debate issue 13, 2010 by Debate Magazine

ISSUE 13 2010 I

BATTLE OF THE BANDS PHOTOS

issue 13 June 2010

TRAVEL DEBATE

YOUNG SID INTERVIEW

TOP STUDY TIPS

Calling all creative students! Are you a whiz at design? A master at photography? An expert at photoshop? Want to get your work out there to thousands of people? Why not design a cover for debate? We need more covers for semester two so get creating. Email debate@aut.ac.nz for design specifications and theme ideas. Go on, get designing!

issue 13 2010

ON THE COVER Illustration by Dipika Patel

AuSM – Auckland Student Movement @ AUT (Inc.)

printer PMP Print Ltd. all rights reserved This publication is entitled to the full protection given by the Copyright Act 1994 (“the Act”) to the holders of the copyright, being AUCKLAND STUDENT MOVEMENT AT AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY INCORPORATED (“AuSM”). Reproduction, storage or display of any part of this publication by any process, electronic or otherwise (except for the educational purposes specified in the Act) without express permission is a break of the copyright of the publisher and will be prosecuted accordingly. Inquiries seeking permission to reproduce should be addressed to AuSM. disclaimer Material contained in this publication does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of AuSM, its advertisers, contributors, PMP Print or its subsidiaries. DEBATE IS A MEMBER OF:

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Editorial Letters Creative Corner Battle of the Bands photos News Sports Pres Sez Travel Debate How To / Recipe Poor students Travel and Outer Space Tips of the Expert Traveller Young Sid Top 10 Study Tips Exam Etiquette Columns Agony Aunt / Website of the Week Suggestions/Horoscopes Fashion What are you Wearing / Retail Review Reviews Spot the Difference Micro-celebs

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issue 13 June 2010

had a dream the other night that I was sunbathing in Tahiti. Dark glasses were on, a book was in my hands and the clear, blue sky matched the glistening blue ocean. I almost cried when I woke up to find the only thing surrounding me was a wave of blue flannelette sheets. Winter has arrived and I have cabin fever. My good friend, the internet, defines cabin fever as “boredom, restlessness, or irritability that results from a lack of environmental stimulation, as from a prolonged stay in a remote, sparsely populated region or a confined indoor area”. How many of you can relate to that statement? Particularly now, when the only places you’re likely to explore are the library, classrooms and your trusty bed, while Europe, America and other awesome places experience their summer. I have only left New Zealand four times in my relatively short life (the last being England in 2006), but I am itching to pack my bags and explore the world. I get jealously pangs whenever someone updates their holiday snaps on Facebook and I often find myself browsing the Auckland International Airport website, pining over destinations I am yet to see, and flights I am not booked on. The travel bug is one many New Zealanders bite. Perhaps it’s because we’re relatively isolated from the rest of the world. We’re only a few short hours away from Australia, but not a lot of Kiwis count that as overseas travel because it’s only a few hours away. However, if you wanted to see the bright lights of Los Angeles, It’s an arduous 12 hour flight across the Pacific Ocean. To reach the bubbling metropolis that is London, you have to endure a 24 hour journey, filled with little sleep and a suitcase or two of jetlag. And let’s not forget the thousands of dollars we have to fork over to explore these places, because we’re stuck at the bottom corner of the world. Despite this, we’re the first ones putting our hands up to get amongst it. Why? We’re overloaded with images of these amazing places that are so different to our own backyard. Most people make a travel “bucket list” of things they have to do before they die. Most of these experiences, like eating snails in France, backpacking across Europe or shaking your booty in Argentina, are from what we have seen from the media around us. Travel shows like Intrepid Journeys, Getaway or The Amazing Race investigate the grittier side of travelling, whereas shows like Sex and the City and Skins highlight the different cultural and social aspects others face on a daily basis. I’m often influenced by what I see or read, and when it comes to travel – this is no different. I watch more American stuff than anything else and as a result, I can’t wait to explore the mythical being of America. I want to go ice-skating in Central Park, rollerblade down the Venice Beach boardwalk, gamble in Las Vegas and drive on the right hand side of the road. I know, I’m a walking cliché. Passports aside, this is your last week of classes for the semester, and it’s also the last issue of debate for six weeks. I’ll be using this time to write some great pieces, suss out some awesome prizes and come back with an even more attractive magazine for the second half of the year! If you want to jump on board the contributing train, email debate@aut.ac.nz and we’ll go from there. Study hard, good luck for your exams and have a fabulous break!

Sam

RECEPTION City Campus Level 2, WC Building 921 9805 8am-5 pm Mon-Thurs 8am-3.30pm Fri North Shore Campus Level 2, AS Building 921 9949 8.30am-3pm Mon-Fri Manukau Campus MB107 921 9999 ext 6672 9am-3:30pm Mon-Thurs MANAGEMENT Sue Higgins General Manager 921 9999 ext 5111 sue.higgins@aut.ac.nz REPRESENTATION Veronica Ng Lam AuSM Student President 921 9999 ext 8571 vnglam@aut.ac.nz ADVOCACY Nick Buckby Liaison Manager 921 9999 ext 8379 nick.buckby@aut.ac.nz MARKETING Rebecca Williams Marketing Manager 921 9999 ext 8909 rebecca.williams@aut.ac.nz EVENTS Barry Smith Events Team Leader 921 9999 ext 8931 barry.smith@aut.ac.nz MEDIA Samantha McQueen Publications Co-ordinator 921 9999 ext 8774 samantha.mcqueen@aut.ac.nz SPORTS Melita Martorana Sports Team Leader 921 9999 ext 7259 melita.martorana@aut.ac.nz VESBAR Zane Chase Vesbar Manager 921 9999 ext 8378 zane.chase@aut.ac.nz

For a full list of contact details plus profiles of AuSM staff and student executive visit: www.ausm.org.nz issue 13 June 2010

e t et

Letter of the week:

Dear True Red Blooded Male Since you mentioned in your last letter that you think it’s nice to see a bit of argument at uni I decided to reply in regards to your article. I understand that in your opinion “woman should be kept at home – better that they tend to what they were programmed for and is in their DNA – cooking, cleaning, making kids/looking after them”. I respect your opinion. But I do not agree with it. As I matter of fact I feel a bit sorry for you... because of two reasons: Firstly, you were totally born at the wrong century. You see, for thousands of years that was exactly how society was structured. Man hunting and woman looking after the house. It worked well but things started to change after the 1900’s. Unfortunately - for you – you were born at a time in which you have to put up with loads of woman who do not want to stay home and that pisses you off. Ouch! Secondly, you failed to recognise that this change in society is good for both sexes, not only woman. For example, there are heaps of women doctors saving lives everyday. How would you feel if you were in car accident and when you got to the emergency room a very “on to it” lady doctor came and saved your life? Would you still prefer she were at home cleaning? What about guys like Gordon Hamsay or Jamie Oliver? They are chefs! Yes! Cooking! A woman’s job! Well.. so happens that they didn’t get caught up in all this “sexist” ideologies and went and did am fucking amazing job in the kitchen and earned mega bucks. Well, all I really wanted to say to you is that you don’t have to change the way you think. But be prepared. In the past few years there were more women graduates then men and chances are, you will be competing for jobs against them. You may be interviewed by a woman when you apply for a job, you may have a boss that is a woman. As much as you would like us to stay at home, the opposite is happening. We are getting our Masters, PHD’s, we are doctors, lawyers, engineers, business owners, Prime Ministers. We love rugby and we drink beer. We also love children and baking. We kick ass. Big time.

debate letters policy:

want more! Send Yay, we got mail! But we azine. What mag the on ghts thou r us you ersity? What univ at rs gea r you ding is grin tell us your of? e mor see to t wan do you k will win two thoughts! Letter of the wee Cinemas! CITY SKY for ets tick movie

So... are you up for the challenge? Regards, Awesome Female.

Dear debate In response to the letter by the “true red blooded male” I would like to say I am appalled with you Debate for allowing such offensive remarks be posted. I am aware that everyone is entitled to an opinion however, the statements he made about females are quite sexist i.e. “women should be kept at home” “...to tend to what they are programmed for” and to top it off... “ why should we have to make up for the fact they they ain’t as good as us?” These are obvious attacks toward the female species and are not mere opinions. And as for you, the acclaimed true red blooded male, if you think you are any better than the likes of Amelia Earhart, Marie Curie, the Queen of England, or even Lady GaGa just because you are a male then think again. They are all well-known and successful female figures. On the other hand, I’m guessing you haven’t really accomplished as much seeing as you had the time to share a piece of your mind or 2. Just a friendly advice, next time... use your brain first beffore you act. We are Uni sudents after all and that’s what we’re here for. And as for you Debate, shame on you! From disappointed fan Response from debate: Dear Disappointed fan, debate would like to apologise for anyone who was offended by the letter published in Issue 12 of debate. The letters section in debate is there to promote discussion, argument and encourage feedback from students. The opinions expressed in any letters submitted do not necessarily reflect the opinions of debate or the student body of AUT.

Letters longer than 250 words may be subject to editing. Letters are printed as they are received – spelling and grammar will not be corrected. All letters must be in before 12pm Wednesday. The editor reserves the right to decline letters without explanation. the views contained on the letters page do not necessarily represent the views of AuSM. Send your letters to PO Box 6116, Wellesley St or debate@aut.ac.nz

Jared, From a Super-14-only perspective, The Crusaders may not had made it to the finals again, and it was South African teams dominated the headlines in the finals, but South Africa also has a team so bad, it made The Highlanders look really good. The Gauteng Lions got 0-wins last season (even with Carlos Spencer returning to Super Rugby), which is worse than the team’s multiple 1-win seasons as the Cheetahs as well. Incidentally, Detroit Lions in National Football League (gridiron) also had a 0-16 season in 2008 (second time in NFL history since 1976 Buccaneers, when they ‘only’ lost 14 games). As a fan of both codes, the Detroit Lion’s turnaround process is transparent and easily summarised (though not easy to describe in detail, or else I could had drafted a book on it). As a team with the worst record, they are guaranteed 1st pick in the draft (and for every round up to round 7 unless trading of picks occurs). That and and free agency activities resuscitated the team somewhat. But I still don’t fully understand how the ‘draft process’ work in Super Rugby. In New Zealand, it is based on Air New Zealand Cup and drafting, but what about Australia & South Africa? Do they differ by much? I’d love to know. Rocky

Rocky, While drafting is a pretty straightforward concept, we seem to have fucked it up in New Zealand rugby. All it’s done for our Super 14 sides is create in-fighting. Aussie are looking at implementing a draft for the Super 15, as a means to get their younger players in rep footy earlier, but this won’t tie into our draft. The South Africans have never had one, and don’t look likely. Seems like a good idea to have one unified draft to me. The main reason we don’t have one like the NFL is because Super rugby has, historically, acted primarily as a feeder for our national teams, as opposed to a

purely franchised competition (like all American sports). Also, while the Lions didn’t win a game – you’d be gutted to score 65 points and lose as they did up in Jo’burg this year. They still suck way worse than the Highlanders though. Jared

Wads wrong with being a sheep? Wad’s wrong with doing the best you can to maintain the world you live in at its best condition? And who the hell cares if you’re following AU? So? The point of trying to make AUT smoke-free is not coz we like following AU or becoming sheeps or eco friendly, it’s more about the bigger picture. They AREN’T our enemies. We are all humans and at the end we all die on the same planet together. It’s more like ‘allying’ together to make the world a better place to live in. Whoever writes the debate horoscopes is quite funny. However, last week I read my horoscope (Sagittarius) and it said that I’d get a really good grade on the last assignment I did. I got the mark back and failed. How do you explain yourself, debate magazine horoscopes person? You promised and you did not deliver! How will I trust your glossy pages ever again, as this is sure to break our strong, long-term trust thing we’ve had going on. All my horoscopes have been correct thus far and I’ve been quite happy knowing what my future holds, but no. You’ve gone too far this time. </3. From, Disgruntled Horoscopes Reader

Do you consider yourself a bit of an artist? Do you want to get your work out there for everyone to see? Well now you can! Don’t worry if words are your paintbrush, short stories/poems are literary masterpieces are also eligible. Email your works of art to debate@aut.ac.nz

“Untitled” a poem by Osman Muhammed Sheikh I wanna fly away, like the birds in the sky, but there’s some part of me that makes me stay. A strong feeling that’s holding me back, I wish I could let go, my feet aren’t eager to retrack. Cold and silent like the deep blue sea, This is how my life’s going to be. Don’t you see how I feel? Don’t you see that I can’t heal? The pains are sharp and deep, And there’s no shoulder on which I can weep. The time I thought you wouldn’t betray, a hope that lights my heart abyss, knowing that you’re now far gone. I never thought that there was a poet within me, I realised it when you left me. Why don’t you come back?

You’re just letting my heart full of love for you crack. I wear those memories of yours around my neck, I’m aware that you don’t care, but what the heck. We were meant to be together, how could you just go? You just made my heart shatter. I never thought a bond that strong would be broken, never thought you would let that happen. Why do we always depart on a sad note? Walking down the road on a lonely night, I feel as if I lost a fight, A fight that was never mine. I don’t understand what has gone into me, I just want to flee from this world of cruelty. I lost hope, I lost faith, I can’t see anything straight.

Efforts gone to waste, promises that were never kept, Was this really my fate? To lose you, to never see you by my side. Hath, life’s not that great. I feel like an empty crate. I raise my hands to ask God, “Oh Lord, what was really my mistake?” I don’t know how much longer I would breathe, My next one could my last. Then I’ll be in peace at last. I wish you would once visit my grave, Tears in your eyes, looking brave. Still having regrets in your heart, about what happened in the past. I wouldn’t be able to forgive because I’ll be lying dead at last.

Frances Atkins explores her experience as a Maori person within contemporary culture. The pattern is prim and proper like contemporary culture, and frames the person’s “Maoriness”.

Frances Atkins, Mixed Media Art issue 13 June 2010

AUT student rapt with his win by Sarah Knowles The gift of the gab is something 20-year-old communications student Nathan Thomas is famous for around AUT campus. Now this talent has won him a trip on the inaugural Air New Zealand 777-300 flight to London that’s been widely publicised as a revolution in aviation. The competition was part of Air New Zealand’s Future Taking Flight campaign, promoting the impending upgrade of long-haul travel. It involved four different competitions; a cocktail making challenge, the design of an eye mask, creation of a snack and the “gift of the gab” challenge. The gift of the gab challenge required competitors to create a convincing sales pitch for a product to be given to passengers on. Thomas entered the latter because he wasn’t

Four Kings take the crown at Battle of the Bands by Talia Blewitt Funk-rock pop band Four Kings took out the annual AUT Battle of the Bands final at Vesbar on May 27. They beat Strange Beast, Papa Eden, the Jet Set Cavaliers and Nomadic Snails to win a day’s recording at the Red Bull studio, a $100 Vesbar tab and an Orientation week slot in 2011. Drummer for the four-piece, communications student Max Oldfield, qualified the band to compete as the only member to attend AUT; a prerequisite for those wanting to enter. One of four judges, AuSM events team leader Barry Smith, says the top three contestants are “really capable of going on to do quite well for themselves”. However it was the band’s interaction with the crowd that sealed the deal for the judges. “There was a good mosh going, it was hard not to get in to”, says Smith. “Four Kings also really stepped up their performance from the previous heat where the Jet Set Cavaliers actually bet them.” Oldfield says he is “not strictly down with the competition format, but getting people to hear the music only means onwards and upwards” for the band. Four Kings had already recorded a five-track EP prior to the night, and a single. “It’s good [to be able] to give something in [the audience’s] hand rather than telling them to go to a website to listen to our music,” says Oldfield. Each band had an entourage of supporters, which added to the crowd participation, a key factor in deciding the winner. “People came along who we’d never seen before but apparently they go to our gigs,” says 20-year-old Oldfield. Four Kings will follow the path of last year’s winners The Pancho Brothers in being the opening act for next orientation’s main night. issue 13 June 2010

sure he had the creativity to enter the others. The judges disagreed, greatly enjoying his rap

video promoting the “Rainbow Twister”, a cocktail made of spirulina, Export Gold and lime juice. “Nathan’s video had us all in stitches; he really took the brief to the extreme,” says Air New Zealand spokesperson Tracy Palmer. Thomas admits that while he was tried to appear cool when he first got the news, he was very excited. “After I realised I was actually going to London, I had a bit of a dance in my house….alone.” Thomas hasn’t been alone a lot since the win, with all of his friends wanting to go with him. But Thomas’ family values remain strong and he is taking 22-year-old brother, Stephen. “Two Thomas’ take on London,” he says. Thomas has enjoyed showing his family and friends his winning video. “It never fails to make people laugh. I think my destiny is set; I should be a comical rap artist”.

AUT top of the table for Blues Awards by Talia Blewitt

AUT has continued its sporting reputation by being at the top of the New Zealand Universities Blues Awards nominations, with 15 nominees, soaring past the other eight institutions eligible to enter. Students who excel in both their sporting disciplines at a national level - and their academic studies – are recognised at the New Zealand Universities Blues Awards, held annually. Vice-chancellor Derek McCormack says AUT has rightfully taken a high placement in the nominations, with the amount of sporting degrees the university provides, and is glad this is being recognised. “We certainly have made an effort to work with the students so that clashes between competitions and university work can be negotiated,” says McCormack. “Special staff are assigned to look after these students.” Twenty-one-year-old Patrick Ping is one of those students who juggles a hectic training regime along with his studies towards being a physiotherapist. Ranked number one nationally in gymnastics, Ping says being nominated for a Blues Award “is awesome” and hopes that it will boost his profile. He will represent New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games later in the year. “Studying and training is pretty hard and intense,” says Ping, who trains around 25 hours a week. “If I have an 8am class I have to skip morning training and I generally work hard in the week so at least Saturday is free to have a social life.” He says most tutors are supportive but others do not know his situation. “Hopefully the nomination will get a bit of sympathy.” University Sport New Zealand executive director Louise Burns says receiving a Blues Award

is “difficult to achieve”. “This year has seen the highest amount of nominees we have had in quite few years. Around 60 students in the country have made the cut,” says Burns. Students must have qualify or perform at a senior level. Burns says these students are the “ultimate high-achievers”. Fencer Monique Coleman is another physiotherapy student who hopes to qualify for the Commonwealth Games, which she thinks it is “quite likely”. “The nomination is just such an honour, it’s so prestigious,” says the 24-year-old. Coleman says she does not train as much as students in other sporting disciplines but her studies have been put on the back burner for years because of her passion for fencing. “I travelled around Europe for a few years for training. I put off studying for years but thought it was time to knuckle down,” she says. Coleman drives an hour for “the best training”. “Thankfully, my tutors are quite helpful and understanding.” AuSM vice-president Cameron Leslie is no stranger to a Blues Awards nomination, winning Maori Sportsman of the Year in 2009 for his achievements in swimming. He is up for the same award again this year, along with the overall Sportsperson of the Year for swimming and wheelchair rugby. Leslie hopes to be named in the national squad in two weeks so that he can compete at the world championships to be held in Canada in September. “A nomination is great to get your name out there and have recognition, but it’s also a chance to name drop those that have helped you along the way,” he says. “My course-leader has been a star for giving me those extensions on assignments.” The AUT nominees will celebrate their achievements in Wellington on June 25.

Facebook users angry at lack of protection by Courtney Wilson

The Quit Facebook campaign may not have made a difference to Facebook but it has stirred up some worrying privacy concerns. Quit Facebook Day was May 31. The campaign organisers said Facebook did not have fair choices or good intentions in terms of privacy. AUT student Simon Maude became sceptical of Facebook’s privacy controls after he discovered his wedding photos were being used on a poster in a Milford mall bridal store. Maude says he stayed on Facebook because of fear. “I felt that if I left Facebook I would lose contact with people.” He has now left Facebook after

realising many of the friendships he had on Facebook were superficial. Nicolas Steenhout, a disability rights advocate, deactivated his account on May 31. “They have been giving more access to information that I give out to people that I don’t want to have access to that information.” Facebook updated their privacy controls in March as a response to growing concerns, but the changes are not enough to make Maude or Steenhout stay. “Considering how [Facebook] have been behaving over the last few years I don’t actually trust them,” says Steenhout.

Maude says Facebook is just out to make money. “Facebook is not your friend.” The Facebook privacy policy is longer than the U.S. Constitution. “No-one really reads the fine-print when you sign up to things like this,” Maude says. Social media commentator Simon Young says the privacy issues surrounding Facebook are “striking a bad note with people but they still don’t want to leave”. Young says that Facebook has recently made their privacy controls simpler, but it will not make a significant difference. “Facebook need to keep listening

Charity offended by Otago’s offensive show by Julia Hollingsworth (Critic)

After the “traumatising” content Dunedin’s Capping Show this year, Rape Crisis Dunedin has declined OUSA’s offer to be the official charity this year. Heidi Cripps of Rape Crisis Dunedin said the move was made due to the lyrics and content of the sextet sets. One song in the set featured a singer pretending to scream while being sodomised by his abuser. The second set included a song about drug-facilitated rape. Rape Crisis felt that receiving charity funds from the Capping Show would be inconsistent with the fundamental message of the organisation: “that rape and sexual abuse is common, is serious, and is unacceptable.”

The sextet are said to feel terrible their songs had such an effect, and made some changes to their set as a result. Cripps said Rape Crisis was invited to sell jellybeans at the event, to further fundraise for their charity. However, Rape Crisis felt that the show was not safe for survivors of sexual abuse, as the show trivialised the seriousness of rape, which was likely to cause further trauma to victims of sexual abuse. OUSA President Harriet Geoghegan thanked Rape Crisis for highlighting the issue. She maintains it was not the Capping Show’s purpose to re-traumatise victims, and says she respects the decision of the charity, which she

hopes can be supported by OUSA in other ways. However, Geoghegan did point out that the Capping Show is intended to offend, and that in future it may be necessary to draw potential charities’ attention to this prior to any arrangement. Georgia Knowles, a support worker from Rape Crisis, said that although they were saddened by the show’s content, especially as Rape Crisis was the show’s official charity, the OUSA response was positive. “Not only did we receive an apology from Harriet, our concerns were taken seriously enough that the OUSA worked to have the content removed for the show for the rest of its duration.”

VUWSA exec member guilty of misconduct by Angela Mabey (Salient)

VUWSA executive member James Sleep has been found guilty of misconduct by the VUWSA exec, following comments made in his Salient column earlier this month. VUWSA received a formal complaint following the column’s publication in the May 3 issue of Salient. Sleep made reference in the column to “the rich kids who you might find yourself sitting next to”, and “the one’s that seem to think it’s a status boost to say they live in Weir House”. The exec found Sleep had breached the VUWSA Code of Conduct by making negative and disrespectful comments about VUWSA members. The Code of Conduct requires VUWSA exec members to “treat everyone fairly and with respect” and “show respect to the person…”. When asked to make a public apology for the comments made in the column, Sleep initially refused to do so. “No, that is not something I will be doing. I am not prepared to make a public apology in Salient. I don’t

see why I need to.” Following the meeting Sleep contacted Salient to say he had “had second thoughts” and would apologise in a later issue of Salient. VUWSA President Max Hardy told Salient he was disappointed that Sleep had made the comments. “The accountability of executive members is ultimately to the students. “VUWSA expects higher standards of ethical conduct of its executive members that we generally expect of the general public.” The misconduct decision does not require the exec to take any disciplinary action against Sleep. Three misconduct findings would result in serious misconduct and further action would be taken at that point. An agreement between Salient and VUWSA means that all columns submitted by exec members are not edited by Salient, subject to libel laws, before being published.

to some of the long-standing concerns that people have,” says Young. “People should realise that whatever they put up they should be willing to be made public.” AUT student Ella McIntosh uses Facebook two to three times a day. She would not consider deactivating her account due to privacy concerns. “I think there is a certain level of awareness that you need to have when using Facebook” Fewer than 30,000 people quit Facebook as a result of the campaign. Young says around 150,000 new people sign up to Facebook every day. Facebook was not available to comment.

SIFE students set sights on fourth win

by Sacha Molloy

AUT students are hoping to continue their winning streak at the national Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) competitions this July. The university team has won three years running, travelling as far as Singapore, Germany and the USA to compete in the world championships. AUT SIFE president Ekaterina Melnikova, 22, says SIFE’s aim is to help the community while giving students experience in everything from marketing to business management and IT. “It’s cool because students get an opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge.” She says students first identify a need in the community then create a project to meet the need. International business student Jacob de Mots, 21, is a member of Work NZ, a scheme which aims to make teenage mothers more employable. He says one of their challenges was to reach single mothers, but they worked alongside the Bethany Centre and Eden Campus and managed to get 24 women involved. He says the young mothers were enthusiastic and receptive. “It was really rewarding seeing them learn.” Engineering student Ernar Baizhumayev, 22, is involved with Networks, an education project which helps Year 10 students who show potential but have low self esteem. “If they don’t get help they might drop out of school or never reach their full potential,” he says. Over several interactive workshops the students learn basic business and accounting skills and produce a business plan. “Our main motivation is to let them know they can go to uni.” Baizhumayev says he had always wanted to do something good for the community but was too busy with his studies. “This is a good mix because you can gain skills for yourself and give something to someone else. I’m really glad I’ve met all those wonderful kids.” Melnikova says SIFE is currently dominated by business students but she is trying to get students from other faculties involved.

Possible public transport price rise rejected by critics by Kat Saunders

Critics have lashed out at a new scheme which is likely to push up the cost of using public transport in Auckland. Last week the New Zealand Transport Authority announced the “farebox recovery” policy which will aim to achieve a farebox recovery ratio of 50 per cent for every region by 2018. “Farebox” is the term used for the revenue collected from tickets purchased by public transport users. A farebox recovery policy details what percentage users are expected to make to the operating costs of providing transport services. “On average, fares will increase for individuals who use buses and trains,” says Green Party MP Gareth Hughes. “We strongly disagree with anything which will deter people from using public transport.” NZTA regional partnerships and planning group manager, Dave Brash, said the percentage users pay

Students farewell respected lecturer

for public transport has been declining in the past few years. “We can’t afford as a country to have an increase in the cost of public transport. “It doesn’t necessarily mean that fares will go up, but improving the service quality, convenience and reliability can improve the farebox recovery ratio without the need for large fare increases or reduced services.” He said that in Auckland, other factors had to be taken into account. “We recognise that as services are developing, such as the northern bus lines in Auckland, the farebox ratio has decreased, but we have put this 50 per cent goal up as a national target for regional councils to work towards.” However Hughes says the scheme is a step back. “All over the world public transport is subsidised by the Government. This scheme is a short-sighted

Dear all, As most of you will know, the Social Science school is about to lose one of its most respected and loved lecturers and tutors, Dr Heather Devere. Heather leaves us at the end of the semester to take up a senior appointment within the faculty of Peace and Conflict studies at Otago University. Heather’s appointment here at AUT commenced 10 years before the conferment of university status on the former AIT. Heathers passion for the social sciences led her to develop the syllabus with significant focus on politics and peace and conflict resolution. Those of you who have been lucky enough to benefit from her teaching will agree that her absence will be duly noted and her legacy will continue to resound throughout the ongoing development of peace and conflict studies she so passionately believes in. The emergence of the peace and conflict studies within the social sciences has been facilitated by her long time friend and colleague, Jane Verbitzky. In recent times the bond has extended to include the expertise of Camille Nakhid. These three women are the passionate and talented musketeers of the 14th floor. Despite Heather’s incredible academic record, it is her rapport with her students outside of the lecture theatre that sets her above and beyond. Her door is always open and her advice is always worthy. Similarly, she has been extensively involved with associations outside of the university, which include her appointment as vice president of the Peace Foundation Council, co-ordinator of the Women in Political Studies in the Aotearoa New Zealand Network and speaker for the Human Rights film festival. On behalf of all us who have had the pleasure and privilege of getting to know Heather both in the class room and beyond, we say not good bye but au revoir, as we sincerely hope our paths will cross in the days ahead. You have been an inspiration to us all, we wish you only the best! By Andrea, Vinny and John

issue 13 June 2010

approach that fails to recognise the wider economic, health and environmental benefits that buses and trains bring to our communities.” Joshua Arbury of Auckland Transport Blog says that the policy may mean Auckland could end up with a farebox ratio of more than 50 per cent, because public transport in rural towns is on a much smaller scale. “In the long run it’s probably not good. It could be that you end up with services being cut or fares going up.” He says each region should set an individual farebox ratio and Auckland was still waiting for the effect of public transport legislation from 2008, which included compatible ticketing services for trains and buses. “If you look at Auckland in the last 10 years, a lot of money has been thrown at public transport but we haven’t got much out of it.”

Pizza and prizes flowed at the annual AuSM AGM by Samantha McQueen With free pizza, fruit, chocolate and water flowing through the room, the annual AuSM Annual General Meeting (AGM) held last Monday, May 31 generated a larger than expected turnout, with around 100 students in attendance. AuSM president Veronica Ng Lam wasted no time in kicking off the meeting, while everyone took their seats, or stood chowing down at the back. Apologies were accepted without hesitation, but there was a small error in the minutes of the previous AGM minutes; a student was left off the attendance list. This was noted, and it was carried without further questions. Ng Lam went over the 2009 president report, which was done by former AuSM president Andre D’Cruz. The report highlighted clubs’ success, sporting growth and achievements and the continued popularity of free feeds on campus. The topic of VSM was brought up by Veronica, and despite heavy campaigning, a lot of students at the meeting didn’t know what it was. However, AUT came in with the highest amount of online submissions for VSM across the country. AuSM general manager Sue Higgins was invited to take the stage next to talk about the thrilling topic of the 2009 audited accounts. Vesbar again had the biggest loss of the year, with a deficit of $21,483, up from the usual $10,000 mark, as a result of changes in accounting procedure and holiday pay. However, this was offset by a surplus in administration, resulting in a net surplus of $288,170. The majority of income (76 per cent) came from membership fees, which is currently set at $130 per equivalent full time student (EFTS). The membership fees exceeded expectations because of AUT increasing the EFTS cap. Expenditure was highlighted, with 20 per cent going on indirect costs, which included Student Job Search funding, ACC, insurances, storage and

depreciation. Wages made up 40 per cent, and socialisation, which includes orientation, free feeds, clubs and club grants and sporting events, accounted for 23 per cent of the costs. Surprisingly, these seemingl mundane figures sparked a lot of questions from students. One asked what happened with the surplus amount, which Sue explained were in term deposit accounts with two different banks. As AuSM is a registered charity, the strategic vision is to develop different streams which would allow a reduction in student membership fees. A couple of students asked questions about Vesbar, the first being whether it would raise prices. Due to the increase in GST tax later this year, as well as a lack of private bookings, Vesbar will be raising their prices. Another student asked whether increasing the bar’s capacity would help offset some of the losses, and Higgins noted that the bar’s operation, not capacity, is being looked at, and more themed parties have been proposed. The audit was done by Walker Dick and Associates, which was the same company that conducted the previous year’s audits. AuSM liaison manager was took the mic next, to talk about the constitutional changes now that the election process is completely online. A couple of questions were asked (the most Nick had seen before) and clarification was made that the exec now meets once a month, rather than every two weeks. Student John Probert thanked AuSM on behalf of the student body and then prizes of goodie bags, cinemas passes and café and clothing vouchers were given out to lucky students around the room. With their stomachs stuffed, thirst quenched and only 32 minutes taken from the day, students left happy and informed as Veronica closed the meeting at 12.32pm.

We’re Going All White

by Scott Moyes

THIS TIME FOUR YEARS AGO I found myself in the land of the poms, meeting relatives I barely recognised, inspecting castles thrice the age of Aotearoa and retching at the sight of mushy peas. The trip was touted as the final family holiday we would probably share, and share we did in the miniscule Travelodge motel rooms. In England, May 2006, her majesty celebrated 80 years of existence, Tony Blair was under fire in his role as Prime Minister and Wayne Rooney broke his foot six weeks before the kick off of the Football World Cup. Never before can I recall such mass hysteria about a singular part of someone’s anatomy. Forget Ian Thorpe’s size 17 flippers and what exactly lies underneath Serena Williams’ skirt; such is the price tag on Wayne Rooney’s right foot, it could pay for my communications course here at AUT 18 times a week. That’s not even including advertising endorsements. Every news bulletin we heard while travelling down the M1 motorway is what Wayne’s best friend’s aunt’s cousin, twice removed, knows about his foot and whether or not he’ll be able to play against Paraguay in the tournament opener. The results from the scans on his foot were awaited amid delirious supporters, who appeared to spread nationwide as English flags fluttered out the windows of every car that passed.

I think it’s incredible how a World Cup can galvanise a country. It’s almost like preparing for war. Just as important as going to battle is the public support and victory becomes somewhat of a national treasure. England hadn’t won the tournament since 1966, and the absence of their name on the trophy seems to come as an insult given the widespread popularity of the English Premier League. It’s exactly the same as the All Blacks and the Rugby World Cup. We like to think of rugby as our own; the one thing little old New Zealand are favourites to win. When we fall short of anything but success, it’s a demoralising blow for the country. After all the hype surrounding our certain victory at the 2007 tournament, I remember the morning of our departure as something of a catastrophic nightmare. You could actually feel the disbelief in the air. It’s no wonder governments pour so much money into such campaigns. The most controversial moment of 2006 had nothing to do with war, drugs, global warming or Kanye West. It was surely when French captain Zinedine Zidane head butted Italian defender Marco Materazzi in the Football World Cup final, resulting in him being sent off. Zidane refuses to apologise for the incident, claiming “he’d rather die”, following reports that Materazzi insulted his sister. If every soldier of a country’s army displayed that kind of patriotism, they’d be invincible. With the 2010 Football World Cup drawing ever closer, I admit to feeling excitement reminiscent of seeing brandy snaps on a dessert menu. The All Whites involvement in the biggest sporting spectacle on the planet is a boost to New Zealand football unlike any other. I speak following our defeat of Serbia, ranked 15th in the world, touted as the most significant victory our country has ever tasted. While I am the biggest optimist you will ever come across, I won’t get ahead of myself. Getting past the pool stage of the competition would mean as much to us as England winning the entire competition. In fact, a solitary victory would come as a delight to most. Everyone will get behind the All Whites. You don’t need to understand scrums, lineouts or the Duckworth Lewis system to know what’s happening in a game of football; perhaps why the sport is so popular. It will serve as a welcome distraction to the preparation for the Rugby World Cup, where we will once again place our national team under all sorts of pressures that anything but success will them into a state of deep depression. It’s amazing what expectation can reduce people to. While Zinidine Zidane’s reputation appears to have remained intact, David Beckham’s became the centre of abuse when sent off during England’s loss to Argentina and subsequent elimination from the 1998 World Cup. However, the biggest success that will come out of the 2010 competition is how it will unite the nation in the way that suits us best; being underdogs. Fragile little New Zealand doesn’t suit the tag of favourites; the one we wear before every Rugby World Cup. We revel in standing backstage with an “us against the world” mentality, claiming the attention when we overachieve and brushing aside our failures as learning curves. If you think Lord of the Rings put us on the map, wait until hobbit-land plays in a quarterfinal of the Football World Cup (touch wood). Get on the bandwagon. Remember where you were and what you were doing because this could be a story to tell the grandchildren.

A Month of Sport by Jared Van Huenen Well this happens to be the last issue of our fine magazine until you all return from your holidays in a month or so, refreshed and ready to be slapped in the face with more assessments and exams! At least you’ll have a fair whack of sport to watch over the break, which will no doubt spark your patriotism and, hopefully, keep you happy. So, here’s my guide to sport you should probably be keeping an eye on over the next wee while. Obviously, the Football World Cup is at the top of the list. It’s not the world’s most watched sporting competition for nothing. Look for our own lads to pick up a draw against Slovakia, and to play respectfully against Paraguay and Italy, with a possible third placing in our group. My pick is for the Netherlands to be the pick of the comp. As long as England doesn’t win, I’ll be happy. The Kiwi games are on the June 15, 20 and 24. The World Cup should make up the majority of your monthly sports watching, but there are a few other things happening around the place. Our much loved All Blacks are back in action with the start of the international season. Over the next month we’ve got Ireland and Wales in the Steinlager series, as well as a couple of home games against the Springboks in the TriNations. With the turbulent state of Kiwi rugby, our international standing looks set to take a beating – or does it? Look out for the two South Africa games on the 10th and 17th of July – the first of those is up here and our new Eden Park should nearly be finished by then.

issue 13 June 2010

Those who are still wiping their tears at Roger Federer’s shock quarterfinal exit at Roland Garros last week can rejoice a little. Wimbledon, Federer’s favourite tournament, starts on June 21. It’ll be hard to watch over all the football coverage, but it promises to be a thrilling tournament. Will we see another five set epic, like we did with Federer and Andy Roddick in 2009, or Federer and Nadal in 2008? For the love of tennis, I hope so. It’s not the most watched competition in the country, but the ANZ Championship will be wrapping up in early July. With only two rounds left in the regular season, New South Wales and Adelaide look likely to take the top two spots with two Kiwi sides (Waikato/Bay of Plenty and the Southern Steel) making up the top four. Should be a thrilling end to the season and hopefully and even better finals series. Among other sporting events, the BlackSticks will be touring the antipodes for a week starting July 11, though you’ll be hard pushed to catch that on TV. The PGA Tour is also on the menu for you golf fans with the US Open kicking off in a couple of weeks (June 17), followed by The Open Championship (British Open) on the third weekend of July. On top of all that, don’t forget that Outrageous Fortune will be starting up again soon. Cool.

Prez sez

Greetings my fellow AUT Titans!

So here we are in our last week of semester one, 2010. It’s amazing how fast time flies when you’re having fun or when you’re ultra stressed over student life and student exams. I, for one, have thoroughly enjoyed our first semester together and thank you for being such a fantastic student body. As we are all under the pressure of exams and assignments AuSM is happy to offer you our destress service of free massages from June 8-10. Our heaven sent will masseurs and masseuses will be based in the city and North Shore campus from 11-1pm! Go along and get those tensed shoulders massaged and rejuvenate yourselves! We hope you enjoy the massages and urge you to let your other fellow students know. Last week was AuSM’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) and it was an absolute hit! Thanks to all of you who attended and thanks to all of you that put our pizza to good use. I was impressed to see the amount of people who displayed interest and encourage you again to look out for our Special General Meeting (SGM) that will happen in our second semester. Remember being an informed student means you are a responsible student. Coming to things such as AGM allows you to see what your student membership does with your membership fee and allows for an open relationship in representing your wants and needs during your time here at AUT. Social sports have sadly finished for the semester after a very successful run at all three campuses. Be sure to keep an eye out for next semester when we start up again. Sports such as turbo touch, tennis, handball, box fit and many more are all gearing up for next semester. If there is a sport you would to see on campus, please do not hesitate to contact Kate Lowden. To those of you who have committed your time and efforts to social sports over the semester, we hope you have enjoyed it and encourage you to give any feedback on how to improve to us. On that note, I would like to congratulate our top sports people here at AUT who been nominated for the University of Sport NZ (USNZ)’s Blues awards. These are the final selection of the finest sportsmen and sports women across the nation. More than 13 students from AUT have been nominated and three of them are up for the big finalist’s awards! GO AUT TITANS! Good luck to our two cultural clubs – AUTSSA (AUT Samoan Students’ Association) and AUTTA (AUT Tongan Association) who will both be defending their national titles with their respective conferences that they will be attending and hosting. We wish you all the best and look forward to hearing your results, no matter the result you are always AuSM (pun intended). Congratulations to Four Kings who won Battle of the Bands at our very own Vesbar. You guys rocked! We hope to receive more entries in the future and welcome more competitions in the future. I wish you all the best with your assessments, exams and assignments. Enjoy your semester break; be safe, have fun! For those of you who will be returning, I shall see you here again next semester. And for our fellow AUT Titans that will move on to undoubtedly better and bigger things, AuSM wishes you all the best with your future endeavours and thanks you for being a member of our awesome student association. Singing off, your fellow president – Ia Manuia

Veronica Ng Lam

Get to know your exec G’day AuSM students!

How’re you? I’m good, busy but good. Over the past month it has been crazy busy with end of semester coming up. I’ve been in and out of the country (even got stuck in England thanks to the volcano in Iceland!) while trying to maintain my uni work, AuSM work and sporting commitments. All I can say is that at AUT we would probably be one of the most understanding universities when it comes to sport and study. With regard to my AuSM work, I have been attending various meetings and chairing others, putting across the student perspective and making sure that all students as AUT are looked after. Just recently we had our AGM which was very successful as we had more than 120 students attend, along with some good questions from students. It’s good to see students taking ownership and coming to these events to make sure that we are held accountable to you, because without you the student AuSM wouldn’t be here. Best of luck with exams coming up and we will definitely see you around!

Cameron Leslie

Should Kiwis travel New Zealand before they travel the world? by Catherine Selfe NEW ZEALAND? WHERE’S THAT?

Somewhere near Norway right? Yes we brought the world a split atom, the All Blacks and Lord of the Rings but so often our country is either in Europe, part of Australia or somewhere in Middle Earth. The rest of the world is often ignorant about New Zealand, thinking us to be a backward society rather than part of the Western world. We can change these attitudes by travelling the world and enlightening people about the true nature of our nation. To say that Kiwi’s should travel New Zealand before other countries goes against the characteristics that we market ourselves as a nation. We portray ourselves as creative, outgoing and enthusiastic so to say we should travel New Zealand first is to ignore these traits. Why should it be determined when and where we travel? The argument for travelling NZ first would be that Kiwi’s should know about their own country before travelling others. But for many New Zealanders so much of their heritage lies in other parts of the world and the argument becomes a patriotic statement rather than a valid point. By travelling the world before New Zealand you not only gain a better world perspective but also a better perspective on your own country. For many travelling for the first time, it is an opportunity to gain independence and life experiences. You can’t gain copious amounts of this on your back doorstep. So often travelling becomes the goal for people around the late teens and into the twenties. This is perfect as so many places offer ‘student’ discounts (although you don’t need to be a student to receive the discount, just in the age bracket of 12-26 years). Travelling takes a lot of money so it would be better in the long run to make your first expedition the one in which you can get more benefits. The next time you can look to get discounts is once you reach retirement age. Travelling the world can give you insight into other cultures. New Zealand promotes itself as a multicultural society so we should encourage the exploration of other cultures. The best way to do this is to immerse yourself in these societies or to at least witness to them. This becomes difficult if you’re travelling through Kawakawa where the main attraction is described as the award winning public toilets. I come from a family whose holidays were usually beach locations around the North Island. Before I finished high school I had been to three other countries either for holiday and travel reasons or to see family. When I finished high school I travelled; I lived in England and explored Europe. I don’t regret that I’ve seen more places around the world then I have places in New Zealand. I know more about the functioning of the world and other cultures and now as a savvy traveller I can look to discovering New Zealand in the detail it deserves. Also, what if there is another country that appeals to you more, for whatever reasons? You may want to travel foreign lands for educational purposes. Although New Zealand has much natural history, the created history (from humans inhabiting the land) is very restricted. Other countries can offer a much greater depth in history than New Zealand can. There are endangered locations in the world with historical, natural or cultural significance and although they may be protected as a world heritage site, they may still be at risk from natural or manmade causes. The world’s rainforests now cover only 6 per cent of the planet and experts say this remainder could be consumed in the next 40 years. In addition to this around 137 animal, plant and insect species are lost every day due to deforestation. If we are expected to travel New Zealand first we can run the risk of missing out on ever seeing these wonders of our world. People should travel when and how it suits them. For many Kiwis, trips around New Zealand are a family holiday institution. Others choose to make trips to see relatives overseas and may make a few extra stops along the way. So much of travel is situational. It times in with our education or careers, economic standing and those we choose to travel with. There are too many variables to just state that New Zealand should be stop one on our travel list. We have a choice and that’s how it should be.

issue 13 June 2010

by Vinny Francesco MY POSITION STEMS FROM A

very basic, root understanding of travel, among an issue which is often shrouded with perplexity; allow me to de-mystify. We are always travelling; we are always in motion. Is there ever a time in your life when you are not travelling? Though you may not be nomadic, you are always in motion. Even when you are seated, your organs are engaged, heart beating. Hold your breath, yet your cells still vibrate. Movement is part of our everyday routine, it is practically inescapable; it runs through our veins. For example, you are reading this article at this moment; did you not undertake some travel to garner it? Think back to the founding of this youthful country, which was actually in the 13th century, not the 19th century. Travel in the past was not undertaken lightly, it was not a tourist activity, though it was a search. Why did our whakapapa, our ancestors, come to be in this land of the long white cloud? Surely they were searching. There is a plethora and variety of underpinning motivations behind this travel, one of the speculations we can make is that our global ancestors were attempting to escape something. But what? Some would speculate that Tangatawhenua came to this land of plenty because at some point, the motherland could no longer sustain life. For many colonial migrants, it was the hope of pioneering an democratic utopia that an elitist, classist, hierarchical injunction of society failed to offer the citizens which had designated to be “second”. If we give some serious discernment to this issue, isn’t a fleeting attitude somewhat of a mockery? That we are such ingrates, that we must whimsically escape everything this land and its people have given us. We take from a planet that provides everything, but asks for nothing in return, and surely the portion which has offered us the most is New Zealand. What does it make you when you ask for more? It seems such a person is unappreciative. As I have stated previously, travel is a search. Ideally it is a quest. Quest comes from the word “question” which means “enquiry”. If we wish to discover our planet overseas before we wish to discover the portion of our planet to which nature has delegated; we are deemed unappreciative. International travel is definitely one of those things which is good to do, but can be done very easily for the wrong reason. If your motivation for overseas travel is the hope that you may find yourself, while you do not even care to offer the same to your homeland, you will surely find disappointment. We need to make the assessment, and meditate upon the question “why is it that I should travel?” In other words, if travel is the means, what is the end? There seems to be a tendency amongst the people of today, particularly among youth, to require instant gratification. But that is cheating; we should not try to cheat nature. One cannot graduate from their bachelor’s degree and immediately become a professor; unless you cheat. Similarly, in and of ourselves, we cannot, or we would not, attempt to travel our planet before discovering our nation. Just like we should not try to discover our nation before we discover our selves. But in this age of technology, we are constantly attempting to cheat nature. Allow me to use an example: A wise man once said “The world is one big family”. That is a fact. However, the appropriate method must be followed to achieve real and true results. Just like the bachelor who masquerades as a professor is cheating himself. Similarly those who wish to be global citizens while admonishing their national citizenship are cheating. My conclusion is that travel should be a spiritual experience, about understanding ones relationship with anything and everything. Therefore the proper method is, know self, know family, know culture, know society, know country, know planet, understand world, contemplate God; realise self. Therefore, we should travel New Zealand before we travel the world.

by Alicia Crocket LIKE

LOT

KIWIS,

I’ve spent some time travelling around the UK and Europe. While travelling, where and what we were going to eat was often the main discussion of the day. Yes, this sounds super geeky but one of my travelling buddies was gluten and dairy intolerant and another had to eat every three(ish) hours or he’d start to get hangry (angry because of hunger) so it was a tough group. As a traveller you learn pretty quickly to stuff your pockets full of condiments, yoghurts and anything pre-packaged from the hostel buffet breakfast but that only gets you so far. So here are some other ideas for getting by based on my travelling experiences. Ordering that first meal in a foreign country where English isn’t spoken can be terrifying (and also amusing), but never underestimate the power of pointing and using hand gestures to indicate how much you want. It’s amazing how little language you can get away with if you’re willing to look like a fool and keep trying to get your message across. I have had friends act out being a prawn because that’s what she wanted for dinner, but that was a pretty extreme case! The supermarket was always our first port of call to pick up muesli bars and fruit to snack on. The trick in European supermarkets is to know that often you have to weigh and sticker up your own fruit and veges. If there’s an obvious weighing machine in the fruit and vege section then you’ll need to

Pasta and bean casserole Serves 6. Dairy free (if no cheese sprinkled on top). Cost per serve: $1.28 with cannellini or pinto beans, $1.00 with baked beans

The beauty with this dish is that you can chuck the ingredients in a casserole dish and then go do something else and come eat it when it’s ready. It’s the perfect study food: minimal prep and you don’t need to do anything while it’s in the oven. When you’re ready to eat, it’s ready to go. This is also good cold the next day for lunches. Serve with some peas and carrots or put extra vegetables in the casserole. This recipe can be easily halved. Note: If you wish to shorten the cooking time to 20 minutes cook onions, garlic, celery and mushrooms in a little oil in a fry pan until soft. Add to casserole dish with remaining ingredients and cook for 20 minutes. If you want a more liquidy casserole simply add another cup of hot stock to the casserole dish.

do your own. The other place we shopped a lot was the local market. This is where locals would buy fresh produce, bread and cheese, so there generally would be the most amazing range of food for pretty reasonable prices. When you’re on a budget, sometimes the only option is to live off baguette and jam or pizza rosso (pizza base with tomato sauce) and other street vendor meals. We certainly had our fair share of mystery meals, pasta with mushrooms that looked suspiciously like snot, and goulash with the unknown “meat” – it was a taste and texture I’ve never had before and never hope to again! But generally the cheaper stuff was pretty good; you might just have to brave the public transport system to get a little bit out of the tourist areas. Going to places recommended by travel guides is a good starting point, but guides can go out of date quickly. You might rock up to a restaurant after having gotten lost on the public transport system only to find the place no longer exists and you’re back to square one. The best fallback plan we found in that situation was a kebab. Questionable food hygiene practices aside, they’re pretty reliable, tasty and seem to be universally available. I don’t really enjoy fast food so I didn’t use McDonalds and BK as cheap familiar options, but they are there if you’re that way inclined. I must admit though, I was glad I’m not a fast food fan when I came across a “Spongebob Kockanadrag” poster on a BK door in Budapest. I think it was their happy meal, which really makes me wonder what sort of “toy” was inside! Happy holidays, and if you’re travelling, stay safe. See you next semester.

Ingredients 150g dried macaroni or other small pasta 2x 400g cans beans – you can use cannellini, pinto or baked beans 2 medium onions, chopped 2 cloves OR 2 teaspoons minced garlic 2 stalks of celery, sliced 100g mushrooms, sliced 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes 2 tablespoons tomato paste 2 cups hot water mixed with 2 teaspoons stock powder 55g breadcrumbs ½ cup grated cheese (optional) Instructions

1. 2. 3.

4. 5.

6. 7.

Pre heat oven to 180°C Put water on to boil to cook the pasta Prepare vegetables. If you’re using canned beans in brine, rinse the beans. If you’re using baked beans, leave them as is. Cook the pasta for three minutes only, drain Add partially cooked pasta and all ingredients (except the breadcrumbs and cheese) into a three litre casserole dish Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top and cheese if desired Cook for 45 minutes or until pasta has completely cooked.

Hey uni kid – are you really that poor? by Jared Van Huenen “Poor student” is a phrase you hear quite a bit at university. Like, “cut me a break I’m just a poor student”, “sorry I can’t, I’m a poor student or “of course I brought my laundry home. I’m a poor student”. I know there are exceptions to every rule, and I’ll probably piss quite a few of you off by saying this, but c’mon uni kids – are you really that poor? I can only speak from my own experiences and those I’ve seen or heard about, but to be honest I think we all ham it up little bit. FIRSTLY, WHAT IS POOR? I would define poor (based on the fact that we live in a first world country) as struggling to pay for any of the necessities of life – food, water and shelter. Water is free at Burger King so there’s one crossed off your list, leaving your rent and the rest of the BK menu as your main issues. I will say now that I live at home with the ‘rents, so I’m not even entering myself into the food or shelter equation, and I’ll try not to sound like a dick for as long as possible. So uni kid, do you really struggle to put dinner on the table? I would argue that a majority of ‘poor uni students’ say “I can’t afford any food”, when what they really mean is “I spent all my money on Heinekens and now I only have $12 to spend at Subway which won’t even get me a foot long and a drink! FML”. I’m serious, put your hand up if you know of a student who has done this. My initial advice is to stop buying $8 Heinekens, and maybe take a step down to house beers. Even better, drink water. Just kidding. I think my main point about students being poor is that they have a skewed perspective of what they should and shouldn’t be enjoying on a day to day basis, particularly in a consumerism city like Auckland. Having lunch with some mates at the nearest sushi bar or café isn’t a necessity; hell, you should only be doing it on a very rare basis. Just take a look at the kids down south; they manage to scrape together a lunch from the remnants of their fridge, even if that means tomato sauce and mince on toast. That doesn’t mean you’re poor, it just means you’re normal. Moving on to shelter. Presumably if you’re claiming to be poor, you’re not living at home (if you still live at home and you’re whinging, then you need to reassess your situation – unless the olds make you pay rent, which sucks). This means you’re paying rent, and I imagine it will be between $90 and $200. Straight off the bat, if you’re living in a $200 a week apartment, you’re not poor and if you’re struggling so much, move out! As a bona fide student you shouldn’t be living in awesome digs at university; save that for when you’re in the real world, raking in the cash. Forking out $150 or so out of your pay each week (or out of your living costs) is shit, and to you out-of-towners I

issue 13 June 2010

send my sympathy. In saying that, I spent a fair bit of time around the Wellesley Student Apartments in my first year, and some of those kids were dropping cash around like nobody’s business. I once saw a girl spend $50 on junk food at Forte Convenience. That’s not poor, that’s just stupid. And I bet she was a prime “Oh I’m so poor” suspect at the end of the week. Shame on you. International students are an interesting phenomena. A lot of them are at the complete opposite end of the usual student-economy scale. Last week I saw a guy get out of a $100,000 3-Series BMW like it was the most natural thing ever and in that moment I couldn’t help but think “man, I’m poor”. My point is that poverty is perspective. To a genuinely poor person, you and I would look like Bill Gates just because we had breakfast at Columbus (seriously though, that shit is expensive as). I think if you take a step back and actually consider the fact that you have a house and you eat regularly – combined with the knowledge that in due course (whether it’s six months, a year, two years or three) you’ll have a decent job and you’ll make some decent money – then life doesn’t look so bad. And then you’ll get a mortgage, and complain to all your friends about how poor you are again. Finally, I put it to you that at least 10 times this week, you’ll spend money on something that you genuinely don’t need, but you want. Just look at your bank statements and see those 3am pie runs stack up. To me, that are the epitome of wealth – being able to buy what you want. Food for thought, maybe (steak and cheese for me please). If you’re still confused, head down to Dunedin this winter break and see how made you really have it. Winter humidity for the win! P.S. Sorry to all those I’ve offended with my naivety. I’m aware that some people (mainly those from out of Auckland) genuinely struggle to make it through each week, even with a part-time job and to you I say contact AuSM because they can hook you up with some baked beans and other helpful goodies from the food bank if you’re having a hard time.

by Vinny Francesco

WE ARE LEAD TO BELIEVE that on July

20, 1969, [American] humanity landed on the moon. Since that time, the so called moon landing has been relinquished, and recognised as the hoax it is. Nevertheless we are left with a very pressing question: should we be attempting to travel the cosmos? There is such a vast plethora of arguments surrounding this question. Surely, the fact that 500 million people tuned into the “moon landing” fiasco indicates there is some human interest and fascination with such a subject. Since our planets gestation, and surely since life spawned, there has been some understanding and recognition of the wider cosmos. For instance, the somewhat ancient Egyptians held Ra, God of the sun, in the utmost esteem. Much of the names we use for our solar planets are those of Greek Gods i.e. Neptune. Hinduism even has Brahman, God of the entire cosmic manifestation. So no doubt, astronomy of sorts has been part of human culture for a long time. The real question; is what we call “space” merely for observation? The immediate answer seems to be yes. As living creatures, we are limited to the confines of atmospheric existence. Of course, the contemporary reality is that certain elements of humanity have a presence in space. The bulk of this presence is satellites and robotic rovers; that is the extent of astronomical travel. Now I’m no cosmologist, and I can’t be bothered looking up the exact figures, but I can philosophise. The phrase which comes to mind is “if you can’t avoid it, enjoy it”. The more important questions regarding space exploration/ presence are “what benefits are gained from human presence in space, and who gains from this”? Similarly, “what is sacrificed or given up, in order to have human presence in space”? I don’t know about you, but I think I could do without the satellites up in the sky. What would I sacrifice? Probably the five minutes of weather on at 6:55pm every day, which I never watch. The destruction of “military

intelligence”, pinpoint-able satellite weaponry and hyper-realistic television programming are all changes I welcome as progress. We can spend the money on something better! Have you even seen a shuttle launch? Talk about oxymoronic. It takes about $US450 million to launch a shuttle, and about $US1 billion to construct. Think of all the money you have you have ever had, and contemplate all the things that can be gained with that money. Contextualise that by comparing it to $US1.5 billion. Now consider all of humanities endeavours regarding “space”; and for what? Astronomical travel should not even a matter on the table any longer; it never was, and it never should be. The people, specifically the scientists, are not the owners or treasurers of these ventures. When I put my mind to use, and reflect on how politics generally works, I can only think there must be some agenda behind the excuse of so called “progress”. Do you trust corporations and politicians with satellite weaponry? Why is the American government devoting such a huge budget to NASA when 12.5 per cent of their population lives below the poverty line? The issue is really about opportunity cost. The huge expensive budget spent shooting men wrapped in plastic in $US1 billion tin cans into outer space seems lavish and unnecessary. Instead that money could be used for something better; something good. The list is endless; sustenance, healthcare, education, creative entity such as music, painting, sculpting, philanthropy and charity, deep sea exploration, anthropological exploration/research. I don’t know what good comes from satellite weaponry and scientific remote control cars. It seems ironic to explore the cosmos while we fuck our current planet over. Maybe we could invest that money in ecological sustainability? The essential element of human indignation is thinking and believing “what I have is not enough; I am not satisfied”. Conversely, prosperity and peace of mind will be achieved when we realise “what I have is enough”. If we cannot avoid it, we should enjoy it! Astronomic travel is avoidance, and therefore a waste of time.

Like trees? Read debate online at www.ausm.org.nz 18

Unwritten rules of the sky

by Andrew Judd

For those of you that have travelled a little, you will be well aware of certain rules of the air. These are not the rules splashed on the safety card in the seat pocket in front of you, but rather a more unwritten code that is only learnt through first-hand experience. The expert traveller adheres to a strict set of guidelines that keep them moving around the globe efficiently, while novices will always suffer the hold-ups and delays of modern travel bureaucracy. Luggage

In flight entertainment

Ryan Bingham: “You know how much time you lose by checking in?” Natalie Keener: “I don’t know. Five, 10 minutes?” Ryan Bingham: “35 minutes a flight. I travel 270 days a year. That’s 157 hours. That makes seven days. You’re willing to throw away an entire week on that?”

That is just a few of the many unwritten rules of the sky. Next time you’re at the airport, follow these and you’ll be much more comfortable before and while you’re in the sky. Bon voyage!

New Zealand airlines have carry-on luggage which varies between seven and 10kgs. Checked-in luggage is between 20-25kgs. The expert traveller will have packed one bag weighing the maximum carry-on limit, in accordance with the country and airline they are dealing with. They will have their heaviest clothes on, and their handbag or laptop bag stuffed as well. Why? The expert knows that travelling with only carry-on can cut precious time off their trip. This is critical for long haul flights, especially when returning to New Zealand to visit Mum (who is waiting patiently outside the customs-controlled area). Saving check-in time and avoiding long waits at the luggage conveyor belt. George Clooney’s character in Up in the Air sums it up perfectly:

Unless you are one of the lucky few who can fall asleep on planes, you must have options to help the time on your flight pass by. If you are travelling domestically, an iPod and a magazine or book should help the time pass quickly. The expert traveller will make sure their music device is fully charged before heading to the airport and will buy the magazine at the airport, so they’re not tempted to read it before. It’s only an hour to Wellington and only 80 minutes to Christchurch from Auckland, so it’s not worth lugging out your laptop to watch half of a movie, or an episode of Grey’s Anatomy. If you are travelling further abroad and have access to those movie screens on every seat, take advantage. The movies on planes are often not out in cinemas so it’s a good chance to get ahead.

Security Measures

On all flights, you will have to go through security before you can board your plane. While this is standard procedure, a lot of passengers still hold up the line by not being prepared. Before you approach the conveyor belt and the metal detector, make sure your laptop is out of its bag, and all electronic devices aren’t on you (cell phones, iPods). If you have anything metal on you, like a belt or jewellery, take that off as well. Your goal is to get through in less than one minute and without anything going off.

Food: Domestic

When flying across our fair country of New Zealand, you will get hungry. There’s something about the artificial air and the confined space that gets your stomach rumbling, even though the longest journey is only a couple of hours at most. The expert traveller knows that eating breakfast at 6am will not cover you for a 10am flight. With two of our three domestic airlines not offering any complimentary snacks, you have to either fork over mega bucks for a dry lettuce sandwich or a bag of broken chips. Save the stomach ache (and your wallet) by purchasing snacks before boarding the plane.

Food: International

If you are on an international flight, you are often treated to a “free” inflight meal (which comes out of the copious amount you spent on your fare). Airplane food has been described as one of the world’s “cruel jokes”, and the small portions will not tide you over as you trot across the globe. Again, snacks are needed for this journey (as long as they are customscleared), and make a note of the friendliest looking flight attendant. When said flight attendant looks less busy than normal, politely request an extra meal. They will always loudly announce, “I’m sorry, the flight is full, we DO NOT have any spare meals,” but if the expert traveller has chosen their ally wisely, that flight attendant will give them a wink and sneak back later with the very last meal tray.

issue 13 June 2010

Young Sid

Interview with Mike Atkins

This is a student magazine, mostly written by students, and the way interviews are edited make us look more professional than we in fact are. During this interview, Young Sid said one of the saddest things I’ve ever heard (you’ll see it when you come to it), and my reaction was to stammer, say something ponsy (which was edited out) and follow up with a question about accents. Even listening back to it, I had to make a cup of tea, and take a walk. The man has some intense stuff to say. I met with him in a recording studio at MTC headquarters, which is by far the coolest environment in which I’ve ever interviewed anyone, to talk about writing music, honesty and the media spotlight.

So, you’re still writing stuff? I always wondered how that worked.

rapping in a Kiwi accent. So, you can hear it?

You thought people put out albums, and then they just went “pfft”...?

Yeah, totally.

Yeah, pretty much, and then came back when it was time for the next one.

Sweet, that’s good for me.

Nah, I’ve got other jobs, y’know people want me to feature on their songs, and stuff like that. They want me to host mixtapes, and give drops, and all that shit. So, I’ve been doing that. And sometimes I’ll write songs for the sake of... just doing songs. So that when someone wants a song, I can just go “here”, instead of writing a whole new one.

I got the feeling that the album was an autobiographical piece. Did that come into it?

The ones on the album had the sound of something that’s quite spontaneous, and emotional. Do you have any concerns about putting emotions like that out there on an album? Not really man. I was going through some shit at that stage in my life, which is why I wrote those things. It’s like a photo to me, like a memory, those songs. So, I don’t mind. So, it’s less a question of honesty, and more a question of... just what you do? So, that shit that was happening in your life, and which influenced that album, do you feel a responsibility to put that on the album. It’s a possibility. It really just came from what I was feeling at the time. It was a spontaneous thing, to write whatever I was going through. I don’t really feel a responsibility on that album. ...Well, maybe one one song: a song called Wanna Be Like. That’s a song where I had to be responsible because I have a lot of kids come up to me, and act the way that the song plays out. So, I had to be the responsible one, and say “I’m not trying to turn anyone into little criminals, or anything, I’m just making music”. But a lot of people don’t see it that way. [The way they see it] I’ve got to be responsible in the youths’ eyes in order for them not to become criminals. Even though it’s not my fault the way they turn out. I maybe play a little bit of a role in their life because they like my music. There’s that rhyme about the TV3 cameras. do you feel the media is putting you in that spot where they’re forcing you to give your side of things? Yeah, that’s Whatever Doesn’t Kill Me, the title track. I wrote that in 08, so it came at the right time, where I was going through all that shit. The police were grilling me, there was police profiling, and quite a bit of media scrutiny. I kinda had to step up, and explain a lot of things. So that everyone who thought that I was that kind of person could get a better understanding of what I was trying to do for my neighborhood, which is just getting us out there, and getting our voices heard. TV3 made a big deal of that scene in that Smashproof video, didn’t they? Yes, the stabbing of Pihema Cameron. They made a big deal. Because the song wasn’t about that; the song was about a lot of things that were happening in South Auckland at the time. But they chose to highlight that because, at the time, the guy was getting sentenced. So, it was just timing for that song to come out at that time. And they wanted to create something. It helped out that song. The honesty that you show in other songs makes me believe that everything that you say isn’t just a story. But for instance, the song about jacking cars... Oh, that one. That one was a story; something that happened to a couple of friends of mine. There’s a lot of people in my neighborhood that do that sort of shit, and I just wanted to write a story about it. The end is bullshit, the start [of the story] is stuff that really happened, but the end is bullshit. My mate and his friends did one of those, but [unlike in the song] he didn’t get away. He crashed the car and died. But the other two got away, he dropped them off before the crash, and they got away with the shit, but he crashed, and died. I chose to switch it around, so that he got away, but it didn’t work, he’s still dead.

A lot of the songs are about me, and my environment, so you’re right about that. I already had another solo album, The Truth, and that was about how I was feeling at the time too. I just go of the state that I’m in. At the time that The Truth came out, I was hanging with my gangsta friends, and all the bravado, and being tough, that comes of being 18, 19, 20. That’s what I was speaking of at the time. This album, being a lot more grown-up, I chose to just give people my heart, man. Just go deep. Because you were really out there, and it’s really quite emotional. How do you feel about the success that came of being part of Smashproof? I feel really good. It put us all on that level where we can go out on our own. It gave us a huge hand up. The Young Sid stuff is a bit bigger, because I’m able to be a mainstream artist, because of Smashproof. But at the same time, I can still speak the truth, and call it as I see it. So, when you said you were writing songs all the time, does that [your level of success] influence what goes onto an album, and what doesn’t? Yep. We write a song, we send it overseas to Kirk Harding, and he says “yay”, or “nay”. If it’s a no, we chuck it on a mix tape. We say, you don’t have to buy it, we’ll just give it away. But if he says yep, and it goes on an album, that’s cool. But a lot of my songs, I wrote specifically for that album, so I didn’t need a “yay” or a “nay”; I just wrote it, and it’s on. Because I’ve got exec rights on my album too. How did working with Stan Walker come about? Kirk got in touch with his people, at first they said “no” because they didn’t know who we were. Then they came back to us, and said “is that song still available”? We only added him on in March, because the chorus had already been written, by Tyree. That’s another song that’s really old; I wrote in in December 08. It had no chorus for like six months, then Tyree wrote a chorus, then like nine months later, Stan Walker’s singing the chorus. Then the album was finished, that’s all we were waiting for. I know that people are going to say, “he’s going the Brother route, he’s trying to to do Brother again”. But we wrote that before Brother came out. Oh, yeah, Because Brother had Gin on it, What’s was that like, working with her? She’s cool, she’s crazy, she’s just like a dude, likes to have a good time. And she’s got a good voice. That gave us the cross-over success. On that song we all wrote the hook together... Really? Even Gin? Oh nah. She’s just the voice for it. But she’s a cool chick, talented. Because, I know that that’s something that a lot of rappers do. When they have other people doing the choruses, they write their own bits. Do you ever do that? Only on that one song on my album: it’s called Here, Then Gone [about the death of Sid’s mother], the girl who did that: Melanie Fiona, she wrote the chorus for that. She called me up from America, and asked “what do you want for it”? I said “just don’t make it too sad, make it inspirational”.

That’s still honesty then, you’re talking about something that really did happen. Yeah, just switching it around. You don’t try to hide your Kiwi accent either. Is that something you thought about? Nah, I think that on some songs it’s more of an American accent, because that’s what I’m influenced by, American songs. I didn’t really notice that I was

issue 13 June 2010

Top 10 Study Tips by Jess Cann Exams are coming. Boo, I hear you say! Boo indeed, but never fear, it’ll be holiday time soon, which means no textbooks or lectures for a month. Whether you have one or 100 exams (who at AUT would be so cruel to give you 100 exams, I don’t know), studying is the most pivotal part to success. Studying can be different for everyone as well: some are rope learners, some are visual memorisers or some people can even just write their notes out, it all helps. Don’t forget to balance out the gruelling study hours with fun, food and rest though! Or the information you just spent six hours trying to get to stay in your brain will float away.

The internet

Again, this can either help or hinder the studying process. Don’t let the internet control you, you control the internet. Disable that Facebook page and get your Google Scholar on! Remember to check out the AUT Library databases too. You can always find cool, small and simple readings to give you that extra edge over your other classmates and earn you that A grade (or B grade, whatever you’re cool with).

Study groups

These can either be a huge winner or a huge disaster. What starts out as good intentions can end in singing along loudly to JASONNNN DERULOOOO and looking at videos of chubby babies and stupid teenagers on YouTube. If you’re going to have a study group, make sure you assign a bit of the topic to each person to make sure everyone contributes and stays on task. You’ll be labelled the slave driver, but if it gets the job done…

Make a little rhyme; it’ll save a lot of time (see what I did there?)

A mate of mine told me she and her friends from high school used to make little songs to hum along to while sitting their NCEA exams. Not only did it stop Crazy Frog from being stuck in her head for three hours, but it helped her remember key aspects of her study topics. If you’re not really a singer, then maybe a rhyme is a good choice for you. Whip a few sentences together, find strange words that rhyme and BAM! You’ve got yourself a useful study tool. Haikus work too.

Posters and flash cards

If you’re a visual learner and you absorb information from flow charts, diagrams and colour-coded brainstorms, then it might be time to start drawing some of these up and sticking them on your walls. Don’t just limit them to the confines of your room. Stick them on the fridge, next the TV, or on the bathroom door.

Friend time

Make sure you give yourself a little bit of time to socialise. Don’t overdo it, as you won’t get any work done whatsoever, but it’s always important to talk and see your friends during study breaks. Call them to catch up on all the latest goss, meet them for dessert at a local cafe, or spend Saturday night watching the game with mates instead of hitting the town. Friends are important for keeping you grounded and realistic, and once you’ve had enough of your friends complaining about how their life sucks, head back to the books.

Have a break

Food

Sleep

Remember to reward yourself after 30 minutes of study. Research has shown that you don’t take any new information in after half an hour of sitting and reading, so balance out your day of study: 30 minutes on essay planning, then take a short walk and get some fresh air in your lungs. Head home, study definitions for half an hour and then reward yourself with your favourite sitcom while enjoying a nice glass of water and a snack. Staying hydrated is important too, keep up the fluids. How about taking a break to perform your Single Ladies routine? Dancing and movement keeps the body happy and relaxed, especially when you need to concentrate on difficult study information.

Sustenance is so important when trying to learn a semester’s worth of work. If you’re hungry, you’ll be concentrating on how hungry you are instead of persevering with your 50 page reading. Eat some fruit, have a healthy sandwich or munch on some crackers and cheese and you’ll be much better for it.

Sleep is good. Power naps are not really my thing, but they work for some people. Set your alarm, rest your head for 20 minutes and then have pleasant dreams about what you’ll do after exams are over. Then wake up and get back into the study. Make sure you don’t leave your study until the last minute either, as all-nighters are really not good for you. People do much better in morning exams with a full eight hours of sleep and rest. It gives you a nice break from reading words on pages, so make sure you go to bed early the night before an exam.

Make sure to ask your tutors lots of questions

Tutors are awesome. They are always so willing to help and give you lastminute pointers on what to study, how to study it and they can always provide an inspirational pep talk. Email them, phone them and hunt them down for answers. Just don’t follow them back to their houses. I refuse to be held responsible for thousands of students mass-stalking their tutors.

Stay positive

Remember: It’s not the end of the world if everything goes terribly wrong (trust me, I would know). It’s better to over prepare than under prepare, but if you find in the exam you’re asked something you didn’t study for, don’t panic. Do your best to answer the question, take your time and stay calm. Forcing yourself to stay positive can be great for your general well-being/hauora and who knows, it may turn out better than you think. I believe in you. Even though I don’t even know you.

etiquet te am

by Jess Cann

University Examinations: how to act when sitting those final… finals by Jess Cann

ou have prepared as much as you can and you are ready to sit the final hurdle for the semester: your exams. You take a seat; put all your pens on the table, as well as your drink bottle and little snacks to tide you over. The last thing you need is a distraction. Disaster strikes: You can’t help but notice all the distractions going on around you in the suffocating room. Noises coming from all directions, you wish you could just scream and tell them to stop it, but you can’t because you’ll be kicked out of the exam room! Exam etiquette is one of those unspoken ideas where everyone knows what you should and should not do in an exam, but no one really discusses it. This is where I come in: I’m here to teach you what is alright and what is definitely not alright under exam conditions.

The bangle dangler

It’s no secret girls love their jewellery, but when it comes to exam time, it should be left at home. In a course like communications – which is dominated by girls – an exam can quickly escalate into the world’s most annoying orchestra. Whether it’s scraping the desk, hitting other bangles or rattling away on your arm, all are not acceptable, so cut it out, now. The same goes with chunky watches that constantly tap as you’re writing. Take it off and put it on your desk if you need to monitor the time.

Incessant pen fiddling

Don’t sit there and flick your pen against the desk or on the exam booklet. You may be trying to think, but others are too. Dick. Same goes for pen clicking. Don’t click your biro multiple times because you’re bored or stuck on a question. A pen should be clicked twice; once at the beginning and once at the end.

Asking too many questions

When you sit down at your desk and fill out your information slips, and then later your exam booklets, make sure you thoroughly read everything. Twice. Putting your hand up to ask a million different obvious questions not only makes you look stupid, but is distracting as hell. If it’s a legitimate question (like there’s an error in one of your exams), then by all means stick up your hand. But if it’s asking what the paper code is when it’s blatantly written on the board…

Toilet breaks

It’s very common to need to go to the bathroom during an exam. The nerves make you want to go to the toilet even more than usual and the constant swigging of your drink bottle won’t help the matters. However, it gets annoying when you want to go but one person continuously uses it. Do they have the answers written on a toilet bowl or something? If you need to go to the toilet, make it quick; there are other weak bladders in that room who are in just as much need as you. issue 13 June 2010

Snacks

Apparently gum is supposed to stimulate your brain and some students are bound to need a little pick me up during a three hour exam. I’m not hating on the museli bar or those Werthers Originals, but But if you’re a loud chewer or constantly rustling your chip packet, I’d watch out. We’re there to write, not to listen to you smack your lips and burp. Gross.

Be prepared

If you are sitting an essay-based exam, there is a high possibility one of your pens will run out, particularly if you have been using it all semester. Bring at least three pens into an exam with you. It may seem overzealous but there’s nothing worse than having no ink, 30 minutes before an exam is about to finish. Also, you don’t want to be that person that’s scabbing for a pen right before the exam starts. Who doesn’t bring a pen to an exam?!

Be there early

AUT releases their exam schedule freakishly early in the semester, so you have no excuse not to know your exam time and date off my heart. Be there early, as there will be hundreds just like you trying to get into the lecture room and get the horror over and done with. Account for late buses, forgotten equipment and finding your student ID. Every minute you’re later to enter the room is a minute you’ve lost from taking your exam. Plus, you’ll receive some hateful stares from people who were smart enough to show up on time.

Turn your cell phone off

This is common sense, but some people still refuse to turn off their cell phones. Treat the exam room like an airplane flight. You’re not allowed to use your phone 35,000 ft in the air, and you’re not allowed to use it in an exam. And don’t just turn it to silent; switch it off. It’s not worth the consequences if an unexpected alarm goes off in the middle of an exam and all evidences point back to you.

Most of this seems like basic knowledge, and that’s because it is, however many people continually rock up to exams and commit one or more of these fatal errors. The main thing is to be considerate of others: If it’d annoy you, more than likely it’ll annoy someone else. Oh yeah, and good luck!

John K Probert THEY SAY THAT BAD THINGS, SUCH AS DEATHS,

come in threes. About a month and a half ago Peter Steele of Type O Negative passed away, and I covered this in a previous column. Then a few weeks ago, just as I was submitting my column (so I couldn’t rewrite it in time) I learned of the news of the passing of Ronnie James Dio. Finally less than a week ago news broke of the death of Paul Grey from Slipknot. The metal community has lost so many key members already this year, so let’s hope the universe has decided to stop at three. Because of these recent events, this column is going to be a dedication to the great Ronnie James Dio. People outside of the metal scene might not be as familiar with Dio as they really should be. This is probably because he didn’t have his own reality television show, unlike fellow former Black Sabbath front man Ozzy Osbourne. Dios career spanned over 60 years, having joined his first band in 1957 and continuing to bring music to the masses right up until his death. He was also considered one of the most powerful singers in metal, his voice having remained in top form for the entirety of his career. Dio is also one of the main proponents of the famous devil horns, now synonymous with metal fans and metal music. In 1979 Dio replaced Ozzy Osbourne as the front man of Black Sabbath and wanted something to help endear him to their fans. Previously Osbourne had used the peace hand gesture, so as not to be seen as copying him Dio used the ‘corna’. The corna is a gesture used to ward off the evil eye used amongst superstitious Southern Italians, and Dio had been taught it by his grandmother. While he was not the first metal singer to use it, his position in such an influential band and continuous use of it brought it to the masses and help to popularize it. In more recent years, Dio had been the front man of the band Heaven and Hell, made up of other former members of Black Sabbath including the pivotal Tony Iommi. This was the band he was performing with right up to his diagnosis with stomach cancer in November, 2009. In May of this year however they were forced to cancel tour dates due to Dios ill health, but promised they would be back on stage one Dio was well again. Unfortunately this wasn’t that case, as Ronnie James Dio passed away on May 16 surrounded by family and friends. A statement was later posted on Dio’s official site by his wife and manager Wendy; “Today my heart is broken, Ronnie passed away... Many, many friends and family were able to say their private good-byes before he peacefully passed away. Ronnie knew how much he was loved by all. We so appreciate the love and support that you have all given us. Please give us a few days of privacy to deal with this terrible loss. Please know he loved you all and his music will live on forever.” A public memorial service was held for Dio on May 30 in Los Angeles. The Westboro Baptist church (famous for protesting at American soldiers funerals) had planned to protest at the service, stating Dio was a devil worshipper, but at the time of printing no news was available as to whether they had gone through with this or not.

All good things must come to an end! (Chaucer, c1374)

WELL HERE WE ARE READING THE FINAL ISSUE of debate for semester one, 2010. For some of you, your time here at AUT is short and what we all hope has been an incredible experience in every way has you currently working on assignments, lab reports and studying for exams. Then it is perhaps a time of holiday and back to your home country for further study or whatever your future holds. Your presence has enriched our lives here and you go with strong friendships forged and many memories. For some Kiwis you will graduate in your chosen discipline and move away to take up work opportunities or pursue study elsewhere. To you also, may you move forward into the future feeling better equipped because of your time here. For others of us there is the challenge of moving on to an even higher level of study with the challenges that this will present. For those of you who commenced your tertiary study at AUT this semester, you will appreciate how the newbies will feel come orientation week. You have been there – done that. In every sense of the word, many things for a number of us are nearing an end and new beginnings of diverse forms await us! We need to acknowledge Samantha and her team for the quality and diversity of debate this semester. As the newly appointed editor this year, Sam has certainly stamped her mark on our student magazine and I, for one, certainly believe she has built on what has gone before. Thanks Samantha! The word “end” certainly has the air of finality about it. It relates to concluding, finishing, terminating, and closing. At first, reading these words can have a melancholy feel to them, an aspect of sadness. Yet, they can be so positive. Study concluded, a qualification obtained, a thesis completed. All the hours of study and anxiety have been worth it. It is over and what you have been working towards is now yours by right to claim. So let’s embrace this word in whatever way it applies to us. Let’s view it as a stepping stone, a building block into our future to a world which outside of academia (is not always as welcoming as we might hope for), shines bright with opportunity, challenge and the chance for us to realise our full potential. Finally, may your semester break be all that you would wish it to be. For those leaving us we say goodbye; thanks for being a part of our AUT community and God bless. For those returning, make the most of the break before returning to the work still required of you before you can sign off on 2010!

TAKING THE BUS IS FOR LOSERS. OR SO I WAS

told last week by my 16-year-old cousin who’s just nabbed himself a restricted license and a standard-issue Toyota Corolla. At first I thought he was just being a typical teenager overly concerned about his image and state of “coolness”… but then I thought... maybe he has a point? After all, isn’t that what all those shmancy politicians have been telling us for years? (OK so I wouldn’t really call John Banks a trendsetter –sorry Banksy – but he’s definitely got a fair bit of influence.) When was the last time you saw Bill English on the bus? Having recently moved up from Wellington, where it’s pretty much considered a joke to drive anywhere except out of town, I have to admit I got a bit of a shock when I first arrived in Auckland and battled stand-still traffic for two and a half hours to get into the city. Now I realise that Auckland is considerably bigger than Wellington, and you’ve got to expect a lot more traffic, but what really surprises me is just how “uncool” it is to take the bus in Auckland. It seems everywhere you look there’s a big neon sign saying “just get in your car and drive”. Working for Greenpeace over the summer, I travelled to pretty much every Auckland suburb imaginable - shock horror - without a car. What should be a casual 20min drive instead took me around an hour and a half and cost around ten bucks each way. Hassle much? Even now getting to town and back on the bus costs around the same as a day’s parking - plus you have to walk to the bus stop, be either too early or late for the bus you wanted to catch due to the general crappiness of the Maxx website, and possibly stand for the whole bus-ride because there aren’t enough seats. So where’s the incentive to take the bus? Everyone I’ve spoken to has told me “oh you can’t live in Auckland without a car”. It’s this attitude that’s causing the problem. People will only take the bus if they have no other option - not as an environmentally-friendly choice or even, call me crazy, a matter of convenience. So at first I thought it was pretty crappy, but maybe Auckland’s just struggling to keep up with the crazy influx of people over the last few decades… it’ll get better. Surely. In the short time that I’ve been here, all my hopes on the matter have been torn up into confetti and thrown from the Symonds Street overpass. Firstly, the council decided to raise the fares for public transport at the start of this year. OK, I get that public transport has to come at a cost, but the fact that they can put bus fares up while at the same time pumping millions of dollars into expanding motorways is beyond me. One thing I really like about Auckland is that there’s a lot of green space about. Something I found was a little lacking in Wellington were parks and fields in handy locations where you could just chill on a nice day. As more and more on-ramps and extra bits of motorway are crammed into our city, these green spots are what we lose out on, so it’s a double-whammy for the environment. Maybe my expectations are just too high for Auckland public transport. To be fair, it is a fast-growing and already sprawling landmass that just cannot be compared to anywhere else in NZ. But using public transport is awesome for the environment, and helps to stave off that whole “global warming/world ending” dilemma. So for now, no matter what my cousin says, I’ll continue to take the bus and cross my fingers that Captain Planet will come back on TV and suddenly caring about the environment (and taking the bus) will be cool again. issue 13 June 2010

UPCOMING

MOVIES

LOOK

OUT

FOR

Toy Story 3 –Release date: July 1 It’s Toy Story. It’s 3D. It’s Tim Allen in a role we can respect him for. It has a plot revolving around Woody, Buzz and friends being ditched at a day care centre after Andy goes to college. Do not miss an opportunity to catch up with your favourite Toy Story character. Slinky Dog? Mr and Mrs Potato head? Mary? The vending machine aliens? I myself was always partial to Rex, the dinosaur. Embrace its awesomeness, watch it with friends. Roll M&Ms down the aisle and steal the 3D glasses. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse –Release date: July 1 I put this one here merely as a caution to rational people to stay away from the theatre for the week of this release. There will be hordes girls of all shapes and sizes rushing in to see this atrocity. I will be giving it a miss, clearly. If intoxication doesn’t make the first one palatable, then nothing will make the subsequent ones worth my money. Except Breaking Dawn. I will see Breaking Dawn. I won’t miss them trying to make that train wreck of a book into something. Scott Pilgrim vs. The world –Release date: August 12 I know almost nothing about this film. I am pretty sure it’s an adaptation of a beloved comic book. Some convoluted plot about Scott having to defeat seven evil ex-boyfriends in order to win some chick’s heart. The reason you should watch out for this film is because it stars Michael Cera, in what I am desperately hoping is another role where he plays an awkward teen. It’s also worth seeing because it has a Culkin (not the best, but I’ll settle), Brandon Roth (new Superman), Jason Schwartzman (is awesome) and Anna Kendrick (OHMYGOSH TWILIGHT!!!). Also the guy directing is responsible for Shaun of the Dead so it should be promising. Salt –Release date: August 19 Salt is an action-adventure-mystery-explosions-guns film about Salt (Angelina Jolie), a CIA operative trying to clear her name while on the run. Though her edge has mostly been lost over the years, along with her curves, there is still something very alluring about Mrs Jolie. Almost anything about this film also makes mention of the fact that the main part was originally written for Tom Cruise before they pulled an ol’ gender switch. Can’t help but enjoy hot chicks kicking ass. I’m sure many of you agree. The Expendables –Release date: September 2 An action film, directed by Sylvester Stallone, about mercenaries. Mercenaries overthrowing a dictator in South America. Mercenaries who also happen to be Jason Statham (Crank), Mickey Rourke (The Wrestler, Iron Man 2), Jet Li (Enter the Dragon), Bruce Willis (Die Hard) and Arnold Schwarzenegger (Governator). This film has the makings of the ultimate aging action hero mash up. Fuck YEAH. Beastly –Release date: September 30 Oh man. This film is going to be aaaawwwFUL. Billed as a modern reimagining of Beauty and the Beast, it has all the hallmarks of an awful teen romance film. Vanessa Hudgens plays some chick who probably falls in love with a guy who was a dick and then was turned hideous by one of the Olsen twins. She has to love him before a year is up or else he stays fugly forever. This film is not to be missed. It’s going to be that awesome type of bad where you go and can’t even bring yourself to feel ripped off about the price of admission, because deep down you liked it. Plus, Neil Patrick Harris plays a funny blind guy. It is worth seeing him in anything.

Dear Agony Aunt Lately I have been feeling stressed out to the max, what with exams and three assignments due all at once. I’m also a bit worried because when I start drinking, I find it really difficult to stop and sometimes end up drinking 10 beers in one night, a couple of times a week. I know this is a bit over the top, although lots of my friends do the same. My father has always been a bit of a drunk and I’m scared I’ll end up like him. What do you think?

From Stressed

Dear Stressed,

It sounds like a few things are going on for you at the moment. You say you are “stressed out to the max”, and while that is so for lots of students at this time of year it isn’t much fun, and doesn’t help you to do your best in assessments. Many people resort to alcohol and other drugs when they’re under stress, but regularly drinking up to 10 beers in one night is definitely hazardous to your health, especially if you do it over a long period of time. It is not the answer to your problems. You say your father is a ‘bit of a drunk’, therefore you must know firsthand how destructive drinking to excess can be, not only to yourself but also to other people around you. Well done for facing up to your demons and asking for help. Don’t let this get out of hand and don’t worry what your friends are doing, it’s you who matters. Maybe it would be good to talk with one of the counsellors available at Health Counselling and Wellbeing about ways to manage your stress. They are free and will be able to teach you some coping strategies so you can manage your stress levels safely. Once you have mastered some relaxation techniques you may find you do not need to drink in order to cope. However if you find you are still drinking alcohol to excess and cannot control the amount you are drinking you may need specialised help. You can speak to a nurse or doctor about this at Health Counselling and Wellbeing or you can contact Community Alcohol and Drugs Services (CADS) on 845-1818 or www.cads.org.nz.

by Jess Cann

www.awkwardfamilyphotos.com

REMEMBER IN PRIMARY SCHOOL WHEN YOU USED TO GET your picture taken every year? You’d sit on the stool in front of some blue and white horrible background, wear your best matching pink jumpsuit and pull a cheesy grin out of nowhere? Ah, the memories. The photos would always turn out so weird and unreal, though. Well just imagine a website made up of these kinds of photos, plus family portraits, animal portraits, couples, nanas and grandpas, you name it. The latest feature photo is of a group of adults, all huddled around, touching each others’ shoulders and fake-conversing (pretending to have a conversation when really you’re not). They’re all dressed in white, with the matriarch sitting in the middle, watching over her clan (no pun intended). The slogan, you say? “Family can be together forever.” Cheesy, much? What about a family Christmas photo, with all the children popping out of gift boxes? The parents stand in the middle, pleased that their children are happy sitting in silver gift wrap. Yes, it’s enough to turn anyone off family photos for a lifetime. Check this one out for a good old laugh at American families (most of them are).

with Tenani French ARIES (March 21-April 19)

This week someone will suggest something that will sound a wee bit mental. Run with it, they’re much wiser than you are.

save it Peter Jackson + The Hobbit = WIN

As much as we like Guillermo del Toro and his Hellboy movies, there’s just no one that can tackle a Middle Earth epic quite like Peter Jackson. Since del Toro quit the upcoming movie adaptations of The Hobbit due to delays leading to clashes with his other films, Sir Peter Jackson has begun the search for a new director. Sir Pete has also said if he can’t find a new director, he’ll do it himself. Just quietly...YAY!

Love it Skycity Cinemas rebrand and revamp

At the start of the year the Skycity Cinemas chain was sold to an Australian company and the groundwork was laid for a rebrand. Now the brand has been announced and by the end of this month all Skycity Cinemas locations will be known as Event Cinemas. The new Aussie owners promise to roll out digital 3D technology to all of its screens around the country, as well as introducing a bigger menu, cafes and what they’re calling the new “business class” of movies, to be known as Vmax. About time; a fresh lick of paint and some new seats will go down a treat I’m sure.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

It’s time to give something back to the planet. Adopt a dolphin or panda and treat him/her nicely.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21)

Now that June has finally arrive, people will stop blaming you for that shit May we had. Don’t screw it up.

CANCER (June 22-July 22) This is a creative week for you Cancerians. When inspiration strikes, get whatever colourful shit you can find and splatter it on the walls. You’ll feel much better, and you might even make a dollar or two.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

The stars suggest that you’ve been a bit of a dick lately. Will you quash the rumours and become everyone’s friend, or will you confirm your dickheadedness with an iPad?

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Last week was a little bit mediocre for you Virgos, it’s time to step it up a notch. Join a Zumba class! Buy a grenade!

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

watch it TVNZ Heartland

New Zealand’s first ever TV channel to feature 100 per cent New Zealand content. Think Kiwi FM but on TV. It’s filled with hours upon hours of Kiwi made programming, has a snazzy name and will run 24 hours a day playing shows from the TVNZ archives, as well as more recent hits. The only catch: it’s exclusively on SKY. I guess the half of the country that has SKY needed a little kiwiana in between the likes of MTV and Comedy Central on the channel line up. Awesome. Sounds like a fun little idea.

If there was ever a time for you to implement your idea for that umbrella business, now is the time.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21)

There are a lot of sporting tournaments coming up in the next few weeks. Take out a loan and bet on all of them. Luck is on your side, promise.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

It’s clear that you’ve always been a bit of a writer, it’s about time you started a book. Or a blog. Or poetry. Let your creativity lead the way.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

agree with it Homer Simpson: TV’s best character

D’oh! So according to a survey (the best articles always begin with those words) Homer Simpson has beaten Harry Potter and Buffy the Vampire Slayer as the best character created in the past 20 years. Do you agree? The Simpsons is one of the world’s most successful franchises and, currently in its 21st season, is the longest running prime time show on American TV. Kind of no surprise the man of the house won this title then, don’t you think?

Whoever told you that you look good in hats was lying. Use this week to burn all your beanies and fedoras; it’ll keep you toasty at the same time.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

It’s a week of deadlines for you Aquariuses…Aquarii…Aquaria. Something. Get on top of study early and you might just scrape through this semester.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

There’s a high probability you’ll stand in a puddle this week. Blame Gemini, because astrology signs obviously influences the weather.

If there’s something you think the student masses of AUT need to know about, send us an email to debate@aut.ac.nz with Suggestions in the subject line. issue 13 June 2010

Barbie: The Ultimate Fashion Icon by Heather Rutherford OH BARBIE, she’s so pretty. I want to be just

like her! This fabulous doll may be just a doll, but she is no doubt one of the world’s most influential fashion icons. She was created in 1959 by one of the founders of Mattel, Ruth Handler, and dubbed the world’s first fashion doll for girls. She made her fashion debut as a ‘teenage fashion model’ in a black and white striped swimsuit with ‘demure’ side glancing eyes and a curly blonde quiff and since then there has been no looking back. Critics have panned her for her more perfect than human proportions (I think they are just jealous really). She has been the subject of numerous lawsuits, had many career changes, has had evil younger brothers cut her hair and pull her head off, and still 50 years on, doesn’t look a day older than 22. Barbie’s fashion history has spanned the last five decades and her style has changed accordingly to the times. From her inception in 1959 she has gone from poodle skirts, secretary chic, Jackie O suits, 70s disco, hippy psychedelic, giant 80s shoulders, 90s double denim and onwards. Barbie, ever the fashionista, has been on board with every fashion movement in the last 50 years. Anyone wanting a brief and stylised history of the last 50 years of fashion can just look in Barbie’s wardrobe. But it wasn’t until the 90s that Barbie’s style really picked up the pace. American fashion and costume designer Bob Mackie defined Barbie’s evening wear wardrobe for most of the 90s, creating yearly limited edition evening gowns for Barbie. As much effort, design and cost went into designing one of these stunning gowns for Barbie, as did for the likes of megastars such as Cher. Even though Bob Mackie is clearly Barbie’s designer of choice for formal occasions, she has had countless designers create for her. American fashion designer Charlotte Johnson was first recruited by Mattel in 1959 to design her first outfits, such as the famous black and white striped bathing suit. She has had bridal wear designed by the queen of wedding couture, Vera Wang. Designers such as Oscar de la Renta, Donna Karan, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren have designed outfits for her. Christian Louboutin has designed her shoes. Versace, Escada, Dior, Christian Larcroix and Karl Lagerfeld have also jumped on the couture evening wear train with Lagerfeld even personally shooting a Barbie and Ken photoshoot. Jewellery designer Stefan Canturi helped in the creation of the most expensive Barbie in the world clocking in at $540,780. He made her a necklace with three carats of white diamonds and a centrepiece of a rare one carat pink diamond. Many designers, such as New

Zealand’s own Kate Sylvester, count Barbie as one of their first clients and were making clothes for her at a young age. I personally remember attempting to knit Barbie a cardigan as a child. I am sure there are many of us who were inspired into making clothes for Barbie when we were young. There is no denying Barbie and her fashion has had a huge influence on us, and our fashion conscience, from a very young age. Even the world’s biggest fashion magazines are paying homage to her and her extreme influence. She has appeared on numerous covers and has been in the fashion spreads of Italian and Japanese Vogue. There is a ‘House of Barbie’ in Shanghai that I’m really annoyed to not have known about when I was there last year. It contains a Barbie Café, sauna and beauty spa, catwalk, as well as merchandise and clothing for Barbie as well as for us (Barbie doesn’t mind sharing her style with us mere humans). New York Fashion Week 2009 celebrated Barbie’s 50th birthday with a Barbie fashion show in which many designers designed life-size clothes for the doll and reminisced about her impact on the fashion industry. This event was so big they even blockaded off a corner of Times Square and renamed it ‘Barbie Boulevard’ for the time duration of fashion week. Barbie is probably the only fashion icon in the world that can command such extravagance. From humble beginnings (Mattel was originally run out of a garage), Mattel is now one of the biggest clothing manufacturers in the world. And all this for Barbie. Keeping all this extravagance in mind, it is amazing how down to earth she appears to be, still working as a vet, baby sitter, dentist or whatever she is now. Despite how humble some of her career choices appear to be, she always looks so amazing doing it and is always dressed impeccably. We have never lived in a world without Barbie and therefore tend to take her influence for granted. Imagine the shape of fashion if she had never come along. For many of us, she helped shape our interest in fashion from a very young age and will continue do so for years to come. Barbie is without a doubt one of the biggest influences on fashion and inspirations most of us will have in our lives.

Chelsea Herbert Fashion Technology 2nd Yr Cardie: Op shop Dress: Dotti Shoes: Wild Pair

Sarah Louise Walker

Business 3rd Yr Jacket: Jane Daniels Top: Jane Daniels Skirt: Jane Daniels Shoes: Ezibuy

Georgia McNaught

Communications 1st Yr Jeans: Route 66 Top/Bag/Jacket: Vintage Shoes: Converse Chuck Taylors

Time to get out of Auckland We’re nearly there! Just two more weeks and then FREEDOM! No more assignments, no more lectures, no more reading anything remotely academic. I don’t know about you, but I want to get my butt out of Auckland for a bit, somewhere warm preferably. So it’s the battle of the best and cheapest travel deals: Expedia versus STA Travel.

pre-book too. Sussing out the Gold Coast for during the break (wouldn’t that be nice?!), the Blue Mountains trip and hot-air ballooning with breakfast at a vineyard are given. Sadly, it’s a bit out of my price range. It seems funny there is nothing like a surf lesson offered, or theme park entry? Oh well, I like this site, it’s easy to use, has loads of options, and is cheap – sorted.

Expedia

www.statravel.co.nz

www.expedia.co.nz

Sells: Hotels, flights, attractions, car hire, packages Range of Options: Accommodation in every country, every city, most options Overall rating: My favourite

Honestly, the packages you can get by using this site are legend, or rather, facilitate a legend holiday! The more things you book in a package and the more people you book at the same time, the better the discounts. Of course, they tell you this when they are showing you how much it will cost. I think the best thing about this site is that you can book everything at once. You just select the place and dates and tick the box for hotel and flights and they give you pages of options with just about every hotel in the place you are going to. After you push the “book” button, a page pops up with different attractions that you can

STA Travel

Sells: Hotels, flights, attractions, tours, domestic travel Range of Options: Widest range Overall rating: Not as user friendly, but opened my eyes to loads more fun things to do.

I haven’t been on this site for a while, but when I open it up, they have this cool (and dangerous) thing where they have like a departures board on the home page with specific flights and prices on it, and a ‘book now’ option next to that. I think impulse purchases through this are potentially limitless! The thing I like about this site is the options for stuff you don’t normally see on travel sites. You can do flights and accommodation like usual, but you can also book tours, experiences like working holidays or volunteering, book your bus and rail travel, round the world trips and plan your OE. Sadly, if you want to do it online, you have to book everything separately. Or rather, if you can book everything together, I can’t figure out how to do it!

This review was written by a graduate in Retailing. If you are interested in retail and why people buy, take a look at papers in the Retail major in the Business School. You don’t have to be a business student to take the papers, so check out the website today! issue 13 June 2010

Letters to Juliet

Directed by Gary Winick Film Review by Samantha McQueen

Falcon

The Courteeners CD Review by Lisa Arthur

LETTERS TO JULIET HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE A

great love story among hopeless romantics both young and old. However, a contrived and unoriginal script, wooden acting and an overwhelming reliance on the use of balconies turns this melodramatic romance into 105 minutes of cheesy clichés, which bring outward cringes to even the most swoon-worthy individuals. Doe-eyed Amanda Seyfried (Dear John, Mamma Mia!) plays Sophie, a factchecker at the New Yorker who dreams of being a writer. In an attempt to get some quality time with her chef fiancé Victor (Gael Garcia Bernal) before their wedding, they set off to Verona, Italy – the background for Shakespeare’s masterpiece Romeo and Juliet – for a pre-honeymoon. From the offset, Victor would rather traipse around Italy in search of perfect ingredients than spend time with Sophie. This leads her to discover the “secretaries of Juliet”, a group of women who respond to letters left under Juliet’s balcony by forlorn lovers. Not one to miss a writing opportunity, Sophie joins these women and soon finds a letter dated 50 years ago from a British woman called Claire (Vanessa Redgrave) who wonders whether leaving her true love behind was the right move. Inspired, Sophie writes back and soon, Claire is on her doorstep with her surly grandson Charlie (Christopher Egan), hoping to track down her Lorenzo after all these years. Redgrave (Evening, Atonement) is by far the stand out of the film. She plays the character of Claire with a combination of charisma, humour and tenderness not often seen in older female leads. Faced with a lot of Lorenzo dead-ends throughout the course of the film, audiences see a subtle glimpse of the constant rejections taking its toll on Claire’s vitality. Of the two romances within the film, it is the one between her and mythical Lorenzo that you hope takes flight. Seyfried has become the new poster girl for romance films and it’s not hard to see why everyone loves her. Her blonde hair, softly spoken voice and vulnerable demeanour are reminiscent of the figurative “girl next door” and her big eyes well up with enough conviction to tug at your heartstrings. She puts in a convincing performance as Sophie, and her chemistry with Redgrave is gentle and authentic, particularly towards the end of the film. These two solid performances are brought down by the appalling acting of former Home and Away star Christopher Egan. His imitation of a British accent ruins any plausibility the film tries to set up and there is no ounce of chemistry shared with either Seyfried or Redgrave. Humorous lines are lost in the dreadful delivery and words dedicated to declarations of true love are both artificial and laughable. One is left wondering how someone as fake as Egan won the part over more genuinely British actors. Letters to Juliet is a starry-eyed romance marred by a sugary script, balcony clichés and some awful acting. But at least hearts will soar at the idyllic backdrop of Italy, with its rolling hills, clear skies and breathtaking architecture.

THE COURTEENERS ARE A FOUR-PIECE INDIE-ROCK

band hailing from Manchester in the UK Their lead singer, Liam Fray, is a university drop-out who got his beginning doing acoustic sets in pubs. Their first album, St. Jude, went gold in the UK, and their music has been used quite a number of times on television. They released their sophomore album Falcon at the beginning of the year, and it reached number six on the UK charts. It was with trepidation that I put this CD into my laptop, and started to listen as I ran my eyes over the cover and scanned the liner notes which turned out to only consist of lyrics. Listening to the lead singer, I definitely recognise the accent that has featured so heavily in other bands, such as Oasis and Joy Division. The lead singer, Liam Fray, who wrote all the music and lyrics, even looks a bit like the Gallagher brothers. The first track The Opener starts off slow, which is unexpected, but quickly morphs into the faster-paced indie rock I was anticipating. Overall the album is mid-paced, with a few variations here and there. I can see how it would do well in the UK’s boys drinking lager in the pub and singing along aesthetic, as it is commonly easy to predict the next line in the couplets. Two of the songs from Falcon have charted: You Overdid It Doll, and Take Over the World. The latter would have to be my most liked song from the album, probably due to the catchier lyrics, the likable guitar riffs, and the underlying rhythm. This album sparked my interest in this band, why were the phrases, “the next Oasis”, and had “the solace and romance of The Verve” being bandied around? To be fair, the second quote came from the band’s bio, which came straight from the record company. It was what you’d expect; the author slavering over how they are the next big thing, groundbreaking even. Trolling through the screeds of reviews and comments of the internet, opinion seems severely divided. NME gave Falcon an 8 out of 10, while the derisive comments below belied the review’s words, calling NME “sell-outs” and criticising the band’s predictable lyrics. I have to agree with the latter, and reject the notion that they created “hooks forged from pure indie gold”. While I wouldn’t object to this being background music while my attention was focused elsewhere, it is not a record I would listen to just for the pure pleasure of listening to music. In fact, the further I get into this review, the more my sense of injustice rears up against the rave reviews and words like ‘insipid’, ‘parochial’, and ‘meh’ threaten to be used in particularly cutting sentences. The best bit of the album was when I realised the track Lullaby reminds me oddly of the Pharrell, Casablancas, and Santigold collaboration My Drivethru. A poor man’s Kasabian/Jet combo, a five out of 10 from this reviewer.

Street Dance 3D

Directed by Max Giwa & Dania Pasquini Film Review by Elana Kluner

STREET DANCE 3D. WELL, FIRST OFF, THE TITLE IS A

bit loose. What is ‘street dance’ anyway? I guess the producers were being politically correct for not calling it ‘Hip Hop Dance 3D’ for the slight chance that they could be hated on by the founders of hip hop dance. But regardless, the style fit the storyline quite well. It was a new-aged based film and it stood its ground against the other oh-so-popular dance films. There wasn’t much of a point for the 3D feature other then the dance scenes themselves. They did beat Jon Chu, director of Step up 3D, to the punch though. But, to be quite honest, Step up 3D has some of the world’s best dancers in it so the skill level will be more ‘up there’, which will probably enhance the usage of the 3D feature. I must say though, that the acting in Street Dance 3D was quite impressive, being that all of the main characters were true ‘new-school’ dancers. The storyline goes- there is a dance crew in the running to win the UK dance champs, but they have to beat the best crew in the UK, Surge (who by the way is played by a real dance crew and I was very happy about seeing them showcased in this). The crew is run by Jay (ladies, if I can give you one reason to watch this movie, it would be to check him out. Three letters, H.O.T.), but Jay leaves the crew along with his girlfriend. Carly, Jay’s girlfriend, ends up leading the crew and finds herself in a predicament when needing a studio to rehearse in (see this is why the term ‘street dance’ is used loosely). The only studio they could use is the ballet school’s studio. The head of the school agrees to let their crew use the studio for free as long as they incorporate the ballet students in their competition piece. What would a dance movie be without poor ‘street’ dancers, right? There is a potential interest for Carly with one of the male ballet dancers on the crew, who shows her a new side of dance. Together, they combined and create quite a production, and the story goes on. You will have to watch it to see what happens. It was a bit cheesy, but tastefully done and is sure to put a smile on your face. In fact, it may even motivate you to pick up some dance lessons yourself. I feel if this film was handed in as a Uni assignment, the marks would come back with a comment from the lecturer saying something like “well done”, but it wouldn’t be shown as an example for next year’s students. All in all, if you have time and money and nothing to do on a rainy afternoon, gather some friends and go watch it. Don’t have high expectations and enjoy.

issue 13 June 2010

Jurassic Warfare Bandicoot EP Review by Mike Atkins

I WAS AT A MINT CHICK’S SHOW AT THE GRAND OL’

Kings Arms a few years back, when the strangest thing happened. Two feral 12-year-olds, one wearing a bedsheet with Jimmy Page on it, and the other in a childrens’ costume, blocked the entrance to the men’s room with a drum kit and an amp, and proceeded to make noises, the likes of which hadn’t been heard since the Gordons existed. The support band was a wash, and the Mint Chicks were still getting used to not having a bass player, so the kids were the night’s highlight. I made some half-arsed attempts to find out who they were, but never got an answer. I decided it was best to simply assume that Jodie Foster in the film Nell had somehow reproduced, and be done with it (the timing’s right, the film was like 12 years before that, wasn’t it?). But like getting through to a real person at Studylink when dialling a wrong number, the boys turned up playing the redeye slot at the Big Day Out this year. Seemingly realising that no band ever got famous without one, they’d got a singer in Pearl McGlashan and Bandicoot was born. There’s an old joke in the music industry that when you want to scare a record company, you tell them that “the vocals are low in the mix”. No one knows what “the vocals being low in the mix” sounds like, or even what it means, since it’s never been done. I assume it sounds something like their EP, Jurassic Welfare (maybe this IS that elusive sound). It doesn’t make the music unlistenable like the tradition says it’s meant to, but it would be frustrating for anyone wanting lyrics that “meant something, man”. The focus isn’t on the lyrics, or even on Pearl’s voice. Her voice is just one element, in a sound that in which drums, guitars, and vocals are given democratically equal weight. I suspect this was to ease the cold chills that “lyrics by a teenager” would normally cause. Though it’s hardly necessary, the lyrics (or what I can make out of them) are actually as clever as they think they are, and possibly cleverer. That’s because the don’t try too much, they’re shouted t-shirt slogans (“I listen to bands that don’t even exist”). They’re not annoying, and they don’t try to be more than they are. But it’s that little guitarist that makes it pop. The kid’s a prodigy of distortion; the effect of which is a psychedelic channelling of the loudest 10 per cent of Nirvana’s In Utero. The subsumation of the vocals makes them sound like amelodic elements, like stabs of lead guitar to his jagged rhythm guitar. Taken together, the effect is like paint-by-numbers early 90s grunge, but in a good way. Like they’re making an ironic little conceptual-art-joke aboout appropriation. One that involves Kim Gordon’s vocals being scraped of an early Sonic Youth track, and posted back on at twice the speed, and with half of each sentence missing. Oh, and did I mention that the first song is called Yr art degree don’t mean shit, and the last track is silence? These kids are destined for art school whether they like it or not.

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Amy Donohue

Bachelor of Communication Studies (Hons) What are your thoughts on the 2010 Budget? I don’t have any If you could have dinner with one celebrity or historical figure, who would it be? Rachael Ray, because every single recipe she does involves macaroni and cheese and ice cream balls. That’s my kinda lady. Or Stephen Fry. I’d make him read Happy Potter to me. Who is going to win the Football World Cup? England because of the power of WAGS! What would you do if you knew you could not fail? I’d try fail something – if I couldn’t fail failing... that’s a mind trip. What is your top study tip for exams? Peanut butter and crackers

Charissa Chhiba

Bachelor of Design (Fashion) What are your thoughts on the 2010 Budget? What budget? If you could have dinner with one celebrity or historical figure, who would it be? Jesus Who is going to win the Football World Cup? Italy What would you do if you knew you could not fail? Open a knitwear store What is your top study tip for exams? We don’t have exams

Sarah Wilton

Bachelor of Communication Studies (TV Studio) What are your thoughts on the 2010 Budget? Don’t even know, I didn’t hear about it If you could have dinner with one celebrity or historical figure, who would it be? Mother Theresa Who is going to win the Football World Cup? New Zealand HA! What would you do if you knew you could not fail? Buy a Lotto ticket every week What is your top study tip for exams? Disable Facebook

Daniel Barham

Diploma of Applied Sciences What are your thoughts on the 2010 Budget? No idea If you could have dinner with one celebrity or historical figure, who would it be? Ernest Hemingway Who is going to win the Football World Cup? Brazil What would you do if you knew you could not fail? Base Jumping What is your top study tip for exams? Breakfast martinis

Kostella Elu Autssa Postgraduate Diploma in Health Science

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