Imperial innovation Bouncy boxing Cheeky monkeys Sword sport The puffer fish and cancer This, and ten other photos Daren King’s new novel The Fencing Club compete research, page 5 from Freshers Week, page 15 Jim Giraffe reviewed, page 21 in Hong Kong, page 24 The student newspaper of Imperial College ● Established 1949 ● Issue 1301 ● Thursday 14 October 2004 ● www.felixonline.co.uk Change of heart The President of Imperial College Union offered his res- Former Prodigy star assaults ignation on Tuesday morning but then withdrew it a day later. uNEWS page 2 Imperial student at Union Own Man Utd Forget supporting the big- By Dave Edwards gest football club in the world Editor – own them! It’s not quite as ridiculous as it sounds... An Imperial College student uBUSINESS page 4 was assaulted in dBs last Wednesday by Keith Flint, the Mobile mysteries former Prodigy vocalist, and “Mobile networks in the UK two other men. are known to be dodgy when Mr Flint, 35, and his new it comes to educating poten- band Clever Brains Fryin’, tial customers about the true played live at the Union cost of using their services.” as part of Freshers Week. uCOMMENT page 7 During their performance, the student, who does not Rat race wish to be named, was appar- “We decided to hide with ently dancing the ‘macarena’ our water guns and launch a in front of the stage. This may surprise attack from behind, have offended the band mem- showering all the racers and a bers. According to witnesses, fair few passers by as well.” Mr Flint and two of his col- u CLUBS AND SOCIETIES leagues then jumped down off page 8 the stage and began to punch Shooting success? “The student A report on a mixed year for the Imperial College Union was left with Rifle and Pistol Club. uSPORT page 23 cuts and bruises to the head and face” the student, who was left with cuts and bruises to the head and face. A friend who stepped in to help the student was also attacked. The pair were then forcibly removed from the Members of the Rifle and venue by Mr Flint’s body- Pistol Club guards, and the band contin- ued to play. Later that night, police officers questioned THIS WEEK the band members and the News page 2 student, who eventually Business page 4 decided not to press charges. Science page 5 According to a senior Union Comment page 6 source, the police were pre- What’s on page 12 pared to make arrests on the scene for actual bodily Keith Flint (centre) and two of his colleagues leave Beit Quad after being questioned by police Music page 16 harm. Nightlife page 19 It has been suggested that said anything offensive to an isolated incident in an oth- as their front man, reaching vocalist Cherequi and DJ Arts page 20 the student’s actions immedi- the band.” erwise successful Freshers number one in the UK sin- Jason Laid Bare. They are Books page 21 ately prior to the incident may The band denied any wrong- Week for Imperial College gles chart with Firestarter currently touring the coun- Film page 22 have provoked the attack. doing, and it should be noted Union. and Breathe in 1996. Clever try. It has been confirmed Crossword page 23 However, a close friend of his that the majority of the dBs Mr Flint last performed Brains Fryin’ are a new dance that they will not appear told Felix: “Knowing the guy, audience enjoyed their per- with The Prodigy two years band, featuring Flint, MC at Imperial College Union Sport page 23 I can’t imagine he would have formance. The assault was ago. He enjoyed huge success Sir Real, MC Bad Manner, again. Felix 2 www.felixonline.co.uk Thursday 14 October 2004 NEWS [email protected] Issue 1301 Union President offers Editor Dave Edwards Business Editor resignation, then changes mind Numaan Chaudhry Science Editor Darius Nikbin Council to take vote of confidence on Monday Music Editor By Dave Edwards on, and was confident that Andrew Sykes Editor he was “the best person for the job”. However, he decided Nightlife Editor Mustafa Arif, President of to submit himself to a vote Simon Clark Imperial College Union, of confidence at Monday’s Arts Editor offered his resignation on Union Council meeting. Paola Smith Tuesday morning but then He told Felix: “Do I look withdrew it a day later. like a quitter? Richard Walker Books Editor In an email to the Union [the Deputy President (Clubs Martin Smith Council Chair and the and Societies)] and I stood for Film Editor College’s Clerk to the Court election in 2003 with manifes- Alan Ng and Council, Mr Arif said: “I tos of things that we wanted no longer believe that I am to achieve to make Imperial With thanks to up to the job. I don’t think a better place. We were able Tim Aplin it’s in anyone’s best inter- to do many of the little things William Turner ests for me to continue in [last year], but few of the big office. In accordance with the things, and that was down Felix Regulations, I therefore here- to the steep learning curve Beit Quad by offer my resignation as of being a sabbatical officer. Prince Consort Road President of Imperial College That was why we stood for re- London SW7 2BB Union.” election last year – because we needed a second year to Telephone: 020 7594 8072 “There’s no way finish the job, having learnt Email: [email protected] how to do it in the first year. Web: www.felixonline.co.uk I’m not going to There’s no way I’m not going to see it through.” Registered newspaper see it through” In an official statement, the ISSN 1040-0711 President said: “After much Mr Arif was first elected to thought I have come to the Copyright © Felix 2004 the post of Union President conclusion that it is in the “Not a quitter”: Mustafa Arif at a tuition fees protest last year in March 2003, and was voted best interests of the Union Printed by Sharman and in to serve a second term in that I continue in office and Company, Peterborough February this year. serve out the remainder of Mustafa Arif, MEng (Lond) ACGI Students and staff were my term. I have therefore shocked at the news when advised the Chairman of December 1979 Born it emerged on Tuesday. The Union Council and the Clerk timing of the decision was to the College’s Court and September 1999 Begins degree in Information Systems Engineering at Imperial particularly surprising, com- Council of my decision to con- College London ing at the beginning of the tinue in post, which they have academic year and just after accepted. I shall, however, March 2001 Elected President of City and Guilds College Union a successful Freshers Week. be submitting myself to a When Felix asked him why vote of confidence at Union March 2003 Elected President of Imperial College Union he had offered to resign, Mr Council on Monday 18 October Arif replied: “Hey. Things 2004.” October 2003 Graduates from Imperial with MEng happen.” By Wednesday, the ● State of the Union, February 2004 Re-elected President of Imperial College Union President had decided to stay page 6 Selecting more state school pupils may breach human rights of those rejected By Emily Gwyer applauded by private schools, In addition, earlier in the Whether the admissions which funded his research. year Bristol University were policy of Bristol does contra- The government’s plans for They claim that to reject an accused of ‘social engineer- vene human rights is an issue widening access to universi- applicant simply on the basis ing’ for admitting state school that will have to be decided in ties were dealt a blow this of his attending a private pupils with lower grades than the courts, but the report may week, when a report was pub- school is to breach his human their private school rivals. persuade the Government lished claiming that select- rights. The problems with that the way forward for ing more students from state admission stem from the admissions is to develop tests schools rather than private Government’s wish to have and interviews that examine schools (so-called ‘positive “Universities 50% of pupils in higher educa- the ability to learn of the discrimination’) could be in tion, which will require many student, and not the level breach of human rights law. must be free more state school pupils of coaching that has taken The report admitted that of government being successful. Critics say place. Taking students’ back- state school pupils did bet- that the only way to achieve grounds into account in the ter at university than their interference this fairly is to have a much admissions process may be private school rivals, but more transparent admis- fairer, but this also demands claimed that universities in student sions system, with students a lot of time in interview and must be allowed to be free applying to universities only cannot ever form a perfectly of government interference admissions” after they know their A level fair system. in student admissions, and results. Other suggestions Whichever selection meth- should be able to select stu- This is another blow in include individual module od does take place in the dents solely on merit. the Government’s long-run- marks appearing on the future, it seems certain to The report was written ning admissions saga, which UCAS form, and the develop- be post-results, meaning that by Alan Smithers, from the foundered this week when ment of new aptitude tests, applications are not wasted University of Buckingham figures revealed that Oxford like those already being used and only those students with (the only private universi- had admitted 20% fewer state in medical and veterinary the appropriate grades need ty in the country) and was school pupils than its target.