Derby Day 2014 will go down as a memorable day, not only for those involved competitively, but for spectators who followed the event, be it in person or via the extensive online coverage provided by UEA’s media societies.

Derby Day has taken place annually since 2001, and the 2014 contest was undoubtedly the closest encounter between UEA and the University of Essex. Since 2005, the home team has traditionally strolled to victory and the last away win occurred in 2004 when UEA beat Essex in Colchester. Organisers decided to move the competition to a Sunday in the hope that it would yield a more closely contested event and their epiphany did not disappoint.

It was clear that Derby Day 2014 was going to be different from recent years as UEA put up much more of a fight to the home team. As blows were traded throughout the day, Essex took first blood with a dominant win in the Futsal, but UEA fought back by recording victories in Women’s Lacrosse, Korfball, Ultimate Frisbee, Men’s Table Tennis and American Football to name but a few. Indeed, it appeared that UEA were easing toward victory only for Essex to pounce back and narrow the gap by emerging victorious in Men’s and Women’s Athletics, Women’s Hockey, Men’s Squash and Women’s Tennis, amongst others. Essex took the lead early into the evening, but grit and determination from both of UEA’s Netball teams and Waterpolo meant that the overall victory would be decided by the ongoing contest at the Pool tables.

The rest, as they say, is history. As UEA students sat on the edge of their seats and tweeted in their masses to ensure that #DerbyDay2014 trended nationwide alongside Match of the Day and The Only Way Is Essex (the irony), pool team member Josh Edwards, now affectionately known as ‘Eddy from Pool’, kept his cool to clinch an overall victory for UEA.

Speaking to Eddy and his captain Nikolas Charalambous, Concrete discovered that Eddy was aware of the

situation before he entered the frame said that he wanted to take ‘the opportunity to get a bit of glory’ . Eddy also notes that ‘The atmosphere was great, the football team came down, that made things really brilliant. We got a lot of support from them.’ Nik agreed, and said that he’d ‘never played in a tournament where you’ve got three bouncers between the pool tables. It was almost like a home and away fan base. Like a football ground.’ When quizzed on whether he enjoyed playing under the pressure, Eddy mentioned that he was ‘surprised’ that he thrived in the situation; ‘I thought it would put a lot more pressure on me than I could handle.’

Nik, who won five out of the six frames he played, hopes that the Derby Day win can serve as a catalyst for growth of the Pool club, particularly given that clinching the victory for UEA at Derby Day was merely the tip of the iceberg of a highly successful season. Indeed, the club reached the final of the BUCS Pool championships and it was there that they experienced the most pressure they’d been under all season, having won two tiebreakers in two playoffs to reach the final. At Derby Day, Eddy ‘knew someone else could win it if I had lost so it was a win or win later situation.’

Additionally, this season marked the first time in over 10 years that the UEA

Pool club had sent somebody to the BUCS snooker tournament. Nik’s illustrious background in snooker, where he ranked 7th in the country for under 21s players, helped him on his way to reaching the BUCS final, only to lose narrowly. However, given that the tournament saw 128 players take part, finishing in the top two is a fantastic achievement for Nik and the club.

With it costing just £10 to join the club, Eddy and Nik encourage even those with a small interest in the game getting involved given the ‘big mix’ of ability present already. At the end of the day ‘anybody can win’ in pool. ‘It’s eight balls. That’s all it is.’

UEA’s Student Newspaper

Issue 296 • Free • Tuesday 25 March

UEA claim historic Derby Day winBilly SextonSports Reporter

Exclusive interview with ‘Eddy from Pool’ and captain Nikolas Charalambous

Flip to Sport for a five page Derby Day special!

Will Cockram

Win! Win! Win!

Turn to Venue page 23 to win tickets to the

April Fools LCR!

Concrete welcomes all letters and emails, so please don’t hesitate to get in touch. Letters should be addressed to the editor-in-chief, and include contact details. All emails should be sent to concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk. We will consider anonymous publication, and reserve the right to edit for length and clarity. Anonymous article submissions are permitted. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the newspaper. No part of this newspaper may be reproduced through any means without the express permission of the editor, Sidonie Chaffer-Melly. Published by UUEAS Concrete Society ©2013 Concrete BMc ISSN 1351-2773

Editor-in-chief | Sidonie Chaffer-Mellyconcrete.editor@uea.ac.ukDeputy Editor | Sophie Wittsconcrete.president@uea.ac.ukOnline Editor | Billy Sextonconcrete.online@uea.ac.ukDeputy Online Editor | Amelia Marchingtonconcrete.online@uea.ac.ukNews | Andrew Ansell & Lara-Jayne Elliceconcrete.news@uea.ac.ukComment | Zoë Jonesconcrete.comment@uea.ac.ukGlobal | Ella Gilbertconcrete.global@uea.ac.ukFeatures | Bridie Wilkinsonconcrete.features@uea.ac.ukEnvironment | Peter Sheehanconcrete.environment@uea.ac.ukScience & Tech | Dominic Burchnallconcrete.science@uea.ac.ukTravel | Niyonu Agana-Burkeconcrete.travel@uea.ac.ukLifestyle | Lydia Cliftonconcrete.lifestyle@uea.ac.ukSport | Charlie Savage & Will Medlockconcrete.sport@hotmail.co.ukCopy Editors | Stephenie Naulls & Anna Walkerconcretecopyeditors@gmail.comChief Photographers | Jacob Roberts-Kendall, Will Cockram & Jonathan Alomoto concrete.photography@uea.ac.ukDistribution Manager | Steph Gover

Editorial ContributorsNews | Andrew Ansell, Verity Stone, Daniel Falvey, Lara Ellice, Joshua Mott, Ned Samuel,Comment | Stuart Bell, Joe Jameson, Elliot Folan, Graeme Tolley, Geri Scott, Global | Ella Gilbert, Dan FalveyFeatures | Emily Fedorowycz, Jennifer Johnson, Louisa Baldwin, Environment | Amelia Edwards, Chloe Moore, Ilyas ChristofidesScience & Tech | Mabon Ellis, Dominic Burchnall, Ryan MusselwhiteTravel | Alice Cachia, James, Szumowski, Rachel Parsons, Nick BrownLifestyle | Ella Sharp, Beth Saward, Lucy Morris, Rebecca BemmentSport | Billy Sexton, Charlie Savage, Holly Wade, Grace Rundle, Will Medlock, Will Temple, Proofreaders | Ellen Morris, Helena Bradbury, Ella Sharp, Sidonie Chaffer-Melly, Chris Freeman, Emily Fedorowycz, Tom Bingham

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Contact UsTweet of the Week

2 Editorial25/03/14Issue 296concrete.editor@uea.ac.uk

“EDDY FROM POOL CLUB, YOU ABSOLUTE HERO #DerbyDay2014”

@UnionUEA

Whether you were at the scene or keeping up at home, Derby Day 2014 was one of the most exciting days of the year. It was gut-wrenchingly close all day, with the score staying pretty much neck and neck until the last game. In the end we managed to clinch it (of course), and a UEA legend was born in Eddy from Pool. Turn to the back page for a Sport special on all the action from the day.

Aside from Derby Day, it’s coming up to deadline period again. It’s important to take care

of yourself around those long hours in the library, and Lifestyle have some great articles on how to keep a healthy routine to make sure you’re on top form.

Looking ahead to next year, I am delighted to announce that the Editor-in-Chief for 2014/15 will be Geri Scott! We are currently scouting for senior editors, and will be opening applications for section editors before Easter, so keep an eye out.

Sidonie Chaffer-MellyEditor-in-Chief

Editor’s column

Hayden Helps... Dear Hayden,

The end of the semester is fast approaching and I’ve reached the bottom of my student loan. How do I survive the next few nights out without it ruining my bank balance?

Some members of the Concrete team are better budgeters than others. In an attempt to be a self-proclaimed “big money baller”, one particular individual thought it would be a good idea to spend £80 in Mercy. To save him from perpetually buying people drinks in the LCR, he shall remain nameless. Instead, take a tried-and-tested tip from me: withdraw between £20 and £30 out from an ATM before a night out (depending on whether you’ll be in the LCR or Prince of Wales Rd.) and leave your debit and credit cards at home.

Dear Hayden,My dissertation deadline

is fast approaching, so I’m spending a lot of time in the library. In fact, I seem to be spending so much time in the library that I’m now being chatted up by the same men every day. Recently it’s got even worse: now they’re

‘bumping into me’ in the LCR on Saturday nights. Enough is enough, I need your help.

Finishing your dissertation is hard enough as it is without a regular stream of creeps to contend with, so for your own sanity and safety you need to get yourself a carrel. If your friends are feeling up to it, perhaps enlist them as personal bodyguards just in case the guys don’t get the message. Where the LCR is concerned, make sure you aim for the front of the dancefloor. Perhaps it might also be worth forming a prayer circle whilst dancing in the hope that the dregs don’t breach the wall of drunken freshers too.

It’s been real, it’s been cute, but it’s not been real cute,

Hayden

News 325/03/14 Issue 296 concrete.news@uea.ac.uk

Verity StoneNews Reporter

Around Norfolk

Students feel universities fail to

prepare them for work

According to The Times Higher Education it takes graduates approximately 12 applications before they secure a job.

The professional networking site LinkedIn commissioned a poll of 2,000 UK students and graduates, called the ‘Students Have Your Say Survey’, to find out about their application experiences. It found that 52% believed that universities did not teach them the skills they needed to find a job. 65% of the participants felt that they were not ready for the ‘world of work’.

According to statistics released by UEA, 69.5% of the 93.2% who were in work after graduating in 2010-11, had a graduate-level occupation.

Apparently postgraduates were even more employable; out of 96% of leavers, 93.6% gained a graduate-level job. UEA is currently conducting a survey of the 2012-13 graduates, and will have statistics published in May this year.

Furthermore, The Times Higher Education pointed out that having an online presence improves chances of gaining a job, especially with sites such as LinkedIn, which allows you to interact with potential employers. Forbes.com predicted that in the future CVs will become less common, eventually being replaced by each individual’s online presence, particularly through the use of websites and blogs.

Last summer the BBC announced that “nearly one in ten graduates” were unemployed

A report by Healthwatch Norfolk and the University of East Anglia has shown there is a concerning shortage of beds for children and young people with serious mental health problems. It has led to some of these patients being kept at home, “probably taking more risks than we’d like”, as one clinician said.

The report states that the lack of beds is leading to ‘high levels of risk’ in the community. The Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust said it was working to solve the bed shortage.

Not enough

hospital beds for

the mentally illThe funding of Higher Education in Eng-land is to be cut nine per cent in real terms before the general election in 2015, ac-cording to the university think thank Mil-lion+.

The recent publication of a letter from the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) outlined the distri-bution of government funding to universi-ties in the 2014/2015 academic year. When taking into account the relaxation of the cap on student numbers which is yet to come into force, Million+ has claimed the allotted money in the letter will amount to a cut in funding.

The HEFCE letter detailed that the capital funding to English universities for the next academic year is totalled at £440 million, which includes £160 million for the third year of the UK Research Part-nership Investment Fund. Most teaching grant budgets will be cut by almost six per cent, including the main allocation for new tuition fee regime students in high cost subjects such as maths.

The Department for Business, Innova-tion & Skills has included a requirement to support an increase of up to 30,000 full time students and support a National Col-laborative Outreach Network.

With research and knowledge ex-change funding ring fenced, any further savings from funding to higher education will have to come from the teaching grant.

Professor Michael Gunn, Vice-chan-cellor of Staffordshire University and chair of the university think-tank million+ said: “The Treasury’s decision to lift the cap on student numbers in 2015 has not been backed up with additional resources other than the promise of additional stu-dent loans. As a result HEFCE has been required to undertake a difficult balancing act to ensure that a wide range of activi-ties continue to be funded.”

“Given that the Treasury estimated that there could be potentially 30,000 ad-ditional students by 2014-15 and there is no inflation proofing of fees or funding, the real reduction is more like 9 per cent.No-one should be in any doubt that cuts of this order will be deeply damaging.”

Think Tank laments funding cut to

universitiesAndrew AnsellNews Editor

£260,000 scheme

for safer cyclingThe Norwich Highways agency will introduce contra-flow lanes for bike riders in Magdalen Street and Cowgate, to help form part of an eight mile cycle route.

Councillor Mike Stonard said: “It’s going to make significant improvements for pedestrians and cyclists and strengthen our aim to make roads safer. We’re looking to increase cycling in the city and we want to double the numbers using bikes over the next ten years and this should make it easier to cycle.”

Norfolk business leaders

back BudgetThe Norfolk Chamber of Commerce has expressed its satisfaction at the Chancellor, George Osborne’s Budget.

Caroline Williams, CEO of the Norfolk Chamber said: “We have been lobbying hard to ensure that the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers was extended and it is good to see that was included, as was our call for an extension of the Annual Investment Allowance.”

Fancy writing for News? Email Andrew and Lara at Concrete.News@uea.ac.uk

4 News25/03/14Issue 296concrete.news@uea.ac.uk

Ladbrokes, the high street betting compa-ny, has announced Labour’s Clive Lewis as the favourite to win the Norwich South Parliamentary seat at the general election in 2015.

Ladbrokes has Lewis 1/5 to replace the Liberal Democrat incumbent, Simon Wright. Wright is 1/8 on to hold the seat for a second term in parliament. The com-pany stated that t is unlikely that there will be a higher price on any incumbent MP. The Conservatives are much further out on 1/16 to win the Norfolk seat.

The Latest YouGov poll showed the Liberal Democrats to be lagging behind in fourth, with Labour on 40 holding an

eight point lead over the Conservatives on 32 in second. The poll also showed the Liberal Democrats to be 51 points behind Labour among voters aged 18 to 24.

On the issue of education, young peo-ple too are far more likely to vote Labour than Liberal Democrat, according to the latest polling information.

Labour odds on to win Norwich South

EXCLUSIVEAndrew AnsellNews Editor

On the 10th March, The Union of UEA Students (UUEAS) released the list of stu-dents who had put their name forward to run for a position as a UEA union officer. Elections took place just one week later, and in the seven days between tough campaigning took place all round the uni-versity.

Among the candidates running for Undergraduate Education Officer was third year history student Connor Rand. Standing for a more “open union” with greater “academic representation” of the undergraduate student body of UEA, he was announced on the 17th March as the newly elected Undergraduate Education Officer for 2014/2015.

Speaking exclusively to Concrete, Rand explained the reasons he believed

the student body had elected him to rep-resent them next year. “I think I had poli-cies that were really relevant to students. I think sometimes people don’t feel en-gaged [with our student union] because it doesn’t seem relevant. I think what was coming through time and time again when I spoke to people was that whoever you were and whatever course you were doing, I had policies that were relevant to

what you were doing. I think that’s why I won it in the end.”

Regarding his policies, Rand indicated that he believed there were two key points which were highly favoured by students, ‘I think the need to have staggered coursework deadlines is something that every student can relate to. People saw that this year’s Academic Officer had made sure that no UEA student had two exams on the same day, so I think that telling people that we could do the same for coursework really made logical sense for people as the next step.”

Rand also highlighted that he believed another one of his policies also played a

key role in his election. ‘I think introducing a printing allowance [for students] was very important because although printing doesn’t cost most people very much, it allowed a dialogue to be held about hidden course costs and about inequality in our education system. I think people realise these inequalities are there…people don’t budget for printing, and targeting a hidden course cost like that opens a gateway to a much wider discussion about inequality in our education system. The printing allowance, coupled with my pledge to publish course costs for every subject, really won people round.’

This understanding of what students really want and what issues really mat-ter to them is “crucial”, according to the incoming union officer, and he is deter-

mined to make sure it remains throughout his time in the role. “I’ve said one of the

first things I will do [as an officer] is begin a student wide consultation on academic issues because, while I can think about what students want, to have a full sample and to use that as a barometer to measure my actions against is going to be really important. Doing that as a starting point will be really crucial. And I think it’s quite simple, I think one of the reasons students don’t feel engaged is because after the elections, they don’t know for the rest of the year what the union does for them. I think part of that is a communication and publicity problem. How many students know they got their exam timetable two weeks earlier this year because of our aca-demic officer? Not enough.’

Another area that Rand is clear that

he wishes to improve is careers guidance for undergraduates. Just a few months ago it was announced that one third of all graduates are unemployed for six months or more. Speaking of the current gov-ernment, Rand highlighted that he does not believe the coalition “truly believes we need to bring youth unemployment down and that we need to create good employment prospects for graduates” , and implied that UUEAS has to do more in order to compensate for this. ‘One of the things I’ve spoken about a lot in my extended manifesto is [the need for] a career workshop looking at skills to help people. Things like interview techniques, cv writing, showing graduates how to best showcase their abilities…a lot of the problems on that landscape is that there is a lack of job security and a lack of regu-lation around workers’ rights. And so I think it’s important for there to be edu-cation for all students about rights in the work place. Too many young people don’t know their rights when they are in a job, and we need to make sure that they do.’

Concrete meets:Undergraduate Education Officer Connor Rand

EXCLUSIVEDaniel FalveyNews reporter

“One of the first things I will do is begin a student wide consultation on academic

issues”

The Budget, announced by the Chancel-lor George Osborne on the 19th March, acknowledged student issues but failed to answer how the Government will see through their promises, according to the National Union of Students (NUS).

The Government announced that it will investigate options to support increasing

participation in postgraduate studies, but it is unclear how students will be attracted to start such programmes whilst the issue of postrgraduate funding remains unre-solved. The NUS has urged the Govern-

ment to consider the cost neutral funding model for postgraduate education it has formulated.

Support was expressed for the propos-al to provide additional support to small businesses in order to create 100,000 new apprenticeship places. The NUS has warned that for these places to be mean-ingful action needs to be taken regarding apprentice’s wages, which can legally be as low as £2.68 per hour.

Toni Pearce, NUS President, said: “we would welcome any announcement sup-porting an increase in apprenticeships, but we need to ensure that these are gen-uine oppertunities. Our own research has shown that the measly apprentieship min-imum wage could be a major deterrent for those who would otherwise consider tak-ing one up”.

Andrew AnsellNews Editor

“The issue of postgraduate funding remains unresolved”

Budget fails to follow through for students, says NUS

“The need to have staggered coursework deadlines is

something every student can relate to”

“I think introducing a printing allowance [for students] was

very important”

The continued existence of racial preju-dice at Oxford University has been re-vealed in a project called “I, too, am Ox-ford”. The project has a similar format to the “I, too, am Harvard” initiative that inspired it, with photos of ethnic minor-ity students holding up whiteboards that remark upon racism at the university.

One board reads “If you ‘don’t see race’, how come we don’t see that in the admissions statistics?” Elsewhere, two young women hold up boards saying “Yes my hair is real! Do not touch without ask-ing!” More than one student attacks the concept of a “Bounty” – someone who is white on the inside. Among many rac-ist quotes from other students is “You do know they only accepted you because

you’re black?”The project has been praised by many

commentators, a rival project denying racism and elitism at Oxford has mobi-lised.

A Sodexo study has revealed the chang-ing motivations and habits todays stu-dent.

Almost two thirds of students were found to choose to study at university to increase their earning power, up from 36 per cent in 2004. 10 percent also said the jump in fees had forced them to change the degree they were originally planning to do. A quarter of students responded that they had gone to university because of parental pressure.

The level of socializing between stu-dents has dropped since 2006 when 33 percent spent five hours a day or more so-

cializing. Today this number had dropped to 10 percent. 75 percent are spending up to five hours a day studying since tuition fees have been tripled.

Since 2004 the number of university

applications has dropped by 8.7 percent, which may be atributed to the hike in fees. In 2004 only 2 percent of students saw themselves leaving higher education with debts over £20,000, compared to to-day’s 58 percent. Furthermore, a fifth of students will go into their overdraft whilst 17 percent expect to graduate with debts exceeding £40,000.

News 525/03/14 Issue 296 concrete.news@uea.ac.uk

Survey reveals the changing

habits of studentsJoshua MottNews Reporter

Ned SamuelNews Reporter

Prejudice persists at Oxford

A new study by the National Union of Stu-dents (NUS) has revealed that over three quarters of students are unsatisfied with the conditions of their home.

‘Homes fit for study’ revealed that over half of the students that took part have condensation, almost half have mould, and a quarter have slug and mouse infes-tations.

Over half have had problems with contacting landlords and having repairs sorted.

The research also showed that over a third of students are getting into debt in order to pay the upfront fee that ensures them a property. Over a fifth of students are borrowing money from friends, family and partners in order to meet initial hous-ing costs.

A third also struggle with energy bills, and a quarter are unaware of the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).

The NUS commented that an end to letting fees would ensure that students know more about the cost of renting, ena-bling them to budget better. They are also calling for proper regulation of letting agents.

NUS Vice President (Welfare), Colum McGuire, said: “Although there’s a com-monly held perception that poor quality student housing is a rite of passage, it is both disgusting and unacceptable that students should live in vermin infested housing in this day and age.

“Our research has raised alarming

health and safety issues and we are calling for more effective enforcement of stand-ards to ensure students’ homes are fit for study.”

The NUS is urging the Government to ensure that local councils have the re-sources to deal with local housing issues.

41 per cent of students surveyed only started looking for a house because they were scared of not having one, and 21 per cent signed their contracts seven or more months before moving in. This can become an issue if a friendship group changes, or if students drop out of univer-sity.

Chief Executive of Shelter, Campbell Robb said: “No one should be forced to live in a home that is a danger to their health and wellbeing - so these findings are shocking.

“We hear from young people every day living in unsafe rented homes, deal-ing with rogue landlords, struggling to pay sky-high rents, or paying out hun-dreds in unfair letting fees.

“This can’t carry on. The government must do more to improve our broken rental market, and make sure that every landlord provides the safe and decent home that we all deserve.”

The study showed that only a third of students used house hunting services provided by their university or students’ union, and many turned to friends and family for housing issues instead of offi-cial services.

With the help of the NUS, student unions will work closely with their insti-tutions to improve student experiences, using initiatives such as accreditation schemes.

The 6,696 responses to the survey were gathered from students currently in high-er education in the UK.

Lara ElliceNews Editor

A fifth of student homes are infested with vermin, NUS finds

“75 per cent are spending up to five hours a day studying”

Did you hear that a South African man is on trial for killing his girlfriend? Of course this is not an isolated incident, and it happens with depressing frequency much closer to home, but this trial is particularly interesting because the man is famous. And white. And an Olympian. And his girlfriend was a model. And he does not even have any legs! I know what you are thinking: this should be on TV. Well it is.

The trial of Oscar Pistorius for the alleged murder of his long term girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp is being broadcast all over the Western world and beyond. What you may not know is why it is broadcast at all, after all, in the UK we do not have cameras inside courts. The argument in support of broadcasting a criminal trial revolves around transparency and the idea that it will allow the public to hopefully see justice be done. Also, it theoretically protects against injustice

by allowing a greater level of scrutiny on the trial procedure which makes any corruption or bias less likely to happen, or at least more likely to be spotted.

However, there is another side to broadcasting which seems to treat

the whole affair as one big reality TV programme. For example, if you watch Sky News you will be constantly shown pictures of the formerly happy couple before Sky roll their opening credits to what they call ‘The Pistorius

Trial’. In which, the now unhappy Mr Pistorius stands solemnly against a black background while a tune quite obviously orchestrated to sound like the dramatic music from the fictional legal TV series, Silk, plays.

They then intensely analyse every aspect of the trial with emotive words such as “shocking” and “troubling” being thrown about. This naturally can create a very warped view within the wider public who falsely believe they understand every detail of the case because they saw it on the news.

Now, while in this trial there is no jury to be influenced, it would take a near super human judge to not be affected by the massive public feeling towards Pistorius and therefore the independence of the judiciary could be seriously undermined. Oddly, the media coverage also means that if he is judged to be innocent of murder the question of his potential guilt will still hang like an albatross round his neck as literally millions of people have already reached their conclusion. Is this justice?

The ethical issues behind the Pistorius trial

Comment 725/03/14 Issue 296 concrete.comment@uea.ac.uk

The debate over the North - South divide has long been one of generally friendly rivalry, but many are now saying that it has become a true economic severance. Since the 1980s and Thatcher’s reign it has become increasingly easy to spot Britain’s ‘two speed’ economy as the south slowly pulls away from the rest of the United Kingdom.

The issue, many argue, is that the South is simply too economically dominant as a region, and that the North of the country is suffering as a result. It is interesting to note that investment in Scotland’s traditional economic forces is still quite high, shipbuilding on the Clyde, still a major employer. The North of England, on the other hand, no longer has its industry sector to rely on and lacks investment

from sources which the economy panders to; the tertiary sector.

On the whole the UK’s economy is service based, with a vast amount of money made in retail, banking and service industries, this tends to lean towards urban areas, but also attracts investment from corporations who want to employ talented qualified individuals. Theoretically, this should be a win-win for every region of the county. However, the reality is that London is simply the employment hegemon of the UK.

That investors like setting up shop in large cities, sometimes right next to universities, is not something unique to the UK; it’s the case all over the Western and developing world. This tends to be where the disposable income is spent, as well as where infrastructure projects, like London’s Crossrail I and II are most likely to be built. This means that more people can commute, move and work in one particular urban hub. What is unique to the UK is that we don’t really have a second City, London simply absorbs all of the available cash and then some.

Those of you who caught Evan Davis’ BBC series Mind the Gap, will know that one of the key issues with the UK is the

systemic London bias within the economy. Davis’ garners the opinion of the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, who claims that we don’t need to spread the “jam” (economic growth) around the “ryvita’’ (country) because, as we pile on more jam it will naturally spread itself out. Boris’ grasp on economics may be contested by some, but his argument does theoretically makes sense.

However, this simply isn’t economically sustainable. The Southeast can only

support and house a finite number of people, and London can only grow for so long. The North of the country must be opened up to investors; projects like HS2, the construction of a high speed rail link between London and cities such as Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds, are vital to the country’s economic future. The UK is not London, nor is it the South of England; if this country is to have any chance of economic recovery, the North must be allowed to grow.

Joe JamesonComment Writer@CommissarJ

Closing the North/South divide

Stuart BellComment Writer

nydailynews

inmygoodbooks.wordpress.com

Last week, UEA students elected their new Student Union Officers on a record turnout. To many students, the Student Union can seem distant and confusing, with its role unclear. In general, it’s there to provide services to students - such as the LCR, Hive, Shop and Advice Centre – and to represent students’ interests within the university and in society at large. But, as readers will have noticed last week, those who want to run our student union have differing views on what its role should actually be.

So rather than ask, “What does the Union do?” – a question asked often enough – we should ask instead, “What should the Union do?” From the perspective of this writer, the answer is clear.

Firstly, a student union should provide decent services that are run democratically. The LCR, Waterfront,

Hive, Bar and Shop should be affordable, their staff should be treated well and students and staff should have democratic input into how those services are run.

Secondly, a union should encourage action to make our campus and our world a better place. It should take stands on big social issues like climate

change, austerity and inequality, and mobilise students to take action on those issues.

Thirdly, it should represent students within the university system, much like a trade union. And just as trade unions are not afraid to strike if company management refuse to give in, a student union should not be afraid to

take public and confrontational action when university management refuse to put students’ interests first.

Finally, a student union should be a safe space; it should ensure that students from all backgrounds feel safe and secure from oppression in their union and in society, free from racism, sexism, homophobia or ableism.

Over the next year, the new Union Officers will get to put their vision of a student union into practice. They’ll confront such issues as the cost of student living, exam feedback, bad landlords, inequality in education and student employment. But they’ll also have to deal with controversies over the union’s management restructure, with cuts to university spending, with plans by the university to increase accommodation fees and with countless other issues.

So, to conclude: we need a student union that takes a stand on issues of injustice and inequality on our campus and in our world, and I hope that the new officer team does exactly that.

8 Comment25/03/14concrete.comment@uea.ac.uk Issue 296

What should a student union do?

As Tony Benn passed away recently and the obituaries rolled in, rightfully commemorating a life of great service to the working class, one is left to wonder at the vacuum created by his passing. This article will not reiterate here a chronology of his life, his career as an MP and cabinet minister, the policies and institutions he helped establish. Instead, it will take a few words to draw attention to some of the beliefs he articulated with clarity and a persuasive rhetoric that few others managed.

Throughout his speeches and writings he would reiterate the need to ask the powerful five questions:

1. What power have you got?2. Where did you get it?3. In whose interests did you exercise

it? 4. To whom are you accountable?5. How can we get rid of you?To which he would add: “only

democracy gives us that right. That is why no-one who has power likes democracy and that is why every generation must struggle to win it and keep it; including you and me, here and now” (2005).

These are words most people can relate

to, yet few rarely consider their meaning and implication. It strikes at the heart of what a democracy should mean: the voting system, the accountability of what those in power promise and what they actually do, what (and whose) interests these people represent and whether this creates conflict within their public role, and the role of central and local government in the administration of services and policies that affect everyone on a daily basis. The idea that governments and politicians should seek to be truly representative of the people that elected them appears to be a self-apparent truth, yet one Tony Benn wholeheartedly followed and many others have neglected.

Benn’s fundamental faith in the intelligence and integrity of people was at the heart of his political beliefs and socialist outlook. He did not believe in verbally attacking individuals but instead sought to deconstruct and analyse the institutions and structures that encapsulated them. He would not castigate the Queen for her role in the monarchic system but recognised her as a victim of circumstance; instead, taking issue with the hereditary structure of monarchy and peerage: “If I went to the dentist and just as he started to drill, he said, ‘by the way, Tony, I am not a dentist myself but my father was a very good

dentist,’ I wouldn’t be altogether happy”.It was through such intelligent,

insightful and oft-humorous remarks that Tony Benn was able to engage large numbers of people from diverse backgrounds and show them a vision of

a world that could, and should, be better. The absence now in British politics of his social and political commentary will be sorely missed and the vacuum it creates on the Left will be one that is not easily filled.

Tony Benn: Britain’s conscience

Elliot FolanComment Writer

Graeme TolleyComment Writer

mikeashworth.co.uk

Comment 9Issue 296 concrete.comment@uea.ac.uk25/03/14

New research conducted by graduate job website Totaljobs has shown that nearly 40% of graduates are still job-hunting six months after graduating, whilst a quarter are still unemployed after one year. Given these statistics, is there hope for graduate jobs in the current economy?

Despite a fall in total unemployment to 7.1%, as reported by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) in late January 2014, the survey found that almost half of all graduates questioned wished they had stayed away from academic courses and opted for “something more vocational” instead. Indeed, a report published by the ONS in 2013 found that 47% of graduates employed within six months were working in jobs that did not require a degree.

This view has been supported by Mike Fetters, the director of Totaljobs, who said: “Although a degree is an essential qualification for some industries, school leavers need to think more carefully about which route to employment is best for them as some may be more suited to an apprenticeship scheme.”

However the problem for current students and study leavers is not simply finding graduate employment, it goes beyond this to the endemic problem of youth unemployment in the UK. Statistics released in February 2014 show that in October-December 2013, 917,000 young people aged 16-24 were unemployed. Although this is down by 58,000 on the previous year, many job seekers are having to work in long unpaid internships just to get their foot on the career ladder. Those who have taken the vocational route may not be much better off either, as government figures show that a fifth of apprentices are paid below a measly £2.68 per hour.

This intense competition in the labour market has created an effect where those with graduate degrees are working in lower skilled jobs, and those who would have formerly taken these

positions are further squeezed out of the labour market.

However it is not all doom and gloom; resilience seems to be the key when applying for graduate roles. The ‘Students Have Your Say’ survey conducted in mid-February, found that graduates applied for, on average, 12 positions before landing a job. For graduates who have been meticulously preparing their perfect CV for months, 12 applications may not seem so bad.

Companies are also committed to creating jobs for graduates, with

BT recently announcing they will be creating 100 new graduate jobs in East Anglia as part of a wider national recruitment drive.

Alan Percy, head of counselling at the University of Oxford, reminds graduates that: “The key thing is to look at how you can keep encouraging yourself and how other people can encourage you. Make sure you look after yourself. Rejections can feel personal, but remember that employers really know nothing about you other than what is on your CV. Don’t allow it to undermine your confidence.”

Is there hope for graduate employment?

Geri ScottComment Writer

totaljobs.com

Chavez may be gone, but socialism lives on in Venezuela. Chavez’s successor, Nicholas Maduro, faces extreme pressure from anti-government forces within the country. Since January, protests have been kicking off all over Venezuela in response to social and economic problems. What started out as sporadic student protests in the Andean region turned into more widespread opposition against creeping inflation, and shortages of basic foodstuffs, like cooking oil and toilet paper. People are also angry about some of the world’s highest crime rates and other social ills.

Although some of the demonstrations are peaceful, some have turned into violent clashes with riot police. The socialist government, which has largely been responsible for vast improvements in the country’s level of welfare, has focused its attentions on Western areas like San Cristóbal, where much of the violence has taken place.

Student protests sparked off here in February, and the level of violence has since been ramped up – the official death toll stands at 28. The most recent death was that of a municipal employee removing barricades in a middle class neighbourhood. The National Guard has been called in to remove barricades in many places, such as the town of Rubio, near San Cristóbal, where 16 people were allegedly injured with rubber bullets and tear gas.

In some places, peaceful protest is being met with state suppression and heavy-handedness, though elsewhere anti-government protesters have seemingly instigated the violence. President Maduro has arrested opposition leaders such as the

Mayor of San Cristóbal, Daniel Ceballos, for inciting “irrational violence”. He has been condemned for breaching the terms of his office, and failing in his duty as mayor.

María Corina Machado, another opposition leader, has also been admonished by the government, which is trying to strip her of her political immunity so that she can be tried. Machado, who came to power in 2003 on the back of an attempt to oust Chavez, funded by the US, has been labeled as elitist, and out of touch with the country’s poor. The Chavistas in the government (and out) would like to see her tried for destabilising the government;

she has encouraged people to stay on the streets, and was largely responsible for the escalation in violence between youth and anti-riot forces since February. The government would probably like to discredit her as an opposition leader too, however; she has been influential in projects such as ‘The Exit’ campaign, which seeks to end the 15 years of socialist rule in Venezuela.

Latin American socialism has taken a battering recently with the death of Chavez, the handover from Fidel to Raul Castro in Cuba, and the general zeitgeist that seems to whisper of an end to the golden years of radical South American politics. However,

it is still the last bastion of socialism, and people are far more resistant to neoliberal ideology, which is largely seen as US imperialism, than in places like Europe.

It is easy to see the hypocrisy in Maduro’s actions, however, when he cracks down so violently on an opposition movement he labels as ‘fascist’. Maduro still has support, but he is no Chavez – he lacks the charisma. It is easy to imagine a time in the near future where hard-line actions such as have been seen, combined with existing grievances, may tip the scales in favour of anti-socialist sentiment and leave Venezuela on a slippery slope to free-trade conservatism.

Trouble in paradise? Venezuelan protests escalate

Crimea’s expected annexation to Russia following the ‘more than convincing’ referendum carried out last week has made headlines in all the broadsheet newspapers. As one might expect, the West has heavily criticised the move, calling Russia’s change in borders an “illegal act”. However, while Russia’s move is one that has shocked and angered many national leaders, officials may also wish to look closely at Africa. It appears that over the last few years, China has begun a subtle invasion of the continent and in particular, Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe has been under the control of the dictator, Robert Mugabe, and

his ZANU-PF party (Zimbabwe African National Union – Patriotic Front) for the last 34 years; except now, evidence has emerged that implies that Mugabe has been on China’s payroll. Confidential Central Intelligence Organisation documents leaked last year imply that the superpower bankrolled Mugabe’s political party as well as providing high level military officers to support the local army in poll strategies in order to secure the re-election of Robert Mugabe to political office in 2013.

Further, sources close to those involved have implied that a secret deal has been struck allowing Emmerson Mnangagwa, Zimbabwe’s Defence Minister, and someone who received military training in China, to succeed Mugabe as President

when he dies. China clearly has strong links with the

African country in terms of its military. Although the exact military agreements between the two countries has been kept secret, there have been claims that a large number of Chinese troops are operating in the Marange diamond fields; an area which has since been cordoned off as a high level security zone.

Although it is mere speculation, the argument has been made that China’s military involvement in Zimbabwe is merely to provide bargaining power against countries such as the U.S.

Scarily, the heavy investment, both economically and in military occupation, is also happening in countries surrounding Zimbabwe, such as Zambia and

Mozambique. It has been suggested that China is aiming to take control of Africa slowly from the south upwards; militarily, and via investment in natural resources like coltan and copper.

No one can deny that the international community needs to keep an eye on the situation in Russia and are right to be concerned with the bloodshed in Crimea. However, it would not do them any harm to keep a careful eye on China’s actions. Just because they have not spilled blood does not mean that their actions are harmless. Zimbabwe has provided China with a key strategic air force base which, should they choose to use it, could situate them perfectly for the use of ‘gunboat diplomacy’ - decision-making through the threat of military force.

China strengthens links with Zimbabwe

Ella GilbertGlobal Editor

Dan FalveyGlobal Writer

10 Global25/03/14Issue 296concrete.global@uea.ac.uk

After months of nagging I finally agreed to undertake the almighty journey to visit friends at the University of Exeter. I realised my 315 mile quest from east to west would not come cheap, and my fears were realised when a £145 return figure appeared on the National Rail website. Despite an attempt of my friend to mitigate the financial burden by paying half, I realised there was only one other option - the Megabus.

Megabus has a reputation for being the popular mode of transport for many a student. At £20 return it was a fraction of the cost and, as a bonus, the coach went directly from campus, so no taxi would be needed to get to the train station. Seems ideal, right? Sadly the luring prices disguise the reality - the cramped, noisy, pigeon-infested reality.

I set off at 5.45am Saturday morning and although a little weary and

disorientated as I had not seen before midday on a Saturday since the Christmas holidays, I was reassured by the prospect of napping on what I thought would be an empty bus. However, it seemed like many others needed to get to London

at this unearthly time, and much to my dismay I didn’t have two seats to myself. My anguish intensified when my fellow coach passenger decided that this would be the perfect time to listen to her heavy metal playlist-failing to understand the basic concept of a personal music player may I add.

Arriving at London Victoria Coach Station at 8am, vowing that stern words would be had under the influence of jägerbombs if I saw her in the LCR in the near future, I took my seat and waited for my change to Exeter. The march of the pigeons ensued as they flocked in through the automatic doors and took roost on top of the monitors pecking at crumbs on the floor. Clinging onto my sausage roll for

dear life, I breathed a sigh of relief when my coach was finally ready to depart.

Half an hour into the second leg of my journey the fire warning light began flashing, which worriedly the driver didn’t seem too concerned about. After another 15 minutes or so he finally decided it might be a good idea to check, which meant an agonising 20 minute wait on the hard shoulder. After he realised this was a

technical fault and we weren’t all going to die, we set off again along the M4.

Not long passed until the next Megabus fiasco. Taking my UEA water bottle out of my bag I noticed it had become slightly misshapen. In rectifying this issue I failed to realise the nozzle was facing the girl sitting next to me, and proceeded to squirt her in the face. Wanting the ground to swallow me up and after apologising profusely, I spent the next two hours facing the

window with my iPod in-avoiding eye contact with my victim at all costs.

The Megabus is undoubtedly the first choice for cut-price student travel. However, your cheap as chips journey will only be bearable if you follow my tried and tested method, as I did on the way back home.

Find two seats to yourself, put all your bags on the seat next to you, face the window with your Ipod in, and-most importantly-pretend to be asleep. Good luck, Megabus travellers. You’ll need it.

Features 1325/03/14 Issue 296 concrete.features@uea.ac.ukIssue 296concrete.features@uea.ac.uk12 25/03/14

Food is great. With so much variety and so many delicious things to enjoy it’s no wonder that so many of us have an obsession with it. But it’s also something that is inescapable. No matter who you are, you need to eat to live. For those who have built up a complex, negative relationship with the way that they eat, having food as a necessity can be a burden.

The problem with eating disorders is

that most of them aren’t to do with food itself, but to do with controlling what goes in and out of our body, or gaining a particular body shape. This need for, or lack of, control is what seems to drive the three main disorders: anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and Binge Eating

Disorders (BED). Anorexia is typically fuelled by the body image the media presents, with skinny models and beauty magazine ‘bikini bods’, so there’s no wonder that this is a common disorder for our generation. As a group very engaged in current media, we are constantly sent a message of an unattainable body image. This can lead to an obsession with trying to achieve it, and feeling a lack of self-worth if we cannot. Bulimia follows the same thinking, but it is driven by the guilt that arises after overeating for comfort, and a desire to rapidly rectify the situation by ‘purging’ or throwing the food back up. Finally, BED comes down to a lack of control that fuels itself in a vicious cycle. Compulsive overeating may occur in order to comfort feelings of inadequacy or depression. The guilt and lack of control while eating then leads to more comfort binge eating and feelings of inadequacy. In each instance, there is a lack of control with over or under eating and an attempt to regain control, which reproduces unhealthy behavior over and over again.

Though anorexia is one of the most commonly known eating disorders, in fact, only around 10% of disorders fall into this category. Bulimia makes up 40% of disorders, but the other 50% mostly consist of people who fall into the normal body weight range but who have all of the symptoms of the main three disorders. This means that around half of eating disorders will be harder to identify because they might not be physically evident in the individual through being under or overweight. This makes it even clearer how important it is to reassure sufferers that they can and should get help, and how to do so, in case their symptoms go unnoticed.

Some may argue that we all have certain symptoms of eating disorders, as many people occasionally binge eat or suddenly restrict their diet for quick weight loss, but this does not compare to the seriousness of the full disorders. The reality is more than just a collection of symptoms; eating disorders can take over people’s lives, infiltrating every

moment of every day, and can damage the individual psychologically as well as physically. I’ve seen this personally in one of my family friends, who suffered in silence for years but outwardly kept smiling, until the effects the malnutrition was having on her immune system became apparent when she was diagnosed with cancer last Christmas. This year, she has finally received the attention she needed.

At the start of this month Eating Disorder Awareness Week gave us a chance to widen the public understanding of this problem, but awareness needs to continue. NEDAwareness studies show that 70% of 18-30 year old women are unhappy with their body image, and 43% of men feel the same. Everybody is vulnerable to low self-esteem. With negative body image perceptions being the primal instigator for eating disorders, we need to combat the cause as well as helping those suffering from its effects.

Hence, students at UEA have launched Operation Beautiful, a project where post-it notes with compliments and

inspiring quotes are stuck on bathroom mirrors around campus to empower students and bring a positive view to

body image and self-worth. Being happy and content with who you are is the message we need to promote if we want to combat eating disorders at the root, so as Operation Beautiful have justly said: “Be kind to yourself; you deserve it!”

To find out more about Operation Beautiful UEA, you can find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.c o m / O p e r a t i o n B e a u t i f u l U E A .

Eating Disorder Awareness Week was organised by B-eat, who offer support and information at https://www.b-eat.co.uk.

Eating disorders and awarenessEmily Fedorowycz draws our attention to common eating disorders, and discusses why it is important to promote an awareness of them.

“In each instance, there is a lack of control with over or under eating and an attempt

to regain control, which reproduces unhealthy behavior

photo: Flickr@ Christy Mckenna

Given the number of Union election campaign flyers that found their way underfoot last week, it is not a stretch to claim that ours is a generation disillusioned by political pageantry. The ubiquity of campaign advertisements across campus seems ironic in light of accusations that UEA students are largely apathetic towards the politics of their Union. Low voter turnouts have plagued recent elections, and there can only be two explanations: students are either unaware of the services and opportunities that the Union offers them, or they blatantly don’t care. Mass indifference is a trend with nasty implications - today’s students are set to become a key demographic in the next national election, and a passive consensus does nothing for democracy.

Not to suggest that voting for new Union Officers is some sort of dress rehearsal for a performance that involves ticking boxes with names next to them,

but it can’t hurt to practice raising your voice in an arena in which it can be heard. The fact is, our Student Union officers are perhaps the most transparent political

figures any of us will ever encounter. Their influence can be exercised in a perceptible way, and their progress can be traced across campus. No other politicians will ever have the capacity to meet your needs on a near-personal basis. For this reason,

we need not be disillusioned with Union politics, but take advantage of just how accessible our officers are. Ultimately, the Union is a charity whose sole function is to enrich the lives of students. To ignore its existence is to disregard a wealth of resources and must, quite frankly, strike officers as a bit ungrateful.

Granted, the political posturing that leads up to elections may be seen by some as gratuitous or over-the-top. Perhaps the excessive presence of flyers and posters gives students the impression that there are already an adequate number of parties involved in the world of Union politics. At university, it is easy to feel as though you have enough on your plate. Between the stresses of coursework, paid work, and extracurricular involvements,

it could prove difficult to see where research into Union electoral candidates might fit into a given day. However, I am reluctant to place blame for apathy at the polls entirely on the voters. The services offered by the Union—the shop, the pub, clubs and societies, etc.—seem like such an engrained part of life at UEA that it is easy to forget that there is a democratically-elected force behind them. The Union needs to do all that it can to make students aware of its role in their lives and ensure that all available lines of communication stay open. It doesn’t matter whether dialogue is spurred by an increased physical presence in the Union offices or through online means. Ultimately, if the Union comes to feel that it has exhausted all outreach opportunities and student interest is still tepid at

best, then it is the student body that deserves a reprimand for its disinterest.

Inquiring minds will always question what motivates a desire for power, even in those involved in small-time Union politics. There is no question that serving as an officer looks great on a CV, but those of us that condemn Union electoral candidates as career opportunists overlook their genuine desire to do good. Behind the fervent

flyer-ing and campaign slogans are students with a desire to improve the lives of their peers. Winning an election will doubtlessly boost anyone’s ego, but the hard work of Union Officers truly begins once campaigns have concluded.

As students, the only effort required of us is to pose pertinent questions—we must ask candidates what they intend to do for us, and once they have been elected we must ask for our officers’ help where we need it. This is the only way for our Union to be productive and mutually beneficial rather than just functional.

“The fact is, our Student Union officers are perhaps

the most transparent political figures any of us will ever

encounter.”“Behind the fervent

flyer-ing and campaign slogans are students with a

desire to improve the lives of their peers.”

In defence of Student PoliticsIn light of the recent Union elections, Features writer Jennifer Johnson argues why we should care about student politics

Megabus: the perils of cut-price travelLouisa Baldwin shares her story of the trials and tribulations of the student-friendly coach service

“Sadly the luring prices disguise the reality-the cramped, noisy, pigeon-

infested reality.”“Megabus has a reputation

for being the popular mode of transport for many a student.”

photo: wikicommons

“The reality is more than just a collection of symptoms; eating disorders can take over

people’s lives, infiltrating every moment of every day,

and can damage the individual psychologically as well as

physically.”

“Students are either unaware of the services and opportunities that the Union offers them, or they blatantly

don’t care.”

“My fellow coach passenger decided that this would be the

perfect time to listen to her music, failing to understand

the concept of a perconal music player.”

Panasonic has announced that it will offer a wage premium to workers sent to China to account for the healthrisks of China’s dangerous levels of smog. Levels of pollutants including sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide have repeatedly reached more than 400 micrograms per cubic metre, more than 16 times the World Health Organisation’s safety guideline.

This denunciation of China’s environmental stewardship is not the first. Environmental damage in China is a result of an unprecedented emphasis on energy production. Whether this is excessive is debatable considering that their 2012 emissions of CO2 equivalent were 6.2 tonnes per capita, a number which is dwarfed by the 17.6 tonnes

emitted by the USA.It is unfortunate that China boasts

abundant coal reserves because, of the three fossil fuels, coal is by far the most harmful. Contrary to public belief, however, this is not the only cause. It is also a result of unclear and insufficient policy-making and enforcement.

The vast recent increase in societal actors and a wider variety of priorities increase the chance of inaction and conflict during the policy-making process. What is more, often the ownership ties between the state and localities are mere formalities. In high-growth areas, understandably, the ability to provide electricity is a fundamental metric for judging a governor. This, along with a system that has constantly encouraged maximum economic growth, means that localities often make autonomous decisions that ignore or evade national regulations. In Rousseau’s The Social

Contract, he claims the size of the population determines the nature of the government: perhaps this disconnection between state and locality is unavoidable beyond a certain extent.

In addition, on accession to the World Trade Organisation in 2001, China turned the ministries of Coal, Petroleum and Electric Power into state-owned enterprises. The result was an energy policy void, with previous ministerial experts now working for energy companies. Though the several bureaus and committees created to replace the ministries possess a great deal of authority on paper, they lack the resources to tackle the pressing smog issue. China’s energy firms are the clear agenda-setters and this is certainly reflected in the quality of the air and the steady rise of the pollution-related death count.

Genghis Khan may owe his success to a period of excellent weather. A recent study of tree rings in Mongolia has shown that the rise of Khan’s empire in the early 13th Century coincided with the mildest, wettest weather in more than 1000 years.

The Mongol empire was impressive by many standards. Covering modern-day Korea, China, Russia, Eastern Europe, India and south-east Asia, it was the largest continuous land empire the world has ever known.

Through studying the tree rings on a selection of ancient Siberian pine trees that date back nearly 2,000 years, American tree-ring scientists have discovered that the years from about 1180 to 1190 were ones of intense drought, and that they were followed by a period from 1211 to 1225 of sustained rainfall and mild weather.

This change in the weather would have led to unusual plant productivity, which was essential to Genghis Khan’s success. Each Mongolian horseman is said to have had up to five horses, and without the plant matter to feed them, expansion simply would not have been possible.

Amy Hessl, a tree ring expert at West Virginia University, said “The transition from extreme drought to extreme moisture right then strongly suggests that climate played a role in human events. It was not the only thing, but it must have created the ideal conditions for a charismatic leader to emerge out of the chaos, develop an army and

concentrate power.“Where it’s arid, unusual moisture

creates unusual plant productivity, and that translates into horsepower. Genghis was literally able to ride that wave.”

The same tree ring studies have shown that, since the mid-20th Century, the region has warmed rapidly and that recent drought years have become more extreme than during any year these trees have experienced. This worrying trend has encouraged the Mongolian population away from the steppes and into Ulaanbataar, the country’s capital, where roughly half the population now lives.

14 Environment25/03/14Issue 296concrete.environment@uea.ac.uk

Amelia EdwardsEnvironment Writer

Panasonic and China’s state-owned pollution problem

Ilyas ChristofidesEnvironment Writer

Genghis Khan’s empire of mild weather

Chloe MooreEnvironment Writer

Planet Earth may be more blue thanpreviously thought

The Mongolian Steppe, the heart of Genghis Khan’s empire

Last week a study, published in the scientific journal Nature, provided the first direct evidence that parts of deep Earth are hydrous, with possibly as much water trapped in Earth’s transition zone as there is in all the world’s oceans.

For the last few decades, scientists have been trying to understand whether the deep Earth is dry, wet, or wet in patches. Prior to the new findings, ringwoodite, a mineral that contains water within its structure, had only been found in meteorites. However, the presence of the mineral within a diamond from the Earth’s mantle provides the first terrestrial evidence confirming that water is present within the deep Earth.

The research was conducted on a diamond from a 100-million-year old kimberlite rock from central-west Brazil that was brought to the surface through volcanic eruptions. It was found to contain the mineral ringwoodite, which is thought to only form in the transition zone, which is between 410 km and 660 km beneath the Earth’s surface.

The results revealed that the diamond has a water content of approximately 1.0%. Although this value may appear insignificant, ringwoodite makes up an extremely large proportion of the deep earth, with this acting as a major

repository for water that may contain an ocean’s equivalent, or more, of water.

Looking beyond Earth, ringwoodite is also expected to form deep within other planets, suggesting that water may be stored in the mantle of rocky planets, including Mars. Further research will aim to predict the amount of water trapped within the interior of other planets in our galaxy, as well as understand exactly how Earth’s plate tectonics control the processes by which water is recycled deep within the mantle.

Genghis Khan

freepix.eu

Genghis Khan, otherwise known as Temujin, was the “Great Khan” of the Mongolian Empire. His early life was one of nomadic hardship, but he went on to lead the Mongol conquest of much of Eurasia. At his death, the empire spread from the Western Pacific to the Caspian Sea. Peter Sheehan. Below: flowers bloom on the Mongolian steppe.

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend... but geologists find them interesting too. And why should girls have all the fun?

20th Century Fox

Flickr: Johnny Shaw

Mabon Elis Science Writer

Dominic BurchnallScience Editor

Ryan MusselwhiteScience Writer

A mammoth task

Science & Tech 1525/03/14 Issue 296 concrete.science@uea.ac.uk

Credit: Brad Plummer, SLAC

Gravitational ‘smoke’ from the big bang

Looking hot

Since 2003, when French and Spanish researchers seemingly reversed time and revived an extinct species of wild goat (the burcado), the process now dubbed “de-extinction” has been linked with bringing back other species from the depths of time.

A discovery last year of a highly preserved 47,000 year old mammoth in eastern Siberia, has recently led scientists to believe in a possibility of reviving the giant that has been extinct for over 3700 years. Muscle and adipose (body fat) tissue were able to be isolated, as well as haemolysed blood containing intact erythrocytes. Other organs were also so well preserved that solid particles thought to be kidney stones and even the contents of the mammoth’s last meal and could be accurately ascertained. This highly preserved mammoth specimen has enabled the likely collection of intact DNA, fuelling the discussion for the cloning of a mammoth into existence and becoming “de-extinct”.

The act of “de-extinction” isn’t without its difficulties and moral uncertainties: in fact the Revive and Restore Organisation was founded to tackle these problems. One issue in resurrecting the mammoth is the selection of a surrogate mother. The closest living relative of the mammoth is the Asian elephant and it remains to be seen how close a relative it truly is. It

also raises the question as to whether the process of giving birth to a mammoth-elephant hybrid would exert too much stress on the host elephant mother.

Another issue is the question of habitat and nurture. It is now known that the last surviving mammoths lived after the ice age meaning the tundra climates of today would be suitable for a mammoth. However, the first mammoth would be born and raised by an Asian elephant, an animal that has not evolved to survive in the tundra, let alone equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to raise a mammoth in this foreign climate.

The “de-extinction” of the mammoth may soon become a possible reality in a few decades and less of a ‘Jurassic Park’ style fantasy. But without knowing the full story of nature vs. nurture in regards to a mammoth, maybe reviving a species more adaptable to current environments and ecosystems or preserving endangered species and habitats is the correct way to honour one of natures’ extinct giants.

In a landmark new study, astronomers have found strong evidence of the exponential inflation widely believed to have occurred during the first fleeting moments of the universe following the big bang. Unveiling their work, they also showed the first direct evidence of the gravitational waves that accompanied this inflation: the last untested prediction of Einstein’s general theory of relativity.

When the universe began 14 billion years ago, it expanded by 100 trillion times in a small fraction of a second. This left an afterglow known as the cosmic microwave background (CMB). It was also predicted that such an expansion would produce gravitational waves – ripples in space-time, much like the waves on the surface of water following a disturbance.

The Bicep2 project was established to search for these ripples. Gravitational waves, which are also produced by celestial systems in the present-day universe, leave behind them a

polarisation pattern known as B-mode polarisation. Primordial gravitational waves – those predicted by inflation – would leave such a pattern in the CMB. It is evidence of this polarisation that makes Bicep2’s results exciting.

“Detecting this signal is one of the most important goals in cosmology

today,” said John Kovac, who led the experiments and is one of four principal investigators on the Bicep2 collaboration. He and his international team travelled to the South Pole to conduct their experiments. “It’s one of the driest and clearest locations on Earth, perfect for observing the faint

microwaves from the big bang,” he said.The work will now be scrutinised

carefully by cosmologists in order to confirm the results. If the work is proved to be correct, it is likely to lead to a Nobel prize. Initial reactions from physicists are full of cautious optimism, with the Bicep2 team themselves amazed at their apparent success.

“This has been like looking for a needle in a haystack, but instead we found a crowbar,” said Clem Pryke, one of the principal investigators.

“Gravitational waves are a new frontier in astrophysics and cosmology,” said Ed Daw from the University of Sheffield after the discovery was announced. “If today’s findings are accurate then it will further strengthen our understanding of how the universe formed.”

The theoretical physicist Andrei Linde helped to establish inflation theory in the 1980s. “It’s amazing because many great intellectual discoveries are never confirmed at the time when the authors are still alive,” he told science journal, Nature. “I’m not dead yet, and they are already seeing this gravitational wave signal.”

Heat vision has typically been the reserve of pit vipers, rattlesnakes and individuals with access to very front heavy goggles. But now in addition to the plans to add micro-circuitry which will allow for a Terminator-esque information overlay to the world, engineers from the University of Michigan have developed an infrared sensor minute enough to install in a contact lens. Most current thermal vision goggles have to be as bulky as binoculars, particularly for long range detection, as the current use systems require a lot of cooling to work efficiently. The key to this new technology involves a substance with a single molecular layer carbon structure, called graphene. Being so miniscule allows, it allows the integration into technology such as contact lenses. However, up until very recently the main stumbling block was to find a way to get enough of a current generated from the light which struck the graphene to stimulate a response. In order to circumvent this obstacle, Zhaohui Zhong and the other researchers started to analyse the current itself, rather than try to use it to generate the power for a signal. They began by putting an insulating membrane between two sheets of graphene, one of which already held an electrical charge. When light struck the non-charged graphene, the little charge

which is generated passes through the membrane, leaving behind a signature of positively charged holes which can then be analysed to identify the pattern of light which struck the surface. The prototype for this technology is already remarkably small, being only the size of a fingernail. If it could be integrated into a contact lens, the applications could be fantastic, and not just for anyone who wanted to try out having a superpower. For search and rescue, it could be invaluable for finding survivors trapped beneath rubble or snow. Energy conservation could be improved by searching for heat loss in a building with an augmented eye. Paramedics could check for internal bleeding or assess the severity of burns with thermal imaging, and could make driving at night or in low visibility conditions much safer for everyone.

Sourcewire The Royal BC Museum, Canada.

Fox

It’s summer 2014, the week before you go to your festival and you suddenly realise you haven’t prepared anything. Well, fear not. With this step-by-step guide on how to plan your festival trip, you’ll

be prepared for an amazing few days, whatever the weather!

The first thing to consider is how you’re going to get to the festival because parking is expensive. If you go with a large group then it might work out cheaper to split petrol and parking costs that way, but it’s more than likely that it is much cheaper to take a train. Book your

train tickets as early as you can because they’ll be ridiculously cheap in advance, and having a 16-25 railcard cuts costs significantly, too.

Following on from this, it is worth thinking about your camping situation as early as possible. Buy a tent that is larger than the number of people staying in it; the worst thing when arriving at your campsite and pitching your tent is realising you’ll have no leg room because your rucksack resembles a small child. Buy a tent which is reasonably cheap because it will be inevitably be destroyed by both the weather and drunken people. Don’t forget to bring blow up pillows, groundsheets for your tent, a mallet to pitch your tent with, and roll mats to make it slightly more comfortable when sleeping.

You don’t need to buy these just yet, but invest in a few disposable cameras rather than bringing your digital one. Disposable cameras will capture the essence of your festival trip without the option to delete embarrassing selfies, and if they get lost then it’s not the end of the

world. Following on from this, a cheap Nokia phone is essential for its long-lasting battery life, as well as its ability to survive drops and spillages. Top it up by £15 and this should last you for the duration of the trip. Even if the weather says it’s going to be sunny, bringing a pair of wellies with you is going to be key to the survival of your feet. Unless you want to stand in mountains of rubbish and bodily fluids towards the end of a festival day, wellies will protect your toes from fellow festival-goers and rowdy mosh pits.

Start saving money now: after the music has finished for the day, you’ll want to go out and explore the fairground rides, the clubs and meet new people. To do so, alcohol is usually a must and, of course, incredibly expensive in the arena. Save a little bit of money away from your student loan or salary each month and, come summer, you won’t have to worry about working extra shifts in order to fund your festival trip. Start planning now, and you’ll have less stress in the run up to your festival, and much more fun throughout its duration. Happy festival-ing!

16 Travel25/03/14Issue 296concrete.travel@uea.ac.uk

The ultimate festival experience

Granada: Spain’s best kept secret

Granada, in the province of Andalusia, is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains in southern Spain.

Its location makes it possible for holiday makers to spend half a day sunbathing at one of the beaches of the Costa Tropical, and then take an hour long drive to the ski resort which held the 1996 Alpine World Ski Championships. A pretty good location for a settlement, then, which is probably why the Moors chose it to site their best known piece of architecture; the stunning Alhambra.

Originally built in 889, the palace and citadel started life as small fortress. Eventually deserted, its ruins were converted in the 11th century by Moorish king Mohammed ben Al-Ahmar to the palace we see today. This was then officially named the residence of Yusuf I, the Sultan of Granada, in 1333, marking its first use as a royal palace.

The Alhambra is one of Spain’s most visited tourist attractions, so booking in advance is crucial. A visit in the off season will result in a quieter and less strictly monitored visit, meaning the palace can be strolled around at one’s own pace, rather than being herded through like

cattle. Tickets are cheap, around 14 Euros for the gardens and all three palaces. The stunning carvings, architecture and tiling - as well as the views of Granada and the surrounding mountains - make the trip up more than worthwhile. With a bus service running from the town centre as well, the Alhambra is accessible to all.

Famous in Spain for the prestigious University of Granada, which spreads across five campuses around the city, Granada could easily be described as a student hotspot. With 80,000 students the university makes up roughly a fifth of the population, something that doesn’t go unnoticed. Student bars and cafés are everywhere, which makes a nice change from the Irish pubs seen in similar tourist havens around Spain.

The lack of direct flights from the UK mean that Granada remains one of the few coastal Spanish cities unspoilt by the English language. A small amount of Spanish is useful, but not completely necessary, as with most places things can normally be worked out.

The thing Granada is arguably most famous for is its free tapas culture. Tapas (meaning ‘cover’ or ‘lid’) was originally a piece of bread served with drinks to stop flies or other insects nipping in to the glass for a swim, but eventually evolved in to the Spanish speciality we all know

today. In Granada, however, this tradition never truly changed, and so now dishes like mini hamburgers, calamari, cod with a creamed spinach sauce, Iberic pulled pork with caramelised garlic and various different versions of salsas, dips and nibbles are brought out with every drink ordered. This is such a reliable regularity that many find that over their stay in Granada they never actually order or pay

for any food whatsoever.Granada is a beautiful example of an

unspoilt Moorish-Mediterranean city in Southern Spain, with everything a 5-10 minute walk away. Boasting some of the most beautiful scenery in the world; gorgeous little side streets to get lost in and free food everywhere, it’s only a matter of time before it’s overrun with tourists, so get ahead of the curve.

James SzumowskiTravel Writer

Alice CachiaTravel Writer

Travel 1725/03/14 Issue 296 concrete.travel@uea.ac.uk

A not so ideal Spring break

The all-American spring break is probably one of the most long awaited short holidays for hundreds of college students. Usually taking place in March, the week long holiday is characterised by thousands of overly excited college students flooding the beaches by day and overcrowding the clubs by night.

Some of the top Spring Break destinations include Miami, Panama City, Daytona Beach and the Bahamas; so pretty much anywhere with sun, sea and a whole lot of alcohol. One of the most popular and crowded spring break

destinations is the infamous Cancun. Located in south-eastern Mexico, Cancun is a renowned tourist destination, with sun, sand, clear blue sea, delicious food and lovely resorts. Whilst it may sound perfect in writing, in reality Cancun is not the ideal spring break destination it may seem.

The nightlife in Cancun is wild, lively and never ending. The city never sleeps and neither do the students. Many of the clubs and bars, especially the smaller ones, tend to have an open bar once entry fee is paid. With bright lights, loud music, the alcohol flowing and lots of dancing it is no wonder these clubs stay open till the early hours of the morning. However, students wrongly assume

that Cancun is very cheap. In reality the clubs are overpriced, have ridiculously long lines to get in and are genuinely overcrowded inside. Cancun’s biggest club Coco Bongos tends to ask $70-$80 for entry, and if you’re lucky you may get a few free drinks with that! Drinks tend to be overpriced and are not worth the pain of sipping ridiculously cheap brands of alcohol (no Smirnoff Vodka here!).

In terms of safety, Cancun looks sketchy. The streets are very dirty with a lot of litter and an unpleasant smell, as well as a lot of scammers. Many parts are guarded by heavily armed police holding huge guns who are not to be messed with. Tourists are very vulnerable and can be easy targets for theft, especially at night and when intoxicated. Always stay with friends, never go anywhere alone, keep an eye on your drinks and always have a mobile phone and emergency cash with you.

With regards to the weather, Cancun is almost perfect for spring break due to its tropical climate. In March the weather in Cancun is usually very hot and humid which is ideal for the spring break atmosphere. Sun block is essential and a hat and sunglasses will help too. However, Cancun has the tendency to rain a fair bit so be prepared for some

dark clouds and showers especially in the afternoons. There is very little to do on a wet day in Cancun, so take advantage of the sun while it’s there.

If you’re tired of all the drinking then why not spend a day exploring ancient Mayan history at Chichen Itza. Built by the Mayan people, Chichen Itza is filled with ancient ruins, archaeological pyramids, temples and a whole lot of history. There are many tour companies which provide a full day excursion to Chichen Itza including a coach, food and stop offs at markets and landmarks. It’s a nice way to see somewhere outside Cancun and get a top up on your history. However, it’s understandable that viewing historical landmarks may not be a student’s ideal way to spend spring break.

Overall, Cancun really isn’t what it’s cracked up to be. Although the weather is lovely and the beaches are beautiful, the overpriced nightlife, the scamming of tourists and the genuine look of the place are off putting. Cancun really is no different from one of the Greek party islands, except it’s pricier! With places like Panama City, Miami and California being known to host some of the best spring breaks, Cancun should definitely not be a number one pick.

When someone mentions Borneo, one usually thinks of the rainforests and the wildlife that can be found there, or that the population is less developed than the rest of emerging South East Asia.

Kota Kinabalu is the state capital of Sabah, a state in East Malaysia. Located by the South China Sea, surrounded by the mountains and rainforests of the Kinabalu and Crocker Range national parks and home to a hugely diverse mixing pot of cultures, Kota Kinabalu is the perfect retreat for those wanting to experience the culture that moulded Malaysia into what it is today.

Possibly the perfect way to start experiencing the city is to catch a ferry over to the islands of Pulau Mamutik or Pulau Manukan. Upon arrival there is a small conservation fee, all the islands off the coast are part of a national park, and the fee allows for the natural beauty of the islands to be maintained. On and around the islands a visitor can find many opportunities, most of them are

surrounded by coral reefs which attract many divers and snorkelers, especially around Pulau Mamutik. The islands are also covered in rainforest and mangrove swamps, so if hiking or jungle trekking is your thing then there are many trails to be followed. On these trails you can get a glimpse of the type of wildlife that can be found throughout Borneo, including pied hornbills, macaques and monitor lizards, the latter of which can sometimes be found roaming the beaches around the edges of vegetation.

Although these islands are ideal for some ‘R&R’, there has been a warning issued recently by the Kota Kinabalu police about visiting Pulau Gaya. This Western tip of the island has recently experienced a rising crime rate in one particular village, inhabited by illegal immigrants. So as long as you avoid this area, you’ll still be able to experience the island like you would with all of the others.

When the sun starts to set, usually at around 5pm or 6pm, it’s time to leave the island as many activities finish for the day. Walking back to the jetty, especially on Pulau Mamutik, you can see hundreds of sea urchins lining the shallow sea

beds, most of which get brought to the mainland for restaurants and market stalls. Sailing back to the mainland only adds to the experience as you can see the stunning sunset over all the islands.

Once you set foot back onto the mainland, the best thing to do is walk over to the pasar malam (Night market). These markets are possibly one of the best ways of experiencing Bornean culture first hand. This is particularly true at the pasar malam, where you can experience cuisines from all over Malaysia. These range from Malay kuey teow (fried noodles with seafood) to traditional Indian

curries. It is also the perfect opportunity to try food from the Kadazan-Dusun tribes, which can only be found in Sabah.

Once you’ve filled your stomach, you can wander over to the Filipino market. Here you can find traditional crafts from all over South East Asia and plenty more varieties of food.

Kota Kinabalu is perfect for those that want a relaxing beach holiday or for those that are just passing through on their travels around Malaysia, but Kota Kinabalu and even Sabah as a whole are ideal places to find diversity, amazing wildlife and absolutely stunning natural beauty.

Nick BrownTravel Writer

Rachael ParsonsTravel Writer

Kota Kinabalu: A gem in the shadow

It’s essay season and that means late nights spent in the library frantically writing and stumbling sleep deprived into lectures and seminars. But sleep is vital to achieving and performing at your best this time of year. There are several things that can impact negatively upon your sleep. Obviously there are emotional factors such as anxiety and stress brought about by looming deadlines. Pain, colds and headaches can all affect sleep. But something as simple as a change in your daily routine or environmental factors such as too much light, noise or a change in temperature can have an effect, not to mention drugs and alcohol.

The NHS says one in three people in Britain suffer from poor sleep. Regularly missing out on sleep can put you at increased risk of obesity, heart disease and diabetes whilst also shortening your life expectancy. We’re all familiar with the common symptoms of sleep deprivation including fatigue, short temper and a lack of focus. You feel irritable, suffer from headaches,

can’t focus on your work and feel like your brain is cotton wool. Continued lack of sleep results in decreased concentration, impacts negatively on your mental well-being and can lead to you nodding off during seminars and lectures.

Getting enough sleep makes you feel more rested and better prepared for tackling those deadlines. Sleep also boosts your immunity, can help you lose weight

and improve your mental health, reduces risk of diabetes and heart disease and also increases your sex drive.

It’s all about having a regular sleeping routine; going to bed and waking up at the same time every day and avoiding napping. You should start getting ready for bed about hour before you plan on going to sleep. Use this time to relax. Try not to take your problems to bed with you, as hard as that

is sometimes. Regular exercise during the day can help you sleep but it’s important to avoid exercise within three hours of going to bed unless it’s something relaxing like yoga. Go outside on a regular basis: exposure to natural light helps maintain a healthy and natural sleep rhythm. On the subject of light, try turning off your laptop and phone an hour before you go to sleep as the lights negatively affect your circadian rhythm.

You should only really use your bed for sleeping and sex. Train your brain to see bed is a place for these activities and not for work, going on Facebook or watching Netflix. It seems obvious but avoid or limit caffeine, alcohol and nicotine before going to bed. Nicotine and caffeine are stimulants and alcohol can disrupt sleep later in the night. Similarly avoid going to bed hungry or too full.

Finally don’t force yourself to go to sleep. If you know you struggle, remove clocks from your bedroom so you’re not watching the time. Get up after half an hour of tossing and turning and do something relaxing in a separate room. Go back to bed when you feel sleepy. And try not to worry too much about those deadlines.

Having fresh and healthy skin may not be your number priority when you have dissertation deadlines and the only thing keeping you going is that Saturday night LCR – but having healthy skin should not be underrated. With a few simple tips and tricks you can keep blemishes at bay without drilling into those laborious library hours.

For the ladies among us, and we can’t stress this enough: remove your make-up! Sleeping in your post-LCR smokey eye will damage the fragile skin around your eyes. Furthermore, the longer you leave on the waterproof mascara, the harder it is to remove. Frantically scrubbing at your eyes the morning after will only lead to even more skin damage. Invest in a decent eye make-up remover rather than going for the cheap and cheerful make-up wipes; they may seem a lot quicker and easier, but the harsher chemicals and rough texture will dry out your skin and may lead to break outs.

The best way to remove face make-up, as well an ensuring healthy, clean skin is to get into a really simple routine: cleanse, tone and moisturise. Yes, this is for the

guys too. Cleansing your skin with a decent cleanser will get rid of make-up as well as unclog pores. There’s no need to reach for a super expensive cleanser either; a mid-range one will be just as good. Using a toner after gets rid of even more dirt and closes your pores. Finally, and most importantly, moisturise; even if you are prone to oily skin. Moisturising is integral to having healthy skin and it will keep your skin in good condition for the years to come. Choose a moisturiser with an SPF in for the day time, so your skin is super protected. If this all sounds a bit technical, don’t worry! Picking up these products is super easy and shouldn’t cost over £10. They will last a good few months too.

Another way to ensure your skin is bright, healthy and looking good for the upcoming summer months is to eat and drink the right foods. We shouldn’t have to spell out that chocolate and greasy foods won’t do your skin any favours; but by adding a few key ingredients into your diet your skin will absolutely thank you. Stocking up on Vitamin C rich foods, such as oranges and sweet potatoes, will help heal any spots and blemishes. Nuts such as almonds and hazelnuts, as well as fruits like avocados, contain heaps of Vitamin E which promote cell growth; your skin will look brand new after just a few weeks. Try

taking almonds or hazelnuts onto campus for healthy seminar snacks, or roast some sweet potatoes for dinner; adding these foods into your diet isn’t that hard.

Of course, we must mention to keep

your skin, as well as your body, in great condition by drinking plenty of water. Replace that bottle of Ribena or Coke with a bottle of water and you’ll be on your way to great skin in no time!

Keeping skin healthy under stress

Getting a good night’s sleep

Ella SharpLifestyle Writer

Beth SawardLifestyle Writer

Lifestyle18 25/03/14Issue 296concrete.lifestyle@uea.ac.uk

Step off the 25 bus from university into town, and you will immediately be confronted with a Starbucks, Nero’s, Costa – or all three. But what about Norwich’s lesser-known coffee shops? Concrete steps away from the chain coffee stores, and into the narrow streets of Tombland and The Lanes to bring you a list of Norwich’s lesser-known coffee shops.

Café WaringsIf you come from London and your

experience of coffee served in furniture stores has formerly been limited to the Edmonton IKEA where they once had a riot over £4 end tables, then Warings is a revelation. This cafe is situated inside the high-end central Norwich furniture store which shares its name, and where the surroundings are as tasteful as the coffee: even the cushions cost over £200! While the coffee is just as high-end (Saeco Aroma espresso machine, anyone?) its price is, thankfully, somewhat more friendly to a student budget. They also do a great range of teas from teapigs. 24 Cattle Market, NR1 3DY.

The Window CoffeeDefinitely the cutest coffee shop on

our list, this store claims to be the UK’s smallest café. While Window’s compact size and homey vibe definitely extends to its lower-case lettered signs and menus, their coffee wields an outsize influence. Hand-made by champion barista and café proprietoress Hayley, it’s come fifth in the annual UK Barista championships. The café’s wonderful house blend and twee philosophy make it well worth a visit. Don’t forget to say hi to Daisy the coffee shop dog! 25 Wensum St., NR3 1HY

Mustard Coffee Bar Situated in the original Colman’s

Mustard Shop, this indie café serves up history alongside the coffee. Fittings and fixtures from the old store are still visible, though sometimes hidden underneath the constantly changing local art displays in store. The shop is somewhat unique amongst coffee stores in Norwich, in that the team hand-roast all their coffee beans. 3 Bridewell Alley, NR2 1AQ

The Little Red RoasterAnother store which insists upon

hand-roasting its beans, Red Roaster is situated just outside the city centre area of Norwich. One advantage of this store is the sheer variety of specialty and artisanal coffees on offer - with on-site roasting and

hand-grinding, dedicated coffee-snobs swear by it. 81b Grove Road, NR1 3RT.

Cherryleaf Coffee House Very much the go-to destination for

Norwich yummy mummies and stressed-out parents, this coffee shop is notably less youth oriented than the others on our list. Perhaps because of this, it’s remained somewhat off the radar for the majority of Norwich students. Offering a variety of hot food (including continental breakfast) and some decent coffee, however, it’s worth your while, provided that you don’t mind running into the odd lecturer. 50 St. Giles Street, NR2 1LW

Stranger’s CoffeeOne for the artisan fans, Stranger’s

promises ethically sourced, specialty coffee made with painstaking care. Their signature macchiato, the ‘Apple Mac’, is made to a formula so obsessive as to make the most stringent of Silicon-Valley coffee nerds blush. Inside, the rough-hewn wooden counters and instagram-perfect décor will be familiar to anyone who frequents the Bicycle shop, or any of Norwich’s other hipster-ish haunts. English students, I’m looking at you. 21 Pottergate, NR2 1DS

Norwich’s finest coffee shopsLucy Morris Lifestyle Writer

Lifestyle 1925/03/14 Issue 296 concrete.lifestyle@uea.ac.uk

The best beaches in NorfolkThe surge of spontaneous sunny weather recently makes it the perfect time to head to the beautiful coastline of Norfolk. With coursework and exams looming, what better way to spend those few free hours with friends on the beach. Perfect for walks, sunbathing and sporting activities, it’s the perfect escape from the pressures of university. And with so many beaches nearby to Norwich; it’s a great way to relax with friends. With 93 miles of coast, Norfolk provides a whole host of places to visit. And here are just a few of the most popular and attractive beaches that Norfolk has to offer.

Cromer has always been a popular resort for people of all ages what with its traditional pier, opportunities for water sports, and a range of local seafood. In this bustling town you will find an array of restaurants, cafes, and shops as well as art galleries accompanying the beach, perfect for an afternoon away from revision.

Similarly, Hunstanton, also known as ‘sunny hunny’, offers a beautiful

stretch of Norfolk coastline. With a gorgeous beach and activities such as boating trips and pitch and putt, this is a popular place to visit on hot days. Not far from Norwich, it is easy to get to and is well worth a visit.

Also, Holkham offers a four mile stretch of beach, perfect for walking. With its brooding beach, it is famed for its eerie and breath-taking atmosphere. It has been voted the best beach in the UK according to a recent survey of travel writers, suggesting that is unspoilt stretch of beach is still as popular as ever.

Equally, Sea Palling is a vibrant village that offers a range of exciting activities such as wind- surfing, cannoning, and jet-skiing as well as being voted an excellent swimming beach. Whether you want to experience these activities or to observe the beauty of the beach itself, it provides a long stretch of coast to suit whatever you want to do. And with a pub, shop and café, it’s the perfect place to eat and drink in this weather!

And finally, Cley-next-the-Sea, another perfectly preserved expanse of beach, less known than Holkham and Hunstanton, offers a little less

bustle. A stony beach with a backdrop of marshland makes it a real walking beach. Not famed for its attractions, the real reason most people come to Cley-next-the-Sea is for its peacefulness and sheer beauty, not needing a bustling town to overshadow its beautiful scenery.

So whatever you’re looking for, there is a mass of Norfolk coast that

is perfect for getting away from the ongoing work load of university. Whether you want something with a bit more activity or just want an afternoon of walking, there are plenty of choices that are easy to get to via public transport. Norfolk is famed for its scenery and with the weather like it currently is, it seems an ideal time to explore it!

Rebecca BemmentLifestyle Writer

In a historic battle at Wivenhoe, UEA claimed victory over Essex in Pool and in doing so crowned the away side victors of Derby Day 2014.

The team headed into this fixture on the back of some great form - winning the BUCS pool championships in Great Yarmouth - and were determined to use that momentum to steer them to victory.

Nobody could have predicted quite how much would be riding on the last event in Essex, as the expectant crowd huddling round the three pool tables were treated to a fitting climax to a brilliant day.

Both sides had six players competing each, with 36 frames to play for. Captain Nikolas Charalambous was consistently emphatic in his victories – only losing out once to an opponent and keeping his nerve to beat perhaps Essex’s strongest player by several pots.

Even when news filtered through to the players that victory would clinch Derby Day, UEA players were unwavered as they maintained a steady lead against Essex throughout the tie.

In the race to get to 19 frames, UEA were always comfortable. Tim James, Daniel Winterbourne, Torr Cumming and Daniel Keeble were all valiant in the victories as each frame filled the travelling support with hope of a Derby Day win in Essex for the first time in 10 years.

James was particularly impressive – losing once and winning four of his fixtures. But it was Josh Edwards who was the hero of the day. As the score was locked at 18-11 Edwards knew that a UEA win would not only win the frame, secure victory in the pool, but also have his University rejoicing a miraculous Derby Day win.

With both players down to the last ball, Edwards kept his nerve to sink the black and immortalise his name into UEA folklore. As news began to filter back to Norwich, captain Charalambous expressed how proud he was of every single member of his squad: “I know how much of a team we are and had no hesitation in knowing if we would win or

not.”“The difference between us and Essex,

I would say, is that ‘we play like it means nothing, when it means everything.’”

UEA players were given the honour of lifting the Derby Day trophy, and how fitting a tribute that was given the strength in character they showed on the day – a perfect end to the perfect year for UEA Pool.

Both the Netball 1s and 2s took on the Essex 1s and 2s respectively in Essex this Derby Day. UEA spectators filled the grassed area around the outside courts to cheer on the girls and help them towards their wins.

The 1s game began with the UEA centre pass and this soon lead to a goal with the ball in the capable hands of goal attack Alex Makin. Essex were particularly aggressive, consistently barging the girls but the umpires failed to penalise them for this. Centre Sally Grice was on fire with some particularly good intercepts. The Essex attack were particularly scrappy and the defence of Charlotte Moorhouse, Rachel Dean and Hannah Matthews capitalised on this by turning around the ball for the UEA

advantage.UEA pressurised Essex particularly

well. There were some great passes from Moorhouse and both her and Dean grabbed the rebound incredibly well. By the end of the first quarter UEA lead 9-1.

By the second quarter Essex attempted to step up their game but they could not make this stick as UEA consistently got the ball back towards Makin and shooter Hayley Lewis. Matthews had some particularly good intercepts of Essex balls and Asha Williams as wing attack was solid and strong in her performance.

By the third quarter UEA were leading 15-5 and there seemed to be no real way for Essex to make a comeback. The home side continued to be aggressive. UEA had a brief change around with Lewis moving into wing attack and Williams taking the role of shooter. Whenever the ball was in the hands of Williams she rarely missed and enabled UEA to extend the score to 29-8.

The fourth quarter was undoubtedly UEA’s finest as they scored continuous

goals and Essex failed to score any. The UEA support was incredible, spurring the girls on and denying any chance of Essex success. The game finished 44-8, an incredible end to the netball season for the team.

On the adjacent court the 2s were also playing hard, leading against Essex for the duration of their match. Essex 2s proved equally aggressive as their other team but shooters Maddie Ewer, Deyonte Abbott-Lewis, Fiona Bull and Helena Bradbury performed well to keep the goals coming. Some star performances came from the rest of the team, consisting of Samy Gibson, Becky Borrows, Alex Harvey, Jess Johnson, Ella Crook, Lucie Downs, Emma Wilcox and Jane Botcherby. The girls performed incredibly well as a team and finished their match with a strong 42-19.

Both the netball teams had great matches and helped UEA on their way to an away victory. With this being their final matches of the season it was great to see both teams win and show just how strong they, and UEA, are.

UEA Pool steal the show in Derby Day finale

Sport20 25/03/14Issue 296concrete.sport@hotmail.co.uk

Charlie SavageSports Editor

Netball seal emphatic win against Essex

Editor’s column

Josh Edwards wins Derby Day 2014 for UEA in a stunning encounter against Essex.

Derby Day is always a special moment in the UEA sporting and social calendar, but 2014’s edition is one that will live long in the memory of spectators and participants alike.

A Derby Day in Essex will inevitably be harder to get excited about from a UEA perspective– for one, the majority of our students are still in Norwich and two, the away side normally lose.

But 2014 was different. The media coverage for one was

impeccable. Testament to this was how closely involved UEA students on campus felt to the events over 60 miles away in Essex.

Seeing the results for ‘#DerbyDay2014’ on twitter showed just how enthusiastic everyone became as students both past and present willed UEA over the line.

Throughout the day it was hard to escape the rapport and togetherness of the UEA students that sets it apart from other Universities.

Both players and fans were united in their support that culminated in a brilliant atmosphere around the campus – it felt like a home event.

Heading to various different events, it was heartening to see other UEA clubs support a variety of sports that perhaps would not generate the same notoriety otherwise.

It was fitting that UEA Pool won the crucial game to secure Derby Day and was a success story that warmed the hearts of the whole UEA community.

There were members of Football, Rugby, Hockey, Tennis, Cheerleading etc. getting behind six players, boasting a terrific skill, to a level that they certainly would not be used to, nor expected.

It would be fantastic if this support didn’t have to be just for one day.

Every Wednesday there are great BUCS sports taking place all over campus, and the extraordinary backing that only UEA students can give should be present at each one.

Derby Day 2014 was, for many, the highlight of their University career – but there is no reason why UEA students cannot show that same level of enthusiasm and passion for a whole variety of supports throughout the year.

It is up to us to ensure that Derby Day 2014 can leave a legacy that will affect the lives of every UEA student every single week for years to come.

Holly WadeSports Correspondent

UEA 42Essex 19

Charlie Savage Sports Editor

UEA 19Essex 11

Photo: Will Cockram

With the overall score line tight and the end of the day looming, the women’s hockey side took to the synthetic pitch backed by a partisan away following. Positioned on a slight mound behind the enclosed pitch, choruses singing the praises of UEA and individual players rang out from the visiting fans, only serving to increase an already tense

atmosphere. The women, in UEA’s traditional navy

and yellow, started the match brightly, camping themselves in the Essex half for long periods. Despite not being able to take advantage of a number of goal mouth scrambles, the confidence continued to flow through the away team. Louise Patterson saw shots in quick succession blocked as UEA pressed for the opening goal. However, the hosts were defending resolutely and countering through the impressive number 13.

Essex grew into the match as the half wore on and almost took the lead when a shot deflected just past the post. Unfortunately, UEA didn’t heed the warning sign and fell behind when the ball was slapped home from close range. The goal lifted the vastly outnumbered home supporters and ensured it was UEA who blinked first in an edgy encounter.

Anna – Lena Otzen embarked on a strong run but couldn’t get her shot away as Essex continued to ride their luck in their own half. It seemed inevitable that a UEA goal would come, but the home side were proving clinical in front of goal. UEA were dominating possession but were punished at the back every time Essex came forward. This increasingly frustrating pattern continued when an Essex forward tapped in after a cross had been driven across the face of goal.

With UEA shooting towards the majority of their supporters in the second half, a comeback seemed likely. However, Essex caught the visitors cold immediately after the interval when the home number seven neatly worked her way out of a tight corner before driving the ball towards goal. It was difficult to tell if the cross-cum-shot had taken a deflection on its way in but either way UEA were facing a near impossible task.

The visitors continued to press, winning a number of set pieces which were dealt with consistently by the home

defence. As the game looked headed for a deceptively convincing score line, UEA finally hit the back of the home net through Jessica Wilson to offer hope for the final five minutes. However, Essex held on to claim an important victory, leaving the girls dejected at the harsh result. While the 3-1 score flattered Essex, the UEA side could take mild consolation from the fact that they were the better side but lacked the luck that Essex were granted.

Sport 2125/03/14 Issue 296 concrete.sport@hotmail.co.uk

Women’s Lacrosse ease to Derby Day victory

After finding out that Essex were top of their BUCS league UEA knew they had drawn strong opposition, an opening goal from Essex only confirmed these suspicions. However, following a series of tough games recently, UEA entered with the confidence of having an experienced squad.

UEA quickly found themselves three goals down before Susannah Cant put one away for the visitors. There was frustration from both sides as the ball struggled to move out of the midfield, and the umpire warned the captains about illegal tackles. With the fear of cards being given, the game became much cleaner. A timeout called by Essex worked in UEA’s favour; a change of tactics led to increased possession and more shots on goal.

The second half gave UEA their chance to shine; Milly Heelan moved the ball effortlessly from defence to the

shooters with Moji Adegbile a force to be reckoned with on the tackles. The goals kept rolling in, with UEA looking like the sure winners. But a yellow card for Annie Porter brought the side down to eleven

on the field, forcing them to play safe, so as not to jeopardize their sensational comeback until they were back on even numbers.

With twelve minutes to go in the final

half, UEA were three ahead, but another goal for Essex ensured tensions remained high. One more goal for UEA finalised a score of 9-6 to seal Team UEA’s first victory of Derby Day 2014.

Grace Rundle Sports Correspondent

Women’s Hockey secure 3-1 Derby Day victoryWill MedlockSports correspondent

UEA 9Essex 6

UEA men’s first football team surrendered a two-goal lead against Essex as the point was shared in scorching conditions in Colchester. The match drew a huge crowd, who were certainly not disappointed by the drama and quality produced over the 90 minutes by both sets of players.

UEA set up with a 4-1-4-1 system, seeking to catch Essex on the break at every available opportunity. The opening stages began cautiously, as both sides looked to acclimatise to the weather conditions as well as the boisterous crowd covering the perimeter of the pitch.

Ryan Chapman’s set pieces were a constant threat to the Essex defence and it was an inch perfect delivery from the midfielder that forced the away side into the lead. From just inside Essex’s half, Chapman swung in a ball that decieved the whole defensive line.

An attempted clearance eventually came off Ryan Fletcher and, more through luck than judgment, found its way into the back of the Essex net – cue

delirious celebrations from the travelling support.

It wasn’t long before UEA doubled their advantage. After a measured through ball from Graham, Fletcher found himself locked in a one-on-one dual with the opposing defender. It was the Essex man who blinked first as he went to ground in a last ditch attempt to foil UEA’s goal-scorer.

Despite seeming to mostly get ball, the referee had little hesitation in pointing to the spot, and after a spectator delay, Chapman held his nerve to send the keeper the wrong way and send UEA

fans into ecstasy. The home side offered disappointingly little in the way of attacking options, but this was largely down to the way UEA had set up.

Luke Graham was the linchpin of the UEA team and served to be a constant thorn in Essex’s side during the first half with his strength and expert reading of the game.

Heading into the second half, UEA would have been forgiven in thinking they were cruising towards a Derby Day victory – but it was one momentary lapse in concentration that undid all their hard

work. A ball into the box from the right flank somehow found its way through the whole UEA defensive line, only failing to elude the Essex front man who tapped in from a yard out with their only meaningful chance of the game.

UEA were certainly rocked after that sucker punch and within a minute Essex’s comeback was complete. After a rare sloppy moment in midfield UEA lost possession to an Essex striker, who ingeniously found the top corner of the net whilst surrounded by men from just inside the box, giving Alex Kibbey no chance in goal.

Heading into the final moments of the contest, it was only the away side who looked like getting a winner. Chris Martey and Joe Jones both caused Essex serious problems on the wings after coming on, but UEA lacked the clinical finishing that would have won the game.

UEA dominated the game for all but two minutes and captain Gwion Ap Dafy summed up the feelings of a depleted squad at the full-time whistle: “After leading 2-0, coming off the field at the end with a draw feels like a loss.”

“It’s a harsh lesson for the lads, but I’m sure this will make the squad stronger. We’re still fighting in our BUCS league, and although today was not meant to be, we will use this as our motivation to make sure we put things right in the coming weeks.”

With the day beginning to take shape, UEA women’s rugby team cruised to an emphatic 70-0 victory over their Essex counterparts. As results filtered through from around campus, it appeared that the bid for the title would go down to the wire,

ensuring any UEA point won would be significant.

Before the women’s rugby side could earn their own crucial point, a number of obstacles stood in their way. A delayed start to proceedings, due in large part to the absence of a qualified referee, caused unrest. Padding around the goalposts was also a requirement that the UEA side insisted on having. The tenacity

that the team would show in abundance throughout the course of the game was being displayed with interest before a ball had been kicked. UEA’s number 1, Claire Thomas, also revealed her frustration that the Essex team wanted to play 20 minute halves, as opposed to the conventional 40.

Once a referee was found, and the rules were settled upon, UEA settled into their stride and never looked back. It is

not an exaggeration to say that the hosts did not cross the UEA 22-metre line on one occasion in the first half. The pace and drive of Nina Crowther saw her claim five tries in the first half. There was an air of inevitability whenever the UEA number 10 slalomed her way to the goal line, the outcome already known. The dejected Essex side knew it more than most.

Alice Rayner assumed the role of serial salt rubber in the wounds of Essex as she consistently added the extras to Crowther’s tries to condemn the Blades to a first half obliteration. Thomas, Alice Edwards and Rebecca Edwards also claimed tries for UEA after rucks near the goal line.

Essex found some belief in the second half, despite the 50-0 scoreline. The home team’s number eight appeared the most likely to slip through the UEA backline. The visitors, happy to soak up a little pressure in the early afternoon sun, found their rhythm once more. Alice Edwards appeared to claim her second try of the match, but the referee blew for a foul. Moments later, Hannah Trafford took advantage of UEA’s mainstay in the Essex half, taking the tally to 55-0. Naomi Sadoff came off the bench to claim another try before Crowther and Alice Edwards added more points to round off a sumptuous p e r f o r m a n c e .

Essex second half comeback shocks UEA Sport22 25/03/14Issue 296concrete.sport@hotmail.co.uk

Excellent Crowther inspires Rugby routWill MedlockSports Editor

Charlie Savage Sports Editor

UEA 2Essex 2

Photo: Jonathan Alomoto

Photo: Jonathan Alomoto

A controversial decision to award a penalty to Essex meant that the UEA men’s second team had to come back late on to claim a 3-3 draw in a thrilling encounter in Wivenhoe.

After taking the lead through Gary Hargreaves, UEA fell behind after two quick goals prior the interval. The boys in blue then equalised with Bradley Nelson, before a penalty for either side meant that the teams were forced to share the spoils on Derby Day.

Despite being one of the standout contests on UEA’s triumphant Derby Day, the match started slowly, with neither team wanting to give anything away in the opening exchanges.

The first incident of note fell to the hosts. An in-swinging corner evaded everyone except an Essex defender, whose header was ruled offside, much to the delight of the travelling UEA support who made their presence known throughout.

The deadlock was eventually broken

by UEA, after a sustained period of dominance. After some great jinking wing play, the ball fell to Hargreaves 8-yards from goal and he sent an unstoppable shot past the goalkeeper’s despairing dive.

After being saved by the officials previously, it was another free kick from

the left that brought the Essex equaliser. Although the initial flick-on was saved brilliantly by Kavi Luchowa, there was nothing he could do with the follow up as the Essex man stole home.

Failure to deal with set-pieces began to look like it could be UEA’s downfall

when Essex took the lead on the stroke of half-time, with a thundering header from another free-kick finding the net.

The score line was harsh on UEA, who had more of the play in an edgy first half.

Essex started the second half as strongly as they had finished the first with their big number 10 proving to be a good outlet. However, UEA managed to find their way back into the game thanks to the endeavour of Nelson. A hopeful ball forward was chased by Nelson, who then beat the goalkeeper in the air to nod the ball home.

In an ever changing game the score line once again swung in favour of the hosts, when they were controversially awarded a penalty. When Essex’s substitute striker attempted to round the Luchowa, the referee pointed to the spot, claiming that the keeper had tripped the forward.

Despite the challenge appearing a clean one and the front-man staying on his feet, the big striker dusted himself down to send Luchowa the wrong way.However, there was still time for one more twist. Hastings was scythed down in the area, allowing Alex Willerton to convert the resulting spot-kick. Although UEA had achieved a credible draw, the sense of injustice left them wondering what might have been.

Sport 2325/03/14 Issue 296 concrete.sport@hotmail.co.uk

UEA Cheerleading controversially draw

Derby Day got off to a fun and energetic start with the cheerleading as the UEA Angels took on the Essex Flames. The girls all looked very lively in their fun and glittering outfits. The Flames began with their pom dance, performed to a range of Beyoncé music, always a winner for the crowd. The girls were incredibly in sync with strong presentation. There was a relatively small group of Flames and it was later revealed that their team is also their competition squad so they were very much expected to win. The cheerleading moved on to the Angels stunt performance, opening to the Black Eyed Peas. The girls really held their shapes in the air well and had perfect timing. There were some great gymnastic tumbles and flips, and the girls moved out of their lifts elegantly. The performance as a whole was very upbeat and the ending was particularly dramatic. The Flames then took their turn to perform their stunt routine. There was a lot going on and, at points, it was difficult to fully engage with everything happening at once and so quickly. One

girl was dropped and, unlike UEA, the Flames struggled to keep her up in the air. Their moves as a whole seemed difficult, but were performed with a strong energy. The girls weren’t always in sync, but their ending was very theatrical and added to their overall performance. The finale of the cheerleading came with the UEA Angels pom dance. The girls performed brilliantly with huge energy and an amazing performance, their facial expressions really showing the fun they were having. The dance was upbeat, fun and engaging for the audience and, as the Angels had a much bigger group of girls performing, it was more unique. After around 20 minutes of deliberating the results were in. The Essex Flames won the pom dance, as was expected due to their usage of their competition squad, and it was a draw for the stunt performances. The judges clearly had huge difficulty in choosing the winner and with both universities dropping a girl in their stunt routine the outcome was fair. Overall, the UEA Angels performed fantastically and were robbed of a win in their dance section. The fun and engaging performances from all of the competitors were a delight for all of the spectators and got the day off to a great start.

Holly WadeSports Correspondent

Double penalty drama envelops men’s football Will TempleSports Correspondent

UEA 3Essex 3

Photo: Patrick Sumner-Stokes

Photo: Will Cockram

Issue 296

25 March 2014

SPORT

Derby Day special

Photos: Jonathan Alomoto, Patrick Sumner-Stokes & Will Cockram