debate issue 05 2012

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issue 05 2012


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Editorial Prez Sez

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AuSM AuSM Update

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Moments of musical madness

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Artist of the week Morgan Tahapehi

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AuSM Week in photos

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News Sports

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Feature Our shining stars Celebrity charity

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Opinion Kony 2012

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Article There once was an island...

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Column Level zero

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Humour Cattin’s coulmn

contributors Hazel Buckingham | Paula Te Kiri | Mattew Cattin | Sebastian Mackay | Scott Moyes | Danielle Whitburn | Rachel Ramsay | Morgahna Godwin | Adam Warin | Lachlan Hornell | Alexandra Ventura | Ben Parsons | Scott Yeoman | Nigel Moffiet | Melissa Low | Spencer Dowson

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Entertainment Social Media highlights

advertising contact Kate Campbell kate.campbell@aut.ac.nz

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Fashion Dressing like a boss

printer PMP Print Ltd.

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Seeking Super Citizen Status

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Reviews

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Student Profile

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.

on the cover:

Celebrity Activists Ceapum Kaushish

editor Nigel Moffiet nigel.moffiet@aut.ac.nz sub editor Matthew Cattin designer Ceapum Kaushish ceapum.kaushish@aut.ac.nz

publisher all rights reserved debate is a member of the Aotearoa Student Press Association (ASPA) disclaimer Material contained in this publication does not necessarily represent the views or opinions of AuSM, its advertisers, contributors, PMP Print or its subsidiaries.

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Celebrities. Love them or hate them, idolise them or despise them. Either way, they don’t go unnoticed and as a result they have power to influence trends and have their voices heard. We live in an age where the voice of a celebrity often reaches more people, and is listened to more intently, than anyone in more conventional forms of power such as our politicians and policy makers. The Kony2012 campaign is acting on this. It’s not uncommon to hear people say they’ve lost faith in the system and the people supposed to represent us. “We feel disenfranchised” they say. “We need someone else to make our voices heard.” Last year in New Zealand, we had our lowest ever voter turnout in more than 100 years. So we ask the question: do celebrities really fill this void? Someone like Lady Gaga, who is not afraid to voice her opinion on political issues, is hugely influential; having the most subscribed Twitter account in the world is one example of this. With more than 21 million followers on the site, she has the power to reach millions of people across the globe in an instant. This power to influence is something most politicians could only dream of. Barak Obama is the only politician to remotely challenge the new queen of pop in terms of social media influence with just over 13 million flowers. Obama trails behind other great influential thinkers, philosophers and policy makers such as: Justin Bieber (18,682,433 followers) Katy Perry (16, 360,907 followers) Rihanna (15,287,142 followers) Of course, some of these celebrities choose to use their status for more political purposes than

others, but the fact remains they all wield an incredible amount of power to influence. I find the way a celebrity goes about a cause doesn’t always sit comfortably with me and I try as hard as I can to reserve judgment and unwarranted cynicism, but it often seeps through. When I saw U2 play at Mt Smart stadium (or whatever it was called back then) a number of years ago, good ol’ Bono was right into his campaign to eradicate poverty in Africa and raise the issue of human rights abuses. Flying in on a helicopter, he soon took to the stage, speaking to the crowd as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was played on the screen behind him. Let’s all eradicate poverty, he said convincingly, behind a pair of designer shades. He got stuck into the show, and many pairs of shades later, it all finished and Bono left in his chopper, off to save Africa. What? I’m being too cynical? Okay, so their hearts are in the right place but as 1985’s Live Aid taught us, celebrity activism should carefully consider all possible consequences. Sir Bob Geldof was heavily criticised for his naivety, with reports claiming much of the £65million raised through Live Aid went to Ethiopian warlords and bought things like guns and artillery. This issue of debate reflects on celebrity activism and its impact on social issues, for better or worse. One thing we all agree on, however, is for a better world.

Nigel.

P.S. You may have noticed there have been no letters. So let’s start. Perhaps you can tell me what you think of celebrity protesters? Please send letters (up to 250 words) to debate@aut.ac.nz.

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AuSM Student President

Hi everyone, It is another week of studies, entertainment and other activities or commitments. Last week was really awesome. I kicked the week off as your student president by participating in the Sunday’s Ports of Auckland Round the Bays 2012. Apparently it has been 40 years since this fun run started. The run is 8.4km long over a flat course that follows the contours of Auckland’s Waitemata harbour. It begins in the city on Quay St and finishes on the waterfront at St Heliers Bay. It was so exciting to be part of the 70,000 participants and as a front runner for ‘Team AUT’. It was really awesome to finish the race under 60 minutes. My finish time was not that impressive but I guess what was more important was crossing the finish line and getting my unique runner number ‘77594’ scanned. Just in case there is someone out there doubting if I really did finish the race, you can do a credibility check on me by visiting their website www.roundthebays.co.nz and enter either my name or runner number and you will see the result. I will be meeting the Vice Chancellor, Derek McCormack this Thursday 29th March 2012 to talk about student matters and other things in general. Some of the issues I would be raising are the progress on the student charter, effects of the VSM and other matters. If you have any concerns about the delivery of services and facilities on campus, academic related issues or any other general student concerns please feel free to contact me. A big thank you to you all who helped with the Beads of Courage Day Street Appeal Collection Day on Friday

23rd March and Saturday 24th March 2012. AuSM helped out with this event as part of our community engagement programme. It was such a great feeling being in the costume as Mia, the Child Cancer horse on the Saturday. Every cent that was collected is going to the Foundation to help it provide support to children with cancer, their families and

the health professionals who care for them. If you are interested in doing more voluntary work then you are better off with the ‘A –Team’ of AuSM which is our team of volunteers. To register your interest, please email the AuSM Volunteer Co-ordinator, Deanna Berry on dberrry@aut.ac.nz. The mid semester break is not too far from here and so is the Uni Games 2012. I would like to wish the AUT Uni Games team (Titans) all the best for the competition in Wellington. We have an excellent team with a lot of talented sportsmen and women so we are expecting to bring home the Shield and heaps of gold medals. I hope to see a number of you around at the different sporting events and of course off the pitch times to chill out! Go the Mighty AUT Titans! Till next time, have a lovely week!

Top-up ur fone with AuSM AuSM City and North Shore offices sell Vodafone, Telecom and 2degrees top-up cards. Buy from us and get a $20 top-up for just $19.50 if you’re an AuSM member. AuSM Orientation survey Your feedback is important to us so let us know your thoughts in the AuSM Orientation survey, it only takes a couple of minutes. http://bit.ly/ausmoweeksurvey Sticker Up Don’t forget that from now on you will need your AuSM sticker for some of the AuSM services such as free feeds, Vesbar discounts and Movie screenings. Get yours this week from AuSM. Battle of the Bands 2012 Battle of the Bands is back! Get your band together and enter online now at www.ausm.org.nz. First heats kick off on 3rd May at Vesbar with finals on 24th May. Free for spectators! R18. Student Exec Vacant Positions Do you want to represent the student voice on campus? There are three vacant positions for the 2012 AuSM Student Executive Council: Postgraduate Students’ Officer, Te Ara Poutama Faculty Representative and Applied Humanities Faculty Representative. Find out more details at http://bit. ly/2012ausmexec Internships AuSM have new internships available. These are unpaid but offer great workplace experience. Check them out on the AuSM website www.ausm.org.nz. Vesbar Easter Party Easter is almost here which means you get a well-deserved break and what better way to celebrate than at Vesbar! Join us on Thursday 5th April for the Vesbar annual Easter Party! 7pm til late.

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Moments of musical madness

Matthew Cattin

The boundary of what is acceptable in the media industry has been redefined constantly for the last 60 years. In the early fifties, Elvis Presley was filmed only from his waistup because his leg movements were deemed too sexual for television. In 1972, author Germaine Greer was arrested in New Zealand for saying ‘bullshit’ during a speech. With the proliferation of social media in modern society, it seems now that a video banned from television will only become more popular from internet hits. It almost seems that some artists are competing – the more risqué, offensive and pornographic the content is, the more exposure the artist can muster. So are my top nine line-crossers, artists that despite consequences couldn’t resist flopping out a cheeky nipple or slipping out a few naughty words.

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Original British punks The Sex Pistols made controversy their middle name, but their more iconic moment of stirring the masses occurred in 1977 when they smashed out their hit “God Save The Queen” on a boat down the River Thames. They played the song past the Houses of Parliament during the Queen’s Silver Jubilee. Police raided the boat and their iconic manager Malcolm McLaren was arrested for the stunt which led to front-page news stories that cemented the group as bona fide British rebels. 13. Tiki Taane makes the list for his 2011 arrest during a gig in Tauranga. While the police were carrying out a routine inspection of the club, Tiki thought it would be a good call to start singing ‘fuck the police’. Naturally, the crowd joined in and Tiki was arrested for disorderly behaviour likely to start violence. While he claims he was just exercising freedom of speech, I claim it was just rudeness. 12. In 2000, Robbie Williams released the classic Rock DJ, along with its brilliantly controversial music video. It begins with Robbie dancing at a roller disco, trying to get the attention of a girl. Since this doesn’t succeed, he strips off all of his clothes, then his skin, his muscles and finally his organs until he is down to a dancing skeleton. Naturally, the video was banned in numerous countries for disturbing scenes and aspects of Satanism. 11. When teeny boy-band One Direction tickets came on sale, the last thing anybody expected was for them to sell any. Surely not. Surely New Zealand is better than that… right? Wrong. That shit sold out in ten minutes. Let us all try to forget this dark and embarrassing chapter in New Zealand’s history. 10. Rihanna seems intent on proving to the world she’s one racy femme, but her single S&M put her in a league of her own. The latex-filled video was banned in 11 countries and flagged as inappropriate on YouTube. Here are some lyrics you can sing along too: “Sex in the air, I don’t care, I love the smell of it. Sticks and stones may break my bones but chains and whips excite me.” 9. The most controversial kiwi music moment goes to Dave Dobbyn, who was charged for inciting the Queen Street riots of 1984. While playing an outdoor gig at Aotea Square, Double D experienced some technical difficulties which made the crowd unruly. They began to throw beer bottles (probably Double Brown) and were arrested by the police. So Dave, in all his wisdom, started slagging off the cops, essentially spurring them into a riot that cost the tax payers in excess of one million dollars. 8. Lady Gaga makes the list because she just is a walking controversy. Whether she’s wearing a meat dress, offending Christians with ‘Judas’, copying Madonna’s songs or performing as a mermaid in a wheelchair, every time she opens her mouth, a conservative citizen somewhere dies.


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In 1997, The Prodigy released the controversial single and video, Smack My Bitch Up. The lyrical content (“change my pitch up, smack my bitch up” over and over) wasn’t exactly family friendly but to make matters worse, the video contained drunk driving, cocaine snorting, hit and runs, nudity and sex scenes. It has been voted as the most controversial song of all time on more than one occasion.

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Shock rocker Alice Cooper, well-known for his theatrical stage antics discovered a chicken had found its way onto the stage at a 1969 show. Thinking chickens were good at flying, Cooper picked it up and threw it over the audience. However, since chickens are fat and delicious, it plummeted into the first few rows where the audience quickly tore it apart. Salmonella fest!

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Kanye West is a noble man of principle. And when his sister Beyoncé lost to that no good white-trash Taylor Swift at the VMA’s, shit went down. Storming the stage during Swift’s acceptance speech, Kanye grabbed the microphone off her and shut the girl down. Swag.

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Music videos often toe the fine line between tasteless and straight-up porn. Unless of course you are Rammstein, then you just hire some porn-stars, film yourself Rammstein-ing them, and boom! Music video. The song title? Pussy. Don’t expect to find this one on Vevo kids.

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In 1992, the ‘Prince of Darkness’ Ozzy Osbourne had a bat thrown at him while performing. Thinking it was rubber, he did what any rational performer would do – bite off its head. Unfortunately, the bat was real and Oz ended up with a bloody bat’s head in his mouth. Guts bro.

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Referred to as ‘Nipplegate’, the Janet Jackson nipple exposure at the 2004 Super Bowl half-time show resulted in half a million complaints to the Federal Communications Commission. Hilariously, the parties involved tried to pass it off as a wardrobe malfunction. I smell a rat.

Your idea. Your business. Start here.

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After experiencing technical difficulties, grunge band L7 were forced to stall their set during the 1992 Reading Festival. The crowd, growing restless, began to throw projectiles at the band so in retaliation, lead singer Donita Sparks decided to throw something back. On-stage, Sparks removed her tampon and threw it into the audience yelling “eat my used tampon, f@*#*rs!” in what instantly became the single most disgusting stage antic in the history of the entire world - period.

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Morgan Tahapehi Hi everyone, I’m Morgan. Last year I graduated from AUT with a Bachelor of Graphic design and back for another year working toward a Postgraduate Diploma in Graphic Design. This year the School of Art + Design have introduced a diploma stream called The Studio, which combines the academia of university with real-world experience of the industry. As The Studio, we are a graphic design team of students and staff working collaboratively on various projects from and for industry. So far the programme is great! Majority of my work is concerned with identity, whether it be personal, cultural or branding. I am intrigued by representation and how representations communicate to an audience and the social and cultural effects of representation. Email me if you want to check out my portfolio. Peace out. morgantahapehi@gmail.com

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debate is looking for some super talented artists to profile. Do you know some artists at AUT who we should feature? Is it you? Get in touch with us today. Send in your work at debate@aut.ac.nz.

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10 An AuSM Week

Photos by: Annupam Singh


Student struggling to make ends meet Alexandra Ventura The average price of renting a three-bedroom unfurnished Auckland Central house is $600 per week. The unemployment rates for 20 – 24 year olds was 16.4% in the last quarter, down 2.8% from 2009. Auckland tenants are spending $150 more on a three-bedroom apartment than the rest of the country. Sourced from nzherald and nz government websites.

Feeling the stress: living costs affecting students’ ability to study

Rising rent costs and the government’s funding cuts are putting pressure on the little income students have – not to mention increasing food cost and transport. The NZ Herald reported in February that many students were taking a gap year and signing up to welfare benefits so they could save enough to live in Auckland and study. For those who have decided to study, part-time jobs are seen as the only remedy, taking precious time away from their classes. Auckland University student Rupsha Bhattacharya (20) says there was no option but to work, to afford her rent. “It makes it so stressful because you need the money but the whole point of uni is that you focus on it. You need the money now so it outweighs your future.” According to the Economist Intelligence Unit’s latest survey, reported on the Stuff website, Auckland is ranked 15th in the world of the most expensive cities, with parking and living costs among some of the highest compared to other major cities. AUT student Katie Montgomerie (22) says there is a big difference between living inother parts of the country and renting in Auckland. “When I lived in Wellington I paid $80 a week for a beautiful old

villa, but then I moved to Mt Albert and I was paying $140 for a dingy, grotty house,” she says. Though she gets a student allowance, Montgomerie says she still has to work two part-time jobs to afford her rent and utilities. “I think the government is super unrealistic when it comes to the earning threshold,” she says. Bhattacharya says her study is affected when the two responsibilities clash. “When you have stuff due it’s tough. I’ve had to hand in assignments a day late because of work commitments.” A Student Job Search spokesperson says they’ve had a substantial rise in students looking for jobs over the summer break and as the university year begins. “We definitely have students looking for jobs in the household and residential area, as well as many looking to gain experience through our placements schemes,” says the spokesperson. Bhattacharya says money is a huge factor in deciding whether to take on an internship or not. “I can’t afford not to work.”

Our Condolences to all Tongan Students, Staff and the Wider Community. Malo e lelei! A ‘Big Tree’ that provides shade for a Pacific Island Nation has fallen. It was such a shock to hear of the sudden death of the Tongan King, George Tupou V. We are saddened by the news and on behalf of AuSM, I would like to extend our heartfelt sympathy and condolences to all our Tongan students, staff, and the wider community. Our hearts are with you in this time of sorrow and so are our thoughts and prayers during this tragic time. The Tongan King shall truly be remembered for championing a more democratic system of government and introducing into the Kingdom, a more open economy. He did great things during his reign as the King of the Pacific Island Nation and he shall forever be remembered. The Office of Pasifika Advancement (Tari Whakaneke O Pasifika) at AUT University has a book of remembrance for staff and students that wish to record their thoughts of the passing of King George Tupou V. The office at the city campus is on level 3 of the WB building, meeting room WB 304C. A book of remembrance has also been placed at the Manukau and North Shore campuses as well. For more enquiries, please contact Prue Innes on pinnes@aut.ac.nz, (AUT ext 9713) or Kate Scott on kscott@aut.ac.nz, (AUT ext 9704). With deepest sympathies, Kizito Essuman AuSM President news

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Students urged to hop onto cards quickly or face fees. Ben Parsons

Tertiary students face a hefty shock on their morning bus ride come the start of next month if they do not renew their Hop cards.

“Students currently have to confirm their eligibility for the concession at the beginning of each academic year. I can advise over the next six months there are going to be a number of changes to the Hop system and one of these is the process to renew the concession on your card.”

From April 1, if students have not renewed their card, it will revert back to an adult card and charge adult fares. In some cases, the fare could go up by nearly $3 or 40 per cent.

Not all have found the process easy. One student says it is stupid. “It’s easier to apply for a bank account than a new Hop card.”

Hop representative Sharon Hunter says students have started to renew their cards in the past couple of weeks and Hop is starting to now mop up students who may be unaware of the upcoming change.

Others found the process straightforward. Jordan Grey, a third year Bachelor of Sport and Recreation student, said the process simple to follow.

“We are running advertising through a number of different channels including on bus advertising, email communications with registered users and radio advertising. We have Hop helper activity at key locations and on the Hop website, plus direct communications through universities and schools to make sure everyone is on board.”

“It’s a great system that hasn’t overcharged me or given any problems so far and gives a good discount.”

Students have to bring proof of their enrolment at AUT in 2012 and fill in a form confirming their need for the tertiary fare. Since this is the first year Hop cards have been available at the beginning of the year, Hunter says it is important everyone understands the system in place.

Although students have to fill in a form and copy their ID, the switch is crucial to the future of Hop, says Hunter. “Hop is on track to rollout across the remaining public transport operators including other bus services, trains and ferries from mid-2012. It will be much cheaper for students if they renew soon.” To renew your card, visit the Hop website: www.myHop.co.nz.

New website hopes to reduce chaos on NZ roads Ben Parsons

Barnsley.

A new website has been launched to help students make sense of the new give ways rules before they were introduced on Sunday.

“Data shows that New Zealand’s teen drivers are most at risk of having a serious crash in the first six to 12 months of driving solo on a restricted licence. They are more vulnerable on the road during this period than at any other time in their lives.”

The rule change means all traffic turning right has to give way to traffic coming from the left. On the website www.giveway.govt.nz students are able to take a quiz and a “drive through” animation that shows how the new laws will work. The change will be reflected in learner licence theory tests that also came into effect yesterday. Those who booked for driving tests after the rule change will be tested on the new law. The New Zealand Transport Agency is promoting the importance for young and novice drivers to understand the change and take advantage of resources provided on their website. NZTA’s Ewart Barnsley says road users are likely to be more cautious around the rule change- a good thing given student drivers’ safety record. “Road crashes are the single biggest killer of 15 to 19 year old New Zealanders.” says Barnsley. New Zealand has the highest road death rate in the OECD for 15 to 17 year olds, and the fourth highest road death rate for 18 to 20 year-olds.” The give way laws promote smoother traffic flow and improve safety for younger drivers, pedestrians and cyclists says

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The NZTA says there was a 7.1 per cent reduction in crashes in Victoria, Australia, following a similar give way change in 1993. Students have mixed opinions on the changes and aren’t so sure the changeover will be so smooth. Third year microbiology student Hanin Khan thinks the changes may be unnecessary, but isn’t against making the roads safer. “I’ll just say it’s going to be a little difficult to get used to at first but I think that we’ll adjust to it after a while, but I don’t mind the change either.” Fellow student Nikki Ooi says the changes are much needed. “It’s about time we caught up to the rest of the world on the give way rules.” Barnsley says this change comes after a number of initiatives were set up over the last year to lower the number of crashes involving younger drivers. “These include raising the driving age from 15 to 16 and introducing a zero alcohol limit for drivers under 20.” The rule came into effect at 5.00am on March 25.

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The Pursuit of Justice: Scott Moyes You don’t have to look far to see that the world is incredibly corrupt. Kony 2012 - the video that has swamped your Facebook news feed for the last fortnight. We have children being abducted from their homes and trained into soldiers. These children are being forced to shoot their own parents. You see, we can sugarcoat life with Taylor Swift and Harry Potter all we like, but there’s always someone out there trying to cheat the system. Always.

Chris Cairns

Lalit Modi

A good clean game?

We like to think sport is immune to corruption. Sport is something pure and good-spirited. It breaks the barriers of race, wealth and social status. It’s why we love the Olympic Games so much. We love the idea that Neville Nobody from somewhere in Africa can come to London and compete in the 100m freestyle. But of course, sport is by no means immune to corruption. It’s a business and there is money to be made from the inside out and vice versa. Corruption is so abundant within cricket in particular that Chris Cairns was always going to be facing an up-hill battle. Betting odds are so diverse that it only takes an out of place sneeze for someone to be laughing all the way to the bank. Though call it intuition or sheer patriotism, but I think Chris Cairns is innocent. I don’t believe he was involved in illegal activity in the Indian Cricket League. Is it naivety? Perhaps. But you could be forgiven for looking at this man, who at face value is just a good honest man from New Zealand, and thinking there’s nothing sinister going on here. Surely someone of his experience and his sporting pedigree couldn’t be caught up in all this nonsense?

A fight for honour

However, I think this case is about much more than matchfixing. Chris Cairns is fighting for his honour. It’s about what you do when your integrity comes into question and whether you choose to fight or not. Put yourself in Chris’ shoes. The second most powerful person in Indian sports, Lalit Modi, has singled you out in a public forum for match-fixing. He’s pretty much the biggest meanest man on the playground. What do you do? You could choose to say nothing and hope it all blows over in time. Many have claimed that we wouldn’t have heard about the whole thing if Chris hadn’t of spoken up about it. Though how could you just sit back and do nothing? You can’t ask

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someone to stay silent while his name and reputation turns to dust. If someone accused you of cheating in an assignment that everyone else in the class worked really hard on, would you keep quiet or protest your innocence? Keeping quiet is an extremely hard thing to do. People start to wonder why you haven’t said anything and assume you’re hanging your head in shame. Of course, Chris Cairns has chosen to sue Modi, bringing the whole ordeal firmly into the spotlight. Though this doesn’t mean a favourable verdict will clear his name once and for all. If Chris wins the case, there will always be those who have their doubts from now on. It’s like the David Bain case; he was set free but everybody already has their own opinion about the matter. It didn’t matter what the verdict was in the end. Keep in mind that the man Chris is suing has more money than you and I could ever imagine. People start to wonder if there is a financial gain involved.

No win situation

You must also question the motives of Lalit Modi himself. Does he truly believe that Chris is corrupt? Is Modi really trying to be the knight in shining armour? It would seem strange that the second most powerful man in Indian sports must resort to Twitter to have these claims heard. Twitter is the place you go to find out what colour Nicki Minaj’s hair is today and how poorly Rihanna can speak the English language. If these claims have any serious basis, Modi should have gone through more appropriate channels to pursue justice. In the end, neither Modi nor Cairns will prevail. The court might favour Chris but his name, which he claims he is fighting for, will never be fully cleared. The court might favour Modi, then he’ll be a little bit richer and a little bit more powerful. So who does win? The lawyers. Case closed.

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Remembering Jock Scott Yeoman

Like many, I consider myself a bit of a sports nut, a dedicated kiwi sport fan who fancies himself as the one to answer the sport section of the pub quiz. Yet, the sad death of one of New Zealand’s greatest in the world of sport made me realise I don’t know enough. I was taken aback when the death of rugby legend Jock Hobbs, 52, left the country in a state of mourning last Tuesday evening. The former All Black captain and New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) chairman passed away in Wellington Hospital after fighting Leukaemia for six years. A brave face: everyone admired Hobbs’ ability to get things done

Hobbs the legend achievements, and a significant number of people claim he “saved the game” of rugby in New Zealand.

Hobbs was the man who during the world cup presented New Zealand’s first test centurions Richie McCaw and Mils Muliaina with their silver caps. A few of us maybe recognised him as the pivotal contributor in New Zealand being awarded the hosting rights for Rugby World Cup 2011. A few others possibly knew him as a 21 test All Black flanker and captain, or as a NZRU chairman. Yet, after looking through the memories and achievements that were contained within countless tributes and articles in the media over the last week or two, I soon realised that there was a lot more to learn about this amazing leader.

Prime Minister John Key, along with most of the country, has said bringing the Rugby World Cup to New Zealand “was possibly his finest hour”. The Prime Minister has also gone on to say that winning the trophy was certainly the icing on the cake. But without Hobbs’ earlier work, this nation’s proudest moment would never have occurred, let alone survived to this point. Hobbs rescued New Zealand Rugby when the country’s talent was on the verge of being signed away to a breakaway professional league called the “World Rugby Corporation” in 1995. He did this by persuading young All Black players such as Jeff Wilson to sign to the NZRU instead. He was said to have “ushered” in the professional era in New Zealand and without him this rugby-mad country would have struggled to compete professionally.

My lack of knowledge on this sporting hero made me realise that sometimes fresh eyes are the best ones to use when admiring and appreciating a person’s life. I now write with a newfound sense of determination to ensure Jock Hobbs gets the recognition, remembrance and respect that he deserves. So let us remember Jock together. As many older punters could probably tell you, Jock Hobbs first debuted in 1983 against the British and Irish Lions, a test performance that would see him become the regular All Black number seven for several seasons to come. His tireless work ethic and natural leadership was recognised early, resulting in him captaining the team on tours to Fiji and Argentina in 1984 and 1985 respectively. He then travelled to Apartheid South Africa for the Cavaliers tour in 1986, before having to retire due to a series of concussions in 1987.

Down in history Like other New Zealand sporting heroes such as Sir Edmund Hillary and Sir Peter Snell, icons Hobbs has been placed alongside, he has left an everlasting legacy in the hearts of New Zealanders. As a huge crowd gathered in memory at his funeral in Wellington, tributes will continue to be seen and heard around the country for weeks to come. For those of us that, until now, were untouched by his influential contribution in dealing with rugby politics, or too young to have seen him take the field, it is important that we don’t just forget due to our lack of knowledge. Find out more, take notice, remember, respect, and recognise a man that shaped this country and our passion that we call rugby. After all, we are the ones responsible in ensuring this great Kiwi is never forgotten as we pass on his legacy for generations to come.

However his influential presence in New Zealand rugby was not over. He would go on to become what legendary All Black Colin Meads calls “one of the greatest administrators New Zealand ever had”.

The finest hour Over the years he had many great results and

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Star power goes a long way. Celebrity status can make a big impact on a situation, or get people interested in something that even the greatest PR campaign could not. People want to listen to celebrities, politicians want to be photographed with them, and corporations want to call them back. Celebrity activism is something that is only growing fiercer as the world of social media expands, and it is only natural to question its ethics and morals. However it is actually a very useful tool which can influence and shape policy. I can hear the arguments boiling in your mind already – “Celebrity activism just glorifies the celebrities and feeds their egos” or, “It overshadows the hard work everyday people do” or perhaps you are thinking of some hypocritical celebrity activism – like that of Naomi Campbell with animal rights group PETA. Campbell posed in a billboard campaign stating “I’d rather go naked than wear fur”, then later appeared in a fashion show modeling fur coats. However, once you actually take a look into the sort of work some of the celebs out there are doing, those arguments quickly become very shallow and one sided. Let’s have a look at the celebrities that have made a difference with their star power.

Bono The paragon of celebrity activism, rarely seen without his trademark glasses, Bono, front man of rock band U2, has pretty much done it all. He founded the organization DATA (Debt, AIDS, Trade, Africa) to work with governments and financial organisations to structure assistance and raise awareness of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa. He led The One Campaign in an effort to ease global poverty and organised the Live 8 benefit concerts. The One Campaign is a perfect example of celebrity influence – it asked people for no money but only a commitment to stand against poverty. Its goal is communication to political leaders backed by citizens. One has to hand it to Bono, the guy creates results. In 2005 the G8 (or Group of 8 – the world’s largest economies at the time) committed an additional $50 billion in annual debt relief – a number of those leaders have credited Bono with contributing to making that happen.

Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt We all know the power couple for their high profile adoptions of African children, but Jolie is also a good will ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and Pitt joined Bono in The One Campaign against AIDS and poverty in Africa. He also contributed millions of dollars to the rebuilding of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Jolie uses her celebrity status to shine attention everywhere, from Cambodia and Thailand to various parts of Africa. This couple seems to grow more politically active with age!!

George Clooney Seriously, can this guy do no wrong? Not only is he GORGEOUS, but citing Bono as inspiration Clooney is actively concerned with the violence in Sudan, in which he funded his own satellite in order to monitor for potential Civil War. On top of this he does continuing advocacy work for the nation. In 2010, he organised a relief telethon for the Haitian earthquake, and is open to working with any political figure from either party, as long as they will commit to his cause.

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LADY GAGA Surpassing any politician’s figures in the social media world, Gaga and her little monsters have been making a commotion. In 2010 she took on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and encouraged her fans to call senators, asking them to repeal the law. For many, this was the first allusion that they could even contact elected officials! She promotes LGBT rights through her image and her music – her latest album ‘Born this Way’ featuring lyrics such as “No matter gay, straight or bi, lesbian, transgender life, I’m on the right track baby I was born to survive”. She was a strong activist for “World AIDS day” and HIV awareness in general, digitally dying for the “Keep the Child Alive Foundation” – all this and she wears Kermit the Frog dresses – what is not to like?

A little bit closer to home

Robyn Malcolm Greenpeace member Robyn Malcolm, best known to you guys for her work as Cheryl West on Outrageous Fortune has made quite a few important changes in NZ in terms of celebrity activism. She’s a political activist for the Greens, voicing their campaign ads in 2008. She also spearheaded an actor’s union campaign for those working on the Hobbit and endorsed the Emissions Trading Scheme and other environmental issues. In response to criticism Malcolm has been quoted saying “Whether you like it or not, celebrities get noticed. So you might as well get noticed doing something you believe in. It’s not about turning up to the opening of an envelope, it’s about standing up for what you believe in”.

Lucy Lawless Xena actress with an oh-so-appropriate last name, recently made NZ headlines for her activism against the oil drilling ship at Port Taranaki, as her and six other Greenpeace activists were arrested. Lawless boarded the ship and remained there for 77 hours in protest of its plans to drill oil from exploratory wells in the Chukchi Sea off the coast of Alaska. Greenpeace has regarded the action taken to be very successful. She is also part of the charity arm of Starship Children’s Health and along with Robyn Malcolm was a 2009 climate ambassador for the “Sign on” campaign.

Celebrities pulling the strings It is an inescapable fact that there are people out there with enough profile and money to rival that of royalty and politicians, and while some of them use that money to further themselves, there are several who use it to help others. The celebrities outlined are just a handful of those who use their image and influence for needs greater than their own, and we should raise a hand to them. They are not required to do so, they could simply live their lives in gluttony, but they do not. J.K. Rowling recently gave so much money to charity that she downgraded from a billionaire to a millionaire. If people are interested in helping causes such as the environment, global poverty and AIDS, then who are we to criticise, no matter who this person is. I do have to point out though – what is the world coming to when it is the CELEBRITIES who are more influential and active than the POLITICIANS?! This is a democracy – we should all have a voice and we all deserved to be listened to, so it is no wonder we put our trust in that of celebrities who are willing to deal with our concerns. So before you have a big whine about celebrities being in it for the glory, or using it to make even more money, perhaps stop criticising them and start evaluating our political leaders – those who are there primarily for the purpose of solving these problems. And just to end, I do have to point out it was a celebrity who uttered possibly the wisest words in the campaign against war, not a politician. “Give peace a chance” – John Lennon.

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Celebrity charity

questioning the sincerity

of the rich and famous Sebastian Mackay

The typical life of a celebrity - feeling the squeeze of these tough economic times by not being able to buy that new fleet of Mustangs. Sounds tough right? But I think there is a lot more to celebrity life and that is activism. Whether they are being arrested for ‘Save Darfur’ campaigns or being hypocrites after using their charitable endorsement to further their image (Naomi Campbell and her ‘I’d rather go naked than wear fur’ debacle for PETA), celebrities are doing a lot for the sake of other people.

Activist or narcissist? Then again, why shouldn’t they? We are talking about those who have more money than they know what do with, getting behind good causes. Is it for the sake of those they are helping, or is it nothing more than capitalist philanthropy? After all, why sponsor one child for $20 a month when you can sponsor a whole village for the same price? Celebrity activism is something that deserves a lot of ‘free enquiry’ and investigation. I have noticed over the past few weeks that celebrities receive massive amounts of attention for everything ‘activist’ they do. In fact, they receive more attention for their ‘efforts’ i.e. being

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photographed and occasionally showing up on the front line than real activists that work tirelessly to fight for the causes they believe in. One can’t escape the feeling that celebrities simply have a guilty conscious. They are all worth so much yet they give back so little. And what better way to make you feel secure and rounded than donating to a cause out of guilt.

Charity as a PR stunt Celebrity charity is by no means a new idea and was essentially pioneered in 1966 by Jerry Lewis and his annual muscular dystrophy telethon. However, celebrity charity relationship managers are a fairly new thing. These are the PR teams that correspond with the charity, and make sure the celebrity behaves themselves when in ‘activist’ mode. The relationship between a charity and an activist can be extremely complicated and although it seems black and white to me, we are talking about a very pretentious bunch. The idea of management teams for celebrities and charities raises a few alarm bells, and leaves you wondering just how much the celebrity believes in their cause if they need a management team. Kanye West, who shows off his lavish lifestyle at every opportunity, made an appearance at the Occupy Wall Street camp. Ironically enough, he was there campaigning for the equality of wealth, a fact which unsurprisingly met a lot of fierce criticism claiming he was there only to build his public image. This is the same Kanye who Humiliated Taylor Swift at the MTV music awards and the same Kanye who was slammed by PETA for using fur coats and crocodile skin in his latest fashion show. The issue is this: the fur used was Astrakhan - the fur from an unborn lamb. The mother is usually electrocuted via its vagina or rectum and the baby is cut from the womb and stripped of its fur. The effect is soft curly, warm blood-stained fur.


The hype around celebrity activism also over-shadows the hard work of everyday people on the front line.

Jerry Lewis

Sir Bob Geldof. Irish singer

Founded the charity supergroup Band Aid (do they know it’s Christmas?) and then went on to organise Live Aid in 1985 and Live 8 in 2005. Angered NZ folk in 2006, calling our foreign aid efforts “shameful” and pathetic”.

Peter Jackson & Fran Walsh.

KANYE WEST

Created a documentary bringing light to the injustice of the ‘West Memphis Three’ - three men who were arrested as teenagers for the murder of three children. Jackson and Walsh helped fund the men’s legal defense.

A celebrity fetish It seems to me most celebrities do only use charity events to further their image. Take Angelina Jolie who adopts more children than she could possibly care for instead of sponsoring an entire village and providing clean drinking water, medication and education for many, as opposed to very few. Then again, I’m a socialist, so what would I know?

John Lennon singer-songwriter

The famous bed in for peace (1969). Nearly deported from the states for his anti-Vietnam activism. Songs Give Peace a Chance and Happy Christmas (War is Over).

The hype around celebrity activism also overshadows the hard work of everyday people on the front line. I’m not talking about UNICEF or Child Fund, who are on $80,000 a year plus; I’m talking about the vegans and vegetarians that stand up for animal rights every day, avoiding any commodities that harm animals or the environment. PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), although they have used celebrities, depend on the efforts of ordinary people to spread their message. Or think of the numerous cancer foundation street collectors who go unrecognised and unacknowledged because, let’s be honest, cancer, Alzheimer’s, autism and poverty among many others, just aren’t sexy. The list is endless. Our fetish for elitism and our worship for the rich is one reason that these issues make it onto the nightly news. The dependence on celebrity endorsement has become so heavy that the hardest of issues to swallow suffer because they aren’t sexy, and who wants to fight for something that isn’t sexy?

Daryl Hannah actress

Created a documentary bringing light to the injustice of the ‘West Memphis Three’ - three men who were arrested as teenagers for the murder of three children. Jackson and Walsh helped fund the men’s legal defense.

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Kony 2012:

Redefining Social Media Adam Warin Unless you’re one of those mythically fabled creatures of the night who, in the age of instant communication and social media, doesn’t have a Facebook or Twitter account, chances are that you’ve at least heard about a fella called Joseph Kony. And again, assuming you aren’t some sort of technologically deprived troll, it can be safe to say that you’ve formed an opinion around the issue. For those of you unaware, a charity group called Invisible Children recently released a short online film outlining the plight of children in Uganda at the hands of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). This militia, headed by the aforementioned Kony, has a terrible reputation of snatching children in the night and forcing them into his child armies, usually indoctrinated with the killing of their parents. Nothing kills emotions more than being forced to execute Ma and Pa, right?

Joseph Kony

Social media as political tool

Now, the Invisible Children are an organisation campaigning against Kony and his exploitive ways. They’ve set themselves a goal of capturing Kony before the end of 2012 and they’re using the expansive reach of social media to raise awareness and stimulate governmental involvement through democracy. Ambitious, no? Let me just say that I’m impressed with this campaign. It’s the first of its kind to show how social networking can be used to spread messages and involve people from all across the globe in a cause which, otherwise, they would remain ignorant towards. It’s heart-warming and impressive to see the scope and scale of this operation.

Armchair activism

However, there is a negative side. While many are involving themselves in the awareness programme, a flip side of pessimism surrounding ‘armchair activism’ has become apparent. The argument of feeling superior and self entitled for becoming emotionally invested in something after watching a short film has legitimate points, I believe. You aren’t Ghandi because you now know where Uganda is, which I can get onboard with. So where should we stand?

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OPINION

“The argument of feeling superior and self entitled for becoming emotionally invested in something after watching a short film has legitimate points, I believe. ”


“The campaign was, is and always has been about raising awareness and putting these crimes against humanity in the spotlights of society.”

There has been a lot of scepticism about the facts in the video. For example, it has recently come to light that Kony is no longer operating out of Uganda and hasn’t been for at least six years. Also, the amount of children involved in the operation according to the film was greatly embellished, with claims of over 30,000 children being used to evoke humanistic, base reactions in viewers. Not to mention the very subtle, very clever framing and editing involved in the video. I’m not on the hate train. I think it’s a noble cause and that the campaign has achieved exactly what it set out to do originally. Of course, liking a Facebook page and re-tweeting a fucking hash tag isn’t going to get anyone any closer to apprehending this war criminal. We know that. But you’re missing the point.

Awareness is key

The campaign was, is and always has been about raising awareness and putting these crimes against humanity in the spotlights of society. I have no intention of giving them any of my money. Does that make me a bad person? Possibly. But at least I’m aware of and thinking about the cause. What that achieves, I don’t know. But I’m intrigued to see how this movement unfolds. Think of the campaign as a blueprint. This is something we could very, very easily utilise for issues at home. A united front of everyday New Zealanders against child abuse or asset sales, disseminated through social networks could gain enough momentum that the government couldn’t ignore the issues. Kony2012 may just be the gateway we need to realise social media’s full potential as a catalyst for radical social change in society. If a short film about a Ugandan warlord can spread across the world in two days, igniting debate and sparking controversy globally, imagine how quickly we could change New Zealand policy with the right attitude and a decent camera?

OPINION

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Nigel Moffiet

There once was an island: climate change in the Pacific

Takuu island This was reflected throughout the film as the community constantly worked to assess their future. “This is a story that the community are telling as much as possible from the ground up. We actively chose not to put narration in. We wanted it to be their story and we felt that was very important,” says Collie.

Standing in sea water that has washed up onto the land and pointing to where her kitchen used to be, a woman from Takuu (a small, remote atoll off the east coast of Bougainville, Papua New Guinea) looks around the place she used to call home. “The

The film also captures the cruel irony that the people of Takuu are facing – that a people so remote, who live life so basically, are facing the effects of climate change more profoundly than anybody in the West where carbon emissions are at their highest.

sea has washed the place and comes inside to where I used to stay with my children. My family used to have dinner here and children used to play around here and it’s really sad to see.” There once was an Island: Te Henua e Nnoho, is a documentary by New Zealand director Briar March and producer Lyn Collie. It tells the story of the people of Takuu as they come to terms with their island’s bleak future. As the sea-level rises and the habitability of the island decreases, the people of Takuu struggle with a sense of loss – their land, their homes, their culture and their identity are all under threat.

The sound of the encroaching sea takes on an ominous presence as the people watch the tides that creep further onto the land; the salt water continually destroys crops and taro pits, often leaving the community heavily reliant on aid from Papua New Guinea when food stocks are low. Yet, the island is remote. Their only contact with the outside world is when a ship arrives from Bougainville a few times a year without a set schedule. This is the only time they can restock.

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Finding a new land? For the Polynesian people of Takuu, moving to a Melanesian province brings huge cultural challenges as they struggle to keep hold of their own traditions and heritage.

Rising sea level threat

Speaking at the Pacific Media Centre last week, producer Lyn Collie says the people of Takuu (with a population of around 400) have a very good understanding of the issues involved around climate change.

Relocation is one of the biggest issues facing the people of Takuu. Papua New Guinea’s Bukka Island is one of the main prospects for resettlement, however packing up and moving on is not a simple concept.

One man, after much discussion with his family, muses that he’s being thinking a lot about the issue of moving to another country. Is it right for his family to move on to a land they have no connection with he asks? “I’ve been thinking a lot about this. Weather I’ll be going or weather I’ll be staying. I don’t know where to go at all. When I fear for the safety of my family, I have to go.” Another man worries about his future on the mainland of Papua New Guinea where life is completely different. “I’m not qualified to get a job on the mainland. I never went to college and today I very much regret it.”

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Melanesian population set to migrate in the millions. Lyn Collie, Taberannang Korauaba, Henry Yamo But he reluctantly faces these changes. “I like my home, it is my home. I have my own resources here. I have the sea and I have my crops but if home is going somewhere else then I will be forced to go, but I do not know where I’m going.”

“if home is going somewhere else then I will be forced to go”

Two scientists also feature in the film as they work towards helping the people of Takuu by proposing measures to lessen the impact of the rising tides. Oceanographer John Hunter and geomorphologist Scott Smithers both talk openly with the community of Takuu about bringing some simple and positive solutions to the problems faced on the island. They also worked on a report that was translated into the local language.

Smithers consults the community over the rising tides, explaining that their crops are actually 20 centimetres lower than the level of the sea. “If the level of the high tide rises by about 50 centimetres or a metre over the next century or so then the water level is going to be coming up and that is going to be a problem for crops like giant taro,” he solemnly explains. During one scene, a king tide washes through the island, wrecking homes and schools.

A sense of loss An older man reflects on the destruction days later. “I’ve always said I’m not going, I’m staying on the island until I die. But seeing what happened a couple of days ago, that changed my mind. If the people ask me to move out of this island, I’ll be one of them with my family. “I didn’t want to leave my culture and my traditions and way of life. But I have to do it for the good of my children and for the future of my children.” Speaking at the screening, Taberannang Korauaba, editor of the Kiribati Independent, praised the documentary for raising the issue of climate change and its effect on small populations throughout the Pacific. Korauaba says it is raising awareness and picks up where the media is lacking in terms of putting a microscope to such issues. The film has so far screened in over 100 festivals around the world in Africa, Europe, and the Pacific and has won a number of awards. Collie says she is encouraged that the film will also screen free to air in the US. “In May the film will screen in the United States on public broadcasting service, so that will be the biggest audience the film ever has, and certainly the US is the biggest emitter of carbon, so it’s fantastic that that’s going to happen.”

ARTICLE

Paula Te Kiri Migration from Melanesia will dramatically change the shape of many Pacific Island countries in the next fifty years says a population expert from AUT University. Pro vice-chancellor Richard Bedford says by 16.59 million Melanesians are expected to have migrated by 2050 with a huge impact on their destination countries. Bedford says Papua New Guinea will be the new destination for many migrants and may end up twice the size of New Zealand. He says other areas affected by this potential migration are Auckland, Honolulu, Los Angeles and Sydney. Bedford says another description for this large migration is the notion of “youth bulge” or a large number of young people. “It could pay off well for New Zealand if it is well planned.” Bedford says the youth bulge has been very helpful to the Korean and Singaporean economies. He says in the past, Pacific Island families came to New Zealand so that their children could get better education. Working families in the Pacific community generally use their money for school fees and the like says Bedford. But a member of the Pacific Advisory Panel to the Mayor of Auckland says migrants are usually taken when the economy is booming. Pacific advisor Sione Tuitahi says the patterns that emerged in the 1960s influx of migrants must be used to avoid any issues. He says one of the biggest trends to recognise is that people are driven to migrate in situations where smaller economies flee to bigger economies. The reasons families will migrate are for more opportunity, land or education says Tuitahi. Tuitahi says the “effects on the areas migrated to will work out similar to that in Australia where people will go for a holiday or to visit family and end up living there.”

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Level Zero

My headshots aren’t flukes Melissa Low

As a kid, I wasn’t good at sports. All those

team games you were forced to play in PE class like basketball, football, or volleyball, I felt embarrassed to participate in. I don’t know which was truly worse, the lack of height and speed that I needed for these games, or classmates finding out that my lack of height and speed made me a liability towards winning. My solution to this problem was to be in the back and always play defence, keeping my fingers crossed that everyone else who was better would handle the situation and score all the points. I guess you could say I had the same mentality towards online gaming, which prevented me from ever attempting it (unless Neopets counts as online gaming?) To me, online gaming was another way of exposing my horrific skills to a judging global audience. I had always imagined that if I ever played a very intensive online game, the hardcore gamers would spot my n00b status like steak in a dog show. Easy prey. So how did I find myself playing Steam’s number one, online multi-player game, Team Fortress 2? Well I did not truly realise what I was getting myself into. On the surface, Team Fortress 2 looks like some industrial, wild-west cartoon. But it is in fact a chaotic world of brutal violence, containing characters like annoyingly invisible spies, evil looking medics, and scary gas-maskwearing pyromaniacs. This is definitely a game that the boys are meant to dominate in (this also emphasised by the non-existent female characters to choose from.) The concept of the game is simple – two opposing teams aiming to win against the other by completing the goal. For each team, you can choose what sort of character you play such as a front-line soldier or a defence demolition man. Then once you hit go, chaos is unleashed. The first character I chose was the big, machine gun wielding “Heavy”; some sort of

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chunky Russian man with ginormous muscles. Once established, I slowly ran to the front lines, and as soon as I passed the bridge, a flurry of bullets, knives, bombs and flamethrowers fly towards me. And of course I decided the best way to defend myself from all of that was to run away like the scared little girl I truly am. This was when I realised I needed to play to my strengths. My skills of running away and hiding were perfect for the “sniper” position. Being stealthy and quiet, I could happily avoid contact from the people trying to kill me. So renewed as a sniper character, I ran up to hide in a small upstairs loft in view of the enemy base. And as I readied my character’s gun, I waited to shoot. And waited… Until suddenly, one enemy soldier ran out and I clicked the mouse with speed. “Head Shot” flashed on the screen. In my spooked and panicked reaction, I managed to kill another player by a sniper shot to their head. My boyfriend, who had been watching me play, was both surprised and amazed at what I had achieved. “I can’t believe you managed to head shot him!” Neither could I. But I did it again. And again. And again. As each enemy ran out of the base, I shot those suckers down one by one. Eventually I racked up about 15 head shot kills, and even though my team lost, I felt pretty chuffed with my result by the time the game ended. “It’s a complete fluke that you managed those kills,” boyfriend said. “It would be different if I was playing you.” You know what? A count of 15 head shots is not a fluke. I played against real online players, and even though I’m a scared little wimp when it comes to online gaming, my spooked reaction gives me great aim. So boys, bring your challenges on, because this girl will bring sniper skills and prove you wrong.

COLUMN


This day in history March 26, 1997

Helix aspersa aka Garden Snail

Perhaps the most underwhelming of all creatures, the garden snail is the senior citizen of the animal kingdom. Their top speed is one meter per-minute, they sleep all day, they eat mostly cabbage and they leave trails of dribble and excretion wherever they go. As disappointing as they are however, they possess a charm I find impossible to resist and although their figures are rather embarrassing, they have some qualities I think everybody will find attractive. It might not seem it, but the snail is the king of stamina. It’s not because they are slow either. It’s because they are awesome. When snails mate, that shit goes down for 12 solid hours. And that’s just a quickie…

Fifteen years ago today, police discovered the remains of 39 followers of the suicide cult Heaven’s Gate. Led by Marshall Applewhite (self-proclaimed messiah and publically-proclaimed dick), the cult taught gullible folk that the earth was about to be recycled. The only way to survive was to commit suicide (hold up… what?) and board a UFO that was hiding behind the Hale-Bopp comet.

Being hermaphrodites (having girl bits and boy bits), snails were for years believed to be able to mate with themselves and it was only recently proven that two snails are necessary for fertilization. The cool part is that they fertilize each other, becoming both a mother and a father in one sly move. Genius.

So in 1996, the group forked out ten grand for alien abduction insurance to cover up to 50 people (again… what?!) for the perilous journey through space. You may think coverage for 50 people was optimistic of old Marshall but astonishingly, he managed to convince 38 people of his bullshit dogma. Fortunately for them however, they made it to the spaceship after downing shots of cyanide, just in time to miss the big recycle. Marshall was praised by cynics worldwide for his valiant and inspirational efforts in cleansing the human gene pool. Well done Marshall!

Snails are also one of oldest species on the planet, believed to have evolved 600 million years ago. To put that into perspective, Homo sapiens only sorted their shit out 50,000 years ago. So next time you’re in the garden, show some respect to your friendly mucus-covered neighbour. They might be slow and dull, but I think they have a PhD in awesomeness.

HUMOUR

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Morgahna Godwin I’m not one to say “I told you so”

but that KONY thing sure did get a little weird. Public indecency?! Masturbating?! I think in the process of making KONY famous the filmmaker forgot about the possibility of making himself famous. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE the internet. Such an unfortunate situation. Whenever something goes viral, and I question its validity, I consult Tracy Morgan’s twitter feed. He’s the funniest/most sarcastic guy out there and if he ever says something serious (which is pretty much never) then you know shit’s about to go down. This is what he had to say:

The recent South by Southwest (SxSW) Music festival just ended in Austin, Texas. In attendance was our very own, Kimbra. Kimbra has drawn attention from celebrity blogger Perez Hilton, in the past, and this week she played at his SxSW showcase. He then tweeted how much he loved it. Thus, I could not pass up sharing it with you. Proud! Proud! Proud!

Perez Hilton @PerezHilton

“@kimbramusic Rock n roll!!!!!! Love you!” Think what you like of Perez, but you can’t deny that he has serious pulling power. And, in my books, he’s doing a good thing.

Hustle Man @ImTracyMorgan

“Lil Wayne look like a lost kony child.”

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And I base my skeptical KONY attitude purely on Tracy Morgan’s logic. That is the last you will hear from me on it. Word.

This week there was no escaping the Taylor Swift-ness that took over my facebook and twitter feed.

Dominic Harvey @DomHarvey

In other news, from Tracy Morgan, he always says what we’re all thinking but would probably never publicly articulate.

“#Swiftwatch Taylor dined at Mudbrick on Waiheke Island last night. Took the Fullers Ferry over, too. Thats so kiwi (and very frugal haha)”

@ImTracyMorgan

“Ghetto people are always naming their kids after stuff they cant afford: Mercedes, Bentley, Pearl, Light Bills.” I come from ghetto roots so I’m allowed to flog this one too. Please stop naming your children Mercedes, Holden or anything else of the like. 1. Because it doesn’t add anymore value to their future, and 2. Have you seen how cheap a Mercedes is these days? If you really do have no other option go for Bugatti. The other day Rhys Darby posted a tweet about being in Phoenix, Arizona.

Rhys Darby @rhysiedarby

“wow - I’m in Phoenix ARIZONA !!!”

For those of you that defied the ‘I’m too cool vibe’ and went to her concert, I am beyond jealous. Her teen demographic aside, this girl has some serious vocal abilities. The last and most compelling social media-ism comes from Katy Perry.

Katy Perry @katyperry

“Ball so hard mother F’s wanna fine meh.” If you didn’t get the Jay-Z reference in that then you should probably transport yourself back to the 60s because you’re not welcome in the present. Joking, joking. Lighten up, I like The Hollies too.

You are probably questioning why I would care about this? It’s because I too was recently in Phoenix, Arizona. I did not like it one bit. It’s a desert. As a comparison I’d say it’s like Las Vegas minus the Vegas part. Avoid going there! (sorry Phoenix). -

Morgahna is a woman on a mission. Originally from Waihi Beach, she now lives in New York City. You’ll usually find her breaking into song on the side of the road thinking she’s Jay-Z. Be jealous. Follow her on twitter @Godfasher .

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SOCIAL MEDIA



Morgahna Godwin www.thisismorgs.com

First of all, I must tell you that I’m not a big believer in telling others how they should dress. Not to get all over dramatic and what-not but

there are only really two things you, as a person, have complete control over and that is your life choices and how you present yourself. To me, how I present myself, or rather, how I dress, is a life choice. But for most, fashion and figure is something you conform to because the only other alternative is being arrested for indecent exposure. Please don’t conform! But don’t go naked and get arrested either. That’s not smart. Personally, I don’t buy many of my clothes brand new; it’s just not something I’m in to. Instead, I look at

current trends, what era they’re channeling, and how I can mould current styles around my personality. I then spend some ‘alone time’ at vintage stores trying to find garments from the period that’s being referenced. That’s how I work. It’s not a method that would apply to everyone but you have to find what works for you. If you haven’t found your fashion niche yet that’s ok. Slow your roll, I can help you. Winter is approaching and to me it’s the easiest season to dress for. What’s more, I’m in New York and I’ve just seen what trends will be surfacing in New Zealand soon. Take this just as some guidance for a lost fashion fearing soul who needs somewhere to start.

ON TREND

Chinos Chinos are going to be bigger than hoop earrings are to ghetto girls. They’ve already started appearing on trendsetters, but trust me these will change the mainstream as you know it. This applies to both girls and guys. Androgyny is in. Deal with it. I wish New Zealand had Uniqlo because it would change all of your lives. In the mean time I see Huffer have some pretty sweet chinos on offer. Huffer chinos

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FASHION


Prints ‘Loud’ prints are in. But not the leopard. For the sake of human kind please put the leopard down. Prints are exciting and they’re something that can really set you apart. Guys, check out the shirts from I Love Ugly. And girls, check out the new Stolen Girlfriend’s collection.

I Love Ugly

Earth Tones

As much as I wish this was disappearing, it’s not. I’m not really a fan of seeing the brown and maroon wardrobe that was last year’s winter. But it’s not going anywhere; it just came back, but more sophisticated.

Converse

Dust off your converse because those babies are about to do some serious damage this winter. They’re back and here to stay so long as this indie-hipster thing is still kicking ass. If you need a little introduction into the world of Converse check out kiwi blogger Katherine Lowe on www.katherineisawesome.com. She kills at converse-ing.

Statement Socks

You will notice that pants will start rolling up at the leg. This gives you a chance to pull out some crazy prints to shock yo homies. Or go with grey. Grey’s good. Not gangsta, but good.

Denim jackets

Denim is weaving it’s 80s wearing way back in to our consciousness. I’d even go as far to say we may see some serious ‘double deniming’ on the street. But that may be too far.

Stolen Girlfriend’s Club

There you go, there’s a brief round up of what’s coming this winter. However, my advice would be to ignore everything I just wrote and wear a bright yellow African patterned tunic. But that’s just me.

Get excited about getting dressed. It’s one thing you get sole control over, so take charge.

FASHION

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Your voice is a mighty tool. It’s also a multi-functional tool. You can use it to complain about uni, you can use it to congratulate your cat on its shiny coat. But most powerfully, you can use it to express your thoughts and feelings. “Wow. How profound of you.” Yes I know. That opening paragraph couldn’t have stated the obvious more blatantly if it tried. But I’m trying to make a point. My point is that aspiring Super Citizens should use their voices in any and every way they can. When an echoing uproar of well-informed, engaged people make their voice heard, the power they harness is one that can’t be drowned out by any level of cynicism or complacency. Decisions are constantly being made by local boards, councils and national governments with the aim of making our homes better places to live. Theoretically anyway. To some extent, authorities rely on the protesting voices of citizens in order to finalise the decisions they make. You see it when they a government makes a decision people aren’t happy about - when they suddenly jump over a ridiculously clear “Do Not Cross” line. You see that they generally get shut down pretty fast. That’s because of the citizen’s voice. You saw it in 2010 when the New Zealand Government made noises about mining on conservation land like Great Barrier Island. Parliament confidently cited economic gains, valuable minerals and the ever-reliable recession as reasons why mining seemed like a bright idea. Nek minnit (is that too old to use yet?), 50,000 people are marching up Queen Street bearing chants, waving signs, leaves in their hair, Robyn Malcolm with signs and all the other bits and pieces you generally see at environmental protests. “What do we want? No mining! When do we want it? NOW!” That’s what they said.

Every person who marched up Queen Street that day had taken a significant step towards becoming a Super Citizen. They had used their voice to protest against something they didn’t want to see happen. Other ways you can use your voice for good (and therefore be one step closer to Super Citizenship) 1. Take a moment – sign a petition if you agree with its cause I get as annoyed at being confronted with a clipboard on Queen Street as the next person does. But in most cases, the person shoving the clipboard in my face has good reason to. If you are confronted by a petition and you agree with the cause, you may as well sign it. It takes two seconds and you’re making the most of your entitlement to free speech. 2. Complain – you have the right! If there’s something you’re not happy about, complain about it. Even if it seems like everyone else is okay with it. The fact is by sending a letter of complaint regarding an issue of your choice, someone somewhere is registering that you are not entirely happy. That counts for something. 3. Get informed - make your voice more valuable When someone is ill-informed, no one takes their opinion seriously. Their voice can become a hindrance to their cause rather than an asset. By reading newspapers, watching current affair shows and generally being interested in what’s going on around you, you become much more knowledgeable about the world and its ways. Consequently, people will be interested in hearing what you have to say. You have a voice, and you live in a place where you’re allowed to say anything you want with it. Make the most of it. Sign petitions, attend protests and send lots of letters. Let people know if you don’t want something to change or if you’re sick of things the way they are. Make your voice heard. And now for this week’s quote to sum things up: “If the freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.” George Washington

The government watched on, gingerly stuck their hands in their pockets and shuffled awkwardly from foot to foot. Then they retreated back into the Beehive mumbling half-heartedly about plans and environmental assessments. After that, they never really mentioned it again. That protest, the biggest in New Zealand’s “living memory” according to Greenpeace, is a perfect example of voices being

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used for significant effect.

COLUMN

We have freedom of speech – its up to each and every one of us to make the very most of it.


both down-to-earth and attractive. The downside? Well, it just wasn’t an amazing piece of screenplay. The plot was predictable, the costumeset boring and the ending typical. However, if you’re looking for a barrel of laughs in a thoughtless kind of way it’s perfect - and we all know we need that kind of cinema lovin’ from time to time.

This Means War

Danielle Whitburn

With nought but facial expressions and the odd dialogue title to run with, The Artist packs an emotional punch of the likes I didn’t expect. After Valentin renounces the invention of the talkies and loses his job, the story follows his fall from grace and, honestly, if I didn’t suck it up the way I did, there could have been a few tears. The acting was flawless and despite the disadvantageous lack of an oral medium, Dujardin earned himself the Best Actor Oscar. There is just something for everyone in this film. Dujardin for the ladies, Bejo for the gents and a delightful Jack Russell for EVERYONE. What more could you ever need?

Dur: 97 mins Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Tom Hardy, and Chris Pine. Dir: Joseph McGinty Nicol.

Rating: 3/5 Two men approach the screen. Shrouded in a James Bond-esque halo of casino lights, they make their way from some obvious battle scene into the company of some luscious ladies. Wining and dining the women, they dash off to another mission - all part of their night job before they return to their everyday lives. Just another male’s tale at the cinema? Well , apparently not - the surprise is that it’s another Reese Witherspoon rom-com in disguise. Although definitely a Hollywood love story, this movie was slightly different from other Witherspoon weekenders. This Means War is a film that you could decidedly take a boyfriend to without fear of them falling asleep. Following the ageold plot of two men chasing after the same women, this new-age love triangle features guns, punch-ups and a savage attack by a dog to the face. It also shows just enough of Reese’s leg to qualify as soft-porn. Overall, it’s a good compromise for a date night at the movies, if ever you find yourself in such a relationship rut. There were also a few funny scenes to boot. The introduction of E late-night show host Chelsea Handler was a great way of maintaining the appeal to the target audience, whilst keeping it interesting. Also of note was Handler’s character’s fat and slovenly husband, who injected some reality into the film. Reese was, naturally, a great choice for such a movie, being

Bejo), a beautiful young fan who accidentally steals the show at one of Valentin’s premieres. Inspired by her experience in the limelight with Valentin, Peppy decides it’s her time to shine, auditioning as a dancer in an upcoming movie. As the silent era slowly dwindles however, so too does Valentin’s sparkle (and thus his career), but with the rise of the talkies, Peppy becomes the star Valentin inspired her to be.

The Artist

Dur: 101min Dir: Michel Hazanavicius.

Rating: 5/5 It’s nothing short of inspirational when a back-to-basics silent film has the heart to capture the imaginations of movie-goers and critics worldwide in this day and age. Described as a “love letter to cinema” by director Michel Hazanavicius, The Artist celebrates the art and beauty of simple storytelling the way it was done in the golden decade of silent films – the 1920s.

The most awarded French film of all time, The Artist deservedly cleaned up at awards nights, winning best picture at the Oscars, BAFTAs, César Awards and the Golden Globes. It goes to show that above all, the power of good storytelling alone is enough to trump high budgets, special effects, A-list celebrities and modern filmtechniques. If you’re put off by the fact that it’s black and white and silent, build a bridge to your nearest cinema and prepare yourself to be proved wrong The Artist is an absolute triumph that I would recommend to anybody. Mathew Cattin

The Artist, much like 1952’s Singin’ in the Rain, is a film about filmmakers, paying homage to the stars and the visionaries behind the silver screen. Jean Dujardin plays the role of the charming George Valentin, a shining silent film star at the peak of his career. In stumbles aptly named Peppy Miller (Bérénice

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Vessel Developed by: Strange Loop Games PC

Rating: 4/5 Strange Loop Games’ Vessel is a puzzleplatformer which is rife with headscratching moments. It is the start of a new charming series which escapes the drudgerous churn of brown and grey war-shooters like Modern Warfare 3. Colours are abound and on display in this steampunk imagining of an alternate universe. The enchanting Vessel aims to delight and please. Vessel achieves that goal tremendously. Here is a darling puzzle piece which will keep you entertained for hours and hours (depending on how quickly you understand some of the incredibly devious puzzles). You take the role of M. Arkwright, an inventor who has created liquid automatons. These automatons, called Fluros, are at the heart of the puzzles. They jump on buttons, flick switches, and even evolve for different uses. The physics involved in the use of these liquid Fluros are impressive and a lot of fun. The fluros appear cute and intriguing; they make for very amusing companions (and enemies).

breathing world. With several distinguishable areas, the colours and themes change just before you become bored of them. The fresh change in scenery keeps the pace going throughout; you really feel like a miniature man in a giant world. Little details in the background operate according to your interactions which is a great touch. The music plays a similar role by reacting to your movements, which adds notably to the immersion. The little things in this game are what help it to become a noteworthy experience. Unfortunately not all is peachy in the world of Vessel. A few niggling issues restrain it from being as elegant as it should be. The animations are a little wonky, particularly during platform sections and when using buttons or switches. It isn’t game-breaking but it makes moving around seem a bit odd and cumbersome at times. The only other problem was some inconvenient movement of the camera as it jerked between two sides of the screen interrupting the flow of gameplay. Granted this only happened once or twice but it was fairly jarring. Vessel is great to pick up and play. It is not a particularly short game, lasting somewhere between 9-10 hours, so if you’ve been feeling an aperture in your heart since Portal 2, you can’t go wrong here. With only cosmetic issues, Vessel is a tonne of ornate fun which will likely remind you of the inherent entertainment in videogames Lachlan Hornell

The diversity of liquids leads to some ingenious puzzles which delight rather than frustrate. Though some of the later puzzles are a tad formidable, you always get the sense that you can figure them out with a little more time. Despite some difficulty in the later levels, the game starts off rather lightly. In much the same vein as Portal, you are eased into the various mechanics and ideas, as the early parts of the game serve to teach you the rule-set for the rest of the adventure. The puzzles in play are excellently designed; They may keep you tied up for a good while, but when you finally solve them the sense of satisfaction is palatable. The puzzles aren’t the first thing you’ll notice though. The art design is intricate and stunning. M. Arkwright traipse through the vivid, steampunk scenery with joy. The art is a distinct combination of 2D hand-drawn textures intertwined with 3D structure and lighting. This creates a fascinating,

Alan Wake’s American Nightmare Xbox Live

Rating: 3/5 When it was released in 2010, Alan Wake earned a pretty positive response, with critics praising its spooky ambience and

excellent story. The spooky ambience I agree with – the idea of a living, malevolent dark force hounding your every move made for almost constant suspense – but I didn’t really see what all the fuss was about. The story started something excellent, but didn’t really payoff. This is one of the stronger elements of the new, standalone DLC Alan Wake story Alan Wake’s American Nightmare – the bite-size nature of downloadable games makes for a beginning, middle and end, fitting of the titular Stephen Kind-esque character. American Nightmare begins with our hero engulfed in a sea of shifting darkness, chasing his well-dressed doppelganger. After a brief struggle, Wake finds himself in the middle of nowhere, out in the American countryside. The impression given is that between the end of the original game and the events of American Nightmare, Alan has dealt with this sort of thing a couple of times already. So he sets out to do what needs to be done: changing the details of the world around him to ‘rewrite’ reality and defeat his evil other, Mr. Scratch (whose name sounds far cooler when not written down). This adventure takes Wake to three separate, open world locations, where you’ll do a number of fetch quests, punctuated by attacks from the games shadowy enemies, the ‘Taken’. Just like in the original, these guys are cloaked in a shield of moving shadow so have to be blasted with your torch’s beam before you can damage them. Unlike the original, however, the emphasis is put on combat. This is an action game, no doubt about it. Where Alan Wake was limited to guns like the hunting rifle and the odd shotgun, American Nightmare brings the military hardware – combat shotguns, assault rifles and uzis. It’s great fun, especially because of the excellent range of enemies you find yourself up against. However, the fact that you’re never really at any risk of running out of ammo means that the entire game is a little bit too easy. It doesn’t necessarily detract from the fun, but I can’t help but feel this game would have lasted more than four hours if I’d had the option of turning ammo availability down. American Nightmare manages to surpass its predecessor in one very notable way – having a defined villain, someone you actually build up an antipathy for over the course of your short adventure. It also has a number of weaknesses – aside from Alan himself, the majority of the first acting is downright atrocious, and some gaming cynics might find the nature of the game somewhat cheeky. But, hey, it’s also got a cool Twilight Zone style voice-over guy, so it’s definitely worth a play, especially because it’s only 800MS points. Spencer Dowson


Dmax File Name

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Date

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Job

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COMPENSATED R1

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Correctly identify the five differences in the two photos then circle them and drop your entry into your nearest AuSM office, or the box on the side of the red debate stands, or post to debate PO Box 6116 Wellesley St before 12pm Thursday. What’s up for grabs? Two “squawk burgers” vouchers for Velvet Burger on Fort St, Auckland CBD.

Wrath of the Titans is coming to cinemas March 29, and Warner Bros. Pictures and Debate are giving you the chance to WIN 1 of 15 double in-season pass to the film. Synopsis A decade after his heroic defeat of the monstrous Kraken, Perseus - the demigod son of Zeus —is attempting to live a quieter life as a village fisherman and the sole parent to his 10-year old son, Helius. Meanwhile, a struggle for supremacy rages between the gods and the Titans. The Titans’ strength grows stronger as Zeus’ remaining godly powers are siphoned, and hell is unleashed on earth. Enlisting the help of the warrior Queen Andromeda, Poseidon’s demigod son, Argenor and fallen god Hephaestus, Perseus bravely embarks on a treacherous quest into the underworld to rescue Zeus, overthrow the Titans and save mankind.

Starring Sam Worthington, and Liam Neeson

Name Phone # Email Campus

In Cinemas March 29

CONGRATULATIONS! to our issue 3 winner

Rating: M - CONTAINS FANTASY VIOLENCE

City Campus

Derek Lim


Coping with physical and emotional pain is something second year communications student Alana McIsaac 21, has learnt to deal with most of her life. This month is Endometriosis awareness month and McIsaac says it’s a good time to raise awareness around a disease that is easily hidden but affects one in 10 women throughout New Zealand. McIsaac has taken the cause into her own hands and has set up an Auckland Endometriosis awareness group and is looking to start up an AUT support group for women on campus. She talks to debate about the day to day challenges she faces dealing with Endometriosis

What is Endometriosis and what are its symptoms? “Endometriosis is where the tissue similar to the lining of the uterus grows in places outside the uterus where it shouldn’t be, usually in the pelvis. The disease runs in families but researchers haven’t identified the actual genes yet.It’s common for inflammation, lesions and scarring to form and it’s incredibly painful and can be quite debilitating. Irritable bowel symptoms are common with endometriosis, lower back pain and fatigue. It can affect your social life, relationships and general wellbeing. Endometriosis can also compromise fertility in some women.” How hard has it been growing up with this disease? “There’s a delay between the symptoms and the diagnoses. I was 11 when I first experienced real pain. Kids at school were bullying me saying ‘oh, you’re just faking it’. Mum and dad believed me but they didn’t realise just how bad it actually was. Mum said she knew it was bad when I was curled up on the couch, white as a ghost, with about three

or four hot water bottles, and had taken pain killers but I was still in a lot of pain. I was diagnosed when I was 19. All throughout high school and uni I’ve missed a lot of classes and a lot of lectures just because you literally can’t walk. You can’t actually get there. You get sick, you get nauseous, and you get all sorts of horrible side symptoms as well. The biggest thing for me at university was assignment deadlines. I could be completely out for a week and not be able to move and not be able to do anything and not concentrate. One exam in particular, I’m sitting there holding my stomach trying to write a two hour exam. That’s been the biggest challenge. It’s incredibly hard to get through university with no support. I’m lucky enough that all the lecturers in the communication school are extremely supportive. That’s the most important thing, to be aware of it, and if you are having a bad day let someone know about it.” Can you tell us about the work you have done raising awareness for Endometriosis sufferers? “Endometriosis New Zealand is a national charity based in Christchurch and they have sent me out resource packs. I run an Auckland chapter with five women and we hold meetings with gynaecologists, physiotherapists and nutritionists to raise awareness and to give the women who have been diagnosed more information. We hand out resources as well which have got practical guides. And we’ve just made a video with 90 seconds TV which shares the story of 10 different women in Auckland and it’s gone worldwide. Within one or two days of it being posted we had over 1000 hits. It explains in their terms how they’ve dealt with it. Miriama Kamo is one of them. She’s my total inspiration because I’d love to go into broadcasting but it’s pretty hard when you’re due to go live and you’re like ‘oh my god, I can’t breathe’. I’m looking at creating a University support group. It’s been trialled in Canterbury and we are going to trial it here to provide girls with a chance to post up on facebook , or come to a coffee meeting or get a special relaxation person to teach them how to deal with exams and stuff. There needs to be more support for girls at school, in the workplace and at university.”

debate is looking for some super interesting AUT students to profile. Do you know someone at AUT who we should profile? Is it you? Email debate@aut.ac.nz with your suggestions.

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STUDENT PROFILE


HEAT winners will recieve a $50 VESBAR bar tab.

FINAL winner will recieve recording time at Red Bull Studios, a slot at an AuSM gig in 2013 and $100 VESBAR bar tab.


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