremoniously removed from day-to-day control of his department and put in charge of the College's long term property development strategy. The Centre for C o m p u t i n g Services and parts of Estates w e r e m e r g e d into t h e n e w department of Information and Communication Technology.

spaces on t h e South Kensington campus w a s due to plummet from 330 to just 150 for the next t w o years as the Dalby Court car park disappeared under t h e n e w College H Q building. This w a s later increased to 220, as the move w a s deeply unpopular w i t h College's staff motorists, a n d w o u l d also mean that the College w o u l d lose out on the income it generates from leasing spaces to punters at t h e Royal A l b e r t Hall, The number of freshers intending to apply to the College for the October 2002 intake w a s p l a c e d u n d e r s c r u t i n y after Felix reported that potential students w e r e c o n s i d e r i n g delaying their application t o take advantage of the possible reintroduction of student grants for students starting university in October 2003. The Union's Beit Basements were reopened by the broadcaster a n d journalist Trevor P h i l i p s - a former U n i o n President - and the Bishop of London, the Rt. Rev and Rt. Hon. Richard Chartres, i n a glitzy ribbon-cutting ceremony in Beit Quad. A l s o present w a s former Union President and College

That Was 2001/02 Celebrity A n d y Heeps, w h o originally negotiated for t h e College to h a n d the Beit basements over to the U n i o n d u r i n g his time as President in 199798.

adding to the £900 that R A G raised during Freshers Week events.

R A G Sports D a y 2001

R o y a l School of M i n e s Freshers Dinner ended w i t h a small group of drunken students embroiled in a food fight and v o m i t i n g i n t h e Senior C o m m o n Room.

R i b b o n c u t t i n g : B e i t b a s e m e n t s re-open The M e d i a Centre - housed in the West Basement - w a s still not completely finished at the time of the official opening, despite the valiant efforts of the project manager, Iain Campbell. Speaking to Felix, he s a i d that the U n i o n h a d "little experience w i t h r u n n i n g projects of this scale a n d complexity, a n d consequently the learning curve has been exceedingly steep." Despite the fact that the I C U M e d i a Group societies were also still a w a i t i n g the arrival of some of their brand-new equipment, t h e b a s e m e n t s project was generally acknowledged as a success.

College d e c i d e d t o close Basics mainly because of the large losses - sometimes i n excess of £100,000 - that the outlet h a d been producing i n the past couple of years. Takeaways were apparently more popular t h a n restaurant meals.

November

The

College officials were unhappy with the situation and questioned whether the Royal School of Mines Union should be

Basics Pizzeria below Southside H a l l w a s replaced by a n e n l a r g e d Southside shop, w i t h a n e w fast food servery, a w i d e r range of yummy foodstuffs and extended opening hours.

Imperial's R A G Sports D a y took place on a sunny Friday afternoon a n d r a i s e d over £1,800 for t h e homeless charity Shelter. The Sports Day Ball followed later that evening, w i t h donations

Felix reported that the number of available p a r k i n g

review year

allowed to hold social events o n College premises in future.

D o w n in leafy Kent, the Wye College U n i o n Society (WCUS) announced that it w a s considering plans to move to n e w premises to comply w i t h the Disability Discrimination Act, w h i c h comes into effect i n 2004. The Olave b u i l d i n g - its current site - w o u l d require large scale renovation to c o m p l y w i t h the legislation and ensure adequate provision for the disabled, and it w a s thought that relocating to the nearby A D A S building might prove a more cost-effective solution. A visit to the Rector's house at 170 Queens G a t e b y t h e C h i n e s e V i c e President, H u Jintao, caused commotion on the South Kensington campus.

charged session of Union C o u n c i l revealed that U n i o n President, Sen Ganesh, intended to call a referendum on affiliation to the NUS. Lome McEwan, former President of the M e d i c s ' Union (ICSMU) suggested the radical proposal of creating four n e w sabbatical positions; one for each of the four College faculties due to come into existence on 1 A u g u s t 2002. To meet the costs of the n e w positions, Mr. M c E w a n prop o s e d t h e abolition of t h e Deputy Presidents for Education and Welfare, C l u b s and Societies and also the Felix Editor as sabbatical positions. Senior College officials t o l d Felix that the on-off Southside refurbishment w o u l d n o w definitely take place in late 2003. After five years of planning the College w a s forced to move the project to the top of its priority list because of concerns that heating, water and ventilation services m i g h t fail. There w as no w o r d on h o w College planned to fund the £20 m i l l i o n project, t h o u g h Felix w as happy to speculate. The R o y a l School of M i n e s building w a s evacuated after smoke w a s discovered in the

R S M goes u p i n s m o k e first floor toilets. The cause of the incident w a s later discovered to be contractors refurbishing the basement. A n emergency m e e t i n g of Union Council w a s called to discuss restructuring the Union in light of the College's n e w faculty structure. T h e C o u n c i l Chair, S a m Sharpe, w a s replaced b y former Union President, A n d y Heeps. After Mr. Heeps promised to remove one item of clothing per o p i n i o n e x p r e s s e d (the Chair is p r o h i b i t e d from expressing bias) there w a s a productive t w o hour discussion and a very full flip-chart. A w o r k i n g group w a s convened to discuss the tedious details. continued on page 16

A group of protesters turned out to d r a w attention to the cause of those persecuted i n C h i n a for membership of the spiritual and meditative Falun G o n g movement, branded b y the Chinese authorities as an 'evil cult'. Police officers kept order at t h e Falmouth Gate entrance to College, where a group of C h i n e s e students studying i n London h a d also assembled to greet M r H u .

Southside: L o o k i n g up?

year review A company headed by the former Tory cabinet minister John S e l w y n G u m m e r offered to upgrade the College's air conditioning system in an effort to help combat its chronic energy shortage problem.

continued from page 15 December The first round of College-wide web-based Lecturer Evaluation Questionnaires went online. D avid Francis, the Deputy President for Education and Welfare, promised in a Felix article that "this time it's as robust as a tank built by the A-Team." Unfortunately, the scheme failed to run entirely to plan, w i t h security breaches a n d student a p a t h y r u i n i n g the organisers' attempts to get a representative sample of student opinion. Felix reported that students from the Department of Computing had uncovered security flaws that one " c o u l d drive Texas through," casting serious doubts on the validity of any survey carried out u s i n g the system. Worse still, the engineers i n charge of constructing the system had been advised of these security problems a year ago. January A confidential College document confirmed that the Teddington sports ground is likely to be sold during the 2002 summer vacation. Unsurprisingly, most m e d i c s are upset by the proposals. A s i d e from the question of 70 years of tradition, the major argument against the development of these grounds is the superior quality of the land;

T e d d i n g t o n : l i k e l y to be s o l d d u r i n g the s u m m e r v a c a t i o n Teddington is regarded as one of the best sports pitches in the South of E n g l a n d . Work b e g a n on the £27m Tanaka project, w h i c h w i l l see the construction of a brand n e w site for the College's Business School on its Exhibition Road fagade. The project w a s made possible by a donation from IC alumnus Dr. Gary Tanaka. The second q u e s t i o n a n d answer session by the Rector took place in the Great Hall, where Sir Richard outlined his plans to strengthen the Imperial College brand. It w a s revealed that the College had applied for its o w n degree-awarding powers w h i c h , if granted, w o u l d see it gain independence from the University of London by 2007. The Rector also confirmed that Garden Hall w i l l be sold apparently to provide funding for the Southside refurbishment project.

The Union decided that it couldn't afford to run a Summer Ball without significant financial support from the College. The College had offered to under-write the event, but the Union insisted that the College already o w e d them the £25,000 that w a s on offer. The dispute w a s later resolved by the Deputy Rector, Professor Peter Bearman. The

Summer

Ball was revived a week later w i t h a £20,000 gift from the College to p l u g the projected financial shortfall. A desperate search w a s u n d e r t a k e n by U n i o n President, Sen Ganesh, to find students w i l l i n g to take on the task of planning the event. M a n y months of w r a n g l i n g finally came to a head w i t h a five hour m e e t i n g of U n i o n C o u n c i l to ratify proposed changes to the w a y that the Union represents students to the College. The required majority w as easily reached, w i t h D a v i d Francis (Deputy President for E d u c a t i o n and Welfare) the only person w h o voted against the new changes being made. Rumours of a n e w sabbatical position w e r e reported by Felix. The n e w p o s i t i o n Deputy President for External Sites - w o u l d cover all Wye, Silwood and M e d i c a l campuses. There were suggestions that this might remove the need for a sabbatical M e d i c President.

E a r t h c a r e Products was reported to have offered to provide an i n t e g r a t ed cooling service for £700,000 per year more than the College currently pays. February The Higher Education Funding Council for E n g l a n d decided to cut next year's funding to the College despite the fact that the results of this year's research assessment exercise in w h i c h College achieved a score of 6.68 - were higher than last year. The cut w a s made because Imperial improved less t h a n other institutions nationally, and so w a s entitled to a smaller share of the same level of available funds. The Union w a s expected to feel a knock-on effect, particularly as its finances were already under pressure, while it w a s contractually obliged to increase the salaries of the sabbatical officers b y 8% as a result of an increase i n the standard PhD grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council. The c o m b i n e d effect w a s expected to result in cuts in funding to clubs and societies, although the Union intended to make up a large proportion of the shortfall by improving the efficiency of its central administration, including the scrapping of the Activities Card for sports clubs. A n e w w r i t i n g challenge w as launched by the College w i t h the a i m of promoting good writing by its students. 'Writing the Future' was designed to enable undergraduates and postgraduates alike

review year Chelsea Design Centre. Students also took to the streets of the capital in the London Raid, while the week culminated in 'School Uniform Day' in w h i c h students p a i d a small donation to the appeal for the opportunity to spend the day at College in the apparel of their alma mater.

R A G : Abseiling i n Chelsea to communicate an element of their degree course to a wider audience. It replaces the Rector's 'Communication Competition'. IndianSoc caused a storm at a packed meeting of U n i o n C o u n c i l following President, Sen Ganesh's handling of fire regulations at the East Meets West event in the Great Hall. They were eventually told to put their concerns in w r i t i n g and bring them to the U n i o n Executive committee for consideration and adjudication. Authorities at Wye commenced negotiations w i t h the N H S in a move that could provide nurses w i t h a c c o m m o d a t i o n at the Kent campus and allow t h e m full access to its bars a n d sports facilities. Wye is already home to 55 cadets of the Police Training A c a d e m y in Ashford. Felix also reported that the College w a s in the process of disposing of Coldharbour House, another of its Wye residences, to raise funds. The eight-day e x t r a v a g a n z a k n o w n as RAG Week 2002 raised more than ÂŁ9,000 for the Shooting Star Childrens' Hospice A p p e a l . F u n d r a i s i n g events included an International Pub C r a w l , the City & Guilds Slave A u c t i o n and abseiling down the

C a m p a i g n i n g for the sabbatical elections got underway at the end of February following an extended nomination period, after it w a s decided that the nomination papers had not b e e n sufficiently well-advertised in the first week. Hustings brought w i t h them fresh controversy, particularly the session at Wye, w h i c h began before all of the candidates had arrived at the Kent campus, having been caught in rush-hour traffic from the capital. During the South Kensington session, an Emergency meeti n g of the U n i o n Executive Committee took place near the bar and over-ruled the Returning Officer's decision to allow only written questions. Those victorious in the polls were the current President, Sen G a n e s h , and current Felix Editor, Will Dugdale, who both benefited from a n e w Union rule that allows students to spend a second year as a sabbatical officer.

reimburse the club for the loss. March The results of the sabbatical elections were shrouded in uncertainty after Medic President, Shazia Munir, made a formal complaint to the Returning Officer, David Francis, regarding the placement and limited number of ballot boxes on the medical campuses and criticised the "lack of notice" given to students w i s h i n g to register their vote remotely. Some s u g g e s t e d that M s . Munir's enthusiasm for re-running the elections were connected w i t h the narrow defeat of fourth-year medic, Idris Harding, in the vote for Union President, who overwhelmingly beat all other candidates for the position in the counts at the medical campuses. M s . M u n i r ' s objections to the running of the sabbatical elections were not upheld and the M e d i c President decided not to appeal at the next meeting of Union Council, so the results of the elections were finally declared as valid. Imperial played host to the second L o n d o n A l t e r n a t i v e Careers fair in March, organised jointly b e t w e e n E-Soc and the LSE Environmental

Initiatives Network. The fair aimed to show students that there are more options for Imperial graduates other than the usual crop of positions in 'consultancy and financial s e r v i c e s ' that are advertised prominently in the annual U n i o n Careers Fair. Imperial took on Somerville

ml n Wye: n u r s e s ' h o m e

College, Oxford in the final of University Challenge. While the series w a s recorded in the autumn, the teams were s w o r n to secrecy over the result until it w a s televised in M a r c h . The Imperial team, w h o were looking for a recordbreaking third w i n of the competition after claiming the title in both 1996 and 2001, got off to a catastrophic start but ralcontinued on page 18

The other w i n n e r s were Nona Ahamat (Deputy President for Clubs and Societies), Ra m Ramanan (Deputy President for Finance and Services) and A n d r e w S m i t h (Deputy President for Education and Welfare). ABV, the R C S U wine tasting society, had thirty-two bottles of w i n e stolen from the Union in the latest of a series of thefts and attempted thefts from the Union building. The Union conceded joint responsibility for the theft but agreed to fully

U n c e r t a i n t y : the w i n n e r s celebrate a m i d s t c o n t r o v e r s y

year review continued from page 17 lied to finish w i t h 185 points to Somerville's 200. The performance of the Imperial t e a m - c o m p r i s i n g captain Darius Fidgett of comp u t i n g , Sunil Rao s t u d y i n g information systems, Patrick Hayes of chemistry and L l o y d Kilford studying number theory - w as praised by quizmaster Jeremy Paxman. "To get to the final is a terrific achievement... they w e r e storming back at the end and they almost d i d it." Rob Davenport, this year's Deputy President for C l u b s and Societies, w as elected to the position of ULU's Vice President for Sports w i t h a mandate of 250 votes from an electorate of over 120,000 students. Well done Rob! The Rector, Sir Richard Sykes, a n n o u n c e d that he w a s to stand d o w n as Non-Executive Chairman of the pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, to concentrate on his efforts on b o o s t i n g the profile of the College and the implementation of the n e w faculty structure due to come into effect in August. Sir R i c h a r d had retained his position on the board of G S K w h e n he w a s appointed Rector of Imperial College in January 2001. The Union's n e w constitution was approved by an efficient meeting of Union Council, led

by n e w chair A n d y Heeps, following the resignation of Sam Sharpe. The change w as needed to reflect the changes in the

w h i c h sustained serious injury in the incident.

structure of the College; namely the abolition of the constituent colleges and their replacement w i t h faculties.

assist, the m a n w a s wrestled to the ground and disarmed, but w a s able to spray those present w i t h surgical spirit. Once he h a d b e e n subdued, the assailant claimed that he w a s in possession of an explosive device.

M e d i c a l students said an emotional goodbye to Gladys', the much-loved bar at the St. M a r y ' s in Paddington. It w a s closed after seventy years of use to make w a y for the construction of a n e w ' a n i m a l house.' So, no change there. A record number of students turned out to vote in the refere n d u m on Imperial College U n i o n ' s affilliation to the N a t i o n a l U n i o n of Students (NUS). It w as the first NUS vote at Imperial in almost six years. A l t h o u g h the N U S h a d expected that they w o u l d be able to recruit Imperial as a member, their hopes were dashed as 28% of the student body turned out to cast their vote - the largest turnout in living memory for a College election. The 'no' campaign w o n by 1983 votes to 766. Campaigning on both sides was fierce as the poll approached. The 'no' c a m paign had the backing of several former U n i o n Presidents, w h i l e the 'yes' campaign i m p o r t e d representatives of the NUS to canvass students

autumn one had, after some "cosmetic changes" had been made to the system, and it had been "road-tested b y a few student volunteers." Similar problems were encountered however, and the w e b - b a s e d L E Q w a s abandoned once again.

other members security arrived

of to

the

The bomb squad later joined the assembled representatives of the emergency services. The department, Prince Consort Road and the surrounding area were closed off for the rest of the day.

Blackett Laboratory - home to the Physics Department - w as attacked by an intruder brand i s h i n g a knife d u r i n g the Easter vacation in the first serious attack on a member of College security in more than a decade.

Felix also reported that a number of thefts had been committed in E v e l y n Gardens by an individual described as being very tall, h a v i n g dreadlocks and being of Afro-Caribbean appearance.

Botulism: busted

security

April guard

The m a n w a s challenged by security guard Tom Gamble as he attempted to enter the building, asking to see a particular senior member of staff in the physics department. He described himself as a 'physicist' and w i s h e d to tell the staff member of a physical theory he had devised. He produced the large blade on being challenged, and M r Gamble w a s only able to prevent a potentially lethal b l o w to the neck b y blocking the blade w i t h his right h a n d ,

on the streets around the South Kensington campus. The spring session of the webb a s e d Lecturer E v a l u a t i o n Questionnaire w as expected to w o r k far better t h a n the

Rector: stood down at GSK

When College

May That the vast majority of Imperial's student population had their heads in a book revising for forthcoming exams w as evident at the start of May, w h e n a l e a d story i n Felix reported that U n i o n President had injured his finger in " a complex stapling operation in the Union's South Kensington offices." The finger has n o w made a full recovery. The

£1.5m

refurbishment

§ i»

SI •i

Physics department: Scene of violent knife attack

review year the Charing Cross campus in Hammersmith w a s completed, and its n e w bar w a s opened i n the area that had previously been k n o w n as the 'airport lounge.' The n e w student facilities at the site include a snack shop and seating area, which becomes a dancefloor by night. There is also a gymnasium i n the basement. In a rare act of generosity, West L o n d o n Magistrates Court granted the bar a late licence on the understanding that M e d i c s work hard, but also 'play har-d' too. Professor Oliver Dolly, a member of staff in the biochemistry department, w a s placed under over alleged investigation breaches of Government regulations regarding research on dangerous substances. It h a d b e e n c l a i m e d that Professor Dolly failed to notify the Health and Safety E x e c u t i v e before b e g i n n i n g work on a potentially lethal class 2 strain of geneticallymodified botulism. Felix reported that a junior researcher w h o r a i s e d the question of HSE authorisation w a s i m m e d i a t e l y fired b y Professor Dolly. College authorities were notified and he w a s escorted from his office by security officers. A m a n w a s arrested under suspicion of theft in the vicinity of Beit Hall w h e n he w a s apprehended with several items of stolen electronics i n his possession. The m a n - w h o w a s on bail at the time of his arrest - w a s k n o w n to both security and the police, a n d h a d previously assaulted some of the College's security officers. Felix revealed that College authorities had approved plans to sell Clayponds hall of residence i n the summer of

2003 for an estimated £8m, r a i s i n g doubts about the College's ability to meet its guarantee of providing accomm o d a t i o n to a l l first-year undergraduates. The sale of Clayponds - situated in Ealing and housing 332 students, mostly first year overseas postgraduates w o u l d coincide w i t h planned refurbishments to both Southside and Bernard Sunley halls, m e a n i n g that College w o u l d have to find an extra 330 bedspaces just to keep its guarantee to freshers. A n a n g r y m e e t i n g of the Union Executive Committee established that students had not been consulted regarding the proposed sell-off. Senior College officials tried to portray the decision as "cock-up, not conspiracy," and agreed that the student body should have been informed of the plans in advance. Concerns over student accommodation deepened w h e n the sale of Clayponds w a s confirmed. It w a s also revealed that the College had insufficient cash to fund the planned refurbishment of the Southside halls, yet w a s still intent on building a n e w £12.7m headquarters building on the South Kensington campus. A n i n t e r i m balance sheet approved by College Council showed that £30m was expected to be raised through the sale of student residences, yet only £8m w a s to be ploughed into residences refurbishment w i t h the rest being diverted into the n e w H Q project a n d sports hall redevelopment. The possibility of privatising Southside halls w a s raised as a possible solution to the funding crisis. M e a n w h i l e , proposals to a l l o w students to stay i n Linstead, Southside and Weeks halls over the Easter v a c a t i o n w e r e approved i n

response to complaints from students a n d their parents inconvenienced by having to move out at the end of the spring term a n d then move back shortly before the onset of the summer exams. In an i n t e r v i e w w i t h the Financial Times, the Rector, Sir Richard Sykes, w a s alleged to have called for the creation of a group of elite universities r i v a l l i n g the A m e r i c a n 'Ivy League' to place Britain at the forefront of science education. Sir Richard - a member of the Government's Council for Science and Technology a n d the new Science Policy Strategy Board of the Department of Trade and Industry - called for the establishment of around twelve universities that w o u l d be able to charge students tuition fees at market rates. T h e s e c o u l d e x c e e d £10,000 e a c h year, potentially enabling scientific institutions to attract the best students and research staff by offering the "best conditions in the w o r l d . " His words were seen as a w a r n i n g to Tony Blair, w h o recently told the Royal Society that he w a n t e d to make the U K "one of the best places in the world to do science."

Clayponds: going in 2003? June Firefighters were called to the C h a r i n g Cross c a m p u s over the G o l d e n J u b i l e e B a n k H o l i d a y w h e n an electrical fault c a u s e d a generator to spill diesel oil w i t h i n the hosp i t a l . E a r l y reports c l a i m e d that around ten thousand litres of oil h a d escaped, but the spillage in fact turned out to be only a minor one w i t h no injuries a n d no d e t r i m e n t a l effect either on patients i n the hospital or their care. Despite having been cancelled and then reinstated earlier in the year, the Summer Ball w e n t off w e l l w i t h live performances from Cornershop, the James Taylor Quartet and M o s Eisley, along w i t h sets from the I C U B i g Band, and Jazz and Rock societies. While the event itself w a s successful, l o w ticket sales mean that the event is unlikely to break even. However, a meeting of the U n i o n Council w a s given assurances that the event w i l l take place next year, probably w i t h funding from College in a similar vein to this year's £20,000 gift. The Deputy President for E d u c a t i o n & Welfare, D a v i d Francis, w a s given a written warning by the Union President after an LEQ-related complaint w a s upheld.

Summer Ball revellers

Etienne and John S

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music reviews M m m m m m m m u s i c . Great. It's been fun, but after 29 issues, (well, 28 really, after last w e e k ' s 4-page spectacular) it's time to relinquish my automatic right to pocket any C D that finds its w a y into the Felix office. I'm off to take over as manager of our fantastic student radio station, to w h i c h I'm sure you are already a regular listener, a n d to do some general w r i t i n g and editing stuff for this wonderful publication. I'm pleased to announce that Sajini Wijetilleka is brave/stupid enough to be taking over from me next year. Without my talented, dedicated team of reviewers, there w o u l d , I think, be t w o possibilities: either I w o u l d spend my entire life in the West basement of Beit Quad, s l o w l y forgetting w h a t natural light really looks like, or there w o u l d s i m ply be no music pages. So, thanks to the following people for all their hard work in w r i t i n g reviews: Patrick, Alex, Jess, Sajini, Derek, Oscar, C h r i s , B e n , T o b y G , L i b b y , Robert, T o m X , J a m i e , F r a n c o i s , Tank, W a r u l , R o b i n , T o b y B, K u n a l , M a r c u s , N i c k , K o r a m , T o m m y M a c k , T o m B, Russ, A l e x i s , J o n , J e a n n e t t e , T o m R, Ro b , V i c , K o m a l , L e y l a , B h a r a t , J o , Johnny, Dominic, Linus, Ken, Daniel, E l e n a and, last but b y no means least, Raoul Duke and Dr Gonzo. Dave

DJ SHADOW COMPETITION

Layo & Bushwacka Gary Numan Exposure Night Works Out Monday 1 July on XL

recordings

These t w o first began w o r k i n g together in the mid-nineties, w h e n d r u m 'n' bass w a s taking over the hardcore scene and the n e w tech-house and breakbeat styles were emerging from the clubs. Both from London, they began to play together more often and released an album on E n d recordings called Low Life. Since then, they've got bigger and bigger, m i x i n g together techno, electro and, in their words, "proper tunes". They have even been k n o w n to t u r n d o w n the opportunity to play at a club unless offered a full five-hour set to showcase their talents. O n their second a l b u m Night Works, Layo and B u s h w a c k a broaden their horizons w i t h more diverse tunes and samples. It begins w i t h an intro called Vinyl and t h e n bursts into Ladies And Gentlemen, a tune in a similar style to the music of D J Shadow. The album drifts on brilliantly to We Met Last Night, a c h i l l i n g yet brilliant electro tune, u s i n g brilliant samples and a good bass line to make you stand up and listen. Sleepy Language, as the title suggests, lulls you into a relaxed state of consciousness w i t h its fading electronic noises.

Thanks to everyone w h o entered our recent D J Shadow competition. C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s to the f o l l o w i n g people, each of w h o m w i n s an exclusive D J Shadow mix C D : C h r i s Bates (Maths II) R o b i n C l a r k (Medicine IV) H a n n a h J o h n s o n (Bio. Sci. PG) C h r i s P o l l o c k (Physics I) B e c k y W i l s o n (Bio. Sci. PG)

Eventually, w e reach their a n t h e m Love Story, previously k n o w n as For The Fans, w h i c h w a s renamed by their fans in A r g e n t i n a w h o sit d o w n rather than dance through the track as a mark of respect for its majesty. Thought of by some as the most eagerly anticipated dance album of the year, Night Works is definitely a must for those into dance. Have it!

Toby B

Out now on Universal

records

Whilst most music stars have a fall from grace taking in drink, drugs, "artistic differences" a n d perhaps even an untimely death, Gary N u m a n uniquely made an appearance on it's A Celebrity Knockout as part of his d o w n w a r d trajectory. But that w a s the lowest point in his career, and it really is cruel of me to mention it. However, the release of A r m a n d van Helden's Koochy, The Sugababes' Freak Like Me and the Basement Jaxx's Where's your Head At?, all of w h i c h sampled his work, have helped bring Gary N u m a n back into the public consciousness. If, for any reason, you place N u m a n in the "eighties relic" bracket, then n o w w o u l d be a good time to reshape your opinions. It is no secret that he has influe n c e d artists as d i v e r s e as A f r i k a Bambaataa, Marilyn M a n s o n and a whole shipload of D J s . He is a pioneer of electronic music. W h i l s t Kraftwerk may have given synthesised sounds a brain, it w a s N u m a n w h o gave t h e m spirit. L i s t e n i n g to tracks s u c h as Are 'Friends' Electric?, Cars and M.E., it's easy to see that a million a n d one bands have pilfered s a m p l e s from N u m a n ' s work. Through the album, w e get to hear h o w the infective electro-pop sound of Cars has developed into his dark, atmospheric and brooding recent work, such as M y Jesus. Ultimately, w i t h this album, you get to be a sightseer visiting G a r y Numan's work - you check out the salient tracks without having to bother w i t h the surroundings. For the uninitiated, this is an ideal introduction to his music. Patrick

reviews music

Cee-Lo Cee-Lo Green...

Gonzales Presidential Suite

FC Kahuna Machine Says Yes

Out now on Arista

Out now on Kitty Yo records

O u t now on City Rockers

Hmm... w h a t an odd little album. Quite possibly the most inexplicable thing I've ever heard, but I'll give it a go anyway.

It w o u l d be sloppy and, surely, facile to b e g i n a review of F C K a h u n a by compari n g t h e m to the C h e m i c a l Brothers. However, by saying that they are very m u c h like the C h e m i c a l Brothers does make my job a whole lot easier.

records

[Full title: Cee-Lo Green And His Perfect Imperfections] It just goes to s h o w that you can never judge an a l b u m b y its cover - Cee-Lo looks nothing less t h a n a five-star hiphop fool on the front of his debut album, w i t h his flowing locks a n d top hat. A n d you can never judge an artist by his lyrics. A preliminary glance at the inlay yielded such gems as "Let me be, set me free, free, super c h i c k e n " . Indeed, nor should you judge an artist by the first tune on his album - Bad Mutha sounds totally silly, and about as " b a d " as an episode of Jackanory. Because, bizarrely, it does get better. Cee-Lo w a s once a coveted rapper w i t h Outkast, but has since gone solo, p e d d l i n g a m u c h more chilled brand of hip-hop on this, his long-awaited debut. A b o u t h a l f w a y t h r o u g h the a l b u m , things get really interesting, because the melodies b e c o m e enjoyable a n d the lyrics stop being so s t u p i d . One For The Road has a suitably funky trumpet line, and Spend The Night In Your Mind blends w h a t is almost a choir of voices together very nicely. His rapping and s i n g i n g fit together well, even if it all sounds a little more tame t h a n the efforts of some of the best hip-hop lyricists out there at the moment. A l s o featured are the n o w commonplace random interludes, w h i c h are strangely entertaining, where Cee-Lo talks w i t h his homeboys about h o w he's the true lyrical master, or whatever. So, not one to b a n g your head or shake your fist to, but maybe you could nod a little and h u m along. Derek

Presidential ous selection w i t h rather a comparison, Beastie Boys.

Suite contains a mysteriof musical styles, together lot of silliness, the closest perhaps, b e i n g w i t h the

Chilly Gonzo (I k i d you not, that's really w h a t he calls himself) raps over quirky synth tunes. Musically, it's not particularly good, but they clearly aren't taking themselves seriously anyway. The single Take Me To Broadway is a good example - if you appreciated that, then you w o n t be going far w r o ng w i t h the album. However, things get a whole lot sillier. A s if from nowhere, the album suddenly goes into a slow serenade, w i t h haunting (female) lyrics, silly keyboards, the odd cameo appearance from Chilly, and, best of all, s y n t h e s i z e d d r u m sounds all round. A n interlude of haunted house music, and then back to " n o r m a l " for a bit. Now, I never expected to o w n an rap a l b u m c o n t a i n i n g a s l o w w a l t z . Not many people w o u l d . Chilly demonstrates that he can impersonate Matt Munroe, (not that you asked, mind) and you can almost see the mirror ball. A s the album draws to a close, the random silliness shows no s i g n of abaiting (wasn't that a hint of In The Hall Of The Mountain King?). Presidential Suite w i l l stretch most people's taste for the bizarre to its limit. You'll either think that it's great in its o w n unique way, as I do, or that it's just crap. Jamie

F C Kahuna's debut a l b u m exhibits the panache, the versatility and the flair that w e might associate w i t h a C h e m i c a l Brothers album, w h i l s t s h o w c a s i n g w h a t is distinctively their o w n stylistic direction. In many ways, F C Kahuna's brand of music is more intimate t h a n that of their counterparts: where others choose grand explosions of sound and soaring intensity, F C K a h u n a favour subtle inflections, and, on the more dancefloor-friendly tracks, sheer rhythmic muscle. This album is glorious, and this is due in part to the great guest vocalists that have been enlisted. Gruff Rhys, for example, makes his contribution i n the form of the beautiful o p e n i n g t r a c k Fear Of Guitars, and Hafdis H u l d ' s vocals are deftly t w i s t e d into the head-scrambling title track Machine Says Yes. Now, if you are still unconvinced that this album is w o r t h your attention, then just get a listen to Nothing Is Wrong and North Pole Transmission. Because b e t w e e n these extremes, all of the other tracks lie. M y personal favourite Nothing Is Wrong captures the experience of a pill-fuelled night out, as frantic and compulsive par t y i ng descends into claustrophobic paranoia. Hopefully, F C K a h u n a w i l l go on to have the success and the international acclaim that the C h e m i c a l Brothers n o w enjoy. Undoubtedly, they deserve it.

Patrick

music reviews

LIVE: System Of A Down + The Dillinger Escape Plan @ Brixton Academy

LIVE: The Cooper Temple Clause + Biffy Clyro + Oceansize @ Astoria

This is unquestionably the hottest rock ticket i n t o w n . Three shows at the 5,000-capacity Academy, all sold out about four months i n advance, together w i t h a host of other venues s o l d out across the nation, w o u l d suggest that anticipation is runn i n g a little high.

The first b a n d on were Oceansize. B a s e d i n Manchester, although apparently from all around the country, they b l e w everyone away. Completely. I'm u s e d to w a l k i n g into gigs slightly late and there being loads of room on the floor, w i t h people sitting d o w n and half-list e n i n g to the support - but not today. The A s t o r i a w a s already totally p a c k e d out, w i t h people peering over each other at the stage, listening in a w e at the amazing prog-rock w i t h devilish undertones - take Matt Bellamy's guitar playing and the drums from Tool, and you're not far off. Go see them! N o w !

T h e D i l l i n g e r Escape P l a n (pic above) are the only rock b a n d capable, a n d insane, enough to cover A p h e x T w i n and make it sound better t h a n the original. O n record, they are an utterly blistering fusion of extreme metal, free jazz a n d punk rock. Unbelievably, w h e n they pl ay live, they really pull it off, m a k i n g everything faster, louder, phatter a n d heavier. Stage antics are at a m a x i m u m as they go apeshit, hurling themselves off speaker stacks a n d ploughing into the c r o w d a n d each other. Unfortunately, they go d o w n like a turd s a nd w i c h w i t h m u c h of the audience, although the ten-or-so onem a n moshpits (mine included) a n d healthy applause suggest that several of the more enthusiastic onlookers certainly appreciate their efforts.

The Biffy C l y r o set w a s disappointing. A l t h o u g h the boys themselves were on good form a n d played right the w a y through 27, 37, 47 and 57, the sound w a s shocking. I w a n t e d to hear beautiful rock music again, but the drums and bass were u p too h i g h a n d the vocals were completely screwy, w i t h Simon's mic m u c h louder t h a n anyone else's. The b a n d (pic above) made a valiant effort to keep it up, but I think w e were all secretly glad w h e n their set came to an end.

Where the P l a n are a study i n w i l d chaotic excess, S y s t e m Of A D o w n are brutally regimented. E a c h riff is spat out, every polemic lyric barked, crooned, shrieked or gurgled. The opener is perhaps the model S O A D track Prison Song, w i t h its c h u g g i n g guitars, its s u d d e n turn-on-the-spot switches from noise to silence, and, most importantly, its massive catchy chorus that gets everyone jumping. System ensure that the kids go home tired but ecstatic. They are probably one of the oddest mainstream ba nd s around today, as they fearlessly m i x together m o d e r n m e t a l a n d their A r m e n i a n folk roots w i t h gleeful abandon. But the important t h i n g is that it works, again a n d again and again, for each 180 second salvo.

•••••

Kunal

L a u n c h i n g straight into Did You Miss Me?, T h e C o o p e r Temple C l a u s e were i t c h i n g to get on w i t h it, but they were still coherent and composed, and they rocked the joint like they always do. They played every single track from the album except 5554823. Unfortunately, Murder Song w a s completely b y feedback and interference. Sort it out!

desecrated

They also p r e v i e w e d a n e w song, w h i c h may or may not have h a d a name. A b s e n t fans w i l l be glad to k n o w that it w a s i n the same v e i n as most of the songs on their a l b u m - The Coopers have found a niche, a n d they're s t i c k i n g to it.

Jess

reviews music OUT THIS WEEK ALBUM T H E D4 - 6Twenty L P SINGLES A L P I N E STARS - C a r b o n K i d A T H L E T E - You Got The Style A U B U R N - Dreams B A S E M E N T J A X X - G e t M e Off C U R V E S I D E - Save Yourselves F A N T A S T I C S U P E R F O O F S - Bilo Boss B E V E R L E Y KNIGHT - Gold M U S E - D e a d Star / In Your World P A R S L E Y S O U N D - Platonic Rate

LIVE: DJ Shadow @ Astoria

Singles Roundup

There i s no support b a n d to precede one of the year's most eagerly a w a i t e d performances b y a D J . There are only funky tunes to greet u s before S h a d o w comes onstage w i t h four turntables a n d various electronic boxes. Rarely seen live, he shows humbly his joy at being here, t h a n k i n g his public for spendi n g their time a n d money o n him. Before b e g i n n i n g h i s set, S h a d o w introduces a 12-minute movie directed b y a friend, s h o w i n g on a b i g screen i n the m i d dle of the stage. It s h o w s the extraordinary meeting b e t w e e n jazz drummers a n d hip-hop D J s from S a n Francisco, images w h i c h , at once, make us aware that rhythm is a major force behind D J Shadow's music. Alone, but surrounded b y his array of machines, S h a d o w gives us a n original show. It is a D J set at face value, but the live versions of his tracks make it into a g i g . Videos, s h o w n b e h i n d him, complement the music perfectly, from accelerated traffic on the G o l d e n Gate bridge to a visit to the record shop on the cover of his debut a l b u m Entroducing. But b y letting the camera do some of h i s work for him, D J S h a d o w reveals that he is, to a n extent, limited b y the fact that he plays alone. The excellent sound makes this barely noticeable, b u t I think that some more musicians w o u l d give h i m the chance to deliver a better performance. Confirmation of this arrives w h e n he plays one of h i s demos accompanied b y a drummer. Here, w e really b e g i n to notice the abstract hip-hop that is a real feature of his music. In spite of the " c o l d n e s s " that some of Shadow's detractors accuse h i s tracks of possessing, t h e m a n from U N K L E w i l l always be saved b y h i s love of music - the jazz, the hip-hop and his obsession w i t h rhythm. A n almighty encore provides u s w i t h a glimpse inside the n e w m u s i c a l drawer i n w h i c h D J Shadow's future w o r k s are hidden: look out for some outstanding tracks w i t h very very b i g beats. DJ Shadow's new album T h e Private Press is out now on Island I Mo Wax records.

A L P I N E S T A R S feat B R I A N M O L K O - C a r b o n K i d I can't decide whether this record really needs M o l k o ' s voice, w h i c h I feel w a s purpose built for his o w n songs and absolutely nothing else. It matters little though, as the Al pi nest ars conjure u p a pleasurable soundscape i n this brief big-beat number w h i c h bears more t h a n a slight resemblance to early C h e m i c a l Brothers work.

Frangois

Derek

F R O U F R O U - Breathe In This is the n e w m u s i c a l brainchild of G u y Sigsworth, w h o has w o r k e d w i t h M a d o n n a , Seal a n d even Bomb The Bass d u r i n g his (possibly) illustrious career. A n d this little b a l l a d is actually surprisingly easy to listen to, given the very soppy lyrics. Watch out for more from Frou Frou over the coming months, a n d if you're feeling bored, check out their excellent w e b s i t e at www.froufrou.net.

Derek

OUT THIS SUMMER Just to w h e t your appetite, the following should appear i n record shops over the next month or so. Current release dates are i n brackets. ALBUMS I D L E W I L D - Remote Part (8 July) L A Y O & B U S H W A C K A - Night Works (1 July) M O R C H E E B A - Charango (1 July) P A U L O A K E N F O L D - B u n k k a (24 June) OASIS - Heathen Chemistry (1 July) B E T H O R T O N - Daybreaker (15 July) T H E V I N E S - H i g h l y Evolved (15 July) SINGLES DIRTY V E G A S - Ghosts (22 July) T H E P R O D I G Y - B a b y ' s Got A Temper (1 July)

clubbing reviews

INTERVIEW with FC Kahuna For years, F C K a h u n a have stood in the w i n g s and w a t c h e d the rise a n d rise of contemporaries such as The C h e m i c a l Brothers and Fatboy Slim. But w i t h the release of their debut L P Machine Says Yes, they are about to jump boldly into the limelight. A couple of w e e k s ago, I met up w i t h Dan Kahuna... F E L I X : So y o u g u y s h a v e just f i n i s h e d the debut a l b u m , b u t w h y d i d it take over t w o years to m a k e ? D A N : We k n e w it w a s going to have to take a while, as w e really didn't w a n t to do w h a t everybody expected of us. That meant that w e h a d to find something a bit different, something unique, so w e just had to s p e n d a lot of time experimenting unt i l w e found it. We w e r e always t r y i n g out n e w ideas. The a l b u m features s o m e great collaborations, s u c h as G r u f f R h y s ' v o c a l o n Fear Of Guitars. W h a t w a s it l i k e w o r k i n g w i t h these people? Everyone seems to moan that it's difficult to get collaborations off the ground a n d that it's difficult to get p e o p l e involved, but w e didn't have anything like that. We w o r k e d w i t h people w h o w e ' d already met - it w a s n ' t like a b i g corporate endeavour. A n y particular memories? Working w i t h Gruff w a s brilliant. We h a d w a n t e d to w o r k w i t h h i m for ages, and once, w h e n w e were i n the studio, w e s a w h i m there. We were dari ng each

Bridge & Tunnel, Old Street other to go and ask him, and in the end, Jon w ent over and Gruff w a s like "Yeah, 'course. C o o l " . He later came into the studio w i t h us and started si ngi ng this sea shanty - it w a s mental - singing things like: [imitates Gruff] "I got fishy, fishy fingers pointing at m e " and "bread crumb hands are strangling me". J o n and I sat there and got steadily more and more stoned in the studio. We thought it w a s hilarious and so w e weren't being that constructive as to whether he w a s going overboard or not. The next day, Gruff rang us up and said: "Hello, er, I think I may have gone a little bit over the top". Was y o u r l o n g - s t a n d i n g r e s i de nc y at H e a d s t a r t a t e s t i n g g r o u n d for the t r a c k s on the a l b u m ? Before Headstart, w e had been running the B i g K a h u n a Burger night in bars and basements, w i t h crap sound systems. W h e n w e w ent to Headstart, it w a s this big warehousey place w i t h a half-decent s o u n d s y s t e m - a complete change. Playing there really nurtured our appreciation of space. Lastly, y o u a n d J o n have b e e n w o r k i n g together for seven years. W h a t has it b e e n like? It's been good. It's had its ups and d o w n s - it can get a bit annoying sitting in the same room, year after year, w i t h the same ugly bloke. No, he's not a bad bloke... Ultimately, w e ' v e done some good t h i n g s and w e ' v e enjoyed ourselves, and we've been to some great places. W h a t more w o u l d you need?

Patrick

Situated w i t h i n ten minutes' w a l k of Old Street tube station, this n e w D J bar is a good place to head to on a M o n d a y night, s h o u l d you feel like c o n t i n u i n g your weekend. Unfortunately, the opening night w a s full of annoying m e d i a types, so it is difficult to say m u c h about the people w h o go there. Regardless of the clientele, the atmosphere of the place w a s impressive, created by great D J s p l a y i n g the tunes they w a n t to play, and b y the informal, meand e r i n g layout of the n e w l y d e s i g n e d venue. The Bridge and Tunnel has t w o floors the basement a n d g r o u n d level. The basement has an old school-style sound system and a small dance floor, w h i c h gives the place a back-in-the-day feel. The music in the basement depends on the night you go; w e were lucky enough to be treated to an excellent mixture of breakbeat and deep house. The ground floor is more like a normal bar, w i t h nice lighting, a long bar and a great seating area - brilliant to just laze around and chat w h i l e listening to D J s mixing it up in the background. James Lavelle and Ross A l l e n were present on the opening night, but on an ordinary M o n d a y the Bridge and Tunnel's residency is h e l d b y Ross A l l e n a n d Tony Farsides. The one major d r a w b a c k about this place is its location - were it in South Ken, it w o u l d be continuously packed w i t h Imperial students. But as the Bridge and Tunnel is situated in O l d Street, the handy tube is needed, w h i c h could be a bit too m u c h hassle for a night out. Despite this, it is w e l l w o r t h a visit.

TobyB

reviews film

Editorial

Spider-man

"a film by Cedric Kahn"

in cinemas nationwide...now

Q. W h a t h a p p e n s w h e n y o u cross a spider w i t h a h u m a n ? A . Don't be s t u p i d ! Y o u can't cross w i t h a scalar.

A t the s c r e e n i n g I attended, the y o u n g b o y s i t t i n g next to me c o u l d h a r d l y sit still as the o p e n i n g credits r o l l e d . A n d by the

Spider-man has broken virtually every box-office record. In the US, it has h a d the b i g g e s t opening day ever, biggest single day ever, and biggest w e e k ever. It has been the fastest film to $100 million (in just three days) a n d it has been hugely successful since. This should not however be your reason for seeing it. I like everybody else felt almost forced to see Titanic (1997) and that turned out to be a three-hour long insult.

end of Sam Raimi's take on everyone's favourite human-arachnid, it w a s difficult to tell w h o h a d the biggest, stupidest grin on his face, h i m or me. A stoic, chin-stroking seriousness is the normal demeanour required of any self-respecting critic at these screenings, but from the moment a freshly bitten Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire) awakes to find himself the b e m u s e d owner of b i g biceps and rock-hard pecs, my Cheshire grin appeared. It barely faded for the remainder of the film.

Spider-man w i l l overshadow everything else i n the next couple of weeks but if y o u can, find Roberto Succo (pictured). Based on the story of one of France's most notorious a n d vicious serial killers, Succo stalked the south of France during the early eighties, randomly killing anybody that stood i n his way. Cedric Kahn's film is made i n a documentary style that disturbs i n its brutal honesty. He presents the facts of the case without making any attempt to glamourise the motives a n d actions of the criminal i n the same w a y other based-on-real-life movies like Goodfellas (1990) do. Succo is d i s t u r b i n g because he fits no stereotypes and, similarily, to Joe Pesci's Tommy DeVito is highly unpredictable a n d remorseless. The difference b e t w e e n Tommy DeVito a n d Roberto Succo is that outside of being a psychopath Succo is one of us. To check where Roberto Succo or other films are b e i n g s h o w n go to the website www.scoot.com. Back to Spider-man. You might have heard about all the continuity errors i n the film. Despite all their efforts to digitally remove the t w i n towers from the skyline i n the movie, there is one instance i n w h i c h they are visible. So Ron Fatkinson spotter's badge for anybody getting that. I shit you not. This is the final Felix oi the year a n d I w i l l no longer be editorialising F i l m next year. In fact, I hope I won't be at Imperial next year. So shout outs to the following: C r o m w e l l firm, Physics firm (they're 2rude2B2ru), the r m l 9 syndicate, the family, film reviewers, anybody w h o k n o w s me. Special thanks to w i l l w h o took a gamble w h i c h I hope has p a i d off. So let's hear it for the master of ceremonies, M C J o k a 2K2, because this is the end so I'll finish like I started... B a m .

Darius

I'm sure the story is familiar to you: boy gets bitten by genetically modified spider, boy finds himself i n p o s s e s s i o n of fantastic superpowers, boy rids world of evil green baddie. But Raimi, along w i t h a fabulous leading cast, makes things far less black and w h i t e than that. A few people may have raised eyebrows at the choice of Tobey Maguire, but his fraught, troubled take on Spidey fits so well. From the a m u s i n g boyish delight Parker takes i n his newfound abilities, to the final acceptance of his responsibilities, Maguire is spot on. So too is Willem Dafoe, as the truly unsettling bi-polar N o r m a n Osborn, desperately c l i n g i n g on to his corporate empire, w h i l s t battling to suppress his evil alter ego, the Green G o b l i n . After initially being content to earn a few q u i d from backstreet w rest l i ng he eventually becomes more responsible w i t h his powers, p u l l i n g babies from b u r n i n g b u i l d i n g s etc.. But, at the same time, he has to contend w i t h a suspicious newspaper magnate bad-mouthing his every move. A n d if that wasn't enough, he has his love, M a r y Jane, stolen by his best friend. In direct contrast to Episode

2, the story i n Spider-man

than holds up and provides an excellent setting for the lead characters to fight it out. It is this that sets the film apart from its contemporaries. The CGI-fuelled action sequences are exhilarating and there lots of laughs to be had, but the great characters and story make it all the more enjoyable.

Adam

Joyce

books feature

Hay Book Festival It seems that most of the nation have g i v e n themselves over to some form of patriotic fervour, either s p o r t i n g or royalist, but here i n a s m a l l W e l s h t o w n just n o r t h of the Black mountains, another form of p a s s i o n is i n the ascendant. In Hay-on-Wye the crowds come to w o r s h i p at literary shrines. The week-long H a y Festival programme includes an international list of writers, from star names to n e w voices promoting their first novels. H a v i n g u n p a c k e d at a hotel i n B r e d w a r d i n e , a few miles from the festival site a n d the final home of the famous diarist Kilvert, I make my w a y into H a y on Saturday evening for my first festival event. This is a poetry reading b y L i n t o n K w e s i Johnson, for 30 years a c h a m p i o n of the A f r o - C a r i b b e a n community, a second generation m e m b e r of an immigrant family; the "rebel generation," as he calls it. He is reading from a n e w volume of selected verse w h i c h spans the whole of his w r i t i n g career, Me Revalueshannary Fren p u b l i s h e d by Penguin M o d e r n C l a s s i c s [paperback, ÂŁ6.99]. L K J c o m e s from the o r a l t r a d i t i o n of J a m a i c a n poetry. The p r i n t e d verse is w r i t t e n i n phonetic E n g l i s h . The voice a n d the rhythm rise clearly from the page, but nothing equals the p o w e r of live delivery. L K J holds the book before h i m , checks the o p e n i n g line, but never looks d o w n again as he recites directly to the middle of the marquee. The poetry lives i n the performance. "No applause b e t w e e n poems please. I'm as v a i n as the next man, but I've got a lot I w a n t to

read this e v e n i n g " , a n d so w e hear selections from his Seventies, Eighties a n d Nineties verse. M u c h of this poetry reflects the times i n w h i c h it w a s w r i t t e n a n d L K J sets the context for each poem, although this isn't really necessary to appreciate the power a n d subtlety of the message. M y m a i n m i s g i v i n g s are that the a u d i e n c e are 99% w h i t e , (100% Guardian readers I imagine) a n d there is a faint smell of cultural tourism here; from the nods and cheers y o u might have thought some members w e r e t a p p i n g into a w e a l t h of shared experience i n poverty, prejudice a n d oppression. L K J is i n comm a n d though. He controls the s h o w effortlessly a n d leaves the c r o w d w a n t i n g more. M i c h a e l Frayn, former journalist, n o w playwright, novelist and translator, is another author w h o k n o w s h o w to entertain a c r o w d . O n Sunday, as the audience begins to w i l t i n the stifling heat of the 'Orange Word' marquee, Frayn gives an i n s p i r i n g talk on the nature of childhood memories; h o w the seemingly unrelated fragments that w e t e n d to recollect without any sense of chronology i n fact hold the key to m u c h of our early development a n d our c h a n g i n g perceptions of the w o r l d . In his latest novel Spies, [Faber, 2002, hardback ÂŁ14.99] Frayn uses memories of his o w n childhood i n the s u b u r b s of south L o n d o n during the second w o r l d war, (which he recalls as a b i g adventure, w i t h no sense of the danger involved) as the s t a r t i ng point for a story w h i c h demonstrates h o w c h i l d r e n exercise their imaginations to try and make sense of the w o r l d , w h i c h during w a r t i m e seems even more s k e w e d a n d p e r p l e x i n g t h a n normal. There are t w o m a m characters i n Spies, Stephen a n d Keith, both eleven year old schoolboys. The narrative is from Stephen's point of view, the poorer of the t w o friends. He attends the state school, has fewer toys a n d competes w i t h his older brother for his parents' attention, but he is clearly part of a loving family unit although he may feel envious of Keith; an only child destined for prep school, w i t h a room full of pristine possessions. Keith's father however is a monster a n d his treatment of his family is horribly abusive. The m a i n plot of the novel centres on Keith's w i l d assertion that his mother is really a G e r m a n spy. The boys b e g i n to follow her about the neighbourhood, but their p r y i n g accidentally uncovers a real mystery, w i t h calamitous consequences. Frayn is w h o l l y successful i n seeing events through a child's eyes, m a i n t a i n i n g the fine balance b e t w e e n the comedy of their misinterpretation of the adult world, and the tragedy that their games b r i n g about. This achievement is recognised at H a y w i t h a Bollinger a w a r d ; a case of vintage champagne a n d a p i g n a m e d i n his honour, (it isn't made clear if the p i g is to called ' M i c h a e l ' or 'Spies').

Michael Frayn

O n M o n d a y the fine weather finally breaks, w h i c h seems appropriate as Joann e Harris is a p p e a r i n g to talk about the flood p l a g u e d i s l a n d community i n her n e w novel Coastliners [Doubleday, 2002, hardback ÂŁ12.991. The P A s y s t e m is also playing up, but Harris politely declines w h e n her interviewer suggests they share the microphone attached to her ample bosom. A t this point it looks as if the session might quickly degenerate into farce, but order is restored a n d Harris talks on a w i d e variety of topics such as finding your true authorial voice, (she w a s w r i t i n g for more than a decade, experimenting w i t h gothic

feature books romances before the huge success of Chocolat), the importance of food, (she is currently w r i t i n g a cookery book b a s e d on the recipes i n Chocolat, Blackberry Wine a n d Five Quarters of the Orange) and dealing w i t h H o l l y w o o d , (some writers may complain about the film treatments of their books, but she hasn't heard of anyone g i v i n g b a c k the money). The film option to Coastliners has already been sold and this time she is w r i t i n g the screenplay herself. The novel is her most ambitious work to date, portraying t w o rival communities fighting to survive on an inhospitable i s l a n d on the French A t l a n t i c coast. The m a i n character in this d r a m a is M a d o , w h o has returned to the i s l a n d after ten years. W h e n her parents separated, she lived w i t h her mother in Paris, gradually b u i l d i n g a reputation as a painter. Following her mother's death, she returns to the i s l a n d to seek a reconciliation w i t h her father, a w i t h d r a w n , silent man, who w a s once the island's m a i n boat builder. The local population has remained fairly static i n the years since M a d o left, but there is an important n e w arrival from Ireland, the enigmatic Flynn. E m p l o y i n g a number of devices, F l y n n manages to manipulate the inhabitants, and by p e r s u a d i n g t h e m to construct sea defences, brings prosperity to the poorer side of the island. M a d o is d r a w n into his s c h e m i n g , but only gradually does she become aware of the true nature of his designs. There are many t w i s t s towards the e n d of the book, but as Harris says, she is essentially an optimist, so you c a n be assured that something positive w i l l be s a l v a g e d from w h a t appear to be terrible odds. She is certainly a prolific writer, w i t h the first draft of her next novel already completed. It is set in a seventeenth century French convent, where for political reasons an eleven year old girl has b e e n a p p o i n t e d head. Later on M o n d a y the storms have p a s s e d and W i l l i a m B o y d takes the stage in the 'Orange Word' marquee. B o y d is a different sort of celebrity; he seems to have a rather breathless tribe of groupies i n his w a k e . He's also saddled w i t h J o h n W a l sh as interviewer, a m a n w i t h a huge ego w h o overplays his " g o o d mates w i t h the author" card. In earlier books B o y d has attempted fictional memoirs (The New Confessions) and a celebrated hoax biography {Nat Tate). H is n e w book Any Human Heart, [Hamish Hamilton, 2002, hardback ÂŁ17.99] is a similar conceit, b e i n g the intimate journals of another fictional character, L o g a n M o u n t s t u a r t . He claims that the diary form gives the novel an i mmedi acy without the commentary of autobiography s u c h as "if I had only k n o w n then that In fact w h a t these faux diaries lack is the mass of undirected, inconsequential a n d m u n d a n e events of a real life. E a c h section recorded here reaches a natural climax, like a w e l l structured novel a n d it is a m u c h better book because the real author is unable to hide his craftsmanship. B o y d says that he p r o m i s e d himself never to revisit the territory of p u b l i c school life, but if M o u n t s t u a r t w a s to follow the traditional p a t h of the early t w e n t i e t h century writer t h e n this w a s one of the obligatory rites of passage, together w i t h a mediocre student career at Oxford a n d the early attempts to establish himself as a writer in L o n d o n . M o u n t s t u a r t has t w o great friends from school, L e e p i n g and Scabius, (Walsh can't help c o m m e n t i n g on Boyd's choice of outlandish names) and he maintains contact w i t h i n t h e m throughout his life and in many w a y s uses t h e m to g a u g e his success i n the w o r l d , (Leeping runs art galleries in Paris a n d N e w York, Scabius becomes a popular writer). B o y d says that to make M o u n t s t u a r t a believ-

Ian M c E w a n able minor figure in the footnotes of t w e n t i e t h century literary history, he had to integrate his activities w i t h real events and b r i n g h i m into contact w i t h significant writers of the period. So w e find Mountstuart eavesdropping on a Bloomsbury gathering at G a r s i n g t o n , e n c o u n t e r i n g J a m e s J o y c e i n Paris a n d H e m i n g w a y d u r i n g the S p a n i s h C i v i l War a n d extensive meetings w i t h the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, w h o appear as ghastly characters involved in the cover u p of a murder in the Bahamas. B o y d stresses that this part of the novel is b a s e d on real evidence. He also seems to be d o i n g his best to t a r n i s h the reputation of V i r g i n i a Woolf, w h o is portrayed here as vain, spiteful and snobbish. It seems odd that he is so anxious to knock the elitism of Bloomsbury w h e n he takes s u c h pleasure in recounting the Nat Tate hoax, carried out w i t h the help of celebrity friends such as D a v i d Bowie. C o u l d he p o s s i b l y be tryi n g to emulate Woolf's involvement in the Dreadnaught affair of 1910? O n M o n d a y evening Pete M c C a r t h y gives us a taste of his n e w book The Road to McCarthy, w h i c h is p u b l i s h e d next month; more travellers tales, but this time not l i m i t e d to the public houses of Ireland. The closing event for my time at the festival is a concert by B a a b a M a a l , the great Senegalese musician w i t h his fantastic dancers. I spot Ian M c E w a n s l i p p i n g a w a y after half an hour of the performance, but perhaps he's had a long day as w e l l . He's due to give a talk in the morning. After all, Hay is where writers have to sing for their supper. Adrian

coffee break

Crossword by Mummy Huffwell 1.

12.

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23.

Across

Down

Curve caused crash. (3)

I'm a definite length. (7) Solicit votes from an artist? (7)

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Buy 5 Get 2 Free!

3. 7. 9.

M o r n i n g contains one target. (3) Insect sport. (7) Fashionable joint. (3) Perfume hangs around North Sea between England a n d France. (7)

10. Tiny seed sounds like yearly m e e t i n g w i t h elderly relative. (7)

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II. Plant ri ght-hand subm a r i n e a r o u n d bar. (7) 13. A w f u l l y sharp revolutionary-toothed w h e e l . (7) 15. D i g i t at centre of Lotto enquiry. (3) 16. Sister c o m p a n y is merged with S o u t h e r n royal cult. (3) 17. W h y ring U n i o n , it's not me. (3) 18. Three points have not b e e n before. (3)

that seen

20. L a t t i c e is f o l l o w i n g junction, right, east a n d t w o lefts. (7) 22. C o n t a i n e r is b a c k w a r d s however. (3)

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23. Our Mary stores w e a p o n s . (7) 24. G e m q u e e n m a d e a n d left is poor. (7) 25. Dome tit s a d l y left out. (7) 27. Hat is not inept? (7) 29. Burnt tree? (3) 30. B e n c h is f o l l o w i n g lawyer it is possible to k n o w the age of. (7) 31. Silence joke. (3)

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Tel : 0 2 0 7 5 8 1

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car

Shortened tablet the sick. (3)

Barrel got from b a c k egress. (3) F a r m vehicle reverses right around the trailer. (7) D i s d a i n f u l youth foll o w s d i s g u s t in headwear. (7)

for

Filling snack given by one in a sports lesson. (3)

11. C i r c u l a r h a l l and G e r m a n w r i t t e n into schedule. (7) 12. Leaders of bank robbers i n b i g e a r n i n g r a c k e t say yes to b l a c k m a i l . (7) 13. Decide to have determ i nat i on? (7) 14. Severe bodywork d a m a g e to m a n relied upon. (7) 19. P a t h e t i c desire surrounds s m a l l m a n . (7) 20. Teased reserves united except for one. (7) 21. Soft point part ly coate d i n m e t a l provides h i g h structure. (7) 22. Soft toy sounds like it w a s a carrier. (7) 25. A f i n i s h e d e g g w e hear. (3) 26. M a k e p a r t y drink. (3) 27. A hundred bend b o a r d for little animal. (3) 28. Urge (3)

C h i n e s e horse.

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Equestrian Antics the U n i o n is not i n jeopardy as she e s c a p e d w i t h n o t h i n g more t h a n a f e w bruises, and the horse too received no serious injuries. The jump off proceeded as p l a n n e d a n d after excellent rounds b y both, Nicola w a s deemed to have beaten Rachel b y the narrowest of margins.

b y Ruth M a n d Harriet. s h o w i n g i n the latter classes The open class j u m p e d the only one beginner turned u p on the day. I feel that it is m y same course, b u t w i t h t h e fences r a i s e d . This class responsibility to w a r n the rather t h a n b e i n g a simothers of t h e fate ple, timed, clear round that awaits t h e m w a s split into t w o secw h e n they return tions. Initially a l l the to College, b u t competitors d i d one instead I w i l l just r o u n d of t h e course, recommend that and those w h o completthey leave t h e it successfully proceedcountry. Now. Forever. ed into the jump off. First u p i n the competiNicola and Rachel made it t i o n w e r e t h e novices, through to the jump off, j u m p i n g over a spacious This was, i n fact, the r i d i n g after Jess a n d A n n a course of 2 foot fences. club's inaugural annual s h o w p i c k e d u p a number of After h a r d w o r k b y a l l j u m p i n g competition, held at faults and refusals i n the concerned a n d a few the L o n d o n E q u e s t r i a n Centre first round, w i t h R u t h C's m o m e nt s of s i l l i n e s s in M i l l H i l l last friday, the fourhorse unfortunately tripG e m m a - the organiser, teenth of June. p i n g and falling at the penultiw h o only stepped i n to ride at The competition w a s spilt mate fence and u n s e a t i n g her. the last minute - w o n . Shona into three categories - beginYou w i l l b e pleased to know, ner, novice a n d open - a n d came i n second, Natalie w a s however, that the r u n n i n g of close b e h i n d i n third followed although there w a s a strong Last w e e k I w a s fortunate to be present at an event w h i c h actually took place - strange I know, for these pages - but the nature of w h i c h you w i l l find hard to believe. It w a s a surprisingly pleasant afternoon, and I found myself looking out over some of the greener parts of L o n d o n w i t h one of IC's f e w predominantly female clubs, all of them b r a n d i s h i n g w h i p s and many clad i n long, leather boots.

T a k i n g a year's Break?

Student Activities Assistant Imperial College U n i o n has a vacancy for a part-time a d m i n i s t r a t i v e a s s i s t a n t (24 o r 36 w e e k s t e r m - t i m e o n l y , 1 0 : 3 0 a m - 6 : 3 0 p m M - F ) t o p r o v i d e s u p p o r t t o the Student Activities Co-ordinator. The successful applicant m u s t have some w o r k experience d e a l i n g w i t h customers, g o o d c o m m u n i c a t i o n and organisational skills, IT technical experience, a n d h a v e a n o u t g o i n g p e r s o n a l i t y w h o w o u l d enjoy w o r k i n g i n a lively, student environment. Literacy and n u m e r a c y essential. K n o w l e d g e of B U S A w o u l d be a d v a n t a g e o u s . F o r a job d e s c r i p t i o n a n d a p p l i c a t i o n f o r m please p h o n e 0207 594 8060 o r w r i t e to: M i c h e l l e L e w t h w a i t e , Office M a n a g e r , I m p e r i a l C o l l e g e U n i o n , Beit Q u a d , Prince Consort Road, L o n d o n S W 7 2BB or e m a i l : union@ic.ac.uk. D e a d l i n e for applications: Wednesday, July 31, 5pm.

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w h i c h w a s w o n in some style by Karim, after a very convincing ride. M a n y t h a n k s m u s t go to G e m m a for such a w e l l r u n competition, a n d let's hope that there are many more to come. The C l u b rides every week, and if you w a n t to join t h e m then e-mail riding@ic.ac.uk. Alex

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The afternoon w a s conclude d w i t h the beginners' class,

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BEIt QUAD BARS

Presents Mi<i WORLD CUP

|<^Rf^|APAN st

Friday 21 June 12.30pm Second A Final l

Saturday 22 June 12.30pm Fourth V Final 4

Tuesday 25 June 12.30pm First Semi Final th

Wednesday 26 June 12.30pm Second Semi Final th

Saturday 29 June 12.00pm Third Place Playoff

World Cup Final 12.00pm Sunday 30 June 12:00vm th

Felix Crew 2001/02 Clockwise from bottom: Joe Parker, Will Dugdale, Jon Matthews, Etienne Pollard, John Stratford, Darius Nikbin, Bobby Cyclops, Dr. Hot Fudge, Alex Coby, Dave Edwards. Inset: Alisdair Wren.