l\l f . ,
Newspaper of the Lond,
DavidSteel	Page 5
Per^nalsm	Page 2 Filmr Nuts
conomics Students'Union Angel Dust Page?
UFEBWSS
OF POL^
ECONO'
by A J KINOSHITA Sabbaticals Nick Randall, Justin Russell, and Richard Ford have been linked to an elaborate plot to discredit potential sabbatical candidate Fabian Borcke.
The LSE Labour Club is at the centre of the alleged plot, as most of the key figures in the controversy are members, and Labour would have the most to gain politically by discrediting the Greens.
It is alleged that;
Richard Ford, through his position in the Finance Committee, allowed the heads of the Tequila and Guinness Societies access to the Green Forum budget figures, knowing full well that they would use it against Borcke. To this end, he handed the expenditure printout, of which (according to Justin Russell) there is only one copy, to Nigel Gurney, of the Tequila Society. Justin Russell put forward his request to reclassify the Green Forum as part of his report as Senior Treasurer, rather than as a separate financial motion, in order to limit the Forum's right to reply. A financial motion requires a week's notice and allows two speakers in support and two in opposition to the motion.
Nick Randall submitted a question under a false name criticising Borcke's performance in his position as Overseas Officer.
All three sabbaticals met and planned their constitutional approach before the UGM at which Borcke was attacked. Present in Russell's office were; Randall, Russell, and Ford, as well as Tequila heads Chas Begley and Nigel Gurnev.
Attack
These allegations have all sprung from the events of the Union General Meeting on 4 February. The ratification of the Senior Treasurer's report meant that the Green Forum lost its status and budget as a Society and became an unfunded Associate Society.
Questions were put to Borcke on several fronts, leading him to claim a cross-party conspiracy. Among these was a written question from prominent members of the Tequila and Guinness Appreciation Societies, who are not normally in close cooperation. They wanted to know why Borcke was spending 65% of the Green Forum's budget on alcohol. When Borcke repudiated the figure, Gurney triumphantly and conveniently had the figures on hand in the printout.
The last question put to Borcke was from Mr R Shah who wanted to know why Borcke had done nothing for overseas students. There is no student by that name at LSE, and the question was in Nick Randall's handwriting.
Committee Stage
The Finance Committee played an important role, for it was at a meeting on 29 January of this group, which includes Russell, Ford, and Borcke, that the question of the Green Forum's budget was raised. Tom Buerman, a member of the Green Forum, went to the meeting, concerned about rumours that he had heard. He left, he said, with Russell's assurance that no further action would be taken, ie, that all was well, he was then very surprised to hear of Russell's action at the
UGM.
Borcke confirmed Buerman's account of what Russell said. Russell, referring to the minutes of the Finance Committee meeting, however, stated that a decision on the budget of the Green Forum should be made by the Union, which is "a more democratic body". Brian O'Halloran, a lapsed Labourite and member of the Committee, supported Russell's claim.
After this meeting, Russell mentioned the budget at a Labour Club meeting and sounded out Andy Blakeman of the Conservatives about their views on changing the status of the Green Forum. Blakeman assured him that the Conservatives would be sympathetic to the attack, and he went ahead. Randall claimed to know nothing of Russell's plans. 'It came out of the Finance Committee, I think. I have nothing to do with the Finance Committee."
Ford, however, is on the Committee, and it was he who gave Gurney the expenditure sheet, according to Russell. "I had lent Richard the copy, and I think he gave it to Nigel, and I guess he was reading it during the [Union General] meeting." Russell said that Gurney and Mark Busby (of the Guinness Appreciation Society) had been around asking him questions about the Green Forum budget, "but I didn't know what they were going to do." He emphatically denied that a meeting of members of the Left and Right with a view to staging the UGM took place in his office; "There was no meeting", contrary to an allegation by Ross Broadstock.
O'Halloran said that the expenditure sheet was kept in Russell's office, and that interested parties could consult it there. It was not common policy to lend it to people. Russell has since changed this policy, in the name of
Were the Greens stitched up? No Green Forum money was spent on elections" - Fabian Borcke
"glasnost"; now expenditures will be publicly displayed. They will still not be available for loan.
As for the question of whv Russell	proposed	the
reclassification in his report and not in a financial motion, the Senior Treasurer said "You could argue the finer details, I suppose. It was a change of status, and I J- thought the Union should decide B that." Tranchell said such 3 questions had been decided as part (0 of Treasurer reports in the past, o although there was an I 5 "imbalance" in the speakers for (X each side. 'There's no shame in o being an Associate Society. In o other schools they get money. Q. We're very unusual in that."
Greens with Anger
Buerman, however, was quite distressed about the change in status; "It's a shame. Now we can't pick up transportation costs for our speakers." He denied the Forum was political, although some of its members had been elected to posts under the name of Independent Greens. 'We have members of all parties in the Green Forum. We don't play politics. Others play politics."
"1 think a lot of people are pissed off about the way the Greens seem to spend so much money on cheese and wine."
- Nick Randall
Referring to Borcke, he said; "We can't stop him from running as an Independent Green, but we could stop him from running as a Green Forum candidate." The two organisations are separate, he said.
Borcke was critical of the reasoning for the change, too. 'It's a very dangerous thing to say that • similar memberships make it an Associate Society. The Anti-Apartheid Society has virtually the same membership as the Labour Club, for instance." He added that most societies could be seen in the same light.
Russell contended that his motivation for changing the Forum's status was a desire to let "people know what the Greens were doing." Borcke, he said, had consistently campaigned against Union money being given to societies that spent it on alcohol, a stance with which Russell said he basically agreed. However, when he saw the Green Forum had spent large amounts on wine and cheese receptions, he saw it as hypocrisy on Borcke's part; "members of the Finance Committee were aggrieved; he says one thing, he's done the opposite."
In addition, there was an expenditure on poster materials shortly before the October elections, in which the Independent Greens were standing a full slate of candidates. In Russell's estimation this amounts to evidence of political involvement.	, . ,
stupid
jvsrm MUSSEll: Did he us«
his position as Seaior Treasut^fr to reniovc potenikf politicaf opposition, setTX funds of a rival group 4n<i con$|>jre gainst the Green Porum? Did he hoid a meeting in bis office at which plans to "stitch up" the Greens were discussed?
NICK RANDALL: Why did he submit a question to the UGM under a false name? Why don't his stories concerning that question match with those of other sources? Did he attend the meeting in Russell's office, if it did indeed take place?
% «
RICHARD FORD; Wa.s he involved in: giving: budget in formation to the Tequila and Guinness Societies so that they could firanme a trap for Fabian Boreke? Did he invite Tequila representatives to the alleged meeting in Russell's office?	.
The attack on Borcke was ''underhanded and of the sabbaticals" - Imogen Tranchell
continued Page 3
OPINION
Page 2
According to usually well-informed sources the student Nicolas M. has been awarded "THE GOLDEN PYJAMAS" for his enduring, consistent and heroic victory against the desire to get up for lectures. G.L. & R.W.
American Socialist: "SWSS is a good place to meet people." Reagan youth: "Yeah, if you want to meet Fidel Castro."
Kermit the Frog may not like me, but he sure loves Miss Piggy!
Dear J.L. Running dog misses slinky minx. B.T.
Fun. Fun. Fun. Beautiful, vivacious and charming blonde seeks generous young man for Valentine's Day romance. Call Karen.
Dave, you were never a stud at Midd.
Nixon poem was appreciated, but censored.
The Beaver, Monday 15th February 1988, Issue 278
This society does not allow homosexuality to be a private issue -lesbians and gays are constantly discriminated against. The only way to counteract this is to have "positive images" so that people can accept us as equals. Clause 28 destroys that right.
Dear Nicola, hurry up and heal, we miss you.
Dear Shunnie, Where have you been, you haven't been over for 2 days!?!
President for sale: Present Carr Saunders president. Hardly used. To quote a pleased resident: "The fish, the rain and the sun, our president has a nice bum." Guaranteed to be serious and wear a suit at all times, even in bath.
Margaret Thatcher only has nine toes.
Defend the NHS, support the nurses! No tax cuts for the rich!!
Hello, S.L.! When is the next ouzo party with Slow Fox? Give my regards to ostrobogulous. Dein Schatzi R.
Ginger-haired SWSS infiltrator seeks non-sexist member of cuddly left (not too soft!) . . . Porsche owners (apply Tories) and designers (apply RCP) NOT WANTED.
Carrie, please say "Hello" to LSE for us!
Chris is a socialist, and wears the same pants every day.
Sellout; I want to change my lifestyle. For sale; 32 Enrico Coveri suits, 13 Boss jackets, 15 Christian Dior jackets, 47 Enrico Coveri shirts, 20 pairs of Valentino trousers, 10 scarves by Jaegar, 3 Vaurnet glasses, 3 sets of Wedge-wood crockery - unfortunately all very worn out due to frequent changing. Amex Gold Card accepted. Please contact J.P.
Two rooms to let. 35 mins from LSE. £30p.w. plus bills. Phone Sofia. Tel: 858 5704
How to become a Capitalist -
The greatest irony of capitalist society is that no-one is taught how to be a capitalist. You can take lessons on everything except how to make money. You can go to Business Schools, Law Schools, etc., but who ever heard of How To Make Money School. There is no such thing. Most successful investors learn the hard way. A lot of us discovered this for ourselves. Either you spend ages reading some bullshit, investors chronicles, or you lose loads of money, through some very naive and stupid mistakes. Anyway, join me next week for some valuable tips on how to make and lose money.
DROP ALL MESSAGES IN PERSONAL S BOXES LOCATED WHEREVER THE BEAVER IS DISTRIBUTED, AND OF COURSE THE TUNS.
TheBeaver
Executive Editor: Mark Mosher Managing Editor: Julian Mack News Editor: Tom Parker Features Editors: Ali Fassa, Tom Lloyd Arts Editors: Katherine Pena, Ekow Eshun Photographic Editor: Rebecca Dutton Sports Editor: Tony Ainsworth Societies Editor: Stavros V. S. Makris Layout: Nico Macdonald, Kazuko Hirao
Staff: Alex Crawford, Jon Eastick, Ben Gilbey, Ross Broadstock, James Robertson, Andy Cornwell, Shan Mitra, Andy Blakeman, Stuart Bancroft, Thea Kino, Bettina Wassener, Thomas Board, Julian Flanagan, Kfir Yefet, Tom Elliot, Mark Wynne-Jones, Phillippe Papaphilipou, Jeremy Jeffs, Paul Wood, Vanessa Brechling, Jennifer Clapp, Claris Phiilipsborn and Sivan Lewin.
Many thanks to Alexia, Helen and Terry for typing and to Andy, Thea and Aii for staying up all night.
Typeset by Clerkenwell Graphics, 13 Vandy Street EC2 Printed by Eastway Offset
Published by LSE Students' Union, East Building, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE. Tel 01-405 7686 cxt 2870
Dear Editor,
I was absolutely astonished and flabbergasted by the events of today's Union Meeting. Never before have I witnessed such apathetic and irresponsible behaviour by members of a supposedly civilised society.
I have, for a long time, been skeptical and cynical about the ability of the UGM to achieve anything. Now I am utterly convinced.
Firstly, how can a single individual disrupt a meeting of a few hundred. The Union Chair was both pathetic and indicisive in ejecting Mr Broadstock.
Secondly, valuable time was wasted on this rather trivial issue and it was not until 1.45pm, that we began debating any of the motions.
The Union Chair showed a complete lack of compassion for overseas students at the LSE. I intended to prioritise business motion 4.8 on Overseas Students' fees with some amendments. The motion needed to be debated and passed today to meet tomorrow's deadline for submission to NUS Conference. I explained the situation to her, but she proceeded to bring up prioritisation for less urgent motions, after which the meeting was adjourned. Whether this was due to stupidity, absence of mind or lack of compassion for Overseas students, I do not know.
Sadly, I must say that I have now lost complete faith in the politics of the UGM and all LSE hacks, be they of the Right or Left. They do not really care about overseas students, as much as I hate to make such a generalisation. I can now understand why the great majority of overseas students do not even bother to turn up to Thursday's "Comedy Hour".
Sincerely,
Bolaji Balogun
(sic.)
Dear Beaver,
I write in reply to Andrew Corn's letter in the Feb 8th issue in order to spell out a number of inaccuracies:
Firstly I never "blindly" follow the arguments of "The Sun" and secondly, I never suggested that any members of SWSS had been arrested.
Let me therefore reiterate what I said; On this one occasion there was some truth in "The Sun" headline which was confirmed by both news and national newspapers; out of 4 people arrested, 3 were not nurses and happened to belong to "Left Wing Fringe" groups. I believe that these groups' interest in the NHS is a side issue. What they really came for is to promote their own narrow political causes which involves, in part, confrontation with the police.
That set aside, my rather more blunt exposition of this at the UGM had its desired effect. Francis von Hahsburg
P.S I know Mr CornWELL would very much like to see me run over on Kingsway - don't worry Andy, The feeling is mutual!
Squeak of the Weak...
Dear Beaver,
Last week's issue was notable for its reports of the Union Meeting of the 4th February. In both "At the Union" and on the letters page, the Conservative response to the motion on the "Birmingham Six" was described in terms of our condemnation of the Republican terrorists.
It is true that we condemn terrorism from all sides of the political spectrum in Northern Ireland. But more importantly both our speakers on the motion expressed the belief that those convicted of the Birmingham bombings had been convicted fairly, given the chance to appeal, and had lost.
It is sad that some elements of the Left-wing seem to put the case for terrorists before the case for Justice. And indeed there does seem to be a fair amount of support for political extremism in some elements of the Labour Party. However it would be useful if The Beaver would report arguments on the basis that these terrorists were fairly convicted. They at least got the chance of an appeal, unlike those they murdered.
Yours sincerely,
A.S. Aiken
What the Papers Say?
Dear Beaver,
As the usually occupied time between 1.30pm and 2.00pm on Thursday has suddenly become available to me (courtesy of Ms Tranchell) I now have a chance to respond to actions within the UGM.
Firstly, my solitary aerial piece of artwork was totally eclipsed from the balcony's bombardment. Am I the only name she knows? But this, I agree, is not the point -it is the principle that matters.
When I arrived at the LSE, paper-throwing and barracking was an acceptable practice (by all sides) and a good speaker was always able to turn these factors to his/her advantage. Are the present speakers so incompetent, ineffectual or afraid that they require perpetual protection.
It has taken me the better part of two years to perfect my design and aim. Please don't let this ancient custom and artform die. Yours,
Ross Broadstock
Big Mac Fries
Dear Beaver,
Accustomed as I am to the RCP's idiotic commentaries concerning the British pohtical scene, I still found Nico Mac Donald's letter last week to be one of the most stupid in his sect's history.
MacDonald argues that nurses have the right to strike for more money. As a nurse who took such action both in 1979 and 1982 over the same issue, I couldn't agree more.
But when he says that we shouldn't fight to defend the NHS, I begin to wonder whether he's a sarnie short of a picnic.
Defending the NHS against Tory cuts does not imply support for privatisation or low pay for nurses.
On the contrary, it means we can use the power of millions of organised workers who use the NHS and have a stake in it to fight for better pay for health workers and in defence of the Health Service.
MacDonald's insistence that pay should be the only issue raised in connection with the NHS means severely limiting that potential support. It also falls prey to the kind of sectionalism that has bewilled the union movement since its formation.
Incidentally, 1 note in passing that he is prepared to fight education cuts while not deigning to grant the same privilege to the NHS.
To conclude, I hope that as long as Nico MacDonald regards us with the toytown politics his letter represents, students will continue to treat his organisation with the contempt it deserves.
Yours fraternally,
A Former Nurse
Mea Culpa
Dear Beaver,
I would like to thank Adrian Havas for reminding me that the LSE is a "cosmopolitan" institution. It is precisely becausc of this that I had hoped that no one would take offence at what is after all a fairly cliched headline. Perhaps I need to make it clear that I had no wish to generate xenophobic feelings; only to inject some, albeit now rather flat, humour into what was otherwise a strictly factual piece. I am more than a little surprised that in a community like ours anyone could take such a frivilous one-liner seriously, but since it seems some people do, then I must offer my most sincere apologies.
Yours,
Tom Parker
Stop Clause 28 Campaign DAY OF ACTION February 17th
Speaker Meeting 1.00pm in the Quad Speakers:
Peter Tatchell Rebecca Fleming (NUS) Don Milligan Ken Livingstone Evening benefit with cabaret 7.00pm, the Quad. All Welcome!
NEWS
The Beaver, Monday 15th February 1988, Issue 278
Page 3
greengatc
Whose Conspiracy?
from Page 1
Borcke responded that he did not think the Union should fund societies whose sole purpose was drinking, and that the Green Forum used the alcohol mostly for fund-raising activities. He further stated that although expenditures for "wine, cheese, and parties" added up to about 65%, actual alcohol expenditure was less than that. Lastly, he stated that "no Green Forum money was ever spent on elections."
Nicked?
Randall's involvement is complicated and much disputed. He told The Beaver that he had a vague idea of Russell's change-of-status motion, but that he knew nothing beyond that. Contrary to his seeming obliviousness, however, is a line of thinking that says he did his best to discredit Borcke by faking a letter from an overseas student.
Ross Broadstock, in an unpublished piece for The Beaver, charged that Randall wrote the question himself. Fabian Borcke has claimed that Randall gave him differing explanations when asked about the question. Further
"It is a normal thing to have questions asked without a name. It's politics. It doesn't matter who writes things, but what it says."
- Avinash Persaud
complicating the issue was the appearance ai the Beaver office of a student, Chare/, Golvala, who claimed that he wrote the question in dispute.
Several versions of the complicated story have floated through the Beaver office in the past week.
Randall's version'is that he told Borcke that an overseas student had come to him some time before the UGM complaining about Borcke's inactivity as Overseas Officer and his failure to organise a Christmas party for overseas students. Randall continued that he showed Borcke the question and explained that it was in his handwriting because the student did not want to be named.
Avinash Persaud was with Randall when he showed Borcke the question, and Persaud added that they told Borcke that "the person didn't want his name known for maybe a sensitive reason." Asked why Randall needed to change the name, Persaud re.sponded "it is a normal thing to have questions asked without a name. It's politics. It doesn't matter who writes things, but what it says." He said he knew Charez Golvala "slightly."
Golvala explained his position to The Beaver. He said he was not quite sure when he visited Randall, but it was sometime during the week of the eventlul UGM. He gave two reasons for not turning in the question himself: he could not be at that week's meeting; and the general
_.......... ............
not want to be named, because he was in some kind of academic dispute with the School.
Borcke named Phil Evans as a witness to Randall's first evasive reply, and Evans backed up Borcke's version in the main. He said he had not taken much notice of the exchange, but that as far as he could remember, Randall said it had been "put in the pigeonhole or in the UCiM, something like that."
Dissent?
"mayhem" in the UGM. He therefore asked Randall to ask the question for him. Golvala said he had no idea why Randall changed the name. Why did Golvala want the question asked that week? He replied that "they wanted it done promptly" and then explained that people he knew in "overseas societies, like the India Society, etc." wanted him to ask this question. Assistant Registrar Miss Nixon told The Beaver that Golvala was a third year law student and not an overseas student.
Borcke's version contradicts the preceding ones substantially. He told The Beaver that Randall's first explanation for the question was that "he found it under his door or something." Later, Borcke asked to see Randall; Randall obliged, but when Borcke asked to see the question, Randall said he had no time.
Borcke waited outside Randall's office, however, and presently Randall and Persaud appeared and showed him the question. Randall then said that the question was in his handwriting, because the student wished to remain anonymous. Borcke said that Persaud gave some garbled explanation that the student did
Some Labour Club members, including Imogen Tranchell, Union Chair, have criticised the sabbaticals for their heavy-handedness at the UGM. Tranchell said that it was "underhanded and stupid of the sabbaticals" to have attacked Borcke in the way that they did, and she questioned Randall's reasons for putting a phony name on the question. Several Labour Club members, who requested anonymity lest there be repercussions, suggested that there was a conspiracy against Fabian Borcke and the Green Forum.
At the Labour Club meeting following the UGM, several Club members gave Randall flak for changing the student's name on the question. Debate on the subject was cut short by Tranchell, however, her point being that too much time had been spent in the UGM already. Some Club members privately questioned her role in the UGM doings, pointing out that it was suspicious that she picked out questions that were most damaging to Borcke.
Persaud was at pains to point out to Beaver reporters that "Imogen had nothing to do with it. She didn't see the questions until just before the meeting started." However, Tranchell was quite able to defend herself. 'I don't have time to plot. I have two hours of lectures before the meeting. I got the questions on my way into the UGM." She said she did not recognise Randall's handwriting, and she did not want to deal in hypothetical, such as "What if ... " she had. 'I suppose if I had known beforehand, I would have had a discussion with him about it."
Such a complex melodrama has cast a shadow over LSE student politics. Labour Club members are publicly closed-mouthed, but privately disillusioned that their leaders might have been involved in such a ham-fisted manoeuvre. Despite Russell's assurances to the Beaver that "there is no dissension in the Labour Club", one of the members called that claim "Crap". The Green Forum is lamenting the loss of its budget and considering contesting the status change. LSE SU faces one of the biggest scandals in its history.
Police Close Centre as Gay Fears
Grow
by AMANDA HART LSE Stop Clause 28 campaign is stepping its efforts to fight proposed changes in the law on homosexuality. This Wednesday it will hold a "Day of Action" with a lunchtime speaker meeting featuring Ken Livingstone MP and an evening Benefit with the comics Parker and Klein. Meanwhile campaigners are increasingly fearful of the effect of the legislation.
One London police force has already tried to put Clause 28 into effect when they attempted to close down a local Lesbian and Gay Centre. Clause 28 is currently passing through the House of Lords and is expected to receive Royal Assent in April. It bans local authorities from "intentionally promoting homosexuality" through funding, teaching or other means.
Woolwich police last week were pre-empting the clause becoming law when they approached caretakers of the Greenwich Council-funded Lesbian and Gay Centre. The police argued that the centre was "no longer legally funded by the council" and that lesbian and gay groups using the premises were "squatting". Greenwich Council condemned the action by the police and are resolving to oppose Clause 28.
"Lesbians and Gays are angry at this latest attack on their rights," says the Chair of LSE Lesbian and Gay Soc. "The Woolwich police raid along with the earlier arson attack on Capital Gay are evidence that Clause 28 has reinforced homophobic attitudes within society." She urges all students to attend the LSE Day of Action.
The LSE Stop Clause 28 Campaign is supported and funded by the Students' Union which has a commitment to fight for lesbian and gay rights. A debate on non-implementation of the clause in LSE is pending, since LSE's Lesbian and Gay Society may also be threatened.
Honesty Pays Off as School Pays Up
by ANDREW CORNWELL
LSE's first "alternative prospectus" is to be launched this summer to give potential applicants a taste of the reality behind the college's official image.
Pro-Director Robert Pinker and the Students' Union, in a rare cooperative venture, last week gave the go-ahead for the project. A booklet will be sent out with the official prospectus to 4,000 schools and sixth-form colleges all over Britain, bringing LSE into line with other Student Unions who, for many years, have issued an alternative interpretation of courses, social life, and, of course, Union politics.
The prospectus is the brainchild of two students, Andy Blakeman and Steve Moriarty, who persuaded the School's publications committee to back the idea. LSE have promised to pay printing
costs of £1,000, although the prospectus will also be raising advertising revenue.
As elected student representatives to the publications committee, both Blakeman and Moriarty were surprised at the School's ready acceptance of the idea, for School committees are often portrayed as useless forums with little power. But they believe a desire to avoid massive timetable switches as students change courses at the start of an academic year played a role in the administration's generosity. If more detailed and accurate information about courses is available, students can make a more informed choice and the time of academics, students and administrators will be saved.
The pair stress that they are not out to attack the LSE, but equally they do not intend to gloss over
weak points, such as accommodation, poor teachers and problems in obtaining library books.
"The prospectus will be an honest, accurate, no-nonsense look at the LSE today. The official prospectus is, by its very nature, tedious and massively complex; we can cut through the dross and give a more readable description of the School", said Andy Blakeman.
Steve Moriarty added that^ although for its first year the prospectus will only be sent to British schools, he hoped "it would reflect the diverse, multi-cultural nature of the LSE, with its exceptionally high numbers of mature, Dverseas and postgraduate students.
An extension of distribution to cover overseas students and postgraduates is not ruled out if this year's initial venture is successful.
by TOM PARKER
I» their UGM I«st Taesday stU' at	jCtollege passed a
taodoft mstfsjctiRg ICU Pr«si-ilettt {fa® Howgate) to send a letter to our own U«to« In^seriars support for the LSESy divestjnent campa^iix Tfee letter eont^as details of thfi ICU motion ttotiag that k was |>isscd with only one vote opposing and ends with this message from tht ICU President," I write to Wish yoB all the veiy best in, your figlst agaiflst the apartheid regime and oner any support tiiat we might be able to |pve." A noble gesture. - '
GeriiiH &vress,
The Sussex branch of the NUS has spent £2,200 on booking a special train to bring stadents protesting against Kenneth Baker's Edttca-cion Refonn Bill up to London for the national NUS demonstration on the 27th February. Union officials believe that int the long run this will be far cheaper than hiring a fleef of coaches and also hope that the novelty value of a chartered train, will attract greater numbers than would usually attend such an event. Surely this i.?' an example for other NUS branches to follow; but beware, British Rail have refused to serve alcohol on board ilj'e train and have insisted that NUS Sussex accept up to £25,000 liabiiity for any damages caused. Tequila drinkers take
. X ' ' ' - ^
H^^lieeiiLoo
As part of their fuadraising aaivi-ties for Cotaic Relief's ^red nose" campaign, students at Birminghanj University are to attempt to break the existing land speed record for sitting on a toilet which stands, believe it or not, at an incrediible 71tnph, To achieve this goal they have fixed a standard toilet to the roof of a Ford Transit van and they hope to take their creation for testing on the ML At the time of going to press the results of their trials were not yet available, so watch this space for further news of their exploits.
At the very least it's hoped that the alternative prospectus will become an annual feature.
If you wish to contribute to the alternative prospectus, and make sure the class of '89 doesn't have to learn the hard way too, contact Andy or Steve through the Beaver office in E205. (Leave your telephone number.) Contributions are especially needed on first-year undergraduate courses (BSc(Econ), LLB, and course-unit degrees), London life and those "extracurricular" activities not mentioned in the official prospectus (Tequila? Trotskyism?). Deadline is March I8th, so please hurry!
COLLEGE SCENE
Page 4
The Beaver, Monday 15th February 1988, Issue 278
by JAMES ROBERTSON
God. We were so laid back. We .".ere pretty. In our "quiet little paradise" (Alex Aitken), we were pretty wonderful. Not withstand-' a brief essay on egotism and the power of the individual by the (.liildish Ross Broadstock, the
GM endeavoured, for once, to x' amiable and relevant.
The secret of our success? Well, it was a very "non-political" meeting. Rag of course, is "non-political", Valentine's Day is "non-political", even the promoters of the motion on "free speech" claimed, as they tried to lodge a blade firmly between Imogen's shoulder blades, to have been "trying not to have been political".
For once, it seemed as if both class and institutional interests would unite the UGM against Neil "the school spy" (we must get together sometime), and in favour of questionnaires about new library lending arrangements, "glasnost" regarding societies monthly expenditure, and even of a renewed campaign against Baker's GERBILL.
By then however, the consensus was based more on an absence of Tories - tired, presumably, of arguing that the earth is flat, that the Pope is a protestant, and that the government has the remotest interest in education, or indeed, in any form of public welfare provision - than on the continued presence of educated harmony.
Indeed, "politics", i.e. sectarianism, has raised its woeful head on several occasions. For the second week, we were treated to an outside speaker from the "Beirut of the Trade Union Movement", the euphemistically monikered "Employment Service", and, more contentiously, some rather unpopular questioning of our guest from SCF, one of God's, or at least LSE's, chosen charities.
"A lot of people don't like Rag" said Richard Ford. What, presumably, he meant, is that a lot of people don't like doing anything for Rag. Indeed, Olivier, the Rag chair, admitted that the genera! response so far had been "pretty apathetic".
The major beneficiaries of this year's bash are the Housing Association and the Save the Children Fund (SCF). Regarding the former, Ford suggested that a poor showing compared to Butlers Wharf would leave us "looking like monkeys". One refrains.
Regarding the latter, we were offered Louis Adams from SCF itself. SCF, if I may interject, was established in 1919 in response to the aftermath of the Great War. In the 1980s, it has consistently been among the largest of the overseas aid charities, and high up in the top 10 of the "income league" for all British charities.
SCF is the most "operationally" minded of such charities, i.e. it sends large numbers of people from the UK overseas. It is also considered the most "establishment minded", displaying an
Photo; Stuart Bancroft
affinity for the tradition of "country house philanthropy". One manifestation of this is in fact that it has a royal patron - Princess Anne.
So much for the brief detail. Ms Adams, however, was excellent at selling her product, no doubt helped by the strange mood that still pervaded the Old Theatre. We had made a "very good choice" we were told; "90%", we were assured, would go "to work with children". We were even treated to a bit of post-Comic Relief consciousness. SCF is "so much more than just emergency relief charity
n
Indeed, its long-term projects in the UK and overseas have included the provision of "free school milk", and work with "children likely to offend". This all went down very well. So much so that the merest suggestions of questions to Ms Adams brought loud groans from many who had already had their consciences sufficiently salved.
"Non-political" came the cry. A question about "slave-auctions" (could someone explain this to me? Am I that old?) received "no comment". Cheers.
A question from George Binette about the recent homophobic outburst by SCF's President (i.e. Princess Anne) was similarily poorly received. It was lost in the melee as the meeting was temporarily closed to eject Broadstock from continuing to pursue his field work for his degree in aerodynamics of paper balls and the paper dart as an instrument of anarchy.
George had claimed: "I do not want to cast aspersions on the noble intentions (of SCF workers) . . .". Indeed not, two points do appear to be worth making, however, about relations between SCF and government. Firstly, regarding free school milk and a former Education Minister who used to be known as "Thatcher -Milk Snatcher". Secondly, regarding the relationship between SCF and local government and governments' attitude toward the latter. Information is supposed to be power, after all.
From one "non-political" issue to" another - free speech. Imogen descended from the chair which then belonged, de jure, to Francis Cassidy, de facto to Kate Meyrick, who, I suspect, may be the only person at the LSE who actually knows the connotations.
First up, for a motion which sought to remind us of our legal and political responsibilities, von Hapsburg talked of a "nasty trend" in Union Meetings towards, in effect a no-platform policy. In support Alex Aiken managed to slide in the usual rant about "totalitarian dictatorship", just for a change.
Speaking against, Imogen talked about the need of the Chair to maintain "orderly conduct", to address issues not covered in the Constitution and to regard Union policy. In general, she suggested, "free speech is a very ambiguous issue ..." Andy Blakeman put in a Cameo appearance to accuse the Chair of "double standards", but, after a re-count, Imogen emerged victorious and was, once again, able to regain the Chair.
Good losers, as always, various Conservatives (how else can I describle them?) and their fellow travellers left.
In the closing minutes, Tim Hunter saw through the emergency motion to re-activate the campaign against the Gerbill's "dogmatic rubbish", despite Alex Aitken's plea for some (middle) class, "I'm all right Jack" type, solidarity (if only we were). With the authority of a David Steel telling the Liberals to go back and "prepare for power", Aitken invited us to "go off to your lectures and back to real life." "Non-political" real life.
SOCIETIS
RNER
by STAVROS MAKRIS
The LSE Haldane Society is hosting a meeting this week which may remain in memory for a long time to come. Arthur Scargill, President of the Miners Union (NUM) and Claire Short MP will be speaking on the Employment Bill. The meeting will be chaired by John Hendy QC.
The LSE M.Sc Economics Society hosts a talk on Trade, Deficits and the Capital Market by US Congressman Bruce Morrison. The meeting will be chaired by The Director, I.G. Patel in the Old Theatre at 6pm.
The LSE Chaplaincy Open Forum presents Captain Leonard Cheshire, VC OM, and Founder of the Cheshire Homes Charity on Monday 15th February in A85 at 1pm. Captain Cheshire will be speaking on The Morality of Defence in the Nuclear Age.
The LSE Conservatives continue their effort to introduce us to leading members of the party this week by presenting on Monday 15th February Leon Brittan MP, at 1pm in the Board Room (C120); and John Wakeham MP, Leader of the House of Commons, on Wednesday 14th February, at 1pm in the Board Room (C120).
The LSE Women's Group
meets regularly in the Women's Room in the Basement of the Clare Market Building. This week they will be meeting to discuss the International Women's Week. All interested women, especially overseas students, are welcome and are urged to attend the group's meeting on Tuesday 16th February at 1pm.
The LSE Jewish Society presents this week Brenda Katten, co-president of the Federation of Women Zionists. She will be speaking on The State of the Jews on Tuesday 16th February in Room SI 77, St. Clement's Building, at 1pm. Free lunch will be provided and all are welcome.
The LSE Overseas Student Forum will be meeting on Wednesday 17th February, to discuss issues "important to overseas students" according to the Overseas Student Officer, Fabian Borcke. Something about the reduction of Overseas Student's Fees, if you believe you can change the system join them, otherwise go for lunch in the Cafe.
The LSE Stop Clause 28 Campaign for its Day of Action meeting has invited Don Milligan, Ken Livingstone, Peter Tatchell and Rebecca Fleming. This meeting will take place in the Quadrangle at 1pm.
Following the last, successful meeting of the LSE European Integration Forum (EURIF) where Sir Michael Butler spoke on the Economic Policies of Integration, EURIF this week presents Admiral Eberle Director of the Royal Institute of International Affairs. Admiral Eberle will be speaking on Foreign Policy and Defence Issues of the Western European Unity. This meeting will take place on Thursday 18th February at 5pm in The Board Room

(C120), St Clement's Building. All members of the School are invited to attend.
The Geographer's Bail to be held at the Strand Palace Hotel on Thursday 18th February is an event organised jointly by the KCL and LSE Geography Societies. Tickets are selling fast at a price of £13.00.
The MSS (Malaysian Singapore Society) is hosting a Party in celebration of the Chinese New Year in the Imperial College Main Hall, Sheffield Building on 19th February. The Party starts at 7pm and goes on until 2;30am the morning after. Tickets, if you can still find one, sell for £8.00 members, £10.00 non-members.
The LSE Independent Greens Society presents the Vice Chairman of the Green Party, Tim Cooper on Friday 19th February at 1pm in Room A220, The Old Building.
The LSE Chinese Society presents the Variety Show '88 in the Old Theatre on 20th February at 7:30pm. Admission £1.00.
On Wednesday 24th February between 12:15 and 2:00pm in the Graduate Common Room, A344, Students with home demands and mature students will l.ave an opportunity to meet, with their children/family/partner, other students who also have to combine studying with home demands, members of the staff will also be present. Older students and those returning to Higher Education will be particularly welcome. Wine, fruit juices and snacks will be provided. For further information, all interested should contact Dr Jan Stockdale (Adviser to Women Students), Ext. 2705 or Joanna Best (Student Welfare Officer), Ext. 2877/4
Her Majesty Queen Margrethc 11 of Denmark (an alumnus and Honorary Fellow of LSE) will attend a Gala Concert given by the London Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican Centre on Thursday 21st April at 7:45pm.
Conducted by David Shallon, soloists Pinchas Zukerman and Ralph Kirshbaum will perform Bach's Violin Concerto in E Major, Tchaikovsky's Roccoco Variations and Brahms' Concerto for Violin and Cello.
A number of the best seats in the vicinity of the Royal Party are being reserved, at a price of £40, until March 1st. However, some of these are being made available at a special price of £25 each for staff and students of the School, who may also bring along one personal guest. This price includes a premium of £10 for the benefit of the appeal, admission to an Internal Reception attended by Her Majesty and a Gala Programme. The evening is sponsored by two Danish companies - Carl-sberg Brewery and Den Danske Bank. In order to book your seats, contact the Butlers Wharf Appeal Office (exn. 3180) before Friday 26th February.
by MARK WYNNE-JONES
FEATURES

The Beaver, Monday 15th February 1988, Issue 278
David Steel: To Boldly Go
Last Wednesday the Liberal leader, David Steel MP, addressed an open meeting of the LSE Liberal Students. Afterwards he agreed to talk to The Beaver. Firstly, for the benefit of those readers who did not attend the meeting, I must ask you again whether you will be putting your name forward to be considered for the leadership of the recently christened Social and Liberal Democratic Party (SLDP). "I don't think I can really add to the answer I gave before. are in what we call the "closed season" while we concentrate on getting the new party off the ground, rather than speculating on its leadership. There is going to be a period of at least three months, possibly six months, when the leadership issue will arise, but it doesn't arise at the moment." If you were to decide not to put your name forward is there anyone you would prefer to see leading the new party in your place?
"If I am not myself a candidate, then I will not in fact support publicly any alternative leader; and that is in keeping with the traditions in the Liberal Party. On the last two occasions when there has been a leadership election, the retiring leader has not participated. My task would be to see the transition through and be a focus for unity and not a focus for division.
Would you not prefer the new leader to come from the Liberal Party rather than the SDPf "No, those candidates that have been mentioned as possibles, and there have been quite a few now, are all people under whom I would be perfectly willing to continue. Beyond that 1 am afraid you are not going to be able to draw me."
Already the new party has been the butt of innumerable jokes, can it really overcome this initial prejudice and win over the public's respect?
"1 think it is inevitable that in a period when we have gone through so much internal wrangling, and when we have not therefore been addressing the external issues of the country, but simply addressing each other, that our support should inevitably show some sign of falling off. As soon as we get through the ballot process and the launch in March, 1 expect to see our support turn up again."
m
m
"If we ever want to progress beyond a cosy political debating society ... then we've got to go beyond traditional liberals."
in the new party's constitution. We accepted that and produced a new document on where we stand now in 1988. They are not contradictory documents, they serve two separate purposes."
Given the obvious rift between the pro-mergerites and David Owen's supporters in the Campaign for Social Democracy (CSD), how do you yourself react to his recent offer of a close working relationship between the two schism':^ "I am not against having as close a working relationship as we can . . . in the House of Commons, despite these public disagreements, there is still a certain amount of
"I think it is right that universities should be in the lead on divestment."
when he spoke here two weeks ago, Dr David Owen MP accused both you and the Leader of the SDP, Robert MacLennan MP, of abandoning your principles, not just once but three times in the space of a single week. How do you react to this accusation?
"It is just untrue. The initial policy document we were producing was wholly different in its purpose from the one that we launched the party with . . . What we were doing was looking forward into the 1990s to the kind of issues that the new party would have to address and pointing to some directions we might take. What our colleagues said to us was that this was all very interesting but that the SDLP is a democratic party and capable of doing that all in due course, future policies will evolve through the machinery set
mon among stalwart members of the Liberal Party; what I have to point out to them is that the number of traditional Liberals in this country is quite small, so is the number of Liberal consituen-cies. If we ever want to progress beyond a cosy political debating society where we all admire each other and say how wonderful our policies are, to a point where we are actually a broad-based movement capable of challenging for power, then we've got to go out on to the highways and byways and drag people in. That's what I've been trying to do over these last ten or eleven years and that is what we have succeeded in doing with the formations of the new party. It is a more broadly based church than was the old Liberal Party. It is very much larger and it will be able to exert more influence. It's not much use comforting yourself with your own liberalism if in fact you're living in a highlv illiberal society - you've got to use the inspiration of your own liberalism to be determined to seek changes."
"We're not interested
cooperation; after all, we're going to end up as a party with nineteen MPs and they're going to have three. To pretend these MPs don't exist would be, in my view, a mistake. What there cannot be is a new electoral alliance, because we haven't gone through all this pain and agony, and public abuse, in order to end up doing the same
deal on seats as we had as an . ,	ii
unsatisfactory feature of the old	eleCtOral paCtS,
Alliance. We're not interested in
new electoral pacts."
With two broken alliances behind you (the Lib-Lab pact and the Liberal SDP Alliance) do you not think the Liberal Party might perhaps do better to go it alone rather than risk another? Also how would you react to charges that by allying with socialists you betrayed Liberal principles?
"I know that view is quite com-
Will the new party be placing more emphasis on the constitutional issues you mentioned in your speech: Proportional Representation, a Bill of Rights and a freedom of information act. Many argue that these are potentially your greatest vote winners, would you agree?
"We're certainly going to place more emphasis on them, whether
they're bigger vote winners or not is a moot point. I certainly believe that they are among issues that attract active participation in our party because they are issues which individuals who follow politics feel strongly about and rightly so. I have some doubt as to whether they touch the public imagination as much as they should, but I think it is our job to try and increase public awareness as to the importance of these questions."
Page 5
Where do you stand on the issue of extending VAT to the cost of food and children's clothing?
"There is a strong intellectual argument if you are going to use the revenue produced for a real attack on poverty. At first sight if you, say, put VAT on instant coffee you are increasing the cost of living for the poor, but if in fact you're using the revenue to load the scales in favour of the poor through the tax benefit system, then of course you more than compensate for the general increase in the cost of living. There are of course strong political reasons for not doing this and that's something we are obviously going to have to weigh up."
"There has always Deen a unilateral minority in the Liberal Party but it has always remained just that."
What would you-say to supporters of the SDP who are afraid to see their party lost without trace after the merger with a larger party? "We have always leant over backwards to try to ensure as great an area of equality as possible in terms of parliamentary candidates and positions of power in the local authorities. If you look at our work in local councils, it's very instructive in that you sometimes get an Alliance group of councillors which has only got one or two SDP members and one is the leader. The reason that person is the leader is because the others reckoned he was the best person available. As long as we go on in that spirit, nobody is going to be looking over their shoulder the whole time in the new party, saying were you a member of the SDP or were you a member of the Liberal Party."
Will the leaders of the new party be able to reconcile those members from the Liberal Pary who support unilateral disarmament with those from the SDP who actively support the Trident programme?
"There has always been a unilateral minority in the Liberal Party but it has always remained just that. We accept that we have a pacifist tradition within the Liberal Party and we want to retain that, but the majority view is in favour of multilateral disarnament - of using Britain's nuclear capability to engage Britain and Europe in the process of global arms reduction. In other words, to be strong in defence but willing to see a positive contribution to disarmament on a scale commensurate with the pace of disarmament of the superpowers."
What approach will the new party to university funding and more particularly the increasingly inadequate student grant? "On university funding generally we are opposed to the provisions proposed in the GERBILL which have yet to be debated in either the Commons or the Lords. We think there will be strong opposition to the much tighter controls the government is seeking to impose on the universities over expenditure, particularly on research. We think this is wholly against the British university tradition. On student funding, we recognise the student grant has been severely eroded since 1979 and we would like to try and get it back to that sort of level. But we don't have any ideological objection to an additional system of loans, there is virtually an unofficial system now through bank overdrafts, we'd rather see a supplementary system of government loans."
Can I ask, then, if you supported David Shephard's bill to reform the Official Secrets Act? "Yes, 1 did."
Will the new party adopt David Owen's scheme for a "social market" or will it remain true to liberal principles and givemore support to Mrs Thatcher's laissez-faire policies?
"I was very interested to see a television interview with John Cartwright (SDP anti-merger) who was asked about the social market and he replied that he had yet to meet anybody in Woolwich who knew what it meant and the most people thought it was some kind oi supermarket. I think that must also be my answer. There is an awful lot of hot air spoken about the social market. To me the phrase means using the fruits of the free enterprise system . . . for the kind of social purposes that Liberals and Social Democrats have always stood for: notably the maintenance of an effective health and education service."
You're rejecting the idea that some essential services should remain under government control? "Essential services, yes, but I don't see any case for having manufacturing industry under government control except as a temporary expedient as in the case of British Leyland; in the long run I think there must be a competitive economy. We are opposed to the privatisation of the electricity grid and that is an example of an ssential service that ought to remain public. We opposed the privatisation of British Telecom for the same reason."
Could Mrs Thatcher be considered, at least in economic terms, a truer liberal than either yourself or those in your party?
"Only in the Adam Smith sense. John Kenneth Galbraith put it very well some years ago when he pointed out that Adam Smith was noT"-t\'riting in an age of considerable state intervention in the economy; the existance of large trade unions or of an internationally organised market . . . and that all of these factors make the application of nineteenth century principles to the reality of twentieth century economics a complete nonsense. I think he was absolutely right."
Lastly, as a founder member of the British anti-apartheid movement, would you like to pledge you support to the LSE Students' Union and its campaign for divestment from companies with South African links?
"Yes, I think it is right that universities should be in the lead on this issue."
ARTS
Page 6
The Beaver, Monday 15th February 1988, Issue 278
Enter Phil: Even More lan's Indie Column Jazz Jottings.
"Christ, call this singing?" 1 overheard a woman say to her friend at a recent Phil Minton gig. 1 don't think it actually was the big J sitting there drinking Guiness ¦hough, didn't look old enough.
Though it probably isn't what she I leant, it is true that "singing" is a horrible, mediocre word to describe Minton's art. In performance he uses not only his voice but his whole body -and personality. Neither is he limited to those vocal noises normally regarded as musi--cal - he moans and groans, splutters and screeches, wimpers and roars, sometimes he even plays the trumpet. He usually sings without amplification, no microphone to interfere, to rely on, to use as prop. No effects, no instrument, no nothing. Just the sounds and vibrations of the voice, rumbling in the chest, resisted by the muscles of the throat, rolling across the tongue outwards into the air. Performances can be embarrasing and frightening, but most seem to find them engrossing and above all elating. He generates an open, alive, atmosphere, "good vibes" as the legend of wider trousered, bigger granted days would have it.
On Ways (ITM Records) Minton sings a collection of songs and improvisations with the excellent pianist Veryan Weston. Though he has a solo record out on Matchless records Veryan is best known for his work with Trevor Watts' Moire MUsic and with Eddie Prevost (whose recent City Limits spon-sered series at the Makeshift Club was jolly good indeed). The re-petoire ranges from an emotionally draining Jailhouse Rock to rompy light operetta to love songs, hymns and more. But the juxtaposition of idiom does not reflect restlessness, superficiality, or meaninglesness, like so much of the current Postmodern jumble. And although there is humour it would be wrong to hear it only as pastiche (oh, look how clever we are darling!). Instead there is respect for, and joy in, music regardless of conventions and constrictions of type or label.
Message? - Ail. music has something to offer but this cannot be recognised merely by fidelity to a
single path or by churning out empty forms or procedures for cheap effect.
If you think that love and humour are good things, have ever sung in the bathroom, made silly noises to make kiddies laugh or giggled at a fart you might well like this record (and if you haven't, what do you think your doing?). I think it is very good indeed, anyway.
Similar switching of styles come from drummer Steve Noble and pianist Alex Maguire on their first LP Live at Oscars (Incus Records). All this music is improvised and many influences can be heard from the great European traditions of free improvising since the late sixties, in particular wacky Dutchmen Han Bennick and Misha Mengel-berg (incidentally playing the South Bank with the amazing saxophonist Evan Parker on the 9th of Feb). There is a certain light-heartedness at work here too, wild flailings give way to a little boogie-woogie, to reflective slow passages, a march and so on. Though these developments are logical and the record is (to use another lousy '70s word) accessible, it is perhaps not as vital as many of their live performances, and some of the wit is inevitably lost in recording as well. A very interesting and playable record, though.
To less deviant noises. The recent Blue Note sampler was unbelievably tacky, unless you like EMI chopping up a dozen of your favorite jazz classics in a manner that would have made Alfred Lion (Blue Notes' founder) spew his ring (or "yak his strudel" if you prefer). Anyway, the Riverside sampler (by Ace Records) is a much better effort.
For three quid you get 13 classic tracks recorded on the Riverside label between 1957 and 1963. One reason it's so interesting is that the compilers, who are coordinating a whole set of re-releases, have refused to play safe and stick only to name artists. So as well as tunes by Sonny Rollins, Coleman Hawkins and the Nat and Cannonball Adderly Brothers we find a superb track by the far-too-ignored Yusef, Lateef and by Walter Norris. Walters' sole previous claim to fame was his presence, apparently unwanted by the leader, on Ornette Coleman's first recording session in 1958 (the one which spawned the terrifically endearing Something Else album). For anyone with an even casual interest in jazz the Riverside sampler is a more or less compulsory purchase. I will hopefully be getting some of the albums from this re-release series to review soon as well, so stay posted, if, that is, anyone actually reads past the first paragraph in the first place. Here's a prank, if you do why not write to me telling me how crap the column is or calling me a self-opinionated fascist git or something, a little dialogue might spice it up a bit.
See you around.
The Fall's lead singer Mark E. Smith once said "The only way to get in the charts these days is with a cover version" and that's exactly how The Fall scored their first ever Top 40 hit last year with "There is a Ghost in My House". Last year saw such a flood of cover versions and re-issues that one can only pray for more originality this year. The Fall, however, have always convincingly added some extra elements to the songs they cover, and this time they have done it again with a brilliant cover version of an old Kinks song "Victoria". The best cover version you are likely to hear this month. A hit!
Cover versions aside, the real bonus is on the 12-inch. "Guest Informant" is one of the most powerful Fall tracks in years and only goes to show that The Fall are currently at the peak of their ten year career.
Another man with an equally long recording career, Howard De-voto, who 10 years ago co-wrote such classics as "Shot By Both Sides" (Magazine) and "Orgasm Addict" (Buzzcocks) is back with a new band called Luxuria. Their debut single "Redneck", reminiscent of the golden days of Maga-
zine, is like a pop song from the early 80s. Could this be the start of a New Wave revival?
The weirdest album of the week
has to be "Pigsticking in Arcadia" by a band called R. Cajun and the Zydeco Brothers, who are from Derby and play American influenced Country and Western with French lyrics. This in itself is already a rather unusual combination, but the extra touch is added by producer Champion Doug Veich and the Mad Professor who was responsible for the dubbing and mixing. Just listen to the title track if you want to find out what a dubbed C&W song sounds like. Pretty interesting stuff.
Ian the Fab
E-

Lucian Freud:
Hayward Gallery
Lucian Freud, once the anonymous and mysterious prodigy of the art world, is now being thrown into a media-hype manoeuvre by the rapa-
cious pack of art critics in this country. From the Times to the Telegraph, everyone who is, or who wants to be, anyone is talking or reading about him. Yet all the attraction being lambasted over ev-
m
ery tabloid and celluloid space is justifiably deserved. Freud's only other major retrospective since 1974, promises to add a bit more controversy and excitement than usual to the exhibition season.
Iconoclastic visions of the seedy, soiled, semen-stained and sexually-scarred men, women and children recur in his works. They all possess an element which is neither staged nor surreal. What unsettles the viewer is this disturbing sense of realism, as if the images are projecting a subconscious that is at odds with our immediate physical surroundings and yet it's very tangible to the deepest crevices of our psyche.
The protraits of horribly naked women reeking of physical and spiritual decay is tantamount to visual acts of sado-masochism on canvas, inflicted on a largely innocuous public. There is a sense of repulsion and nausea at the sallow and sagging skin, hanging like loose and crumpled piece of clothing with the angular bone jutting out and holding the fleshy vestment in place.
A very native style is evident where calves, muscles, veins and all sorts of flesh become that much more obvious and, as such, all the more grotesque. The figures are smudged in grey and brown-like pallor as they gaze through red-rimmed eyes, glazed with the sheen of neurosis. Pupils stretched as if waiting yet not exactly comprehending.
For the light-hearted viewer, this exhibition should be seen as an initiation into an inner world filled with malice, exposing the frightening and undiscovered realms of our soul. Lucian Freud should be commended not so much for the jarring realism he has been oft-praised for, but for the complex psychological composition of his work.
Anak Bay as
ARTS
The Beaver, Monday 15th February 1988, Issue 278
Page?
Angel Dust
Nuts

High Society harlot Claudia Draper (Barbra Streisand) is up for manslaughter. On hearing that the $350-an-hour lawyer employed by her parents is pleading insanity on her behalf, the Huge-Hootered One goes hysterical and aims for the poor man's nose, before indulging in grevious bodily harm. This simple case of nasal attraction seems to reaffirm everyone's stance. "Temperamental" moans Mrs Draper, "mental" maintain the others. It wouldn't be so bad if Draper had someone to lean on, but everyone, mother, stepfather, lawyer and, most damningly, psychiatrists believe that the sooner she hits hospital, the better.
American films almost always tend to breathe big-budget. This film displays a downright honesty that is so much the antithesis of its American counterparts that at the begin-ing it almost seems home-made.
Set in modern(ish) Paris it involves Bernard Giraudeau as the slovenly cop who is hunting his wife and her pimp lover. Accidentally, he comes across someone who has had the pimp killed before he could avenge his cuckoldery.
Ciraudeau portrays his character in a very sophisticated manner, his
Sarraounia
It is a rare thing for a film made in Africa by Africans to be seen outside the continent. This alone made me curious to go and see it. I was not disappointed. Sarraounia is director Med Hondo's tribute to a remarkable African woman. As Queen of the .Anzis, Sarraounia united warring nations and, against all odds, repelled the French invasion of Nigeria in 1898.
Although Al Keita acted the part well somehow she did not convince me that she was the powerful and resourceful woman she was supposed to be portraying. Still this is no
personal life is considered with intensity, work is incidental, and when the two combine, with the pervasive air of the film, it makes for someting more than what we expect a thriller to be.
Violetta (Fanny Bastien) lives in a deserted house, which is kept in remarkable good condition where she brings in actors to play the roles of her parents. She sets up a candle (well, lamp) lit dinner in a closed supermarket. These vignettes and Ms Bastien's own nymphlike qualities transform what is a
apologetic dramatisation of a moment in history but a very powerful political film. A very poignant image was the use of a cru.shed and bleeding map of Africa to retell the story of the Europeans scramble for Africa. Against this, we see time and time again neighbouring nations sacrificing Sarraounia to the enemy in an effort to save their own necks. I believe this is the point of the whole film. Hondo is pleading for unity. In his epic film he leaves us in no doubt what the consequences of disunity are. I hope someone in Africa is listening.
mundane storyline into an offbeat dream. Associations are implied and only later do we realise the significance of what has come before.. It is a mixture of the sordid and the fairytale.
Haider Ali

Enter listless lawyer Aaron Levinsky (Richard Dreyfuss), who witnesses the courtroom incident and the ensuing chaos, has no choice but to tentatively conclude that Mrs Draper is relatively normal for a New Yorker because, want it or not, he has to take the case on for lack of available lawyers. There follows suspicion, revelation and much discourse, as this odd couple go about their business.
As the much-wronged Claudia Draper, Barbra Streisand is in turn outraged, deranged and enraged in a monumental performance which leaves the outstanding supporting cast, and poor Mr Dreyfuss in particular, groping for breathing space. The integrity of the film is obviously put into question when the boundary separating epic egotrip and sensitive social statement is so thin, thin, thin. With Ms Streisand that boundary non- existant.
A Fassa
The Name of the Nose! Ms Streisand goes ape in the dock, as her protrusion ^ gives way t o , confusion. Mad as in Angry, or just 1 plain Nuts?
The Lost Boys
In all The Lost Boys is an average student's film. Mum comes into town, two ail-American boys in tow. She finds what she is looking for, peace and quiet and a nice eligible bachelor. I ler sons want MTV and Cinemapiexies and all they get is a new set of weird new friends accompanied by murder and blood. She gets lost in the little Paradise she has discovered for herself. They get divided by the thin line defining life and death. The idea is not new, the plot is not strong, the finale is not surprising.
Joe Schumacher of St. Elmo's fame in The Lost Boys attempts to face-lift the Vampire Myth and fails. Instead what he presents is a neon-
lit fable of half-pint heroes combating flying bloodthirsty super-kids.
The picture is glossy, but what about the message? Is an America without MTV by definition evil? Is rock 'n roll bad for your mental health? Is the Pope Catholic? Things are not always what they seem. Yet all The Lost Boys is, is transparent sophistication of breathtaking flying sequences and little else. The kind of thing the average LSE student living in Hall of Residence would love to go and see when taking a break from sleeping all day, partying all night and never growing old. It's fun being an average LSE student.
Stavros Makris
OPERA
Offenbach, way, way back in 1858, wrote Orfee aux Enters. This traditional, enjoyable opera has, in the hands of the English National, taken on a satirical and highly amusing character, while only just retaining the moralistic elements.
Orpheus, now in possession of a violin, which he uses to woo nym-phettes, goes in search of his way-
English National Opera
The whole performance is a celebration of joyous times. Featuring an all-singing, all-dancing cast, the performances flow with the greatest of ease. Oral quality is not of a remarkably high standard, but all concerned have great fun, including the audience, who are in-volved to the extent of clapping along.
Wining and dining in the
Underworld
Orpheus in the Underworld
ward spouse, now the sex slave of the master of Hades. He is guided in his invasion by Public Opinion, taking the form of Our Glorious Leader, Margret Hilda. Thrown into a revolution by the Olympian gods over culinary standards on Mount Olympus, and various S&M characters, begging to whip of be whipped.
The original moralistic element of Orpheus has been altered, too. The conclusion is not now a celebration of the joys of fidelity, but an embrace of Bacchusian lifestyle -wine, women, men, and song.
One of the highlights of the production is the Gerald Scarfe designed set. They are witty, colourful, meaningful - everything in fact. It is certainly the most inventive idea for a stage I have seen. The performance is highly amusing, but the singing is only mediocre and the diction of the sopranos and mezzos especially bad, and becomes difficult to follow over long periods of time. Saying this though, I believe ENO have hit on a winning production, as they nearly always seem to do.
Don Basillio
S PORTS
Bastetball
lOUGHTON Ei\RRY^
London Hospital 3 LSE 1st XI 3
The 1st XI entered this game hoping to finally record a victory over their North London rivals. In what is always the season's most physical game LSE charged to a 3-0 half-time lead playing solid football in heavy conditions. In retrospect the LSE were made to pay for missed chances. The Hospital side seized the initiative from the start of the second half as the LSE midfield began to feel the effects of the previous night's excesses.
Two poor refereeing decisions, relating to the offside law, again highlighted the problems of playing without a qualified referee. The second decision so incensed Big Vern that his hairy chest wig nearly caught fire. As it was, he went very red in the face as he has a want to do.
Fate now took a further part with Kevin having to be carried off as the tackles became more fierce.
Reduced to ten men, LSE did well to concede only one further goal in the last 25 minutes, especially with Dave Warren being more concerned with chatting to his bird and Dickie more concerned with trying out a few new dance steps. For a first year, young "Wingnut" takes a lot of stick. But to be honest, anyone in this day and age who has a pair of red shoes, a perm and membership of the Nik Kershaw fan club has to expect that.
Tracey Age.l3 (Ally's girlfriend)
RSM 1st XII LSE 1st XI 2
LSE managed to scrape a last minute winner against a very poor opposition who they should have beaten quite convincingly. A shot by "Dickie Davis" was half stopped by the RSM goalkeeper for "Scrappy Atkinson" to hit a tremendous shot from all of two yards into an empty net.
RSM had taken the lead in the first half after LSE failed to clear a corner. "Super Fit John Watson" had to go off after just 5 minutes (obviously feeling the effects of having such a huge nose) which meant the team had to re-organise. Against a very strong wind LSE had the best of the first half with "Justin Russell" squandering the best chance.
The second half was completely dominated by LSE with our "Short Senior Treasurer" and "Dave Newbold" wasting good chances. "Shorty" eventually hit the target after "Baldy" missed a good chance. LSE continued to press when "Newbold" crossed the ball into the net. The referee disallowed the goal, trying to save a point for the home side, which greatly angered Chris.
A special mention must go to Dave Warren for being the shit-tiest player on the pitch. Richard Korab played very well on his debut and was unlucky not to score on a couple of occasions. Bobby Jones
CHXW 2nds 1 LSE 3rds 0
After a three week spell with no matches the 3rds arrived at Cobham in the right frame of mind to end their losing run. Unfortunately the kit arrived in Guildford about 10 minutes later, having been left on the train by Jules, so the kick-off was delayed while British Rail got it back to us.
When the game finally got underway the wind proved to be a major factor and neither side seemed to be able to create clear-cut chances. Against one of the best teams in the league, the defence of Battersby, Shaw, Gottlieb and Jones produced their most solid performance of the season while in attack chances came few and far between thanks, in large measure to the referee. Mat Williams had the LSE's best chance of the game but he put his shot wide of the target. CHXW broke the deadlock with a very dubious goal 10 minutes from full-time - just as the 3rds looked set to gain their first point of the term. Once again hopes had been dashed with vital points only minutes away, and that despite another solid performance.
LSE 71 Camden 66
Two weeks after their UAU success, LSE played their first game in a friendly match against a local London men's team, Camden. After a great start - 16-1 after only 5 minutes - LSE's attitude changed considerably as they once again lowered themselves to the level of the opposition.
LSE 1st XV 36 City 16
City could not produce a full team and so Gavin let them have Hugh "Bungalow" Baker. That meant we had fourteen players and they had thirteen. The LSE game was extremely scrappy and untidy, and showed that the general level of fitness in the team was low. The forwards were unable to set the ball properly, and played poorly in the line-out - though this was partly due to very strong winds.
The players were keen to play as individuals rather than a team. As the City team was so weak, people
Women's Hockey
LSE 1st XI 11 St George's 2nd XI 0
The LSE 1st XI continued their rampage through the ranks of the league. St. George's were the latest victims of the merciless attack from Morinella's crack squad. (We were lucky to get a full team, with a little help from the 2nd XI -thanks to Menna and Carol.)
The American contingent held fast in the goal (i.e. just stood there!) not that there was a lot to do. The fabulous forwards kept the pressure on throughout the game with magnifjcent goals coming from Caroline, Menna, Cath, Morinella, Naomi, Enricke and Janine. In defence, meanwhile, Martine and Alex just froze. A convincing victory - Well Done!
SfopThe Clause Manchesler Hemo
Sataotnreb
Coach from LSE tickets from Stop The Clause S^L Motty Tues, Wed " mQitad
Peter Tatchell
Evening Benefit
Rebecca Fleming (NUS) 'Partner & Klein"
Ken Livingston (MP) Don Milligan
7pm in the Quad
ALL WELCOME
Poor offensive shooting and weak defence let Camden back into the game, with LSE just scraping ahead 29-28 by half-time. Despite warnings from the coach, Paul Bradshaw, LSE continued to play badly and were behind throughout the second half until they got their act together with only four minutes remaining.
Twenty points from Demit-riouse Russell and 15 from Philip Nickles were the only performances of note in an otherwise uninspiring team effort.
Rugby
Stop Clause 28 Campaign Day of Action Speaker meeting 1pm in Quad
saw opportunities to score tries themselves. However, because of this, the support play at times was excellent.
Paul Kingsley (Hooker) had a good game, getting to the ball faster than the back row on most occasions, and his hard worji earned him two tries. Edric Selons also got two tries whilst Mark Seaman and Paddy Reagan got one each. Mark also kicked well under the difficult conditions.
So a win for LSE, but against a better and fuller team (City were eventually reduced to twelve players) LSE would undoubtedly have been trounced. More fitness and team play is definitely required.
If England were unlucky to lose to France, they could not complain about Wales' comprehensive victory at Twickenham last weekend. Norster certainly had the best game of his life, while Cusworth proved yet again that he is (a) bald, (b) a bad rugby player, and (c) definitely no match for Jonathan Davies. Further north, France, fielding the most experienced side ever in an International, came heavily unstuck against the Scots.
Meanwhile, inside the ring, Tony Sibson showed that if you keep sailing, don't, don't try again. He may have lasted longer than Holmes' effort but this contest will undoubtedly be remembered because of the appalling crowd behaviour. Although the authorities have stated that the CS gas incident was alcohol related, those in the know claim it was premeditated.
Finally, a quick trip to the other side of the world, where, at the time of going to press, Richard Hadlee was preparing to tuck into the English batsmen, and become the greatest wicket taker in Test history. For those who feel that this proves Hadlee to be a better all-rounder than Ian Botham, perhaps they also ought to compare the run and catch aggregates of these two great players -Botham is still the tops.
Colemanballs
Private Eye . . .
as copied from
"I'm going to make a prediction -it could go either way." Ron Atkinson, ITV
"And with just four minutes gone, the score is already 0-0" Ian Darbe, Radio 2
"Did you ever give a thought to the teams you never think about?" Dave Hodge, Radio 2
"They've got their feet on the ground; if they stay that way they'll go places."
John Gidman, Football Focus.
"Of course, one of Stephen Hendry's greatest assets is his ability to score when he's playing." Ted Lowe, ITV
"I was disappointed to leave Spurs but quite pleased that I did." Steve Ferryman
"I've always been a bit smarter than what I am."
Sam Fox. BBC!
Spot the Ball Competition