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Issue 129 路 Wednesday, October 1 7, 2001
STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE YEAR
Students gather for London peace protest
FREE
SecuritY. staff claim students are being_Rut at risk Liz Hutch inson
STUDENT safety is at an all ti me low, according to University security guards. The members of staff, who wish to remain anonymous for fear of losing their jobs, claim that one porter was left to lock up the whole University last week due to a severe staffing shortage. They believe that students living in residence s are left unprotected at night as security bosses struggle to find enough men to patrol the University and its surroundings - despite recent reports of a flasher on campus.
Lucky "We only have men patrolling if we have the staff, but in the evening we are mostly locking up buildings. There is no security for the students whatsoever, we' ve been lucky so far because nothing has happened, but it could," said one of the porters. In addition to the lack of securi ty presence, the security guard ins1sts that CCTV
cam eras . which set the University back thousands of pounds , do not make campus safer. "In the evenings , you can 't see the CCTV, the trees are in the way for one thing, then you've got the reflection from lights, especially on the car parks . You can 't see anything ," he said . And they also insist that the staffing shortage is not helped by the increased amount of traffic coming onto campus each day fo rcing the porters to control the car parks and neglect their usual security duties. "I'm not a traffic warden , yet the other day I parked over five hundred cars. We are also inundated with vehi cle licenses which should really be handled by the administration staff." Not only is student security at its lowest, so is morale amongst th e security staff, prompting fea rs that some of the more expe rienced members of staff will walk out. "We are here for the security of th e stu dents really. When I come to work. I come for the students, its
my job to look after them," said another guard. Estates managers are aware that some of the CCTV cameras are not performing as they should and are currently investigating new sites for them .
Deny But University officials deny that there is a shortage of staff. "We have a full compl ement of security staff and any shortage would be due to staff sickness, in which case we would try to find cover if individual circumstances allow," said Director of the Estates and Building, Richard Goodall. And he also refuted claims that security guards are required in other areas leading them to compromise students' safety. "I have spoken to th e security managers and no one is able to verify the cla1m that a porter was left to lock up alone. As for car parking, we are not lookmg to recruit mo re staff because traffic management is part of the porters' duties," added Mr Goodall .
Students gather in London to protest against the war in Afghanistan. See page 3 for news on peace protests at UEA.
INSIDE: EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH SIR PATRICK MOORE PAGES 10路11
2NEWS
1
• Security staff attack UEA over student safety.
2
• Student council comes under fire • Sports night launched
3
• Paul McCartney to visit U EA. • Peace vigils held in response to war.
5
• Football initiation ends in hospital • Union launch drinking campaign
6
• Mature student sentenced over homemade drugs. • Class of 2002 Campaign survey. • Concrete nominated for awards.
8
• Case-study: student debt. • Sports park criticised over payment.
FEATURES 10
PROFILE: Legendary astromer Sir Patrick Moore talks to Concrete about the sun , the moon and the stars .
12
LIFESTYLE: • What do men want from women? And what do women want from men? We asked students for the answers .. . • Do your dreams mean anything? Worryingly, it appears they may... • My First Time - the lesbian orgy. • Your problems answered .
14
TRAVEL: The US Air Strikes have left much of the world criticising the West, but India remains remarkably pro-British . Also, a 60-second look at Mumbai.
16
LOOK: Men 's Special • Trading places. Scruffy made sleek and vice versa . • Kraftwerk Kool in The Equation • The 8-boy body stocking comes under fire in Faux-Pas.
18
COFFEE BREAK
19
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
SPORT
www.concrete-on Ii ne.co. uk
21
22
23 24
• Studs Up: Concrete takes a sideways glance at the world of football . • Two students learn sports reporting the hard way • Norwich City crash at Walsall but recover to beat Gillingham 2-0 • Floodlight fiasco at Colney Lane • UEA rugby 1sts cane Crusaders 66-0 • Your prize quick crossword .
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER
17 , 2001
UNION ATTACKED OVER STUDENT COUNCIL PlACES Union criticised for not reP.resenting 'ordinarv' students KATIE HIND News Ed itor
TWO political students have accused the Union of putting efficiency ahead of democracy by cutting the number of school rep positions on student Council. Labour Society President, Catherine Manning , and former Tory Society Chairman, Toby Matthews, have hit out after students were turned down positions on the newlyreformed student council. As part of the new constitution , which was passed
at the end of last term, the Union Executive voted in favour of halving the number of places available for school representation and introduced society reps for the committee, which was formerly known as Students' Forum. 'The average student's representation has been halved , so they have half the influence that
Above: Toby Matthews and Catherine Manning
they used to have," said last year's Community and International Officer, Toby Matthews.
Represent "A big part of the Union is for them to represent students and help them with their rights , the most important part of the Union is to stop students from being let down academically," added Toby (HIS 3). And third year EAS student, Catherine Manning claims that there are not going to be enough students on the Council to represent everyone's needs. 'The council will be dominated by societies, not schools, so it will be society orientated. Places in schools should be directly proportional to th e amount in the school. Big schools have the same represen tation as smaller ones, for example EAS will only have one rep for over 300 stu-
dents, and those who are not in a society are not getting a chance;· she said. But Union Communications Officer Emma Reynolds defended the new constitution ruling which was written by last year's Union officers. "Under the old constitution schools were represented by one individual per 100 hundred stu dents and we now have a set system by which time period of study can be represented , postgrad, first year and second and third years, ensuring people directly represent certain groups." "Some meetings did not make quoracy last year so the old system was not sufficient, clubs and societies do already have committees. But, they don't have a voi ce on the Council and the way the Union is run , but they have a substantial input to Union life and so should be included in its decision making ," said Emma.
lATE NICiHT VICTORY SP.orts teams win chance to celebrate after mid-week matches
I SPORTS teams have won the chance to celebrate late into the evening after their mid-week matches. The event. which will be o n
• UEA's footballers are held 1-1 by Nottingham, but thump Birmingham 5-0 • The thirds, meanwhile, can't find a way through Cottage Rangers and draw 0-0
Concrete
W ednesday eveni ng> has been set up by the football, hockey and rugby clubs
in
a n allcmpt to
raise
And Debbie Pcarso n , Girls' Rugb) Pre, idenl, believes the night \\ill bring UEA in line "ith ot her universi ties. ··O ther Univcr;.itic;, ha1·c had a night like thi ;, but we never ha1c. so it\ good that we "vc linally got one:· she said.
~r tngL'Ihl'L
Rivalry ··Jt"s a great opportunit) for the d ifferent clubs to get together "here there ha;, prc1 iou'l) been occasional rivalry:· said Michcll e.
I
Hi ve runs fro m 9 pm until I am. Tickets. priced at £2. arc ava il able from the box office or can be bought
from sport s cluh captains. The) can a lso be pur-chased for £2 .50 on the door.
Finally
fumb. The night will feature big sc reens shnw ing th e sports club ini t iation rit ua ls \\hi eh \1 ere videoed b) Nexus. BUSA li\tures and professional spo11 too. Girls· Football President. Mi~hclk Pratl " ckl!ghted "ith the ne\\ e1ent and she hopes it 11 ill b ring the sports team' at Ul ./\ clos-
BEN CANNON
And
Union Comun ications Lmma Reynolds. w ho outlin ed the id ea in her sahhatical election manifesto la.,t term. is tk lightcd that th e plan ha;, got the go ahead and bclieH?s it "ill be a sueOfli~cr.
cc:-.s.
··This is something that mo<.t uniICr"IJC' do. it 1111prcne' relations hct\\l' L'll the :-.porh club~. ~in~:-. them something to loo~ forward loo 11 hen train1ng hard. and allo\1 s them to get together 111 the ;,amc place to celebrate 1 ictor ies or commiSerate losseS:" said bnma. Th e night , w hi c h w ill be in The
Above: Lucy Wilfet, Richard Dickenson, Mark Champ, Michelfe Pratt, Debbie Pearson and Simon Hammond
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER
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NEWS
www.concrete-online.co.uk
17, 2001
EX-BEATLE TO APPEAR AT UEA
I
3
HELEN SHARPE
CONCERNED ~uden~ gathered together on Wednesday night as part of a peace vigil to protest against the attacks on Afghanistan.
Student worried he is a targ!! KATIE HIND News Editor
A Muslim student claims he may have been a victim of racial abuse following the air strikes In the Middle East. Second year Atta Uthman believes he was the victim of attacks on his house on Henderson Road last week when he had a window smashed.
Sir Paul to visit for litera[Y. festival
And following the Allied West's retaliation, LLT student Atta, whose family descends from Pakistan, is worried about being hurt. "Our house got smashed in and because three of us are Muslims in the house - we have our suspicions that it was a racist attack," he said.
Scared "The people who are doing this have closed minds, they are angry and they want to let their anger out and I am scared,"
added Atta. But he claims he can understand why the attacks are happening in the UK. "I'm not saying I agree with the action, but I can see why they are victimising people in Britain. They are angry and they just want to let it out."
Killed Last Sunday, George Bush ordered military action in an attempt for the Taliban to give up Osama Bin Ladin - after thousands of American people were killed in New York. The attacks have left Muslims nationwide frightened of being targeted by British nationalists. But the problems have been prominent in universities around the country. Concrete reported
REBECCA LAWRENCE
FORMER Beatle, Sir Paul McCartney is set to entertain a UEA audience when he visits the University next month. The coup comes after author Joyce Carol Oates cancelled her Literary Festival slot following the terrorist attacks in the USA which have left her scared to fly. And the performer will not be charging the University a penny but will instead be given a free case of wine as payment for his services.
Pleased Chris Bigsby, who runs the literary festival is extremely pleased that the star will be visiting UEA on November 26. "It was not easy to book him, and I am delighted that he has agreed." "When the news was announced at the Melvyn Bragg event la t Monday, a gasp of astonishment went round the audience, showing that everyone else is also thrilled. Paul leads a very busy life, and for him to be able to fit us in is amazing," said Professor Bigsby.
But the multi-talented legend will not sing- he will be at the University to talk about poetry, following the launch of his new book, Blackbird Singing. "He is here as a poet, but the nature of his song lyrics are a form of poetry," added Professor Bigsby. And Sir Paul's publicist, Geoff Baker claims that there was never any doubt that he would accept the invitation.
Sold Out "He's chuffed to do it, frankly. For a while it was up in the air because all his other commitments, but he was honoured to be asked ," said Mr Baker. The event has already sold out, as anyone who had tickets to see Joyce Carol Oates can use them to see Sir Paul, but there will be a live video link in lectures three and four so around 800 extra people will be able to participate in the evening.
Above: Last Wednesday's peace vigil in The Square
earlier this month how the National Union of Students issued a warning after being alerted to the AI-Muhajroun gang.
Racist The group were attempting to recruit members at Manchester, Bradford and Sheffield universities by distributing racist leaflets at Freshers' Fairs. Union Communications Officer, Emma Reynolds is appealing for any students who fear for their own safety to get in contact with the welfare office. "If any Muslim students have serious concerns about their well-being or treatment by others in the form of a racist incident, please get in touch with our student advice centre," said Emma.
The meeting, which was held in The Square, attracted over 150 people. Supporters of the vigil sat on the steps lighting candles as a speaker stood at the bouom stressing the need for collective action But students at UEA are divided in their opinions on the bombings. DEV student, Conrad LaPointe believes that thousands of people are dying unnecessarily across the world.
Deaths ''They are causing thousands of deaths in a developing country which has suffered civil war, drought and famine , this will increase the gulf between rich and poor." " It is an illegal war as they are auacking innocent Afghani people, not terrorism," said Conrad. But EAS student, Tara who did not want to give her surname, believes that America's attacks on Afghani stan are necessary. "I have never been so depressed as when I heard the news from London of the attacks in America, I don't think we can just sit back and do nothing," said the student, who is visiting from Pennsylvania. A group of UEA students also travelled to London last Saturday for a mass protest against the strikes in Trafalgar Square.
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WORK AROUND YOUR STUDIES FOOD PICKERS & PACKERS REQUIRED
Shifts
Pay
10pm- 6am 6am- 6.30pm 6.30pm ·- 3am 7.30am- 4pm 7.45am- Spm
£4.75 - £5.00ph £4.25 - £·4 .50ph £4.75 - £5.00ph £4.10 - £4.50ph £4.10ph
TRANSPORT PROVIDED FROM NORWICH ALSO REQUIRED - CHEFS, KITCHEN ASSISTANTS, BAR STEWARDS, PLATE WAITERS, AND SILVER SERVICE STAFF FOR VACANCIES IN NORWICH. Basic food hygiene training can be provided free. Please call Leonard, lan or Louise for details.
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NEWS
5
First v.ear unconscious during football team's initiation ceremony_ KATIE HIND News Editor
A FIRST year footballer was rushed to casualty following a potentially fatal initiation ceremony in the Union Bar. ENV student, Jose Gomez was taken by ambulance to the Norfolk and Norwich hospital after drinking with his teammates on campus on Saturday October 6. The Spanish student, who had never consumed alcohol before, collapsed in Union House having drunk shots and beer. He was was discharged from hospital the next day.
Stern Following the incident, Union Sports Clubs Co-ordinator, Les Allworthy has issued a stern warning to all sports teams warning that possible outcomes from future events could include death and manslaughter
charges. "I am concerned that clubs are putting members at risk and there could be serious repercussions, I know these initiation ceremonies happen every year, but this seems to be a bit extreme," said Mr Allworthy.
Concerned And he urged sports teams to take more care in the future to avoid more casualties. "I would advise students not to drink over a reasonable amount and I would press organisers not to push members into drinking competitions." Mens' Football Club President Mark Champ claimed that members of his club were at no time made to do anything they didn't want to.
"We were unaware that he had not drunk any alcohol before and treated him no differently to any other member of the squad." "There were two members at the initiation who had told us that they have never drunk alcohol before and did not want to be a part of the drinking and this was fully understood and they remained sober, at no time was anyone made to do anything against their will," said Mark. He also hopes that all UEA sports teams can learn from the case.
Learn ''This is the first time an incident like this has occurred in my time at UEA and we would not like it to be seen as generally symptomatic of sports initiations.
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HELP FOR CITY DRINKERS New P.lans to look after v.ouths A NEW campaign has been launched in a bid to make sure young people get home safely after a night out on the town. As part of the scheme, called 'If you do do drink, don' t do drunk', which was outlined at the Labour Party conference recently, an SOS bus is on hand to help anyone who gets in trouble while drinking in the city. The bus, which is based at the top of the Prince of Wales Road has aided over 200 people in four months- following several high profile deaths of youngsters in Norwich. And the bus, which is also supported by the photo-ID company, the Portman Group, has already helped
Trouble the city's pub and club managers. "If any trouble happens or if
someone hurts themselves, we arc I inked up to the p<;>lice, other doormen and the SOS bus, so it's great for us," said Prince of Wales Manager, Jason Bertie.
Success The SOS Bus Manager, John Drake. hopes that the project will be extended to other ·towns across the country. "We want to build on our success. We firmly believe that with the right resources, the programme can be projected across the country to other towns and cities in the UK of a similar size to Norwich," said Mr Drake. And Union Welfare Officer Polly Evans supports the scheme and believes it will benefit students. "The SOS bus is a fantastic
resource for young people in the city at night. lt is great to know that if ever you are alone late in the city at the weekend there is a safe place you can go," said Polly. And she hopes that the bus will be in use on Tuesday nights as well as weekends. "To date the SOS bus has never operated on Tuesdays, the traditional student night in town. "But we have met with the buse ' staff and all involved are very keen to trial this. "There are health risks associated with binge drinking and whilst a popular image of students is the heavy drinker, stereotypes are never accurate and many students know of the risks associated and drink sensibly," she added.
Traditional "Whilst new members are often very willing to participate in these traditional ceremonies, presidents and other committee members of teams have a responsibility to ensure the safety of their younger members at these occasions." "it is a great relief to all of those concerned that the recovery of this student in question has been swift and full," added Pally.
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WE CUT THE PRICE YOU CUT OUT THE VOUCHER BRING THIS ADVERT WITH YOU, AND GET
SAM CULLEN
We would like to apologise for any inconvenience or distress caused and hopefully all those who hold initiations, including us, can learn from this," he added. And Union Welfare Officer, Pally Evans also urged sports teams to be more responsible .
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GNEWS
www.concrete-on l i ne.co. uk
Concrete WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2001
r- -----------------------------------
crJLa.s.s o~ 2002 YJampai9n LAST year many graduates were disappointed with their final days at UEA-
night at Un ive r, ity in the same venue as you ha ve done for the previou'i three years fill you with dread? Do you reall) walll to recci,·c )OUr degree certifi ca te in an old. ugly building'? I f not. then fi ll in the attached yue>tionnaire. ConcrPte wa nt tn ensure that "call have a graduation worth remembering. So we wa nt to know what you wa nt so w~ can help
Man y cl aimed th e LCR wa'i an inappropriate venue for their grad ba ll - "hi le others felt the old 'port; Cl! lllrc \\ ·as no t
gra nd enough
for their graduation cercmon).
So. doe' the thought of having to >pcnd your last
tran'iform what has been a di>appointing event for so many years i mo a da) you will never forge t. Please hand comp leted ;,un·e) s imo the competition box in The Hive, inLo our pigeon hole or to the office upstairs in Union House. marked for the atlention of Adam Charman.
See page nine j{1r rlewi/1 Concrete ·s Class of 2002 Ca JIIpaign.
011
CONCRETE crJia.s.s o6 2002 '--(Orr;npa iqn Ceremony
Student gets 200 hours communiW, service for manufacturing drug!
1) Do you tl1ink the unive rsi ty is right to hold the graduation ceremony in the Tyndall Centre?
O
Yes
2) Would you be willi ng to pay for tickets
0
Yes
if the venue was changed? 3) How much would you be willing to
0
£1-5 0
O
1-2 miles O
0
No
£5-10 0£10-15 0
£15-20
pay? 3) How far would you be willing to travel
2-5 miles 0
5-10 miles
for a better ceremony?
JOANNE BUTLER
Ball 1) Do you agree with the decision to
Second y ea r Andre w Prewer, who was employed by the Unive rsity at the time, wa s sentenced to 200 hou rs community service a nd o rdered to pay £500 for the cost of destroying his drugs, chemicals and equipmen t. Th e CHE stud ent was ca ught breaking th e law during a raid on his house in Hellington last June where pol ice found over 300 ca nn abis pl ants , traces of cocaine, an ecstasy tablet , 51 nexus tablets and downloaded material on how to produce ecstasy tablets.
Cultivating The 27-year-old claimed that he was cultivating the drugs for his own use because purifying
the plants into pure hashish was the on ly cure for his severe asth ma. mature studen t But the escaped prison because a judge claimed that he was not a risk to the public. 'Though at first appearance this is one of the gravest cases in respect to the manufacture of controlled drugs, it is a very unusual one. lt does not have the same risk to the public," said Judge lso bel Plum stead , of Norwich Crown Court.
Intelligent And Prewer's tutors have stood by him throughout the case -call ing him an intelligent student who is likely to obtain a good degree and go on to continue his studies further.
Prewer will return to the unive rsity to finish his four-year degree in Chemistry and is now trying to look towards the future with his wife and young son . "I'm so rry that I did it but I'm going to ca rry on with my studies and try to put all this behind me," he said.
UNIVERSITY POLICEMAN TOHELP CUT OUT CRIME WORRIED students can share their crime fears at a fortnightly surgery on campus. N ew University Liaison Officer, PC M atthew Ell is. will be on hand every two weeks from October 17 to try to prevent student s becom i ng vi ctims o f crime. Burglaries in the Golden Tri angle
area curre ntl y '>land at ~0 a week and PC Elli s hopes that the numhcr can be cut. "N ine out of ten of the break -in' are due to people lea\ i ng door> open. There is a one in four chance of 'tudems being ,·ictims or crime while they arc at University. so we ca n do a crime preve nti on 'urvey on houses." he said. PC Elli ' is also eager to advise studen ts on raci st attacks
2) What price to you th ink tile Grad Ball should be if it is held in the LCR?
Since the c rime , University sec urity has been stepped up to p reven t more chemicals from going missing from labs. "In light of the case , we have carried out a review to further improve our security procedures. We will consider within our own well established procedures, if any furth er acti on is necessary or approp riate," said a University spokesman.
Return
c>pccia ll) after an incrca'e in racial tension foli o\\ ing the on-going
3) What do you expect to be included in your ticket price?
0
£5-10 0
£10-15 0
£15-20
0
O
fairground rides O
fortune teller O
O
limited alcohol
O
Z-list celebrities
0
a name band
Other ..
£20-30 meal
4) How much would you be willing to
pay if the ball was to be held in a different ve nue with whatever you have chosen above?
0
travel to the venue? 6) How far would you be prepared to travel?
£20-30 0
£30-40 0
0
5) Would you be prepared to pay to
0
5-10 miles O
£40-50
0
£50-60
Yes 10-20 miles O
20-30 miles
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CONCRETE TIPPED FOR PRIZES THE shortlist for The In dependent Student Newspaper awards, announced earlier this month , has revealed that Concrete is again up best student newspaper. Last year Concrete won the lndependent/NUS acclaimed Student N ewspaper of the year award. the success of which has been matched thi s year with nominations in four other categori es. writes Li~ Hutchimon .
tcrrori:-, t allack~.
"Peopl e need to know about racial attack;,. >O we arc here for them if they \\ant us... he 'aid . PC Ell is will be a\ai lahle in the Dean of Swdcnh· oflicc between ~pm and 4pm on October 17 and 3 I. November 14 and 2g or for more information on crim e prevention, call 01603 768769.
OYes
hold the Graduation Ball in the LCR?
A UEA student was spared a jail sentence last week - despite admitting growing an estimated £19,000 worth of cannabis after taking chem icals from University labs.
lndi\ idual nominati on' include !\Jam Chapman for reporter. Jo Lockc for features writ er and Stevc Collins for arb writer. l11 e C. ·ent recci,·ed a nomination for best magaJ.inc.
Stcvc. who ed ited The Event last year. has had a successful few months- he was also recently named
as Tile Times student feature wri ter of the year. winning a ro und the \\·orld trip to report for the Rough Guid es travel manuals. James Goffin. editor of Co11crete la't yea r. feel' that the nomin ati ons are well deserved. " It is a recognition of the hard work that everyone puts into the newo,paper." sa id Mr Gortin. " It i' a l" ay~ good to be recogni sed by national newspapers. but the reception tha t Co11crete ge t' from the stude nt s on ca mpu s is much more inportant :· And he beli eves that the ncw,paper could win some of the awards. "We have a good chance of winning. but there arc lots of high quality ' tudcnt pape rs. ;,o there is lots of competiti on." "But we got shortlisted. ;o we mu st be in with a chance.'' added Mr Goffin. TSW was also nominated for best
student wcbs itc after wins in hoth the Independent and the Guardian studen t media awards last year. The winners will be an nou nced at a ceremony he ld at the Hil ton ovember Mctropolc. London on the 27th.
Above: Former Concrete editor, James Goffin.
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www.concrete-online.co.uk
Concrete WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2001
GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCE STUDENT FEES SHAKE-UP KATIEHIND News Editor
lNVOlCE
STUDENTS are set to be better off In the future according to Government officials who last week announced plans to overhaul the higher education funding system. Instead of large loans and tuition fees, students starting university from autumn 2003 will be eligible for grants and smaller loans - but will be required to pay a graduate t~ for up to 25 years after they finish.
Maria Abraham EAS 2 Go\den Triang\e Norwich
Like the current system, all financial support will be granted on a means tested basis - which MPs hope will encourage more students from poorer backgrounds to go to university.
£1000 overdraft.························· £8200 Loan .................................£2040 Fees ................... .·············
current debts
Tax Two models are being considered at the moment. One is to offer a maintenance grant to all students and charge a higher rate of graduate tax. The other - which is thought to be the most likely, is to have a
£5900
Prospective debts
Loan ................................. £680 Fees .................. .················
means-tested loan, but allow a bigger loan and then charge lower tax to students when they graduate. Education secretary, Estelle Morris claims that the cost of studying deters many students from going to university - but she hopes the reform will give them a better chance. "I recognise that for many low income families the fear of debt Is a real worry and could act as a barrier to higher education. I want to make sure that our future reform tackles this problem," said
Ms Morris. And Union Welfare Officer, Pally Evans claims that the new plans will be reviewed by the sabbs.
Funding "In light of these announcements, we are looking to redefine our current policy on higher education funding. However, this is not our decision to make and this will be top of the agenda for discussion at our first Union Council meeting next week," said Pally.
CHEQUE POINT
£15000
Total {4yrs) ................_ .... .
Sportspark criticised for not accepting cash I I REBECCA LAWRENCE
"Last year, I nearly had to leave university. lt scares me so much." Are the new plans really going to make lt easier for students to study? And perhaps more Importantly, will the new system benefit those students that are less well off? Second year Maria Abraham, who is studying English Literature, is currently £9,200 in debt with over a year-and-a-half left at UEA. She has to pay fees, but receives no financial support from her parents. When she leaves, she estimates she could owe over £ 15,000 - which would include an overdraft and student loans.
job. And a spokesperson for NUS sup"It scares me so much. Last year, ports Maria - insisting that the I nearly had to leave University as I current funding system is unfair. couldn't afford to pay my rent and " In principle, the current system other bills," added Maria. is unfair, it is assessed on parental . - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - . income, but some students don't get help and this can have an impact on the level of achievement." But she believes that students will be much better off under the new model - which has not been decided yet.
Elitist
Unfair
Maria claims the current funding scheme is not fair on poorer students. "It is an awful system at the moment. It's elitist and allows only the children from affluent families to go to University." And she is frightened at the thought of being in so much debt before she has even got a
''The new scheme would be better as one of the strengths is that it is not dependent on parental income," she said. "I would say that most people would be in a better position under the new system as students don't pay anything."
SPORTSPARK bosses have banned customers from paying their Joining fee with cash. Instead of purchasing their membership with money, visitors to the leisure centre are being told to leave a cheque or credit card details at the reception and wait days for their application to be processed. But the new policy is a reversal of last year's - which stopped students paying in any other method apart from cash. But UEA Director of Sport,
Keith Nicholls, claims the move is due to the chance that cash could go missing while forms are waiting to be processed. "lt is entirely a security issue related to the huge volume of students joining the centre. We have employees processing the forms all day," said Mr Nicholls. And he claims that the proce-
Discriminates dura was changed because students complained before. 'We revised the system from last year to help the students as about 95% wanted to pay by credit card instead of cash,"
added Mr Nicholls. . But the Union are unhappy with the decision - claiming that it is not fair on foreign students. 'We are completely unsatisfied with this sudden decision, we are meeting with Keith Nicholls next week to talk about this," said Union Communications Officer, Emma Reynolds. "lt discriminates against international students who don't have bank accounts on the grounds that attaching a till receipt to a membership form is 'too complicated' which is ridiculous. Not accepting legal tender because it inconveniences the Sports Park Is a truly remarkable idea."
No cash here: Sportspark rec~ptlon Is not accepting cash for new student memberships
COMMENT
www.concrete-online.co.uk
Concrete WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2001
Opinion
Insecure
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Adam Chapman kicks off Concrete's Class of 2002 Campaign with this explanation as to why UEA's graduation procedure is seriously flawed. raduation must count as one of the defining moments of a person's life. While not quite up there with birth, death and losing your virginity the completion of countless years of education is surely imbued with the same amount of relief . Which is why the whole graduation process at UEA gives cause for concern. For those of you graduating in 2002 you have very little to look forward to. Your lengthy graduation ceremony will take place in the same building many of you have spent three or four years desperately trying to finish exams. While it is now known as The Tyndall Centre, the illustrious venue for this defining moment of your life is more commonly known as "the old sports centre". As a "new" university, UEA has never been one for pomp and ceremony (rather difficult when you are surrounded by breeze block), but doing up the old sports centre in a sub-Changing Rooms way does not exactly give your achievement at finishing higher education the sense of occasion it surely deserves.
G
UEA has never been one for pomp and ceremony - rather difficult when you are surrounded by breeze block
it is all well and good criticising the university for their handling of the ceremony and suggestions as to alternative venues have been bandied about for many years. it is for this reason that this issue of Concrete sees the start of a constructive campaign to investigate alternativ~ venues and to hold the university to account. While it might seem a bit early to focus on an event nine months away we hope to represent student views on graduation and push for change where change is long overdue. it is for this reason that we would like to encourage all third and fourth years as well as all postgraduates to fi 11 in the survey on page six so that we can canvas opinion on how Graduation 2002 should be changed. The survey will help us to hold both the University and the Union to account with respect to their handling of the evert. Canvassers wi 11 be present around campus over the next two weeks so that we can make the response rate as high as possible. The Class of 2002 Campaign will be a long-running feature of this newspaper over the coming year, hig~lighting the flaws in the graduation ceremony. The campaign will not stop there, however. We r-oill also be launching an investigation into the grad ball and whether it should be held in the LCR .
A
s a graduate of this university in July, I have undergone the full UEA graduation "experience". And , if the number of letters through to this newspaper are anything to go by, I am not the only one who found the whole event less than satisfactory. Our investigation into the grad ball will involve a comparison of the Union-run night to celebrations at other universities as well as focusing on
alternative venues. Indeed, it is the latter point that brings about the most criticism . Many students feel that paying thirty odd pounds to spend an evening in this less than illustrious venue is a rip-oft. While the ents team have tried their hardest to make up for the venue by giving as eclectic an evening as possible it is very hard to escape the feeling that graduates are being invited to nothing more than a glorified LCR. On top of this, the fact that this year's Freshers' Week saw the same type of entertainments at this years grad ball, except for free, does give cause for concern . Surely, graduates deserve better, or at least equal , treatment? At any rate they don 't deserve Z-list celebrities like Timmy Mallett and Craig from Big Brother (pictured above). The campaign is not meant to attack, it is meant to make the University and the Union aware that there is a broad sense that they are being cheated out of what should, quite rightly, be a day to remember. it is for this reason that we urge you to fill in the survey. Only then can we assume a mandate for change.
The survey will help us to hold both the University and the Union to account with respect to their handling of the event.
Got a story? Then contact our news desk on 01603 250558
The news that security at U EA has come under fire yet again is unsurprising. This newspaper reported last November quite how lax security was at one of the busiest nights of the year. The annual fireworks display in Earlham Park and a sell-out James concert took place under the watchful eye of just two porters. As the headline at the time reported, that meant two members of university staff for an estimated 25,000 people covering an expanse of 270 acres. UEA students are not the only ones fed up with the current predicament. Finally, security staff, overstretched by the demands of their job, are starting to complain. And it is no wonder when they spend most of their day acting as glorified traffic wardens due to the ridiculous state of the University's parking system. Concrete has no hesitation in supporting those staff who came forward to talk to us. The only surprising aspect of this situation is that nothing seems to have been done about it. Every year concerns are expressed. yet the University seem intent on ignoring the warnings. Why wait for something serious to happen before actually dealing with the problem? And if student safety continues to be held in the low esteem it currently is then this presents itself as a distinct possibility. Something has to be done and it has to be done now.
The death of Generation X The announcement that the Government is consider scrapping tuition fees must come as music to the ears of students who have tirelessly campaigned for an overhaul of the system. lt is a rei ief that the concerns of young people seeking to enter higher education are finally being taken seriously. lt should also give those who have campaigned some sense of achievement if, indeed, the move is successful. Too often students are portrayed as apathetic to the world around them. The peace protests here at UEA and in London are a promising sign that we are starting to pay attention to the world we live in and finally standing up for what we believe in. The sooner we escape the Generation X stereotype that was de rigeur a decade ago the sooner we can start to get our voices heard. The reaction to these recent events would suggest that we aren't the dispossessed generation devoid of all hope and role models who have been dismissed for so long. About time too.
9
10
PROFILE
www.concrete-onl ine. co. uk
Concrete WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1 7, 2001
an on Stargazer turned Gamesmaster Sir Patrick Moore still keeps one eye firmly on his telescope. And while time may now be running out for the legendary astronomer, the recently knighted war veteran and Eurosceptic isn 't ready to give up just yet. Jo Locke met him ...
'W
elcome to Selsey' declares a qua int Victorian signpost as I drive down winding co untry lanes into the smal l seaside village. lt occurs to me as I see a horse and ca rt clopp ing down t he high street that th is is not the kind of place you expect to discover The Universe. Old England seems far too close for modern sc ience to coexist together. Or so I t hought . According to the sign on the porch door I had arrived at the air lock . The entrance had to be carefully monitored due to a certain fe line character by the name of Gini , who was adept at dash ing out of the thatched spaceship into uncharted territory when un suspecting visitors arrived. I knocked and waited . Sir Patrick Moore, now in his 77th year has had a ca reer spa nn ing wel l over 50 years. He has more than 100 books to his name, as well as being the longest conti nuously serving presenter on television wi th The Sky at Night. Wi t h more tha n an air of eccentricity, meeting the man who has pioneered amateur astronomy was, to say th e least , a I ittl e bit daunting. Expec t ing the Games Master to answer the door, I was taken aback by a fra il and t ired look ing old man in a red chequered shirt, devoid of monoc le, greet ing me wit h a questioning stare as if I had disturbed him to se ll Tupperware. He had forgotten I was coming , but showed me into his den nevertheless . I had interr upt ed a conversat ion on t he universe and everything wi th a close frie nd, but he bust les off to the kitchen to get me a mug of tea without a hint of animosity.
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oon Sitt ing amongst the clutter that has built up on the mantelpiece over the decades, with the war photographs, telescopes, maps, books, cricket bats, the piece of threadbare carpet with moons on it from his bedroom as a ch ild , the cuckoo clock his mother bought him for his sixt h birthday, and the famo us 1908 Woodstock Typewriter, it's like being at the centre of the Newtonian universe. The grandfather c lock ticks away, and the wo rl d passes by outside. And yet, the inside of Patrick's study could not be more releva nt to the space out side the cap su le of a house. "In 1959 I worked with the Russians on the Lutni k 3 mission because they needed my maps of t he Moon" he says. "lt was absolu tely fasci nating to watch them launch". He pa uses. The words co llide li ke meteors in an asteroid be lt; it appears his ageing body can't keep up with his ever-alert mind. "Of cou rse I was also involved at NASA wit h lunar mappi ng before the Apol lo missions. I reported on the la unches and wore one hat for reporting in London, and another for America , so the viewers could te ll where I was. lt was all very exciting, nothing quite like the te nsion" , he remi nisces. Yet, despite all the wonders of the infinite space beyond our se lf-important planet, it is the moon t hat has cont inua ll y drawn Patrick to its desolate craters. I ask him what in itially drew him to the illum inat ed orb , and he exp lains that as a six yearold boy he was looking about his moth er's bookcase and discovered The Story of the Solar System. He wanders over to the same bookcase and automati cally pulls out the worn and wel l-thumbed edition that inspired him so ma ny years ago. "I had one look through a te lescope after that and I have never looked back, " he enthuses. Patri ck Moore is one of the most autodidactic people I have heard of. Not only is he a self-taught astronomer, but a talented musician and composer, not to ment ion his cr icketing skill s. Top sc hoo ling almost came into it too. " I was awarded a place at Eton, but just before I was supposed to go, I became too i 11 , and so I was taught by my parents at home ," explai ns Patrick . " I then got into Cambridge , but aga in was too il l to accept the offer". I asked him if he had been to Eton and Cambridge , whethe r his life might be any different.
" I very muc h doubt it . I knew from a very earl y age that I loved astronomy " . Now an old man, Patrick Moore talks of his life as if it is nearly over. A para lysing spine condition has left his right hand almost immobile. He rea lised that his compos ing days we re at their end when he wrote his last march , " A friend and I were sitti ng at the piano. We wrote it out , shut the lid , and I've never played since". He remembers his not so distant xy lophone playing at the Royal Variety Performance , but Patrick is not sentimental. He approaChes his fate in a scientific manner. "lt can' t be helped, I've had a long run ''. With a purri ng mass of fur on my lap, Patrick disappears off to the kitchen again, and his friend informs me in hushed tones how worried they are abou t his fa iling hea lth . "He has qu ite rap idl y deteriorated. He finds his ill ness really demobilising beca use he was suc h an active ma n," he exp lains. " He has someone to look after the house for him , but he gets qu ite lonely, and loves to have company. " Livi ng wit h his mother for most of his life, Patrick has never rea lly got over her death. She was a signifi cant part of his life , and more tha n twenty years after her death, Patrick says he still misses her every day. Fami ly has always been an im portant aspect of his life. Sir Patrick is not a bache lor by choice ; he sad ly lost his fiance in the Blitz raids of World Wa r Two . "lt was the end of my happiness ," he says. "These t hings happen, and I wasn't the only one of course. I would have loved to have had a family, but Herr Hitler had other plans for my life . lt was only after this t hat I understood the airlock and the caged miniature garden outside the cat flap. You have to wonde r whether Patrick Moore is frightened of losing the last thing he has left. Yo u look into t he immacu late garden and ca n't help but not ice the green dome that sits on t he lawn like a sunken sphere in th e Aristotelian uni verse. lt is empty apa rt from his much -loved 12ft telescope with its 15-inch reflector. " English weath er reduces night time observat ion, but I could n't live anywhere but here , despite t he cloud, " he says. The telescope , which enlarges infinite universe to 900 t imes its naked eye size, is Patrick's Selsey porta l to another wor ld. Yo u can see beyond the malfunctioning body that Patrick Moore is intensely c lever. I ask him if he ever stops thinking. "No, I don't. I find it very hard to stop my brain and it is quite exhausting. Playi ng the piano was the only
"I had one look through a telescope. After that I never looked back."
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Concrete WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17 200 1
thing apart from exploring space that can stop it from wandering from thought to thought." As far as I can gather, Sir Patrick is not a religious man. He believes that "there are three things one should not discuss: politics, football and religion." But then when it comes to Space, he can't help but talk about it. "There was probably a big bang 15,000,000,000 years ago, and who knows what happened before that," he explains. "lt's impossible to visualise such a thing. lt's a multidimensional question, and being only a four dimensional creature, I have absolutely no idea. I met Einstein when I was 17 in Canada. lt was when I was pilot tra ining. I asked him if he could visualise infinity. He said no". Einstein is not the only man Patrick has met who has redefined our planet. "I've met Orville Wright and Neil Armstrong. I'm quite sure that they could have met. First airman and the first man on the moon. Their lives overlapped you know. I've known all of the lunar astronauts," he explains. "I would have quite liked to have been an astronaut. Perhaps if I hadn't been so ill as a child. Could have helped if I was American or Russian too. I knew Gagarin quite well." Talking of America and Russia, I ask him why he thinks that we sti ll haven't made a landing on Mars, or have an international lunar base. "There have been different agendas for the United States, and Russia has had economic problems. When I was ten I told my Mother that we would land on the moon in the early 1980s." I said that he would probably be right if the Cold War hadn't come so early, and he laughs. I ask if he had any predictions for when a lunar base might be realised. "I believe it could be possible within ten years, but it all depends on do we want one? lt wou ld certai nly
1met Einstein when I was 17 in Canada. lt was when I was pilot training". I asked him if he could visualise infinity. He said no". 11
be an important step in exploring the whole universe." Recent research into bone marrow density has reported that 10% losses could hamper future long-haul space journeys, but this doesn't concern him greatly. "I don't really know, but I've spoken to many people that have been in space for considerable amounts of time, and they claim to have had no problems. I'm sure technology will find a solution. " lt was through discussing international astronomical efforts that I manage to coerce him into discussing politics, and he only resists a little. " I'm rather concerned by the events in New York, " he says. "I don't like the idea that we're being drawn into co-operation with Europe or America. It's going to be another nail in the coffin of our sovereignty." Perhaps it was because he had fought against Germany for Queen and Country, or that he doesn't like the sitcom Friends a great deal, but Patrick is a determined xenophobic. He goes on to express his relief that the international astronomical community has always been borderless, even during the Arms Race of the Cold War. "We paid no attention whatsoever to the iron and bamboo curtains. I wish that some of the other sciences had too, but they didn't." Having spent so much of his time devoted to inspiring new generations of astronomers, some wonder when Patrick is planning on retiri ng. "What
do you mean retire? I've never done a days work in my life!" His greatest achievement has to be that he's carried the telescope for amateur astronomers in a field that has become increasingly professional. Despite 50 years of searching the skies, he still cla ims to be an amateur, an expert one at that. "Amateurs are still incredibly useful," he enthuses. " Hubble may be huge, but all over the world there are many hundreds of thousands of eyes watching every f licker of light. Amateurs are discovering important things such as comets and supernovas all of the time." An hour into the interview, Patrick has relaxed and sits back in his chair with ease. The cat purrs and the clocks tick away. "I'll tell you something. A very good friend of mine is an astronomer in the Roya l Society. I won't tell you his name because he won't want me to tell you, but.. . the other day, he was looking through his telescope and excitedly called me up saying he'd found a new star." He laughs for at least 10 seconds, " He'd rediscovered Saturn!" I suddenly don't feel quite so ignorant. Before I leave, he shows me his CBE from the Queen, enclosed in a wooden and glass case on the wall. He points to a small, very old looking medal, and asks me what I think it is. I nervously ask if it was his father's Military Cross, and he laughs for at least 30 seconds. "I won it in my Christmas cracker last year!" Sir Patrick, whilst a stern looking
PROFILE
11
man, doesn't take li fe too seriously. Looking back on a year in which he has been knighted, won a BAFTA for services to television and become a member of the prestigious Royal Society, I ask him what has been his favourite moment. He looks at me with the eyes of the excited six year old. "Never in my wildest dreams did I ever expect to be accepted into the Royal Society. I received a phone call the night before it was announced, and I told them repeatedly there must be some mistake." If you look at Patrick Moore you see a man who has devoted his life to Space itself. Some say that he has spent his life trying to escape reality, but who of us don' t? We sit in his study and talk about how he can't get on with his new computer. All the letters he has written to me, including a postcard from the Isle of Wight, are tapped away on the trusty Woodstock. lt strikes me that this man grapples with the questions of the universe, and yet can't get on with all modern technology. In many ways Patrick Moore is stuck in the 1950s, still coming to terms with events in his life that refuse to leave him alone, etched onto his face like the imprint of the monocle that circles his right eye. We talk about the possibility of a Third World War, and get onto the horrors of the last. He quietly mentions being at Dachau in 1943, but doesn't want to tell me about it. " I did see Dachau, and walked about a bit, and saw many thi ngs I would rather not remember. Some things shouldn't ever be talked about, and th is is one of them." I now understand a little more why The Universe is so appealing. lt allows Patrick to be swallowed up by something so unimaginably large. Maybe Einstein's right. Maybe you can't visualise infinity. But there's no harm in looking.
12
LIFESTYLE
www.concrete-online.co.uk
Concrete WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2001
• • •
e sexes Anatomical differences aside, the ma le and the female of the species cou ld not be more different in how they view each other. What do women really want from men? And quite how important are breasts? Alex Sehmer investigated ... he rules of attraction seem to be one of life's most closely guarded secrets. What do we go for in a man or in a woman? What attracts us to each other? "If I knew the answer to that," shouts one embittered postgraduate, "I wouldn't be single." When asked what they thought men wanted from them, the girls decided emphatically that, above anything else, men want sex. A quick scout around The Hive showed this answer to be the expected utterly defamatory and unfair assessment of the male psyche. "Breasts!" said men, and found themselves grappling with the whole breasts/arse dilemma. But what should you go for first? Is the debate ever going to be solved? A certain amount of flexibility in the bedroom seemed to be essential when it comes to the perfect woman. The girls were keen to point out that men expected this flexibility to be emotional rather than physical; and they were fairly demanding about a man's bedroom ·prowess themselves. All this might well suggest that what attracts us to each other, fuelled by general interest and lifestyle magazines, simply makes us a mixture of the embittered and the inadequate.
14
She must be prepared to wear a pink hippo costume on Monday afternoons." Mostly people want all the usual. Good personality, good body, good sense of humour. "Though generally, " said one EAS student wishing to remain anonymous, "hardly any women are funny." Does this mean women who are funny are at an advantage? A quick look round Thursday's LCR proves that this clearly isn't true. Sense of humour is a contentious subject though. The girls were fed up with men who think farting, either in public or in bed, is big, clever or funny. And men, it seems, are tired of women who can't take their drink. But whilst the ability for a girl to hold her drink is important, there seems to be nothing more embarrassing than a girlfriend who can, and regularly does, dri nk you under the table. The girls felt this principle was more general and all-pervading, believ-
ing men were looking for girls who knew about sport, but not more than they did. "Boys don't like being shown up," was the general consensus. And did girls? Most men thought not. But it wasn't going to make a difference. "Girls tart too," someone pointed out helpfully. Really? Perhaps they merely glow. The boys demanded wom~n to be 'fun to be with' and understanding. The girls showed more inventiveness, citing not merely the yawningly dull, "he's got to be able to listen", and "~e must have a good personality" but also the unexpected importance of "good sandwich making ability", "a uniform" and "good choice of tra iners". F·l r one individual, who strangely asked to remain anonymous, the requirements were topped off with, "Grit, stubble and a broken nose." Missing teeth and several convictions were surely coming next. "lt's proven that men are more attracted to things that are light in colour," explained dark haired Clare (SWK3). Blonde girls were sceptical, though, and men professed no special attraction to clean fridge units, bright clothes or snow. "An}way," Clare continued, "We're all animals. We smell people and we 're basically attracted to the pheronones." Apparently there have been experiments conducted by spraying the essence of a man on a chair and watching the women queue up to sit in it. But since most women said they liked men who were at least adequately hygienic, the idea of being attracted by a man's 'smell' would seem unlikely at best. Men, on the other hand, were mostly unfazed by the strength and poignancy of perfume - though obviously, if it made your eyes water it was getting a little strong. The boys were more concerned that women always went for vociferous and overly self-confident men. So accord ing to the girls, a man's perfect girl was going to be an easily bedable blonde bombshell, barely bothered by her weight ard with an acceptable understanding of the offside rule. Whilst the boys thought a girl's perfect man was an arrogant but educated, gentlemanly Brad Pit-type' who didn't masturbate. But who really understands these things? Surely, you would only have to check the personal ads to see what people really want? Fri~ndship fun and possibly more it would seem. The general consensus was that most women were looking fer a satisfying relat ionship wh ile men were after one th1ng and one thing only. A hypothesis, it would seem, ~t to be proved wholly untrue ...
As for what women really want? Well, the fi lm of the same name clearly indicates that what women want is Mel Gibson dancing in his apartment like Fred Astaire. Perhaps surprisingly, no one has actually openly contradicted this and a woman's ideal man for a relationship does seem to have to be prepared to dance. Throw in good dress (and trainer) sense and a high standard of personal hygiene, and you 're left with a picture that suggests most women see their ideal man as gay. Indeed, the boys picked up on this 'gay vibe', albeit in their own special and very different way, specifying that the ideal woman would of course be prepared to sleep with her best friend as well as her boyfriend. At the same time, of course. Steven (EAS 3) went further.- "She must be prepared to wear a pink hippo costume on Monday afternoons." Whilst it is comforting to think he was not being wholly serious, fetishes should probably not be ruled out. This does of course force the question of whether there is 'one body who everyone fancies' or whether there is some room for a certain degree of individua lity. And don't forget that these th ings are culturally dependent. Some cu ltures find body scarri ng attractive, whi lst Chinese cu lture at one point
Ll FESTYLE 13
www.concrete-online.::o.uk
Concrete WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2001
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WHYI BRAD DARLING, YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND A SINGLE WORD I SAY/
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ome dreams need little explanation, like winning the lottery or finding yourself trapped in a lift with that attractive boy or girl from your seminar group. But what about the images at the more bizarre end of the dream spectrum that · turn up in our unconscious nightly adventures? Whi lst dreams can sometimes make going to sleep w.)rthwh ile, others can leave you gasping in a cold sweat. Taking an exam you have not prepared for, or being unable to find the exam hall, for example, are classic anxiety dreams. One second year student suffered such a nightmare: "I had a recurring nightmare in which I had to sit a maths exam, even though I · haven't studied the subject since my GCSEs" . Aside frDm the obvious interpretation that you secretly feel ycu should spend more time in the library and less at the union bar, these dreams can actually represent an
inability to face up to failings in any areas of your life. Dreams where you have to face a hostile interviewing panel are a sign that your conscience is asking you some hard questions. So perhaps you should do the right thing and stop stealing your housemates' food . One thing guaranteed to add an extra dimension of horror to exam or interview dreams is the sudden realisation that you are actually naked. Whilst getting your kit off in real ity can be a f un and rewarding experience, nudity in dreams represents a fear of honesty and openness in personal relationsh ips, and a belief that you will be rejected if you reveal your true self to others. Colours are important in dreams too, though many people claim to dream in black and wh ite only. One student's only colour dream memory was "being chased by giant scary blue kangaroos". Experts say that blue is the colour of all things spiritua l, but the whole experience would seem to have more to do with
Y girlfriend and I have been having a few relationship problems recently, and I thought that we'd j ust got on track again. But then the other day, I was in bed with her and noticed something that I think is genital herpes. lt has only just appeared as far as I can t ell, so I don't think that she had it before we met a few months ago. What should I do?" A shocked boyfriend
"Ask her about it, even though it will be hard. lt will be better to know the truth one way or t he other. If she has been cheating on you, then you can deal with it. On the other hand, you should have a test because sometimes you can have an STI and not know it, and you may have given it to her. Either way, you should go to see a doctor." Anonymous
"Ask her to explairl herself and tell her not to itch it as it only makes it worse. Apparently." Archibald leech (DEV 4 ) "I think that you' re a liar, because you know that you gave it to her. Now you fee l guilty and are trying to make her look bad." Ceronica Beeson (EAS 4 )
"You can catch crabs without having sex - trust me I know. So perhaps she caught herpes without cheating on you. I think that you should confront her about it, see what she has to say for herself, and then chuck her. If she says that she's been raped, I'd let her off." Maff (The Grads Bar) "I reckon that you should stalk her for a few days. That way you'll find out if she's cheating on you." Simon (Grads Bar) What is genital herpes? Genital herpes is caused by the Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV). lt can be caught by having sex with someone who has the virus. Contact between your genital s and someone with mouth cold sores, or transferring the infection from your own cold sore to your genitals (or eyes).
saw bound feet and being right handed essential to the image of the beautiful woman. On a topic slightly closer to home, many UEA men insist that, with a British accent, you're literally bound to get a shag in America. As far as the girls were concerned, American men themselves scored points by being more 'concerned' about girls' feelings. Touche. At the end of the day, maybe what attracts us to each other is not something we should even seek to understand. Maybe we should just put it down to individual madness and just go home with one another. Will we ever truly understand what the other wants from us? As that great social philosopher Katherine Hepburn, once said of the opposite sex: "Perhaps they should live next door, and just visit now and the n."
Does it really mean anything when we dream of attend ing job interviews naked? Rachael McDowall finds out ..
'' M
"Change the girlfriend and have a very, very long bath. A doctor's appointment might be good too." Duncan (Ex UEA student)
You're left with a picture that suggests most women see their idea l man as gay.
Day dream believer?
Genital herpes
What are the symptoms? You might experience flu-like symptoms: fever, tiredness, headaches, and aches and pains in the lower back and down the legs or groin. You might then get small blisters that burst to leave small, red , punched-out ulcers. They will heal on their own and don't scar. You might find it painful when you urinate. If you can't see the blisters, this might be the first thing you notice. More advice? Visit www.herpesweb.net
the Blue Lagoons consumed the night before. Red is the colour of passion, yellow represents authority and purple suggests royalty will play a part in your life, so good luck if you're a first year at St Andrews. So what dreams should people be having if they want success? If you're facing an exam - in rea l life, that is, rather than sans-clothes in a dream - then climbi ng a mountain, perhaps Waveney, suggests you have the determination you need to reach your goal. In contrast, many people associate falling with failure, but falling and landing without hurting yourse lf is a rem inder that apparent disasters do not matter over time. If your finances are already looking unhealthy after a few weeks of term, watch out for fish and feathers because they bring much needed cash. And on the odd chance that you might dream of owning a camel, you should consider buying coal as, apparently, this means you'll make money from investments in mining. The lesson here is that whilst dreams can be bizarre, be careful not to interpret t hem too literally. Taking everything you dream at face val ue can have unwanted consequences, as one student found out. "My girlfriend went mad at me when I said I'd had a dream about my ex," explained the fantasising firstyear. This reaction is understandable, but dreams of an ex-partner simply mean there is a lesson to be learnt from that relationship. Similarly, men shouldn't run for the hills if their girlfriend dreams of a wedding as it is more likely to represent extra commitment to their career or studies than you getting down on one knee. With a bit of luck, that is.
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The lesbian orgy
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first female encounter was in year 12 at school. I went to an all girls boarding school, and a group of five of us had been really good friends since year 4. When we got into sixth form Jessica, who was a lesbian, turned up and things got a lot more sexual. Apart from Jessica we were all bi, and had been flirting with each other tor years. One night we went out 01 the town, and all ended up at Ali's house and very drunk. Apart from Ali and I, the others went to the garage to get cigarettes, and we were left drinking in her room. We'd been joking about pulling each other all night, and within seconds of hearing the door shut, we started snagging quite furiously. 01e thing led to another and we ended up under her duvet. We didn't hear our friends coming up the stairs, and when they opened the door on us, I was really embarrassed. Expecting them to go away, Jessica and Annabel and Gemma came and joined in. We ware all very pissed, but it was such a turn on. We' re all still friends, but we've never told anyone else about what we did. We haven't had any more orgies since, but my boyfriend and I went out for dinner with Ali and her boyfriend before the start of term, ·and I cou dn't help remembering how good she was." Elaine MTHl
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www.concrete-online.co.uk
Concrete WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2001
TRAVEL
15
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Mumbai? Don't you mean Bombay? Afraid not. it was renamed back to its original title in 1996 after the Indian government decided to ditch all the remainin~ reminders of the Empire. it is so called because it's a cluster of seven islands, inhabited by koli fisherman who Iived on the shores of the Arabian Sea and worshipped Mumbadevi . it was given to Charles \I by the Portuguese and offered freedom of business and religion to those who settled here thus explaining it multiculturalism, Indian style . Thanks for the history lecture, now dish the dirt ... Well , if it's the first port of call on your Indian experience the first thing you will notice is the incredible smell of raw sewage. Most of the area around the airport is shantytowns and it can be quite unsettling, particularly if you have never experienced such extreme poverty. Drive into the heart of the city and you will find it one of incredible contradictions, where the ox-cart is just as familiar as the Jaguar. You will think the centre of the town is a northern industrial city from the 19th century, not something you would find on the coast of the Arabian Sea . it wants to be the Indian version of Singapore, and is the economic centre of the country, tu I\ of cocksure self-confidence of the maverick money-maker. But because it's so rich, it's also so poor, about five million liv1 on the streets and they have a snobbishness that feels like it's left over from the English. So, I will be able to have a game of cricket then?
They play more cricket than they offer you cups of tea . The kids will play on any stretch of road/grass/sand/wasteland they can . They bowl at one stump and even if they don't have any clothes everyone has a proper bat and ball. Just don't mention Sachin Tendukar...
So I can play cricket, but what happens if I want to do something else? Mumbai 's most famous assets are the colonial monument, the Gateway to India , and the adjoining hotel, the Taj Mahal Hotel. it costs £750 a night, in a city with an average wage of 60p per day. Of course, there is Marine Drive, a promenade that runs the length of Chowpatty Beach , home of the freedom struggle. it's not somewhere to go swimming though . There is the hidden treasure of Mani Bhawan , the Gandhi Memorial that no one seems to know where it is, though it's a good way to discover the most revered man in the country. There are also some impressive temples and the Prince of Wales museum . However, if you want to escape catch a boat to Elephant Island; it's like finding a haven in the midst of mayhem . So how do I get there?
six-~onth
Well if you want to go to India at all , then you need a tourist visa that costs £30 . Airfares cost from £220 one way with British Airways but you can get open-ended return tickets Including stopovers from about £420 with various middle-eastern airlines. Mike Milner
As the Allies attempt to impose a government upon Afghanistan, opinions of the West are at an all time low. But, as Alex Sehmer found out, Indian feelings towards Britain still reign high.
''
ighty percent of Indians," an old man promised me , " would like to be under British rule again ." it is not a statistic I felt he had any grounds to claim, and I argued strongly with him , feeling compelled to reveal what I saw as the true evils of westernisation . But he wouldn 't hear of it. He told me he never wrote in Tamil , only in Engl ish and, for him, the British had magnanimously 'clothed the savages and brought the gospel to India'. In actual fact, it wasn't the British who bought the gospel to India at all. As it happens we cannot even claim to have been the first to publish it, as it was the Portuguese and not the British who first printed the Bible in India. As for the clothing of the savages? I can think of elderly relatives of mine who would like to think that was what we were doing there. Clearly they are not alone. A whole generation of Indians seem perfectly willing to side with them . India seems a country remarkably forgetful of its treatment by the British . This forgetfulness is no doubt a mixture of India's generally laid back attitude to everything in life- except perhaps driving and Pakistan - and the relative stability that came with British rule. This is something many of the older generations hark back to easily done in a country so riddled with corruption and where one's presidents are systematically assassinated one after the other. Independence Day in India falls on the 15th August. On that day in 194 7, the British hastily left the country and India was on her own. I celebrated Independence Day in Moo\akaraiparti, a small village in the south of Tamil Nadu . There the local nongovernment school made me, without any consultat ion , guest of honour, sat me on a
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dais with the headmaster and assorted local dignitaries, and then insisted I make a speech. it was a move that took me rather by surprise, and I was left stammering a thank-you at the microphone. The whole thing seemed an irony lost on all but me . When , away from the microphone, I was allowed to make my position clear, the school 's Principle merely beamed at me and said, "But the British built dams and roads and now we reap the benefits." I wanted to point out that the British Raj had done its fair share of reaping but I wasn 't allowed to say a bad word about my country. Instead we all pledged our allegiance to India in the frighteningly robotic tone of schoolchildren made to learn someth ing by rote . This was not the only indignity, as it happened, to befall me at the school. That Sunday the main hall became a makeshift church and while attending the service, spoken part in Tamil and part in English, one of the boys announced that 'Mr. Alex' would now be singing a special song. Thinking particularly unchristian thoughts, I walked to the front of the church, accepted the proffered hymn book and began uncertainly, without any accompaniment, a tuneless ren dition of 'Praise The Everlasting Lord '. I realised too late that I had started far too high, and as I reached the chorus I imagined my testicles retracting far into my stomach as my voice limped into a screeching falsetto and then petered out. I was thanked, and I made my way shakily to the back of the church where one of the teachers had obviously heard the racket and taken pity on me . They stood me there, like a saint, with a glass of mango juice . Unfortunately the Principle chose that moment to bound up to the microphone and explain how privileged everybody present was to be joined by someone from England . At which point the entire congregation swivelled in their seats to see me standing in the middle of the nave , gulping down my drink . I gave as dignified a nod as I could
In the light of the attacks in New York, selfcriticism of the West is taking on a whole new importance for all of us.
manage and quickly sat down . After the service was over I tried again to convince the Principle that the British had had no right to India in the first place. That they were there as traders, and gradually the British East India Company quietly acquired most of the country. Not only this, but when it became obvious the British, weakened by their conflict with Hitler, couldn't continue to run India forever we quickly imposed a deadl ine and hurriedly pulled out. This left India, and the newly and disastrously formed Pakistan, to sink or swim . The Principle for his part was delighted his school possessed a real live Englishman , and seemed to regard Independence Day as some kind of charitable gesture on the part of the British . Surely, I argued, independence was any country's fundamental right? The Principle just shrugged. I love all of Asia very much, without any right to really do so. I've been amazed by the things Europeans have done to them in the past, and no one really seems very bothered. The lease on Hong Kong ran out relatively recently, in 1997, but no one remembers the only reason we got it in the first place was because we addicted half the Chinese nation to opium, a product they grew themselves. The Americans blanketed Cambodia's gorgeous countryside with landmines in the name of the West's fight against Communism . The French were the first in the world to mount an aerial attack on unarmed civilian protesters, mostly women and children, in Vietnam . And doesn't anyone in India remember the British General Dyer? He shot dead over three hundred unarmed Sikhs in Amritsar and the British nation gave him a pay rise . I sometimes wonder if feeling guilty is not the privilege of the West's white Christian middle classes. There is so much to feel guilty about and , in light of the September 11 attacks in America, self-criticism of the West is surely taking on a whole new importance for all of us. To be honest though , I don't even feel that guilty myself. After all , I wasn 't there, I couldn't have done anything about it. At any rate, if eighty percent of India's population really does think the sun shines out of our proverbial. .. how can so many people possibly be wrong?
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LOOK
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Concrete
W EDNESDAY, OCTOBER
17, 2001
•
aces ell ing a boy that his image is not qu ite up to scratch is never an easy task. Penchants for bad tapered jeans and dodgy hair seem to plague most teenage boys at some point, but when they hit adulthood, there real ly is no excuse. Not wanting to offend either model chosen for our male makeover, we decided to not entire ly dismiss t heir own styl es but to simply swap the ir images over, making scruff smart and smart scruff. We pic ked Christian , somewhat of a loveable rogue , who dresses for his own comfort in faded jeans and vintage shirts, but still likes to make an impression with his wannabe rock star image. However, we wanted to change th is sl ightly off-beat style into one of class and distinction. A fitted Vivienne Westwood suit was chosen, from an impressive selection at Ph ilip Browne. To help achieve Christian 's new image, we teamed the su it with a grey cashmere round neck and a pale pink sh irt, whi ch both helped to highl ight t he flattering pinstripes in the sui t , and dress it down a bit. Luis then tamed Christian's wild (and not just a little fluffy) hair into a slightly shorter style and blowdried his curls so they were far more defined . We had achieved our goal and instead of looking too much like he was off to a job interview, Christian looked relaxed and rather sexy with his new, smarter image. Now Tristan , on the other hand , is t he cleanest of all the clean-cut boys in the world . Ever immaculate, his jet black hair is styled to perfection (never a hai r out of place) . His clot hes are smarter than the typical student's: basically, he is the complete opposite to Christian . After much persuasion and visits to different outlets, we found t he perfect outfit for Tristan. Distressed , dirty denim Seal Kay jeans and a Mooks seat be lt gave him a more relaxed look, teamed with layered T sh irts. A vintage-style zip-up track top found at Elements completed the image . For a slightly more street look we teame d t he outf it with a sheepskin den im jacket, again found at Philip Browne . As Tristan 's hair was much shorter and straighter than Christian 's, Luis decided to hack into Tristan 's hai r creating a spiky, messy crop t hat is easy to handle and far more ca refree. Our aim was achieved : Tristan was scruffy but cool. He was a littl e less ent husi asti c th an Christian about his new look, te lling us we had made him look like a "dirty sti nk ing grunger." By placi ng both boys in t he setting of Orgasmic, the new wine bar near Tombland, we accentuated how each style is easy to wear in any environ ment. lt has to be sa id th at Christia n didn't actually want to take the sui t off and even Tristan became rathe r fond of his new image in t he end. Mission accomplished, but could it be that t hese boys' old images are dead and buried? Kat Rea lff
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Pictured from left: Tristan Mewtimer and Christian Gaske/1
Scruff meets sleek in a battle of styles. Persuading two young men to swap their images is no easy challenge. But we put it to the test as we convince Christian Gaskell and Tristan Mewtimer to leave their egos at the door and try something completely new.
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LOOK
www.concrete-online.co.uk
17
THE EQUATION: Kraftwerk Kool
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+ SLICK SUITS
Fashion maths for the uninspired Slick your hair down with enough wax so that even in your coffin your skull will still be warm
RED
KRAFTWERK
t last. A look mere mortals can attempt. Take two of the latest trends to appear in the men's collections jet black suits (Versace preferable, but black is black, right, so Top Man will do if necessary), and red (seen in both men's and women's collections - clearly this season's pink), to create the Kraftwerk Kool - a look so kitsch it just has to be good. Of course, for the full effect, there are all accessories to think about, if you want to pull this off properly. So, first things first, master the skill of speaking in a thick, German accent, occasionally throwing in a couple of authentic German words. "Nein danke, daB ist mir zu teuer" is a good place to start. Then, slick your hair down in a fetching asymmetrical parting (think Human League, but German) with enough wax so that even in your coffin your sku ll will still be warm. Ditch human interaction (yuppies shouldn't find this too difficult), and, finally, replace your mobile phone with a synthesiser. Much more original ring tones anyway. Mischa Pearlrna n
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FAUX-PAS: 8-boy bodystocki ng f Eminem and Marc Almont were caught cavorting in some public lav, Adam Entwisle's design would spring to mind. A hybrid of wide-boy and homoerotica, Entwisle's plan for his spring/summer collection was to bring two diverse social groups together in one outfit, perhaps as some moronic symbol of urban peace. A fishnet bodystocking, a baseball cap, a black thong, and to top it off nicely, a pair of bright white hi-tops. lt is not the strange mixture that is the most troubling thing. That could perhaps be forgiven, if it were not for this demented glorification of balls. Now, everyone knows, in their more honest and sober moments, that genitalia is frankly disgusting and shouldn't be allowed . Unfortunately, Entwisle doesn't seem to believe this. The tight black thong can only accentuate every crease; the bodystocking can only direct the eye in towards the dangling sack. Maybe it is possible to bring boy racer and gayswagger together in one design, taking the most stylish elements of each. But Entwisle has not achieved this. His effort could have been a great coming together, like ice cream and sex, but instead we are offered a plateful of pubic lice. Richard Evans
I
Christian wears charcoal pinstriped suit, £659 by Vivienne Westwood. Pale pink cotton shirt, £89 by Joseph. Grey cashmere jumper, £99 by Ted Baker, all at Philip Browne. Tristan wears distressed jeans, £95 by Seal Kay. Red, white and blue nylon track top, £70 by Sergio Tacchini, both at Elements. White and blue cotton/lycra T shirts, £29 each. Sheepskin dark denim jacket, £119 both by Diesel at Philip Browne. Blue seatbelt, £20 by Mooks at Frank. Hair by Luis Roldan at Rufus (01603 760 765). Photographs by Will Benthall and Ed Webb-lngall. Stylists Astrjd Goldsmit/1 aQd /{at Fjealff. Thanks to Heather afltt Sarah at Orgasmic (01603 760 650).
Wrong in so many ways The bodystocking can only direct the eye towards the dangling sack
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www.con crete-onIine.co. uk
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Where did you go wrong? One minute everything was going along swimmingly; the world was at you r feet, bec koning you to enjoy the fruits of you r labou r. lt is your month after all. Sadly, though, the planets have decided that all is not well in t he state of Libra, starting with your ability to interract within society. The movement of Jupiter in your chart will bring about startling changes in how comfortable you feel in your re lations with those around you. You wil l find a kindred spirit in your fellow Aquarians this fortnight, proving that all is not bad . Just try not to be too forcefu I with them else you might ge t a smack in the face . As funny as that might be for everyone else, it's not really a road you want to travel , especially as you'll have great difficu lty finding anyone who ' ll take you seriously in the com ing weeks. Ahhhh poor little lamb. See' Told you.
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Don 't forget the dead this fortnight. Th ey have a habit of coming ba ck and making you regret your horrible ways. The stars ordain that you shou Id go somewhere quiet to reflect on what you have lost and what you have to gain. You will be reminded of ju st who is important in you r life. Also in you r stars: You will be forced to come to terms with something sordid you did man y years ago. See ... it isn't just the dead that come back to hau nt you. Serves you righ t for bei ng a perv.
Feeling a little guilty are we? Long sweaty sleepless nights 7 Awaking from ghoulish nightmares in a cacophony of screams? Something tells me someone should repent their evil ways. And there's no time Ii ke the present. Neptune delves deep into your lunar cupboard this wee k so you might not wa nt t hose ske letons hanging around for too much longer. Bury the bodies, destroy the evidence , do what you can and do it now. Ted Bundy was a Pisces you know and look what ha ppened to him.
CONCRETE
it 's n1ce to see you still haven't got the hang of appreciating the finer th ings in life. Which will probably explain why, in the next fortnight, your be haviour goes from immature to downright infantile . But don't worry, the stars predict that thi s new development will have unforseen consequences. You'll finally be able to attract some new friends. The fact that these new acquaintances hang out underneath the pedestrian walkway near Poundland is another matter.
After all those years of searching, the next few weeks will open up new possibilities in attracting that specia l someone. it's been a long t ime coming. There is one hitch, however. You are not the on ly person interested. You r chart predicts that you are going to have to go to some pretty devious depths if you wan t success. The good thing about the whole affair is that Sagittarians have never been short of persistence and have always been short of morals. Enjoy.
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This fortnight will prove an easy one for you as all the disjointed areas of your life fall into place. You are going to experience momentou s changes on the relationsh ip front , changes which force you to ask yourse lf just where your priorities lie. But do not fear the pla nets will be smi ling on you and any decision you make wil l prove to be the right one, even if you think everything has turned to bollocks. Remember, follow your instincts and don 't allow others to co lou r your judgemen t. They' re wrong.
Your cha rt orda ins that you should be extra nice to your loved one in the next two weeks. Shower them with all the affect ion you know they deserve. Satisfy them in the bedroom and the rewards wi ll be yours for the taking. The main changes in your life will centre around you r need for power. Don 't let this slip. You need to keep on top of the things that are importan t or else you might not be able to gain the re spect you deserve. Don't let friends bul ly you into si tu ations tha t you can't handle.
Frog and Rabbit
You are destined to have much affection thrown at you th is fortnight but not necessarily from t he person you expect and not necessarily from the person you want. As Venus slinks seductively into your sign it's not much of a surprise that yo u reek of pheromones. People want you and they aren't interested in your brain, if you know what I mean . Don't get tempted though. You know where your heart real ly lies and you'd be stupid to ri sk th at for a drunke n fum ble wi th a stra nger.
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Concrete WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2001
Capricorn
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The events of the next fortnight probably won't prove particularly amusing to you but everyone else is having a ri ght old laugh at your expense. The ha lf moon is making you act funny. And we 're not talking funny ha ha here, we're talk ing th e kid at school who wet himself in front of the whole class. You are destined to ri de out this brief storm with the utmost of dignity, even if you are incapable of avoiding it. There is some promising news though . You won 't wet yourself.
Newsflash! You aren't God's gift to life, as the coming weeks will prove. You are destined to spend your time revell ing in your faux-Casanova ways, making all around you wretch at the thought of touch ing your putrid flesh. On the plus side though you will discover a knack for enjoying your own company. Perh aps a spe ll in a monastery/nunnery might help. Other news this fortnight : Your lucky number is 200 and you wi ll be accosted by a man in a brown rain coat.
~Cancer
. . Leo
Pluto is blocked for the next fortnight which could make you slightly moody. Your one saving grace is t hat Geminis wi 11 understand your mood swings. If you need to be selfish, a Gem in i will listen to your problems, absorb your anger and maybe th row in some washing up for good measure. Virgo 's might mis take yo ur skittish behaviour for built up sexual tension so if you're shy and after a partner, make sure you ask all prospective pulls in the LC R thei r star sign. Yo u are sure to get some acti on.
There are a few signs you shou Id look to avoid thi s coming fort night, including Pisces, Aries, Tauru s, Scorpio, Capricorn and Virgo. But don't worry - it shouldn't prove too difficult because Jupiter will combine with Saturn to make you all but a socia l leper. But be positive, and try to use the nex t two weeks construc tive ly, perhaps reading on the third floor ol the library. Then you can look down on crowds of people enjoying the Indi an summer by th e lake. Alri ght th en, forget th at last bit.
by Step hen Street
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THIS IS YOUR PAPER SO IF YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED WE HAVE INTRODUCED TWO CONTRIBUTORS' MEETINGS A WEEK MONDAYS AT ROOM
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IF YOU CAN'T MAKE IT TO THE MEETINGS THE OFFICE IS ALWAYS OPEN WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES IN WRITING, PHOTOGRAPHY, ILLUSTRATING, PROOF-READING, WEB DESIGN AND MODELLING, AS WELL AS POSITIONS ON THE EDITORIAL TEAM
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Advertise anyth ing - even yourself- for free. Simply write up to 25 words for your ad and pop it in the Concrete box in The Hive, or email it to su.concrete@uea .ac.uk Terms and conditions apply . Not available to private traders or businesses FOR SALE CAR FOR SALE: Honda Integra Exi , F Reg , v good condition, sporty look, power stee ring, £875 07867 811 591 ENGLI S H DICTI ONARY: £15, tenni s raquet Donnay titanium £10, Ross speakers for CD/PC £10, pitcher with water filter £5 e.escobar@uea.ac. uk HOUSE SALE: bookcase £8, retro B+W TV £15, full length mirror £10, desk £20, drawers £5, collect Golden Tnangle 01603 462 58 2 COMPU TER FOR SALE : £250 ono, 500 MHz processor, 6GB hard drive, 120 MB ram , 52 X CD
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LETTERS
Concrete WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2001
19
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR PO Box 410 · Norwich Fax 01603 506822
NR4 7TB Tel 01603 250558 E-mail su.concrete@uea.ac.uk
Rebuttal
Complacent war
Your front page story on accomodat1on 1ssues IS extremely part1al and m places misleading. The sheer hard work and ded1cat1on of the Accomodat1on Off1ce resulted in over 3000 students having a roof over their head at the start of term. The A-level and cleanng system compress the t1me available to allocate rooms but 1t 1s the Un1vers1ty's efforts to give max1mum flexibility to students that make the short term problems of temporary accommodation and room-sharing particularly diff1cult to solve. Any lessons to be learnt w1ll be applied m future years. We d1d not order people in the Guest Su1te to leave shared rooms and 1! IS a total distortion to 1mply that our suggestion that people move to permanent rooms before the end of the 14 day temporary contract amounted to a threat of ev1ct1on or breaking a contract. Your story also failed to reflect the harassment, bullying and intimidation faced by accommodation staff from a small mmority of students as a result of these difficult Circumstances. There 1s no JUStification for the1r behaviour, Darticularly when stff are contmu1ng to work extremely hard to solve outstand1ng issues. Jenny Grant (Director of Residences and Services)
Alnght, so unthinkable th1ngs do happen. Lets travel back in t1me to 1912 when the g1gant1c and seem1ngly unsinkable Titan1c sunk nght to the bottom of the ocean on its ma1den voyage. Many people lost the1r l1ves needlessly . I say needlessly because the owners of the S.M.S d1d not bother to fully equip the sh1p w1th lifeboats because 11 was 'unsinkable'. Complacency that's what it was. Now lets rol l forward when the all powerful all conquenng Russ1ans dec1ded to go to war in the middle east. lt seemed 11 was go1ng to be a cruise m and a cru1se out. Alas what happened was unthinkable agam just like with Titanic. They were embarrassingly defeated because they were complacent JUSt like the Amencans when they went to V1etnam. Now lets compare and contrast these situations w1th what IS happening now 1n the build up to war against terrorists. Now everyone 1s say1ng America and Bntam will destroy the Tal1ban and then capture Bin Laden etc. Tony Blair and Bush are all saying there w1ll only be one w1nner m this war and that 1s them. Why does this smell of the same complacency that sunk the Titanic and the Russ1ans. Intelligence IS the key source here because all the military m1ght of
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the Bnt1sh and the Americans will not do any more damage m the war ravaged Afghanistan. There are no m1l1tary targets and neither are there any strategic targets. They use guerilla war tact1cs wh1ch the west wont manage to fight against as ev1denced by the defeat of the then Rhodisian Army 1n Zimbabwe by the National Guenllas. I, l1ke any peace and freedom lov1ng person, would l1ke to see JUStice bemg carried out but v1ctory w1fl only come about if our leaders avoid complacency. Vee (MGT 1)
Disconnected I write as a third year student (I refuse to say f1nal year, I JUSt love Norw1ch too much) who IS JUSt a little b1t m1ffed by the fact that first year students on campus w1ll have the1r own phone l1nes to chat w1th fnends for free and to down load cop1 us amounts of pornography from the mternet. On top of th1s, 1t must be remembered that these lucky freshers have never had to sample any Breakers cu1sine (although the site now l1es dormant, that's surely preferable to the prev1ous mcarnat1on of an operat1ng 'restaurant') The f1rst years had better appreciate these developments on our f1ne concrete campus - because God
"I think 1t's very important to think of the consequences of what's happening. I don't agree with war, but I've been questlonmg how many possible solutions we have to bnng these people to just1ce . I still th1nk two wrongs don't make a right though." Andie Francis EAS2
" I feel it's bad a thi ng and the re are many innocent people dying, but I don' t see what other options Bush or Bla ir have. Bombing is fundame ntally wrong, and it's not Afghanistan but the Taliban we need to target. But what other option do we have?" Joe Trewellard MTH2
" I do agree with t he bombing. If it brings Bi n Ladi n to just ice th en it's right. If Afghanistan is saying they won't hand him over, then 1t's the only solution. We could possibly sanction the government, but what good would that do? If we want to bnng h1m to JUStice we have to go m and grab h1m." Graham Vasquez SYS 1
"I do agree w1th the bombmg- we have to do something. I was at home in the US when it ha ppened, and I think we are be ing smarter than we co uld hav e been. If Bush had wa nted to fl atten Afghanista n t wo days (lfter the attack t he US would have been be hind him. Luckily, we've been very rat1onal. I don't agree w1th war, but th 1s was a d1rect attack on us, and the Taliban need to be taken out." Michelle Costanzo 8103
"We should definitely be bomb1ng them. They deserve it - 1t's a shame 1f innocent people are ki lled bu t that's life." Anon EAS3 " I agree somewhat. George Bush is rubbish but I agree w1th bombing - it has to be done. I'd like to thmk there are alternatives, but 1n real1ty I don't thmk there are. Unfortunately, v1olence needs to be reciprocated in th1s way." Travis Freeborn EAS3
Corrections • lt was reported last issue that students will be able to choose the company who supply the1r telephone service (page 2). In fact, students will not have a cho1ce of telephone serv1ce suppl1er - they have to use BT. You can contact ben.western@bt.com to benefit from a discounted connection rate. Don't ring 152 to get connected, as 1t says in the phone book, or you won't get the discount. • The subhead 1n UEA Job Selectton Under Fire (page 6) was supposed to read Tnbunal dtscovers no sex dtscrimination at Universtty. We apologise for any inconvenience this caused . • In Issue 127 11 was reported that the 1998 Mercury Mus1c Pnze was won by As1an Dub Foundation. In fact, 11 was won by Gomez.
CONCRETE
Following more than a week of sustained air attacks, the Allied West has faced peace demonstrations across the globe in c lud ing on UEA's ca mpus. However, wit h t he Ta li ban regim e refus ing to give up Osama Bin Ladin, the West is warning of a long-term conf li ct. Can air attacks ever be condoned? Are there any other options available? Concrete asked UEA students t o find out. .. "I don't th1nk 1t's right because it's killing 1nnocent people. But there's no easy solut1on - there's not a lot else they can do. it's not nght to bomb a whole country because of what a few people did, but there aren't really other options." Kate Cochrane SWKI
knows we'd have loved a b1t of that two years ago. There's nothing l1ke bemg woken in the small hours by a mate on a mobile singmg 'The Thong Song'. Name and address supplied
Issue 129 Editor Adam Chapman Deputy Editor Will Halsey News Editor Kat1e H1nd Features Editor Jo Locke "it's a really complex issue. So far I thmk the coalit1on has responded appropnately. Now I think we are at a p1votal cross-roads. I Just wish AI Gore was presIdent." James Haugland EAS3 "Initially I supported the bomb1ngs but now there is all this uproar in the area. I don't know what to th ink anymore. lt is reported t hat t he Taliban initia ll y agreed to hand over Bin Laden to a third country and I may be ignorant but that seemed a further step m the negotiations and they flat out rejected that." Paul Yoon EAS3 "We do we spend so much money bombing a country when we go and send food to them? I don't understand. Apparently it costs t hree t imes what 1! costs to run the NH S in a year to sent food out. I don' t th in k t hat is fair. I disagree with the bombings and really disagree with then sending food out to them. it's l1ke a contrad1ct1on." Jason Chapman SYS2 "Nuke 'em!" Paul Ranking SYS PG
Fashion Editor Astnd Goldsmith Assistant Fashion Kat Realff
,I
Sports Editor Alex Thorpe
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Letters should be addressed for the a'!'f!ntiol] of the Editor. Adam Chapman. Letters must lrlctude contact details. but we w1ll consider; anonymous publication . We reserve the right to edit for length and clarity as neccessary. Opi nion s expressed are not necessaril y those of the Publisher or Editor. Use of the name The Event is by arrangement w1 th the copynght holders. Planet Zog Ltd. No part of this newspaper may be reproduced through any means without the express perm1Ss1on of the Editor. Printed by Eastern Count1es Newspapers. Thanks to Union House Stewards and everyone at ECN Thorpe.
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Scorecard RESULTS FOOTBALL Norfolk Junior Cup: CNS I, UEA 4. Midlands Universities League: UEA I , Notlmgham I ; B1rm1ngham 0 , UEA 5 . Rogers & Norton League, Division 1: UEA 2, Saxon Eng 0; Drayton I , UEA 2. Division 2 : UEA Res 6 , Tuddenham I ; UEA Res 0, Cottage ~grs 0 . Division 3: Earlham Bndges I, U EA A I ; Easton Res I , UEA A I ; Loddon Utd 0, UE A A 5.
Birmingham routed after debut draw JON CARTER
FIXTURES
UEA'S DEBUT in the Midlands Universities and Colleges League got off to a steady start on Saturday with a 1-1 draw against Nottingham.
OCTOBER 17
Confusion UEA had more chances before the interval with Crozier going close after a Paul Jarreu flick-on. A clash of heads on the hal f hour sparked a peri od of Nottingham pressure. Confusion ill' the defence saw a further escape as, thi s time, Nottingham blasted over the bar from 5 yards out. Crozier had time to be caught offside before the 40th minute breakthrough, after Terry Swann was fouled deep in the Nottingham half on the left. Jack Cull is whipped in a great cross and Gavin Reed rose to head home. A combination of Cullis and Reed in defence allowed UEA to take the lead into the second half. Andy Gaskell started the second
UEA face pressure at the back from Nottingham
half in promising fashion, blocking a free kick and then putting Crozier through - only to be stopped by the linesman's flag. And Crozier was unlucky not to increase the lead five minute later, as his shot was saved when Jenkinson put him one-on-one with the keeper. UEA then had Will Allan to thank for keeping them in the game with a uperb diving save. From the resulting corner the ball was hacked clear at the near post and Swann combined with Jenkinson to force a corner on the break. Despite good work from Gaskell in midfield, UEA conceded an unlucky goal 15 minutes from the end. A break down the right saw a deflected clearance loop over Will Allan and hit the bar, only to fall at the feet of an attacking striker to tap in.
Sustained UEA battled to regain the lead with a sustained spell of pressure as Crozier saw a shot saved and Gavin Reed headed a Cull is cros wide. Minutes from the end Terry Swann found him elf in space on the left and blasted a good shot directly at the keeper. Unfortunately UEA were unable to find the fini shing
The Challenge is timetabled to avoid lectures and weekends where possible, and impressive prizes are on offer for the winners of both individual and overall events.
Nottingham go close in the 1-1 draw
touch before the final whistle. The midweek game again st Birmingham saw a hatful of goals and a return to form for UEA as. despite the long trip, they sealed a convincing 5-0 victory. Skipper Paul Jarreu netted twice, aided by Peter Skivington. Nick Dyer al o contributed to the scoreline.
Stretching from November through to May, the Team Challenge contains tug-of-war, volleyball , swimming, Sportspark circuit challenge and 6-a-side football before Christmas, with badminton , fitness challenge , short and table tennis, mixed netball , archery, rounders and athletics completing the programme. All you need to enter is to have a team of six - three men, three women - who are either working or studying on campus , with team captains receiving a free educational user card or entry fee refund if their team competes in the first five events. There is no need to worry about how much skill you have,
as the Challenge ls designed to promote sportsmanship in friendly competitive sport. You can collect your Team Challenge entry form from reception at Sportspark, and return them to Rachel Tomes in the Sportspark before Monday October 29.
Left back Jack Cullis continued his good form by completing the rout with a fine free kick. The match saw onl y one incident other than UEA's dominati on - an injury to midfielder Andy Gaskell, although he was able to continue playing despite a damaged leg. A stylish and convincing overall performance should give plenty of confidence to the team as they prepare for their next match.
Openings • SPORTSPARK also have openings in the position of School Sports Reps to liase between the Sportspark staff and students. On offer is a free years pass to either the swimming pool or gym, conditional to the job. Again, see Rachel Tomes - r.tomes@uea.ac.uk for details.
The loss of their 100% record comes as a blow as they seek another Division Two title and possible promotion.
Whistled Midfielder Duncan Hedges also came near to opening the scoring after he rifled a shot low and hard , which wh istled inches past Rangers' right post. Rangers came off at half time grateful to have escaped the first half without going behind, and if UEA had kept the pressure up they would surely have scored. Unfortunately, they didn't. The blues went in search of a much deserved goal, but fai led to capitalise on the vast amount of
BU SA BUS A BUSA BUSA
Mens I Mens 11
(h) BU SA (al BUSA
UEA I UEA 11 Womens I Mens I Womens I Mens I Womens I Mens I Womens I
Rout
UEA Ill 0-0 Cottage Rgrs
and high balls. However, no matter how hard they tried, the blues failed to convert any of their opportunities with Toby Ebbs coming closest when he headed against the post in the 31st minute.
(h) (h) (h) (h)
Mens I
UEA Footballers 3rds took a disappointing 0-0 draw from their Rogers and Norton League clash with Cottage Rangers.
They started confidently against Rangers following their victory over a First Division side the previous week in the Primary Cup, and having the added bonus of a full strength team . This self-belief was transformed into a dazzling first half display, with the UEA midfield practically running the game for the first 45 minutes as Rangers' had a great deal of trouble trying to contain them. Indeed , it only took until the ninth minute for UEA to have their first real chance, when John Hamilton sent a delightful ch ip into the path of captain Matt Parker, whose shot grazed the face of Rangers' goal. UEA made good use of their wide players, both of whom peppered Rangers ' area with a devastating arsenal of crosses
Mens I v Mens 11 v Womens I v Womens 11 v
Mens I
MATT GREGORY
TIME is running out to sign up for the Sportspark Team Challenge. The first event is on Friday November 2 and the deadline for entries is the Monday before.
BU SA BUSA BUSA BUSA
v v v v
HOCKEY
TIME RUNNING OUT THIRDS FAIL TO TAKE POINTS FOR CHALLENGE fooTBALL:
FooTBALL DMU (Beds) Le1cester 11 Nort h'lon Ill Loughb'gh 11
(a) (h) (a) (h)
Mens I Mens 11 Mens Ill Womens I
Despite having scored 16 goals in their past 2 matches, UEA could only manage a single goal in this closely contested encounter. Good early pressure resulted in numerous opportunitie in the first half hour, with Stewart Jenkinson nearly putting Richard Crozier through. Good work down the left by Jack Cullis saw confusion in front of the Nottingham goal and from the resulting corner Gary Joynes bl asted over from 5 yards. A similar situation up the other end gave UEA a lucky escape, but Joynes amended by clearing the danger.
HOCKEY Printwise Men's East League, Division 3NE: U EA I 5 , Norw1ch C1ty 11 I ; Bury St Edmunds B. UEA 11 0 ; UEA I 2. UEA 11 I. Division 5NE: Broadland Ill 0 . UEA Ill 5 ; UEA Ill 3, Lowestoft Rai lway Il l 0. Martin & Adcock Norfolk Women 's League, Premier Division: UEA 3 , Gt Yarmouth I; Nth Walsham 0. UEA 3 . DIVISIOn 3: UE A 11 3, UEA Ill 0; Nth Walsham 11 I. UEA 11 0 ; UEA Ill 3 , Pelicans Ill 5.
chances they created for themselves. Rangers, spurred on by UEA's inability to take advantage of their chances, pushed forward and began to get a little more acquainted with their opponents' penalty area. They even had an appeal for a goal turned down after the ball was adjudged not to have crossed UEA's goalline after a Rangers forward had pushed the ball past keeper Matt Trigwell. With the final whistle came the realisation that UEA had failed to convert a considerable amount of chances, and Captain Matt Parker was among the first to admit the disappointing result saying : "The finishing just wasn't there today. We played so well in the first half, I don't know how we came away with a draw".
Leicester UEA Ill Not! Tren t Ox Brookes 11 RuGBY v UC E v UCE 11 BADMINTON vOx Brookes BASKETBALL v Oxford 11 NETBALL v Nott Trent v UCE 11 SQUASH v Ox Brookes TABLE TENNIS v Oxford v Cambndge TENNIS v Not! Trent v Ox Brookes 11 VOLLEYBALL vOx Brookes v Nottmgham
(h)
BUS A
(h) BUSA (a) BUSA (h) BUS A (a) BU SA (h) BUSA (a) BUS A (h) BUSA (a) BUSA (a) BUSA (h) BU SA
OCTOBER 20 Mens Mens Mens Mens
I 11 Ill IV
Mens I Mens 11 Mens Ill
FOOTBALL v Le1cester v St Andrews A v Jarrolds v Earlham Br. HOCKEY v L'stoft Tn v L'stofl Rail v Watton
(h) MUL (h) R&NI (a) R&N2 (h) R&N3 (a) (h) (a)
Local Loca l Loca l
...
OCTOBER 24 Mens I Mens 11 Mens Ill Womens I
v v v v
Mens I v Mens 11 v Mens Ill v Womens I v Womens 11 v Mens I Mens 11
v v
Mens I v Womens I v Mens I v Womens I v Mens I
v
FOOTBALL Oxford Cambndge 11 DMU (LeiC) Ill Derby HOCKEY DMU (Le1c) Loughb'gh Ill Nottmgham Ill Staff (Stoke) DMU (LeiC) 11 RUGBY Derby H Adams Ill BADMINTON Derby Nott Tren t BASKETBALL Derby Warw1ck FENCING Nottmgham
(h) BUS A (h) BUSA (h) BUS A (a) BUSA (a) (a) (h) (h) (h)
BUS A BUS A BUSA BUSA BUSA
(a) (h)
BUSA BUSA
(a) (a)
BUSA BUSA
(a) (h)
BUSA BUSA
(h)
BUSA
GolF UEA
(a) BUS A
v Northampton lACROSSE UEA v B~r mmgha m 11 NETBALL UEA I v Cambndge UEA 11 v Nott Trent 11 SQUASH Mens I v Wolverh "lon Womens I v LHU (Lincol n) TABLE TENNIS Mens I v Anglia PU Womens I v Nottmgham TENNIS Mens I v Staff (Stoke) Womens I v Cambndge
(h) (h)
BUSA BUSA
(h) (a)
BUSA BUSA
VOLLEYBALL Mens I v DMU ( Le1cs) Womens I v DM U (Le1csl
(h) BUSA (a) BUSA
(h) BUSA (a) (a)
BUS A BUSA
(h) BUSA (a) BUSA
OCTOBER 27 Mens I Mens 11 Mens I Mens 11
FooTBALL v Derby v Watton Res HOCKEY v Dereham 11 v Pelicans 11
(a) (h)
MUL NJC 2
(h) (a )
Local Local
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SPORT
www.concret e-on Iine.co. uk
Concrete's hard-as-nails football column ...
Studs UR""' "路'~路 by ., 11
Jim Smith's Next Move ...
Veteran manager Jim Sm ith last week severed his t ies with Derby County after declinmg a move " upsta irs ". Assistant Colin Todd wil l be taking over first team affairs, leaving Sm ith with no job at whatever level. So what ca n the 60 year-old do now? Studs up has a few ideas ... 1) Used car salesman - anyone who can get 拢4 m for Rory Delap has a future in the rip-off business. 2) TV analyst - If lan Wright can describe the Ukraine as "a muddy gaff" then anyone ca n do it. 3) Roadside cafe owner - if he's short of grease he can always ask Malcolm Christie. 4) Bowling ball polisher - he's had some experience. 5) Open up a bald eagle sanctuary
Win some biscuits To ce lebra te Aston Vi lla's phenomenal start to th e season - sneaking into the top six and racking up res ult s aga inst Liverpool and Man Utd - Studs Up is 路offering one lucky reader the ch ance to win Ala n Wright's height in biscuits. The diminutive 5"4' defender has proved a small but perfectly formed com ponent of Villa's Champions' League charge, but to win the digestive feast , you must tell us your reason why Al an Wright is so small. Email su.concrete@uea.ac.uk wi th the subject l1ne FAO Sport.
Quotes Of The Fortnight " By the end of the game, I'd used al l my bullets. I'd hit them with Shearer,Bel lam y, Robert , Solano and then Ameobi . I just had noth ing left in my pouc h. Liverpool's back four never wavered- they were like four g1ant oak trees." Bobby Robson shoots from the hip following Newcastle's 2- 1 defeat by Liverpool. " I'm a bit anx1ous because every other manager in th e count ry hates me. " Robbie Savage clicks.
...
" These man agers all know their onions and cut their cloth accordingly." Mark lawrenson delves into vegetables. " He is very cold-eyed - co lder than a Swede." Sven's high praise for Michael Owen.
Gary Neville's Soapbox
My Favourite Match ...
Concrete WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 200 1
The hard Iife of a sports reporter There 's so much that can go wrong if you 're going to cover a sports match. Like the teams not tu rning up for instance. Lau ra Mell and Kate Finburg found out t he ha rd way...
'T
was Saturday October 6, 2.15pm, when two young and eager sports reporters (w1th l1ttl e experi ence 1n th e fi eld) ventured to the Sportspark. Th1s was a slow process, leav1ng t hem sl1 ghtly nervous s1nce they had d1 ff1 cul ty even locat1ng the1r 1ntended desl1nal1on the astroturf. But what was t he1 r reason for frequenting th1s place that au tumnal 'noon7 Why, th e me n's hoc key UE A 2n d XI v UE A 1st XI of co urse. So, th ey scampered out unassum1ng ly. when, shock horror, they happened upon a match already underway. What panic ! Despite th1 nk1 ng they were in t 1me for the 'k1ck-off' (or whatever the hockey term IS), 11 seemed they had m1ssed the start of the match, hence falling 1mmed1ately 1n the worl d of sports reportsmans h 1p.
"Where were the sportsmen in tight little shorts, 'sweeping'? " Fort unately, upon quest 1on1ng some rugged bystand1ng subs. who were lean 1ng Jauntily against a railmg. all was not lost. They learnt that th1s was a match between Norw1ch Un1on Hockey Team and someone else (whose name they m1ssed - bad JOurna lists 1ndeed). Th e fr iend ly substitu tes proved qu1te usefu l, teach ing them some tec hn1cal hoc key terms. wh1c h they delighted ly decided to incorporate 1nto the 1r 1mpend1ng report. What n1ce menl Undeterred, when th 1s match f1n 1shed, the g1rls were left alone on the sports f1eld . They enthusiaStically awa1 ted the1r chance to report a game that was to be of a h1gh calibre. However, t11e1r enthus1asm began to wane when , 15 m1n utes la ter, th ei r own company felt a b1 t desolate. Where were the amazmg UEA sportsme n who shou ld have bee n th ere in t 1ght little shorts "sweeping" or
someth1ng7 Then 1! dawned on them. it was ten to three. Blatantly one match had been forsaken for another: England versus Greece. After collaboration 11 was agreed they had been stood up . Be1ng pa tr 1ot1 c. they sojou rn ed to Norw1ch ci ty centre for the nonSt iCk rela ted pursu1t of football. They m1ssed that k1ck off too, but d1d observe that one sport-l1ke act1vity w1th
gusto. There we re still the des1red legs on display, JUSt at Old Trafford. not the Sportspark. Later 1! emerged that the UEA match had started at fo ur, not two th1rty 1 Oh dear. Dejected, but w1 th a deadl ine approachi ng. the gi rl s had to write 4 00 wo rds of dnvel 1nstead of the dazzl1ng p1ece of sports JOUrna lism that would have been t he UEA men's hockey re port.
EAT lADIES BEAT T HE Stifling conditions no barrier to cracking UEA late show LADIES HocKEY: UEA 3- 1 Watto n
Bristol City v Brentford, Division 2 Play-offs 1997
'' B
rentford f inished third in 1997, missing aut omat ic promotion by a whisker. Two years earlier, we'd suffered heartbreak after a 48 game season ended in play-off defeat on penalties to Huddersfield; it st ill hurts. Due t o th is, a two-legged pl ay-off against t he in-form Bristol City didn 't fill any Bees w1th much optimism - let alone dreams of promotion . 180 minutes later, we were going to Wembley. (We lost 0-1 to Crewe, but we'll disregard that for now). We got there just in time, grabbed a disgraceful pie, then watched in awe as the Bees turned in a spectacular performance. Paul Smith smashed in through a crowd to put us ahead, scumbag Gary Owers' equa lised for C1ty, but Robert Taylor popped up two minutes later with a cheeky header. The noise was deafening, the Bees held on and four days later we booked our Wembley date with another cracking 2-1 victory. "You're Welsh and you know you are" we sang to Bristol - but that day belonged to Brentford."
Will Halsey Do you have a favourite match? Email 200 words to su.concretefluea.ac. uk
SAM INGLIS THE UEA LADIES firs t team triump hed over Watton on Satu rday than ks t o a late flu rry of strikes on a stifli ng ly hot afternoon . Th e visitors were in good early season form , topping th e embryo nic league ta bl e aft er winning two out of two. including an 8-3 romp.
Sporadic However. it was UEA who came out of the blocks fastest. pressu rising the visi tors' goal and wmning several penalty corners. Watton were restricted to sporadic breaks, and th ey nearly fell behind after twenty minutes, the visiting goalkeeper thwarting Sarah Peck after a promising build-up. The constant substitutions were testament
to the pun1shing cond1t1ons, as the unseasonable heat began to take its toll. A blistering half-t1me tirade by the Watton coach seemed to shake the visitors from the 1r leth argy. With midfield dynamo Kat1e Shipp taking the game by the scruff of its neck, Watton created a string of halfchances before breakmg the deadlock ten minutes into the half, w1th a crisp strike from Lauren Ewles. However, JUSt as Watton seemed to be exerting a stranglehold. the match was turned on its head m the final ten minutes.
Equalise Firstly, Jenny Carr rou nded the keeper to equali se aft er good work from the impresSIVe Kate Nichols, and then Carr struck
again with a well taken reverse stick. Indeed, having also struck a post in this late onslaught, the diminutive redhead was unlucky not to have cla1med a hat-trick 1n what was a virtuoso performa nce.
Magnificent The result was put beyond doubt by a magnificent strike from Sarah Peck w1th only fou r minutes remaining, leavi ng the exhausted vis itors w1th no way back. UEA Captain Bex Strange was understandably delighted: "We fou ght back su perbly in di fficult conditi ons," she sa1d. Kale Nichols was equally pleased with the performance: "We wo rked ve ry hard, and lasted better in the heat than ou r opponents."
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www.concrete-online.co.uk
Concrete WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2001
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FLOODLIGHT FIASCO Teams suffer as Colnev. Lane is put out of action MIKEMILNER Assistant Sports Editor
"'
SAVIOUR • AGAIN
The actual cause of the failure is unknown; whether it was the result of the box being exposed to the elements or vandalism is not clear but it has left the rugby and American football teams annoyed at the failure of situation being resolved sooner.
MIKE MILNER Assistant Sports Editor
Norwich went into last weekend's match against Gillingham on the back of three successive away defeats, and most fans did not hold up much hope that this run would be broken at Priestfield. However, lwan Roberts was the difference this time, as once again the Welsh wonder brought City back from the dead. The previous Tuesday, City later, commenting: "I believe we travelled to the Midlands to face are doing a lot of good stuff, the a Walsall side whose hopes are work rate is top class and I want us to continue passing the ball. unlikely to stretch beyond stayIf that means losing some, so be ing up this season. it. We are going out there to win Realistic games and to pass the ball." And if City are to have any Nevertheless, he did change the tactics and beefed up the realistic hopes of achieving promidfield by bringing in Daryl motion this season, it is games like this they must win. Manager Russell. Roberts played as a Nigel Worthington clearly lone striker. thought this game was an easy Fluffed three points, as he changed the formation to 3-5-2, playing Paul Things were not looking good McVeigh behind the front two. for City as they again hit the woodwork three times, and were But the defence took time to also lucky not to be on the settle and was often caught napreceiving end as Gillingham's ping. Indeed, it was some of the Mark Saunders missed from worst football City have played this season, and goals either three yards and Guy lpoua side of half time from Tony fluffed an open goal. it was an Barras and Darren Byfield were end-to-end game and either side enough to seal Norwich's fate. could have won by the odd goal. Yet, there were significant McVeigh was again City's signs that things might change chief tormentor, playing in a leftas Worthington reverted back to wing role reminiscent of Ryan 4-4-2 and City were unlucky not Giggs. The Ulsterman made to find a way back into the some surging runs and the Gills game. Roberts, Marc Ubbra, defence had no answer. Despite and McVeigh all had efforts incisive attacking though, City come back off the woodwork, as were lucky to survive a penalty their game finally started to appeal in the 74th minute as resemble their home form . But it Robert Taylor fell in the box, but was all too little too late and in it was only going to be Roberts' the closing 10 minutes they day. were lucky to keep the score Wonderful down to 2-Q. He scored his first with a free Tactical header in the 80th minute after Worthington insisted that he a wonderful cross from would not change his tactics for McVeigh, and his second came the Gillingham game four days in the 89th. With City playing so deep that they could have been on the terraces, Drury hit a long ball forward, the covering defender missed it and Roberts NATIONWIDE LEAGUE, superbly rounded the keeper to DIVISION ONE P W D L GO PT clinch a 2-0 victory. 1. Wolves 11 8 3 0 14 27 Roberts later said: "This is 2. Burnley 12 7 4 8 22 always a tough place to come 3. CITY 12 7 4 0 22 and get a result - as it is we've 4. C. Palace 10 7 0 3 13 21 got a great chance of going up 5. Man City 11 6 1 4 7 19 this year. And I still get the same COMING UP... feeling about scoring goals as I 19/10 WBA (h) 7.45 did when I scored my first." riCkets £6 (£4.50 members) 23110 Portsm'th (h) 7.45 City's promotion train is off Tickets £6 (£4.50) and running , and with two home 28110 C Palace (a) 2.15 games coming up, Norwich have 30/10 Gnmsby (a) 7.45 the perfect chance to stay with CLUB TOP SCORER the chasing pack. Roberts' goals !wan Roberts 5 may yet prove decisive.
CANARIES ROUNDUP
Annoyed Rugby President Simon Hammond said : "it has been inconvenient that we have not been able to train and we have lost members. it damages the club as we cannot offer members any training and it has damaged our preparation for the BUSAs. We contacted the Sportspark in an effort to resolve the situation but nothing has been done." However, Keith Nicholls,
Director of the Sportspark said: "I am sorry the lights are out of action . On receiving a report from the Rugby Club I contacted Estates in their presence to ask for them to check out the problem and rectify it as soon as possible. "Obviously both the Rugby club and I are in the hands of Estates who will make repairs as soon as possible. Inevitably at this time of year there are a lot of calls on their resources but we were in touch again with them last week trying to keep the job 'in the spotlight.'" But despite the fact the floodlights are now fixed the delay has caused damage to the clubs concerned and denied hopes of success this year.
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FIVE-A-SIDE FOOTBALL?
Chris L/ewel/yn: Back in action after a broken foot
Plans are afoot for a five-a-side university football league in association with the Football Supporters Society. lt is hoped that it will be a two tier league system with also two cup competitions. With sizable membership it is expected that over 160 people
will participate to make the event competitive yet enjoyable. Anyone who is interested in taking part should e-mail Robin Parsons on: robin.parsons@uea.ac.uk or contact the Football Supporters Society via their pigeon hole in Union House.
... THE UEA Old Boys gridiron side gave the current Pirates a lesson in defense in the annual scrimmage game to remain unbeaten. Having won the previous four encounters, the Parrots coasted to a 26-2 victory but the signs are far from bad for the Pirates. Bringing players uch as Tim Stone of the Bristol Aztecs, and Warren Smart of the London Blitz, the Parrots were of a higher standard than the usual BCAFL fare. A solid defensive performance from the Pirates secondary, and possible depth in the offensive backfield, point toward this season being a successful one for UEA, with the elusive College Bowl the target. The Pirates points came from a lOO-yard interception return from a conversion by ikolai Johan en.
Win Jeremy Guscott: The Autobiography. .. To get your hands on a copy of Jerry Guscott's new book all you have to do ts answer thts stmple question: • Against which country did Jerry score a series winning, last minute drop goal for the British Lions? Just put you answer - along with your name and school - in the competitton box by October
29.
Further damage has been caused to the reputation of UEA's sporting clubs as many have been left unable to train as a result of a floodlight failure at Colney Lane. The lights have been out of action for three weeks, and clubs have suffered massively in the build-up to the forthcoming BUSA competitions. In fact, the situation got so bad that teams were training in the dark.
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YOUNCi CiUNS SEND CRUSADERS ONTO ROUTE 66 Superb start to the season continues with rout RuGBY:
UEA 66-0 Crusaders DANIEL LORNE
UEA Men's Rugby 1st XV continued to enjoy an impressive start to their new Merit League Table 2 campaign by recording a comprehensive 66-0 victory over Crusaders 2nd XV. It was apparent from the onset that the UEA side was stronger in almost every department, and this was reflected in the ease with which they rushed into a 3 1-0 half time lead. Crusaders spent virtually the entire first period camped in their own half, finding themselves unable to function in the face of relentless pressure from the UEA side. Despite a valiant effort, the second half proved no better for the visitors. as UEA piled on the points. leading to the final drubbing. Throughout the game, Crusaders struggled to cope with the younger UEA side's
pace, and this was exploited to it's fullest as UEA played a running game that continuously tore the opposition defence apart.
Power The power of the UEA forwards also proved too great for Crusaders to handle, both in the loose and at the breakdown. and their hard work allowed the backs to
repeatedly stretch the Crusaders rearguard. Perhaps the key feature of UEA's dominance was at the set piece, and their control of the scrum and lineout guaranteed the necessary possession to launch wave after wave of attack. UEA's superiority whilst going forward was complemented by excellent ball retention and recycling, which meant that Crusaders were rarely afforded the opportunity to threaten the home side's tryline.
Threatened On the few occasions that the home side threatened, the danger was quickly snuffed out through a combination of incisive tackling and fine positional play that stifled the Crusaders attack, preventing them from making any real in-roads. To their credit, Crusaders never allowed their heads to drop, and battled to the final whistle, but ultimately went away without a single point to show for their efforts. UEA Men's Ru gby Club President Simon Hammond was pleased by th e result, saying, "All the boys played very well from the first whistle to the last. "This result, and the way we played to achieve it, will provide us with a good platform to build on for the rest of the season." From the evidence shown in this encounter, it seems UEA stand in good stead for the sea on ahead, in both the Merit and BUSA leagues , with the latter beginning in a couple of weeks ' time. wa~
UEA seconds win a vitallineout
Concrete Prize Crossword #22
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set by u.s. Morgan
Sponsored by
III Waterstones ACROSS 1
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DOWN 1 2 4 5 6 7 8 13 15 16 18
Defamatory (8) Hard-wearing fabric (5) Colourless ( 5,3,5) Dwarves (5) _ _ Abbey (7) Level (4) Colourful bird (6) Mooning (8) First (7) Confine (6) People's Princess (5) 20 Large venue (5) 21 Ooze (4 )
r--------------------------, : There's a £10 book voucher from cam: pus bookshop Waterstones up for : grabs for completion of the crossword, 1 ideal for all those course book pur: chases. Fill in your name and a : contact number or e-mail address : below and put it with the completed : grid in the competition box in the Hive : by Friday, 26 October. :Name ... ..... ... ... ...... .... ... .. .. ... ... .. .. .... .. . I
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