Issue 147 ·Wednesday, January 29, 2003
UEA's independent student newspaper
FREE
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But poorer students could be BETTER off under the new education funding system UEA IS aiming to compete with the top-ten universities, which could mean charging the maximum of £3,000 tuition fees per year in 2006. In light of last week's white paper, students could now find themselves in debts of up to £21 ,000, after they graduate. Vice-chancellor David Eastwood claims UEA is a high quality University and it will need to reflect that in its position with other universities, when deciding the amount UEA will charge. "lt is quite probable that a lot of universities will charge £3,000, and we will re-invest some of that in facilitating access."
THE
REBECCA LAWRENCE News Editor "It's possible you will end up with a rather large number of universities saying we will go for the top of the band. We'll need to get a feel for that before we finally position ourselves." The Vice-chancellor aims to get UEA in the top ten universities in the next few years. "I think we are on a roll. I have ambitious plans for the University. We can and want to compete with the top universities." Speaking exclusively to Concrete, Charles Clarke said he had no idea what UEA might consider charging. "I think there will be more varied fees than people think. It is difficult to say what
UEA will do. Universities can put fees down and I think some will do that, but I think more will put them up." In a message to UEA students Charles Clarke said he hoped students at the University will look at many of his proposals. "Both about the future of universities and about student finance in the round and I hope they will come to a balanced judgement." Union Finance Officer Michelle Pratt said she thinks UEA will charge the maximum for some courses. "UEA classes some of its schools, such as ENV, as world class. At Union Council we discussed charging in line with top universities in order to compete. If UEA wants to compete, we've got to charge the same amount, in order to have the same resources
EVENT Richard Herring, Big Brovaz and Dedbeat weekender
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Concrete \Vedensday. January 29, 2003
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ally to stop war STUDENTS are . demonstrating against the war with Iraq and the war on terroism in an all-day teach-in next week.
Plans reveal Union'
It i~ a chance for lecturers and !>tudents to get their views across, in a series of talks which \\ill be held on February 7, between 12pm and 5.30pm in room 1.28. It "ill be followed by a rail) at 6pm in JectUt·e theatre two.
PLANS to refurbish the Hive are underway, making it possible for changes to be ready by September
EAS st udent, kk Hunt claim that he is aiming to start a dia· logue bel ween people at this 'er~ cl'itical time. "We ha\' en't finalised all the speakers yet. but we want In bring everyone together to discuss all the bsue~ involved.'' Tickets for the national demons tration to be hrld in Londo n will be sold in the Hive two weeks before th · protcst, which will takl' place f.ebruary IS. Ticl..et~ will co~t £I 0.
Thieves in the night
REBECCA LAWRENCE News Editor
2003. The architect, who designed the shell downstairs in the bar, is examining options to refonn the Hive into a trendy hang-out. nion General Manager Andy Pott said the plans are at an early stage at the moment. " We are looki ng at several ideas, such as remo' ing the roof, and replacing it with a glass dome to improve the lighting. We want to make the bar area more user fri endly." Mr Pou said somethin g is de fi nitely going to be done w ith the box office as it is too small for the staff. " We may also connect upstai rs with downstairs, using the extra set of stair by the di sabled lift. ·· But he added that these pl ans depend on changes suggested fo r the licensing laws. "The idea is for a liberation of hours in return for the end o f the
'sink-it at the last minute' cult ure. This may de lay the plans for a while. so we don' t want to make hasty changes." Mr Poll said he wou ld be taggered if the Hive did not remain a cafe in the day. "We're trying to add things, not take away. Should we be serving real coffee, li ke places in town? We arc limited by the fact that the Hive is mu lti-purpose. ll can't be bu ilt as a coffee bar. as fixed seating is limited." There will be less building needed than the refurbi shment o f the bar last summer. "Thi s mea ns the Hive can be done qui cker and chea per. We need to do something to make it a nice, pleasant place to be.'' "It 's all poss ib le, but at the moment there are no mock- ups. It 's omcwhere down the road as yet." Reg ul ar Hive-goer Dan S mith said it would be nice to see the Hive refu rbished. "It should keep the sa me atmosphere though. It 's nice to have a different style to the new bar." If you have any views on the pl ans to refurbi sh the Hive. cmail Concrere at su.concrete@uea.ac.u k.
NORWICH police are warning students to be more careful when visiting city nightclubs, following a number of thefts that have occurred in the last fortnight Thefts of unattended property. including mobile phones and handbags, have been rife in the late night spots over recent weeks.
STUDENTS showed their fury during a protest over tuition fees in a " no fees fast," with a ' 'non-dinner'' on Monday January 20.
Thieves ha' e stt·uck at ikon and Firth ,\\'eoue in Tombland on several ocntSions. But iUs notjnstthat:ll'ea nfthe dtl centre wbkh as been hit. Time ightcluh and Lloyd~ Bar in the Rh erside Lei~ure Complex. Police m·e urging people not to lean• personal belongings unattended and to en;,ure they are secure at all times. An) "itncsses arc ask"'d to contact l'C icola Massingham at Bcthcl S treet police station, 'iu 01953 424242.
A table was laid in the middle of the Square at lunchtime. with empty plates, cutlery and a few books. The protest was based on comments the c urre nt Education Secretary. Cha rles Clarke madewhen he was President of the National Union of Students in 1978. He said students were being forced to choose between paying for meals and for books. lt was held to coincide with the launch of the Ed ucation Secretary's white paper proposi ng the implementation of top up fees of £3,000.
THOM SMITH Chief News Reporter As part of the protest, tudents were encouraged to boycott bookshops and go on a hunger strike fro m 7pm on Sunday January 19 to 7pm the fo llowi ng day. They signed pledge cards in Union house to register their support for the cause. With the wet weat her. only a handful of people turned out to take places at the table in the Square. They mimed eating sodden books, whilst listening to a background of relxaing classical music. Union Academ ic Officer Alex Dawson said that the Union was expecting more people. 'The rain was a bit of a disappointment , but there were plenty of people walking past. and taki ng a
leaflet. lt did seem to be attracting attenti on. even if peo ple weren' t coming to the meal itself'. A second year student who showed support for the event said it was a shame that more people did not turn-up. 'There is a lot of anger from students surroundi ng the tuition fees argument, but it was just too wet to sit outside." For a full lowdown 0 11 rhe wirion fees debate rum ro pages 6 and 7.
Above: Students sign the petition, right: Academic Officer, A/ex Dawso11
fo Page 3: Students re,eal that all tbe) want is fun and the Law school get~ raided. Page 4: llackchat • We go bad. stage with those naughtcy Big Bro~:u, to bring you the best gos· sip. Page 5: We investigate the qualliciati<•n~ of the bus drh·ers driving the h>cal bu~e during the s trik"'s Page 6: \'l'c re~ea l the extent to which the higher education I'eview will affect future students Page 7: Concrete a k~ why work
hasn't e\en s tarted on the promised new food outlet Page 8: How the new travel plan will change yo u•· daily routine Page 9: An interview with UEA's new vice-chancell or Page 10: •lickey mouse deg1·ees explained Page 12: We bring you a •·ar·e intervic\1 with l'icrs l\ !organ Page 14: Why ha~e all of those go~>ip ·itcs suddenly s pl'llng up? Page 15: Norwich fa hion Page 16: Travel: We tal..e you
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trekking across the USA Page 17: Letters Page JS: Your new look fun pages Page 20: Concrete Sport brings you the latest d e,•clopmcnts on the C ricket Wo rld Cup Page 22: The Womens' hockey team's recent success I>agc 23: Norwich City's last minute win over Dngenbam and Redbridge Page 24: The UEA footballers look set to make thl'ir Cup final
Don't miss Charles Clarke MP on page 5
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Cttattt WedensdiJy, Janua ry 29, 2003
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Ovens
to go STUDENTS living in UEA's most run-down accommodation will next year be living in even WORSE conditions. Currently, kitchens in and Norfolk, Suffolk, Waveney Terraces, as well as Orwell and Wolfson Closes contain an oven.
Survey reveals most students want a good time MOST students just want to get drunk, even though figures have revealed that today's graduates are leaving university with more debt than ever before. Students graduating this summer will be the firs t to fee l the full effect of the Government's introduction of tuition fees and the removal of grants, but many just want to party their way through un iversity. Paying back loans does not seem to be a top priori ty with 6 1% sayi ng that the most important aspect of universi ty life is to have fun. Many prioritise thi s over obtaining a good degree. •
EARLHAM Hall is the latest building to be hit in the spate of burgularies across the campus Thieves entered the law building between 5 and 7.30 on Saturday January 25, by breaking a window in lecture theatre two on the ground floor, writes Rebecca Lawrence. Security Manager Mike McConnack said they do not yet
57% of students admit that ' they don' t mind being in debt," and prefer to spend their time enjoying themselves, and getting drunk . Second year maths Student Jenni Taylor said she didn ' t think many students worry too much about debt, especially when they are at university. "Paying it off eem a long way away. Getting a good degree is very important but havi ng fun is also a priority." Ln fact, instead of wanting to head straight into the job market to pay off their debts, many students are opting to go travell ing after un iversity. putti ng off the real world for a
few more years. Student Michelle Law said she couldn ' t wai t to go travelling when she had fini shed her degree. " I think it's such an oppoftunity to go and explore the world between university and a job. Who cares about my debts? I'll pay them back sometime after I fi ni sh travelling, I expect." And even when students do fi nally arrive at a job, 38% felt money was not a decisive factor in choosi ng between jobs. SYS student Jon Dawson aid the most important thing about a job was that you enjoy it. "You shouldn' 1 choose a job j ust for the money. it's important to care about it. Money reall y isn't everything."
know exactly what was stolen. "Staff have just come back in to work today and will be going through desks to see what is missing. The Police were called immediately and are investigating. " Mr McCormack added that plans are now in place to improve security in the area. £1 spoke to the School of Law at the begining of the week in order to improve the building security further still. For obvious reasons I would not wish to discuss the secu-
rity arrangements that are in place.' This is the second burglary at Earlham Hall in the last five years - which is as far as computer records go back. It follows a similar incident at the School of Biology last October. The Law School refused to comm~nt on the theft, wanting to detract attention from the vulnerable position of Earl ham Hall. Witnesses with any information should contact PC Darren Harper on 01953 424242.
GENEVIEVE KERR
But UEA's Director of Accommodation, Jenny Grant, has plans to take_them away -and replace them with a microwave. She defends the decision by claiming that the ovens are too old to get spare parts for. ''The ovens are almost as old as the residences themselves, and it is now virtually impossible to get spare parts for them. The ovens needed replacing and they will be exchanged for microwaves.'' A resident of Waveney Terrace Lucy Jones said sbe often used the oven. " I prefer cooking my food in an oven, and I think we ' ll have more arguments over the microwave, as there are loads of us having to share it. I hope they put more than one in each kitchen.'' . But it's not all bad. Rumours that the University will stop supplying toilet paper were emphatically denied by Jenny Grant. ''There are absolutely no plans for this to happen."
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CoiCrete Wedensdav, Jan uarv 29. 2003
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CONCRETE'S GUIDE TO WHAT YOU SHOULDN'T KNOW.....
Backstage with Big Brovaz Changing rooms
THOSE cheeky chappies from Union Ents were certainly not on the top of the Big Bro~az girls list of favourite people when they arrived at UEA on Friday. The o ut spoke n trio were devastated when they fo und they had been assigned the smal lest changing room, while their male counterparts had much more space to tar1 themselves up for their sell-out perfonnance. But as if that wasn 't bad enough, they then discovered that their room didn' t have any drinks - or God forbid - any chocolates, unlike the boys . We spied on them as they cheeki Iy tried to turf the boys o ut and take over their 'patch'. And we cou ld see exactly what the row was about. The boys had been given a massive box of chocolates and girls had ...nothing. How very sexist!!
• SPARE a thought for poor old Nadia from Big Brovaz. While 1500 students were busy gettin g drunk Friday' s Skool Daze di sco . the cheeky diva was anxious get her hands on sw ig of win e. Ju st minutes be ~ she was due to go stage to entert ain the sellout LCR aud ience, she was desperate ly see king alcohol. The pin t-siLed si nger. 22. who is obvio usly a girl after our own heart s, didn ' t seem to be excited eno ugh
Big Bro girl begs for alcohol before going on stage
LAST issue we reported that one of our spies spott ed th e new 'icechancellor. Professor Da\'id Eastwood jumping the queue at the Health Centre. However. ai"lcr further inve,ti gation>. and a ticking off by his 'tat{ \\C can rc,·eat that he "'"'· in fact. 'isiting the surg~r) to ~ee \vhat great medical facliiti~~ we ha\C here at UEA. Apparanlly the pmk'"'r. rig ht. was ,·cry impre;;cd. We ha1 c been a''ured that he would NEVER jump the queue at the doctors ju't hccauo.e he i' the 'ice-chancel lor.
Power trip
about singi ng their to p ten hit . Nu Flow - she wanted to get drunk first. by cont inua ll y ask ing the band 's manager. Mark Sutton fo r a quick wine fix . "Are you going to go
THE SECRET is finall y out. Co ncre te has di scovered the
real reason why the Union's Communicati ons Officer. ed Glasier wanted to be e lected .
me a bo ttle. I want a drink. I rea ll y want a bottle of wine to get in the mood.'' said But her pleas were to no avail. Ten minutes later. when their boss returned. her face lit up but on ly unti l she realised he was carrying an armfu l of microphones.
Spy's lies
gone to get me some, I want so me w ine . I rea ll y want some wine to get me in the mood ... Ahh 1 Probably a good job really as the sixsome were d ue o n The Saturday Show early the next day.
He admi tted the reason for him taking hi s job is so that he has the chance to put forward hi s views. and in hi s own word s. he to ld Concrete: "A nd do what I want wit h the Uni on." How very laughable consideri ng all he ever bashes o n about is how the Un ion is not just so meth ing that goes o n upstairs in the Hi ve. it is. in fac t something whi ch every studen t at UEA is part of.
THIS Unio n steward got far more than he bargained for while he was o n shift last weekend. On Friday. th e poor chap caught a co uple of students up to no good in roo m 1. 28 during the Skool Daze disco. But just w hen he tho ught thin gs couldn ' t get worse. he spo tted another pair of lovebirds indulgi ng in a bit o f hows you r father in th e SA M E room. upstairs in Uni on Ho use. Whil e putting on her clothes. the g uilty female member of the party in sisted she would have done the de.ed downstairs. but others at the event might object.
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Charles Clarke Secretary of State for Education
Norwich bus driver speaks out against the agency drivers, claiming they are not supposed to be driving on our roads REBECCA LAWRENCE News Editor
A BUS DRIVER has spoken out against the agency drivers used during the strikes in an exclusive interview with Concrete. The dri ver. who cannot be named for fear of bei ng sacked. has said that the relief dri vers do not ha ve the same safety standards as the regular dri vers. ..All ofti c ia l Norwic h dri ve rs undergo a po lice check . and the council issues passes to take childre n on board . There is not the same securi ty fo r the public under th e agency drivers ... First is not breaki ng any regulations through the agency drivers. but the union member pointed out that the public sho uld be able to trust their d ri vers.
Strike end THE STRIKING bus drivers have accepted proposals drawn up by First Company, and have agreed to end their walkouts. Drivers held a ballot on Wednesday January 22. The results were counted on Friday 24, revealing tha t 201 drivers approved of new suggestions and 50 did not, writes Rebecca lA wrence. A bus driver said that the scheme was better than the one in place in October, but not as good as the one used before. "To me it saunds like a compromise, and a bit of a fudge. It's likely to have loopholes in it, as it 's complicated. Barry Pybis, First managing director, was brought in as a cost cutter and now he says we have to go back to the Janua ry schedule." T he original dispute centred on the maximum amount of continuous time drive rs should work, with the company proposing five hours and the union wa nting four-and-a-half hours. T he Jack of an agreement between the two sides led to a seven-day strike starting on January 5, and the suggestion of more strikes in the coming months. Under the new deal, there will be a formula for measuring the efficiencies of rosters that is acceptable to both the Union and First.
.. T here have been cases when agency drivers have taken money. but not issued a ticket. so the money goes to them . They were being paid more than us. £ 130 a day. to try and break our strikes ... The Norwich bus driver claims that the strikes have had a lot of support from the public. 'There're on our side. and hope we get a good deal. it's very hearteni ng. Studen ts are support ive too. we've heard some arc plann ing a boycott. .. .. The Universit y is a prime so urce of our passe ngers. many people use it everyday. and they sho uld be able to trust thei r drivers.'' A spokespe rson for First clai med th at age ncy drivers did unde rgo pol ice checks. .. They undertook them before they arrived in Norwich ... She was told not to g ive out the name of the agency.
TO STRIKE OR NOT TO STRIKE? Do UEA students really support the local bus drivers who protested against their working conditions at the beginning of this term? Natalie Mahon found out
Funding controversy There's been a lot of controversy about the White Paper which I published last week. It was about the future of higher education and so it addressed the way in which we need to strengthen research, promote teaching and get a better relationship between universities and the local community. It also described how we should set about increasing the proportion of young people going to university from the current 43% to about 50%. I proposed expanding the number of 2-year vocational foundation degrees, so that students can go for the qualitication and have a better chance of getting a job at the end. I also said that universities have to work harder to get more students from less advantaged backgrounds, to try and change the fact that your chance of going to University is three times as good if you come from a richer background than from the lower income ranges. But most of the media coverage was about student finance, so let me summarise the main proposals:From September 2006 universities will be permitted to raise their tuition fees from the current £I. I 00 per year by up to £I ,900 · to £3,000 - or to reduce it by up to £I, I 00; From September 2006, the upfront £I, I 00 tuition fee will be stopped and that same fee will be paid by the student - not the parent - after graduation. Obviously the parent can still pay ifs/he wishes, but they won't be required to do so; From September 2006 the loan for that fee, and maintenance, will be paid after graduation through the tax system. The payment will be on the same basis as now, except that the threshold wi ll be raised form the current£ I0,000 to £ 15,000 so that you only start paying when you earn £15.000. That means, for example, that the minimum payment, if you earn £20,000. will be £450 a year, or about £38 a month; The loan will operate on a zero real rate of interest. which is a beneficial fi.nancial arrangement; Students from poorer backgrounds will still have their fees remitted, so they don ' t have to be paid at all, and a new student grant, of £1,000 per year will be paid ; We are review ing the level of maintenance loan, to see how it compares with today 's real cost of student living. I believe that this is a positive package for students. I know that debt will worry people but it should be remembered that, on average. graduates earn about 50% more than those who have not gone to University, and an increase in contribution is not unreasonable. If you'd like to receive a copy of the guide "What it means to students and parents" you can ring 0800 731 9133 or go to www.dfes.gov. uk. I'd welcome your views.
Charles Clarke MP
Patrick Pineda SOC 3
Katie Wright EAS 3
" I don 't support the stri ke . They are civil servants and as such it is their soc ial obligation to ensure that the ci tizens of th is fi ne state can function effi ciently."
.. , agree with the strike. It is ridicul ous that they have to drive for so long wi thout a break. Driving is onl y fun if you've got a stereo and a cigarette ...
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TUITION FEES TO BE RAISED FOR FUTURE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
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Morgan speaks out over fees
UEA MP's funding review reveals that students could pay tens of thousands to go to uni Daily Mirror Editor, Piers Morgan has lashed out over students having to pay fees. In a n exclusive interview, he revealed why his newspaper is so anti the government charging people to go into higher education. "This gove rnm ent ha ngs on about the America n sys tem , I don ' t want an Am erican system . I would like to sec student s go to universit y for nothing and come out of it with the country enriched with a m ore intelligent working populatio n." he said . He fea rs tha t m a ny gr adua tes will neve r be a ble to bu) a ho use - and be forced into jo bs that they don't really wa nt to do- just to pay oil' their debts. .. Why s hould we saddl e you with huge debts so that you have to ta ke any old j o h t ha t you ca n just so that ~·o u ca n sta rt pay ing your debts otT. you ca n ' t a ffo rd to get on the hous ing la dder so ) 'OU li ve in beds its all your li ves paying oil' your debts." And he has iss ued a wake up call to MPs to sort o ut the system before too man y young people arc put off going to unive•·sity. " This government has got to face up to some pretty tough realities about public service and the issue of student fee s and the rest of it and they are eventually goin g to have to think the unthinkable and put eve rybody's taxes up," added 1\lr 1\lorgan. To read Concrete's full inter view with l'ie rs 1\lorga n, turn to pa ge 12.
F UT UR E UEA stud ents could be forced to face debts of up to £21,000 following the release of the government's white paper.
year fro m 2006. T he m oney wi ll he p aid back w h e n grad uate s earn over
£ 15.000 . Education Secretary. Charle> C larkc bdic' cs there ha > been a rnixct.l re;pon;e arnong;t ; tudents to the rc\'clation'>. \\ hich we re an no unced la;t Wet.lnc;da). January
i~~ue:...
"The area gell in g most headlines at the mome m i'> ques ti on of »ludcnt ;u pporl. I thinh when we ;et the o utcome wh ich we got in the wh ite paper again st some of the po,;ibilities whi ch were ca m·a,;ed three or
,,
"Lot> or people ha' e welcomed some aspect>. for C.\ atnple. the t.lcl'erret.l ke>. but lot; arc unhappy "ith the varied li:c;. There arc longs or conce rn; amo ng U EA student s." "I am ha ving a range of meetings "ith students up and down the coun11') to discu;, the package." C larkc thin ~-.> a backlash from st udents depend; on whether they like the in\ ~ ~ tment~ in uniH~ r~ itie ~. anti the deferring or kc;. "So far thin gs arc quite pm i1iw ." The fundin g review will allow uni' crsitics to se t their ow n !"cc; " hic h will be capped at £3.000 per yea r. Al though nn prices have hccn
fo ur month .). ago. we nov. ha\e i~ a
beller co mpro mi se." Mr Eastwoml ;aid thi s i'> large! ) an argument about whether yo u can rai~e tax<..~tinn or not. "The deep irony in thi s process is that when hi gher education was hi ghl y ;electi' c. it was possible to have a lot of pub lic support for it. The irony is a you expand the system . unle ;; yo u arc pre pared to ex tend the tax base at an eq ual rate. then you have to lind othe r cleme nt;
to put into the funding equation." He ' iews the white paper as trying to ~tecr a co ur~c. .. one or '" say thi > is fine. no proble m,, and between now and 2006 wi ll be a lot of posit ioning to he done. bu t there is a substantial addit ional in,estment in higher educa ti o n and students. and that is we lco me." EAS stu dent Oil y Papps ;a iel he is ob' iou sly un happy about the white paper. "We shou ldn't have to s pend more money on education. We wi ll end up in ma ssive debt. I don'tthink there\ any thing we can do abo ut it tho ugh. Charles Clarke ;eems very determined ... He argues that now ;tudents will ha\c to con<,ider \Cl') carefull y what Uni ve rsity the) go to. " I \\as n't \cry ca refu l when I chose my course. but now because it's so C:\pc nsi\c. I'd research more care full ) into it. You're making a purchase now." Angry SOC student Jeremy Page said although thi s won't affec t us. it will affect o ur c hildren . " I think the gme rnment i; trying to leach more money. They ; ho uld stop spending on things. which don't mallcr. The education system has
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The Labour MP will be appearing at an open meeting, which is being held by the Union, this Friday at lpm. The aim of the day is thr stu dents to question C larke over the new higher education review, which was revealed last week. Any students wanting to go to see the MP speak - a nd ask him questions - ca n pi ck up a ticket fro m th e Unio n 's l:lox Ofticc or from th e stall in the Hive. For more informa tion, cm a il s u.co rnm s @uea .ac.uk.
set. univer>ities at the top or the league tables wi ll alrno;t ce rtain ly charge the fu ll amo unt. And UEA cou ld be no exception. UEA~ vice-chancellor. Profc »so r David Ea; twood gave hi s stronge st hint ye t tha t th e University wi ll be forcing potent ial >tudent> to pay the highc >t price;. He views the white paper a; an allempt to find a compro mi se. amongst a number or rather diffic ult
U n iversities wi ll be able to c ha rge s tu de nt s up to £].000 per
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Education Mini ster, Charles Clarke will be taking time out from his Whitehall oftice to visit UEA this Friday.
REBECCA LAWRENCE News Editor
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'o. all students at university at the moment. will with th e current system . The only change affecting existing students is if you arc still paying back you•· student loan in April 2005. Then your monthly •·epayments will go down, when the repayment threshold goes up to £15.000.
Nothin g needs to be repa id unl ess you a re in a nd earning above £ 15.000.
I am a part-time student. How will I be affected?
Go to the Department fur Education and skills website (www.dfes.gov.uk ), or telephone their student finan ce number on 0800 731 9133. Or contact the National Union of Students at www.nusonline .co.uk.
A new packa ge is being introduced for part-time students, which includes a of £250 a r.
Where can I get more information abo the new scheme?
c..cr.t. Wedensday, January 29, 2003
www.concrete-online.co.uk
Until the old Lloyds bank site on The Street is scheduled to re-open as a trendy sandwich shop · but work is yet to begin
Thoughts for fees The last week has been one of the most important in years for higher education. For the first time, students of the future will be forced to pay their fees when they graduate and get a job. Sound good? Well, maybe not when you discover that universities will be able to set their own fees of anything up to £3,000. While the poorest students won't have to pay a penny towards their education - and they will be entitled to a means tested maintenance grant, those students with parents earning over £20,000 will be hit for anything up to the full amount. But it gets even more confusing, with universities being able to charge more for some courses than others. The white paper raises lots of questions, from whether it is opening the floodgates to a privatised education system, to what graduates who never get jobs will do. It would be wrong for this newspaper to take a view on the system because we are here as your voice - and no doubt we all have differing views on the subject. But one view that we do take is that we should all stop and think about it for a few moments, and shut off our ears to the Union's propaganda. Ever since the rumours began that students may have to pay top-up fees, the exec jumped on the band wagon and passed a policy on the issue that THEY wanted. So, before signing any petitions, just take time to research the new review - and make up your own minds.
PLANS to turn the empty LloydsTSB bank into a sandwich bar were due to be finished by February 1 2003, but work has yet to be started on the site. In three days time, a pret-amanger type food out-let should appear on campus, but plans seem to have been delayed, writes Thorn Smith. The University-owned site has stood empty since June 2000, and there have been several promises that something will be done for stu-
Director of the Residences and Services Division Jenny Grant let it slip to Concrete that the details of the site's future use have not been finalized. "The appropriate bodies have some exciting ideas, but I have to check details. I will be releasing the details of the site's future by the time the next issue of Concrete appears." She was not prepared to comment on what the exciting ideas may entail. Union Communications Officer Ned Glasier said he didn't know why it has taken so long to do some-
"It's not a Union building and if it was, it would already be open. It might not be the University's fault. but I suspect it is to do with money." Ned feels there are already sufficient places to buy sandwiches on campus. "It may not be worthwhile, due to poor opening hours. It's ridiculous that they are hoping to open a sandwich shop." What do you think the empty site should be used for? Email Concrete with you comments at su.concrete@uea.ac.uk.
Sarnie barny
Above: Jenny Grant
Crime RACi APPEA
appeal
THE POLICE have launched an operation in the Golden Triangle area in an attempt to stop crime by raising public awareness. Houses in the popular student area have recently suffered a series of burglaries,
writes Vanessa Beresford. According to Superintendent Carl Heffer of Norwich Police student properties are an easy target. ''Doors are often left unlocked leaving them vulnerable to 'walkin' burglaries." Norwich police spokeswoman Nina Goad said it is crucial for residents in this area to heed basic crime- prevention advice. ''This can be as simple as locking doors and windows at night." Witnesses of thefts should contact 01953 424242.
CHILDLINE CONCRETE and the Rag society are joining forces to raise money for charity, by organizing a series of events for another . Rag week in February. All the money raised is to go to Childline and Shelter, the charity for homeless people, writes Adam Lowther. Rag President, Lizzie Cook is confident they can improve on last year's efforts. "We're hoping to beat the £1500 we raised last year and have already got a lot of ideas for money raising schemes." Among the events due to take place are a tug-of-war, pool compe-
tition and a tarts, vicars and pimps LCR. There are even talks of attempts to break a world-record. "We'd really like to try and break
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a world-record at something but we're not sure what yet. Hopefully something like that would create a lot of publicity." And Concrete is going to help the cause by giving Rag week extensive coverage. "Concrete is helping us with the raffle draw we're doing by publicising the prizes that are being donated and listing the times of the moneyraising activities." Rag-week takes place between Friday February 14 and Wednesday February 19. Anyone who wants to help out with the week, or has any good ideas, should contact Lizzie Cook on 07739 021200, or email us at su.concrete@uea.ac.uk
So in 3 days, a pret-a-manger style sandwich shop is supposed to be opening its doors. But it seems that the only thing ready to be served up at the minute is a sawdust sandwich or a dust filled baguette, as work is yet to begin on the old Lloyds TSB site. But the delay in building work might be a blessing in disguise. For now there is the perfect opportunity to tell the University exactly what they can do with their baguettes. Having eaten soggy packed sandwiches for years at school, it's quite depressing to come to University and find that standard fare is in fact filled rolls( only now they are dry, not soggy). Yes, they might come in a variety of flavours, ranging from bog standard Cheese and Pickle to the more sophisticated Thai Baguette, but we are all sandwich-ed out. We might all turn into a piece of bread at this rate. So our message to Jenny Grant is SOS: Sick Of Sandwiches. Besides, too many carbohydrates are bad for healthy students like us ... MacDonalds anyone?
Heads up bunnies Hive bunnies will be jumping for joy this week with news that their favourite hang-out is to get a makeover. However, if the Union are to employ the same designers responsible for the cruise-liner like interior of the new bar, Hive regulars will perhaps be considering a new warren, for fear of Jane MacDonald standing under a glitter ball and belting out a rendition of Hey Big Spender. Just as we appreciated the quirkiness of the old bar and it's pastel interior, The Hive's youth club-esque feel is perfect for wandering into on an afternoon and supping some water from a plastic cup. It's got character with its ringed tables and whilst a domed roof sounds exciting, there is something comforting about retreating from all light sources to the middle of The Hive and blending in with the murky shadows. So lets hope a cabaret singer will make an appearance in the waiting lounge that is our Union bar, at least then it will have some personality about it.
Page 8
Concrete Wedensday, Jan uary 29, 2003
www.concrete-online.co.uk
LCR girl mugged As more students face not getting a car permit on campus, we investigate how some will be affected. By Thom Smith THOM SMITH Chief News Reporter
be al lowed a pem1it , while students in NR2 won ' t be allowed one ei ther.
STUDENTS and staff alike have spoken out over the plan ned steep parking charges under the controversial travel plan.
But thi ~ week, Travel Plan Coordinator Dawn Dcwar anno unc~d that the ne" charges wi ll be £1 per day. However, there will be Gnancial suppo rt available for tudents who have no choice but to pay the fees. \ c '> poke to ~tudent; who will be seriou ly affected when the new
Last fort ni gh t, Co ncrete revea led that nobody who lives in the NR4 area of Norw ich will
;yste m i~ imp !cm 'ntcd in eptcmber. SOC stud0nt Philip Reader, wh,) live~ in NR2, said he h~ to transport h i ~ cello for OrcheMra. "A; well a this. l come from Yorbhire and h:l\e to move lots of ~tuft between home and uni." 1any don' t think they can allord the charge, next ye ar. Hisham Dz.akiria feeh it i too expensive a' it i now, and it is di(Jicul t to find a parki ng space.
Above: Hisharn Hwkiria
" llm ing d1ildrcn mean' [ need a car, and as a Student I don' t have much money. - lt wi ll be too ex pensive next year.'' But it i~ not j u~t ~ t u dc n L> who ha' ~ children or who tran, port 'ita! eqtlipme nt around that w ill be ad ver<oely al tcctcd. A member of sta ff, whn ha.> asked not to be named , as he did not want to get involved with uni versity politi \ is worried by the changes. 'T he ne1 plans for taff parking ha1 e not be-:n well explained, and I am not sure how much I will be charged next year." He re1ea led that with the lo" in omc fl f h i ~ positi on at the univer&ity if h~ was charged next year he would have t•> think care full ) about hi position at UEA. A large number of >lUdcnt may be put o ff bringing cars to No rwich. if the y fi nd the charges arc too hi gh. Pres1dent of the UEA sa ili ng club Luke Harwood is worried ab(lut how the lad. of cars will aftect club> and ocieties at UEA. 'The travel plan will put people off hnngmg. cars to umvcrsi t). and the sai li ng cl ub depends on some members be ing able to drive others to the broads. - lt could have a very bad eflec t on the club."
ANOTH ER stud ent was left shaken after she was attacked and mugged on her way home from the popular Retro disco. EAS stud e nt Elizabeth Ca ldwe ll was wa lking ho me alone when a man grabbed her bag from her shoulder in the early hours o f Sunday January 19.
Top : Luke H an•·ood aud Phiflip Reader
The incident happened in a passageway between Bl uebell and Wycl iffe Road. EliLabeth 's bag containing her wallet and phone was snatched. writes Jennifer Dale. ··r fe ll my bag fa ll off my shoulder. I turned round and a man had his hand on my bag." He ran off but the mugging has left the fourth year with fears for her own sa fety " I feel lucky that nothing else happened but just the thought of him go ing through my bag- it' s disgusting." Eli zabeth does admit that she walked home al one as a one-off. feeling safe so c lose to campus, but the attack has changed her attitude. " I feel much more wary now." she said. After her ordeal. Eli zabeth urges other students not to take the risk of going home alone. "People should know to be on their guard." PC R1chard Bell stresses taking sensible preca ut ions. "Carry a persona l alarm. and walk home in groups."
"Everyone wit hin the barriers was evacuated, the top three noon, of E V. and the Norfolk Terrace Store rooms." Mr Horn said the gas belonged to E V. who had built new bays to hold gas cyli nders. The gas was supplied from ai rproducts. who were called to take away the leaking bottle. "The fire brigade were also called to check it o ut and make sure cYcrythi ng was safe. This hasn't happened before." University Press Officer An nie Ogden said the occupants of nearby
rooms were asked to leave the premises as a precaution. "The leak was made safe by the Fi re Service on their arrival, and the area was cordoned off unti l the manufacturer~ of the cyhndcr came later in the afternoon to remove it. The cylinder contai ned lluorine. which is harmful in stronger concentrati ons. but the gas content was onl y 5% and th is was a minor leak." Alt hough they showed no ill effects. th ree members of staff were taken to the Hcallh Centre. where they were exa mined and released without needing any treatment.
Reside nt Tutorsh ips
2 00 3/04 Applications for Resident Tutorshi ps for the academic year 200 3/04 are now invited from suitably experienced students and members of staff. Students who will be abroad during 2003/04 should al so apply now for appointment in Septem ber 2004. Resident Tutors are crucial to the we lfare and good order of students in University residences . Living in reside nces demands that students take responsib ility for their lives on a day-to-day basis , but resident tutors help maintain a balance between the rights and interests of individuals and the commu nity of which they are a part.
A SECTIO N of Norfolk Terrace had to be cordoned off last week after a gas bottle began to leak dangerous fumes. Security was info rmed just after one o' clock on Wednesday Janu ar y 22, and they sectioned off a 25m stretch of the road fro m blocks A-F. Deputy Security Manager Paul Horn said there was a minor leak. and the cordoning off was just fo r safety.
Further p'articulars are available from the Dean of Students ' Office Reception or from www.uea.ac.ukldos/intranet (click on to lnfo\mation for Stuqents living in residences.) date for applications: Monday 10 February 2003
Above: Deputy Security Manager Paul H om outside the barrier
CoiO'ttl Wedensday, Jamwry 29, 2003
Page 9
www.concrete-online.co.uk
''UEA is such a great
place to be a student'' In September, Professor David Eastwood succeeded Vincent Watts as ·the University's vice-chancellor. With the introduction of the new higher education funding, his job is about to get even tougher. Here, he tells Rebecca Lawrence all about his new post
D
avid Eastwood probably couldn't have chosen a more challenging time to take up his position as vice-chancellor. After just four months in the job, he is faced with heading one of the most controversial debates UEA has ever had - that of higher education funding. At the age of 44, he is the youngest VC in the country, which is probably a good thing considering the hard work ahead. With the publication of the government's white paper last week, he will have to face a difficult decision in deciding the future of UEA, in terms of how much the University will charge its students for their degree, and how to attract people from poorer backgrounds. "UEA has not yet taken a view as to how its going to respond to the white paper, and clearly that's something we will need to do in the coming weeks. I think, given the political realities we've probably got a relatively balanced compromise ." But this stance seems to come from a view of the world of politics. Mr Eastwood hinted that his own opinions on the white paper might differ to those he will put forward as that of the University's. "I may have my own views. I'm a father, and so forth, but whatever way you look at it, the political reality is that there is only so much more tax payers' money that the government can invest." Mr Eastwood suggests he does not quite agree with the government stance. A system cannot be created that puts the whole cost on graduates, as education is not just a private benefit, but also a social one. Professor Eastwood was headhunted for the position when Vincent Watts stood down last year. He previously headed the Arts and Humanities Research Board and lectured at Oxford and Swansea so he knows only too well how fundamental it is to have a well-taught population. "We need a balance between the tax payer supporting higher education, and students because we all benefit from having a better educated workforce." David welcomes the attention universities have received from Charles Clarke and the white paper, and is impressed by Clarke's skills as a Minister, who is not afraid to put forward his own views. "Now there is a substantial investment in higher education, which is welcome. Charles is good because he's on top of his brief, and he thinks, and communicates effectively. He wants to engage, which is very refreshing . Charles has brought universities to the top of the agenda." And David can even see Charles Clarke becoming Prime Minster if the right circumstances arouse. But, as a historian, he is prepared to give Tony Blair his admiration. "Tony has done something no left-wing Prime Minister has done, and that is win a second term in parliament with an overall majority. He is remarkable in terms of the history of British Politics." But David does not see Blair's government in quite such glowing terms. "The second term is tough as all the freshness has gone, and all the expectations are there. The government has done some things well, but it is certainly struggling with others."
L
ike Mr Blair, Eastwood, contrary to the opinion of a large majority, does not think the middle class will suffer as a result of the proposals put forward in the controversial white paper. "This was one of the reasons why the 'up-front,' payment was dropped as there were fears of a
middle England backlash. A great majority of middle class people expect to go to University. This is a generation who have seen thei r parents live in debts with big mortgages, so they won't feel squeezed by the prospect of more debts." Part of the Government's conditions for universities to charge high fees is to widen the access for poorer students, and UEA is going to have to achieve this if it does want to receive the top fee of £3,000 a year per student. The vice-chancellor feels a packet of measures is needed to encourage students from poorer backgrounds to attend University. ''The issue of access is more complicated than people think. If you listen to government ministers, they will say it is a disgrace that universities are still middle class institutions. In fact the real problem in keeping teenagers in education lies between GSCEs and A-Levels." "Its even more comp licated now that right across the piece girls are out performing boys. The whole question of access is not just about fees or not fees, loans or not loans, it is a whole series of things. There is no quick fix."
"I have t o look ahead and actually write in my diary when Manchester United are on the box, and often I don't get home in time to see them anyway," - David Eastwood As of 2006, however much UEA decides to charge in the end , it is a fact that it will be receiving more money. As VC, David is looking to advance the University as much as he can . "We want to improve what I call 'the student experience,' helping teaching , learning resources , and the physical environment and facilities across campus."
D
avid denies that the role of vice-chancellor is a powerful one-person job, arguing that the University cannot just be run from his office. "What makes a university successful are the people in it. I want to work with my colleagues to improve UEA's reputation . I don't think UEA trumpets its virtues as well as it should, and if people get fed up with seeing me on TV, its not about my vanity, but getting the message of UEA across." He has plans to start new courses, such as pharmacy and speech and language therapy, as well as a major refurbishment of student residences. "We've got big ideas for the University. it's a great place to be a student. I love thinking about all the things which are going on here." And even though he is yet to experience the infamous LCR , he has had a drink in the new bar, when he has time to unwind and steer clear of politics. But relaxation doesn't come very often to this hard working man. "I'd just sat down to my first glass of wine, when the BBC rang for an interview last week. If I want a night off, I have to look ahead and actually write in my diary when Manchester United are on the box, and often I don't get home in time to see them anyway."
Paoc I0
Concrete Wedensdav, January 29. 2003
www.concrete-online.co.uk
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The Minister for Higher Education recently commented on the negative presence of 'Mickey Mouse' degrees in British universities. Ruth Charnock investigates a selection of possible contenders across the country.
I
n the more angst-ridden moments of my acq uaintance with UEA, I have conside red, albeit briefly, jacking it all in and going to Plymouth University to do a deg ree in Surf Science and Technology . I can't surf , but it just sounds so much less taxing than wading (pun intended) through another weighty tome. Ye t further investig ation ruled this out, whe n Jim Edmonson, BSc (Hons) in Surf Science and Technology provided further details of the course: "lt is a mixture of intellectu all y challenging and we llfocused mod ules th at involve an in-depth analys is of surfing and surf industries in the ir broadest sense." This does not quite match up to my visions of living a life of su n-soaked hedonism, in the man ner of cool su rfer chick. In fact, listening to Edmonson one cou ld even be convinced of its validity as a degree, endowing you with crucial life skills, as well as the ability to say 'awesome' and not be laughed off the beach. Obvious mocking aside, the issue of so-called 'Mickey Mouse courses' at UK universities has been raised recently by Margaret Hodge, minister for higher education. Last week, Hodge talked in a public seminar about: "degrees in which the content is perhaps not as rigorous as one would expect ... and may not have huge relevance to the labour market." Mandy Telford , president of the NUS, responded to Hodge's comments with: "NUS is dismayed ... especially at a time when higher education needs all the support it can get. it is appalling that the minister for higher education, who should be championing our cause in the run-up to the white paper, can make such a disparaging remark. NUS challenges her to define what a 'mickey mouse' course is." Although Hodge handily avoided mentioning any specific courses, many in the media have seized upon a plethora of possible degrees across the co untry, with titles that Hodge would no doubt consider Disney-esque. Here's just a brief taster. If inclined towards Bradford
Many in th e media have seized upon a plethora of possible degrees across the country with titles t hat Hodge would no doubt consider positively Disney-esque. University, and let's face it who isn't, you could flex your intellectual muscles by doing a BA in 'Peace Studies' or 'Conflict Resolution '. Would this involve doing vocational placements in Bradford's mean streets, or just med itating quietly upon how we should all 'just love each othe r' from the comfort of a lectu re theatre? One wonders also at the potenti al link between doing Peace Studies at Bradford and signing up to do Herbal Pharmacology at the University of North London. "Modern herbal medicinal science is concerned with the development of the chemistry and pharmacology of plant-derived drugs using leading-edge technology." The obvious
complexity of th is course is belied by the unfortunate titl e. How many pot-heads have gravitated towards the degree, expecting to pick up pointers, only to be presented instead with a microscope and a Petri-dish? Much was also made in th e med ia of th e 12 week co urse at Staffo rdshi re University in 'David Beckham Studies'. Professor El lis Cashmere, who runs the co urse, defended himself against Mickey Mouse jibes by saying: "I thin k he embodies the spirit of the times, he doesn't actually say much or do much - unlike icons of the past, he doesn't take a political stand or engage with any kind of social issues of the day. But maybe that's just what we want in the early 21st century, a person who doesn't actually do much, but onto which we can displace all our fantasies ." But surely you could get the same insight into old Golden Balls from leafing through Hello. Where's the academic worth in studying someone who "doesn't actually do much"?
H
ere at UEA, while we don't have David Beckham , we do have Disney. More specifically, we have an EAS Film Studies module, entitled : 'Disney- the Man and Movies and the Media Empire'. So far, so Mickey. Peter Kramer, who runs the unit said: "What we teach students is not necessarily just what's on the syllabus. There are much more fundamental things to be learnt, how to ask questions and articulate in discussions." He also identified the re levance of cou rses such as Film Studies at UEA: "The UK has a growing film industry and Fi lm Studies students get graduate level jobs easily. In light of this, I really don't see the point of getting het up about Margaret Hodge's comments." There was also the sense that people like Hodge, who denounce any courses ending in 'studies' , are suffering from intellectual tunnel vision: "Film Studies is just another way of accessing the same information dealt with in , say, English Literature or History. Although I'm in no way denouncing those subjects, what makes us equally relevant is that we 're part of a growing vibrant cultural sector in Britain ", said Mr. Kramer. Ironicall y, many of the more obscu re courses at British universities seem to have greater potential for graduate employment than more 'traditional' co urses. The specificity of cou rses such as a HN D in Win e Studies at the University of Brighton , might sound like an ideal excuse to get wasted for two years, but actually seems to have a wea lth of possible caree r opportunities: "vine growing , win e making, vi neyard and winery equipment sales, buying , importing, wholesaling, retailing, wine journalism ...". When all I'm asked , doing an Eng lish an d American Literature degree is "so, do you want to be a teacher, the n?", it certain ly makes you think.
another less so, few could argue with Hodge's closing comments: "We cannot tolerate the current situation where over 10% of our institutions lose more than one in four of their students before they have comp leted the course. Universities have to get better at providing the right advice and guidance before students embark on a course." With the top-up fees debate raging strong , what remains to be seen is whether it is the politicians or the universities who are taking the mick .. .
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Taking the mick? Minister for Higher Education, Margaret Hodge
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c.cntt Wedensday, January 29, 2003
www.concrete-online.co.uk
Page 12
Best known for his sarcastic manner and goading rival editors, Piers Morgan is in charge of Britain's most provocative newspaper. Katie Hind spoke to him about the impending war on Iraq, showbiz, and his three sons
I
t's simple, you either love him or hate him, listen to him or throw the remote control at the telly whenever he is on the screen. But, Piers Morgan doesn't care - in fact, in his own words, he "couldn't give a monkeys." While it may sound arrogant to many, you can hardly blame him. At just 28-years-old, Morgan was given the reins to the country's most controversial newspaper, the News of the World, before taking over at The Mirror a couple of years later. Ever since, he has been the most high profile newspaper editor. His successful career kicked off in his early twenties when The Sun snapped him up to work on their long-running showbiz column, Bizarre. That all seems a long time ago as I sit in Morgan's office, waiting for him to return from a meeting. But during this time, I had the chance to discover lots about him. The plethora of framed Arsenal photos, a signed 1971 FA Cup Final shirt and a picture of lan Wright were a giveaway that Piers is a football fanatic. His photos of Princess Diana and Tony Blair prove that he is extremely well-connected, while a front page of the journalist's trade magazine, Press Gazette, where he admitted he was a "tosser", hanging on the wall confirmed my hunch that he is an outspoken, confident, mischievous man. When he arrived, he quickly explained that it had been a very hectic morning as the editor of The People had resigned. This brought us on to an extremely relevant subject. Just days before my interview with Piers, the most significant reshuffle in tabloid papers in years had occurred. Morgan's sworn enemy, David Yelland, had quit The Sun to go to business school in America, while Morgan's mate and ex-colleague, Rebekah Wade, formerly of the News of the World, had gone to take over. The final part of the jigsaw was Morgan's other
"The Yelland thing was getting a bit boring even for me. In the end, there is only so many times that you can call somebody a twat before it becomes very tedious. With Yelland I think I pushed the boat out as far as I could" friend, Andy Coulson's move to take over from Wade. So how would the relationship between Britain's two most-read tabloids turn out, considering Piers's long-running feud with Yelland?
"The Yelland thing was getting a bit boring even for me, in the end, there is only so many times that you can call somebody a twat before it becomes very tedious. With Yelland I think I pushed the boat out as far as I could, we didn't like each other, we didn't respect each other and it became a rather unpleasant little feud, which I quite enjoyed. " However, he promises that the only kind of competition between the two tabloids ir the future will be based purely on the professional performance of the newspapers. "You'll see a much more competitive rivalry on the journalistic front between Rebekah and I. I brought her up as an executive on the News of the World, so we know each other very well. lt won't be nasty and personal, we won't be having a go at each other, it will be more about pound for pound on who has the best newspaper, which is the way it should be. Although I think some of our readers might miss Yelland bashing, they come to see him up th.ere with Galitere and Saddam Hussain." Talking of Hussain, since September 11, The Daily Mirror has undertaken a more seriously news agenda. While he has lost readers who wanted only "tits, bums and showbiz", he also claims the paper has picked up a lot of new readers, namely students. "We have very much been on the students' side on fees, we have been very anti the war on l~aq , which resonates with stu-
"My average readers are on £10,000-£15,000, so they are hardly going to have sympathy for someone who is stuffing half of Columbia up her nose," - Morgan on Naomi Campbell dents, we are pro a lot of issues that students feel strongly about, I have heard that we are better read, I don't think we are the preferred paper, but if any student read our paper for a week, they would be pleasantly surprised by our content." So, it seems Piers Morgan has more in common with is student folk than many would 'lave thought. He has made his feelings entirely clear on the subject of the war on Iraq - he · simply thinks it is ridiculous. "I regret that we are going to go to war with Saddam on the back of the mad man Bush and I think it's all going to go wrong. I think we will defeat Hussain, but it will cause massive unrest in the middle East, none of the Arab coalition states that were there last time in 1992 for us are there this time and I think it is going to cause a lot of backlash," says Piers. Indeed, he is adamant that he knows exactly why George
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Bush is hell-bent on going to war and he hasn't been afraid to share his views throughout The Daily Mirror. "There is not justification for this war, we're doing it because of oil because Bush is an oil man to the last drop of his Texan blood and he wants to get his hands on his oil and we're all getting dragged into it, it's scary. I would like him to go back to where he came from - Texas," he explains seriously.
A
nother issue for which Morgan will be remembered for is the exclusive deal he struck with Princess Diana's former butler, Paul Burrell. Back in November, The Daily Mirror beat off 480 offers from newspapers and television companies around the world to buy up his story. At the time, the newspaper came under heavy criticism from their rivals for doing such a deal. But Piers didn't let it bother him. "Every British newspaper offered him money. Funnily enough, we offered the lowest amount of money, but got the story. We sold 2 million extra papers in ten days, we made probably £700,000 to £800,000 profit and he was happy, I was happy, we were talked about for ten days, led the news every bulletin, Daily Mirror, Daily Mirror, Daily Mirror. lt was a great coup for us, but to all of those who whinged and moaned afterwards, it's pathetic, you didn't get it, be quiet and take your punishment;• he warned. Piers is looking forward to working with Burrell in the future. The Daily Mirror is currently signing him up to be a regular columnist. In his job at The Daily Mirror, Piers claims he has a lot of independence. He is left to run the newspaper freely. But this has not always been the case. When he was editor of the News of the World, he worked for one of the world's most powerful men - none other than Rupert Murdoch. Unlike most of his employees, Morgan claims to have enjoyed a good relationship with the Australian billionaire. "I got on with him very well, he's a great guy, he's a brilliant newspaper tycoon. The print runs in his veins, he loves the stories, the fun, the mischief and he's very, very powerful and very very rich which means that there was always plenty of money around to take on your rivals." "His influence is always there, even though I found he only used it sparingly, but it's there and you're always working directly to somebody. He never really interfered before publication, though he would certainly tell you his views afterwards - I think that's the point. You knew where he stood on things, it takes a pretty brave editor, if you have a tycoon as powerful and wealthy as Murdoch, to go against what he believes in and what he wants from his papers." Despite Morgan being involved in more serious and hardhitting issues recently, he was better known in the early nineties as 'Piers - friend of the stars'. During his time at The Sun, he spent much of his time jet-setting around the world, partying with celebrities. He may no longer be so directly involved with showbiz journalism, but he still has time for his old celeb friends. "I keep in touch with George Michael, but I always try and keep celebrities at arms length, I don't go round their house all of the time or socialise with them. I love Jonathon Ross and Harry
c..cntt Wedensday, Jan11ary 29, 2003
Enfield though as they have a very healthy, grudging respect, but always with comedy, about the press and realise it is just a game. "People get bruised and hurt, or whatever, but actually if you have a talent then you can play the press quite well. George (Michael) is a classic example, he gets hammered by the press and adored by the public because he has a talent. If they come out and say, 'okay, I've been a total arse, I wish it never happen.ed, but there we are, that's showbiz', then they will be okay, but some of them disappear up their backsides." That is something that Morgan and his fellow editors at The Daily Mirror have been familiar with over the past year. 2002 saw supermodel, Naomi Campbell sue the newspaper for invading her privacy when they took pictures of her at a Narcotics Anonymous meeting. However, judges sided with Piers and his team and Campbell was left with a £750,000 bill. Needless to say, Piers is not a fan but he joked that he was left devastated when he didn't receive a Christmas card from her. "I was upset that she didn't send me one, I gave her one wishing her a very festive and peaceful Christmas and New Year:· he said, with his customary wit. "She thought she would take us to the cleaners and it has cost her £800,000 so far and a shocking reputation. The article was very sympathetic to her, we could have done the old cliche tabloid thing of Naomi is a sleazy drug addict, but I chose not to, so it was Bizarre that she then sued us over that. I thought it was rather pathetic. However, he warns that she is not the only 'star' queuing up to lambaste the press. He claims that most celebrities have the potential to become victims to inflated egos. "They all disappear up their backsides. They get surrounded by so many lickspitters, that it is very hard for them to remember what the real world is like. My average readers are on £10,000£15,000 per year, working out where their next penny is coming from. The idea that they are to have any sympathy for somebody stuffing half of Colombia up her nose. I've got no moral view on it, she can do what she likes, but don't come bleating about it when you get caught." So, it is hardly surprising that Piers likes nothing more than to go home to his Sussex village at weekends, where he relaxes by enjoying a game of cricket with his
"My friends don't give a monkeys what I do. I'm not interested in talking about it. I'm more interested in keeping my cricket average· above 20 and drinking lots of bitter" friends, who couldn't be further away from the world of celebrity. Their professions vary from builders to lawyers to carpenters. "They don't give a monkeys what I do all day, they're not remotely impressed by the job I hold or the people I meet and I'm not reaUy interested in talking about it, I'm much more interested in keeping my average above twenty - and making sure I can drink lots of bitter:· he joked. Another of his hobbies takes the form of Arsenal Football Club. He enjoys many a Saturday
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afternoon at Arsenal's home ground, Highbury, where he holds a season ticket - and he insists that after years of playing the most boring football in the world, they Will win the Premiership this year - and the Champions League - and the FA Cup. "They are a great team to watch, after years of following them with all the boring boring Arsenal chants when we
always won 1-0 , it's great to watch them play amazing football, I know it won't last, so while it's happening, I might as well enjoy ie
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ut despite all of the stars he has met throughout his glittering journalism career, he claims he cannot stand to meet any of the Highbury bunch because he reckons he gets starstruck. "I know some of the players, I loved lan Wright, he was my favourite, but he retired a year and a half ago and he's become a good mate. But I don't like to get too close to them if they are still playing in the team because it unnerves me to meet my heroes - I tend to become a quivering wreck. "I introduced two of my three sons to them recently, we jumped them all in the car park after a match. I don't know who was more excited, my kids or me," he mused excitedly. Overall, however, it is evident that he is a family man. He frequently mentioned his three sons, Spencer, 9, Stanley, 5 and Bertie, 2, of whom he proudly has a framed picture of on his desk. "The older ones think I'm totally embarrassing on telly and very boring. They really would appreciate it if I would just stay off the airwaves. They would also rather I didn't work in a building that looks like the World Trade Centre. My son thinks it would be a good idea for me to have a parachute under my desk." Later this year, Morgan will be fronting a series for BBC1 about people who have been through the tabloid mills. But despite doing lots of TV and radio work, it is not an area of the media he has immediate plans to break into. "To me this is all a sideline, I know what I'm good at, or currently good at, and that's editing tabloids. I know my day job is here, we won lots of awards last year which is important as it sends a message out as to what kind of newspaper we are. We are not trivia, we are a more provocative, serious paper, and I like editing it, so I'll hang on for as long as they want me. I think I have found my perfect job."
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Cotcrttt Wedensday. January 29, 2003
www.concrete-online.co.uk
With sites like Popbitch springing up every day, Danielle Agius investigates the huge popularity of gossip on the Net.
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ick up a magazine you'll read some. Listen to the radio stations and you'll hear some. Surf the web and you'll hit a site with some. So what is this 'some' thing? Plain and simply gossip, juicy gossip. Although always a main topic point within the media, it has suddenly infiltrated every part of our daily lives, aided by our hungry tongues, eager to spread the latest news like a Chinese whisper. And akin to this whisper, gossip is often distorted, exaggerated and damn right slanderous. So what is it that sends us into a frenetic frenzy of words, spoken about people we have never met, never will meet, and could only wish to sojourn with? In reaction to what can only be termed as jealousy of the obscenely rich and famous, we have come to participate in the rage of bitching, using it as our own little valve of release for the pressures of life that, quite frankly, those celebs just don't have to deal with.
"The fascination with celebrity is perhaps nothing more than a fascination with our own desire for money and fame." Professor Neil Cooper from the Psychosocial Studies Department at UEA offers the theory that "gossip can help us to deal with the gulf between the massive material success of stars and our own modest lifestyles." By discussing their problems, we realise that they have been made: "to 'pay' for their fame through cost to their mental health and relationships ... reinforcing the idea that money can't buy love." But why are we so envious, to the lengths that we relish their downfall? So they've succeeded in life, surely we're just silently congratulating them for actually managing to get there. If we had the chance, I think it's safe to say we would swap in an instant. But apparently this thing called 'admiration' is a thing of the past; it's time to get yourself acquainted with "did you hear that •••• got with •••-, what a •••••, ••••• had Botox, they look
like a duck" and "What the . ... is she wearing!" Pleased? Pleased? Why should we be pleased...that success should be mine...that money...all mine... mwahaha... Okay so we're not star-struck losers, but a definite trend has developed and the Internet has capitalised on it. Popbitch (www.popbitch.com) is probably the most widespread site, but hundreds can be found . Popbitch started as an e-mail to friends, by 10 weeks it had eighty subscribers, by week 27, a 1000. Basically, it consists of a few hundred words of slander sent out weekly, and a site splashed with the latest dirt, and users, comments, quips and gossip (of which it is interesting to note the founders explicitly state they "refuse to accept any responsibility for the content of..." funny that). it revels in dishing the latest dirt, making sarcastic comments on any celebrity misfortunate enough to perform a fashion faux pas, and capitalising on any trip up - minor or major. Taking a trip to the site, numerous headlines flashed on screen: "Jordan claims she has evidence for her Gareth Gates affair - could it be a text message from Gareth apologising for shooting his load too fast?". "Rio Ferdinand was overheard at the recent Comedy Awards saying he'd like to shag Carol Vorderman". Such gossip is titillating, though the authenticity might be questionable. But is it going too far to play on the latest revelations concerning Matthew Kelly? Do people want to read crude jokes concerning Kelly's arrest, or do they just claim to visit the site for less controversial material, and general amusement?
So can we really condemn ·this latest craze when it is merely in the name of fun? Professor Simon Hampton, also of the Psychosocial Studies Department, offers an explanation to this fascination by further examining th~ idea that we are all driven by money, fame and power. Celebrities are therefore effectively seen as "a living exhibition of money, fame for sure, and, in some instances, power. The fascination with celebrity is, perhaps, nothing more than a fascination with our own desire for money and fame."
Do you have a message for your loved one? We are offering you the perfect chance to tell that boy in your seminar group or that girl you always see in the LCR that you fancy them. Just simply email us your Valentines messages at su.concrete @uea.ac.uk, or drop them off at the Concrete office, upstairs in Union House
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Don't miss our sex issue - out February 12
S
o why has this site achieved such success? Part of the reason lies in its nastiness. In an interview on a Popbitch analysis site the creator, going under the name Professor Tentacle, says the e-mail format works because "it's about famous people, and it's hard to find anyone in media being nasty about famous people." So this is the feature attraction, but its format is an equal winner. Containing bitesized chunks of celebrity gossip it takes from 5 minutes to 30 to read this site, a perfect way to start your day. Visiting some of their recommended sites, the whole fantasy celeb culture is further endorsed. Chic Happens is summarised with "who, what and where news and gossip", Exploding Dog requires you to send in titles, which are in turn created into pictures for you, and fork.com headlines with "80,000 teddybears recalled" and "Brits to pay more for pints of beer". lt is unquestionable that these are purely for entertainment purposes, so can we really condemn this latest craze when it is merely in the name of fun? And fun it provides, for it is hard not to warm to the naughty online slander. Popbitch's user statistics are tribute to its evergrowing fan base, and its popularity is inarguable. Its original subscriber base reached 30,000, but it became a victim to its own success, crashing due to the volume of hits. The 'Bitchaid' appeal was set up to raise funds for a new server and the site is now open again with a base of 36,000 and rising. Both these facts attracted high media attention, fuelling the curiousity and thereby increasing hits.
Despite the fame of their site the founders are keen to remain fairly anonymous. Listing a variety of "repeatedly asked questions", the answer given to ''who runs Popbitch?" elusively avoids names, responding with: "two people in London, and the mysterious weasels. and a loose collective of editors and contributors. There's also talk of a witchdoctor called Jo Bu who handles the supernatural stuff." Random, yes. Insightful, no. But then again, if you're going to give a dictionary definition of: "Pram Face: a pop star who has a face more suitable on a girl pushing a pram round a council estate", and thereafter list such famous names as: "Liz Atomic Kitten, and the ginger one out of Girls Aloud ", would you be particularly willing to spread your name and address?
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s a Guardian article, September 19, 2000, commented: "Popbitch is treading a fine line between courageous exposes and scurrilous tittle-tattle....proving a thorn in the side of the nation's celebrities." However, as long as the newsletter of salacious chatter is edited well, libel problems can, and have been avoided. Popbitch works because it is a self-maintaining, self-sufficient entity. There is no s'truggle for sales or finance, as there is no money being made and most importantly it is beyond the control of mainstream media, owing no responsibility to corporations or stars. You have to give credit to this two and a half year old site - it knows exactly how to get those tongues wagging and its potential notoriety can know no bounds. •
Cotcrttt Wedensday, January 29, 2003
Elements
Fashion Promotion
www.concrete-online.co.uk
Page 15
This week, we feature Elements, Asylum and Blue Jean Company. Located in the city's Lower Goat Lane, they all offer the latest designer clothes. With friendly staff, and welllayed out shops, they are definitely the best places to shop in Norwich.
Left: Olivier Spencer suit jacket - £299, E-Piay pinstripe shirt £80 (sale), D&G jeans, ripped- £145, Moschino sunnies- £40 (sale), Above: Limited edition Sergio Tacchini zip up - £150, Blood & gutter jeans - £85, Right: D&G red button skirt - £70 (sale), Moschino back laced top - £100, Bag - £65
Blue Jean Co.
Asylum Left: Urban stone frilly top £45, green Bench combats £45 Below: Indian rose one shoulder top - £40, Indian Rose denim skirt - £70, lip belt, by Mikey - £20
i Pale grey jumper - £60, Ringspun: Baggy pantsm, army style £50, Vonzipper: Sunnies, clear and silver - £56. Above left boy: Serial Killer: 8th Day !-shirt - £20, Boxfresh: Green/Dusty zip up coat- £100, Sonneti: Straight leg, keegan jeans- £50, Vonzipper: Sunnies, aviator style - £56
Above: Ringspun army style !-shirt - £50, Serial killer: 8th day !-shirt - £20, Criminal: Straight grey/faded jeans - £65, Vonzipper:glasses - £56
Co-ordinator: Jenny Fry Photographer: Ed Webb-lngall Photographer's assistant: Lucy Johnston Stylist: Ellie Shears Models: Tom, Mark, Jenny, Toby, Simon, Andie and Lydia
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TRAVEL
Cotcrete Wedensday, Janua ry 29, 2003
www.concrete-online.co.uk
American Adventure
Newcastle
The USA has so much to offer, that it can seem impossible to do it all. Christian Floyd shares some of his experiences from when he trekked America.
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'm sure many people who have yet to see any of the US, harbour a dream of an open top classic American car, full of close friends, sunshine and open roads cleaving th rough barron Nevada deserts to unknown destinations. Such a romantic Hollywood constructed dream is not easily beaten , certainly not when you cons ider swapp ing it fo r a mini-bus full of people you most likely don't know and a quite strictly regulated itinerary. The Trek America holidays, avai lable for 18-38 year olds, range from 10 days up to odysseys wh ich last for months. I chose to do two fourteen day ones back to back, the first wh ich took me from LA, up the coast, to Seattle, and the second that brought me. back to LA through slightly more central states. Th e highlight of the fi rst fortnight was unquestionably Yosem ite National Park, an idyllic, high peaked, Davy Crockett frontier paradise , with emerald streams, and sheer light granite edifices that tower over the few small outposts of civilization with in the park boundaries. With regards to accommodation , the Trek experience is primarily a camping one , meaning that the only times you get to enjoy the comfort of a hotel room is on the night stops in the big cities like San Francisco.
Vegas was a neon fantasy world, an oasis of temptation in the middle of the Nevada desert. The tents, however, are large and provided with foam mats wh ich do allow for a comfortable night's sleep. Th at is, of course, if you are not kept awake by the sound of black bears raiding a nearby dumpster in Yosemite, the thought of the "what to do if you are confronted with a cougar'' sign ten feet from the campsite, or the consuming terror of waking up in a foetal position with the shaven headed , heavily built stranger sharing your tent. The cities we called through - LA, San Francisco, especially Las Vegas, were incredible, and any home-grown, ill-travelled conservative Brit, would experience an extreme cultu re shock in all three. Vegas was a neon fantasy world, an oasis of temptation in the middle of the Nevada desert. I have heard it described many times
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ey aye man , so it's all Byka Groove, Broon Ale, and the man who does the voiceovers on Big Brother then? Well that is a tiny part of it, although if you want to integrate yourself with the locals I'd stay clear of constantly repeating 'its day six in th e Big Brother house' in a bad Geordie accent. They've heard it all before. Luckily for them , Newcastle has a lot more going for it than bad te levision and beer.
as "America's Playground", and it is easy to se e why, roller-coasters which wind their way through buildings like cartoon bookworms, the themed cas inos with th ei r elaborate advertisement stage shows of pirate ships and erupting volcanoes, not to mention a seedier side marked by call girl numbers on the backs of taxis and hotel phone books that look like the rear ends of porno mags - a darke r side of th e city th at is clearly big bu siness. If you are not twenty-one years old, your enjoyment of the city will be severely impaired . However, I heard from the older members of the group that the nightlife is something to behold - one beach bar they found actually had tequila fountains which were available in unlimited quantity to anyone who paid the small fee at the door. The accommodation in Vegas is ludicrously cheap, and a double room with a TV, bathroom and small kitchen area should set you back no more than $18-20 a night. Bars
and clubs anywhere in the States are incredibly vigilant when it com es to underage admission and drinking , especially in the large town s and cities, and nights can be rather dull for members of the gro up who are unable to join the others on a night out.
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lthough the appeal of Vegas can 't truly be expressed , it was probably the most fun I had on the trip. However, to choose one particular place or moment out of the entire month is practically impossible. The Grand Canyon was breath taking, and Angels Landing in Zion National Park was one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen , and still is to this day. There is so much more that hasn't been mentioned that left a lasting impression on me, and the nature of the Trek package really contributed to the enjoyment of the trip. lt is a way of seeing the States that I wou ld recommend to anyone.
Really? I saw Get Carter and it looked dead depressing. The city has progressed a long way from the concrete of the 60s, and the Newcastle of 2003 has a modern feel to it. Th e Quayside has been regenerated into a cosmopolitan promen ade of trendy bars, re staura nts and cultu ral sites, with th e new 'winking eye' Millennium bridge linking Newcastle with neighbouring Gateshead . The citi es have put in a joint bid to becom e the 'European Capital of Culture' for 2003, and are currently on the short-list. Ok, ok, so it's not that bad , but what else is there to do? For arts-lovers there are several theatres, museums and galleries to visit, including the new contemporary gallery Baltic, and the new music centre, as well as the castle of Newcastle (geddit?) . For shopaholics, all the major high street stores can be found in and around Eldon Square shopping centre, while cool urban labels and designer gear can be found in the boutiques down High Bridge Street and Northumberland Square. If that isn't enough there is also the Metro Centre, the largest shopping mall in Europe, located a few miles outside the city. If sport is more your thing, then experience football North-East style by watching Newcastle United play at their home ground of Saint James's park. Oh, and then there's the nightlife ... Nightlife? Now I'm listening, I demand that you tell me more! The nightlife in Newcastle is mainly centred around four areas filled with a huge variety of bars and clubs. The Haymarket is more studenty and low-key. The Big-Market is for all the good-time lads and lasses who like drinking lager and dancing to bad chart-music. The area around Central Station is more grown-up but equally as packed , wh ile the Quayside is fo r all the beautiful(ish) people. All of these areas are in close proximity so there are no vast distances between venues (a serious advantage considering the average night-time temperature and the locals' refusal to wear coats). For clubbing , Newcastle virgins should head for the Tuxedo Princess - a large ocean liner situated on the Tyne with a revo lving dance-floor in the hull. Not exactly classy, but great fun .
Right then, it's dea six in the Big Brootha house and I'm gooin te Neoocassle ...
Sally Wain-Heapy
Cota'ltl Wedensda y, January 29, 2003
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Ill
CONCRETE Issue 147 Editor Katie Hind Deputy Editor Jim Whalley
Send your letters for the attention of the Editor to Concrete, PO Box 41 0, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7TB or email them to su.concrete@uea.ac.uk
News Editor Rebecca Lawrence Chief News Reporter Thom Smith
Youth chance Despite the recent cold weather Concrete has managed to make my blood boil ! After reading the recent Front page article entitled 'Thug Off', (Great choice of words to encourage good community & university relations . .. NOT!!! ). I was horrified to discover that taking into consideration the Fact that PC Bell is even quoted as saying " We are still uncertain whether it was students or outsiders . . ." concerned, Concrete has chosen to assume the worst of local teenagers, and has blatantly labeled them, collectively as 'thugs' ! The header on a 2 page spread calls for a 'fight' to ban 'West Earl ham thugs'. I am appalled at the attacks, but I regard this as a security problem, and a problem of society. How dare Concrete poison UEA students minds into looking at the local youngsters as a group of potential attackers ? lt is stereotyping young people just because they happen to live on a local council estate. This is totally unacceptable. I believe it could endanger my children, who are respectable citizens and happen to be living at West Earlham. At the moment they have as much right to walk through Earlham Park and down University Drive as anyone else does. I know many local kids like to skate, & they have no Skate Park nearby accessible & the UEA has an obvious appeal. I do not believe that local children are fighting with the students, because I have heard them refer to students, the UEA, campas etc as 'cool'. it is unfair to collectively brand a group of people as thugs, especially when a police Constable has admitted there is no evidence, and no way was it all of the local teenagers !. The header says " At the end of last term the local teenagers went on a rampage" . I am really concerned now that students in defensive mood could over react to a local child just for 'being' on cam pas. I want an apology the size of the Front page and 2 page spread, and this whole incident put in realistic perspective, because I fear for the safety of all students including my sons, their friends , because they are students too, but younger ! " Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing " Proverbs 12:18 I suggest you listen to Ehi ldahossa, she had the wisest words to say.
Features Editor Ruth Charnock Chief Features Writer Dannielle Agius Fashion Stylist Ellie Shears Sports Editor Marc Dudley Picture Editor Ed Webb-lngall Picture Assistant Claire Burwell Photographer Gareth Davies Advertising Manager Jenny Fry
P.S. I work at UEA Library, care about the students, but also my local community, & family !
Keep the ban I would like to respond to your editorial about the Nestle ban (issue 146, 15 January 2003) . Your remarks in the Concrete Comment column appear to be rather one-sided. You state that "it seems totally ridiculous we don't have a right to choose the brand of chocolate we eat." But if you consider the full reasoning behind the boycott, it won't seem so ridiculous after all. The comment then goes on to bemoan the fact that you have to walk all the way to the Sportspark to buy a Kit Kat. Yet the problems faced by mothers and babies in the developing world are obviously far more serious than this, but they are not mentioned in your comment at all. The facts are that UNICEF estimate that every year 1.5 million Infants die unnecessarily from unsafe bottle feeding . Where water is unclean, a bottle-fed baby is up to 25 times more likely to die than a breast-fed child. Nestle has on several occasions been found to use marketing practices which breach the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes. These violations deny a mother the right to make an informed choice about the best way to feed her baby. If the ban is maintained, then it will show Nestle that ordinary people do care about the conduct of corporations, and the more people who support the boycott, the more likely it is that Nestle will clean up its act. VIctoria Holland SYS 1
Parking worry
Also Sort out, the security, and the actual attackers involved ! Don't scape goat the local kids. Many parents of local teenagers work at UEA, I believe this has offended a lot of University community too. Yours Passionately, M. A. Col/Ins
I'm a first year EAS student currently living in the huge Aztec pyramidiness that is Suffolk Terrace, and apart from 'quirks' of the residence (soaring temperatures, green bath water and the rather unfortunate ability to overhear any shagging going on within a fifteen room radius) I love it. Sadly, however, like most first years I'll be expected to leave the nest and migrate east for the second year. And this is where my problem comes about. I'm a little bit worried that I'm going to fail my second year. Not because I'll do badly, or even because I'll end up having some sort of illness such as congen ital flatulence or facial herpes which'd cause me to drop out. I'm worried that I'll fail the second year simply because I won't be able to get to any of the lectures. Simply put, I intend to live in Norwich in my sec-
ond year, ideally in the Golden Triangle. Originally I was going to bring along my nice little Vauxhall Corsa and scoot to and from the University with the greatest of disease, but now that I probably wouldn 't be able to park it on Campus due to the pesky new parking regulations to be implemented in September, I'll have to get the bus. Fine. I took the train to and from school for three years- I have no problem with public transport. If I had a lecture at 2pm, I'd find the bus that arrived at the University at 1:45pm and be on my merry way and sitting my merry arse down in the lecture theatre at 1:59pm. Or not. You see, imagine every single person in every single school of study who has a lecture, a seminar or another appointment of some description beginning at 2pm that day getting onto that bus which arrives at 1:45pm. That's a lot of people. That's a lot of armpits in your face. That's a lot of buses you won't even be able to get onto because there are too many people in them who USED to drive in, but now have to stand in the bus, sweating like a lorry-full of pigs on their way to the slaughterhouse. Or the Biochemistry lecture. Whatever. But my point stands. As Dawn Dewar said in last week's Concrete, prohibiting people from parking on campus will put a huge strain on the bus services. We already know that FIRST won't be able to cope, they can barely cope as it is. This bus service the University say they'll be providing is certainly a step in the right direction , but I'd bet my desk fan that there won't be nearly enough buses to cater for the huge demand , especially if (as was suggested in Katie Hind's article "STUDENT CAR BAN") the bus will do one route
and one route only. Also, seeing as the bus will have to stop at every stop to let these billions of students on, to let them fiddle in their wallets and purses for the correct change, to pay for their tickets and to cram their way onto the sweatbox on wheels, the bus is highly likely to be late anyway, thus rendering it fairly useless. The obvious solution would seem to be simply getting more buses. But why? Why should the university begin to fork out money every year for an indefinite period of time when there are alternative solutions. How about a multi-storey car park? Expensive, obviously, but it would pay for itself in time and end up not only making the University money but also ensuring that students are able to park on campus if they want to do so and can cough up the cash for a parking permit. Bus ticket, parking permit, it's all going to cost the students money. But in the long run , a multi-storey car park is the way forward. And , let's face it, who'd notice another ugly concrete building around here? Luke Owen EAS 1
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Fun
Horoscopes Hey mate, get a move on. The bus isn't going to wait much longer, if you catch my drift . Someone has been laying it on with a trowel this week and you still haven't noticed what is in front of you . Time to trim th at floppy fringe, meth inks. You are particularly annoying thi s week and the only advise I have for you is to banish yourself to another kingdom . Either that or lock yourself in th at cupboard with the smelly mop and dust mites. Take yo ur homework in there with you though, or you'll fail your unit. You're quite annoyed that you are still waiting for that essay mark back this wee k because you need to know whether you can go to every LCR this year and still get a 2.1. Well, the stars are looking bright Arians, so go for it (only 8 more left)!
The week gets off to a good start, as a tall dark semistranger tries to sweet talk you into bed . A natural salesperson, this special somebody may well win you over. Financially, I think you can afford a few luxury items this week. Ah Gemini, wipe away those tears and remember that you are loved , hallelujah! Perhaps you should avoid The Waterfront for a wh ile and try and forget about a certain occurre nce. Also th is week, your artistic abilities win you plenty of admire rs . And a new haircut looks set to be lab! I see a Scandinavian prince/princess galloping towards you on a golden horse, com ing to rescue you from a tall turret where you have been imprisoned for a thousand years. So my advice to you my friend is to let down your hair and have some fun . Yee-Hah! I th ink you, oversized cat face, need to shut that trap, big mouth, before somebody shuts it for you. And that's a warning from mystic me. Also this fortnight , The Sun recommends that you read a broadsheet for a ch ange. And maybe pick up Heat while yo u are there. Go on, tax that tiny mind of yours, I dare you. We ll , last weeks prediction was pretty accurate wasn't it? I'm getting good at this. So thi s week, Virg o's will be se eing more of the same, with snogs galore. And things will get particularly steamy at a social gatheri ng on Thursday night. You go, Virgo!
Yo ur finances have got considerably better this week, with the discovery of some hidden fortunes. Lucky you! Also this week, your workload has lightened up a little, so you deserve a tipple or two this week. But stay off the Ch ekov vodka, followed by the Reso lve. Never a good combo. Pluto ensures a really special offer comes your way on Wednesday with pleasing results . Woo Hoo! This friendly planet also advises that you follow th is up with a house party on Friday and maybe a visit to the Unthank Kitchen on Saturday. Always a great place to meet people, I find . Aspects to Jupiter mean that you should take suggestions and promi ses with a pinch of salt. But then again, it is a good time to say what you thi nk and put pl ans into action. Good job you are such an organised fellow then isn't it?
Ph ew, another fortnight over huh? Doesn't tim e fly whe·n you are such a busy, busy bee. Now is the time to relax and spend time with loved ones. Also, finances are looking good so you can enjoy more than a few beverages over the next week.
Col(l'ttl Wedensdav. Jmwarv 29, 2003
www.concrete-online.co.uk
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Here is a new opportunity to share an embarrassing moment or even expose your friends and watch them turn crimson as they start to recognise the dirty details ...
At the recent Skool Daze disco, I was feel ing very naughty and foxy as a little school boy- at last, an opportunity to act with wild abandon and blame it on my age! I could be as silly as I like. Plus, I went to a hippyish state school and never had to wear uniform, so this was quite a treat for me. I'd gone the whole hog- blazer, little cap, even some leg-revealing shorts. Oh yes, I was looking mighty fine... or so I thought. I tried my luck with a few ladies throughout the course of the evening, I even tried to seduce the Big Brovaz ladeez by the power of my sexy stare. Needless to say, I was getting quite frustrated as we got closer and closer to 1am, time was definitely runn ing out for me. While gyrating wildly to Relight My Fire, I cheekily pinched several asses in my quest to pull. But nothing prepared me for the reaction of a particularly feisty school girl. Not only did she turn round and give me a school mistress glare to make me almost wet my pants, she proceeded to grab not only my bollocks but all my friends too. Ah man , th is was surely worse than getting the cane - the shame, the humiliation! Not only was it painful ... it was also painfully embarrassing . Just Wllly-am, 810 1 I had an interview recently for a graduate trainee scheme with a big city law firm and.was asked who I admired most in the world. My mind went completely blank until I finally blurted, "Julie Andrews". I'd had a bit of an Andrews lest the night before - watch ing The Sound of Music and Mary Poppins back to back. And it was true. I mean, who wouldn't want to be transported to and fro by a magic umbrella, or have a bottomless handbag. In my defence, it was the only name that popped into my head and it was definitely a gaffe that Ally McBeal would have been proud of. But alas, the interviewers just looked at me with pity and I didn't get the job. I prefer to apply onllne, LAW Masters My sister had been bragging about her new boyfriend for some time so I was dying to meet him. One night, she called me up and told me to come and meet them in town . I'd already polished off a bottle of wine at home whilst watching a few videos with my housemates and was really quite giggly. But I couldn't miss the opportunity. Besides, I'm normally quite entertaining whilst drunk so was sure this was a fool proof way to avoid any embarrassing silences. I wobbled down the road to the pub and saw them as soon as I walked in. Just as I approached the table, he stood up in greeting. Misreading the signals in my drunken state, I flung my arms around his neck and planted a slobbery kiss on his cheek. Over his shoulder, I saw my sisters face . She looked mortified. As I drew away, her new squeeze didn't look so pleased to see me either. He mumbled something about going to the toilet and it slowly dawned on me that he was actually on his way to the loo when I decided to give him such a warm welcome. Very friendly, ENV4 When a friend from home came to stay we planned to consume lots of alcoholic beverages at the good old Union Bar. We entered the bar at about 4.30pm and began gulping down 'double vodka redbulls and talking cod. Needless to say by 8.30pm we we re wrecked . We awoke at 5.30am and both asked each other what had happened (obviously expletives were used to question the events.) Anyway, we woke up my flatmates and asked them in turn what had happened . Don't ask why but I had in my pocket a rubbe r chicken . My friend bet me to ask out the ginger barmaid and an American girl. l;ie said he would give me a fiver for every phone number I got by saying 'I have a rubber ch icken, can I have your number.' The chicken was later named Betty. I thought it looked thirsty and asked bar woman for drink of water for the chicken. I got one number but it was for an American land line and the bar woman said she was in a relationship. I proceeded to lick the ch icken in a dirty manner. Somehow I believed this to be one of the funniest games in the world, unfortunately I was very wrong . The women who were
Key to this weeks love-o-meter... Look out cupid! Things are looking decidedly rosy for you today.
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laughing were not laughing at my comic genius- they thought I was a prat. Richard Dowdeswell, EAS 1 (More from Richard next week) And winner of this weeks LCR ticket for providing us with a months worth of embarrassing incidents. While I was travelling around Thailand last year, my boyfriend and I had to get a boat to another island. As I was trying to step onto it, my heavy backpack made it a little difficult for me. Just as I was about to get onto the boat, I felt my bag, which was so heavy due to me packing far too many pairs of shoes for my round the world trip, dragging me back. Just as I tried to grab my boyfriend's hand, I fell backwards, into the water. As if that wasn't embarrassing enough, I ended up on my back with my legs in the air, showing my knickers to the entire population of the boat. I was mortified , and needless to say, I never wanted to go on a boat again. A MA student with very few pairs of shoes.
if you have an embarrassing moment that you want to share, come up to the Concrete office (room 1.32) or email us at su.concrete@uea.ac.uk. The most embarrassing entry will win a free ticket to the Thursday LCR!
We bring you your fortnightly If toilets dosage of juicy conversations overheard in that most glamcould talk ... orous of meeting places-the toilets ...
Woah Tiger! You are on form this week and don 't you know it!
This time ... the girls toilets in the library:
That sexy smile just aint working today, sorry.
Girl A: Oi , what are you doing in here?
Concentrate on studying, if you can't pull at least you'll have a good degree.
a;
Boy B: I'm just having a piss, what does it look like?
.. Cotc:nte Wedensday, January 29, 2003 y girlfriend of two years decided we needed to spice up our love life by offering me a tablet of Viagra. What should I do?
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If I was a guy I would feel slightly insulted by the suggestion. But then again, on the other hand, it could prove to be very interesting. Julle, EAS4
Fun
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We trawl through Concrete's archives to reveal UEA's history
"vent
Personally, I think that's fine on one condition - that she take the female form of the drug, and allows your sexual fantasies to be performed. Actually, that's two conditions. Nick, LAW 4 I say do it. Variety is the spice of life and all that, and you may have the best time of your life. Llsa, EAS 2
I personally would steer clear of Viagra, as I rely on my finely honed · tantric sex methods. ........... Paul, CHE PhD 2
~ I think he should be flattered because she wants him and only him, all night. Tracey, EAS 4
There's obviously something wrong with your sex life. Adventurous is fun, but there's clearly some concerns to address. Dan, CHE PhD 2
And the alternative advice ... What the hell is that about? I personally wouldn't stand for that even if she is your girlfriend of two years. Dump her. Oave, CHE 2 Don't take it. You don't know how safe it is. Can't you try something simpler like bondage or phone sex? Oarren, SYS 2
Ten years ago Published on 16 February 1994, issue 30 of Concrete put romance on hold, devoting the cover to stories on the NUS and gay rights . Under the rather witty heading of National Union of Stupidity, the paper reported on the NUS' decision to hold a demonstration against grant reductions while universities were on holiday, three months after the reductions were announced. Sa m Buckley, then spokesman for UEA's Socialist Workers Students Society felt, "A low turnout will give rise to allegations that students are apathetic". Far more successful was a London demonstration for lowering the age of homosexual consent, also given front-page attention. Inside, a twopage feature on the issue accompanied the news article. Winner of the paper's award for best Valentine message was: "Dear Ant, Here I am at UEAI And you are 200 miles away/ But although we're all these miles apart,/ you're always with me - in my heart/ That wasn't too difficult and not too tricky.. ./ Love and hugs from your Valentine, Nicky xxx. Nice. The Event lead with a preview of Julia Roberts' comeback role in the Pelican Brief and an exclusive interview with The Mission's Wayne Hussey ("if the best thing British music has to offer the world is Suede, then we are in a sad state"). They also found time to profile "Britain's brightest star" Chris Evans. Clearly, they were more innocent times.
Five years ago By February 4 1998, the tradition of the love issue had begun with a feature on sex appeal and a double-page of Valentine messages. Though there wasn't a competition for the best, classics included J Hicks telling Oliver Little that "my heart is like a wok on high heat, burning for your noodles" and, sickeningly, 'Babes" belief that "Your parents must have been angels cos they stole the stars from the sky and put them in your eyes."
News wise, the big stories were on the moving of UEA's Law Ball and a row with Cannabis King Howard Marks at the Waterfront. After years at Earlham Hall, the Law Ball - "UEA's flagship extravaganza" was moved to the Lenwade House Hotel, providing more space and a drinking licence until 6am . Marks, at the Waterfront for a one hour DJ set, was accused by a local mother of glorifying the drug that led her son onto heroin. "I'm just trying to do a straight job," Marks responded, "One has to rehabilitate somehow and I think people should support that. Years before his started turning in up in shows like E4's Infamous Fives, The Event were proud to announce their exclusive interview with Jamie Theakston. Then presenting BBC's The Ozone, Theakston was in Norwich to interview up and coming group The Stereophonics, a band The Event also managed to speak to. At the time the 'Phonics were still promoting their debut Word Gets Around, a prophetic title if ever there was one.
Last Year "Two UEA attacks in 24 Hours" was the headline for issue 134, on January 30 last year. In separate incidents, two boys, one only 14 years old, were mugged for their phones and wallets. At the time the paper went to press the culprits had not been caught. In an in depth investigation, Concrete sought out a selection of the Earlham High School pupils who chose to hang around campus. Why do they insist on bothering us? "We used to hang around West Earlham, but we got told we weren't allowed to stay there any more". said 15 year old Kandy Crisp. The main story in sport was UEA's football team's 9-3 victory over Easton. Four of the goals went to Nick Dyer. Over in The Event, the question was being asked, ''which supermarket gives students the best value for money?" Apparently, if all you want is Pizzas, bog roll and vodka, then Tescos is the way to go. Waitrose should be avoided at all (considerable) costs.
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There may be alot of controversy about Englnad's decision to travel to Zimbabwe, but with the Cricket World Cup 2003 just around the corner, Marc Dudley turns his thoughts t o Cricket and finds out more about the teams competing in South Africa. t may not be the event of the year and it may not be the sport that everybody is keen on watching , but on February 9th the Cricket World Cup of 2003 in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Kenya will be getting under way.
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To be honest many people don't really care about Cricket and won 't know what's actually going on until the Final on March 23rd in Johannesburg. lt is real ly only the true "Barmy Army" that will be tuning onto Sky Sports everyday to find out if Australia will continue to steam roll over the rest of the world, if Canada can actually get past 50 runs and if England can finally do something to make the nation proud of them (The latter being very unlikely.) What might make this year's World Cup stand out is the ongoing dispute over Zimbabwe and if England are going to play there or not. 11 has been going on for a very long time now, and it probably won 't be sorted out until the day of the game . All of Zimbabwe's six games are due to be played in the country, and three of the nations, Holland, England and Australia, are still thinking of boycotting their matches. it's now down to the ICC and the individual captains whether or not to go ahead with the games. Anyway enough about politics, its Cricket that we are going to be concentrating on , and many feel it will again be Australia that ends up us champions of the world, repeating the story of four years ago. Not a lot has changed since the Aussies won the World Cup in England in 1999 and they still have the world-class line-up of batsmen and bowlers, and will be very hard to beat. There are two pools in the first round with seven teams in each, with the top three progressing to the Super Six round . Pool A consists of Australia, India, Pakistan, England, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Holland, with the latter two realistically only there to fi ll up the numbers, as I don't think even they think they can challenge on the international stage . Australis's Sieve Waugh, who was captain four years, has retired and Ricky Panting has taken over as the main man down-under. "We have been playing some outstanding cricket in the past few weeks" said Panting after the VB final against England . "Hopefully we can continue to impress in the World Cup." If he can handle the pressure of a whole nation, wanti ng nothi ng less than victory, wi ll be interest-
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"We have a young side that is still learning, but I am confident we can go far." Nasser Hussain (England Captain) ing to see. They are no doubt the big favourites of the competition , and it may be too much for the inexperienced captain. Then we have the young and inexperienced will be travelling to South Africa in the hope of showing us back home that we can still play the game we invented . Hussain clearly feels that it's the performance of the players he is interested in , and not the outcome. However, he admits that winning it is not impossible. ''There are many contenders and we are of course in with a chance." Hussain also feels this World Cup is a stepping stone for the younger players. "We have a young side that is still learning" said the England Captain. "I hope we can go far, and many of the players will get vital experience from this competition" Hussain explained. "If we make the final six, we have done well." If England perform to their best and manage to mix the experience of Caddick and Stewart with the talent of players like Vaughan and Flintoff, then they may raise a few eyebrows back home. imbabwe will be hoping to put politics aside, and concentrate on sporting issues. All that is on captain Heath Streak's mind is Cricket. "In the end of the day we have a job to do, and that is to play Cricket" said Streak. "We must set our minds to trying to do well and hopefully we can." Zimbabwe are in a tough group and will have to play to their best if they are going to have any chance of qualifying for the final six. Pakistan , runners-up four years ago, and have hit a bad run of form and wi ll be heading into the World Cup after a 4-1 series defeat to South Africa. However, Captain Waqar Younis still believes Pakistan are contenders. "Its time we turned the table on other teams" said Waqar after th e disappointing defeat to the hosts. "I feel we can prove all the critics wrong, as I know we are capable of
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doing better." Many feel it wi ll take a lot if Pakistan even past the first round , let alone the Final. India have one of the best young sides in the world , but they peaked 6 months too early. Expectations are high, but they have suffered defeats in the last two series against West lndies and New Zealand. The rapid improvement since 1999 should be admired , but they have hit a slump at the wrong point. "Hopefully we can get our game back on track" says star batsman Sachin Tendu lkar. Only time will tell. Heading Pool B is hosts South Africa followed by the West lndies, Sri Lanka, New Zealand , Bangladesh , Canada and eo-hosts Kenya. Now, it will be very interesting (and funny!) to see how the Canadians get on in their first ever World Cup and also if Kenya can impress on home soil. Bangladesh are also an outsider, and could surprise a few people if they perform on the day. One team that will be hoping for success are of course the hosts South Africa, who have a lot of experience in their side. Home soil is also a great advantage and Captain Shaun Pollock is in confident mood saying "We will all give 150% to make sure the cup stays here in South Africa." With the experience of Allan Donald and Jonty Rhodes and the international class of Pollock and Kirsten , the hosts could be in with a good chance of winning the tournament.
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inners of the World Cup in 1996, Sri Lanka, have also disappointed recently. After finishing bottom of the VB Series, where they only won two out of seven matches, means they will be going to the World Cup with their heads hanging. However, veteran Aravinda Da Silva reckons poor form counts for nothing in the World Cup. "Its going to be a totally different ball game" insists the ageing batsman. "Who knows what can happen if we play well on the day." On reputation they should make the top three, on form it will be a tough battle for the champions of 96. One team that will be the Dark Horses of the tournament are the West lndies. The most successful One-Day International side ever, winners of the first two competitons, have suffered a sharp decline in recent years. However, after their spectacular series win in November over India, Captain Carl Hooper and many in the Caribbean feel they have finally turned the corner. "We had problems getting over the loss of some of are most influential players" said Hooper "After the display in India, I feel that we have now got a great young squad that can go places." With the experience of Lara and the exceptional talent of Gayle and Sarwan, who knows what far they can go.
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THE TEAMS Pool B
Pool A
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AUSTRALIA
CAPTAIN: RICKY PONTING
SOUTH AFRICA CAPTAIN: SHAUN POLLOCK
FORM: W 15 I L 2
PREDICTION: WINNERS
FORM W 151L6
PREDICTION: RUNNERS-UP
ENGLAND
CAPTAIN: NASSER HUSSAIN PREDICTION: SUPE_R-SIX
FORM: W 41L9
PAKISTAN FORM: W 10 I L 10
CAPTAlN: WAQAR YOUNIS PREDICTION: IST ROUND
INDIA
CAPTAIN: SOURAY GANGULY
:W81L9
PREDICTION: SEMI-FlNAL
ZIMBABWE
CAPTAIN: HEATH STREAK
FORM: W 21L 7
PREDICTION: 1ST ROUND
NAMIBIA
CAPTAIN: DEON KOI'ZE PREDICTION: 1ST ROUND
FORM: NIA
HOLLAND
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SRI LANKA
CAPTAIN: S. JAYASURIYA
FORM:W 131L Jl
PREDICTION: SUPER-SIX
WESTINDIES
CAPTAIN: CARLHOOPER PREDICTION: SEMI-FINAL
FORM: W 71L4
NEW ZEALAND CAPTAlN:STEPHEN FLEMlNG FORM: W61L3
BANGLADESH
CAPTAIN: KHALED MASHUD
FORM: WOIL 10
PREDICTION: 1ST ROUND
KENYA
CAPTAIN:S.TIKOLO PREDICTION: 1ST ROUND
FORM: WO/L8
CAPTAIN: RONALD LEFEBVRE
CANADA
PREDICTION: 1ST ROUND
FORM: NIA
FORM:NIA
PREDICTION: 1ST ROUND
CAPTAIN: JOSEPH HARRIS PREDICTION: 1ST ROUND
The teams will play each team in their group once. 4 points for a win, and 2 points for a draw. The top three teams from each pool then progress to the next stage, known as the Super-Six, carrying with them the points scored in matches against the other qualifying teams in their pool and one point for each non-qualifying team they beat . The Super Six will be played over a period of nine days, with each team playing eachother once. The top 4 teams will progress to the semi-final, with the winners competing in the World Cup Final on March 23rd
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mam course p1rce our sic s and Speciality Dinners menu. Offering a saving of up to £9.45, paying for the greater value meal at Pedro's Mexican Cantina, Chapelfield Gardens, Norwich. Offer valid Monday- Thursdays from Monday 3rd February until Thursday 6th March inclusive. Please book early to avoid disappointment. No Photocopies. Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer.
"I feel we can pr~ve all the critics wrong, as I know we are capable of doing better."
WIDE VEGETARIAN CHOICE AVAILABLE
Waqar Younis (Pakistan Captain) Currently, New Zealand are struggling with injury's and it's a raise against time to get them fit for the semi-finalists of 1999. The Kiwi's were actually the last nation to record a series victory over Australia in, and Captain Stephan Flaming feels they are in with a shout. 'We have improved a lot since we lost in the semis in 99' said a confident Flaming. 'I can't see why we can't go one better this time round.• New Zealand are very unpredictable, and it is really down to their performance on the day. So it is not as clear as everybody thinks. Australia may be hot favourites, but with the experience and home advantage, South Africa will be a good bet. West lndies have· recruited a lot of talent in the last couple of years and could surprise a few people, Sri Lanka may be going though a bad patch at the moment, but this could change once the competition gets under way. New Zealand must be careful not to rush there star players back from injury to soon, whilst India will be a threat with their young and talented side. So what are England's real chances then? Well, to be honest anything can happen, and we may get knocked out in the first round or suprise everyone and get to the final. With the pressure on Nasser Hussain and talks of his retirement, the England Captain will be hoping the team can go as far as possible. A place in the super six will be an acheivment, and anything after this will be taken with open arms. They are in the harder of the groups, but if Trescothick and Vaughan play to their ability, and Caddick, Hoggard and Flintoff find their form, England could be in with a very good chance of going all the way. lt will come down to luck and which team performs on the day, and not on how good the reputation of the team is, although that will help, as I am sure England have a better chance than Canada. The way South Korea surprised everyone in the football World Cup, tells you that the form book can be thrown out of the window. So put down your books and book your place in front of the television, as it promises to be an entertaining six weeks of International Cricket.
~
Jo
Telephone Bookings: (01 View our Menu ..,.,.•••,. . WWW.PEDROS.
England Fixtures Feb 13: Zimbabwe- England Feb 16: England - HoHand Feb 19: England - Nambia Feb 22: England - Paki tan Feb 26: England - India Mar 2: Australia - England
Harare East London Port Elizabeth Cape Town Durban Port Elizabeth
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Concrete Wedemdav. January 29, 2003
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Soapbox A What's best and worst in Sport today... Marc Dudley looks at the burning issues
Don't Put Your Money on lt! ,..
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You can ' t ha\ e mi ssed the 'sen atio nal reve latio n.' in the press this wee kend that Li, erpool's Michael O wen is a bit of a gambl er ! The 'shocki ng· story has been talked about all wee k, and 1 do n' t know how many people have tried to crack a joke about Owen and hi s alleged problem. T here have been wild claims that he's lost over £2 m illio n in bet over the pa. t few years. O wen i o ne of many footballers to admi t he ha lost large amounts of mo ney on gambling, and more and more footballer are stan ing to come o ut of the clo et abo ut their ' pro blem.' But if it i as eri ou a the medi a fee l, th at is the milli o n do ll ar q ue tion. The prc s arc pro bably blowing the pro blem o ut of propo rti o n like u ual and Mic hae l's gambling losses probably to tal arou nd £:\0-40.000. which represent onl y a tiny percentage of hi s earni ngs. Owen himse lf added: 'T hi s publicity will not stop my love for hor e . T hey are my main hobby outside of foo tba ll." And why shouldn ' t he be able to put mo ney on something he enjoy doing. like any other human bei ng can do wi thout any problems. As the ronner Iris h international Tony Cascarino said "lt 's all relative. The fact that omebody like Michael Owen earn ing maybe a hundred grand a week has £2 ,000 on a horse one afternoon i~ no evidence of addiction ." lt was on ly a couple of weeks ago that Eidur Gudjohnson admitted to ha,ing a gambling problem, and he may have a problem. Gudjohnson maybe lo ing thousands of pounds each month , but he sti 11 manages to afford na hy sport cars and holidays anywhere around the world. Even Chelsea team- mate Frank L<unpard fo und the eriousness over the top. joking "We ha'e organised a co llecti o n fo r him." If he has a pro blem, then l am sure he can sort it o ut li ke any other living soul on th i> planet. Yes, foot· bailer> are human beings and ca n make mistakes j u 1 lif..e us! Manche ter United star Ruud Van Ni te lrooy's comments probably did n' t help ei ther, when he sa id many of hi s team· mate put ridiculous amounts of mo ney on th e poob . T hey may do; but they earn ridi culo us amo unts of money as we ll . and it is a well known fact that the British gamble more on sport than anywhe re el se in Euro pe . Over 50% of the country's population have ·ome ti me in their life pl aced bets, hoping to rake in the cash. Compare it to the H o ll and . where on ly 30% o f Dutchmen have >Cl their foot in the boo kies. Sir Bobby Robson, as might be ex pected. was a little bemu sed by the is;ue." obod y gamble; to lose. They gamble to wi n.'' His words may not be the q uote of the year, but th ere is a lot of truth in what he says. That many people play to w in sounds qui te logical, and that people are wasting money is unt rue. They don't actually try to lose the money! The o nly di ffe rence is that the average Premiershi p footba ller earns £5,000-£10.000 a weef.., and they are bound to put more money on the horses th an the average £5 an hou r English man. A us ual the pre~s are making a problem out of nothing, and that foo tballe rs have problems is a bi t far fetched. Face it. if they want to spend their money on the horse , like thousands of other British citizen~. then let them. I am sure they can afford coun~elling if it gets out of hand.
The Hockey girls continue to impress as Ipswich are beaten Womens Printwize Eastern Division 2 No rth : UEA 4 Ipswich Ill 3 MARC DUDLEY
Sports Editor
EA continued to put pressure on leaders Wisbech after recording a line 4-3 victory against Ipswich 3 in the P rintwize E astern Division Two North. The hockey lad ies i mpressi ve season co ntinues and the scoreline was rather nattering for the visitors as UEA should have won by more th an just the onegoal marg in . Howe\er. it did not start too we ll for the gi rls as Ipswich toof.. the lead th rough a lucf..y shot. T he goa l was ~oon cance lled o ut though. as a fine individua l goal from Kate Nicho ll s le' elled things . After recei' ing a
pass from Sarah Pecf... icho lb elegantl y f'li cked the ball 0 \·er the lps\\ich keeper making it 1-1. UEA started to put the pressure on the 'isitor.,. with bo th Bex Stra nge and Sarah Pec k co ming close to increasing the lead. However. Pec k fo und the net in the end and five minutes before the break Ipswich failed to clear the bal l. and Peck took ad,·antage of the poor defend mg and slo tt ed ho me to gi'c the home side a 2- 1 lead at halftime. In the second half UEA continued to domi nate. and Stran ge and Gemma N1c ho lls both had the chance to bury the game, but somehow Ipswich managed to sun ive. Soon. the visitors were bac k in the game when poor marking lead to Ipswich gett1ng a free shot at goal lea' ing UEA keeper Kate Barton with no chance.
The goa l seemed to gi'e th e home side the ex tra ene rgy they needed. as soo n aft erwards great pass ing fro m defence to attac k gave Sarah Peck her second goa l of the ma tch. After good play down the wing, the ball ended up at the fee t of Peck in fro nt of the lpsw,ich goa lmouth. a nd fro m 3 yards out she made it 32. UEA we re now playi ng w it h confi dence. and the co mbi natio n of slick pass ing and fast movement was too much fo r th e tired legs o f the 'isitors. The fast and fu rio us play wa rewarded I0 minute be fo re the end , as Bex Strange was fin ally rewarded with a goal to g ive them a desen cd 4-2 lead .A pass fro m Gemma ichols. after running pas t two Ipswich players. fell to Starnge who had no problem slotting the ball behind the 'isitors' keeper. Now that EA were flying and
the wi n was almost in the bag. the girls decided to slow down and coast thro ugh the re mai nder of the game. Just be fore the end. a lack of conce ntratio n from the home sides defence led to Ipswich gett ing a goal bac k. but too late to affec t the tie and UEA ran o ut 4-3 w inners. " lt was a good resu lt" said match to p score r Sarah Pec k. "The w ho le tea m dug in when it rea ll y mattered. and we were rewarded with the victory" Maintaining their ~ t ro n g secondpl ace position, the g irls wi ll now foc us the ir minds o n the BUSA leag ue. as they tra' e l to Worces ter. hoping for a win .to keep the pressure on leaders Camblidge. EA: Ka le Bar·ton , Rac hel S uc k lin g, a ta ll ie Hill , L uC) W illell, Ka le Nic holl ( I ), Bex S t range (1 ), Anna Osbourne, G em ma Nic holls, Sarah Peck (2 ), Ellic Nicholson, J ess icholson.
Left: Sarah Peck gets stuck in Right: The team celebrates UEA 's 3rd goal after great team work.
BUSA LEAGUES ** Badminton (Men) M idl a nds Dil'ision 2A DMU (Lei) 5 5 0 0 +26 15 EA 4 4 0 0 +14 12 Leicester 4 3 0 I +12 9 Derby 4 0 3 -4 3 Coventry 4 0 3 -8 3 Cranfield 5 I 0 4 -10 0* Lincoln 4 0 0 4 -30 0 *deducted 3 poims. Bas ketba ll (Men ) M idlands Divi ion 3A
UEA
3 3 0 0 +1 59
9
N' hamp 4 3 0 +78 6* Lincoln 4 2 0 2 +28 6 Lincoln If 5 0 0 5 -265 -3* * deducted 3 points. Basketball (Women) 1\lidlands Division 2A UEA Warwick S'>hire 'hamp Linco ln W ' hamp
5 0 0 +177 15 4 0 +80 12 3 0 2 +12 9 0 I -3 3 2 0 3 -45 3* 3 I 0 2 -59 0*
5 5 5 2 5
o s
6 1 -147 o~ B'ham C Aston 5 J 0 4 -15-3** *deducted 3 points ded11cted 6 poims. Football (Men ) Midlands Division lA UEA 7 5 I l +12 16 DM U (Bed) 7 4 l 2 +6 13 Oxfo rd 7 3 2 2 +3 11 C'bridge 7 2 I 4 -3 7 Warwic k 7 2 0 5 -S 6 Worcester 7 2 I 4 -lO 4* * ded11rted 3 poims. Football (Women) Midl ands Division 28 L'horo 11 6 6 0 0 +37 UEA 5 2 2 0 0 Coventry 5 2 2 0 +4 Lincoln 4 1 0 -6 Leicester 6 5 0 -35
18 9 3
3 3
Hockey ( len) M idland Division 2A 5 4 1 0 +8 13 Coventry W 'eester 5 4 0 I + 15 12 DMU (Bed) 4 2 I l +2 7 UEA 4 2 0 2 + 10 6 O'ford 8 4 2 0 2 -2 6 'hamp 4 0 0 4 -16 0 Derby 4 0 0 4 - I7 0 Hockey (Wom en ) Midlands Dh"is ion lA C'bridge 7 6 0 I +43 18
UEA 7 5 2 0 +26 17 Warwick 7 3 3 - 10 10 W'cester 7 2 2 3 -15 8 DMU (Bed) 7 I 5 -23 4 S' hi re 7 0 2 5 -2 1 2 etball (Women) M id lan d Divi ion 2B N Trent
UEA
5 5 5 4 5 3
5 4 2 2 2
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 +1 58 15 I +2 12 3 +4 6 2 -5 6 3 -6 6 2 -23 3
DM U (Lei) Derby Leicester Lincoln APU 5 0 4 'hamp 4 0 3 * ded11cted 3 poims.
-93
3
-37 0*
Rugb)' ( lcn ) M idlands Divis ion l A C LX Club O'ford G DMU (Bed) O'lord B 'sh ire W'hamp UEA Leicester
7 7 0 0 +144 2 1 5 4 0 +249 12
5 3 0 2
-2
4 2 0 2
-28
9 6
4 2 0 2 -42 6 0 5 -81 5 I 0 4 -125 4 0 0 4 -I 15
6 3 3 0
Rug by (Wom en) Midlands Dh·ision 213 Warwick 2 2 0 0 +84 'hamp 3 2 0 I +5-
6 6
Oxford ll 3 2 0 I -15 6 UEA 3 2 0 1 +65 3* DM U (L) 2 0 0 2 -94 0 Derby 3 0 0 3 -69 -3* * deducted 3 points. Tennis ( len) M idlands Di vision 2B UEA 4 4 0 0 +6 12 O ' fo rd B 5 3 0 2 +8 9 O 'Ford BTI 5 0 4 - 18 3 DM U ( Bed) 4 0 3 +4 -6* * deducted 9 points Ten nis (Women) M idl a nds D ivision 2B Cambri dge 3 3 0 0 +10 9 UEA 3 I 0 2 -2 0* Leicester 2 0 0 2 -8 0 * deducted 3 points Ame rica n Football out hern Eastern Divis ion P W L PQ Pet Hcrt; 5 4 +68 1.000 ~ 3 +43 .750 *UEA 4 3 l +69 .750 *UKC 4 I 3 -24 .250 Surrey 5 0 5 - I65 .000 Essex * Split by Divisional record.
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IN A LEACiUE OF THEIR OWN
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Table Tennis, UEA 9 Thorpe A 1
MARC DUDLEY Sports-Editor
lema Abbey's lucky last minute winner ends part-timers' cup dream MARC DUDLEY Sports Editor
FA Cup 4th Round: Norwich City 1 Dagenham & Redbridge 0 and the teams were leve l at the interval. T he Canaric started the second half looking a bi t more purposeful , perhaps with some harsh words from boss Wonhington sti ll ringin g in their ears. Five minutes into the half Niel sen showed a good turn of pace to latch on to a fli ck-on from Robens. but hi s fi rst-lime half volley fro m inside the area fl ew two yards over. T hen both Mulryne and McVeigh had a go. but the visitors' keeper Tony Roben s was equal to both chances. Roben s continued to keep the nonleag ue outfit in the game when he pulled off an amazing reaction save fro m Mark Ri vers. Dagenham seemed understandably content to let time tick away, and City boss Wonhington was prompted to make a change of hi s own with 13 minutes left as Nielse n made way for Ze ma Abbey. Despite some tired legs Dagenham continued to more than hold their own in the closing stages and Shipp went close with an 82nd minute loopin g shot from 20 yards out which dipped just over the bar. But just when it seemed the brave Conference side had done enough to ga in a repl ay. they were struck a cruel blow one minute into inj ury time.
A last-minute winner from sub Zema Abbey sent Dagen ham & Redbridge crashing to a heartbreaki ng ex it from the FA Cup, and saved orwich from embarrassment. The non-league side had held their own aga inst th e Fi rst Di vision outfit onl y to be dealt the crucial body blow in dramatic late fashi on. Norwi ch nearly grabbed a sen sational start in the econd minute. when Phil Mu lryne's free-kick was turned goa lwards by Nie lse n and Daggers 'keeper Robcrt s just managed to scramble the ball behind for a corner. But Dagenham. buoyed by 2, I 00 trave ll ing supporters. hit back a minute later and Robert Green had to be alert to dive and tip Shipp's awkwardly bouncing dri ve wide. After a bri ght start from the nonleaguers Ci ty began to exert some pressure of their own and had two chances to take the lead when both Ru sscll and Mulryne had long range efforts saved by Roberts. After 27 minutes City should have taken the lead when McVe igh fo und himself e ight yards out with hi s back to goal, but after turni ng well he could onl y shoot weakl y for the Daggers keeper to catch easily. City looked a bit rattled by the ru gged, no- nonsense approach of the Daggers, though with the exception of a couple of minor scares the City defence had looked pretty comfort· abl e in dealing with the threat so far. Three mi nut e~ before the break they were a bit too relaxed though. as Shipp was allowed time and space to charge forward before hitting a powerful 25-yard effort which fortunate ly
Green claimed comfo rtabl y. At the other end the Canaries were again left sc ratching their heads as to how they had fa iled to take the lead. when Nie lsen got up we ll to head bac k across the box but the ball j ust wouldn ' t fa ll to ei ther Roben s or McVe igh and was scrambled clear
Adam Drury capped anot her fine di splay with a surgi ng run on the left and lashed an angled shot goa lwards which McGrath desperately defl ected across the goal. onl y for sub Abbey to gleefully slide home the loose ball fro m close range. to the re lie f of all the Canary fans. The whi stle fo llowed soon after and the Dagenham players sank to thei r k nee~ or lay full-length on the pitch. ex hausted and dis mayed that their exce llent perfonnance had ulti mately brought no reward. orwich breathed out in relief and can no look forward to a fi fth round tie agai n ~t team. Norwich: Robert Green. Adam Drury. Ma lky Mackay. Cra ig Fle ming. Dare ! Ru sse t!. Phil Mulryne, Gary Holt, Paul McVc igh, Mark Ri vers. !wan Ro be rt s. Davi d Nie lse n (Ze ma Abbey 77 ).
p
w 0
GO PTS 27 60 16 55
29 17 9 28 16 7 27 15 I 29 12 9
5 8
28 12 8
8 8
29 11 10
16 15 13 4
52 45 44 43
COMING UP Stoke City (h) Gitlingham (a) Shelf Wed (a)
3.00
01
7.45 3.00
01 01
TOP SCORERS Paul McVeigh Oavid Nielsen Phllip Mutryne twan Roberts
12 6
5 5
After a di sappointing season so far in the BUSA competitions, the UEA boosted their confide nce with a fine di spl ay against Thorpe A in the local Norfolk league. The tea m of capta in Greg Smi th. Hannes Ehlerding. Bob Ain Icy and Paul Poutney were in a good mood before the ga me, and it showed as it was clear on the ni ght who was the better side. In the end it was a one-sided contes t with UEA runnin g out 9- 1 winners. with only Po utney dropping one of hi ~ games to a team that was clearl y outplayed by the class o f EA. German Table Tenni s star. Hannes Eh lcrdi ng was happy with the way the team had performed. " lt was good to win again . and hope full y we can take thi s fo rm into the BUSA League ... a happy Erlerding sa id to Concrete. The wi n means UEA stay midtable with games in hand over the team · above, but the tea m must now concentrate on other matters. as the team travel to Warwick University on Wednesday in the BUSA League and hopefully they can record their first victory in the competition.
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Four goals from Broomfield help UEA sweep past North Lynn in Norfolk Cup ALEXTHORPE
UEA signalled their intentions to the rest of the Norfolk Junior Cup by brushing aside a brutal North Lynn 11-0 to reach the semi-finals. The blues are showin g better form than when they reached the final two years ago, and have their si ghts o n goin g o ne better thi s yea r. " I fee l that thi s may be the year." said a confident captai n. Paul Jarrell . " We have a great chance now. and with the team performing in the way they are. we must make sure we keep it up all the way." Lcw b Broomlield scored four goals and seven other pl ayers got one eac h as UEA cut loose. tak ing their cup tall y to 29 goals in five matches. The tone was set as earl y as the third minute when Jarrett !licked a John Fi sh ball over the top on as far as a Lynn centre- half. The defender dwelt on the ball too long. and was robbed by Broomlield wh o slotted the ball bet ween the keeper's legs to open the scoring. Jarrcll and Broomlield both hit the woodwork before
Broomfte ld made it 2-0 from a Jarrell pu ll back. before nine minutes were up. The captai n was aga in involved in the third j ust 45 seconds later. crossin g for Stuar1 Jenkin son to coo ll y slot home. Wi th UEA so far ahead so earl y on the vi sitors mind set changed from playing for a respectable scorelinc to roughing their opponent s up. One challenge. late- and shin hi gh, would have connected wit h Jarrett had the midfielder. forced to play up front th rough absences. not read the challenge well in advance. From the res ulting free kick Broom field nodded into an empty net after the keeper had dropped Fi sh' s cross to complete hi s hat trick - UEA's third of the competi tion. In the last ten minutes of the half. Broomfield and Jarrell both scored to allow UEA to go into the interval si x goals to the good. The main intention for the second half. therefore, was to gel through to fu ll time without injuries or se nding offs. and with consummate pro fessionali sm they di d exactl y what they needed to. Mark Hickson. Adarn Reynolds. Trevor Smith, Jack Cull is and Fish all got goals of their own to em ph asise just how domin ant the Blues' performance was. " I! was an easy win in the end'' said man-of-the match Lcwis Bloornfi eld. " We are confident we can bring the trophy home.'' W hile the loss of Lee Pendrey to a broke n ankle suffered over the Chri stmas break. and with JC Trinder at
home in Newcas!le, UEA di splayed a much-changed back four wi th former captai n Gavin Reed returning to the fold. Despite his not playi ng for UEA si nce the end of last season. Reed looked at home play ing alongside Jack Culli s, while Dan Ward had a calm game at left-back . Dersingharn Rovers. who knocked out favourites Hol! United in the quarters. arc the team standing in the Blues' way. The semi-final cl as h is schedu led for Saturday February 15 at Co lney Lane.
UEA: Henk van Dalen, Leigbton HiJJ, Jack Cullis, Dan Ward, Gavin Reed, Mark Hickson, John FtSh, Stuart Jenkinson (James Brown, 45), Lewis Broomfield (Trevor Smith, 57), Paul Jarrett, Adam Reyuolds. Sub not used: Gary Joynes. Booked: Hickson (25, dissent). Goals: Broomfield 4 (3, 9, 30, 37), Jenkinson (10), Jarrett (40), Hickson (47), Reynolds (50), Smith (63), Cullis (78), Fish (87)
Got a sports story? Contact us at su.concrete@uea.ac.uk Concrete Prize Crossword #40
ACROSS
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