DEBATE ISSUE 14 | JULY 2016
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CREDITS PUBLISHED BY
EDITOR Laurien Barks lbarks@aut.ac.nz SUB - EDITORS Amelia Petrovich Julie Cleaver DESIGNER Ramina Rai rrai@aut.ac.nz CONTRIBUTORS Amelia Petrovich, Julie Cleaver, Reegan Hill, Ethan Sills, Chantelle Cullen, Nigel Mckenzie-Ryan, Benjamin Matthews, Zak Middleton, Tyler Hinde, Caterina Atkinson ADVERTISING Harriet Smythe hsmythe@aut.ac.nz
Contributions can be sent to lbarks@aut.ac.nz
PRINTER Debate is printed lovingly by Soar Print Debate is a member of the Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA) 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, Soar Print or its subsidiaries.
Pg 4 Editor’s Letter
Pg 17 Edge Award
Pg 26 Greatest Of All Time?
Pg 5 Prez Sez
Pg 18 What Coffee Does to
Pg 28 Te Reo Māori
Pg 6 AuSM SRC Pg 8 Letters to the Editor Pg 9 Cool Shit Pg 10 Wine-y Gal Pg 12 The Truth About Cheating
AUSM.ORG.NZ
Humans
Pg 30 Geeks From Outta Space
Pg 20 News
Pg 36 The Great Escape
Pg 21 AUT Sport Pg 22 Re O Week Calendar Pg 24 Vice Medioa
Pg 39 AuSM Advocacy Tips Pg 40 Reviews Pg 43 Puzzles
COVER IMAGE BY TYLER HINDE FA C E B O O K . C O M / A U S M D E B AT E
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EDITOR’S LETTER Hi All, Welcome back to a brand spanking new semester! I hope you all managed to squeeze in some awesome adventures, midwinter Christmas parties, and at least one solid Netflix binge over the break. I’d also like to give a big shout out to the newbies coming to uni for the first time this semester. Welcome to Debate - critically acclaimed “Best AUT Student Mag” by AuSM staff, AUT students, and my friend Michael. We’re hoping you stick with us for the long haul, we’re available for your reading pleasure every Monday, both online and on the little red stands you’ll see around campus. If you fancy yourself a writer, photographer, artists, cartoonist, reviewer, keen bean, we’re always on the hunt for new talent, so get in touch with me if you’d like to contribute - this is your magazine after all. We’ve got a themed issue this week, talking about all things ‘Vice’ related. All of our stories and art were inspired by those four simple letters, and it’s been a pleasure to read and produce the creative content that’s come through. Personally, my vices are ever changing. Like my hobbies, favourite foods, and taste in wine - it could be anyone’s guess what my goto vice is at any given time; chocolate, tea, attempting to break the record of ‘Most times walking in and out of Noel Leeming without actually purchasing cool kitchen appliances like deep fryers and next level blenders because honestly where would you even keep them?”.
But as much as those things comfort me at the time, they tend to get old, need a break from being a vice, and get refreshed at a later date. I’m a phase vicer, and while that trait makes online dating profiles more of a chore to read, I like the constant change. That being said, there’s one thing that’s stuck with me through the years, one thing that’s wrapped me up tight and told me I’m going to be okay, one thing that has yet to fail me in..mmm… ten years or so? There ain’t nothing that can take my mood from zero to sixty quite like a bad rap interlude in the middle of an even worse pop song. I’m not much for getting down and groovy with the music of da clubz, but when those jarring techno beats come to a halt for some sick, sick raps, my heartrate quickens, my palms break into a sweat, and my body is not my own. Pit Bull is my drug, and “Now pu-pu-pu-pu-pu-pu-pump it up, and back it up like a Tonka truck” is my high. Before I bid you ado for the week, I will just take a moment to apologize for an article that was published in issue 13 last semester. It was pointed out to me that the article “Just Watch the Fucking Film” contained ageist vocabulary and references, and I wish to publically apologize to all who were offended. It was an oversight on my part, and I must admit, when it comes to age discrimination, I’m a little ignorant. It will not happen again, the last thing we wish to do is discriminate against our readers, and whether it was an oversight or not, it was inappropriate. We have an article on ageism in the works to help get some education out there for those of you who, like me, lack a little insight – so be sure to check that out in a future issue. Have a fabulous semester everyone! Laurien
PREZ SEZ
PREZ SEZ Kia ora and Welcome! I’m honoured as your elected President to warmly welcome you to AUT on behalf of your student movement, AuSM! To all our new students, congratulations on making it into university and taking the first step for your future education. For those students like myself who are back again, we all know how worth it all of this is. “May the odds be ever in your favour”. Being the second half of the year, for people in their final year - graduation is truly in sight! Not long to go, so work as hard as you can for the next 17 weeks. AuSM is your student association and serves as your voice on all levels of the university. We are here to represent you and make your time at AUT as enjoyable as possible. I know that this time is an exciting one for our new students, but the most important thing I can say is to make sure you get involved with everything we and AUT provide! Let’s be real: we, the students, are paying to be here, so why not make the most of it! Amazing to know that AuSM has been around for 50 years now. University is a place that is full of different opportunities. You will not only gain valuable knowledge and skills but you will make lifelong friends and create some of your best memories here.
This first week is always the best because of all the amazing events that are happening around all three campuses. Personally Bitchin’ Bingo is my favourite! You guys will see me at all five night events and most of the day ones, sorry I can’t be two places at once! I better see you all there! There are some very exciting events coming up this semester. During our second week of semester, we will see a lot of people graduating which is even more inspiring for us students studying. Everyone will be looking amazing. Trust me, go over and watch the march - the passion will run through you, afterward you will be on a study high. We also have Diversity Week this semester, which is a time where AUT and AuSM collaborate to show off and embrace how diverse all our students are. Please feel free to ask me for anything - that’s what I am here for. Make sure you say hi to me when you see me around, or email me on Urshula.ansell@aut. ac.nz. Or you can talk to any of my team on the Student Representative Council. “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own, and you know what you know. And you are the guy who’ll decide where to go.” - Dr. Seuss Ursh xx
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2 016 S T U D E N T R E P R E S E N TAT I V E C O U N C I L The AuSM Student Representative Council (SRC) is your voice within AUT. We are students just like you, elected to represent our collective student voice and to stay on top of the issues facing students here at AUT. No problem is too big or too small so drop into any AuSM office or go to www.ausm.org.nz to make direct email contact with any of the team.
Urshula Ansell
Nicaela-Jane King
President
Vice-President
Tessa Whale
Bianca Cox-Hohapata
Catherine Anderson
City Campus Representative
South Campus Representative
North Shore Campus Representative
Jacob Barker
Belle Archibald
Toiroa Williams
Ashley Kirkness
Business & Law Faculty Representative
Law School Representative
Maori Affairs Officer
Diversity Affairs Officer
Matthew Greive
Daniel Carbungco
Madona Bekhit
Drew Riwhi-Harding
Disability Affairs Officer
Culture and Society Faculty Representative
Post Graduate Affairs Officer
Pacifika Affairs Officer
Atereano Mateariki
Justice Malaitai-Cameron
Te Ara Poutama Faculty Representative
Sciences Faculty Representative
Rose Tei
Elspeth Carroll
Mature Student Representative
Design and Creative Technologies Faculty Representative
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Letters to editor Dear Editor, I write to express my deep concern that Debate magazine, Issue 13/June 2016, published the highly offensive article, Just Watch the F**** Film, written by Matthew Cattin. The language and content are ageist, sexist, and fundamentally offensive. It borders on hate speech. I assume that Matthew Cattin intended his story about “an elderly lady” who is “at least 60 years old”, to be humorous, and to entertain Debate readers. That makes me very uncomfortable to be associated, through my employment at AUT, with such thinking and writing in a public AUSM document. And it makes me uncomfortable for the wider body of AUT students. This University VALUES (as written in the Strategic Plan 2012-2016) “integrity, respect and compassion in the pursuit of excellence that espouses creativity and arouses curiosity and critical enquiry in the support of individual students, staff members, and their communities”. Going back to the article, the women described sounds worthy of compassion and social support, not derision and discrimination. In my opinion, the author, who I assume is an AUT student, and Debate fail us all as students and staff, and as members of New Zealand society. Associate Professor Valerie Wright-St Clair Department of Occupational Science and Therapy Auckland University of Technology
Dear Editor I was more than a little annoyed when I came across the article “A bloody disgrace (and why you should care)” by Amelia Petrovich. It prompted me to respond, something I rarely do. In the article, Petrovich writes: “The ‘tampon tax’ obviously relates directly to menstrual protection products (pads, tampons, moon cups, etc.) and is a component of what people are calling ’The Pink Tax’ which essentially is the extra amount a customer pays for the
female-marketed version of something … sanitary products are taxed because they are deemed to be “luxury” items and are subsequently pricey as fuck to acquire” (Petrovich, 2016: p.20). This is a staw-man argument (oops, I mean straw-person argument - oh crap, I mean staw-peroffspring argument). Claiming that the price of tampons includes an additional ‘luxury’ tax is factually incorrect. If Petrovich knows that tampons don’t carry a separate ‘luxury’ tax, then her article is intentionally dishonest. However, I will be more charitable and suggest that Petrovich has made an honest mistake and based her article on a debate that exists in the UK - the ‘tampon tax’ is a British tax anomaly.
Dear Editor, The Facilities Management team at AUT (the team responsible for making sure the buildings are lit, air conditioned/heated and the toilets are clean, restocked and unblocked) would like to lay to rest the mystery around the ‘beautiful window in a state of violent disarray’(The Broken Window of WG Debate Magazine Issue 11). It’s not really ‘a spider web of glass cracks that nobody can explain’. It is not art. It’s just a broken window. And in fact nobody/ nothing broke it. The reason for the broken window is a manufacturing fault. Think of it this way: Of the millions of minute specks of sand in that pane of glass, one didn’t want to be there. Its protest at its confinement in the pane resulted in the cracks. But don’t worry we believe it was a peaceful protest and no body/speck was harmed. As for why the window remains broken it’s a not-so-simple case of the pane being glued into the frame. To remove the glass the entire frame needs to be removed from the wall. This requires a couple of different trades people, a considerable amount of money, and since it’s 15 metres above the ground a scissor lift and, well, a semester break to carry out the work safely. We wouldn’t want glass to fall on students now would we? A quick phone call to the Estates Helpdesk (ph 921 9444) could have told you all of this though.
COOL SHIT
WIN!
ME-WOW! Barista Cats has given us two double passes to give away this week! That means y’all can get your fluffy friend quota in without paying the entry fee to get through the doors. The passes entitle you and a friend to a one hour kitty session, and one complimentary hot beverage – it’s valid any day, so long as you make a booking first! To be in to win, follow us on Instagram, post a photo of the cutest cat you can find, and tag #debatemag!
!
WIN
LIPS AND LASHES SK8ERS GON SK8
Aotea Square Ice Rink is back! And Debate has two double passes to give away. These passes get you one free skate and slide at the rink! That sounds like a hella fun and frosty outing if you ask us. To be in to win, just email lbarks@aut.ac.nz with your name, campus, and favourite hot cocktail/mocktail (recipes welcome because we like hot dranks).
Oasis Beauty Lips and Lashes is a light, silky cream that soothes and brightens your eyes with a fabulous 3 in 1 use. Not only will it keep the delicate skin around your eyes in top notch condition, it will also keep your pout perfectly moisturised. The inclusion of Arnica will help reduce the telltale late night puffiness and dark circles and a quick flick of Oasis Lips and Lashes gives you the added bonus of longer and stronger lashes. This retails at $39.90 and can be purchased at selected health stores and pharmacies nationwide or online at www.oasisbeauty.com.
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Winey Gal Amelia Petrovich | Illustration by Tyler Hinde
They’re all a mess.
A degree in Communications aims to equip you for numerous professional roles post-university, but I’ve known for a while now that my ultimate destiny is just to become someone’s Wine Mum.
A Mumsy, merlot mess.
You know the type, they’re all Range Rovers and whitened smiles in the morning when they drop their little snots off at school, but once the sun’s over the yard arm they mellow out into a merlot-riddled stupor and complain to their kid’s mates about “that two-bit slut Shelly and her pearl earrings who buys muffins from Countdown and lies about baking at all the fucking PTA meetings.”
And one day that’s going to be me. Realising that this is my unavoidable future has been more liberating than you might think though, because it’s allowed me to unashamedly learn more and more about different types of wine. It’s an attempt to prepare for things to come, so that when I morph into my true form, I’m an expert at the life I’m meant to lead. I’m happy to impart a bit of my knowledge to you now though, lest I forget to when I have two whiny kids in tow and probably two wine-y wines in my hands as well.
Merlot (Red)
Pinot Gris (White)
Tastes like- A ‘soft’ wine with scents like blackcherry, plum and herbal flavours. It is gentle as fuck and goes down a treat, very good if you’re a red wine novice.
Tastes like- Fruity and yum, the Smirnoff ice of wines in my humble opinion.
Paired with- parmesan/romano cheese, grilled steak, and a searing headache the next morning because that stuff goes down so damn fast and too damn smooth. Good for- skulling too quickly in a game of ‘Circle of Death’ and spending the rest of the night dancing on a bench.
Pinot Noir (Red) Tastes like- A light to medium bodied wine that is rather dry and berry-like, with earthy notes if you’re into stuff that tastes ever so slightly like dirt. Paired with- goats cheese, brie, lamb and the fancy restaurant that you waitress at part-time.
Paired with- Ricotta, pork, and literally everything including your first time getting tipsy in a field somewhere without your parents’ permission. Good for- Making raucous memories and giggling with your high school gal pals #wineo’clock hehe
Sauvignon Blanc (White) Tastes like- Herbaceous, sort of bell-peppery and veggie-like for lots of people. Paired with- Feta, chevre, fish, and the best intentions.
Good for- Surreptitiously sipping behind the bar at work accompanied with heart-pumping nerves and shame.
Good for- Being that wine you pick when you’re on a ‘health kick’ because it’s fairly dry and swearing you’ll only have one glass but then ending up with an empty bottle and a swelling in your stomach that looks suspiciously like an alcohol baby.
Syrah (Red)
Chardonnay (White)
Tastes like- Powerfully flavoured and full-bodied, with flavours like blackcurrent, pepper and toffee (because it so often rests in oak barrels).
Tastes like- wider bodied and velvety with citrus flavours.
Paired with- Sharp cheddar, Roquefort, pepperoni and a slight air of being better than everybody else. Good for- Impressing people who are richer, snobbier and more hipster than you are.
Paired with- Asiago, havarti, crab and the kind of 21st parties that really drag on. Good for- Keeping you occupied while the parents of the birthday boy blab on and on about how fantastic young Jimmy has always been at sports and selecting generic, predictable wine. Chard and absolutely nothing else at the drinks table mate? Wow, you shouldn’t have.
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The truth about cheating Julie Cleaver | Photos by Amelia Petrovich Like the beginning of many great stories, it all began with a Facebook status. “Hey FB friends. If you have ever cheated/been cheated on, I would love to talk to you. It would be a totally anonymous and judgement free chat to help inform a piece I am writing.” I clicked publish with very few expectations. As far as topics go, this one is about as sensitive as an open flesh wound, and I assumed my message would either be ignored or go unnoticed. But like the plot of Gone Girl (spoiler alert) my assumptions were frighteningly wrong. Within a few minutes my inbox was flooded with messages. People I haven’t spoken to in years were pouring their hearts out – sharing tales of heartbreak, mental health problems, commitment issues and deceit. As Drake would say, things went from 0-100 pretty damn quick. I spoke to exactly thirty people in the days that followed that status. Most chats happened over Facebook, some were in person. The bulk of my conversations were with individuals who had been cheated on, however some were with cheaters and also the third party involved in cheating situations (aka the mistress or the milkman). What I discovered was devastating, fascinating, heart-warming and enlightening,
and my views on cheating changed almost completely. Here’s why. (As mentioned in my status everyone I spoke to will remain anonymous and no names will be used).
Cheating is scarily common A study done by the New Zealand Herald found that one in three Kiwis cheat on their partners. Also, 100 000 New Zealanders were discovered to have profiles on Ashley Madison – the Tinder for married people wanting a love affair. Random statistics aside, from a personal point of view, I found the number of people who contacted me alarming. I’ve thrown quite a lot of messages out into the wind with little response, but not this one. If I were thirty years older I would almost use the word viral. One person I spoke to, whose fiancé left her for someone else whilst their child was only one year old, said, “I see people looking all smug on Facebook with their relationships, but they shouldn’t be. Your man could be doing the dirty to you, too”. This isn’t to say you should turn all McCarthy and go on an irrational, communist witch-hunt, but it is a reminder to be humble. Cheating may be more common than most would think.
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Some people heal over time, others don’t Everyone I spoke to was undeniably affected by being cheated on in an emotional, physical and, at times, spiritual way. However, some people seemed to heal much quicker than others. A woman who caught her partner of one year in the act said, “although I was hurting, to the enth degree, I quickly turned my understanding to that it doesn’t mean anything about me and rather it painted a picture of who he was, more than it did me”. However, another person I spoke to said even though he was cheated on nearly six years ago, he still doesn’t feel like he can trust people. “After breaking up with this girl I’ve never been the same. Although it’s been five to six years, I’m still scared and not sure if people can see it through.” Every person handles situations in their own way, however on average I’d say it took people about a year to properly recover from being cheated on.
Cheating affects your self-worth Having your partner choose to be with someone else to fulfil a desire they have – whether it be sexual or emotional – can make a person feel like they are not good enough. Not good enough to keep their lover happy, and then just not good enough in general. As we so often become what other people tell us we are, being told YOU ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH by someone you
once thought was special can absolutely crucify a person’s perception of his or herself. One guy summed it up extremely well when he said this: “When the person that you love more than anything betrays you like that, it makes you feel like you are nothing. Like you were so undeserving of their love that they didn’t even see fit to tell you they were done. Like I wasn’t good enough. My confidence is absolutely shot. I spend half my time picking at every possible flaw I can think of in myself. Self conscious to the point of anxiety”. However, I discovered being cheated is only a reflection of the cheater’s self worth, which brings me to my next point.
Cheaters are almost always insecure People will often cheat if they feel a lack of self worth. To fill the gaping void in their egos, they will seek the approval of others. One woman who was cheated on said her ex-boyfriend had very little confidence. “I always thought it was more he had incredibly low self esteem, and that he needed to be reassured he was hot/wanted/desirable by as many women as possible.” Another person, who frequently cheats on her partner, told me, “having the extra affection and self esteem boost and also time spent around people who physically desire me and make me feel like I’m a worthy, desirable, normal person really helps with feeling depressed and worthless”.
Hearing an explanation like that from someone I really admire expanded my mind on infidelity. I no longer think cheaters are bad people. I now realise many of them are suffering and frantically searching for a life raft in the only place they know where to look. This doesn’t excuse their actions, as they can be deeply hurtful and morally wrong – but there are definitely two sides to this story, and both deserve compassion and understanding.
When the person that you love more than anything betrays you like that, it makes you feel like you are nothing. People never react the way they thought they would
If you’ve seen Gravity you would know that romantic love is the strongest and most precious entity in the cosmos. People tend to derive their self worth and sense of happiness from their partners, so when that stability is taken away, it can leave individuals winded and broken from pain. Some can’t eat for days. One person said she couldn’t sleep for more than three or
four hours a night for a year. This incredibly deep sorrow is why, more often than not, people are willing to forgive their partners and give them a second chance, even if they once swore they would never be “that person”.
It’s easy to look down on someone who keeps getting back with the same cheating asshole again and again. You could say you would never do that, but that is a hypothetical argument, and hypothetical arguments are flawed by nature – especially when it comes to emotional topics. Emotions are not rational, and therefore if you are experiencing strong ones you will likely act less logically. The whole reason people can so comfortably say, “if my partner cheated on me I would drop them instantly,” when their partner hasn’t cheated on them is because they are simply not in that situation. They didn’t have their self worth thrown on the ground and stood on by someone they loved. Hearing people’s stories of despair showed me why people can act in ways that are not smart – a lesson I am grateful to have learned.
Overall I think it’s ridiculously easy to judge people on just about everything they do. Like eating fast food, it’s easy to do, but you feel like shit afterwards – like I’ve-eaten-too-muchKFC-and-need-to-vomit shit. Have compassion for people who have been cheated on and who are suffering to an unimaginable degree. Extend kindness to cheaters, who may also be trekking through hell in their own worlds. What the world needs is a little less fried chicken and a bucket-load more understanding.
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Get an Edge on the crowd If you haven’t heard about the AUT Edge Award, it’s time you did! The AUT Edge award helps students become highly employable by offering an edge over competition once you graduate. Already 500 students have enrolled, soaking up opportunities to hear inspiring speakers, network with great employers, create a quality LinkedIn profile, prepare for interviews – and get the occasional free feed! Fatima Alam signed up for the AUT Edge Award to broaden her experience. “I want to gain extra knowledge and experience outside my study and the Award has been a great way to learn about all the possibilities,” says the primary teacher trainee student. Volunteering is one of the Award requirements – 50 hours’ worth. Over the past month Fatima has already clocked up 35 hours volunteering at three schools and has recently approached a sign design company for a different experience. “I felt apprehensive asking the first time because I wasn’t sure how to approach
the principal, but by introducing myself and talking about the Award, I found the details just flowed,” explains Fatima. She has also done job search, networking and elevator pitch workshops. “Everyone should give the Award a shot. It is not complicated - it is very do-able.” Patele-Joe Lolo is currently volunteering at an SPCA opshop and has completed job search, employability skills, interview skills and social media workshops.
“I thought you get your education and then a job – simple! The reality is quite different and I’m really glad I’ve found that out. I’m now learning how to build networks and improve my employability.” AUT Employability Director Anna Williams says the Award recognises students’ involvement outside study, encouraging them to get the most out of AUT and increase their employability. It’s formally recognised with the completed award appearing on the student’s academic transcript. She urges this year’s final year students to consider the Award.
“I used to see uni simply as a place to do study and catch up with a few friends. Volunteering seemed a bit pointless because it wasn’t paid work.”
“Many students already do so much. With energy, drive - and some help from our team - it’s very achievable.”
Now he recognises the value volunteering can provide to the community while also giving him extra information for his CV.
Find out more by visiting the Employabilty Lab or CareerHub.aut.ac.nz
“A lot of employers look for applicants with voluntary experience because it shows they’re prepared to go the extra mile,” says Patele-Joe, who studies English New Media and education. He has also learned that making connections with people in industry is important.
Volunteer experience is a great addition to any CV, and here at AUT there are plenty of opportunities to get amongst. AuSM volunteers are another great option for students looking to donate a little time. Help out with AuSM events, Debate, free feeds, and more – simply email emma.wingrove@aut.ac.nz.
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What Coffee Does To Humans Reegan Hill
For the past 150 years Brazil has been the world’s largest producer of the coffee bean.
you drink coffee in the evening it effects another hormone called melatonin, which
In ninth Century Ethiopia, a shepherd found his herd of goats dancing. This wasn’t the normal dancing you’ll see in goats, they were high on something. The shepherd found his goats had eaten some red berries. These berries were found on the tree that produces coffee.
2 609 040 tonnes of coffee come out of Brazil per year, making this a third of the yearly global produce. The most expensive coffee in the world is Black Ivory Coffee, which is made by feeding elephants coffee berries, and collecting the beans after the elephant has gone to the bathroom.
is responsible for making you sleepy. You can be wired if you drink coffee in the evening, and have your circadian rhythm put out for as long as an extra forty minutes.
Coffee is made from the pit inside the berry, which is roasted, ground and made into the addictive, fragrant liquid we know today. There’s quite an interesting history to coffee. There has been no fewer than five attempts to ban coffee, not only because it’s addictive, but it was also believed by clergymen to be Satanic and, in Mecca, it was believed to be conducive towards radical thinking.
What coffee does to humans: In the Western diet, coffee is the largest source of anti-oxidants, giving you 11 percent of your daily vitamin B2, six percent of your daily vitamin B5, two percent of your daily manganese and potassium, and two percent of magnesium and niacin in one cup. Which is probably why studies have shown coffee drinkers are 65 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, the leading cause of dementia. Another study has shown that the smell of coffee can actually wake some people. Maybe that’s because drinking coffee increases the levels of adrenaline in your body.
Voltaire, the French Philosopher from the eighteenth Century is believed to have drunk at least 50 cups of coffee a day. Coffee cups back then were much smaller than the ones used today - think of the size cup you’ll get if you order an espresso, that’s about what they would have been. But it wasn’t always called coffee. Originally the name came from an Arabic phrase meaning wine of the bean, but it was shortened to Quhwa - taken by the Turkish and called Kahve. The Dutch also renamed the bean to Koffie and then the English got their hands on it, settling for the word, Coffee.
But don’t let that fool you, there is a hormone in your body called cortisol, it’s responsible for helping keep you alert and awake during the day, but coffee can actually mess with it. Your circadian rhythm, or body clock is in charge of releasing cortisol. If you drink coffee every day at the same time, your body will release less cortisol at that time, allowing for the incoming caffeine, which means if you miss your coffee you’ll get tired. If
If you’re dieting, coffee will actually help. The adrenaline release helps speed up your metabolism, by about three percent to 11 percent, depending on the person. This technically means you’ll burn fat a little bit faster. Two cups of coffee a day could help prevent you from developing alcoholrelated cirrhosis (Chronic Liver Disease) by about 43 percent, as suggested by one study. A lot of couples stop drinking coffee while trying to conceive a child, but when scientists took caffeine and mixed it in a test tube with sperm, the sperm swam stronger and in a straighter line. When men drink coffee, not only does the caffeine go to their blood stream, but it goes to their semen as well. However, another group of scientists believe that caffeine affects sperm at a molecular level, damaging the cell and leaving it unable to fertilise an egg. All in all, coffee is addictive, and lends itself to being a vice for a lot of people. Which would explain the 2.2 billion cups consumed world-wide on the daily.
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THE UNITED STATES A NATION DIVIDED Benjamin Matthews
I feel sorry for America. I feel deeply sorry for them. Their rigged election system has given them the choice between a corrupt (and bought) career politician, and a madman. As much as I complain about our own political system – neither Labour nor National really does anything for me – at least there is some positive aspect to both major political parties. The same can’t be said about the United States’ political affair. Both Hillary and Trump have approval ratings that seem to be in the negatives. Hillary is being investigated by the FBI, which could lead to her being indicted, while Trump is currently fighting a court battle over fraud claims due to his Trump “University”. How did two obvious criminals climb to the top spots? Trump is a prime example of a wannabe politician – someone who wants to play politics but doesn’t know how. Trump has a lot to say, usually filled with monosyllabic words, but none of it has any substance. How people take this guy seriously is unfathomable. The scariest thing about Trump is that when he does speak some sort of sense, he’s more left than even Bernie Sanders. In the past, Trump has shown support for a public healthcare system, something that’d make the Republican base revolt. But the negatives outweigh the positives. He wants to bomb
innocent people, essentially committing terrorism. He’s said he’ll bring back waterboarding, something that’s forbidden by the Bill of Rights. He’s also said he’ll go after anyone that criticises him, a clear violation of the First Amendment. Trump believes America could default on its debt - possibly the worst economic policy ever. And to top that off, he’s said he’ll deport entire racial and religious groups out of the United States. Hillary’s right – Trump is unpredictable and unfit to become president.
Trump is a prime example of a wannabe politician – someone who wants to play politics but doesn’t know how. But Hillary’s no better. The FBI investigation is the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Hillary. While Trump is inexperienced and clueless to how politics actually works, Hillary has spent most of her life in the political sphere. If you’re looking for the clear picture of a career politician, it’s Hillary. As of the date of writing this, Hillary is claiming the Democratic nominee, despite not having
the number of pledge delegates needed to actually claim the nomination - the super delegate (an extremely undemocratic system) vote at the party’s nomination convention. Despite the media crowning Hillary as the winner, this has only happened through misleading the public. Once you get past her shady political manoeuvring, her policies don’t stand up either. Hillary has countless times flipflopped over issues. She’s claimed to have always supported LGBTQI+ rights, despite voting against same-sex marriages. Hillary says she stands up for the poor, despite getting massive political donations from the rich elite and doing everything in her power to undermine the poor. It comes as no surprise that Bernie supporters are feeling alienated. Hillary needs them now more than ever, but she’s doing everything to shove them away. Bernie Sanders mightn’t get the nomination, but he’s lit the fire. The revolution has begun. It’s not a question of if, but when. The next obvious candidate is Elizabeth Warren. It’s not just because she’s a woman, it’s because she’s the right person for the job. Besides Bernie, she’s the only person in the American political systems who’s standing up for what’s right. I think Matt Damon might be accurate: “I don’t know if justice is coming for you in this life or the next? But if it does come in this life, her name will be Elizabeth Warren.”
AUT SPORT
Morgana Grose ©; Emma Hay; Rosezarndra Baker; Kathryn Penrose; Stephanie Noick; Maria Gardner; Georgia Dowd; Olivia MacAulay; Simone Bibby; Nadia Matthews; Hayden Griffiths (coach)
Absent – Bruce Meyer (asst. coach); Zak Middleton (manager); Josh Tupene (asst. manager); Veronika Brdanoic (primary care)
AUT Premier Netball Create History for the third quarter which was a tight and torrid affair. Players were tight through the whole court, which created some great physical contesting. Arete managed to claw another two goals back, with both teams heading to the bench at three-quarter time locked up at 35-35.
Grose began to re-discover the early connection with their shooters at the beginning of the game, feeding some quality ball which was converted by both Baker and Penrose on each occasion. AUT managed to pull ahead by four goals with two minutes left on the clock.
On Tuesday 14 June AUT played their first ever mid-season promotion challenge match against Arete in front of a supportive crowd at Onewa Arena, which included a cast of AUT club players, family, and even past players and alumni. This is where the top two teams from Premier II played against the bottom two from Premier I to determine which teams would play in Premier I for the competition round robin.
There were 15 minutes to go to determine which team would be playing in the top flight for the remainder of the season. The focus of the team talk at the break was treasuring possession, not taking risks, and not giving up. The first 10 minutes was like a ping-pong match, with teams trading goal for goal. It was going to take a couple of special plays to break the deadlock and give one team the advantage. Constant pressure defensively produced some crucial ball in the final five minutes.
Once the final whistle blew there were several cheers, hugs, high-fives, and massive sighs of relief. This team had accomplished something that no other team had done in the club’s history. They truly saved one of their best performances for the end when it mattered most.
AUT Coach Hayden Griffiths had faith in his starting lineup, remaining unchanged
The mid-courters, led by Maria Gardner, Olivia MacAulay, and Captain Morgana
Zak Middleton The 2016 season thus far has been one of significant growth and success for the AUT Premier Netball Team. After several years of battling to stay in Netball North Harbour’s Premier II grade, strong trials and grading results showed early promise of what could be for the season ahead.
What awaits the girls for the remaining half of the season are match-ups against the Crème of netball on the North Shore, and it is a challenge the girls will treasure.
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The Price of Vice Amelia Petrovich |Illustration by Tyler Hinde When its first U.K branch kicked off in 2002, its first editor Andy Capper said they’d cover “things we’re meant to be ashamed of”. Fourteen years later, they navigate the uneasy relationship between counterculture media and shiny, omnipresent capitalism. Ladies, gentlemen and friends, Debate brings you Vice Media. Vice is a print magazine and website that deals with arts, culture and controversial news topics. Founded in 1994, like many of us, Vice has explored a whole lot of crazy ideas and issues in its 22 years on the planet, delving into tattooed pigs, truckstop strippers and even the Iraq War. It was the brainchild of Gavin McInnes, Suroosh Alvi and Shane Smith and actually started off as the publicly-funded Voice of Montreal. Owners changed however and the operation was re-located to New York, private sponsorship and commercial pressure bearing down a little more just like the Manhattan skyscrapers.
It was after this re-location though that Vice began to make a name for itself as the provocative, politically incorrect uncle of the media scene, telling readers almost the direct opposite of what its more square counterparts were spinning. Co-founder Shane Smith told The Guardian in 2008 that Vice had no particular political lean, only that Democrats and Republicans were both “horrific”. “We don’t believe in either side… and it doesn’t matter anyway. Money runs America; money runs everywhere,” Smith said. Coincidentally, around the time of Smith’s statement, Vice was starting to make a great deal of money, covering increasingly topical and serious news issues and launching a bunch of new limbs. By the end of 2007, 13 foreign editions of Vice were being published, they had their own independent record label, and their online video channel VBS.com gained 184,000 from the U.S alone in one month.
They were utterly rolling in dough and influence, then in 2012 the term ‘Vice Media’ surfaced and the rest is history. The indie, stick-it-to-the-man culture that Vice cultivates is well recognised, with its co-founders making much of their distain for traditional power and media structures. “I grew up being a socialist and I have problems with it because I grew up in Canada [and] I’ve spent a lot of time in Scandinavia, where I believe countries legislate out creativity. They cut off the tall trees. Everyone’s a C-minus. I came to America from Canada because Canada is stiflingly boring and incredibly hypocritical,” Smith told The Guardian. It’s this attitude that has earned them respect from a largely millennial audience, Columbia Journalism Review saying that this is a pool of readers and viewers “predicated on the notion that it is real and raw, not plastic and prepackaged like the rest of the mainstream media world,” but what is possibly more true is that Vice is simply better at creating and marketing an image than almost any other big media company. When you have founders telling mainstream politics to stick it and a brand image synonymous with all things controversial and underground, the assumption is often that you’d operate outside the status quo. As Vice Media becomes bigger and crazier however, there are a few people questioning just how ‘counter-culture’ the company is actually managing to be now that they’re all about lavish parties and a big budget. Hamilton Nolan from Gawker did a piece on Vice’s alleged deception, speaking to employees about inconsistencies between its brand image and the actual way the company operated. Nolan uncovered a
bit of bad blood between Vice and its employees, many of them complaining of painfully low pay (a lot earn well under 30K a year which may sound a lot but apparently isn’t in the real, professional adult world) and voicing their indignance at a highly successful media company sharing little of its wealth with those who contribute to it.
The indie, stick-it-tothe-man culture that Vice cultivates is well recognised, with its co-founders making much of their distain for traditional power and media structures. Measly wages aren’t exactly a feature specific to Vice however, businessinsider.com saying this is becoming an increasingly common theme for big businesses of all kinds that seek to maximize profit. In a capitalist society, businesses have to produce revenue more effectively than their competitors to stay afloat, no matter how “counter-culture” they claim to be. Vice is sitting pretty on around 700K per year, but Buzzfeed and its clickbait empire are possibly giving them a bit of a chase on 200K, not bad for a fairly new company. Becoming a big business player has Vice in a fairly tricky situation however, as this introduces responsibilities that aren’t as deliciously rebellious as its throng of millennial hipster followers would probably prefer. The employees who spoke to Gawker also complained that the Vice founders straight up lie about their
loyalties to sponsors, listing numerous times they had been pressured to omit or change things for publication to keep Heineken, Nike, or whoever happy. Cofounder Shane Smith spins the counterculture narrative any chance he gets saying that they “never edit to please sponsors”, but in a lot of instances this simply doesn’t seem to be the case. So where does all of this leave companies like Vice? Rising to fame because they were edgy and ‘not like other media’ but now very much a business operating on a large, highly commercial scale- just what are we to make of all this in 2016? Essentially it boils down to exposure vs. integrity. If publishing stories about things we’re “meant to be ashamed of” is as important for society as a 700K revenue and cult following suggest, is increasing exposure and publicity positive at any cost? Perhaps there is a case to be made painting Vice as sellouts, but if one agrees that what they’re pedaling is important then maybe the ends justify the means. It took Vice 22 years to get to where it is today though, so perhaps in another couple of decades we’ll see the result of this indie to commercial shift, not only for Vice but for alternative media in general. Will it manage to hold its place at the top of the counter-culture heap, or for this media company will commercialization be the only true vice that prevails?
Debate is currently in the process of establishing more of a presence in the indiemedia world! We’re looking to have a higher online focus, so keep an eye out for further announcements regarding developments. Our mag is also available online at issuu. com/ausm, so if you find yourself without a copy one week, or just want to be more environmentally friendly – check us out!
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Greatest Of All Time? Conor Leathley If you want to fit in with a bunch of basketball enthusiasts, simply say that you think that Michael Jordan is the G.O.A.T (Greatest of all Time). It would be unusual to find too much opposition on that front. Heck, even your friend who claims to know everything about the NBA – despite the fact that they just started supporting the Golden State Warriors two months ago – would probably agree. Making the case against MJ is tough to do without coming across as a hot take artist. He simply had everything. He won six championships and five Most Valuable Player (MVP) awards. He was a lethal offensive player, who also had the ability to absolutely wreck opposition game plans with his defence. He is also perhaps the NBA’s most famous dunker, which spawned a billion-dollar empire and made him one of the most recognisable names in the world.
However, his defining trait was his legendary competitive streak. That was what made him the sport’s greatest player. He had a belief that he was the best, or at least should be, at whatever he did. On the basketball court, he was generally right – it was off the court, aka his gambling, that got him into trouble. His balls to the wall competitive nature fuelled this habit, along with his bottomless pit of cash. A former team-mate of his, Jay Williams, recounted how Jordan would bet a cool $100 000 on paper, scissors, rock. During the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, he would routinely stay up into the wee hours of the morning playing poker. He even once bet teammates $100 each that his luggage would be the first to come out at the airport carousel. Sure, he paid the baggage guy off to ensure that his did come out first. But that’s not the point. It wasn’t about the money. It was about some element of control, of superiority over others.
Unfortunately, not all of his gambling stories were as harmless as the ones listed above. NFL troublemaker Adam ‘Pacman’ Jones has told the story about how MJ once lost five million in one night in 2007 at a Las Vegas craps table, because he couldn’t accept the fact that he could not win. He had a book written about him titled Michael & Me: Our Gambling Addiction… My Cry for Help! Written by a regular golfing buddy, Richard Esquinas, it detailed how Jordan lost $1.25million in one round of golfing bets. He also had to explain in criminal court why a convicted criminal James Bouler was in possession of a personally signed check for $57 000, which again, was over golfing bets. Perhaps the strangest of all of these gambling stories took place during the NBA playoffs in 1993. He was spotted at an Atlantic City
casino in the wee hours of the morning, before heading back to his hotel to play the New York Knicks later that day. What makes this strange is that soon after the season was over, after he had locked up his third consecutive title, Jordan retired. Well ‘retired’. He announced that he was walking away from the sport to take up baseball, as he no longer had a desire to play basketball. It had also always been a dream of his father’s that he plays baseball, who had been murdered earlier that year, which also shaped his decision.
Of course, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that he famously bombed in his new sport. Credit should be given that he was able to be a competent player, at age 31, in a sport that he had not participated in for years. But this was the best player in one of the biggest sports in the world, toiling away at a minor league club (he never played in the major league, which is the Yankees, Red Sox etc.). This may have become clear to Jordan pretty soon, because a year and a half into his NBA sojourn, he held a press conference to utter the sweetest words that a Chicago Bulls fan has ever heard; “I’m back.” He came back and duly dominated the competition, winning another championship three peat and two more MVPs, cementing himself as the best ever.
Jordan’s ‘retirement’ has led to one of sport’s greatest conspiracies; did Jordan really retire, or was he ‘encouraged’ to step away from the game for a while. The rumour is that David Stern, the commissioner of the NBA, was tired of Jordan bringing the game into disrepute over his constant gambling, and having him ‘retire’ was a way to mitigate a PR disaster. What gives this theory credence is the one of the reason’s that MJ gave as to why he was leaving – that his desire was no more. Would perhaps the most competitive person alive really lose that aspect of themselves that has made them whole? To prove how much he truly did love basketball/ dominating, after his real retirement, he returned three years later to the
He had a belief that he was the best, or at least should be, at whatever he did. On the basketball court, he was generally right – it was off the court, aka his gambling, that got him into trouble.
Washington Wizards, after being “99.9 percent certain that he’d never play another game.”
Just prior to his first retirement, the NBA was investigating MJ to see if any league rules had been broken during his time at that Atlantic City casino. When he became a minor league baseball player, the investigation was dropped, and was not pursued once he returned to the game either. David Stern was famous for getting his way; he once vetoed a trade because the team getting a player, the Los Angeles Lakers, would have been too good a team. Would he have had enough power to force the game’s most recognisable face to retire? Could it really be true? Well quite frankly my dear I don’t give a damn if it isn’t. I like to believe that for just one time, the G.O.A.T of the NBA was defeated.
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Te Reo Maori A Cultural Connection Benjamin Matthews It’s Māori Language Week at AUT! Co-president of the Māori Student Association, Jaleighquar Rahiri, says Māori Language Week exists to celebrate Te Reo Māori. Valance Smith, a Te Reo Māori lecturer and Kaikōrero (speaker) at AUT, says Te Reo Māori is the only language unique to New Zealand, and Māori Language Week gives everyday Kiwis the opportunity to embrace the language. Te Reo Māori was recognised as one of New Zealand’s national languages in 1987. This came after a sharp decline in Te Reo speakers. Despite Te Reo being the de facto language of New Zealand, by the turn of the 20th Century, with an increase in settlers migrating to the country, English become the dominant language. Valance Smith says the decline was a reflection of the population at the time. He also says many Māori chiefs were interested in learning English. “Particularly in those trading ports, Māori chiefs were very astute in the English language,” he explains. “In fact, they were very good writers of the language. They kept a lot of manuscripts and a lot of tribal knowledge was recorded as such.” Several events caused Te Reo speakers to decline. The government made laws which barred Māori from speaking their
own language in schools. Valance says these education acts were aimed to simulate Māori children into British subjects. The decline in Te Reo speakers was a gradual process, it didn’t happen overnight. “I know that there was a generation of Māori who ended up having to go to school and not being allowed to speak Te Reo Māori,” Jaleighquar says. “The fruits of those legislations did start to reveal themselves towards the beginning of the 1900s,” Valance adds. Another cause of the declines was the World Wars. Many of the fluent speakers died in these wars. This caused an intergenerational gap in the knowledge and speaking of Te Reo. “Those people aren’t around to mentor and to teach their children and grandchildren the language,” Valance says. “Slowly but surely, the denigration of the language really took a foothold.” Jaleighquar says most people of this generation can’t speak Te Reo. This has caused an identity loss due to the decline. “Not the full Māoritunga,” Jaleighquar explains, “but I guess more so you feel a sense of disconnection to the culture.” By 1979, only five percent of Māori spoke Te Reo. There has been a movement to revive the language. It has since risen to around 20 percent. Because Jaleighquar speaks the language, she feels
like she has a strong connection to her culture. “I feel for my peers who don’t necessarily speak it,” she says. “There’s been a long hard road fought to improve those numbers,” says Valance.
“The Māori language has evolved,” Valance explains. “It’s evolved out of survival. It will continue to evolve.” The Māori language commission and other organisation strive to strengthen the language. Publications such as Te Matatiki take English words and give them a Te Reo spin.
“The Maori language has evolved,” Valance explains. “It’s evolved out of survival. It will continue to evolve.”
Jaleighquar says it’s heart-filling knowing Te Reo is one of New Zealand’s national languages. If it wasn’t, she says it would be a major issue.
Valance says the negative view on Māori hasn’t helped with improving Te Reo speakers. He hopes events such as Māori Language Week help improve the attitude towards Māori. Valance also says Te Reo should be taught in schools, allowing the younger generation to have a positive apperception of the language when they’re older.
“We try and make the classroom environment safe,” Valance says. “The worst thing you can do to a student is if they say the wrong thing, when they’re learning a new language, is to call them out in a way they feel whakamā – shy or shamed.”
“I think it should be compulsory in all schools seeing as it’s a national language,” Jaleighquar says. As for getting the older generation to learn Te Reo Māori, Jaleighquar says it’s going to be much more difficult. She says they can only learn the language if they want to. “Props to those that go out of their way to learn it,” she says. Over the years, Te Reo Māori has changed and adapted, with loan words being adopted into the language. Valance says he hasn’t got a problem with loan words since they are an innovation and allows the language to engage with Pakeha culture. Although there are pre-colonial words that represent the same thing, he says both are acceptable since Te Reo is a language to be spoken.
“I feel a strong sense of joy knowing that it’s recognised as a national language in New Zealand,” she says. Valance says Te Reo Māori is taught in a number of ways: playing interactive games, using situational language used outside of class, or electronic resources such as Te Whanake.
Although her parents can’t speak Te Reo, Jaleighquar and her sibling were taught the language at an early age. For a while she was shy to speak Te Reo around her family or out in public, finding it more comfortable to speak the language at school. There is also pressure when speaking Te Reo since it’s easy to get it grammatically wrong. Jaleighquar explains how easy it is to say something wrong in Te Reo. One syllable could change the meaning of a sentence. However, she’s trying work out of the shell so she can help her peers feel comfortable. “Whenever a student asks ‘oh, what can I do outside of class’, the first thing I say is ‘find a mate, and practice what you can,” Valance explains.
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G E E KS F R O M O U T TA S PAC E Chantelle Cullen | Illustration by Tyler Hinde
“When you’re a kid, they tell you it’s all… Grow up, get a job, get married, get a house, have a kid, and that’s it. But the truth is, the world is so much stranger than that. It’s so much darker. And so much madder. And so much better.” – The Doctor.
Left, right, and centre; I see people from all walks of life. Whovians and Trekkies are blocking my way to the Sci-Fi stalls and (what looks like) every possible anime character is posing to the left of the main stage. New friends are excitedly chatting away about new fan theories, and old friends are embracing each other and comparing what shows they need to catch up on over the mid-year break. Positive vibes are flaring up all around as we inhale the cold air of Wellygeddon. I have fallen in love with the geek culture- from the excitement on somebody’s face when they find another person interested in the same show, to the way one carries themselves when strutting around in Cosplay. So going back to Wellington Armageddon 2016 has brought a whole new fire into my soul to carry me through the week. It was in 2012 that my geek journey began. My best friend of many years handed my sister and I the Doctor Who (2005) box set. We inserted the disk into the TV, and began our Whovian journey with Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper. The emotional rollercoaster we endured over the next few weeks made me into a blubbering wreck; never having felt these emotions before, I picked up the next show and continued along this path.
The stories that I lived through these shows really sunk into my dreams, and reality. Soon, references to The Hobbit, Sherlock and Game of Thrones were easily slipped into conversation to test if other people were one of my kind. I barely ever have been insulted about loving these shows by anybody else in the geek scene. The first time I got put down in this state, was when I was dressed up as Twisty the Clown (American Horror Story) and walked to Auckland Armageddon. I had people yelling at me to ‘go back to where you came from!!’ and had many people scream when they turned around and saw a killer clown with a mask and a bloody bag. Really, I should have just clicked that that was my character, and I should be proud my Cosplay had that effect on people. I asked the Cosplay New Zealand page what their experiences were in their chosen fandoms. The three questions were: 1) What was the first fandom you got into and what was the story behind how you got into it? 2) What do you like the most about the fandom life? What keeps you in it? 3) How have you changed since you entered a fandom? The comments weren’t very many, but they all have one thing in common: building confidence. The beginning of the fandom journeys varied from Superman, to Pokémon. The ages that these people discovered the shows and comics were very young; between 4 and 12. Facebook user, Peter Sowter, answered my first question with; “Superman, as a kid growing up in small town New Zealand, he was everything I could not be. The bright coloured costume, the powers - oh and the cape.” Alas! Thanks to Cosplaying, he is able to become Superman! The possibilities that come with this interest and positive environment allows everybody to be who they want, and to be applauded for it too.
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We see more smiles on somebody who has just finished an intense debate about who the best Doctor is, compared to somebody who talks about what kind of doctor they want to be when they grow up.
The second question is something that I had guessed the answer to. Whether you are introverted, or extroverted, having a conversation with somebody is difficult unless you have something in common with them.
Going into ‘fandom mode’ is like going into outer space; you never know where you will end up. We are all like aliens, wide eyed and exploring the galaxy. We have no boundaries, only the ones our imagination give us. We learn from what we see and what we hear.
I met somebody with a Mockingjay pin on their jacket the other day, our meet lasted the next 15 minutes just from talking about the latest film. These conversations can be held anywhere; on a plane, in a chat forum, on a dedicated Facebook page. From there, friendships can be formed and kept going - with new conversations sparking with every new episode coming out. I have met friends from America, Germany and Australia thanks to my trusty fandom Tumblr blog, from which I have learned so much about other places around the world than I could have in my own time.
Lions have their strength and claws, horses have their speed, and ants have their size to survive. Humans on the other hand, use stories to survive. We learn from one person to another, we get told stories of mistakes we can learn from, stories of success to inform us. Stories are man-kind’s way of survival, so all kinds of storytelling should be allowed…including stories of a mad man in a blue box.
Change is what happens naturally, and through some fairly important events in one’s life. Our Superman story from previously, ends with him becoming a SuperDad Cop. We have countless other stories of people who dove into the world of games getting a degree in Game Programming, a Sci-Fi fanatic getting a degree in Visual Effects and many others simply gaining confidence in talking to new people and getting through their anxiety. The positive outcomes of joining in these communities outweighs the negatives significantly. We see more smiles on somebody who has just finished an intense debate about who the best Doctor is, compared to somebody who talks about what kind of doctor they want to be when they grow up.
The fictional stories that we read and watch are ones that can teach us skills that you would never have believed. I have learned how to be kind, how a true leader should act, and that I should keep going, even if I feel as though I am at a dead end. The hope that it gives me will keep me moving forward forever. Yes, there are negative views of some fandoms that exist today. But I am trying very hard to stay positive, so they shall not be mentioned. As long as people aren’t getting hurt (I am looking at Cosplayers who play with real swords in public), I am happy to leave people with what they enjoy. If you aren’t into the wonderful world of the geeks, then I would highly recommend picking up your wand, hitching up your pants and stepping into this magical universe where we are all one. “We’re all stories, in the end. Just make it a good one, eh?”
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THE RISE OF THE Ethan Sills Last month while scrolling through The Guardian, an article caught my eye: Sex and the TV. Bored and mildly intrigued, I read on, the article detailing the changing landscape of sex on television and the increase of it on our screens. It was an interesting read, but one quote halfway through distracted me, the subject referring to the scenes as part of the “pornification” of television. The quote came from a member of the infamous conservative lobby group, Parent’s Television Council, so it was no surprise, but as I read on it became clear that the article in general seemed to be scoffing at the fact that sex scenes are as regular a part of television now as seeing a lawyer or doctor on screen.
R
It’s fine for people to roll their eyes at this if they simply don’t like it, but it’s something that people are going to have to get used to. Conservative crackdowns in the early to mid-20th century have kept the riskier side of the entertainment industry locked away like an unwanted pet that humps the furniture for decades, only let out for horror films or British independent movies. Yet in recent years, the rise of original cable programming in the US has led to nudity, violence and casual drug exploding across our screens. While actors getting naked is nothing new to the 21st century, the frequency of it, as HBO, Netflix, Showtime and the like compete for viewers, means it’s unlikely to fade away any time soon.
It’s a common viewpoint, this distaste for the rise of sex and violence in entertainment. An American study last year showed that parents were more accepting of graphic violence than they were with male nudity on screens. People are
I personally think we should be embracing these changes with open arms. While it’s true some shows can go too far (not every scene of violence is needed, and there are plenty of sex scenes that add nothing to the final product), the popularity and acceptance of these shows reveals that there is a demand for adult dramas
seemingly fine with the types of murders you get on Law and Order and NCIS, where it’s absolutely fine if a horrendous crime happens off screens, but actually seeing the murder seems to be crossing the line – and nudity is jumping over the line flipping the bird as you do so.
across film and television, and that is not something that should be scoffed at. Look at how quickly Game of Thrones and Netflix’s original programming has become popular, outpacing the traditional cop and legal shows as the ones everyone is talking about. You can disapprove all you want, but
people clearly want entertainment that speaks to them as adults as opposed to the endless blockbusters and mainstream shows that have to appeal to the broadest possible audiences. The traditional view with entertainment is that you have to appeal and be accessible to the lowest common denominator of people in order to make a profit. I listened to an interview many years ago with author Anthony Horowitz, who said that the film adaptation of Stormbreaker had to be watered down so that it could be sold as a family film in the United States as opposed to teenagers. The producer’s rationale being, it would make more money that way. Yet the movie was savaged by critics and fans alike and the franchise died before it even had a chance. But with the rise of the R rating, it’s become clear you don’t have to be broad to be successful. Take Deadpool for example. For years, superhero films have still been regarded as kiddie fare, despite the increasingly dark and gritty, yet still PG, stories that directors like Christopher Nolan have brought to the genre. Studios want their blockbusters to appeal to the whole family so they can bring in merchandise and brand tie-ins and all that stuff that makes them money. Yet Ryan Reynolds’ violent, mildly raunchy
flick has quickly become the highest grossing R-rated movie of all time globally. With gratuitous violence, crude humour, a lot of swearing and just a bit of nudity, Deadpool has managed to gross more than any other film in the X-Men franchise, as well as surpass most superhero movies at the American box office. Deadpool’s success has shattered the idea that blockbusters need to be child friendly in order to be successful. The upcoming third and final Wolverine movie will be the first to be a hard-R, the studio finally realising that trying to pander to a wider audience with a fairly murderous hero was never going to work. Despite this, the old R-rating hasn’t completely caught on. Most American network shows are still bound by regulation that prevents swearing or nudity, even though the rise of cable networks has meant their ratings have plummeted across the board. Batman v Superman is saving its bloodier cut for DVD, while Suicide Squad is being marketed in interviews as being dark and weird but was confirmed the other week to be PG-13, the same week most of the film’s toys were unveiled. Similarly, Star Wars spinoff Rogue One is undergoing reshoots under reports that Disney is concerned by the war movies dark tone. All I can say is that they need to grow
up. The liberalisation of entertainment, television in particular, means that stories can be told in a manner better suiting to their themes and content. You don’t need sex scenes or violence in every product, but they can be of benefit to the show or film when told properly, rather than denying mature audiences satisfying character development and storylines. It’s difficult to believe characters are in a sexually charged relationship when you only see them passionately making out in a hallway, nor can villains be seen as threats if all their horrible crimes happen off screen. Batman v Superman might have been received better if it had gone darker and bloodier instead of restraining its violence: similarly, if you signed up to make a war movie, you shouldn’t be surprised when you get a war movie, even if it is Star Wars. There seems to be this fear that sex and violence on screens will corrupt our children if they catch even a glimpse of it, and that seems to be the argument that has allowed this conservative stranglehold to remain on entertainment. Yet dozens of reports have found that most children have already watched porn before they turn 13. Graphic violence and sexual content is readily available on the internet, but why do we
still have to concern ourselves so much with swearing in mainstream movies? I’m not arguing that we should be seeing Bob the Builder get all 50 Shades with Wendy, not that every child should make Pornhub their homepage; there should be programs and movies for children to safely enjoy, but at the same time, adult and even teen dramas shouldn’t be censored out of fear for young minds who really shouldn’t be in a position to watch it any way. R ratings are not necessary for everything, but there is no pretending sex and violence is a niche, dirty thing any longer. It’s about time studios woke up to the fact that not every audience member is inherently conservative and going to be shocked or offended if they see a nipple on screen. There are people and groups that will undoubtedly complain, but keeping everything as vanilla and family friendly as possible is no longer going to work. There are audiences that want entertainment tailored for those over the age of 18, not watered down just so teenagers can be roped in as well. So come on, embrace the R – deep down, you know you want to…
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THE GREAT ESCAPE Nigel Mckenzie-Ryan Before I fled my parent’s coup. I played video games a hell of a lot. I don’t want to find out the ‘Total Play Time’ on my steam account, for fear that it will break my soul. My most played game is in Team Fortress 2 at a cool 402 hours (WHICH I bought one month before it went Free to Play, thank you very much.) Over the years, I played several hours every few nights. It took me a few years to go from ‘bad’ to ‘alright, I guess’, that being said, I was miles above most of my fellow players, who thought a team made completely out of spies and snipers was a good idea. From time to time, players would add me to their contact lists. I stalked their profile like a 15 year old boy researching the cute shy girl in his maths class. I found that their ‘time played’ counter dramatically dwarfed my own. 500 hours, 1200 hours, 2000 hours. Days, Weeks, Months. I wondered what kind of lifestyle they had that afforded such a time commitment. People joke about video game addiction. “My Billy is addicted to his Nintendo!” said Jacqui as she sipped her fifth latte of the day. “He needs to drag himself away from that Final Fantasy.” No one takes it seriously, but should we? Like music, comics and cinema, video games ran the Media Gauntlet. From humble beginnings in the 1980s, video games matured and broke out of the toy box in the 1990s. They dispelled the violent myths concocted by the religious right and aging senators. To some, they even achieved the title of ‘art’. Despite a brief skirmish with bad journalism and misguided feminism, video games are more popular than ever. Could a plague of addiction leap from the shadows and become a new serious threat to all who make a living from video games?
To find out more, I went on Reddit. I searched for communities of video game addicts. To my surprise, I found very little. r/stopgaming only had five subscribers and one post saying ‘Don’t play video games.’ Inspiring. What I did learn, is the problem of video game addiction is a massive one in South Korea. It’s no surprise really, e-sports are crazy popular in Korea. When tournament season comes around, stadiums are packed with thousands of people and millions more are watching from online streams. Recent estimates say that one in ten Korean children are addicted to online video games. Thousands of addiction centres have popped up to help addicted kids. This is a scary prospect, but the nature of addiction changes when you can make a career out of it. Pro gamers in Korea are treated like celebrities, they get six figure pay checks, and they are rewarded with the same godlike adoration as traditional celebrities. To be truly great at something, you have to be obsessed and you have to make sacrifices. Consider pro rugby players, they spend thousands of hours on the field. They smash their bodies together over and over again. Some even use varying amounts of dubious substances to get ahead. They risk brain damage, bodily harm and job security to pursue their dream. Nobody tells them that they are ‘addicted’ and that it will negatively affect their life in the long run. Unlike sports, you can theoretically play video games 24/7, meaning you theoretically can always be practising - but then again - so can everyone else. How does the concept of moderation change if you’re gunning to become a world class e-athlete?
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Let’s look at New Zealand now. I spoke with James Driver, a Christchurch-based psychotherapist who founded NetAddiction. co.nz. He specialises in helping gamers deal with their
develop new ideas about addiction in the modern world. Back when he was playing Everquest, he was under no illusions that it could lead to a productive career. I asked him if companies
addictions. During his teenage years, James compulsively played Everquest, a truly ancient MMORPG that has rightfully earned the moniker ‘Evercrack’. For two years, He spent up to 16 hours per day as Benway Monochrome, a highly accomplished Bard with a long, 2000 hour career. I got in contact with him while he was on a university speaking tour in Australia. I noticed that most addiction cases involved online gaming.
involved with e-sports have a responsibility to curb addiction. The psychologist says it’s a decision for policy makers. Many activities can be potentially harmful, including traditional sports. He believes it’s under the responsibility of corporations directly involved with gaming, but how seriously each company feels about the issue is fairly individual.
Could a plague of addiction leap from the shadows and become a new serious threat to all who make a living from video games? Sure, the ‘never ending’ nature of these games keeps addicts engage. They’re ‘chasing the dragon’ (sometimes literally). However, many offline games are also never ending - like Minecraft and Tetris, why do MMOs dominate the addiction narrative? Unlike drugs, Adam tells me that no game is inherently addictive, but some qualities of games can encourage compulsive use. Games that are online, have persistent worlds with thriving communities that can give the player a sense of accomplishment, and use psychological techniques that reward repeated use (i.e. deterioration of gear over time, Team Fortress 2’s item drops, events in World of Warcraft) make addiction more likely. Of course, these all depend on the individual’s propensity for addiction. James believes the rise of e-sports has flipped modern thinking about video game addiction on its head and that we need to
Many companies believe that players should regulate themselves and that addiction only affects a small minority of individuals. While habit-forming games will never be as physically harmful as tobacco, alcohol, or hard drugs, on a social level, they can be devastating to those who had the genetic misfortune to be born with an addictive personality. Through research, I had something of an epiphany. What if gaming addiction is a symptom of a sick society? It’s time for some generalisations (or, if you prefer, Psychographics). Think about your average hard-core gamer. They’re in their late teens, or university aged, they’re less socially developed, as a result, have a lower self-esteem, but have an introvert’s curiosity and intelligence. It’s hard for these people to find their way in life as they don’t know their strengths, or are too anxious to find out what they can do. If they DO know what they want to do, it’s harder for them to succeed. Networking is very important to finding careers in most fields and it is extremely hard to break in if you don’t know anyone in the industry. There are too many damn people in the world, all running the Job Gauntlet. Fighting and clawing through multiple interviews just to get a chance to deliver coffees at a small company. For free. If by some small chance they do manage to succeed, they’ll find that they’re performing the same tasks day after day to earn money they can’t enjoy because they’re too tired at the end of the week. The reality of society sucks so bad that a lot of these people slink into the comfort of nihilism. They escape into a world that accepts them, a world where it’s easier to succeed, where they’re part of a team. They have escapism addictions. Think about that the next time you settle down for a Netflix binge.
A D V O C A C Y
Plagiarism What is it?
What happens if I do it?
The Oxford Dictionaries online defines plagiarism as “the practice of taking someone else’s work or ideas and passing them off as one’s own” (Oxford Dictionaries, 2016). It has been described as both academic and literary theft, and as fraudulent.
AUT uses a software programme called Turnitin to detect plagiarism in assignments. If it is detected you will be invited to furnish an explanation. If the explanation is unsatisfactory (and many aren’t) then penalties can be applied ranging from a formal warning, through loss of marks, through failing the assignment or the paper and culminating in possible suspension or expulsion for repeated offences.
Contrast these two sentences: A/ Global warming is primarily caused by the practice of intensive green egg farming. B/ Dr. Seuss, in his controversial and now heavily criticized research on climate change, asserted, “Global warming is primarily caused by the practice of intensive green egg farming” [Green Eggs and Ham, 2007].* The person reading the first sentence will initially think that it is your view, idea or theory, even if it is something you found in a book or on a website. If it is not actually your own work, that is plagiarism. There is no ambiguity in the second sentence. Our imaginary Dr. Seuss had the view, idea or theory, not you. We know this because you said so. You are merely commenting on his work, not pretending it is your own.
Why does AUT care about it? ·
·
Because they want your work to be, in fact, your work. It is fine, indeed often necessary, to include or paraphrase the ideas and theories of other people in your work, as long as they are clearly identified as someone else’s and not yours by being properly referenced. Because they want students of AUT to be solid upstanding folk who have upheld the academic standards of the University and taken those standards with them to their work or practice after graduating.
If AUT had a reputation for going easy on plagiarism, all of our degrees would be less prestigious.
It is serious. If you do get into trouble, AuSM has specialist advocates who can help you. You can contact them on advocacy@aut.ac.nz. There is a common misconception that if you change enough words to their synonyms then Turnitin can be fooled. It is smarter than that.
How can I avoid doing it and then never be in trouble? If you learn how to reference properly and how to paraphrase appropriately, you will be fine. You still need to write original critical thinking as well of course. Information on referencing (and a huge number of other topics like time management and writing skills) is available through the Student Learning team. They hold free workshops as well. Check out http://www.aut.ac.nz/beinga-student/current-undergraduates/academic-information/ academic-and-study-support/student-learning Plagiarism often occurs when students are under pressure. Usually time pressure. So don’t leave things to the last minute. Cramming in some unreferenced material to finish your assignment when you are running out of time to write your own words will cause you more problems than it is worth. You might succeed in requesting an extension well before the due date instead, but it really helps if you have genuine reasons for running short on time! * Not a real citation
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REVIEWS
BL AC KS TA R
FA LLOUT 4
David Bowie | Album Reviewed by Benjamin Matthews
Video Game Reviewed by Benjamin Matthews
If David Bowie hadn’t died two days after releasing what would be his last effort, this album would still be considered one of his very best. Now with the hindsight of his death, Blackstar takes on a new meaning. Of all Bowie’s albums, this has to be his weirdest. If he knew he was dying, then this has to be his requiem.
War... War never changes.
The title track begins with gentle flutes and mellow guitar before the drums start – Radiohead style – and Bowie’s operatic styled singing. Jazzy saxophone follows, before breaking into ambient sound. Violins echo before a more recognisable Bowie is heard, declaring he’s not a Blackstar, singing with sass. The almost tenminute long epic is difficult to cypher, much like the enigma himself. Maybe I’m reading too much into it, but the song sounds prophetic.
As open-worlds goes, Fallout 4 is possibly one of the best. The map is packed with locations to find. Unlike previous instalments, it doesn’t feel like copy-paste. Obviously, the developers had to reuse the assets, but it never feels repetitive. Many locations have unique plot details. A sewer I ventured into had an obsessive cannibal. This was completely off the beaten track – not every player will come across this place. It’s the little details that make this game.
Released a few days before his death, the music video for Lazarus has Bowie literally on his death bed. A song that wouldn’t feel out of place in a backstreet underground jazz bar, this song has Bowie mellowing about his impending doom. This is possibly the most difficult album I’ve ever reviewed. David Bowie is one of the greatest songwriters ever. To know he went out on a high note, still at the top of his game, is satisfying. It’s also a tragedy we won’t hear his 26th album.
Fallout 4 mightn’t reinvent the wheel, but developer Bethesda has smoothed the ride, making things less bumpy. Glitches do appear here and there, but the game is polished nonetheless.
The game rewards exploration, giving players unique gear and weapons that are customisable. Random junk has a purpose this time. Also, those guns are easy to use, playing more like an FPS instead of some clunky mess that was Fallout 3. Sadly it’s only plot that lets the game down. Not spoiling anything, all decisions and pathways always end the same way. Much of the moral nuance that made previous entries so good are missing here. Gone is the karma system. Maybe it’s just me, but Fallout 4 doesn’t live up to the hype.
AUT SPORT Get amongst it!
• Sport teams • Social sport & recreation • Inter-faculty competitions • NZ university and tertiary sport tournaments
Contact us today! Email: sport@aut.ac.nz facebook.com/autsport/ Instagram: AUTSPORT Snapchat: aut_sport www.aut.ac.nz/being-a-student/sport-at-aut
DA RK SOUL S 3 Video Game Reviewed by Benjamin Matthews
Dark Souls 3 doesn’t hold your hand. It becomes evidence with the tutorial boss. If you can’t get past this mass of inflated tentacles, the game assumes you should get a refund. Those that can brave it further, they’ll find a difficult yet rewarding experience. Death is the game’s main feature. You’ll die... a lot. But you’ll get back up and fight harder, smarter. Knowing how to exploit Dark Souls 3 is the key to finishing the game. New to the series is weapon arts - unique moves that enchant the gameplay. Stats don’t determine whether a weapon is good or not. Some weapons can break an enemy’s guard, others can do large sweep attacks, and others give off special effects such as a flame attacks. It’s all up to the player to decide. Like typical Dark Souls fashion, the plot remains vague and elusive. NPC speak slowly, giving only cryptic clues of what’s going on. It’s up to the player to work out the game’s story. The world of Dark Souls 3 feels more contained. There are a variety of locations, making each environment unique. But it lacks the interconnectedness of the first game or the sprawling nature of the second. However, the game still rewards the most adventurous player with hidden pathways and items. Although difficult at times, if this is the last Dark Souls game, then it’s ended on a high note. Never straying too far from its formula, Dark Souls 3 proves to be one of the best of this generation.
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