Issue 113

York Student

Vision

Ikon & Diva

the home of Cheese and Crackers

ARMY IN ETHICS OUT?

© Guardian Newspapers. Photograph: Garry Weaser ANGERED STUDENTS are Sue Hardman, the University’s campaigning against the Academic Registrar, explained: “It’s university’s decision to go very difficult for us to refuse access against a UGM motion and to a legal public service, in accordallow armed forces on cam- ance with the education act and freepus. Wesley Johnson reports dom of speech. We could only deny At a Union General Meeting access with a good reason, such as (UGM) last year, students voted to concern that it would stir up extreme “ban outright the armed forces and racist issues. their associated bodies” from adver- “We are in a difficult position tising or recruiting on campus due to over a controversial issue.”

But Brendon Fletcher, LGB their discriminatory policies.

But the university has ignored officer for YUSU, argued: “It’s a the Union’s lead and the Yorkshire ridiculous decision. The union is Universities’ Air Squadron will be here to represent students and the students have made their voice clear. on campus this week.

We have a policy which says we don’t want them on campus.

“Letting them onto campus serves no purpose. Students know the military is there and can always use the careers service if they want to.”

He added that he thought the freedom of speech argument was invalid because “the air squadron is not coming onto campus purely to speak, but with the intention of pursuing a policy of discrimination that contravenes that of the University and the SU”.

YUSU President, Helen Woolnough, added: “It’s frustrating

Bard is Back p.15

Arts Preview p.17

Greg Dyke interview p.9

York Student Vision

that the university has no obligation to follow our decision, even though we represent the student body.”

A compromise was reached with the university which means the military will not be recruiting from the University Services Exhibtion but instead have a prime position outside Central Hall.

The union plans to campaign against the university’s decision and will also be contacting the equal opportunities commission.

The military were unavailable for comment.

Beth Orton Interview p.19

10th October, 1999 Issue 113

2 NEWS

York Student Vision

News In Brief CHANGING ROOMS SPY HARD

ROBERT PEARSON, the Hull University economics tutor who was allegedly an agent for the East German secret police for over twenty years, was a former lecturer here at York University.

From 1980 Pearson worked in the University’s economics department, until moving to Hull in 1982.

EASY TIGER!

A RECENT survey conducted by Durex revealed that Young Britons are having sex more often than any other nation.

Young people in Britain are having sex an average of 133 times a year. compared to USA’s 128, Germany’s 116 and France’s 99. The survey also found that globally the age for loosing virginity is getting younger.

While 21 year-olds had sex for the first time at an average of 16.7, today’s 16 year-olds were more than two year’s younger at 14.3.

More worrying was that 16% of young Brits admitted to not using contraception when they first had sex and only six in ten said they had changed their behaviour due to the threat of AIDS/HIV.

WAND-ERMAN

IAN WAND who has served as Pro-Vice-Chancellor for four and a half years, has now become the University’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor.He has taken over from Professor Kel Fidler.

Vision York Student

Editor Wesley Johnson Deputy Editors Claire New, Ryan Sabey Managing Editor Linus Koenig News Editor Helen Limbrick Deputy News Editors Fiona Kendall, Post Open Politics Editor Gareth Walker Deputy Politics Editor Post Open Features Editor Rebecca Sweeney Deputy Features Editor Julia McClean, Post Open Telescope Editor Alex Watson Deputy Telescope Editor Post Open Arts Editor Helen Abraham Deputy Arts Editor Jeanette Elsworth Films Editor Ann Smith Deputy Films Editor Post Open Music Editor Post Open Deputy Music Editor Post Open Sports Editor Tim Burroughs Deputy Sports Editor Greg Paterson Photo Editor Hanna-Mari Ahonen Deputy Photo Editor Post Open Chief Sub Samuel Johnson Artist Post Open Technical Team Post Open Vision online Webmaster Post Open Opinions expressed in Vision are not necessarily those of the Editor, Senior Editorial Team, membership or advertisers.

Special Thanks and Apologies Vision would like to say thanks to The Huddersfield Examiner, Wendy Shaw, Gareth Cheesman, Development and Alumni Office, Rory Dennis (for his alcholic know-how), Pearson TV, the Guardian, Fibbers, Sarah Giles, Sally Andrews, Glen Dewsbury and the Planning Office for all their help with this issue!

Apologies to James Buchanan for miscrediting his article in the last issue, and to Julia McClean for the credit list.

Wentworth College, University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD. Tel/Fax: 01904 433720 Email: vision@york.ac.uk Website: http://www.york.ac.uk/~socs18/ Copyright Vision Newspapers, 1999.

York Student Vision

REFURBISHMENT COSTING an estimated £29 million is set to transform campus buildings from the concrete blocks of the 1960s.

An extra 231 study bedrooms in the new James College blocks have provided the space to move students away from areas of major refurbishment.

Construction of over 250 rooms in Alcuin has already begun, with the demolition and reconstruction of Wentworth set to commence shortly.

Professor Ron Cooke, Vice Chancellor of the University, said: “I am confident that this major programme will soon begin to provide successfully more of what students want, at the best possible level of quality.”

Glen Dewsbury, student liaison officer, explained the need for such extensive redevelopment: “The university hasn’t upgraded its physical environment significantly since it was built.

“Whilst the construction programme may cause some disruption, the alternative is

to maintain accommodation blocks which are already out of date.”

“York is committed to a growth in terms of numbers and we simply can’t house this growth without doing anything.”

In addition, a £2.4 million retail and office development, including a central visitors’ centre, a mini supermarket, chemist, travel shop and hopefully a SU store, is also planned for the near future.

Other campus developments include the re-housing of existing societies and facilities. Vanbrugh X block will soon be home to the SU

Proposed Alcuin Extension

Bookmart, the campus newspapers, television and radio as well as office space for other societies and SU facilities.

Blackwell’s bookshop will also be moving to create space for a new humanities research library as an extension to the existing J B Morrell.

Glen Dewsbury added: “We are aiming to provide up-to-date academic research facilities and modern residential accommodation which are as good as anywhere in the country at rents which are appreciably lower.”

Wesley Johnson

A Night to Remember A RECORD attendance of 1,200 people celebrated their graduation at this year’s revamped Graduation Ball.

For the first time ever graduating students had their leaving celebration off-campus at the Elvington Air Base.

The line-up boasted names with whom many students will be familiar: Terrorvision and the Bootleg Beatles played to a a packed out aircraft hanger, while Mark Lamaar and Richard Morton entertained students in a fully seated marquee.

Aidhean Campbell, Deputy President Services described the event as “A big departure from past graduation balls and a huge step forward” What’s more, the 1,200 third-years who attended each having paid £45 for their tickets - enjoyed the benefits of York’s first ever 6am licence.

Individual problems did arise nevertheless: one student was arrested for violent conduct, while another was taken to hospital after collapsing from a “combination of drink and exhaustion.”

There was also disappointment when it emerged that the “survivors breakfast”was not included in the ticket price.

Graduates enjoying the big name line-up The organisers also ran into problems in supplying a sufficient number of buses to ferry the party-goers back to the University. A situation which saw some of the more adventurous set-off cross country on a threemile trek back to campus.

However, both police, environment officers and the owners of the air base have praised the friendliness and good-conduct of all involved. The latter thanked York Student Union for what they described as “one of the best-organised events we have ever hosted.”

Although figures are yet to be officially confirmed, it is estimated that a £1000 profit is to be made on the £75 000 invested in the event. This profit will go

straight into the fund for next year’s Grad Ball.

Meanwhile the verdict of those who attended has been overwhelmingly positive.

Some however, such as politics student Neville Dean, did admit that a more intimate atmosphere would have been preferable for saying their good-byes to friends.

Last year’s DPS and chief organiser of the event Jon Lee, though, felt the event “fantastic” and “of the sort of quality any Grad Ball should be”.

Similarly departing History student Jayne Sharratt described the Ball as “something I’d tell my grandchildren about”.

Gareth Walker

10th October, 1999 Issue 113

York Student Vision NEWS 3

AUT Strikes Again THE ASSOCIATION of University Teachers (AUT) took further action over the summer following their strikes last term.

Last term’s “Action Short of Strike” took place in June disrupting the examination process. As the action was ineffective in achieving an offer acceptable to the AUT, it was necessary to escalate activity.

As V ision reported last issue, the AUT feels they are due a more substantial pay increase.

Their next step was to disrupt the admissions process on A-level results day.

However, most universities reported little disruption by the boycott.

Cornie Cullen speaking on behalf of the University of York Admissions told V ision , “ The strike made no difference to us whatsoever” The result of the action led to negotiations with the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) but an agreement is yet to be reached.

Helen Limbrick

MAD AS A HACKER M A L I C I O U S HACKERS targeted the university’s network system over the summer.

Computing Services told V ision that the individual student had not been greatly affected, but some email accounts have been suspended provisionally due to their security being compromised.

Mike Jinks, Head of Computing Services, said: “There was no actual damage done, apart from the fact that some departmental systems need rebuilding, which took up valuable time, time that could have been spent on research. It’s an inconvenience and something universities don’t want to be involved in.”

The hackers are not thought to be amateurs: “This clearly wasn’t your casual student hacker, it was a very sophisticated attack.

“They were very well organised and covered their tracks. We don’t believe they were after student data, but the university’s reputation is still at stake here.”

Mr Jinks explained that Computing Services had detected the attack during a

By Linus Koenig

K C

A H

routine check of the incoming data flow in late August.

It is thought that the target of the attack was the university’s high speed network and its advanced facilities.

Mr Jinks added: “We were probably not targeted as a university as such. They particularly wanted to get hold of Unix and Solaris systems.”

York did not appear to be the only institution involved.

RAG-ing Glory ANGE DAVISON, the new RAG president, faces a tough job following in the footsteps of her predecessor Vita Stott who raised over £50,000 for charity in the last academic year.

RAG, one of the main fund-raising organisations on campus, raised exactly £52,250 last year. This total beat the record £46,000 of two years ago.

One event which stood out in particular was the RAG Paris Hitch which raised nearly £3000 for Children in Need.

Other events presided by Stott included the Dublin hitch, parachute jump and the annual carnival in York during the Spring term.

The all-day music festival, Woodstock, held at Vanbrugh bowl, also raised over £2,000.

Vita put the success down to “a lot of hard work”. She added “There were loads of really motivated first years this year. The committee was mainly made up of third years but the first years stepped up and really chipped in.”

Ange Davison who has taken over from Vita’s posi-

D E

Other universities are also believed to have been targeted.

As for the actual source of the attack, he speculated: “It was definitely from outside the University, most likely outside the country, probably from the USA.” “This seems to be a stagepost for something bigger.

Someone tries to flood the network to cause maximum chaos for as many people as possible.”

The CERT (Computer Emergency Response Team), co-ordinates any further action on a national level to trace the culprits.

The incident, which took place during daytime, appears to have been highly automated, with the people responsible being able to hide their identity efficiently.

On an internal level, the computing services have alerted the departments involved and taken “appropriate steps” to ensure the security of the campus network in future.

One third year PPE student whose account was suspended, said: “At first it was annoying not to be able to use the computers, but it’s better than having my account hacked into.”

Mr Jinks explained, that student hackers are quite a common occurrence. In most cases Computing Services deal with it efficiently and no further damage is done.

But this case proved to be far more concerning.

All users are advised to change their password immediately, and contact Computers Services if any-

DIESEL SPILL Wesley Johnson reports on what could have been an environmental disaster

YORK FIRE brigade were involved in an operation to save campus wildlife in the summer after a delivery vehicle’s fuel tank spilled into the lake.

Ange Davison: Hoping to carry on RAG’s success tion said “Vita has done a fantastic job. It will be hard to top her but I will try my hardest.”

She has big plans for RAG this year including a possible millennium march depending on Lottery funding.

She also aims to improve events generally with attractions such as charity stalls and bungee runs in order to increase profits for RAG. She told V ision , “It is difficult as there are no experienced collectors anymore, recruitment will be top of my priority list with

York Student Vision

the freshers” However, with RAG’s new patrons Anthea Turner, Gary Linekar, Lloyd Grossman, Robert Kilroy Silke and Lesley Joseph the future of RAG is looking bright nationwide.

York’s strong ranking should see prominent personalities in the world of entertainment visiting York this academic year.

This term’s events start off with the RAG Bash on Friday week two and the Mega Raid in week three.

Helen Limbrick

imal. Although two birds had to be cleaned by the RSPCA, they have since been returned to the area.

No fish were killed in the incident, which occurred on 27th August.

Mr Tideswell said: “We didn’t know that the pipe The lorry was negotiat- leading into the lake was ing a road corner between connected to the road gullies the JB Morrell Library and – the university believed it Alcuin College when it hit a was for the area’s land low wall. The safety valve drains only.”

He added: on its fuel tank “The spillage “There is a became diswas caused by a lodged and diechance it will driving incident which could not sel flowed onto happen again” have been forethe road. seen. But we are Gary Tideswell, G a r y Tideswell, the Director of Safety now concerned as to whether U n i v e r s i t y ’s there are other Director of Health and Safety, told potential risks to the lake V ision that as the diesel fuel and are looking into changleaked into the road gully, ing the sources of the pipes York Fire Brigade and the in the future.

University’s Estates Service “Until then though, there put down absorbent material is a chance it will happen in an attempt to stop the again.”

The total cost of the cleanspillage from spreading.

An afternoon security up operation will not be patrol later discovered die- known until the fire brigade sel running into the section (who had to be called out of the lake between Langwith twice) and the Environment Agency have charged the College and Spring Lane.

With the affected area University. The latter also sectioned off, the spillage wants a report on the inciwas contained and the effect dent. on campus wildlife was min-

10th October, 1999 Issue 113

4 NEWS York Student Vision

York Arts ARRESTING MATTERS Denied Venue

Y O R K A RT S C e n t re has gone into liquidation following numerous financial difficulties over the last year.

St. John’s Church (the venue, owned by the University) was leased to the Arts Centre forum.

its £12,500 grant, but still failed to make a profit.

A Council spokesman said: “It simply wasn’t making any money. We had to stop the venue from trading otherwise the trustees, would be liable for any debt. “It’s a loss to the city, but we have had several

The former Arts Centre The theme nights covered every taste in music from drum ‘n’ bass to indie.

Even small theatre groups had an opportunity to stage their work in town at reduced costs.

It was one of the few venues in the city that was run and owned by its members, the trustees.

York City Council had given the Centre £20,000 a year to survive up until two years ago. This year it had already received a slice of

offers from outside investors to transform the Centre,” confirmed the spokesman.

Kathy Kristopherson, from the Properties and Space Department at the University, said: “We own the St John’s site, but at present the building is in the hands of somebody else.”

Although there are no definite plans for the venue at the moment, rumours suggest that Richard Branson has shown an interest in developing the site.

Ryan Sabey

leave when he did not comply. He refused and security staff escorted him from the premises.

Although he was asked repeatedly to go home, Johns ignored the security staff ’s requests and tore down sev Julian M Gill, who eral sections of fencing in an assaulted SU doorstaff and attempt to re-enter the event. resisted arrest at the Eventually the police were “Herbaliser” event in called.

Vanbrugh was recently sen He was arrested and tenced to two month impristaken to Fulford Road Police onment.

Station where he was offered Gill, who at the time was a caution which he refused. in his final year of psychol On 20th August no plea ogy, asked doorstaff if he was entered at York could enter the event to find Magistrates and sentencing a friend. He was accompahas been adjourned until nied into the event to find 15th October.

19th July. his colleague.

Speaking on behalf of However, it soon became On arrival at the court, the SU Aidhean Campbell apparent that the friend in the witnesses were informed said that they were “sadquestion was not present. On that in the light of the evi- dened by recent incidents at being asked to leave, Gill dence against Gill, he had events” but stressed “we became violent punching the pleaded guilty to the charges will not risk the safety of door supervisor twice in the brought against him. our staff or students, by testicles and attempting to He was later sentenced to allowing a potentially dana two month’s jail term with gerous situation to escalate.” kick him.

G i l l He added, refused to “We will not risk the safety of our “There were leave a n d staff or students by allowing a poten- approximateinsisted that ly 300 events the police tially dangerous situation to escalate” run by stuwere called.

Aidhean Campbell dents in the Once police Deputy President Services last year, and were on the trouble was scene he encountered at only two of became more abusive and no fine. them…the Union strives to assaulted two officers who Jason Johns, a maths provide a safe and fun were forced to call for rein- graduate, faces a fine from atmosphere at events for all forcements. Four officers York Magistrates after his of its members and will conwere required to make the behaviour at the recent Grad tinue to do so.”

Ball. arrest.

Several witnesses were Mr Johns was asked by called to the sixth hearing at security at the event to calm Helen Limbrick York Magistrates Court on down and then asked to

TWO FORMER York Students have been arrested in connection with disturbances at two separate Student Union events.

Careers Centre Improves Service

RED MOLE’S UNI POLL VISION TAKES a look at how York University f a i re d against other universities in an alternative survey conducted

by Red Mole.

Over 7000 undergradu-

ates from more than 100 UK universities voted in Red M o l e ’s Alternative University Ratings 1998-9.

Overall, taking into all the categories such as teaching, facilities, the Students’ Union, attractiveness of males and females, York came 27th out of 109. 96% of York students who voted

Student Newspapers: 1st 2nd 3rd

Preston Loughborough Bradford

6th

York

said they would still have come to York knowing what they know now.

Last academic year ’s winners Durham finished a disappointing 29th and this year saw Dundee top the league table. They were followed closely by the University of Central Lancashire in second place and Liverpool in third.

For the accommodation category St Andrews University in Scotland came first, with Oxford second and University of Central Lancashire third. York came a mediocre 26th place.

As for the quality of fresher ’s week, Dundee topped the table once again, followed by Loughborough and then Lancaster.

Unfortunately, York’s freshers’ week wasn’t even in the top hundred!

For the pullability category, Lancaster came top for their males, Dundee in second place and London came third. York came a measly 48th. As for females York

York Student Vision

Teaching: 1st 2nd 3rd

York Aberystwyth Oxford

rated slightly higher, coming in at 32nd. Dundee was top again, Lancaster second and the University of Central Lancashire came third.

So it seems Dundee is the place to be if you want to go on the pull in Fresher’s week, Leeds for a decent night out and St. Andrews for a nice room but then York is tops for teaching and that’s what counts......... isn’t it?

To view the full results you can visit the Red Mole Website at http://www.redmole.co.uk

H.L

The Careers Service at the University of York has launched a one-stop job shop for students which commences when term starts on 11 October.

The service is called 'UniJobs' and will advertise part-time jobs both on and off campus for York students as well as liaising with employers all over York.

The unit is Universityfunded and therefore free to both employers and students.

Staff at UniJobs will help students find jobs (anything from 1 hour to 15 hours a week) in a huge variety of companies in the York area.

Claire Rees, Director of the University's Careers Service, said, "We are delighted to offer this service, which will help both the local community and our students.

It is yet another way in which the University can

help prepare students for the world of work."

"UniJobs wants to hear from employers who need flexible, intelligent, parttime staff," said UniJobs manager Eleanor Sharp."There are no advertising or recruitment costs."

One third year student felt the service was well over due, “It’s a great improvement on the temporary jobs board which was hidden away in the foyer” “Part-time jobs for students are going to be more in demand now that grants have been abolished and tuition fees have been introduced” UniJobs will be open during term-time. Employers and students can contact Eleanor Sharp on telephone 01904 432687 or by email on unijobs@york.ac.uk

Helen Limbrick

10th October, 1999 Issue 113

York Student Vision NEWS 5

Vision Comment York Student

University Undermines Student Democracy ARMED FORCES will be present on campus throughout freshers week, despite a UGM motion declaring that students did not want them here. Their policy of discrimination is clearly a controversial issue for students and the University alike.

Whilst it’s clear that the LGB’s stance is against the army, the university has ignored the voice of the students.

With the recent European ruling, it looks as though the situation will improve in the future, but there is still a long way to go.

We are here to help students publicise their views and express their feelings, whilst keeping you up to date on the issues central to student life.

LOOK OUT for us throughout the week to become part of the team that takes York Student Vision into the next millennium.

The Vision Team

AS GOOD AS IT GETS Claire New goes behind the scenes of York’s new look Student cinema.

STUDENTS WILL be able to watch films in comfort without even leaving campus after the complete refurbishment of P/X001.

The lecture theatre and student cinema has been transformed from an ageing obsolescent lecture room into the University’s flagship audio and visual hall.

Not only have the outdated furnishings been replaced with contemporary decor, the new facilities and equipment also provide York Student Cinema with a state of the art venue.

Nadine Bullock, Chairperson of York Student Cinema, is proud of the result.

“In addition to touch screen control and state of the art lighting, they’ve also refitted the hall with very comfy new seats.

“YSC has also installed a ‘Dolby Digital’ sound system, providing far better sound quality than before”.

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The newly refurbished P/X001

Alain De Braekeleer, a third year Wentworth student said: “I think it’s great that the university is eventually dragging campus into the nineties.

“It’ll make you feel like you’re sitting in a real cinema, rather than a lecture hall.”

Glen Dewsbury, student liaison officer for the university, said: “Whilst modernising the academic facilities was the main stimulus

behind the work, the aesthetic and accoustic environment has been greatly enhanced” This term, YSC is christening it’s new venue with a free showing of The Mummy in Week 0.

Other showings include Double Oscar Week with Shakespeare in Love and Life is Beautiful, as well as Entrapment, The Matrix, and 10 Things I Hate About You.

Letters To The Editor Send to: Vision Wentworth College or e-mail socs18

What’s bugging YOU

?

Dear Editor,

Dear Editor,

In the last edition you claimed that: “LGB Committee...for the first time in SU history will be a body other than a UGM to make cross-campus policy on issues that concern its members.” I think this needs a little clarification.

The LGB Committee will indeed have the power, along with campus LGB students, to elect delegates to conferences, co-ordinate campaigns and create a forum for debate and discussion.

The Committee will not, however, have the power to create Union policy nor to overturn decisions made at UGMs - motions and policies will still need to be put to the UGM. Indeed, motions will be drafted through the committee and proposed by it, but the UGM will and always should remain the sovereign body for this Union.

LGB committee seeks to allow LGB students a secure, safe environment in which to address society’s problems, whilst encouraging ALL students, regardless of their sexuality, to support and fight the battle for equality.

I am writing to express my disappointment at the library facilities over the summer holidays.

As an English student I was required to research and write three essays for my degree over the holidays and planned to use the university’s library facilities after finishing work at 5pm in town.

Unfortunately, the library shut at 5pm most days!

Whilst I appreciate that it makes sense for the opening hours to be shorter during the holidays, I really think that this could have been thought through a bit more thoroughly, to enable students like myself to use the facilities.

For the library to shut after working hours was annoying, but for it also to be closed on several weekends seemed ludicrous to me - how was anybody with a 9-5 job (which I needed to fund my term) supposed to use the library?

Students need to be able to use the library’s facilities over the holidays, but because of its opening hours, that wasn’t possible.

Surely that can’t be acceptable?

Yours faithfully,

Yours faithfully,

Brendon Fletcher LGB Officer (socs274)

Annoyed Second Year Goodricke College

10th October, 1999 Issue 113

6 ADVERT York Student Vision

Ikon & Diva

Cheese and Crackers

York Student Vision

10th October, 1999 Issue 113

York Student Vision

York Student

FEATURES

Vision

Freshers Pull Out

9

ENTS PLANNER

PUB GUIDE

SU PRESIDENT’s WELCOME

CARRY ON CAMPUS

FINANCE GUIDE

FRESHERS DIARY

By Barbara Stainer

A Likely Lad

Greg Dyke smiles as we talk about his appointment as the BBC’s next Director General: “If you’re in the TV and radio business,” he says, “there’s no better job” SITTING IN the sun after a lunch to celebrate his honorary doctorate he seems a man very much content with life, but combined with this understandable satisfaction is a steely business sense.

He announces he must leave tonight after the reception to be back for an important meeting tomorrow.

Dyke’s resolve to work is something that has stayed with him since his university days, “I was always

York Student Vision

ambitious. I put a lot into University and I got a lot out. I think I was more inclined to because I’d given up a secure job to come to York.”

He acknowledges too that he now faces a tough challenge leading the BBC into the new millennium. “I know it will be an interesting challenge, I think the corporation is quite well positioned for the future but the changes in the next decade will be enormous. Technology is

moving so quickly and we will have to adapt as an organisation to make sure we benefit from it. Just think ten years ago no one knew about the Internet.”

On the other hand he feels that the BBC is incredibly lucky: “Why is it the best?” he says, “Because it has £2 billion a year to spend on programmes that don’t have to be a commercial success. The BBC can sit down and make a very serious

10th October, 1999 Issue 113

10

York Student Vision

FRESHERS PULL OUT

Beeb Boss Returns

continued from p.9 programme about the British economy, we can do anything. It’s my job to create an atmosphere where other people feel free to follow their passion and beliefs.”

Greg talks passionately about TV and reportedly watches vast amounts of it. “My favourite TV programme is “What ever happened to the likely lads?” It was about two working class lads from Newcastle.

One of them married Thelma, an aspiring middle class girl. Terry, the other one, stayed a drinking yob. The reason it was so good is because everyone watching it thought they were still like Terry © Pearson Television but in fact they had all married Thelma and had a fondue set under the stairs.”

He even flew out to America to try to persuade the writers to do a new series featuring Thelma’s kids at university.

Although Greg tells me he has little spare time from business and family duties, he does try to follow

the fortunes of Manchester United of which he is a director, whenever he gets a chance.

Dyke who came to York aged 24 never lived on campus but was always very much involved in university life as a writer for Nouse, a member of University Radio York and as External Vice President of the Students’ Union.

Looking back on his life he says that the two turning points were his appointment at London Weekend Television and his time at York.

“They were both such exciting times. When I arrived at York I was a pot journo and there I was beginning to understand academic life.”

Twenty years on Greg has returned to York on several occasions, most recently as guest speaker at the University’s 35th anniversary dinner.

Amanda Crook

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Words from Woolnough

It’s a new academic year and with that, as always, come a new sabbatical team (cheesy I know, but bear with me).

We’ve all been working hard over the summer months, firstly trying to work out how to do the jobs we were all elected to do all those months ago in the Spring and then preparing for Freshers’ week, our first university term in office and, of course, the arrival of all you lovely people.

1999-2000 promises to be an eventful year for the Students’ Union (and that’s you, the stud e n t s ) .

Campaigns wise, there are lots of things to be planned that you can get involved in. One of our priorities this year will be to continue the

is that, although we all have our own ideas about what we should be campaigning for (not least myself), it’s not up to us to make the decisions and what’s more, we’re not going to – it’s up to you to let us know what you want us to be doing for you…hmm, I feel a plug for the first Union General Meeting of the year coming on (it’s on Tuesday week two, in Vanbrugh and it’s vitally important that we pass the budget otherwise the Union won’t be able to function properly, so please come along).

Remember, we’re all here to work for you, so take advantage (in whatever way you please…) and work us into the ground!

I hope that that’s given you a bit of an idea of what the Students’ Union is going to be like over the next year. All I want to say now is

“We’re all here to work for you, so take advantage (in whatever way you please…) and work us into the ground!” campaign to protect and, where needed, extend the portering service, for both on and off campus residences.

We will also be looking into starting a campaign to improve the catering facilities on campus, so if you’ve got any ideas on how that could be done, get involved! We are also hoping to take a load of you down to a national demonstration against student hardship, organised by the National Union of Students (NUS), which is taking place in London, provisionally on November 25th.

Something that the sabbatical team will be focussing on this year

that having spent three solid months in the office, with no company other than my fellow sabbaticals, I’m more than ready for a break and a change of company! So please drop in to the office and say hi, if only for the sake of the sanity of your President!

Helen Woolnough, SU President

Wanted!

Writers and photographers needed for news, features, politics, sports, arts, films and music.

Technicians, webmaster and artists also wanted to help with production

Last year Vision interviewed top names on the world stage from Garbage to Lee Hurst.

If you would like the opportunity to interview such celebrities we’ll see you soon!

Vision York

Join us at: Freshers Fair AU Mart

Tel: 01904 433720 / vision@york.ac.uk

York Student Vision

10th October, 1999 Issue 113

10

York Student Vision

FRESHERS PULL OUT

Beeb Boss Returns

continued from p.9 programme about the British economy, we can do anything. It’s my job to create an atmosphere where other people feel free to follow their passion and beliefs.”

Greg talks passionately about TV and reportedly watches vast amounts of it. “My favourite TV programme is “What ever happened to the likely lads?” It was about two working class lads from Newcastle.

One of them married Thelma, an aspiring middle class girl. Terry, the other one, stayed a drinking yob. The reason it was so good is because everyone watching it thought they were still like Terry © Pearson Television but in fact they had all married Thelma and had a fondue set under the stairs.”

He even flew out to America to try to persuade the writers to do a new series featuring Thelma’s kids at university.

Although Greg tells me he has little spare time from business and family duties, he does try to follow

the fortunes of Manchester United of which he is a director, whenever he gets a chance.

Dyke who came to York aged 24 never lived on campus but was always very much involved in university life as a writer for Nouse, a member of University Radio York and as External Vice President of the Students’ Union.

Looking back on his life he says that the two turning points were his appointment at London Weekend Television and his time at York.

“They were both such exciting times. When I arrived at York I was a pot journo and there I was beginning to understand academic life.”

Twenty years on Greg has returned to York on several occasions, most recently as guest speaker at the University’s 35th anniversary dinner.

Amanda Crook

Win a Railcard

FIVE RAILCARDS TO GIVE AWAY - DON’T MISS OUT ON THE CHANCE TO SAVE £££s

The Young Persons Railcard offers one third off all standard rail fares and is available to anyone aged 16 to 25 and to all students.

Retailing at £18 for a whole year, the railcard is available at NYS Travel or York railway station.

In addition to the ticket discounts, card holders receive numerous money-saving vouchers.

To win a free oneyear railcard answer the following question on the coupon below and return it to Vision through internal mail or via email at socs18.

Question: What discount does a Young Persons Railcard get you on standard fares?

Answer: ................

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Words from Woolnough

It’s a new academic year and with that, as always, come a new sabbatical team (cheesy I know, but bear with me).

We’ve all been working hard over the summer months, firstly trying to work out how to do the jobs we were all elected to do all those months ago in the Spring and then preparing for Freshers’ week, our first university term in office and, of course, the arrival of all you lovely people.

1999-2000 promises to be an eventful year for the Students’ Union (and that’s you, the stud e n t s ) .

Campaigns wise, there are lots of things to be planned that you can get involved in. One of our priorities this year will be to continue the

is that, although we all have our own ideas about what we should be campaigning for (not least myself), it’s not up to us to make the decisions and what’s more, we’re not going to – it’s up to you to let us know what you want us to be doing for you…hmm, I feel a plug for the first Union General Meeting of the year coming on (it’s on Tuesday week two, in Vanbrugh and it’s vitally important that we pass the budget otherwise the Union won’t be able to function properly, so please come along).

Remember, we’re all here to work for you, so take advantage (in whatever way you please…) and work us into the ground!

I hope that that’s given you a bit of an idea of what the Students’ Union is going to be like over the next year. All I want to say now is

“We’re all here to work for you, so take advantage (in whatever way you please…) and work us into the ground!” campaign to protect and, where needed, extend the portering service, for both on and off campus residences.

We will also be looking into starting a campaign to improve the catering facilities on campus, so if you’ve got any ideas on how that could be done, get involved! We are also hoping to take a load of you down to a national demonstration against student hardship, organised by the National Union of Students (NUS), which is taking place in London, provisionally on November 25th.

Something that the sabbatical team will be focussing on this year

that having spent three solid months in the office, with no company other than my fellow sabbaticals, I’m more than ready for a break and a change of company! So please drop in to the office and say hi, if only for the sake of the sanity of your President!

Helen Woolnough, SU President

Wanted!

Writers and photographers needed for news, features, politics, sports, arts, films and music.

Technicians, webmaster and artists also wanted to help with production

Last year Vision interviewed top names on the world stage from Garbage to Lee Hurst.

If you would like the opportunity to interview such celebrities we’ll see you soon!

Vision York

Join us at: Freshers Fair AU Mart

Tel: 01904 433720 / vision@york.ac.uk

York Student Vision

10th October, 1999 Issue 113

Campus Coun Monday

Tuesday

Langwith party @ Henry J.Beans James’ bonding night at the Bonding Warehouse

STYC meeting & bar quiz

STYC meeting, bar quiz & then the Gallery Crawl, fall & be merry themed pub crawl Freshers’ supper & band (TBA)

STYC meeting

Provost talk

Micklegate run to Toffs

Welcome meeting in bar

Campus bar crawl

Town pub crawl

Provost talk & STYC meeting Karaoke onto Ikon/Diva

Music & games in The Bar

Sunday

Langwith James Derwent Goodricke Alcuin Vanbrugh Wentworth SU/AU etc.

Provost talk & late licence Knowing me, knowing you disco in Central Hall

York bar crawl

A fun filled week of hair raising wacky Wentworth an

Sunday Week Three Week Four Week Five Week Six Week Seven Week Eight

Diary of a Fresher Past

SUNDAY

Week Nine

18

24

Tuesday 19

20

25

26

27

31

01 Nov

02

03

07

08

09

10

16 15 Market Day - Central Hall 23 22

17

14 21

RAG Week

Unity Week Pride Week

UGM - Vanbrugh

24

30

01 D

06

07

08

13

14

15

28

29

05 12

As if being up at 8am wasn’t cause enough to be upset, my nearest and dearest now sits 200 miles south the cat, the telly and the fridge. My life feels empty, as does my stomach - I’ve thoroughly gone through Ainsleys’ ‘Meals in Minutes’ and there’s no mention of how to cook with one fat-encrusted grill and two temperamental hobs.

I’m more troubled by the fact that they chose not to work together, making even beans on toast near impossible.

O.K., so the kitchen has issues.

Mental note, ask Gran for her meals on wheels number.

Vision Freshers Meeting

Market Day - Vanbrugh

After my first night in the whitewashed cell that is now to be my home, I’m ready for the exciting daily tasks of NUS card, medical enrolment and book buying.

However, the gaggle of hissing geese outside my window unnerves me, Hitchcock had to have inspiration from somewhere, right? So instead I opt for whacking on the kettle and whipping out the chocolate digestives...makes friends like a charm. But the bitch downstairs upstages me - a bottle of white and a box of celebrations. I swallow my pride...then some of her wine.

TUESDAY

Week Two

17 Oct

MONDAY

Week One

Monday

Woke up once more at an ungodly hour, due to repetitive and loud banging at my door. I stumbled outside, expecting one of those drunkards from downstairs to have taken a wrong turn.

Instead I was welcomed by the cleaner - cigarrette in one hand, clean sheets in the other.

After a few incomprehensible sentences, I smiled politely and retreated back to bed, trying desperately to recall any lingo from ‘The Full Monty’ which may help improve communications in the future.

Campus Coun Monday

Tuesday

Langwith party @ Henry J.Beans James’ bonding night at the Bonding Warehouse

STYC meeting & bar quiz

STYC meeting, bar quiz & then the Gallery Crawl, fall & be merry themed pub crawl Freshers’ supper & band (TBA)

STYC meeting

Provost talk

Micklegate run to Toffs

Welcome meeting in bar

Campus bar crawl

Town pub crawl

Provost talk & STYC meeting Karaoke onto Ikon/Diva

Music & games in The Bar

Sunday

Langwith James Derwent Goodricke Alcuin Vanbrugh Wentworth SU/AU etc.

Provost talk & late licence Knowing me, knowing you disco in Central Hall

York bar crawl

A fun filled week of hair raising wacky Wentworth an

Sunday Week Three Week Four Week Five Week Six Week Seven Week Eight

Diary of a Fresher Past

SUNDAY

Week Nine

18

24

Tuesday 19

20

25

26

27

31

01 Nov

02

03

07

08

09

10

16 15 Market Day - Central Hall 23 22

17

14 21

RAG Week

Unity Week Pride Week

UGM - Vanbrugh

24

30

01 D

06

07

08

13

14

15

28

29

05 12

As if being up at 8am wasn’t cause enough to be upset, my nearest and dearest now sits 200 miles south the cat, the telly and the fridge. My life feels empty, as does my stomach - I’ve thoroughly gone through Ainsleys’ ‘Meals in Minutes’ and there’s no mention of how to cook with one fat-encrusted grill and two temperamental hobs.

I’m more troubled by the fact that they chose not to work together, making even beans on toast near impossible.

O.K., so the kitchen has issues.

Mental note, ask Gran for her meals on wheels number.

Vision Freshers Meeting

Market Day - Vanbrugh

After my first night in the whitewashed cell that is now to be my home, I’m ready for the exciting daily tasks of NUS card, medical enrolment and book buying.

However, the gaggle of hissing geese outside my window unnerves me, Hitchcock had to have inspiration from somewhere, right? So instead I opt for whacking on the kettle and whipping out the chocolate digestives...makes friends like a charm. But the bitch downstairs upstages me - a bottle of white and a box of celebrations. I swallow my pride...then some of her wine.

TUESDAY

Week Two

17 Oct

MONDAY

Week One

Monday

Woke up once more at an ungodly hour, due to repetitive and loud banging at my door. I stumbled outside, expecting one of those drunkards from downstairs to have taken a wrong turn.

Instead I was welcomed by the cleaner - cigarrette in one hand, clean sheets in the other.

After a few incomprehensible sentences, I smiled politely and retreated back to bed, trying desperately to recall any lingo from ‘The Full Monty’ which may help improve communications in the future.

14

FRESHERS PULL OUT

York Student Vision

Best Boozers

YES IT’S true, York does only have four clubs. But don’t despair, it’s a city with a staggering 365 pubs; a pint a night at a different venue for a whole year ensures you can escape the monotony of campus bars.

So whether you are a fresher or a

world-weary third year who just wants a change of scene, Vision has put together the ultimate guide to some of the city’s most popular public houses.

A popular bar in the centre of town which is well worth a visit. Hidden underground, which can make you feel a bit like a hobbit, you must be careful when negotiating the steps and slopes on a rainy day.

This place is full of character, with a great setting and interior, plus an interesting ceiling.

It serves a wide selection of wines and novelty beers although you may find that for this privilege you have to pay slightly over the odds.

The Charles XII

The Lowther

Positioned between campus and Heslington, if you have not discovered the ‘Charles’ yet, it won’t be long before you do. The most popular pub in York with students, and the second busiest Bass pub in England in 1998, it often becomes very crowded. This is of course essential should you want to participate in any mingling with fellow students.

There is a great atmosphere and it’s renowned for its food. Good size beer garden in which to spend those long lazy days after exam period getting slowly but surely drunk.

Also the Toffs bus leaves from just outside every Tuesday.

A short stumble from The Gallery nightclub, the steep descent from Clifford’s Street can be hazardous in heels.

With a scenic view of the river, this is very popular with students.

Nearly always friendly and bustling, also features a barman who’s the doppelganger of Ronan Keating.

Popular for its specials through the week, the doubles have been known to end many an evening prematurely. But be warned that the Lowther tends to ask for I.D from the younger looking members of the Uni, especially at weekends.

The Hansom Cab

The Charles XII

The Rose & Crown Positioned on Lawrence Street, a convenient stumble between campus and town, the Rose and Crown (whose staff is dominated by students) is popular for Yorkies both past and present.

Due to its large screen football and wide range of drinks, it is a favourite amongst those brave enough to venture away from Heslington, although it still tends to be dominated by the elder statesmen of the University.

Certainly the best of the four pubs on Lawrence Street, it also boasts a delicious food menu, something which can be taken advantage of in those ‘study breaks’ on an autumnal afternoon. Busy in the evenings and peaceful during the day, the Rose and Crown offers the ideal escape from campus (for a couple of hours at least).

Ye Olde Starre Inn

Lendal Cellars

Bang in the centre of the city centre, this is a pub of many faces, full of tourists in the afternoon and easily mistakable for a college bar on a Toffs/Gallery night.

With cheap bitter (Sam Smiths, of course) and D Pils for £1.89 there is a remarkable student presence for a non-student pub.

Although the interior is perhaps a little old-fashioned, it’s cosy and has the necessary elements (TV, jukebox, quiz machine etc.) to be very busy all day. It is run by Neil who surveys his domain through a haze of pipe smoke, and is proud of his excellent quiz nights.

The Seahorse Hotel A small detour from the direct route into town will take you this traditional bar. A popular, friendly alternative to being bored on a Saturday afternoon, it offers a well priced pool table and has been known to save you from the terror of the jukebox by leaving the radio on in the afternoons.

The popular student tipples of Sam Smiths and Ayingerbrau D Pils are on tap at very reasonable prices, conveniently positioned next to the Barbican for those taking that route into town.

York Student Vision

Look out for the special offers on selected drinks, but be prepared to queue amongst tourists and townies to get to the bar.

Lendal Cellars

Hidden away along the cobbled street of Stonegate, its ancient name reflects the historical setting.

It has a pleasant beer garden (when the weather’s fine) but avoid the dripping hanging baskets. The food is good value with a menu to meet most tastes, popular with students and locals.

Regular showings of major sporting fixtures on TV, but it is possible to escape the crowd in one of the snugs. A convenient place to rest those weary legs, providing you are willing to fight your way to the bar through hoards of German tourists and Ripon students.

We l c o m e t o S t u d e n t L i fe ! with York Student

Vision You are now embarking on the best days of your lives! You may think you have loads of work to do, but once it’s over you’ll realise how good you have it now – no parents around, only about 15 hours of uni a week, loads of cheap partying to do, and best of all, no repercussions if you happen to sleep through a lecture!

Well with V ision and M&M’s your life could be even better! We have teamed up with M&M’s to give 5 lucky winners a year’s supply to share with your newly found harem of best mates, or be anti-social and scoff the lot yourself!

Simply answer the easy question at the bottom, send your answer in to the address below, and Robert’s your father’s brother – you could find yourself the proud owner of 365 packets of M&M’s, chocolate or peanut, and an unlimited supply of friends to follow!

V ision and M&M’s Competition Entry Form Simply answer the questions below and send your form to V ision , c/o Wentworth Porters to arrive by October 20th. The first five entries drawn at random after that date will each win a year’s supply of M&M’s.

Name the two flavours of M&M’s?

If a winner, which flavour would you prefer, or would you like a mixture?

Name: College: Email: york.ac.uk Tel No:

@

The Editor’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Winners names will be published in V ision .

10th October, 1999 Issue 113

York Student Vision TELESCOPE 15

THE BARD IS BACK

He's the best writer ever, but Shakespeare has never faced the press. Well that changes here and now, with Vision's definitive interview. The comedy and the tragedy - Alex Watson uncovers it all…

V: WHY DID you never write sequels to your best plays?

WS : It’s difficult with a tragedy, as usually, by the end, pretty much everyone’s dead. They wanted Romeo and Juliet 2, but it was scrapped because the studio had a hard time working Di Caprio into it. But I wasn’t prepared to sacrifice my creative integrity by reviving Romeo.

That and Di Caprio was rubbish and looks like a girl.

V : Wasn’t it hard coming up with new names and stories?

WS : Plots are easy to come by.

Usually in stuff by other writers.

Preferably ones from Italy, as not a lot of the proles have heard of them.

V : Ever have a problem with censors? Some of your plays are quite violent...

WS : Titus Andronicus raised a few eyebrows, but it was more of a case of being careful who got killed.

Frenchmen were best. You had to show the consequences. It had to be necessary. You couldn’t just kill people cruelly for the sake of it.

V : What about that bit in Lear where someone’s eyes are pulled out?

WS : The consequences are obvious.

Everyone ends up dead.

V : Wasn’t working with historical fact difficult?

WS : There’s fact, and then there’s what the guy who owns the whole of England wants to hear. In any story you’re going to need a bad guy – so it was easy to blame Richard the Third. The confusing thing was the names. They’re all called Henry,

Richard or Edward. The Americans found it problematic. (Everyone wants to know where the Richard prequels are).

V : Why aren’t your comedies funny?

WS : That’s a bit harsh. I’d like to see you try political satire in a dictatorship. Let’s talk about my new play.

V : A new play?

WS : Yes, the new one is part of my plan to become an integral part of culture. Like The Beatles.

It’s worked so far.

Have you noticed I’m on every school syllabus?And officially the “Best Writer Ever” ™?

V : Yeah, I know.

WS : Since I’m dead, I haven’t written anything in a while, so like that ‘Crow’ film, it’s made up of previous segments, plots, and characters. We used computers to fill in all the gaps.

V: I heard monkeys with typewriters wrote it.

WS : No - although one of the acts was written by my fans on the Internet, each one wrote a sentence.

V : So what’s it like?

WS : Amazing. It’s called ‘The Second Coming’. There’s good rea-

sons for why it took nearly 500 years.

There was a legal battle with my old publishers, and I needed to recharge my creative batteries. It’s set at the gates of heaven and hell. All the dead characters from my plays are there…

V : Even the ones from Titus Andronicus?

WS : No, they couldn’t afford the extras. Lear, Hamlet, they’re all there, and then God and the Devil turn up, along with lots of famous people - Marx, Socrates and Homer.

V : Simpson?

WS : No, 20th century Fox wouldn’t let me use him. I’d obviously like to put him in – such a profound guy.

V : Sounds like it’s not going to have much action?

WS : No, it’s a proper tragedy. It’ll show Tarantino how to do action scenes. The Devil and God pick teams from all these famous people, and then Armageddon ensues.

V : So what’s it all about?

WS : I just told you, Armageddon.

End of the world. Don’t people read the Bible anymore?

V : No, what’s its underlying theme

and message?

WS : Erm… power. Religion. What is man? Freedom. Violence. Death. The meaning of life. Whatever.

V : What about ‘Shakespeare in Love’?

WS : The lawsuit’s in the post. Anne didn’t find the implications of cuckoldry that funny.

V : No-one thinks cuckoldry’s funny.

WS : I’m also writing it up as a courtroom drama, like John Grisham, with lots of eloquent ending speeches. It’s called ‘Shakespeare in Court’.

It’s about how lots of modern love affairs end up in court.

V: So how true to life is it?

WS : Well, I had to alter the facts a bit - the Mafia are in it. Mafia, Miramax. They all wear suits. Besides if I accused Miramax of money laundering via the Cayman islands, I’d get sued.

V : Does Gwyneth Paltrow star?

WS : Not if Anne hath-her-way. Ha ha! (Sorry, blame Joyce for that).

Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson are in it though.

V : You’ve not just stolen the characters of ‘A Few Good Men’, and the plot of ‘The Firm’ have you?

WS : What ever makes you say that?

V: Oh, before you go, what about answering that age old question? Did you write all your plays, or was it Sir Francis Bacon?

WS : Bacon? You must be kidding me. He was an idiot. The Earl of Suffolk wrote all his stuff.

BLACKWELL’S

books books

Book Reviews in association with University Bookshop, University Of York, University Road, Heslington, Heslington, York, Y010 5DU (Tel 01904 432715) Voyage of the Narwhal Gates of Eden Advertisment

by Angela Barrett

by Ethan Coen

books

Flamingo, £16.99 AT THE end of a remarkable book, Barrett includes a short note, which tells the reader that the main characters are fictional.

Indeed, it’s a good thing that Barrett includes this note, because Narwhal’s a book in which nothing is as it seems. It concerns the aging naturalist Erasmus Wells, and the young, idealistic Commander Zeke

“‘Narwhal’ is a stunning book, and reminds the reader of ever ything that’s good about novels” Vorhees, who, in 1855, set sail on the Narwhal to search for lost explorer Franklin in the arctic.

Zeke is heroic, handsome, and adored by all, but it is his idealistic ambition - actually a manic desire to have his name on something, that leads the Narwhal’s voyage perilously close to tragedy.

Zeke cares little for Franklin, or Erasmus’ research, and his desire to push ever northwards, in search of an open polar sea means that instead of a returning as heroes, the rest of the crew are pushed to the limits of physical and emotional endurance.

The prose style is smooth and unintrusive - there are no conscious and presumptuous literary stylings often seen in such ‘literary’ fiction. The writing is a perfect mirror of the cold and mysterious frozen north.

Yet perhaps Barrett’s greatest success is to remind our world weary and ‘seen-it-all’ before generation both of an age in which the world was a much more mysterious place, and in turn, just how much there is left to be discovered in our time, both about our world, and our selves. Alex Watson

York Student Vision

Anchor, £6.99 A RECORD mogul wonders who broke into his home, castrated his dog and left the testicles in his toilet; his ear chewed off in a fight, Victor enters the ‘hearing impaired detection business’; a weights and measures inspector turns violent.

The same twisted imagination which brought us ‘Fargo’ and ‘The Big Lebowski’ lies behind this collection of short stories. Five of the fourteen stories are indeed simply slices of dialogue which could be from any of the Coen brothers’ scripts. They bear the unmistakably characteristic blend of finely sketched characterisation with pitch-perfect dialogue, set against a background in which the mundane and the absurd violently collide: with consequences which are shocking, disturbing and frequently very funny.

However it’s a measure of Coen’s great potential as a writer of prose that the book’s finest moments come

“The same twisted imagination which brought us ‘The Big Lebowski’ lies behind this collection of short stories.” when he leaves behind the whip-sharp dialogue and the knowing twists. In ‘The Boys’, where a weary father contemplates his awkward children, the sense of angry frustration and lonely yearning which runs through all the collection’s stories is rendered all the more poignant and disturbing for not being expressed by the dismemberment of a body.

It’s a measure of this book’s excellence that we should now await Coen’s first novel with the same anticipation as his next feature

Gareth Walker

BLACKWELL’S Book of the month

Passing Exams

Dawn Hamilton PhD There’s more to exam success than just knowing the course.

You need to know to revise correctly, how to manage your time. This book is packed full of original techniques that will help.

BLACKWELL’S PRICE £9.99

10th October, 1999 Issue 113

York Student Vision

THIS IS YORK

J. S. Greenwood’s on-line again...

THE WORLD’S split between those who think the Net contains you’ll ever need to know, and those who think it’s a an unending torrent of junk.

To be able to give a qualified opinion, I thought I’d see what information there was for those new to York on-line compared to other means. Official site www.york.gov.uk isn’t that interesting, and even its “getting to and around York” section is bettered by www. firstyork.co.uk (buses) and www.railtrack. co.uk (trains); both have on-line timetables, and routes.

Most York sites are tourist based, but www. thisisyork.co.uk has lots of useful stuff for locals, from local news to cinema times. It’s the best York site, although their club reviews are best described as “creative”- Ziggy’s is apparaently “a cracking good night”! Finding nightclubs’ sights was a problem, surprising considering how University is usually swamped by flyers. Nowhere links to them, and there’s not much to see when you’re there.

Toff’s www.toffsnightclub.co.uk and The Gallery www.galleryclub.co.uk are still offering free entry/drinks tickets, but they’re out of of date.

After all this browsing I’m still in no position to give a comparison between traditional and new-media information sources regarding York, as I couldn’t be bothered finding a Yellow-Pages or popping down to the Tourist Information.

Or maybe I can compare the two; it takes a lot less effort to browse the Net, even if the information is incomplete and at times, inaccurate...

games

web

16 TELESCOPE

KILL YOUR FRIENDS

Take on your mates - race ‘em, shoot ‘em, beat ‘em up (all on the computer of course) TERRESTRIAL TV is rubbish, the pool table’s broken again, and the less said about York’s night-clubs the better.

So what do you do when the bar shuts? That’s the problem bored students find themselves facing at some point, and unless you want to explore the university’s architectural merits in the dark, the answer could well be playing computer games against your friends.

Juvenile? Stupid?

Expensive? Boring?

The first two, maybe, but then lots of things at university are. Expensive? Not if there’s a group of you, as new consoles cost £100.

Buying one second hand is even better.

Boring? Never - playing against your friends is a whole lot more fun than you’d think, and is guaranteed to keep you laughing (and cursing) into the early hours…

There’s really only three options – a Playstation, a Nintendo 64, or networking

proper PCs. T h e Playstation, despite being old, is probably the best bet –it excels at games you can play with your mates. As far as fighting games go, Tekken 3 and Soul Blade are both amazing f u n ,

and pretty spectacular if you’re actually any good. Also worth checking out is Gran Turismo, where you start out with a car little better than a lawnmower and upgrade it, racing for cash until you can finally afford a super-car.

(Although having said that, I

always considered a D-reg Toyota Supra pretty mean…).

There’s also the recently released Wip3out – hover cars with weapons, and dance music…

The N64’s Bond game, Goldeneye is superb – in single and multi player, one of the best games ever. And you can reel out all those cheesy quotes (‘I expect you to die’ etc.) which those ITV reruns recently refreshed…

However if you and some nearby friends have PCs, link them together using a network. Each PC needs a network card (about £20 each), and some cable.

Windows 98 (theoretically) should do the rest. If you can get it working, it’s the best multi-player experience you can get. Most new PC games can be played over a network, but always worth looking out for are Quake 2 (3 at Christmas), and Command & Conquer 3.

Getting an educaFind out what you need to know at

The University Services Exhibition The Exhibition Centre Physics / Electronics

1-4.30 Monday Week 0 10.30-4.30 Tuesday Week 0 10.30-2.00 Wednesday Week 0 For all the essential information on what you’ve got coming to you.

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York Student Vision

10th October, 1999 Issue 113

22 SPORT York Student Vision

OPINION

by Tim Burroughs ALL THINGS considered, this summer ’s World Athletics Championships in Seville were something of a success for Britain.

Having left the 1997 Championships in disarray, we now have Lottery investment to support emerging talent.

The hope is that the days are past when athletes jibed that they had reached the top “despite the system, not because of it.”

But from all that has been said, Brendan Foster ’s response to decathlete Dean Macey’s breakthrough strikes a particular resonance: “Whoever has money in British athletics, give this man everything he needs. Because we have a potential gold medal winner here.”

In fact Macey’s performance in Seville all but secured his future, catching the attention of sponsors who are willing to support him through to the Olympics and beyond.

But what Foster’s comment does outline is the marriage of uncertainty between British athletics and money.

Supporting established athletes is only part of the process and attention must be given to developing youngsters.

What British athletics lacks is a system to identify and nurture talent at junior level We must not let minimal success stories cloud the fact that there are huge weaknesses across all women’s events and at every distance in the men’s above 400m.

Of the few stars that have emerged, Dwain Chambers, Macey, Julian Golding and Denise Lewis have all done so with the private financial aid of a generous shipping millionaire.

Under such a hit-or-miss regime we should consider what has slipped through the net.

British athletics needs a system to identify and nurture talent at junior level, instead of allowing young athletes juggle part-time jobs to finance their Olympic aspirations.

A natural progression of this to senior level are training groups of elite athletes who can thrive on success and internal competition.

The blue-print for this already exists in America where Hudson Smith International boast world champions in Maurice Greene, Ato Boldon and Inger Miller.

Whatever is done, progress must be made soon to consolidate the hopes that developed in Seville.

ROYAL YORK

Anna Costello reports on the boat club’s performance at the prestigious Henley Royal Regatta, the highlight of the summer season.

WOMEN’S HENLEY preceded the men’s by just over a week and was entered by two crews, an VIII and a IV. The VIII had a successful start to the day, beating Jesus College Cambridge by a decisive three length margin and earning themselves a place in the next round.

In the meantime the IV had a strong row against Wolfson College Cambridge who eventually drove through York to win by one and a quarter lengths. It was the evening before the VIII’s next round against Bristol took place.

The York VIII pushing hard at Henley

It proved to be one of the most exciting races of the season. Driving through Bristol’s early lead, York took the lead just after Fowley, halfway down the course.

Bristol made a comeback near the finish, taking the lead and winning by three quarters of a length.

In the men’s event we had two crews competing, an VIII and two coxed IVs in the Temple and Britannia categories respectively.

The York VIII took an early lead against Bristol only to be passed at the Barrier.

Despite a push which shortened their lead to only half a length at

Fowley, Bristol maintained their lead throughout the rest of the course, inching away to win by three lengths.

The IV had an equally tough race against seeded Worcester. Only a quarter of a length up at the Barrier, Worcester pulled away to win by three lengths, despite some strong rowing by York.

Club president Owen Rodd said of the meet: “Unfortunately our ambitions of entertaining the final day crowds will have to be carried over to next year but the season can be reflected upon as our most successful to date.”

GOING TOO FAR - EAST

After a GAP year in China, Sports Editor Tim Burroughs returned to the country this summer to see Manchester United take on Shanghai.

I DIDN’T plan to watch Manchester United this summer as China is not a country famed for its football.

But cable TV has made a huge

impact on the Chinese, providing access to world football. Even treble winners Manchester United went to Shanghai in July. Man Utd Plc saw it as “marketable”, the Chinese press called it a “miracle” and the 80,000 tickets were sold within an hour of release. Nevertheless, during my visit I decided to chance my luck on the black market and made the 21-hour train journey to Shanghai.

But on arrival I learnt the depressing news that touts were charging as much as 1000yuan (£77) per ticket, and so the afternoon was spent moodily wandering the crowded streets.

Almost by accident, but still harbouring faint hopes, I arrived at the stadium and was met by touts: eyes flashing dollar signs at the sight of a westerner.

On enquiring after the cheapest ticket price I was shocked to be informed it was only 60yuan (£5).

At first I thought I had misunder-

York Student Vision

Manchester United: Selling Themselves All Over The World

stood but the tout confirmed the price, along with the mumbled explanation of “No David Beckham”.

Nearing the stadium I was approached by a tout offering 300yuan (£23) tickets. An upgrade proved all too tempting and after some friendly bartering, the new ticket was secured at half-price.

The atmosphere inside the stadium was electric and behind the noise of the crowd there was an amazing sense of expectancy. People were harbouring the impossible dream that their local side, Shanghai Shenhua, just might pull off a surprise. After all, one year ago the idea that Europe’s finest would visit

China was an image firmly rooted in unreality. With it now fulfilled, they thought anything was possible.

But a 2-0 defeat flattered Shanghai, the gulf between the two teams all too apparent. The Chinese fans were upbeat, though, just happy to have seen in the flesh what had seemed so far away on television.

People even approached me wanting to have their picture taken with a genuine English football fan, and for a few minutes I was treated like a superstar player.

The Chinese weren’t the only ones who allowed themselves to dream.

10th October, 1999 Issue 113

York Student Vision SPORT 23

WHITE SEEKS TO BUILD ON YORK’S FOOTBALL SUCCESS Club president Chris White reviews a memorable year and looks forward to this season.

ONLY TWO seasons ago York University football teams were performing badly and the club spirit was at an all time low.

Things had to change, and change they did.

Football’s a funny old game and by the end of the 1998/99 season the club was enjoying unprecedented success.

seconds in the NUL and put together a great run in BUSA. The third and fourth teams both pulled off some cracking results, boosting their reputations in the process. However the crowning glory for the club was not on the field, but inside, at the national fivea-side championships at Keele.

The eight man squad set off with the desire to impress the larger universities, but walked away with

College Sport Preview AU vice-president Heather Lang examines the prospects for a new year of college sport The most important thing about college sport is involvement. You don’t have to be the best player, you just need the enthusiasm to take part.

With sports ranging from netball to darts, there is something for everyone, whether you want the fierce rivalry of pool or the more relaxed atmosphere of the summer softball competition.

Each college has at least two sports reps who organize the teams and aim to get as many people involved as possible.

Points are awarded for each competition, the college with the highest cumulative total gaining the coveted title of college sport champions.

Last year ’s champions Goodricke continue to dominate with Wentworth finishing a close

second for the past two years.

The key to success, as every year, is to get a team out. The dispersal of Alcuin, Vanbrugh, Wentworth and Langwith students may suggest a head-start for Derwent, Goodricke and James.

The biggest impact, though, is likely to come from the expansion of James College.

With a greater number of people to call on this “super-college” may well have the strength in depth to mount a serious challenge.

But it will all rest upon the sports reps’ ability to organize teams, generate involvement and spot the unknown talents of the first year students.

 If you would like more information on college sport activities, contact Heather Lang at the AU Office or see your college sports reps.

POUNDS FROM PI Joyd Mittra lifts the club of the year trophy It is important for any club, whatever the level, to get it right both on and off the pitch. Outgoing president Joyd Mittra made this his primary objective when he took office last year.

Having planned the season ahead, the football club committee capitalized on its greatest resource, the players.

Combining the talents and dedication of experienced players, such as Frankie Mochie, with the boyish enthusiasm of freshers. The results achieved by the club exceeded all expectations.

The first eleven, spearheaded by record goal scorer Phil Darby, reached second place in the Northern Universities League (NUL), and won their BUSA division by one of the largest margins in the country.

The ability of the first team was acknowledged by the selection of several players for the North Eastern Universities side.

Current first team captain Jimbo Horsfield also made the combined Northern Universities side, playing at Lilleshall. The second eleven also had an excellent season. They grossed the highest points for York

BUSA gold and the national title.

Such success on the pitch was mirrored off it by a tremendous club spirit. Much of this can be credited to the Bay Horse in Fulford, which hosted many social and fundraising evenings, as it will again this year.

The President’s weekend was attended by over one hundred and fifty people and the comprehensive Roses victory was a sweet moment for all club members.

A club first in 1999 was a groundbreaking tour to Croatia, where a wonderful time was enjoyed by all.

This season the club will travel to Cyprus for an exciting two week tour.

The true zenith of the season came in the last week of the year as we received the AU club of the year trophy. To win the highest accolade within university sport, capped a superb season for all involved.

With the new season fast approaching, the Football Club is once again setting its sights high.

Further success and enjoyment for all its members remain the top priority. In the words of Big Ron “they’re doing it just for fun!”

York Student Vision

THE UNIVERSITY boat club has secured a £4000 annual sponsorship deal with Pi Technology, an electronic automotive parts manufacturer .

The company chose to support the boat club after recommendations from former club sponsorship officer Adrian Verity who is now an employee at Pi. Boat club president Owen Rodd told V ision : “He just happened to mention that we might be useful to them as part of their graduate recruitment programme. Our development officer James Godber and myself met them in August at their headquarters in Cambridge. We have opted for a two year open relationship, and will review the situation at Christmas.

“As it stands we’re going to plaster their name over our kit, boat trailer and most of our boats as well.”

Pi Technology’s Marion Millard said: “We are hoping to establish some useful links and contacts within the University and to forge some long term relationships.”

AU president Ben Harding was very positive about the sponsorship.

He said: “It is a reward for the constant hard work they have put in over the last few years, achieving so

much in spite of having equipment inferior to most of their rivals.”

While the sponsorship provides a welcome injection of cash into the boat club, Owen is quick to point out the large financial scale on which the club operates: “£4000 seems like a lot of money but it will get swallowed up quite easily. Just buying one brand new 8-man boat costs at least £13,000”

Sealing the contract

He sees the money best put towards upgrading facilities that are unable to cope with the number of members the club now has.

“The boat house was built thirty years ago to cater for 35 members and we now have 130. We just haven’t got enough room for that number of people.”

Tim Burroughs

10th October, 1999 Issue 113