Felix Issue 0888, 1991
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3 May 1991 Issue Number 902 It SP Wage MEGS Cover: Reagan Visits Imperial p3 College Day EGM? p2 Sunset Animals At the Board of Studies meeting this On Saturday 27th March an estimated week the decision to lengthen the College fifteen thousand people gathered in Hyde Day was deferred. Professor Alan Park for the largest anti-vivisection march Swanson, Chairman of the working party ever seen in Britain. Russian to look into the extension gave his The route, south along Park Lane, report, and although he made no official along Piccadilly and finally into Trafalgar recommendations, commented that he Square caused congestion for over an personally was in favour of the college hour. The head of the march arrived at Boycott day being lengthened. around half past three with people still Professor David Blow, despite being in comin through over half an hour later. It favour of a longer College day, spoke was estimated that over 20,000 people The Jewish Society is taking part in a against the decision being taken at the were present filling the entire square. national campaign to stop the British meeting on the grounds that further At a quarter to four representatives of Government taking part in a Human discussion was needed. The Rector, Sir various anti-vivisection and animal rights Rights conference in Moscow. According Eric Ash, suggested that the extended day groups spoke on subjects such as the to the society, the government had should be tried for a test period, but this uselessness and unreliability of animal previously stated that the visit would not too was rejected. tests and violations of regulations go ahead unless improvement were seen The Rector then asked if he could put covering vivisection. According to in six Human Rights areas. As of now, his point of view to the students, so that representatives from the National Anti- the condition have only been met in two their view on the matter could be taken Vivisection Society (NAVS) over 3.5million of these. into consideration. Deputy President, Ben aninals are killed in the UK every year The Jewish society is therefore Turner, said that the Rector would be and over 100 million world wide. petitioning the Home Secretary, Douglas allowed to speak at an Extraordinary After the rally people were invited to Hurd, to boycott the conference. Those General Meeting (EGM) which would soon attend an exhibition in Central Halls, wishing to sign the petition, or write a be called to express the student view Storey's Gate (just off Parliament Square) letter can meet the Jewish Society in the before the next Board of Studies Meeting where there were stalls and films JCR on Thursday. on the 19th June. provided by local and national organisations. The march passed off peacefully with IC Goes Abroad no reports of trouble. Theft Bit The mail, taken from the Imperial College postvan stolen during the Easter vacation, was found last Wednesday. It was located in a used garage on a run down Peckham Estate. All the mail sacks, apart from six registered packets, are thought to have & mmwmmmgmbeen recovered although there is no way of verifying this. Other news from the Seedy Underworld of Crime this week includes three bikes being stolen this week from around College. None had D locks (Still on sale from Security at £20.50). Turf The Queen's Tower Lawn was torn up yesterday in an attempt to revitalise the Professor David Phillips, demonstrating the magic of science dying grass. The contractors chose the day due to 'ideal conditions', but had not Imperial College was the star attraction at demonstrative teaching methods. The contacted Valorie Straw, Facilities the opening of the largest science external liason team gave lectures to rapt Manager, as previously arranged. museum in Hong Kong last week. The audiences of school children, followed by Valorie said that, had she been centre uses new hand-on technology to workshops to show teachers how to use consulted, she would have deferred the explain modern scientific discoveries. the imaginative demonstration techniques process until Monday, after the RCS May Professor David Phillips, Dr Bob Spears, in their classrooms. The event was Ball. Louise Rafferty, organiser of the Dr Tim Seller and Melanie Thody (School sponsored by Shell Hong Kong and is May Ball, said 'It would have been nice to Liason Officer) represented IC in expected to bring money, as well as new have been informed', but added that promoting the use of exciting students, to the college. there was little she could have done. 2 Reagan visits IC? The Spitting Image puppet of Ronald Reagan occupied the foyer of the Union Building last Saturday for the 'To Boldly Go' conference against censorship. The conference was opened by Barbara Ehrenreich pictured on the cover with her agent, Briar Silich and Ronnie. Barbara is an award-winning american journalist and author of 'The Worst Years of our Lives', a critical commentry on the Reagan years. Also attending the conference were nineteen other speakers including novelists, poets, filmmakers and a solicitor specialising in freedom of artistic expression. The guests spoke on the various aspects of censorship from the nationwide use of secrecy as a government policy to the self-censorship which we experience in day to day life. Peter Sylveira: Criminal? The manager of the 'Young Unknowns' Nicholas Walter, Director of the has been banned under the blasphemy gallery near Waterloo, Peter Sylveira, Rationalist Press Association, talked of the laws and cannot legally be bought, sold spoke of a piece of art containing two censorship which we impose and which is or broadcast. Michael Newman, freeze-dried foetuses obtained from St imposed on us from childhood onwards. conference organiser, commented that the Mary's Hospital Medical School. He was Two banned films, 'Dick' and 'Visions of showing of the film might have been successfully prosecuted for outraging Ecstasy', were shown at the event. 'Dick' 'slightly illegal'. A second event is being public decency and was fined £850 and is a comic film showing the naked truth planned for next year. now has a criminal record. He of man's inadequacy ie one thousand The Late Dr L Beverly Halstead, who condemned the establishment and art flaccid penis's with a commentary spoke at the conference, was tragically community for their failure to support produced soley by women. It has been killed this week in a car accident. He will him and the principle of freedom of banned from public broadcasting by the be remembered for his sense of fun and expression. ITC. The second film, 'Visions of Ecstasy' caring. World Leaders To all SCC in Student Travel chairmen and treasurers The most important meeting of your life is being held on Thursday May 8th at 12.30pm in • Low Cost Flights on Quality • Well Travelled Staff to the SCR (1st floor Union Airlines Guide You • Special Fares for Students • Over 100 Offices Building) © Weekend Breaks, Tours & Worldwide Be there or else Group Bookings ULU Travel J.D. Griffiths SCC Chair Imperial College Sherfield Building London SW7 ULU TRAVEL The Doors Well, here it is kids, but when did groovy music. The film is out to make effort. The film's strength does not really old father Hype last deliver all he myths; myth being hype, being dollars. lie in the storyline (which seems to be promised, I hear you ask? In fact the first half of the film leaves stitched up from a lot of anecdotes about The film is directed by Oliver Stone the impression that Morrison was a real Morrison's life) nor the depth of the (Platoon, Born on the Fourth of July, etc) asshole—the film is riddled with Morrison character, but instead in the and stars Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison, Hollywood cliches about sensitive 'concert footage'—the film is full of 'live' with Meg Ryan as Jim's 'girl', Pamela intellectual (ish) artists who find fame, performances, where the four actors Curson, and Kyle MacLachlan (currently fortune and glory too hot to handle. come together very well. Watching Val starring in a crappy serial on the box) as What fascinates most is Morrison's self- Kilmer on stage in his leather pants you the Door's keyboardist, Ray Manzarek. destructiveness, his alcohol abuse, drug can almost understand why Morrison was After having seen the film you realise experimentation and womanising. The the symbol of sex. that the film is mistitled—it should have film also tries to bring out his mysticism There's a great take-off of Andy Warhol been called something along the lines of (which was of course very fashionable at and his entourage here. Poor Andy's left Jim, the Demi-God. The film isn't so much the time)—the film has the idea that Jim looking like a slobbering wimp opposite about the band as it is about a 'legend'; thought that he always danced with a Morrison. the film-makers obviously realised that it Red Indian onstage, as if the music is In full, the film fails to capture the spirit would be much easier for audiences to somewhere in his 'being', in touch with of the man, but succeeds with the music. orgasm at the sight of Morrison than the the universe. Anyone who likes The Doors' music idea of four guys making some fucking Cynicism aside though, this isn't a bad probably needs to see this film. I.H. Quick Change Ju Dou Rarely do you see a film with such an interesting story behind it. A Chinese production financed and post-produced by the Japanese, banned for no obvious reasons in China, who even tried to supress this very first Chinese film to be nominated for an Oscar.