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Concrete, Wednesday, May 14, 1993
Alarms against attack Two new personal attack alarms have come on the market, in an attempt to combat the increasing numbers of crimes against women. The Bodyguard alarm is internally reinforced with steel and attempts to silence it by stamping on it, even driving a car over it, have proved fruitless. Its siren sounds at 130 decibels and will continue at maxi-
By Georgina King mum output for up to two hours . It is also possible to activate tl1e alarm for short periods, if a threat is perceived. Admiral ' s personal attack alarm doubles as a torch, and when activated a powerful lOOdecibel alarm will sound and the torch will flash . Helen Sullivan, Head Of Ad-
NUS: No future in computers
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DPop group Technotronic visited the Nonvich branch of Top Shop last Friday, to give a rendition of a few choice tracks and to sign some autographs. It's part of a nationwide Top Shop scheme: next week up-and-coming teen idols Worlds Apart visit the Oxford Circus branch, while Big Fun II appear at Middlesborough.Previous bands helping to promote the shop's products have included Sybil and Take That! I 31 J I 2(;EI 2 ~
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PINT OFDRAUGHT LAGER OR GLASS OF HOUSE WINE on MONDAY and TUESDAY evenings Offer available from S. OOpm with f ull meals only (minimum £3.90) on production of UEA/ NUS card
7 days a week: 1 1am - 1 1 pm M on - Sat 12 noon - 10.30pm Sun
7 St. Giles Street (close to City Hall) Tel 620829
Report by Simon Mann NUS have withdrawn from the mail order computer market, following a drastic reduction in the availability of ' futures ' finance packages. These enabled students to buy computers without having to pay for them until after graduation. Gail Devlin, from NUS Marketing Services, explained iliat it was only the special ' futures' loan scheme , provided by Barclay' s Bank, which made the mail order business viable. When the ' futures ' service started in 1988, originally with the Midland, 87% of applications were approved but by March this year the rate had dropped to 31%. Colin Chambers, manager of UEA' sUnionPostOffice, which acted as a sales agent for NUS Services, confmned that the cutback in loan approvals over the last year or so had drastically affected his computer sales: ''In
1990/9 1, our sales of computers for cash totalled £11 ,000, plus ' futu res ' fi nanced sa-les of £28,000. Last year, these figures dropped to £ 10,000 and £ 14,000 respectively. This is partly because of the recession, but it also seems that Barclays are taking a jaundiced view of graduate's job prospects." However, although Mr Chambers was very disappointed at the lack of warning from NUS about the withdrawal of their service, and the lack of a workable replacement scheme, he expects to continue selling computers: " We have set up a link with a local computer retailer, and we are trying to fmd someone else willing to run a ' futures ' style scheme. "The problem is that it would probably be linked to a specific supplier, which would limit choice.' '
Cancer helpline launched Cancer ReliefMacmillan Fund has launched a new national helpline aimed at supporting young people with cancer, writes Georgina King. The MAC helpline, whose patron is Phil Collins, is being operated by one ofCRMF's associated charities, Cancer Link, and will be a completely free and confidential servtce. Specially trained counsellors are on hand to answer specific questions, talk over problems, or, where necessary, just to listen. They will also be able to put teenagers in touch with other patients living in their area. Cancer is the second most common cause of death in teenagers, after accidents and violence, and affects one in 800 under 18 year olds every year. Approximately 2,200 teenagers are currently living
with cancer, and although the sixty percent survival rate is improving all the time, they need a consistent source of emotional support and advice. Macm.illan Servict>s Development Man ager Loretta Tin ckham explained, " MAC is aimed particularly at older adolescents who, finding themselves on adult wards, may have no counselling facilities and will almost certainly be cut off from other teenagers of their own age " . She concluded, " We are very keen that MAC should reach as many teenagers with cancer as possible. We are hoping therefore that students, who are likely to come into contact with adolescent cancer patients will contact CRMF for a leaflet". The Call Free MAC helpline number is: 0800 591 1028.
miral Catalogue hopes the added feature of a torch will encourage women "to carry it with you all the time, rather than leaving it in a drawer somewhere, which is the fate of so many alarms" . • Admiral alarms are available on0800600820andcost£1 1.95. • Bodyguard alarms retail at £15.99. People who want further details 0908 23440 I for details.
Stuck on a scheme? Norfolk police have introduced a car sticker scheme in an at1empt to combat rising cases of car theft, and, if successful, two fluorescent stickers in a car windscreen could tell police if a vehicle has been stolen. Launched in Norwich after a successful introduction in Yarmouth, the Ve h icle Watch Scheme has already armed nearly 10,000 Norwich motorists with sticker packs. The stickers are for vehicles not normall y used on the road between midnight and 5am. rf police spot cars showing the symbols during these times, they will stop and question the driver to discover if they have author· use the vehicle. Pc Kevin Joy explained tllat the driver would have to show identification to the police or further checks would be made. " lf it is being driven legitimately it will be a reassurance that the system works'' , he said.
Animal fashio ns The British Union for the Abolition ofVivisection (BUA V) have launched their animal fashions summer range. Following on from the sue of the Week for Laboratory h.. _ mals in April, this is the latest initiative in the awareness canlpaign against vivisection. The BUA V have launched a catalogue featuring items as diverse as T-shirts, dog shampoo, feeding bowls for pets, mugs, badges, pens, socks and wallets. Each item carries the " powerful message to end animal experiments.'' The BUA V' s fundraising is the most important source of their can1paign activities; this fashions catalogue is ilie second such initiative this year. Their Fundraising Manager, Adrian Burder , comments , " Pleasesupportilie BUAV' snew sales catalogue and help us to stop the catalogue of suffering in animal experimentation laboratories." • copies of the catalogue are available by phoning (071) 700 4888. Further information on the BUA V is available by phoning Clare Lothian (BUA V Press Office) on (071) 607 9533.