5'
The student newspaper of Imperial College
Issue 1060 FELIX June 7th 1996 £6 million blown in Ariane disaster BY BEN WILK1NS initial reaction was one of 'disbe- Scientists from Imperial watched lief. The overall cost of the with horror as 10 years' work was project was over £6 million and wiped out in seconds last scientists and engineers have Tuesday when the Ariane 5 been designing and building the rocket, on its maiden flight, the instruments in the Physics exploded during its launch. On department since 1988. board were the four Cluster Chris Carr, a research offi- spacecraft carrying instruments cer who helped to build the designed and built by a team led instruments, was watching the by Imperial. launch from the European Space Ariane 5 took off from Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Kourou in French Guiana at 1:35 where the mission would have GMT. But just 27 seconds into been controlled from. "We the flight, a guidance system didn't have a very good view. At fault caused the 750 tonne first a lot of us thought we had rocket to veer wildly off course. just lost the picture. When we The rocket started to break up saw the flaming fragments 30 seconds later and ground coming down, we realised that controllers decided to end the was it. Then there was complete mission for safety reasons. Two silence for what seemed like a explosions were triggered in the very long time" main fuel tanks, destroying the Ariane 5 was the first of a rocket and its £500 million cargo. new generation of satellite On the launch pad, jubilation launchers, the most powerful turned to dismay as scientists ever built by ESA. This, the first watched the burning debris rain flight, was officially experimen- back down to earth. tal, and the decision to launch Malcolm Dunlop from the the Cluster mission on it was Physics department, one of the partly in order to keep the cost investigators involved in the clus- down. But Malcolm Dunlop ter mission, was watching the insists that the decision to put launch via a satellite link up at the satellites on a test flight was the Rutherford Appleton the correct one. "Rocketry is a As it should have been: Ariane 501 in launch. Laboratory in Oxfordshire. His Continued on page two
Stoic wins awards Disturbance for weeks Entertain us
Stoic, the student television of Weeks Hall students have com- ICU Council has approved IC, has won two awards in plained that their exam revision proposals for a £109,000 refit of national atudent TV awards. has been disturbed by builders the entertainments lounge. The Robin Riley and Carlo Masser- constructing a path beside them. plans, which are due to go ahead ello won prizes for news cover- Work due to take a week has this summer, will increase the age and live broadcasts, page 2 lasted a month. page 3 capacity of the venue. page 3 TWO . FELIX FRIDAY JUNE 7TH 1 996 NEWS
continued from front page only way to get details of the risky business" he said, compar- three dimensional structure of STOIC triumphs ing Ariane 5 to the Space Shuttle the magnetosphere is to have disaster. "There's no reason why four spacecraft. Previous this one should have been any missions with only one or two more dangerous than subsequent spacecraft could only give ones." limited results." The European Space Agency It is too early to say what Cluster mission was due to spend will happen to the Cluster the next two years in orbit mission next. According to Chris around earth to study the inter- Carr the fundamental need for action between the solar wind this research still exists and this and the earth's magnetic field - research cannot be done in any the magnetosphere - which other way "Its difficult to know protects the earth from sun's what will happen. Somebody will more violent outbursts. These have to decide whether this observations would give scien- science is important enough to tists a better understanding of launch another mission" space 'weather'. They hoped to Dr Dunlop is optimistic resolve unanswered questions on about the future. He pointed out how the sun causes phenomena that although the spacecraft were in earth's environment such as lost, allthe research and develop- the aurora, power surges in trans- ment has been done. "Its rather mission lines and disturbances in like paying someone to develop broadcasting. some software for ten years and
PHOTO: MARK BAKER Cluster was a unique then throwing the computer out Carlo and Robin of STOIC with some of their award winning kit. mission described as a corner- of the window - luckily the soft- stone experiment by space scien- ware was backed up, but we need BY ALEX FEAKES stations in the country. tists. "It would have been enor- someone to pay for a new Members of STOIC, the Student "Compared to STOIC, GUST is mous." said Dr Dunlop. "The computer!" Television Of Imperial College, a much larger operation," said have been celebrating success in Robin Riley, Features Editor of the annual student TV awards STOIC. "STOIC's strengths are News in brief ceremony hosted by in Norwich in editing, which is at least five by the University of East Anglia's years ahead of everyone else," he steve: ace dence vote for the ULU student television station. continued, pointing out that IC Boat Club's coach, Steve Ellis, President Ghassan Karian. Mr STOIC have been singled out in whereas most student TV is done has been selected for the British Karrian left his job last week to two categories: Best Live by media students, often for part lightweight four entering this take up a position as a Coverage and Best News of their degree, STOIC's efforts summer's Atlanta Olympics. campaigner for the Labour Party. Coverage. were by relative amateurs. Trials were held in Lucerne last The anouncement of the Carlo Masserella, STOIC's Their entries into the weekend: Steve told Felix that it move less than a fortnight after Chair, said that the awards were competition were a bit of an after was '99% certain' he would be his successor, ICU president "good for STOIC," and that he thought, according to Mr Riley: chosen. "We rowed better on Sarah White, was elected has was pleased that people are "We were surprised to win Friday and Saturday than we been described as "cynical and getting some recognition for their anything this year, as we didn't have done in two years, though manipulative" by a ULU spokes- efforts. Mr Masserella himself go. The tapes were sent off out we almost ballsed it up on man. Ghassan was elected to won the Best News Coverage of tradition really." He explained Sunday," he said. Describing the continue in his present position award for a short article about that their absence from the selection as being 'unfeasibly until the end of July, and the Internet, while the other conference was due to a disagree- competitive' he explained that although he has resigned his award was won for the live cover- ment over the ethos of the there is only one lightweight salary, he retains his job status age of the band Urban Spice by a awards, and that while STOIC men's boat entering, providing whilst working full-time as team comprising Robin Riley, made TV for broadcasting - both only four spaces for Britain's top General Election Campaign Piers Williams, Eliott Parish and their entries were programmes 11-stone or under rowers. "You Coordinator for the West Mark Brown. The conference, which had been broadcast - some can't afford to have one bad London area for the Labour under the auspices of NaSTA, stations had "very obviously day," he said. Party. the National Student TV made programmes specifically to IC Boat club manager Bill Representatives at the Association, invited professional win awards." Mason's women's eight will be Council meeting were deterred journalists to judge the entries Mr Riley said that he felt competing for a place in Atlanta from pushing for a no-confidence for the 15 categories. that this went against the spirit in the Olympic regatta this vote only by virtue of the fact Other awards were scooped of NaSTA, and was not what weekend. that it would make the job up by Birmingham's student TV, they wanted to do in STOIC, handover for Sarah even more UEA's Nexus, and the rest by and whilst they were pleased to threat to Ghassan difficult than it is already. "I Glasgow University's GUST, win the awards, "they don't Delegates at Tuesday's Imperial think I would have had a nervous one of the largest and better really mean anything to us." College Union Council were breakdown," Miss White com- equipped student television mandated to support a no confi- mented. NEWS FELIX FRIDAY JUNE 7TH 1996 . THREE Weeks awakes to morning chorus BY ALEX FEAKES speaking loudly above the grind- Residents in Weeks Hall have ing of a paving slab being cut, "we relief from three weeks of build- raised a petition, and gave it to ing in sight this week, as a project the housekeeper, but we were to open up Imperial's newly told to take it further." acquired garden behind the hall Indeed, someone did take it draws to a close. Workmen are further, responding to a spoof creating a path alongside the poster placed about the hall Hall, but have raised the ire of showing the telephone number students in the hall who are for Ian Caldwell, "Director of trying to study for their summer Revision," and rang up the examinations. College's Director of Estates. The students have been Mr Caldwell said that it was driven to complain because the the lirst he had heard of the work has continued right into the problems, saying that the exam period, when the original students hadn't even spoken to notice that they were given, their Warden about it. But he dated May 15th, said that it outlined some proposals on how should have been completed they planned to alleviate the within a week. The problem had noise, including having set times been aggravated by the hot for slab cutting and digging, or weather, when students often relocating the cutting to some- have their windows open, and the where else. He stressed that "We pressure on space in other study are sensitive to exam pressures, areas on campus. although some students may not Talking to Felix, residents in believe that." the rooms facing the new garden The gardens behind the Hall explained how initially the noise were purchased by the College a hadn't been that much of a prob- few months ago as a possible site lem, but when mechanical for an underground sports centre. diggers and circular saws started Mr Caldwell is keen to encourage being used, the level of noise just people to use the gardens for got too much. "They start at study, and the new path is meant
eight sometimes," said one, to provide access. PHOTO: ALEX FEAKES UCAS director advises Ents lounge refit gets students: do it now Council qo-ahead
BY THE NEWS TEAM in the higher education system. Students should expect to pay A report published by the Higher ^7 fees from 1997 according to the Education Funding Council for Chairman of the Universities and England (HEFCE) this week ks-ctteif£r rsC':c;; ,\ Colleges Admissions Service. In a revealed that 79 per cent of UK statement this week Tony science, medicine and engineer- nri Higgins urged school-leavers not ing departments have been Stage to deier entry. unable to perform critical exper- Entertainments/ Each year, 40,000 students iments due to cuts in Higher Lounge resit their exams to try and Education funding. improve their grades and go to This news will add to the their course of choice. This year, hardship of students who already :M l Is \\MLr va. students are being recommended have threats of a graduate tax and to take an alternative course the abolishing of grants hanging ICU Council this week approved plans lor the refurbishment and rather than resit. "We are saying, over their heads. In a meeting of expansion of the Ents lounge. "It's about time!" commented Ents if you have a place this year you the Committee of Vice manager Mark Home, "It means that that maybe Ents will be taken should take it, otherwise you Chancellors and Principals more seriously at Imperial, and will bring the Ents here in line with might be caught out by a fee next (CVCP) in February, top-up fees other London Colleges". The £109,000 refit is due to be completed year," said Mr Higgins. of up to £3000 a year had been by the second week in September. Although offering a minimal The recommendations come suggested. At present IC has no increase in capacity, "it will provide a vast improvement in the stan- during a climate of funding cuts plans to charge students. dard of service," a thrilled Mark said. FOUR . FELIX FRIDAY JUNE 7TH 1996 FEATURE
past the Treasury select committee report believes ture expansion, independent of building in Whitehall any day this to be be overly optimistic. the external constraints imposed wand listen closely. On a good day To date, the largest projects are by government budgets. you can just about make out a transport related, with £2.9bn of However, rather than popularis- chorus of Treasury officials the current £5bn worth of PFI ing the scheme, it has lead to indoctrinating yet another public projects coming form one greater confusion amongst offi- sector body with the PFI mantra scheme alone - the channel tun- cials at universities, because they Private - a Syren's tune that draws lis- nel rail link. say the Treasury has not under- teners into a world populated by stood their status. Crucially, says companies 'value for money service he scheme is promoted Mike Hansen, Director of providers', 'efficient risk alloca- nationwide by the Private Finance for Imperial, "they do now build, tion' and 'specified outputs'. T Finance Panel - a sort of not appear to know that universi- maintain and operate services such Taking the as roads, hospitals and prisons, in return for initiative a service he PFI (Private Finance pinstriped Jesus Army playing ty borrowing does not affect the payment. TInitiative), introduced in The Tune on clicking calculator public deficit at all," thus invali- 1992, is a scheme that keys; however, despite their best dating the covert reason for the envisages more efficient public evangelical efforts, there are scheme's introduction. service provision through part- clearly problems. The appoint- Should they nership with the private sector. ment this week of a new niversities had assumed Private companies now build, Chairman to the PFI panel, Ross U that the government be running maintain and operate services Goobey (the third in six was tacitly acknowledg- such as roads, hospitals and pris- months); the withdrawal of Bovis ing that HE institutions aren't universities ons, in return for a service pay- from the Initiative, citing com- really in the public sector by ment. The assumption is that plexities in the bidding process excluding them from the manda- too? the private sector is better and excessive bureaucracy, and tory PFI test. That they get sig- equipped to deal with certain relaxation of some of the nificant funding from the risks and complications in build- Treasury guidelines, are all testa- Treasury is irrelevant. ing large projects (the £500m ment to this. Universities are self governing overspend on The British establishments, and as Mike Library would support this n a valiant drive to widen the Hansen states, "it's got nothing hypothesis). Further, they can influence of the initiative, to do with the government, bring innovation in design and I where we get our money from. pressure is now being put on deliver at a price which repre- HE institutions to test their pro- We can go to a bank, borrow sents good value for money com- jects for its application. from the bond market or use the pared to a purely publicly fund- Universities are currently PFI; it just depends on each ed and operated option. exempt from a mandatory test to case." Mike Hansen epitomises determine if the proposed pro- the pragmatic view: the PFI may be useful for some projects, but he Initiative is projected ject is suitable for private sector because universities have not his- to grow significantly: the involvement. Supporters claim T that it will enable universities to torically operated under public Treasury's own target is sector constraints, the scheme for £14bn worth of deals by be equipped with the most mod- doesn't offer anything new. 1999, but a recent Treasury ern facilities and plan infrastruc- FEATURE FELIX FRIDAY JUNE 7TH 1996 . FIVE
f course, cuts in the cap- Biomedical Sciences building, O ital grant, which thus far ike Hansen concedes, funded partly by a HEFCE grant amount to 33% this year M however, that the PFI and partly from the College's and a further 20% for next year can deliver benefits reserves, provides evidence that could force the universities' through sharing risks and/or there are easier options than the hand, but this, Mike Hansen costs, and its introduction does at PFI for the university sector. The believes, simply reinforces the least offer another possible solu- PFI is currently the least pre- cynical view, that the PFI is tion. PFI type deals have seen ferred option. largely to reduce the govern- services such as car parking con- he mantra does have an ment's public deficit. The cur- tracted out to private operators - appealing line, otherwise rent round of gladiatorial effi- hardly the stuff to whip up con- T the other parties wouldn't ciency savings at the Treasury troversy in the SCR - but what have joined the chorus proclaim-
will put more pressure on the would you think if your lab was- ing it in the same visionary terms institutions to charge student's n't owned by the College? Would as the government. But the solu- fees at a fair rate, giving them you feel less secure if a private tion to capital financing in the control over their own income. operator was running your hall of HE sector cannot be divorced residence? from the whole problem of stu- rofessor Norman Gowar, dent finances. Only when the P Principal of Royal ne extreme view envis- Dearing Committee's report is Holloway and Bedford O aged by mass use of the published next summer will insti- New College, sums up the cur- PFI sees universities as tutions be able to make coherent rent quandary: "the current virtual entities, merely enabling long term plans. [funding | system has all the dis- the provision of teaching and advantages of a market system, research through private agree- here is no doubt that sen- with none of the advantages." ments, rather than asset owning Tsible and relevant co-oper- Furthermore, PFI-type projects providers - there are already ation between public and are not new in the university sec- plans for an entire campus to be private sector can deliver the tor, as Mike Hansen states, "we constructed in this way. Such a benefits that the PFI claims. The by Nooman have operated a common heating vision is unlikely to become real- Initiative in particular needs to system with the museums for ity in institutions such as gain wider private sector Haque, with thirty five years, and a common Imperial, where private firms approval. So long as cynicism library with the science museum cannot provide the high quality pervades the interpretation thanks to Mike for the last three years. This isn't demanded, for the simple reason behind the scheme, it will take revolutionary, it's common that no such firms exist at the more than the Happy Clappers Hansen sense." It's relevance is further moment. The College is certainly of Whitehall to ensure its long undermined by the evidence of not prepared to risk its reputa- term success. the growth of the new universi- tion by entering into long term ties, who took advantage of the deals with untried firms which photo: Mark 1992 borrowing regulations and nobody has experience in negoti- embarked on large expansion ating, simply to impress Treasury Baker programmes. officials. The controversial JtmF* k
LIVE MUSIC A SHOWGIRLS Of if YJ U ClUT"" live hard house from JAMES HOCKLEY ROOM 1 ROOM 2 Pood I eChaos ^ cha with live percussion from doh! featuring DJ Cosy Slippers, SOVNOSYSTEM J-Trance (New Decade)
The Bard (Starfish),Billy M«C!fmertes /y DOrtM 1 & tarof card reader TREE ! Glass of Archers & femcmaxle MEG A-BUFFET & BARBECUE CLUB DECOR THROUGHOUT STRING QUARTET, JUGGLERS ETC FRI JUNi 28TH 9 - 3am £5/ £4 (ENTSCARDS) (mora on door) ROAR T-JWtVCdL. /AfPCA'Al COLLCCf TSt.; OI7J S-OI m&tSZt Tickets on sale NOW ! from ICU office & DaVinci's Bar Cool things to do with any left over student loan, #1: buy a work of art. 1,300 works of art are on display in what is an utterly overwhelming exhibition. Paintings, prints, sculpture and arcliitectural designs cram the walls of 13 galleries, floor to ceiling. There is a massive range: eveiything from 6- foot carbon and steel sculpture to tiny minia- ture portraits. The exhibition also features a fascinating range of architectural models, including the rejected Cardiff opera house plan, the Millenium ROYAL ACADEMY SUMMER EXHIBITION wheel proposed for the South Bank, and the new Wellcome wing of the Science museum. Right: Edward Cullinan Weald and Downland Workshop, ink on trace (not for sale) Above: John Bellany Bounteous Sea (triptych), oil (£55,000) Royal Acadany of Arts, from Sunday exhibition: royal academy summer exhibition™ column: simon baker* — y_M insight: the skew from the tower - " S: tr .* album: manic street preachers - everything must go,i Vlll album: super furry animals - fuzzy logical* album: meat beat manifesto - subjjrninal sandwich™ -IX singlesis . pulaski, hILA and rachel —X album: soundgarden - down on the upside album: 60ft dolls - the big 3» —: play: one knight-iidria, n thurston-gordon ( -XV simon baker ual harassment suit, by Nay, nay and thrice nay. virtue of him being com- It's a lie, a vicious lie. OK, I mander-in-chief and thus a had had a skinful, but member of the armed 'can't dance for toffee' is a forces. In Italy, former heinous libel. Once my prime ministers Andreotti lawyers had stopped and Berlusconi have been laughing, I decided to take charged with corruption, no further action. Under along with huge numbers of normal circumstances, I governmental, industrial dance like a demon. Honest, guvnor, and if you and judicial figures. Before labelling the mother want proof I shall be out this very night bopping of modem democracies rotten and corrupt, it is away to that new-fangled sound the young peo- worth putting into perspective the behaviour of ple call techno, location as yet unknown, but in wife-swapping, toe-sucking politicians. the presence of witnesses. And as for you Ms Nobody's perfect, but in this case the grass is Editor, one embarrassing moment and Uncle greener on this side. Simon's down on you like a ton of the prover- The BMS building seems to be ticking along bials! nicely (although the Chemistry building is After nearly eight months of my weekly vibrating ridiculously at times), but the Library elaboration of sound ideas (ranting) with virtual- project is verging on the farcical. I am one of the ly no response from anyone, it was heartwarm- lucky ones: work started the day after my last ing to see, as with London buses, two come along exam, and I have sympathy for those trying to at once. Richard Halls' letter about the mobile secure their employment prospects in there at phone ban was satisfying on its own - you're on the moment. It is certainly true that the really my Christmas card list, Richard - but to receive noisy work is done before opening, and when correspondence from the Academic Registrar is they say noisy, they are not kidding - it involves more than a humble scribe such as myself ever smashing concrete and cutting steel with angle hoped for. Modesty forbids me replying to the grinders. The fact of the matter is that no work initial comparisons with Private Eye (flattery will should be undertaken on this project during the get you everywhere), but I must apologise to week. You cannot excavate buildings quietiy, and Vemon McClure for demoting him and to Nigel the College should not sanction any activities Wheatley lor overbilling his part. Since you will that can potentially damage the prospects of its both be processing my degree this month, I can students. A little imaginative planning from only say that you are both wonderful, the best College Estates and Schal could undoubtedly people for the jobs, and I'd appreciate those ensure that the job could be done at weekends Geneva bank account numbers I asked for. and early in the holidays. Yes, it would cost more, Making excuses, the head count was not made but if the relevant authorities had stipulated in by me, but what I said about qualifications was the contract that Schal could not throw money that the 'place of study of your degree' was what away on things such as the thoroughly pointless you wanted to know rather than where the Hard Hat' pamphlet and the ever-increasing application is being made to. I took it for granted signs around the site perimeter (if these signs that the application wouldn't end up at were at the behest of my good friend Mr Aberystwyth. This is a petty point, since the real- Caldwell, I apologise). I appreciate that you can- isation that not only do people in high places read not make omelettes without breaking eggs, but my column but listen to what I say too, fills this such scant regard for students at such a critical embittered old hack's heart with joy and makes time is just not on. If the project had been prop- it all worthwhile. erly managed, work would have begun last October, and I would love to hear why this was Now down to business. Sleaze, albeit in not done. All I can say is that life here in the six- small measure, caught up with the Government ties at the time of all the major redevelopment again last weekend when one of the Welsh must have been awful. Or perhaps students Ministers resigned over an alleged affair. While it were not viewed as those annoying little sods in no way affects his ability to conduct his job, it who limit the scope for conferences in those was good to see that he took the most hon- days. ourable course, of action. In the same week, the Whitewater affair across the Atlantic resulted in It would seem that English football is again three convictions for fraud. In each case the star dogged with the problem of hooliganism, the witness was Bill 'inhalation only' Clinton, and his twist this time being that it is the players who testimony was completely rejected by the jury. have committed the misdemeanours. Mr Put simply, they believe the President to be lying. Gascoigne was apparently the protagonist in the It must be remembered that the last time the wecking of the team plane, damaging a couple President was caught telling porkies, he (Richard of TVs. For my money, if they win Euro '96, they Nixon) was forced to resign. If Clinton continues can trash the entire Cathay Pacific fleet and I'll like this, he may well follow the same path. pick up the tab. In that event, there will be one Additionally, the man who dodged the draft in columnist sobbing so uncontrollably with joy Vietnam is now using the immunity from prose- that the Thames barrier will have to be raised. - cution granted to a serving soldier to avoid a sex- MILLIONS of touristshav e been photographed doing it, Superman did it once but changed his mind, now, John Burland, Professor >in of Soil Mechanics at Imperial College, hopes to stop the famous Tower of Pisa from leaning toofar . Sarah Tomlin reports. The Skew from the Tower he leaning Tower of Pisa has been allowing the tower to sink back down T closed to the public since 1989, when on this side. Tests in the laboratory another tower in Pavia collapsed, looked promising, but engineers who killing four people. Because of the historic and tried this technique did not meet with tourist value of the tower, the Italian govern- success. ment immediately set up a commission to The other technique on trial investigate ways to save it. The commission involved the removal of some of the now believes the tower could topple over at any soft clay beneath the north side. The time. The overhang is already 4.5 meters on the main difficulty with this method is south side and it leans a millimetre more to the the precarious state of the monu- south every year. The weakest point of the ment; clay has to be extracted from tower is the compressed masonry near the base under the tower without gready dis- on the south side, which is under enormous turbing it. The soil extraction tech- strain and is in constant danger of exploding nique developed by John Burland and outwards. his colleagues uses specially designed The reason why the tower leans in the first drills, which have external casings only place is a lesson for construction engineers twenty centimetres in diameter. everywhere. The source of the problem is a These can be inserted into the ground layer of very soft clay about ten meters below with the minimum of disturbance, the tower. Professor Burland compared it to and clay can be extracted one cubic building a tower of bricks on a very soft carpet. centimetre at a time. It is hoped that On the south side of the tower, the clay layer is removing the soil in this highly con- very slightly more compressible. This is why trolled way will allow engineers to the tower leans to the south, although accord- monitor the stability of the tower at all ing to Professor Burland, the tower would have times. If the work goes ahead and is ended up leaning anyway. successful, they will reduce the 5.5 You may find it surprising that the tower degree inclination of the tower by has survived to the present day intact but it is around 10%. Not enough that the average tourist would notice according to nothing short of a miracle that construction of pumped 80 tonnes of cement into the founda- Professor Burland but he is optimistic about the the tower was completed in the first place. The tions, causing it to tilt even further. In 1991 there future of the tower: "If we are allowed to do the tower owes its very existence to the changing was a proposal to chop the tower off at the base soil extraction we will save it, extending its life by fortunes of Pisa. Work was begun in 1174, but with a diamond saw and then straighten it out another 500 years." And if no work is done? "It construction was held up several times when with hydraulic winches. A number of less will fall over! We don't know when, but it could Pisa ran out of money, or needed it for more destructive measures were taken in 1992. To be as soon as 2 or 3 years". important concerns, like fightingwars . If it had prevent the stonemasonry from bursting out- not been for these breaks during construction, wards, the lower walls were wrapped in steel the tower would have fallen over a long time ago. cables. And in an effort to counterbalance the Fortunately, building work was stopped each tilt, 600 tonnes of lead weights were placed on time just before it became critical, and the pass- the foundations on the north side. Professor ing years allowed the tower to settle down in the Burland seems pleased with the results so far. clay. In fact, the tower was already listing to the "We have reduced the inclination by 2cm and south when the bell tower was finally added two the overturning moment by 14% - in other hundred years later. The builders tried their own words, the tower is 14% safer." However these cosmetic surgery on the tower by slanting the are only temporary measures to prevent damage bell tower to the north. Today there are six steps to the monument occurring before a permanent to the bell chamber on the south side and four to solution can be found. the north, giving the tower an overall banana In 1993 Italian and British engineers began shape. tests near the tower to evaluate the viability of If the architects of the 12th century were two different techniques. Both hoped to solve bananas to try to build their tower on a layer of the underlying problem in the layer of soft clay. soft clay, drere have been many equally crazy Carlo Viggiamo of the University of Naples attempts to save the tower, some planned to drain water from the clay on the If you have a civil engineering problem, which have done more damage north side using electro-osmosis. If the clay Professor John Burland of soil mechan- than good. In the 1930s Mussolini IX could be dried out in this way, it would shrink, ics can straighten it out. 'MM'M]M':IS'M%£-, Must Go', 'Further Away' and Australia', wMe nt responsibilities 'Enola/Alone' and 'Interiors' have an altt^itfer' MM Cv?if.;>'* iM] if: ? [The Manic Street Preachers have had an unusu- 'Removeables' is reminiscent of Nirvana's Jl year or so. First of all guitarist Richey Edwards 'Lithium', 'Small Black Flowers' has acoustic gnu- :::i,:|P- ? " ' ' ' " V' ^ ' V ' ':' . '. [vanished w ithout trace. The remaining members* ' in.ul lion i buble tivuble M]]]]M^M:-7;7MMM7M-. ^ ; 'ih., : ;.::: eirdest band name since lamous catchphrr "Nice to see you, to see you ^^'M]OM;SW^MMMS?M:'-- nice." Use whole album sounds as if it was writ- gles: 'Hometown Union' and 'God' Show Me, ten w 1 :rie psychedelic trip, and there is MM?: : :: ? ZlMiMM] : . Mf Magic' to tantalise our ears before hittii ig us with even one song i evoted to gravity and how it the lull force of Turn' Logic'. It contains songs,: ]':'\M]?M?1':''?7:.]M! stith as 'Something For The Weekend' that 'IhftflinfcS'lBcorpjrate cool quirky sound MMM. ? MM \MMM\ cause the singles to shrink into insignificance. eMeets into their music, also managing a bit of Z'MIMMMMM.-I- The album's lull ol 2Vi minute pop songs to whooping while singing about shellsuits, mar- * i\''MM? M'MM']MM:-.]M:MM: keep you entertained with one loucbingly riage i age idiot's daughter and honey- M :'-,. moon in Cyprus. Super Furry Animals are a fun : MM.'}''. ' ":'.' :' "- .M::MM]MM::.M' ]MMM'^I:M7?:':M^?]:MM] album: meat b - : This very long pla \ : passed rat k in the manifesto- sut two hours that I li>l«K.ll U) it. I .suppot*.* tea. s MM??? '-??:']'M'-' the point of ami ion c, but surely there's more to it than that? What is la. placebo a6 degrees MS innovation of Orbital :': M?:?-?M? >.-?M.?:M'?. album, Meat Beat Mamie loe touch of Jam and Sr. M"I'M??'??]? ']'??: ?-'?? gazers. In iat t thev appear : ] ?M''''''''',:' ? MM? ? AphecTwin or somebody I ion their own musical even expect a ;bit of - : ??- : ;' : Coven, a moogl iaselec- but no, the - :]M:M]]'M]MM"M]: ? ticjrtof iffihs bought at til base. another saffjjgte iMMMM:M' ']:?''?:???]]? Subliminal Sandwich antes of . double CD) is a selection: i (dubby drugs chatti -i ing trom lite hardly taxed speakers. M M7]:MiMMM: ?? grooves Uiat nth about 5 Tin album cover of Subliminal Sandwich Is :?? : :,; :,!:, icrtcan B brains susp a ||ad "-.(:' '' ] ? } ?: ??:.:.:: . s.:'?:??? ]:: M: = .:>: ]]'«? movies (hea dy?) and conne < | up xn what appears to be the Natioi i 1 singularly r? dull out ]M? :?(:]. ? ?.] :M?M':?' ? < V.!K. , ensive as you wanill ah this the Lightho' ngjnality. albun >out it. .: , M.M.? ' (bnttheaibiin n co'.ei ,gieau. - album: soundgarden - Chance' and 'Dusty' pick up where the huge hit down on the upside. from 1994's 'Superunknown' album, 'Black ' .: - : ':V')!.:>::,,: Hole Sun', left off, using Beades-style psyche- It's 1990. Three unknown ball delic touches to enhance their anthemic quali- ties. 'Never The Machine Forever', on the other i hand, is a heavy metal workout that harks back ; of the bill are an energetic pui k bind with a bur- X ' : % ; i.hq|: geoning pop prowess. Second' ott the bill are a to the heady days of old. But it's on the punk trio whose frontman lends to the old rock pieces such as 'No Attention' and 'Ty Cobb' adage 'you are what voidest' (at least "^oBs if that the (Sound)garden really begins to look rosy. he's been consuming Topping djMbill The latter particularly shines as Chris Cornell XX :'. .' are a group with a hue hoe in sludgy guitafjpffs and Ben Shepherd partake in some frenetic ., -:. . : and bombastic chon ys, a musical sty le that v>as mandolin picking over the traditional boisterous then innocuously i !i *ii'.k-das'grungi electric guitars to create one of those hitherto rare things - a lighthearted Soundgarden song. ; .#'^V,:.',':.'::. . .,,r Ji Flick to 1996. That band at the bottom of the bill has come, : Jd fifteen million records, Herein lies the secret of this band's longevi- and gone when the i singer aormilittecl suicide ty. Where Nirvana and Pearl Jam seemed (something to whi| ' y pfc :'XxXfXyXX., depressed at Ureir success, Soundgarden have but- - "Nevermind.") The , ikidJe band are still ai finally learned 1 > enjoy it to such an extent that mous and their singe .;XXXXXyrsgygy X on ibis album the\ sound relaxed and comfort- unchallenged. The h< . ;fiSSSS^^y|s^;j; abltifltt spaRliallenging. Much of the music gone from strength to: press Still mistakenly label them 'Frowngarden', %.'C.J:: 'r./.:''".,;:-,^-:: : t figure quantities ol it< -'lefs3|| one of the most miserable bands on the planet. their fifth album. I WOTKHS release, we'll see who has the last And that h llaugk... (7) Soundgarden continuing U> blossom. 'Zero -' " : yvAlcpm^'r -album: 60ft dolls - i| "libs. Lyrics like "love your hair..." are not Perpetuates the idea thai fei^&uug material but the melody is seductive the big 3, §§b the pinnt Out vou won't be able to keep the only I!:, i.i:i. i.. ' ' ... : ' There are other tti^clcshov that sound great 1J: V 3 VgtwAHlVC. '.«.';TWO;i-: glossary:, biding their time am :eleasuig J hunch of singles, ut you can't help feelingtha t they n wasted on i «1 groove: the raised sur- all of which can ;ySy|I; : X l * . #ti~ack, 'Pig ifijfe of a brand-new LP basically fast guil :Xy;X:. y^':Y-. y} die reason I tunes that tend to sn uu! uncut The fell in I- -\ > \ i id i this band. It belongs to the class opening track, New . h dh npres- of songs whidi include; Nirvana's 'Smells Uko rain sive while the ne. , < Iocs not |:3;-r ;; a rare groove: as above, ii still do them justice. ManicV 'Mototcvtle Emptiness'. Tps track is as good once; your m#s| On 'Stay', the baud's dell touch at combin- :JT'% ^xX--X? r)xx:/x::x!^xt. i nod iv ing fast rifts with grail mek >du it puts ' '-><- xx ^^ 'i'xxx.xy\ ] ixS-Z :i as above|| them level with Honevera- \s 'Go: Away'. On ':xijxf< \.\: ' x:. X'f\ : xk\s}xi£yyr'yXXy :yySyg.yy :iv the fourth track, 'IIaif||||ie^!i^|cl likeabiiid mind blowing. This is by no means a classic but, who could blow the wo||§ away i!'they last long given time, the Dolls have the potential to pro- enough. 'Hair* is a softjjfack loaded with riffs duce a stunning album. After all, Nirvana were that blend in J rather standing out likfisdrgj never this good on their debut (7} chill-out v ngerator album: mixed by the "Rock die house." In st.uk contrast UD most ol chemical brothers - li\e at catchy tune: sti ky thio.it option. Everyone goes to get bewied, get out ol the social,.,! dreir lieads and have a mental time. major-label debut: a new "The prohli tn recently advised ITV a Northern tnendci mine, ill ;, ...... tnh'ks here is good arid varied enough to rate as indie shoe gazer: a shv, ret it towns'. so is gi: . . iJitsiJ lere iffi,:tfi|| The material ranges from the hip-hop of Eric B hip-hop: seven-year old girls' smoke, be will !> I-fk a sugar-free fish substi- lil.. C.harLi'jii-.rrau:\ Ai n-Dust l*in 'st&o time, . Carlsberg EVERY GAME LIVE LAMOT PILS ON THE -f\ J J% BO'TT' In IB BIGGEST SCREEN (tv&Uc 4toc6& toot) IN COLLEGE Skol Special STARTS 3PM SAT 8TH A ENGLAND V SWITZERLAND £|#05 BOTTLE . (&o4iic 4t*c4& toot) FRESH HAIR SALON r^* the best student offer in london! "n CUT & BLOW DRY BY OUR TOP STYLISTS £14 LADIES £12 MEN Normal price £28! where to find us! 15A HARRINGTON ROAD, SOUTH KENSINGTON, LONDON SW7 3ES / minute walk from South Kensington Tube Station!! Call: 0171 823 8968 GET READY - GET FRESH! Access, Visa, Mastercard, Cash, Cheques film: from dusk till dawn The first section is the more tighdy written vdcL-r' iv-T.:.;di;yyy.:-- spooky and directed of the two, allowing us to famil- i;4/,,y* ov;,:sS>v. The Tarantino backlash pauses momentarily iarise ourselves with die characters before all hell yyocyiyy-yy ife with the release of From Dusk Till Damn. Havinbreakg s lose. Unlike Tarantino's mobster heroes , : k'' .i.:-; .^/ o^^Vs..LI practically exhausted the potential of the gang- of his earlier films we are given little reason to ster film he has moved onto the horror genre and like the Gecko brothers and for the first half of in particular vampires. the film it is they who are the bad guys. With rel- yyy iwiyya-yy i:0yf.'3\) \l.:\y:> atively little action going on Robert Rodriguez :o: K*'i' George Clooney (ER) and Quentin (the director) has had to restrict his normally .:^Uy,y;0'ii%-/h Tarantino play Seth and Rich Gecko, a pair of yylyyy.yy 3y yy 4««:vy;y' 'when y murderous brothers fleeing for the sanctuary of flamboyant directing style and has consequently y?A^h^4. :.y:0xix:%\'3 Mexico. En route they take hostage a faithless had to redirect his talent. " y;(y Yiyyyi-yyJ yy-.. WM3&^ :.; preacher (Harvey Keitel) and his children The second section lets Rodriguez off the '?'':'.. '!' >yt:^/"9:'2B":!'i:","j-" (Juliette Lewis and Ernest Hu). Once across the leash and shows him in his tme element. At this yiijunyr +yH;yii!.ii,yy1:/i 'ii--- border, they hole up in a sleazy strip joint called point, the film loses all originality, but remains ' 1301 if < ; the Titty Twister, which also happens to be the entertaining enough for this to be of little conse- home of a brood of blood-thirsty vampires. quence (providing you are not averse to a bit of v4 40, / ,io;H,40.ji:ji The film can be split into two essentially dif- blood and gore). There are, however, enough : ferent segments with only the five principal char- nice touches, mainly humorous for it to never get :-, '' i-yy i&H. f i, f!i;. . acters to link them. The first half is basically a boring or particularly sickening despite the high ; : it,! ! >>p')fr?'':i;."Ti i il0.tt,::$i, i'4 y-yiv'OiKy'.yy .Tit-sun:*. road-movie as the two brothers cut a bloody gore content. The fact that they are fighting vam- swathe in their run for the border. The second pires has very little importance, apart from sev- half, however, is one long extended fight eral Peter Gashing jokes, as it is merely an excuse sequence as they fight for their lives against the to kill monsters in as bloody and violent a way as i y ivkM XyiiystbimSli : blcKxl-sucking fiends. The basic flaw with the possible. 40, 0.00, O020 ; tyJjM i ' film is that the two sections are too dissimilar to Although not up to Tarantino's early films, yyVyy yyllUky work well with the other. Luckily, both have From Dusk Till Dawn is a highly entertaining 12.10,3.10,6.10,9.10 enough merits in their own right to compensate film which shows what Robert Rodriguez can for the disjointedness. really do given half a chance. tOo'; ' 0 0'0yy7);';70ogo§;,400- I sarah turner :|!;/ 0:v7/.0;0-OT?o ..{xj^iff;; film: the juror he threatens to kill her son Oliver (Joseph ?iy.-«;,:tii.ken iiien'..bysy % ..[if The Juror is a courtroom drama with a differ- Gordon-Levitt), if she does not cooperate with 00.'..' Oyyyyy;yfi?yy0yy4:>y'y ence. Unlike most films of this type, which deal him. 0y44yyiyyn>. --.^j-iiJIi:: with the defendant and their lawyer, it revolves Annie's best friend Juliet soon becomes tan- around the life of a juror, Annie Laird (Demi gled in The Teacher's web of deceit, and after ; stry.'",riyiy» ! ( yy'y. - Moore). Annie, an artist and single mother, sees spending the night with her, he forces her to kill 0/71 .552 5096 her life change dramatically when she is chosen herself; as a warning to Annie. Fearing that he : tyy Otrykyyy;.: 0 *.4'-" to serve as a juror in a trial of a powerful mobster, will kill her son as well, Annie takes her son to Louie Boffano. Mexico, where :;0;>W yyO 3 yy ;; "She is at a point the final scenes : in her life where V ;%i r» 'a y J ?y#ii0i - isMiitl'- are set. However, :; v: : : she's a little bored the main focus of : - ' 4 ' '' '':>! :1ii4i,.1{;i;;i'-i5;;; ykhu'':i IA and looking for a the film is not the yy :0yOyCI 'i'.i;id.ay!.':«d;:;)iin:;., distraction," says courtroom but ooo. OiOv oo ^ ; Moore. "Being a rather Annie's y yyy0; Oyy lifty buyyii-'y: juror doesn't home life. As iir!i.};t..i/!).Kry'iiyn..s.ayd 7:: seem to be harm- Annie, Moore ful, and it will makes an unusual OOJOr- ' y;(;. ;;y;y- ; momentarily take single mother, but her out of what a likeable charac- yyyyyiy' she perceives as iOOOOOOdOOO ter, who captures i\.y:;> OdOyyyXUyiOygOOp her humdrum the audience's U'17 ^-^io.'.r;:r;'3-:iU U.ss:iiiytS life." empathy from oof* iyooopo^ Alec Baldwin the outset. >y- plays The Although some parts of the film mvM y. Teacher, hired by are unconvincing, '0>7iy!f y-y/n:;; ' the mob to help jlsyiyjv'A J»W"!5:l0. . them win the and Annie y OP.OydyOO, SO^i case by tampering appears to devel- Ei>yaiOypxyOOi, i,y, 7,0:00 with the jury. He op a superstrong : vx yyB>; >.yv;I; '; . i 4y 'selects' Annie, personality, it : ': :;; ' yOy-OO' o)nc.s ilyiV and forces her to influence the other jurors to contains a few surprising twists, which keep you reach a 'not guilty' verdict. To do this, he first on the edge of your seat. befriends his 'pupil' by buying a few pieces of her This is nothing compared to the quality of artwork - strange looking wooden boxes, whose some of the films released recendy, but it is eas- contents are supposed to be felt, not seen. Then ily worth the price of a cinema ticket. bookaxiomatic he ignores the social aspects of his fictions. greg egarwis The stories are a combination of the older areas of weird cosmologies and quantum effects, Axiomatic Ls out now in Sometimes when you and the newer areas of genetics, nanotech, and paperback from read a book by a familiar the mathematics of chaos, and most of them I author, you realise that have a heavy streak of questions of 'self'. To illus- The Union bookshop has this is the result they were trate, the title story concerns the use of nanotech copies. aiming to produce in their to manipulate the brain, giving a person a new previous attempts. 'axiom' of behaviour, whilst 'The Moral For more uitbiTnatioji on Although this book is a Embryologist' discusses morals in the age of Greg Egan see web page collection of short stories AIDS and 'The Hundred Year Diary' has a set hitp:, '/ivuni'.sattutnath, as opposed to a novel, up aUowing information, induding personal eUu.ch/%7EpkeUer/ Greg Egan has definitely diaries, to be received from the future. Vgan-Vaxehtm} hit the mark here. Egan is an up and coming Austalian author Nineties science fiction has tended to find and this, his third book (in paperback), is his itself in the doldrums when it comes to new most readable so far. If you chucked SF because ideas based on science as opposed to sociology. everything you read could be traced back to (Cyberpunk is in general the latter.) Egan has Clarke or Asimov, this collection will renew your come and shown that there are plenty of things interest in the genre. If you have never tried SF, still to be played with, although this is not to say then this is an ideal introduction. playone knights iin thurston-gordon complacent contempt, as if he is a naughty child, One Knight The fear of the armed maniac is a devil which sits because he knows that the kidnapper is com- menacingly on the shoulder of every seriously mitting a criminal offence and will be punished '11K- Man in the Moon guilty individual, whether arrested by the state for it. The difference between their respective or not. 'One Knight', by Simon Francis frighten- successes and failings in life turns out be their 392 Kings Road, Chelsea ingly depicts such a nightmare situation. The perception of Elvis Presley's end! "Hostage" "hostage", played by Henry Dunn, can't believe understands him to be an obese failure while that he's been caught, because the hysterical "kidnapper" sees him as the King. This is a very "kidnapper" (Ben Shockley) is not part of the watchable and worthwhile play, that makes you official legal-police-religious merry-go-round. wonder what happened the night after the The "hostage" treats his kidnapper with inevitable end. concertic symphony Britten gave the American premiere at the orchestra Carnegie Hall in New York. To restore the Transadantic balance, forty years later, Copland, Copland: Quiet City conducting an 80th birthday performance of Britten: Piano Concerto Quiet City in the Royal Albert Hall, had to aban- Sibelius: Symphony No. 2 don the stage when the elderly heating system (it The rehearsal time for third term concerts is less was winter) began to rattle and thump with a than half that for the previous terms. volume approaching that of the orchestra. Symphony On lustra, Nevertheless, this very substantial and ambitious Sibelius wrote most of his second sympho- conducted by Kkhurd program was performed with assurance, preci- ny in the congenial climate of the hills behind Dickens with Stephen sion and zest. Rapallo in northern Italy. The "Mediterranean Tarhon (piano), Fridav The original version of Quiet City was com- Lyricism" of Walton's orchestral writing comes 24th Mav 1996 posed in 1938 for trumpet, saxophone, clarinet from a similar location and also the formal struc- and piano as incidental music for an experimen- ture of his first symphony owes much to tal drama of that name intended for New York's Sibelius. His "Valse Triste", which turned him Broadway. Steve Hick's controlled and sensitive into a cult figure, had originally been written to performance showed that Copland's concern accompany a scene in a play entided "Death" by was kind but superfluous; however, it gave us the his brother-in-law. His theatre work was well opportunity to experience the matching control established before the composition of the sym- of Daniel Elsen on the cor-anglais. phonies and crucially augmented his formal abil- That same year, 1938, Copland visited ities. Britten at the Old Mill at Snape in Suffolk, There have been recent studies (reported in where they formed a firm friendship and where Nature) suggesting that musical experience and Britten played him the first version of Britten's ttaining cross-fertilizes other mental skills. If this Piano Concerto. Only three years before, Britten is true, the dismissive Government attitude to had lived, as an RCM student, in a minute room music in schools needs reassessment. The mem- at 173 Cromwell Road. In that period he had bers of ICSO, following Dickens, Ash scholar- written a lot of incidental music for the BBC, for ships, Exhibitions and the joint IC/RCM course, documentary work, and for theatre works by form a unique group with their abilities in sci- WH. Auden. The piano concerto is of that time. ence as well as in music. 159 REASONS TO SUPPORT THE UNION BOOKSTORE Association Football Iranian Jazz Big Band Karting Club Badminton Italian Jazz & Rock Team Bo Basketball Japanese Jazz Dance Boardsailing Lebanese Leonardo RCS Union Boas Malaysian Operatic Motor Club Cricket Pakistan Orchestra RCS RFC Cross Country & Persian Gulf Theatre West End Departmental Soeiette Athletics Scandinavian Astro Soc Cycling Singapore SCC Swim Soc Fencing Spanish Arts Appreciation Golf Sri Lankan Bag Society RSM Union Hockey Taiwan Catholic RSM RFC Judo Thai Ciiristian Union RSM Hockey Karate Do Shotokai Turkish Conservative RSM Football Kung Fu Finance RSM Squash Lawn Tennis Rce Imperial Queers RSM Cricket Ladies Football Amateur Radio/Hamsoe Indus Departmental Societies Ladies Rngb iclai Neiball Prof its Aom I IS Bookstore Nipon Kcmpo 0 Bridge Jewish Silwood Park Orh Lai Rifl< contribute to allMe d Rugby ion services, Chess PirnFirnitjil o connection Volleyball Sailing* Shaolij § the Clubs & Societies Sbotokban Karate Ex Skiing rllron Snrrates Cricket Fit] aid Juggling Sporting Motorcycle Gil den Swimming Squash Club sted, & Hang-Gliding & Para-Glicling Snooker Swimming & Water polo Mountain Gardening Table Tennis Micro Coidevelopment s Home Brewing Ten Pin Bowling Parachute Alternative Prospectus Wine Volleyball Photographic Felix Languages Weights Radio Modellers Handbooks Photo Wing Chun Riding IC Radio Workshop Yacht Roller Blading STOIC (Student Television Natural History Scout & Guide of Imperial College) Disco OSC Underwater Phoenix Ballroom Afro-Caribbean Wargames Music Benelux Wine Tasting Other Societies Culture Chinese YHA Christian Chinese Scholars Yoga C&G Union Islamic Cypriot C&G RFC French SCAB Motor Club Friends of Palestine Choir Departmental Societies Hellenic I DramSoc Hover Club Indian FilmSoc /CU your BOOKSTORE your PROFIT IMPERIAL COLLEGE UNION SIXTEEN . FELIX FRIDAY JUNE 7TH 1996 DIARY friday Saturday Sunday monday 7 8 9 10 june june june june Ents Ents Ents Rag Meeting DaVinci's. Football is home! DaVinci's. Standing Room only. DaVinci's Standing Room Only. Standing Room Only brings you A day of great games. 4.30pm Holland v Scotland. 1.10pm Ents Lounge. (R) the opening ceremony and 2.30pm Spain v Bulgaria. 7.30pm Romania v France. match 1 of Euro 96 - a fortnight 5pm Germany v Czech Ents of the beautiful game. See all the Republic. monday matches live on the biggest 7.30pm Denmark v Portugal. The biggest bangin' tunes in screen in College. England v Please note, our bar opening clubland bring you a night of Switzerland. Bar from lpm. hours remain the same. pure Hedonizm. The cheapest way to start your weekend. Plus Fulbright chill-out room and cocktail bar, Saturday Sunday Carlsberg Ice & Lamot Pils £1 a Awards bottle. 9-2am £1/Free before 9. Free minibus service A new type of sponsorship, Leaves from Beit Quad, taking next diary Fleadh '96 offering time in the States and Female students home (any- sponsorship by business and where in central London) First deadline: Right then, we have all the industry, has been developed as run 12am, last run 2am. (R) details for tomorrow. If you're noon, down to sell programmes at this part of the US-UK Fulbright friday year's Fleadh, you'll need to be Programme. Awards are offered June 10th at Finsbury Park at 9am and for postgraduate study in the US head for the production tent. and can be linked to periods of As promised, we have You must have your student attachment to the sponsoring now removed all regular ID with you, and you must be companies. entries unless we were pre-registered (ie you can't just You need at least a 2i, as otherwise informed. turn up!) For more information, well as evidence of leadership explanations and such contact potential. Should you want your Mark Home on 48068 or The closing date for 1997- club entry re-instated, [email protected], or via the 98 awards is 25 October 1996. please inform us before Union offices on the first floor Details can be obtained from the the deadline. of Beit Quad. Careers office. IC Union Colours Committee Awards for 1995/96 The Imperial College Union Gaurav Misra Colours Committee has awarded Rob Hodgkinson the following awards for 1995- Barry Piatt 1996. Those who have been John Savery awarded Union General Awards Matt Szyndel by their constituent college union are automatically given Social Colours ICU social colours. Mark Baker Nick Bradshaw Honorary Life Membership Paul Brown and Pot Darathy Charlton Matthew Crompton Vicki Cunniffe Rachael Curran Simon Cope Rachel Walters- Cathy Dolbear Sarah White Chris Harrison Lennard Kolff Honorary Life Membership Jon Lambert Sarah Edwards Geoff Mullet Andy Kershaw Anne Ovens Sarah Thomas Mark Pallen Tim Townend Rosie Prophett Piers Williams Robin Riley Mark Sharman Outstanding Service Award Zoe Thorn Eric Allsop Jim Totty Juliette Deacock Laurie Tweedale Mo Dulloo Carlo Masserella W. D. Miles DIARY FELIX FRIDAY JUNE 7TH 1996 . SEVENTEEN tuesday Wednesday thursday friday n 12 13 14 june june june june Ents Ents ICCAG Rag Meeting Standing Room Only. A football free zone... Frolik! 8.15pm. Weeks Hall basement. 1.10pm Ents Lounge. (R) DaVinci's. 4.30 Italy v Russia. 8-1 2pm. Free. Soup run for the homeless. (R) 8pm. Bar Trivia. Win £50 or a crate ol beer. Wednesday ConSoc Standing Room Only. lpm Southside. (R) 4.30 Portugal v Turkey. Cathsoc 7.30 Czech Republic v Italy. 12.00pm. Bagritt Centre, Mech IQ Typically Tropical - Beach Party, Eng. (R) Rag 9pm Union bar. Contact to raise funds for this year's [email protected] for more infor- Hockey Club trip to Barbados. tuesday Most of the Posts have been mation. (R) Special Cocktail bar. 9 - 2am. £1 filled for next year, but we still need an editor for the Rag Mag Ents Free minibus service Procurements, and Hall Rep. Standing Room Only. Leaves from Beit Quad, taking Jobshop Coordinator. 4.30 Bulgaria v Romania. female students home (any- Contributions are welcome 7.30 Switzerland v Holland. where in central London) First Although ICU has been unable for RAG MAG '97. Your input Cocktail Night: a dream combi- run 12am, last run 2am. (R) to gain funding for a full scale is important, so don't just sit nation - footie and sex on the employment service, we will be back and criticise, why not sub- beach! DaVinci's. friday proceeding with a scaled-down mit a joke or idea? version for now. Vacancies with- We have loads of exciting thursday in the Union, College and the events planned for next term, surrounding area will be adver- including the traditional Rag tised on a notieeboard outside Week madness, Rag Raids on the Union Office. unsuspecting locations, and icsf We will be focussing on FIREWALKING on Saturday part-time and holiday vacancies, 16th November. Iain M. Banks will be signing and if anyone knows of any If you are interested in any copies of Excession, his new vacancies that our students of the above, please see any novel, on Tuesday 11th June could fill, please contact member of Rag or leave a mes- between l-2pm at BOOKSetc, Michelle in the Union Office. sage in the Union Pigeon Holes. 120 Charing Cross Road, WC2. VACANCY VACANCY ASSISTANT ASSISTANT WARDEN WARDEN GARDEN AND WEEKS HALLS LINSTEAD HALL Applications are invited for the position of Assistant Warden at Garden Applications are invited for the position of Assistant Warden of and Weeks Halls, which is available from October 1996. Weeks and Linstead Hall, which is available from October 1996. Garden halls are ran jointly, with the Warden resident in Weeks Hall, and the Assistant Warden resident in Garden Hall. There is in addition Linstead Hall, in Princes' Gardens, is one of the liveliest halls of resi- a Subwarden in each of the Halls. dence. It houses 192 students, primarily first year undergraduates. The Hall is run by a Warden, an Assistant Warden and two subwar- The Assistant Warden will be responsible for assisting with the pas- denswhose responsibilities include managing a small bar and arranging toral care, welfare, discipline and administration in Garden and Weeks evening meals. Halls and he/she will be expected to reside in rent-free accommodation within Garden I [all. Application forms and an information pack can be obtained from the Establishment Office, Personnel Division, Room 513, Sherfield Application forms and an information pack can be obtained from the Building, Tel. Ext. 45533 or 45532. Any non-undergraduate of the Establishment Office, Personnel Division, Room 513, Sherfield College may apply, but experience of pastoral care of students would Building, Tel. Ext. 45533 or 45532. Any non-undergraduate of the be an advantage. College may apply, but experience of pastoral care of students would be an advantage. Closing date for receipt of completed applications: Closing date for receipt of completed applications: Monday 17th June Wednesday 26th June 1996. 1996. EIGHTEEN . FELIX FRIDAY JUNE 7TH 1 996 NOTES Last Notes Remember the endless BMS plan- No 1: Manchester ning application bids? Tbe great Things to take with you: Consoc debate? Portillo and Map, umbrella, guide- book, unconditional iMayhew? Felixed? Privateyesed? life insurance, camera. Quaint local customs: Keep tbem lorever with a special Morris dancing, wor- shiping Oasis, retail limited ed ltion oi illegal narcotics, theft and murder Places to meet the Felix 1995 - 96 locals: Social Security Office. bo unci edition Reasons to visit Manchester: Manchester United, ...all 32 editions, with Oasis Reasons not to visit Manchester: your name on. Manchester United, Oasis Useful Phrases: Ash at the Felix office for All southerners are poofters details. Can you insert this in pineapples and ship it to my home country? Man United / Man City Forever (depending on who you're talking to: mistakes can have very grave consequences) Take my watch/clothes/virginity/ money, just don't hurt me Ah! It's raining again / seems to be pouring down / bit of a shower today, etc. Things not to say: Who's Noel Gallagher? Which way to Coronation Street, please? 8pm EVERY TUESDAY This is a post-industrial hellhole. Liverpool FC forever! Yes officer, 1 can identify them. Yovi ripped me off! This is baby asprin! I'm sorry, f don't have any change. Anything in a southern accent. Places to visit while you're there: The Hacienda Rusholme: the greatest concentration of kebab shops any where in the UK. Places to avoid: Moss side. Things you should know about Manchester: On a per person basis, they have more weaponry than in the US army and more drugs than Glaxo-Wellcome. How to blend in: 1) Wear a Man United jacket, baggy jeans and at least three con- E50 CASH PRIZE cealed wepons 2) Anything + nylon stockings ( on your head) If we dropped the Bomb on Manchester 8 more! It wouldn't change much Most likely to say: When you're tired of life go to Manchester - Samuel Johnson. STA TRAVEL SUPPORTED BY STA TRAVEL, IMPERIAL COLLEGE TEL 0171 581 8882 EDITORIAL FELIX FRIDAY JUNE 7TH 1996 Letters to Felix Felix FOUNDED 1949 amnesty. Please return any PRODUCED FOR AND ON BEHALF OF IMPERIAL COLLEGE UNION crux oi the crutches in your possession by PUBLICATIONS BOARD matter Friday 14 June 1996 and we will PRINTED BY THE IMPERIAL COLLEGE UNION PRINT UNIT cross your name off our black BEIT QUAD PRINCE CONSORT ROAD LONDON SW7 2BB Dear Felix, list. After that date we shall TELEPHONE/FAX 0171 594 8072 PLEASE GIVE OUR regard any non-return of crutch- EDITOR: RACHEL WALTERS CRUTCHES BACK es as theft of college property PRINTERS: ANDY THOMPSON AND JEREMY The Health Centre has a and will pass on our list to the BUSINESS MANAGER: JULIETTE DECOCK policy of lending crutches to Acadeinic Registrar asking himto COPYRIGHT FELIX 1996. those who need them in invoke regulation for students ISSN 1040-0711 exchange for a deposit of £50. number 2. This means that once However, because the need for students reach their final year, blame Granny's next-door neighbour's crutches usually arises after an no degree will be awarded until cleaning lady knew. I talked to accident, very few patients have the debt has been settled. Blame. Great fun to distribute. my brother on the phone for an £50 cash or chequebooks on We are also writing to all I've thrown it at various groups hour about it. (He was in Hong their person. In these cases we those who borrowed crutches of IC staff so I reckon it's about Kong on holiday at the time). have lent the crutches anyway, and have not returned them. time I blamed the students. But did I tell anyone useful? Did asking the patient to sign a This will demonstrate that we Let me tell you a little story. I buggery. I don't know why. I pledge to return them as soon as know who they are. Once upon a time I was an think I was embarrassed. possible afier the patient has Dr. Irene Weinreb undergraduate at Imperial. I was- In the light of the exception- recovered. Director, n't a very good one, but I wasn't ally noisy building work outside We started this academic Clinical Services so appalling as to cause a fuss. the library I phoned up the sub- year with f6 pairs of crutches. Falling into that great mass of the librarian last week, all set to Now we have 3 odd ones. Since high 2:2 / low 2:1, it's very easy demand explanations for the cav- each pair costs £60, this is a sig- Letters may be edited for to drift along unnoticed. But all alier disregard for students' revi- nificant loss to the Health length. Deadline for letters! was quite happy until I got to the sion. But it was difficult to main- Centre, as well as depriving oth- in Felix 1061: midday, | end of my second year (by which tain my argument when he told ers of this service Tuesday 11 th June time my course was, getting a lit- me that no one had complained We would like our crutches tle tricky). I failed a paper, bring- at all. I went into a meeting with back. To this end, we propose an ing my aggregate below that Ian Caldwell this week's looking acceptable level of mediocrity for justification for the appalling which apparently determines a way students in Weeks had been student's ability to survive in treated. He was very concerned, Europe for a year. but not only had he just found I was very disappointed, so I out, the Weeks' warden had no phoned up the relevant member idea that students were unhappy of staff to talk about it. He had either. no difficulty in giving me an Look, folks, we cannot keep explanation for his decision, and whinging. Call me hopeful, but I monday, high noon he said some very unpleasant reckon that relevant, construc- things about it. No, that's not tive complaint might achieve clubs & societies quite true. He was arrogant, something. You're going to have articles deadline patronising, unspeakably rude, to trust me on this one, but there : tLO :f . insulting, unsympathetic and really are some genuinely 1,'iond; v 1.20pm features meeting generally abusive. He told me I decent, dedicated, caring staff reviewers' was 'a failure and a liability to my out there. Use them: I never did, thursday night '..uKifcS'ti^g,. department.' and I wish I had. It might not collating So what did I do, you ask? have made any difference, but it might have stopped me wallow- friday morning Well, I took it further. I told my news meeting friends. I told my friends' ing (and fuming!) quite so much. another Felix hits the friends, and their cousins. My tuesday noon street. meeting EDITORIAL TEAM: NEWS: ALEX FEAKES FEATURES: MARK BAKER SUB-EDITING AND PROOFING: TIM ST CLAIR MUSIC: VIK BANSAL CINEMA: KATIE HOPKINS & WEI LEE n«l CZ 'pini'T ZZ 'qjosqyoz ' COLLATING LAST WEEK: TIM, JEREMY AND GIDON 'ijKqoQ'J [ 'tjsepdujg'o j 'mvj-I 'joutpg. ':>iduiXjO'£ :ssojoy rpjoAvssojQ s ?/aa« simM uoiwio$ DELIVERING LAST WEEK: ANDREW TWENTY . FELIX FRIDAY JUNE 7TH 1996 SPORT AND CROSSWORD IC Athletics Clubs Committee is sponsored by FELIX SPORT LAYERS IC Boat Club success at Duisberg DUISBURG INTERNATIONAL The U23 Quad finished REGATTA 1 996 third on Saturday, and racing as a senior boat on Sunday just Imperial College Boat Club came failed to make the final, being through strongly in the beaten by the American World International regatta at Duisberg Championship finalists by only 4 at the end of last month. The seconds. In the Senior Coxed World's premier crews assem- Fours the Queens Tower crew bled at the German International made the Final on Saturday but rowing course: the Olympic were unlucky to miss qualifying squads from all the major rowing on the Sunday. nations competed in what will be The Imperial boat, which is one of the last events before the presently seeking selection as the Atlanta Games. Great Britain Coxed Four for the Imperial College and Queens World Championship this year, Tower Boat Clubs (IC old boys) qualified for the final on both sent four crews, consisting of two days. They finished a close sec- Senior Coxed Fours and an U23 ond on the Saturday and a slight- Quad and Coxless Four. Racing Coxless Four surpassed them- Four, reducing the previous ly disappointing fourth on the at this level is the toughest com- selves in winning their event. record set by the IC Sunday. The Germans won the petition that the IC crews have Their winning time made them Commonwealth Games bronze event on both days. ever encountered. The U23 the fastest Imperial Coxless medalist in 1994 by one second. Crossword by Catfish Across: by farriers (4) 3. I comply with order from 27. Almost secret, but out in athletic committee (6) the open (5) 6. Queen has right to alterna- 28. U-boat on turning tide tive indication of mistake (5) will make changes (7) 7. Permission not left for tim- ber (4) Down: 10. Hit and run is careless job 1. Animal made out of wax (8) (4) 11. Gunmaker takes in gradu- 2. Journey overseas to get a ate and makes a bomb (6) degree (6) 12. Mule is making a mess 3. Make arrangement for with the oat mixture (6) instrument I took to Kent 13. Stuck oar in, and took the area (8) part this way (8) 4. Be calm about many 15. Concerned about owner- dressed in checked material ship of departing vessels (6) which lost right of way in fog 5. Watchdog of church sup- (11) port lost one - sure to come 18. Rationing will begin in a up (8) little while (7) 8. A small number mention east for relaxation! (7) take it in (6) 21. Firm hold on naval com- Russian girl living by river (5) 16. Broadcasting may cause 22. This bush isn't hardy! (6) mander (6) 9. Box containing contract atmospheric turbulence! (8) 25. Time consumed the 23. Southerner with blemish- brings about a grin from this 17. The knight, his weapon gallery (4) es comes back, drawn (6) one! (8,3) and the end of his home! (8) 24. Make the same after 10. Children are about to hes- 19. It's tied up, which causes notice that this is just up to itate when court order is delay (5) standard (8) received (7) 20. Sailors all over the globe 26. Dealt out from and put on 14. Break camp before going