Games Film Wii vs. PS3: The playtest The new Travel Bond page 4 page 14 page 20 h e student newspaper of Imperial College No. 1,365 • Friday • 24 November 2006 • ffelixelix felixonline.co.uk Students say yes to NUS Left to right: Jon Matthews (Returning Officer) announces the result; John Collins (Union President and Yes supporter) loses his cool; Gemma Tumelty (NUS President) letting those back at NUS HQ know the result; Alex Guite (leader of the Yes campaign) embraces Ms Tumelty; and Stephen Brown, vocal No campaigner, expresses his dissatisfaction Andy Sykes numbers, this means more than John Collins, Union President, followers in the national student our students have spoken, so our Editor-in-chief 4,000 students voted. said he was “delighted [with] what movement. We ran a clean and sabbatical officers must work hard Though many around the Union has become the largest union positive campaign, over the last to get value for money from the Imperial College Union will affiliate had been predicting a landslide ei- democratic exercise ever to take two weeks we’ve put up hundreds NUS and push for the reform they to the National Union of Students ther way, the final result came very place at Imperial”. Collins also had of posters and spoken to thousands have agreed it needs.” (NUS), pending approval by the close, with only 261 votes separat- words of praise for both camps: “I of students. Thanks to all those who The Union has never affiliated to NUS conference, after the refer- ing the two camps. would like to thank both Alex Guite voted yes to discounts and yes to a the NUS for more than 12 months endum result was announced last As the results were announced, and James Fok for organising bril- stronger Imperial College Union. at a time, with affiliation motions week as “yes”. John Collins, Union President and liant campaigns, Live! and Felix for Thanks also to those students who usually followed by disaffiliation in After three days of dedicated supporter of the Yes campaign, co-ordinating a balanced debate, campaigned tirelessly for the yes the following academic year. Rum- campaigning by both sides, the re- let out a deafening yell. Ben Har- and I would like to commend Jon campaign and thanks also to the no blings have been heard from the No sults were announced last Friday ris, Deputy President (Education Matthews, the Returning Officer, campaign for making it an enter- campaign, promising a disaffilia- night in Da Vinci’s. The final result & Welfare) jumped to his feet, and for keeping a lid on what has been taining referendum.” tion petition next year. As it is, the showed 53% of those who voted Gemma Tumelty (NUS President) an explosive and heated week of On the other side, James Fok, No campaign are resolved to make chose to vote yes to the question: looked stunned. The No campaign- banter.” the leader of the No campaign and sure the Union now makes good on “Should Imperial College Union af- ers present, including CGCU Presi- Alex Guite, the leader of the Yes CGCU President, said: “I firmly be- its promise to reform the NUS from filiate to the NUS?” 47% voted no. dent James Fok and Live! Editor campaign, commented to Live!, lieve that this is not the right deci- the inside, according to one anony- The result has some historic sig- Ashley Brown, met the result with a the CGCU online newspaper: “This sion for us, and that the money could mous A-NUS member. nificance, drawing the highest turn- resigned look. A few students in the is an awesome result for Imperial be better spent elsewhere. Since The referendum was not without out of any referendum or election bar were confused as to what was students. It’s right that as we move the formation of the NUS, Imperial its fair share of problems, and Fe- in living memory, with final turnout happening, asking this reporter into our centenary year that we’re and its students have never had a lix eargerly awaits the report of the standing at just over 30%. In real what election had just been held. back where we belong: leaders not good lasting relationship. However, Returning Officer. 2 felix Friday 24 November 2006 NEWS [email protected] Chem Eng incident Referendum results Fire Brigade called to investigate a waste barrel giving off smoke The graph below shows voting common areas of campus, with numbers versus time; the pink those canvassed returning to line indicates yes votes, and the computer rooms to vote. Andy Sykes blue line indicates no votes. On Wednesday, personalised Editor-in-chief Initially, the no campaign were emails were sent to all those leading by around 200 votes at who had not voted already, and The Fire Brigade was called to the end of the first day of voting. the Medic President reminded South Kensington campus last At this point, emails had been his consituents to vote, resulting Thursday, when a barrel contain- sent to all student eligable to in the huge spike in voting. ing around five litres of chlorinated vote, reminding them to vote. The yes campaign took waste chemicals began giving off The sharp increase in numbers the lead just before 6pm on white fumes. voting on Tuesday afternoon Wednesday, and remained in According to the Head of Depart- was likely due to the heavy the lead by around 250 votes ment for Chemical Engineering, campaigning by both sides at until the close of voting. Percent- waste was being disposed of into lunchtime on the walkway, in age results were 53.3% for yes, the barrel when a gas was released, the JCR, Dalby Court and other 46.7% for no. which was mainly hydrochloric acid. The Fire Brigade were called, and within fifteen minutes a number of appliances had arrived; eventually there were more than 8 appliances and a number of incident support vehicles on site. The cordoning off of the area closed the Walkway, the rear of the Sherfield Building, and the build- ings around the Chemical Engi- neering building. However, a lone student was spotted striding pur- posefully towards the site, before being chastised by a security officer. Decontamination showers were set up, and a number of officers were kitted out with hazmat suits. Fire hydrants around the Chem Eng building were found to be in- active by the Brigade, who had to bring water from the side of the Sherfield building. This was due to recent works to install a Combined Students targeted for sex Heat and Power (CHP) unit nearby. A number of students approached acts in UCL campus toilets this reporter with concerns over the way the incident was handled, and Felix put these questions to Ceri UCL’s new student newspaper, Pi place to find “horny fresher types,” Davis, Head of Security. No alarms Squared, has uncovered a bizarre and that there is “tons of action go- sounded in the building; Mr Davis story involving older men “cruis- ing on”. The site urges readers “to says that this is because the evacua- ing” the male toilets on the UCL be discreet so this place is kept!” tion needs to be controlled to direct campus at Gower Street, looking The reporters even managed to people away from the dangerous for sex with students. locate one man, known as “Steve”, area. Exiting through the nearest Rumours that the toilets were who had apparently been cruising exit could endanger students. The known as a regular spot for older the facilities after finishing work. slow evacuation of the building was men to pick up younger male stu- Students have complained of men in response to the need to increase dents have been floating around the attempting to climb into their toilet the size of the cordon based on ad- campus for a number of months. cubicles, with the same student be- vice from officers on the scene. Mr However, the team at Pi Squared ing targeted twice this year. Davis added: “The management of discovered posts on an Internet “Cruising” describes the act of the incident from a Security point of Firemen find the hydrants around Chem Eng inactive, requiring them forum, dating back as far as 2004, searching a public place in order to view went very well.” to bring water from the other side of the Sherfield bulding stating that the toilets were a good find a sex partner. felix 1,365 Friday 24.11.06 Sudan Tragedy Angry letters clues “The cause of Sudanese internal “The most common obstacle to conflict is generally attributed to solving crosswords is not knowing ethnic divisions and control over the types of clue commonly used, vital natural resources as well and finding them too complicated as the disparity in development as a result – in actual fact, there between ‘outer’ regions such as are only a dozen or so frequently Darfur and the wealthier ‘Blue Nile’ used types of clue (or parts area.” thereof) that are needed to solve PAGE 7 most crosswords.” PAGE 23 Shlo-motion hip hop “It is often suggested that he now IC rules the water represents Britain’s most gifted “Imperial dominated the compe- beatboxer and the set was cer- tition, as well as being the first tainly amongst the best I’ve seen.” university on the water. Notable PAGE 13 Lo-fi fashion highlights included: a top 5 place “A lot of the price tags will make for Chris in the highly competitive A thorny subject you choke, but you can find some Freestyle, a 2nd and 3rd in the “I’ve been looking forward to Dou- key fashion pieces here.