debate issue 4, 2010

Internet and Social Media Issue

issue 4 march 2010

www.ausm.org.nz

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Issue 4 2010

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On the cover Illustration by Hayley McGehan

editor

Samantha McQueen samantha.mcqueen@aut.ac.nz

design

Nonavee Dale nonavee.dale@aut.ac.nz

sub editor

Jared Van Huenen

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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.

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Kate Campbell kate.campbell@aut.ac.nz

publisher

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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4

H

ello, my name is Samantha McQueen and I am addicted to the internet. There, I said it. I’m one of the millions of manufactured Generation Y humans.

I live for all things digital. I check Facebook 10 times a day, even if it’s just to scroll through my news feed.

I spend all day sitting on my email inbox waiting for the latest news and if it’s not deadline day, my replies vary between one and 10 minutes. I get excited when national companies like Air New Zealand “follow” me on Twitter. It’s a problem, but I’m not ashamed of my addiction to the world wide web. While some people are proud to say they are a Luddite when it comes to the internet, I embrace my digital nativeness.

Maybe it’s got something to do with the fact that when I moved to Auckland in 2007 I discovered the beauty of broadband. New Zealand broadband, but broadband none the less. It’s not that I lived in some hick town in the far South Island (I’m from Tauranga) but I was subjected to a dial up connection (in fact, I think my mum still has it). The sound it makes when it’s trying to connect to the internet still gives me nightmares and when I go home for weekends I feel it’s necessary to tweet, “leaving civilisation.

Be back Sunday”.

The internet hasn’t just possessed me though. It’s affecting the majority of New Zealand and its addicts are getting younger every day. I know at least 90 per cent of you have used the internet to put off looming assignments at least once and more than half of you will spend at least four hours a day sitting in front of a computer (as it stands, I’m spending between eight and 12). You may cry out that it’s ruining our lives because we’re constantly in front of a screen and our eyes are all turning square, but it has its good points too. It seems more people lose their inhibitions when they’re protected by a screen. Do you think every single YouTuber would perform half the stuff they do in the vlogs out on the street where real people can see? No, they wouldn’t. The feedback and views they receive from people around the globe is what gives them the confidence to continue posting videos of them doing their version of Single Ladies in a black leotard.

It’s also infiltrating the rest of our media at a rapid pace as well. Be honest here, how many of you regularly buy a newspaper and sit down and read it? The numbers are declining as more people turn to the internet to get a hit of the latest news. It has so many advantages over its printing counterpart because it can immediate upload stories as they happen. When 9/11 hit, most of you would have heard the news via the TV or the newspaper, but when news broke about Michael Jackson’s death, how did you find out? I saw it on the New Zealand Herald website, followed by numerous tweets.

Is the internet, already so depended on, going to take over completely? Watch this space.

Sam BREAKING NEWS: Holy crap! Someone just sent me Girl Guide biscuits. Renee, thank you.

RECEPTION City Campus Level 2, WC Building 921 9805 8am-5 pm Mon-Thurs 8am-3.30pm Fri North Shore Campus Level 2, AS Building 921 9949 8.30am-3pm Mon-Fri MANAGEMENT Sue Higgins General Manager 921 9999 ext 5111 sue.higgins@aut.ac.nz REPRESENTATION Veronica Ng Lam AuSM Student President 921 9999 ext 8571 vnglam@aut.ac.nz ADVOCACY Nick Buckby Liaison Manager 921 9999 ext 8379 nick.buckby@aut.ac.nz MARKETING Rebecca Williams Marketing Manager 921 9999 ext 8909 rebecca.williams@aut.ac.nz EVENTS David Victor Events Team Leader 921 9999 ext 8931 david.victor@aut.ac.nz MEDIA Samantha McQueen Publications Co-ordinator 921 9999 ext 8774 samantha.mcqueen@aut.ac.nz SPORTS Melita Martorana Sports Team Leader 921 9999 ext 7259 melita.martorana@aut.ac.nz Kate Lowden Sports Co-ordinator klowden@aut.ac.nz CLUBS Ryan Waite Clubs Development Officer 921 9999 ext 8911 ryan.waite@aut.ac.nz VESBAR Zane Chase Vesbar Manager 921 9999 ext 8378 zane.chase@aut.ac.nz For a full list of contact details plus profiles of AuSM staff and student executive visit: www.ausm.org.nz

issue 4 march 2010

www.ausm.org.nz

5

Art exhibition overlooks Maori artists

by Aimie Cronin

The absence of Maori artists at the 4th Auckland Arts Triennial has left many of its patrons questioning why the tangata whenua have been overlooked.

AUT University is a partner in the triennial that runs until 20th June.

The exhibition includes 29 artists from New Zealand and around the world.

The event has been billed by curator Natasha Conland as a forum to give “accent and discussion around what’s interesting and unique to New Zealand contemporary art.” However

some experts are disappointed that Maori are not included in the bill.

Dean of Whitecliff College Henry Symonds has condemned the lack of Maori voice in the exhibition as “yet another tragic example of New Zealand aping an international model without really looking at what is important and significant about New Zealand”.

He said the exposure generated from events such as these would be valuable to Maori artists.

Maori Language lecturer at AUT Maaki Howard claims she asked some of the organisers why there

was no Maori artwork showing and there was no response.

She says she felt “disappointed” and “bewildered” as “there are some talented Māori artists out there”.

Howard says multimedia artist Lisa Reihana is an example of a fine artist who is not showing at the event.

Reihana, whose work includes themes of indigenous identity and bi-cultural living, says that the triennial’s exclusion of Maori is “problematic and unfortunate”.

While the Maori voice is absent at the triennial, issues surrounding

racism and prejudice in Australia have been given a platform, as wellknown artist Richard Bell is among the international artists showing at the event. A dominant theme of his work is uncovering the “continuing prevalence of race-based injustice” in Australia.

AUT University Vice Chancellor Derek McCormack appeared surprised when told there were no Maori artists in the event.

He said he did not think it was a problem as he thought the idea of the event was to focus on artists from around the world.

AUT student makes a splash with new business

by Samantha McQueen

Andrew MacDonald has been a busy guy since winning almost $10,000 from the AUT Venture Fund last year.

The AUT second year business student – and avid diver – created Wetkiwi, a business which makes t-shirts aimed at New Zealand’s diving community; diving’s equivalent to surf brands like Billabong, says MacDonald.

MacDonald submitted his business plan in the middle of last year, and was chosen as one of three finalists to present his plan to a panel of judges, which involved a 10 minute presentation and a question and answer session with the judges.

In an appropriate case of timing, MacDonald

6

says he found out he won literally after he came out of the water from a spear fishing dive.

“I didn’t hear anything from about a week and I thought ‘oh no, I’ve lost it,” he says.

Since then, he has sponsored events, divers and charities, build fan pages on Facebook and launched his new website, which was built by one of the people who founded British grocery chain Tesco’s website.

While the $9500 funding from AUT has helped him a lot financially, it’s the intangible rewards he has gotten from the win that has helped WetKiwi the most.

“It’s not the money that the best thing, it’s

everything that goes with it.

“I’ve got business goals I want to set. It’s mainly about getting the brand out there and building a reputation,” MacDonald says.

Those current goals include sponsoring a new more divers and charities, getting WetKiwi into retail shops, and launching the online store section of his website; the latter which he says will be live before April 1.

MacDonald will be speaking about his experience to budding entrepreneurs at the AUT Venture Fund information session this Wednesday (March 24) at 12.15pm in WF710. For further details go to www.autventurefund.co.nz.

Akoranga students hit with backto-school parking price increase

by Linda Campbell

Students at Akoranga campus are feeling the pinch after returning to AUT and finding hourly parking prices have doubled since last year.

The parking rate has increased from 50c to $1 an hour, while students wishing to park all day now pay $5 instead of $4.

For Akoranga students, the pricing changes were an unexpected surprise after years of cheap parking.

Sport and recreation student Benjamin Miller, 20, thinks the price increases are unfair and that students should have been warned.

“It’s really annoying. We don’t have a lot of choice for parking on the shore so they can put the prices up as much as they like.

It’s only a little increase now – but what about next time?”

AUT University’s public relations director Tiffany White says the price increase will help fund improvements to the Akoranga car park this year.

Improvements will include marking car parks, surface re-sealing, upgrades to the pay and display barrier arms and increased security for the car park.

“AUT provides a substantial subsidy towards car parking and shuttle services and we’re committed to maintaining the same level of subsidised, affordable travel and parking options in 2010,” White says.

However for students such as Benjamin, the price increase was too much to swallow and they are now choosing to park for free on roads outside the university and walk to class.

Lazy students have commitment issues

by Judy Ingham

Unite campaigners are blaming a culture of apathy among students as the cause of a low sign-up rate to their on-campus unions.

Students will have seen campaigners from the workers’ union, Unite, during the last few weeks, both petitioning to raise the minimum wage to $15, and encouraging students to join Unite on Campus.

Volunteer campaigner Marcus Coverdale says many students support raising the minimum wage, but they aren’t interested in getting involved any further.

“What we’re finding is people saying ‘I don’t want to do it myself’,” Coverdale says.

Unite on Campus has had 700 sign-ups across four Auckland campuses fewer than five per cent of the student population of AUT alone.

Eric Taufa and Vani Toelau, students in the AUT School of Tourism, have both signed the petition.

Taufa is also a member of the union through his job at Hoyts.

“It’s up to you [if you want to join] but when I

heard they wanted to raise the wage I was keen.”

He says the union members at work have meetings every couple of weeks to talk about what’s going on, and thinks it’s good to have something like that on campus too.

Toelau agrees that raising the minimum wage is important, but says he’s not concerned about signing up to the union.

“I’m just laid back. I don’t really mind.”

Seasoned activist Simon Oosterman says Unite should expect a different response from students who aren’t in the workforce, but still thinks it’s important to get involved.

“Just because you’ve got an education doesn’t mean you’ll be well paid. Students need to ask themselves: what type of society do we want to live in?”

He agrees with Unite campaigners that there’s now a culture of student apathy quite different to the student activism of the past, which he says started to die out in the late 90s.

Senior Sergeant Don Stewart of the Auckland

issue 4 march 2010

police agrees.

“There doesn’t seem to be the movement,” he says.

However, he doesn’t necessarily think this is a change for the better.

“I think it’s good to see a vibrant protest. It’s good to see people stand up for what they believe in.”

Coverdale says raising the minimum wage to $15 an hour is beneficial for everyone, even students who believe they’ll be wellpaid once they have their degrees.

Campaign organiser Joe Carolan adds: “When you raise the minimum wage, you raise the bar for all wages.”

Unite on Campus is free for students and offers support and advice surrounding work issues.

Meetings are held weekly and also provide students with the opportunity to get involved with the petition.

Students interested in signing up to the union can call 0800 2 UNITE and will find information at www.unite.org.nz.

www.ausm.org.nz

Students rejected after company “googles” them

by Celeste Gorrell Anstiss

They are studious, have top marks and great communications skills – qualities which put them on the shortlist for a prestigious internship at an international PR company.

But then the company googled them… And those with public Facebook profiles were cut.

One of the caught-out communications students (who does not want to be named) says the company emailed her last week detailing information they had been able to access.

“It wasn’t that I have drunk photos or swear words on my posts – because I don’t. It was simply that it wasn’t on ‘private’. They equated this to meaning I don’t have attention to detail.”

A representative from the company (who do not want themselves or their employer to be identified) says its vital students Google their name to become aware of what is out there.

“We did not find anything illicit [on the Facebook profiles] – it is more of an attention to detail thing for us. It’s something we look

for in our applicants.”

The cut-candidates admit they had assumed their profiles were set to “private”.

“I honestly think something happened when Facebook changed its interface recently. I think all my settings reverted back to public. I would never actively put that information out there,” the communications student says.

Director of Frog Recruitment Jane Kennelly says while “googling” is common practise in the USA, it is not big in New Zealand.

“Much of the information available on the net just isn’t relevant. I think this company is being very tough, especially as the applicants were going for a junior position.”

But Miss Kennelly does add that PR students should know better, because the nature of their industry is about controlling information.

The company that did the search has a simple piece of advice to job-hunting students: “Some information is better kept private.”

Flaming Guitar just needs oxygen to rock

by Matiu Workman

Matthew Roche has shredded his way to the New Zealand Air Guitar final after winning the Northern Heat held in Leigh recently.

Roche, an 18-year-old machine operator known on stage as the Flaming Dragon, beat 10 other competitors in front of a 120-strong crowd at the Leigh Sawmill Bar. This is not the first time Roche has won this heat. He won the same one last year as well.

Despite being seen as the crowd favourite, The Flaming Dragon was sceptical about his chances. “When I heard my name I was like - mean!”

Laurence Jones, organiser of the event, says the night was a lot of fun. “I think we had a great success.

It was bigger than last year, a bigger crowd than last

year. It was a tested and tried formula that worked,” he says. Jones says Roche’s victory was because he brought the energy that wasn’t seen in anybody else.

As the youngest competitor, Roche also has his own advice for budding “airxperts”. “If you’re going to get up, don’t have second thoughts about it. Just get up on stage and let loose!”

The Air Guitar Championships are judged on skill, precision and stage presence. It is the ninth year that New Zealand has hosted its own competition.

Further heats will be held in Christchurch and Auckland, with the final to be held in Auckland on April 30 at AUT University’s Vesbar.

7

More protestors â&#x20AC;&#x153;logging onâ&#x20AC;? to get voices heard

Britomart prepares to black out for Earth Hour

Facebook groups are proving effective as a form of protest against current issues in New Zealand today, says social media commentator Simon Young.

In the last month, half a dozen groups protesting against current issues have been set up on Facebook.

The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Save Radio NZâ&#x20AC;? Facebook group made headlines last month as thousands of people joined to show their support when the government threatened cuts to Radio New Zealandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s funding.

A "Say no to Key and Whaling" group was set up after Prime Minister John Key announced that New Zealand may relax its anti-whaling stance, as well as the "Students Against Voluntary Student Membership," a group opposing the bill to make student associations voluntary.

Another recent Facebook group is opposing the proposed Wellywood sign in Wellington, "Hey, let's NOT have a â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;WELLYWOODâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; sign in Wellington," which gained 10,000 members in just 60 hours, says its creator Anthony Lander.

This group is protesting against the erection of a "Wellywood" sign set to mimic the famous Hollywood sign and promote Wellington as a film making hub. The sign will be funded by Wellington Airport and will be erected on a hill above Mirimar Wharf.

Instead of sitting at home alone, in the dark this Saturday, go along to a free event at Britomartâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Takutai Square and watch Aucklandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s skyline plunge into darkness for this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Earth Hour.

Starting at 7.30pm live kiwi music, including New Zealand artist Mel Parsons, special guests and MC Lee Plummer, a More FM radio presenter, are joining forces with the event organisers to create an evening where the public can come together and support Earth Hour.

Earth Hour is an international expression of peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s support of the fight against climate change by switching off their lights between 8.30 and 9.30pm on Saturday March 27.

by Imogen Crispe

Lander started the Facebook group because he thought the Wellywood sign was a bad idea and was upset no one had been consulted. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is not original and not funny or witty, just so lame," he

says.

The Victoria University student had no idea, though, how popular the group would be: â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was not really expecting it; it didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t cross my mind that it would get that big.â&#x20AC;?

Lander only invited a couple of people to join the group, but 12 hours later there were 1000 members. The morning after, Radio New Zealand National had picked up on the groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s swift growth and mentioned it in their daily show, Morning Report. The group now has almost 14,000 members.

Simon Kerton, a self employed business man, set up the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Say no to Key and Whalingâ&#x20AC;? group because he â&#x20AC;&#x153;got sick of shouting at the TVâ&#x20AC;?. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I got angry when I saw it on the news, the way the government just decided to do it without discussing it first,â&#x20AC;? says Kerton.

The Facebook group shows that more than 1000 people agree with him.

Kerton thinks Facebook groups are a great way to â&#x20AC;&#x153;get people talking about political issuesâ&#x20AC;? and to see if â&#x20AC;&#x153;other people have the same views as meâ&#x20AC;?.

Commentator Simon Young, director of #sy social media consultancy agrees that Facebook groups as a form of protest are â&#x20AC;&#x153;a great way to organise people quickly, as most people are on Facebookâ&#x20AC;?.

He thinks the groups are a very efficient way of protesting because they show how many people support the cause without having to go around collecting signatures.

by Jo Twyford

World Wildlife Fundâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (WWF) climate change programme manager Peter Hardstaff says Earth Hour is to show â&#x20AC;&#x153;in a symbolic wayâ&#x20AC;? that lots of individual actions can add up to â&#x20AC;&#x153;something significantâ&#x20AC;?.

A presentation about how people can make sustainable changes to their everyday lives will also be included at the event. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If everyone does small things globally, it makes such a big impact,â&#x20AC;? says Janine Jurji, one of the event organisers from Heart of the City.

She says if everyone turned off the tap while brushing their teeth, for example, it would make a big difference.

The countdown to Earth Hour will begin at 8.25pm when the Sky Towerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s light display begins.

Then at 8.30pm the Sky Tower and other buildings, including the SEE AUCKLAND PLUNGE INTO DARKNESS Langham Hotel will switch off AT TAKUTAI LAWN BRITOMART their lights.

This will be the third year the Langham has supported Earth Hour.

Communications manager Rachel Broadmore says the Langham is one of the leading environmental

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8

city fitness centre

hotels and it is important to show â&#x20AC;&#x153;support for sustainable livingâ&#x20AC;?.

The hotel will turn off most of the public lights in its lobby and restaurant and is encouraging guests to turn their room lights off.

Mr Hardstaff says global warming is an environmental issue for which there is â&#x20AC;&#x153;no silver bulletâ&#x20AC;?. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Latest science suggests things are getting worse,â&#x20AC;? he says. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Earth Hour is about helping people understand we can do something. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re prepared to do our bit, the Government should be prepared to play its part.â&#x20AC;?

Last year 1.5 million people in New Zealand participated in Earth Hour by turning off their lights, according to a Colmar Brunton poll conducted in April 2009.

This year Mr Hardstaff says he would â&#x20AC;&#x153;love the same numbers to take part, if not moreâ&#x20AC;?.

Organisers are encouraging people to bring picnics, rugs and candles to the event.

However, there will be 200 candles handed out for those who forget.

After the UN climate change conference in Copenhagen last December New Zealand committed to reducing emissions by 1020 per cent by 2020.

AUT City Fitness Centre blows out first birthday candle

by Samantha McQueen

AUT’s City Fitness Centre is celebrating its first year as an AUT owned and operated gym with new equipment, membership specials and prizes.

The centre was previously owned by the University of Auckland but was taken over by AUT early last year.

Assistant manager Amy Reeves says when they took over, there was dust more than an inch thick around the place and they have been spending the last 12 months sprucing it up.

“We’ve pretty much done a total revamp since we took over from Auckland Uni in February last year,” Reeves says.

New state of the art cardio machines arrived in a few weeks ago, complete with visual devices

and iPod docks, so you can listen to your favourite workout playlist or podcast in between lectures.

There are also virtual trainers on each machine so you can plan and track your workouts each session.

She says before the takeover, AUT’s city campus didn’t have the same kind of affordable facility students over at Akoranga campus had.

Even though the centre is still trying to create awareness to students that the centre is available, Reeves says the response from members so far has been positive.

“We’ve had really good feedback… everyone’s just loving the new equipment.”

Reeves would ultimately like to see the centre

moved to a bigger location in the future so it can accommodate more students, but for now, she’s really happy they are able to celebrate its first birthday.

“Obviously we’re just really proud we’ve made it through the year so really it’s a celebration for the staff as well as the students,” she says.

Competitions will be run at the centre throughout its “birthday week” (March 22-28), with membership specials, spot prizes and prize packs sponsored by Asics, Powerade, Horley’s and Balance given away daily.

AUT City Fitness Centre is located on the first floor of the WC building on Wellesley campus.

Cutting wages costly for youth workers

by Courtney Wilson

Young workers may face a pay cut if a new bill is passed by Parliament.

ACT MP Roger Douglas has had his bill to reintroduce youth wage rates chosen by ballot to go before the House.

This will be a reversal of the Labour Government’s decision to get rid of the youth wage of $9.00 in April 2008.

If the bill is passed, 15 to 17 year olds will receive less than minimum wage of $12.75. Unite Union national director Mike Treen says if this discussion is reintroduced it will be

going backwards.

“Achieving wage equality was a big step forward for young people,” says Treen.

AUT student Jake Dromgool, 17, says reintroducing youth rates will not encourage young people to join the workforce. A lot of youths rely on getting a “decent amount of money” to help put bread and butter on the table, he says.

In a press release, Douglas says young New Zealanders will benefit from the bill as excessive wages for youth workers are unnecessarily

Make an appointment with your future.

University Career Services 09 921 9899 | www.aut.ac.nz/careerservices

locking them out of the labour market.

Youth unemployment is currently around 25 per cent and employment for those aged 15 to 19 years decreased by around 20,000 jobs in 2009, according to Statistics New Zealand.

Treen says this increase in unemployment is because more young people are involved in study, so the proportion of young people seeking employment is smaller.

“There is no correlation between abolition of youth rates and youth

Orewa Beach Saturday 27 March

unemployment going up.”

Stephanie Leighton, 17, says young people deserve what they are getting now as the minimum wage is not very high and all her friends who want jobs have one.

“Most of my friends are on more than minimum wage already,” Leighton says.

In her view age should not determine how much money you earn.

“There will be a lot of angry youths if it does go through. We deserve what we are on now.”

FREE

Come and experience one of Hibiscus Coast’s safest and cleanest beaches. The extensive, open sandy beach flows back to the relaxed Orewa township. Take in the beachside shops and restaurants, all within a five minute walk from the beach. There are cafes and restaurants available, but you can bring your lunch with you.

registrations close: wednesday 24 march

Bag-a-Bargain Shopping Trip Saturday 24 April

Born to shop? Then the Auckland shopping experience is a must! Start off at the world famous Otara Markets where you can get all matter of cheap household products. Then we head off to Botany Downs, Auckland’s largest indoor/outdoor shopping centre with more than 170 retailers. Finally we head to DressSmart at Onehunga, where there are 70 factory outlet stores, with huge 30-70% discounts off normal retail registrations close: wednesday 21 april prices.

FREE

For more informaton or to register: www.aut.ac.nz/events/campus-events www.ausm.org.nz

9

Sports The fall and fall of Jacob Oram

by Brad Lewis I must admit it did not surprise me to see Black Cap veteran Jacob Oram hobble off the field in the first Chappell-Hadlee international two weeks ago.

Now don’t get me wrong, I was (emphasis on was) a huge Oram mark*.

If I had $1 for every time I have defended him in heated discussions with friends, I would not be in need of that very useful weekly StudyLink allowance.

I recall not that long ago when Big Jake was being compared to Christopher Cairns - he was supposed to follow in Cairns’s footsteps as our big-hitting, match-winning allrounder. Well, history will tell us the only thing Oram has in common with Cairns is an ability to get injured regularly.

A slight tongue-in-cheek comment, yes. In fact, Cairns was a match winner in big games for the Black Caps on more than one occasion. Even without the use of Cricinfo, I can recall a few of these: the Champions Trophy Final against India in 2000, the World Cup match against Australia in 1999, Brisbane 2002 against South Africa and his fantastic performances in England 1999 when New Zealand finally triumphed in a test series against the Mother Country.

Big Jake himself would struggle to recall the last time he contributed a significant performance against meaningful opposition (Bangladesh is not meaningful opposition).

Trusty resource Cricinfo.com informs me that Oram is averaging only 20 in ODI internationals in the last 18 months. These statistics would have had him dropped from an Australian state side, let alone the Baggy Greens.

The clock is ticking on what, at best, can be described as a mediocre career, especially for a player with so much ability.

Maybe the lure of a few more years in the IPL will motivate Oram enough to continue his availability for the Black Caps, and luckily for Jake, his best mate is a selector (don’t get me started on this one).

All joking aside, I do hope that the best of Oram is yet to come (injury permitting). Maybe the T20 and 50/50 world cups will be the opportunity for him to make me look like an idiot, but surely the time has come for Oram to hang up the pads.

Future stars such as Cameron Merchant and Kayne Williamson have been showing great potential in domestic cricket this summer. We can only hope that this potential is fully capitalised on, something which cannot be said about Jacob Oram. *mark is American slang for supporter or fan, for those not up with sporting lingo (Like myself – Ed.)

Tander Strikes Back

by Jonathan Camp The V8 circus returned from the Middle East double header for the first event on home soil this season – the Clipsal 500. The big question: could Jamie Whincup continue his dominance?

After winning all four races, plus an impressive Adelaide track record, it would be difficult to halt his momentum. HRT would have to play catch up big time after a disastrous start to the season. Winterbottom and Van Gisbergen, 2nd and 3rd in championship points respectively, were closing in on Jamie.

Friday’s (March 12) practice showed surprisingly good pace from Dumbrell and D’Alberto, both of which made the shootout, and recorded their career best race starts in 4th and 10th place respectively. The Kiwis made us proud with Van Gisbergen, Richards and Coulthard in the shootout. Murph was a letdown (as per usual), struggling in the bottom 10, but managed to qualify 12th. Whincup clinched pole yet again, with Tander, Winterbottom and Dumbrell rounding out the first and second row.

The first 250 km race got off to a remarkably clean start. Tander got a terrific launch and took the lead from the first corner. By the 4th lap, Bargwanna got crossed up sideways into turn one chicane, flying into the kitty litter. By lap 14, more carnage ensued, with Tim Slade falling victim to the dreaded turn eight, going sideways into the concrete barrier. The safety car came out, apparently for the first time this season! Murphy pitted at lap 25 with engine dramas - the misfire put down to a broken fuel injector, which ended his race. Bad luck plagued the Kiwis - at lap 20 Jason Richards retired with car issues, and The Giz was fighting for 3rd place when he hit the tyre bundle at turn one which broke the suspension, but safely nursed it back to the pits. He got back out and finished in

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21st place. Some intense battles occurred, not only between Tander and Courtney for the lead, but a pile up involving the likes of Johnson, Will Davison, Lowndes, and Todd Kelly. Tander brought it home for his first ever win at Adelaide, followed by Courtney and Holdsworth. Dumbrell finished an impressive 5th, and Fabian, best of the kiwis, finished 7th.

A near carbon copy of the start occurred in Sunday’s race, where Tander got another tremendous start, along with a clean first lap. Murph’s mechanical gremlins returned and put him out in lap four with a broken Watts linkage mount; a rather forgettable weekend for him. Courtney was on a hard charge through the field to contend with Tander for the lead. Frosty had a strange entry to pit lane as his car nearly stalled and after his stop he was forced to wait for traffic, dropping him to 10th. After a long safety car intervention to repair the curb at turn right, it was on for young and old for a 15 lap dash to the finish. Whincup’s tyres were nearly expired, Tander barely had the fuel to finish, and the light rain all factored in resulting in some great racing. A controversial black flag for loose panel work on Whincup’s car caused uproar, as it was from Courtney making contact, combined with the panel detaching itself anyway. Roland Dane pleaded with the officials to no avail. Jamie finished in 18th place. To be honest, it’s about time he copped a penalty, as he’s had many let-offs in the past (Townsville anyone? Punting cars off the track etc). Dumbrell finished an outstanding 5th, D’Alberto 7th, and our top Kiwi Shane in 4th place. Tander crossed the line first, closely followed by Courtney and Frosty. Let the championship battle begin...

arm greetings to another great week to my fellow AUTitans, Before I start off I wanted to congratulate Shaun Quincey (AUT business student) who rowed solo across the Tasman from Australia to New Zealand, following in the great footsteps of his father and labelling his journey as “Tasman Trespasser II”. Congratulations on such a good feat! I am sure we have many outstanding students out there with lots of different achievements so drop me an email to inform us on the great things that you are all up to!

As I sit here trying to figure out what to say to our student body, it occurs to me today that this time next year there might never be an opportunity to speak to the student body as we currently do. Some of us here are oblivious to the many issues that are surrounding the framework of a student association and sometimes many of us take our student associations for granted. We (AuSM) usually don’t pop up in your minds unless a) you’ve done something really naughty and only we can stand up for you or b) you need those annoying tickets/ passes to catch the train or ticket or c) you want double passes to all the free and cool events that we bring to you throughout the year. No matter what reason you use AuSM, my fellow Titans it is quite sad to say that we might never be the same again! Now, without getting too technical and slandering our government, I want you all to know that it is my job to inform you of the issues that are facing students of today… so here it goes! VSM (Voluntary Student Membership) might sound philosophically appealing and it might even imply that we have take your “choice” away or your right to freely associate BUT that is undeniably incorrect. At any time during your study you are allowed to opt-out of being a member of AuSM and on two grounds. The first is conscientious objection, whereby we donate your membership fee to a charity. The second is financial hardship, where we reimburse your fee back to you. Therefore my AuSM (pun intended) comrades, we have not taken your choice away, nor have we violated your right to associate. If VSM does go through who will listen to one voice compared to the 26,000 we have right now? Who will represent you when you academically stuff up? Do you think AUT staff will advocate against AUT on your behalf? No, it’s not their job to – it’s your student association’s job to do that! More so, who will provide the social activities we all know brings us together and defines the experience of student life here at AUT? Who will provide the food banks for the many of our students who struggle financially. Where will our clubs (who by the way influence the culture and inclusion of students) go and who will fund the cool Milo days? The social events? The list goes on… Many uncertain answers to the many questions, but I guess the most important question is WHAT WILL YOU DO ABOUT IT? What can you honestly say you did to help keep your student association around? We need your help guys and girls and so for that I have the answer and it is this: Visit our Save our Services Campaign website: http://www.saveourservices.org.nz/ & Make a submission and help fight against the Bill that will undermine the voice of our generation!

Wishing you a blessed week ahead – Ia Manuia

Veronica

Get to know your exec Kia Ora Everyone,

This year I have the great pleasure of representing you on the AuSM Executive Council as your Vice-President. After completing a fantastic year as your Disability Affairs Officer last year, I am pleased to return to another great year with you all.

Normally I would have a lot to say but VSM took your voice so we can’t represent you.

Do something about it and make a submission at saveourservices.org.nz Naku noa,

Cameron Leslie

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Clubs Week

Wellesley St

An open love letter

By N ormaJean Lee e’s perfect, doing my laundry, caring for my pet fish and even making me popsicles. It’s more than my mother ever did. I will admit that I get a little awkward when we have to shower together and tad embarrassed when he brushes my teeth, but because he’s such a huge part of me, almost 70%, I think he’s a keeper. I won’t say your age, but there are a few things I want to mention when talking about this amazing bloke on his birthday, World Water day on March 22.

The sun, sand and seagulls are nothing but a Baywatch film set without the big, blue ocean at the beach. Apart from the occasional retina scarring from Speedo wearing, the beach is definitely an obsession of the kiwi race. The ocean is not only a place of swimming, toilet facility and foam noodle fight arena, it also gives the hungry hoards fish to accompany “chups”. Water also provides a safe haven from the increasing UV levels due to the ozone layer now flatting in the big city and calling itself “Auckland pollution.” Thanks for the beach, water.

Equally as fun, is life. Just another tiny matter aided by our friend water. However, don’t feel like you need to like water just because you are mostly comprised of it. Much like Lady Gaga with spandex, water makes you cool. Any badly dubbed oxy action max ad will tell you that water is helpful in eliminating body odour and stains. While a skanky smell won’t actually harm you, it will certainly make it harder to retain friends – just ask Pumba.

Aimlessly sky gazing is never quite as fun without clouds to forge into lecturers or inanimate objects that bear no actual resemblance to the

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water mass. Water is also to thank for adding the aspiration of “mermaid” to every 6 years olds answer to the question “what I want to be when I grow up.” However, eventually this dream is given up. Not just because Ariel is a red head, but the realisation of how hard it is to have a crab as a best friend. Furthermore, because I am not adverse to shameless product placement, frozen coke is a marvel of the modern world only made possible through the solidifying of our dependable friend.

Snow, Raro and melting the wicked witch of the west can all be named when considering the wonder that is to behold my friend water. It’s sad that only a few people ever get to hang out with water like this. Most will meet him, but few will like him. To the majority of the world he tastes like chemicals, full of diseases like cholera or dresses up in green and mistaken for poison ivy Uma Thurman. This doesn’t deter people though, because many are willing walk for miles to have even a little bit.

Water isn’t the selfish type; there is certainly enough to go around, but I guess some people like him more than others. In fact people like you and I like him so much, we will use 9 litres of water to flush our toilets just once. I do, however, want everyone to have a friend as amazing as water so I’m going to share. Admittedly, I will miss him when I have shorter showers and I don’t let him play with the garden sprinklers anymore, but I figure I’ll let him make some new friends.

So water, have a great birthday this month. I am so thankful that I have got to know the healthy, clean, clear you. I just wish everyone did.

How to conquer that creme egg craving

by Alicia Crocket It’s that time of year: Girl Guide biscuits are for sale and Easter eggs are crammed onto supermarket shelves like bogans in a mosh pit.

If you’re anything like me, this time of year is torture. Not only do I have to resist the urge to see how many creme eggs I can fit into my mouth, I simply can’t keep up with the exercise required to balance all those treats I want to chow down on. In an ideal world chocolate would be cheap and good for you in large quantities but alas it’s not to be! So it’s time to start working out how to conquer that creme egg craving.

Now that Cadbury is making creme eggs in the UK rather than NZ it is a little easier to resist the urge to splurge, the chocolate just doesn’t seem the same. I’m sure by next year I’ll be used to the new taste, so it’s only a temporary solution, but I’ll take it!

If you’re anything like me and a total slave to the 3pm sugar drop/ chocolate craving my advice to you is to be forewarned and forearmed. Keep a chocolaty muesli bar in your bag for those moments where chocolate seems to be the only thing that will keep you going. Try eating sweet things S-L-OW-L-Y rather than scoffing them because you’re more likely to enjoy the taste and feel satisfied.

If you’re at uni, wishing you had a creme egg in your hand (or mouth), try getting up and go buy a piece of fruit from a campus cafe. At 60c a piece, it’s cheaper than supermarket prices. It may sound farfetched but you never know: a small stroll and a sweet crunchy apple might distract you from your craving, or at the very least keep you to one egg rather than two or three.

If you’re at home it’s a bit easier to resist the chocolate urge. My cure for chocolate cravings at the moment is popcorn. I buy kernels for a ridiculously cheap price in the bulk bins and heat one tablespoon of oil in a pot, add two tablespoons of kernels and when they start to pop, put on the lid and shake that sucker until the corn is all popped. Add a sprinkle of salt and you’ve got an cheap, comforting and filling afternoon snack.

My last piece of advice is that buying a four pack of creme eggs and relying on will-power to not eat them all at once is like saying, “I’ll never drink again” the morning after. It simply doesn’t work unless you have superhuman will-power. So just buy one at a time and you and your waistline will be better off.

Lemon chicken stir-fry on ginger steamed rice Serves 4. Gluten free. Dairy free.

Stir-fry sauce 1 clove OR 1 teaspoon of garlic minced 4 drops of sesame oil 1 tablespoon oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon soy sauce Directions

This lemon chicken stir-fry recipe came about one day when I’d spent all my money and only had some chicken and vegetables in my fridge, and some lemons on the tree outside. I thought it would be really average but I was completely wrong, it was great! I’ve recently started teaming it up with steamed ginger rice which was in the latest Cuisine. The subtle flavour of the rice goes perfectly with this chicken and doesn’t add much to the cost. This dish is great for lunch the next day hot or cold. Enjoy!

Ingredients 3 - 4 cups of chopped stir-fry veges – fresh or frozen 300g chicken breasts, skin removed, thinly sliced 2 cloves OR 2 teaspoons of garlic minced 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice 6 drops soy sauce 1 tablespoon cornflour (make sure it’s maize cornflour for gluten free)

1 Prepare all the vegetables and separate them into different bowls depending on how long they need to cook for.

2 Mix up the first measure of lemon juice, soy sauce, the garlic and the cornflour and marinate the chicken for approximately 5 – 10 minutes while you’re starting the rice.

3 Heat the oil, ginger, garlic and spring onions for the rice in a saucepan until soft.

4 Add the rice and stir for about a minute before adding the water.

5 Bring to the boil, turn the temperature to low or off, put the lid on and leave to cook for 10 – 15 minutes until all the water is absorbed.

6 Heat another tablespoon of oil in a fry pan; cook the chicken quickly until white.

7 Remove from pan and put aside.

8 Stir-fry until they are beginning to go soft, add the rest of the vegetables and stir until almost cooked.

9 Add soy sauce, lemon juice and chicken and cook until hot.

10 Serve on rice.

Ginger rice 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger 1 tablespoon oil 4 spring onions, chopped 2 cloves OR 2 teaspoons garlic minced 1 ½ cups long grain rice 2 ½ cups water issue 4 march 2010

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The Beauty of Boredom `

By Kristen Hall The story is all too sadly familiar, it is mid-November, and thousands of newly uni- free students wander back to their hometowns practically foaming at the prospect of a sun-soaked, adventure-packed 4 month piss up. Said students are then further delighted to find that thanks to our friend the recession, jobs are as rare as a hot ginger and thus have no choice but to sit back, let their mums cook dinner and enjoy even less responsibility than they had at uni.

Bliss.

But then the boredom hits, it dawns on you that you have caught up with everyone that needed to be caught up with, filched as much money out of your parents as legally possible, finished all your ‘Who needs a job I’m doing a mosaic’-esque holiday projects and suddenly, like a particularly sinister sea monkey, your holidays are magically transformed over night into one long monotonous routine of nothingness.

I had a job these holidays. I worked at a hedge maze. My (limited) interaction with other humans usually went like this: “So it’s like one of those horror mazes with chainsaws and dwarfs with syringes and shit?”

“Nope, it’s just a hedge.”

“So what do you do?”

“Um, you find your way to the centre…. and then you come back.”

“Is it free?”

“No, it’s ludicrously overpriced in order to exploit rich foreigners with too much money and not enough to do.”

“What else is there?”

“You can pat the bunnies if you want…….and we have swing ball.”

“Oh” (Exeunt) Unsurprisingly, many of my days at the maze were spent completely alone in a little white box. I had nothing to complain about, the little white box was very nice, I had an excellent view if I squinted my left eye so I couldn’t see the portaloos and I quite like bunnies, especially for $13 an hour. I was even allowed a fizzy from the chilly bin on hot days and I didn’t have to pay for it.

But it wasn’t the maze that bothered me. It was me. I realised after a 8 hour shift with no customers and a bald patch on my arm where I’d picked

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all the hairs out, that I am not very much fun. I tried to keep myself busy, reading books, painting, trimming the shrubs into nice lollipop shapes with craft scissors but in the end I was still just hanging out with myself.

And it was dumb.

When customers did eventually come, my need for conversation was so overwhelming that I found myself talking to a woman from Otaki for 40 minutes about her dairy farm and the benefits of homeschooling. I know nothing about dairy farming, don’t know where Otaki is and have traditionally considered homeschooling to be a breeding ground for antisocial weirdos and the biggest punishment one can inflict on their child other than veganism. But I listened, and I listened good. My listening was so good she tried to give me a list of her dairy farming contacts and I almost accepted. If they had a phone and a functioning voice box I was keen.

And that was when I realised that boredom is kind of cool. Boredom transforms the woman from Otaki, the sweet little wrinklies celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary and the guy who comes to clean out the portaloos on Wednesdays into the most fascinating people you have ever met in your life. They save your day and quite possibly your sanity. They make you smile.

After a few weeks at the maze I started to change, I organised lunches and dinners and trips instead of waiting for the invite to come to me. I said hello to strangers. I started texting my mum. My cheeriness around people could have rivalled that of a Chrisco/Briscoes lady hybrid.

My job drove me crazy at times. It was unchallenging to the point where I thought my brain was going to melt and leak out my ears. It was responsible for hay fever and crankiness and a bald patch on my arm that still hasn’t grown back; but despite all that, it was entirely worth it.

Boredom is an absolute necessity because of its unparalleled ability to make you love people and keep your ego in check. I can guarantee that even Kanye would find after a week at my job, that he is perhaps not that awesome after all. He would develop an unusual interest in dairy farming.

These holidays I drank a lot of free fizzy, I got a stripy tan from the window panes in the box and I confided more in the bunnies than I do most of my friends. These holidays I learnt the complete and glorious beauty of boredom. I hope that all of you get the chance to do the same.

The Idea of America “There’s nothing wrong with a little drink!”

Interview with Katie Montgomerie Jude, a failed actress battling dementia, seems to think she’s a lot more famous than she actually is. Between playing mother and struggling with her illness, she escapes into a world of sequins, air-kisses and grand sweeping entrances. Amongst all of this her conservative and bigoted daughter, Holly, returns to the fold. Youngest Maureen, and secretive older brother Sean, greet her warily. As things turn from bad to worse, the comically dysfunctional siblings must unite in a common cause.

The Idea of America is an original play written by Sam Shore, an Auckland playwright who finished his Graduate Diploma in Writing for Theatre in 2009. The piece was first performed last year and was then approached by the Basement theatre and other theatres around the country for a nationwide tour. The Idea of America features acclaimed actor Michelle Hine (who will also be in the new season of Go Girls,) screen actress Jocelyn Christian (who will be in the new television series Bogan Brothers,) Unitec graduates Isla Adamson (Ruby Tuesday,) Andrew Ford (History Boys) and Joel Herbert (Office Xmas Party) and current Unitec student, Ciarin Smith (Love Play). I spoke to the cast and writer/director Sam Shore about the challenges and triumphs of The Idea of America and what the play is all about.

What is The Idea of America all about?

Michelle Hine: I think that to a certain extent it is about the narcissism of American society, the way that it’s about self. Though Jude epitomises that each of the characters are quite narcissistic. One of the great things about the play is that the audience can find so many different perspectives. As an older woman, my friends enjoy it because of this whole thing about coming to terms with age and facing the possibility of going into a home, but then you have the young people, a gay man and an older sister who has just left her husband. I think that’s why a wide range of audiences love it.

Ciarin Smith: One of the things I found really interesting in the play was the role of Maureen. When every other character is off dealing with their own problems, Maureen is under the radar, getting way out of her depth and every scene that she’s in she’s really saying, “help me, give me answers”.

Andrew Ford: It’s about family and how the layers of secrets and resentment in a family can be all it takes for it to come crumbling down.

Sam Shore: One of the things I am drawn to is the idea of people measuring their lives against these great icons, these things they see through the media that say “this is what you should be, this is how to be a human being” and then falling short and being left feeling cheated or like they never quite made it. Even the mediocre is depicted a lot more glamorously in the American media and people are just left feeling less.

Sam, where did you get the idea to write this play?

Sam: I had this idea of a woman who hadn’t quite reached success but was convinced she had and is trying to convince us that she had. I think I’ve just always kind of had a thing for mad people, and I liked that the issue 4 march 2010

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character of Jude gave me the opportunity to just write really fabulous language into the play.

Michelle, what is it like to be working with so many of your former students?* Michelle: It’s a joy! They will beat me up if I say it’s not! It’s one of the things of our profession which is quite unusual. You may be their director and teacher but the minute you are alongside each other as actors you have to put aside any of that status stuff and you are just an actor.

How did you cast the actors in the play?

Sam: You know when you hear people read parts and you hear the voice of the character? That’s what happened here, it just fell into place. As a writer, you can write the most incredible script and it can absolutely die if it’s read by the wrong people. I really lucked out with my cast because they are just so talented. If people want to go and see really good actors and characters beautifully portrayed they should come and see it.

Michelle: One of the young women in the play, Isla Adamson, has just been voted best actor in The Fringe Festival down in Wellington which is fantastic.

Why would the Idea of America appeal to students?

Michelle: In the short season that we did last year, there were a lot of people who came that don’t usually go to a lot of theatre and they absolutely loved it. It’s very accessible, it’s funny yet also poignant and real and it feels very familiar, I think, because we watch a lot of American television. It’s also making a comment on this but not in an ‘I’m making a comment’ sort of way.

Andrew: It’s entertaining, relevant and moving and I think that if a play has those three things, then you’re onto a success.

The Idea of America is on at the Basement Theatre, lower Greys Ave, from March 23-27 at 8.30pm and they also have one matinee on Sunday, March 28 at 2pm. Tickets are $15 unwaged (aren’t we lucky to be students!), $20 waged (ahh you poor suckers who contribute to the economy) and can be booked through www.iticket.co.nz or bought at the door when you visit The Basement. So if you want to see a show that features some fantastic New Zealand actors for a bargain price, I’ll see you there!

d *Michelle is an acting tutor at Unitec’s School of Performing Arts but is taking a yearlong break this year to star in Go Girls and focus on her acting career.

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Ye Olde Internet

by Justine Bulog The internet, contrary to popular belief, did not begin with a blinding flash of light and a shattering bang, followed swiftly by the scratchy beeping of dial up. Nor did it begin in some foreign country, bearing a resemblance to pre-historic Russia. (Note to reader: Modern-day Russia also uncannily bears this resemblance).

No, it was born (after what I’m told was a long and very painful labour) in the early 1960s, in a little place I like to call America. Sweet America!

Land of the free, home of the brave, inventor of Mexicans; we owe you so much!

A group of men, (actually an inside feministic source informs me that these men’s wives actually came up with the idea, and that at least one of the so-called ‘men’ was really a woman in disguise. Go figure.), who were part of the United States Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency; a task force so top secret, so deadly and so American, that it was given its own acronym, ‘DARPA’- thus creating another new entirely nonsensical word to add to the vocab of trend-setting Americans everywhere. Try it!

“That’s so DARPA!”. Anyway, DARPA hit upon the idea of connecting their computers to share scientific and military data. This, of course, would have taken a bit of work, so the first computers connected weren’t until 1965, taking place between a computer in Massachusetts and one in California over dial-up phone lines, a system so slow and maddeningly frustrating, it is little wonder we now use broadband (which is a much better system, and now only cuts out in the Point Chev area once every few hours).

But I digress. Connecting these two computers showed that a wide spread, potentially global connection between computers was possible.

However, due to costs, the internet initially only operated on closed networks in universities and government agencies. The internet was officially brought “online” in 1969. Incidentally, it was also the last year of the 60’s, in which the world bade a sombre farewell to “hippy-ism”.

Coincidence or conspiracy? Wide spread plebeian use of the internet came with the development and introduction of email and web-browsing programmes in the swinging 90’s (swinging? rocking? I forget).

Another milestone in the history of the internet is the introduction of Google, the worlds largest search engine. Google started out as a research project in 1996 by two Stanford students, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, and if you choose to believe it, was originally nicknamed “Backrub” (formerly google.stanford.edu). It wasn’t until September 4, 1998, that Google Inc. was formally incorporated in a garage in California.

Except for its inability to locate Chuck Norris (Google won’t search for Chuck Norris because it knows you don’t find Chuck Norris, he finds you), Google can probably find you an answer to anything. Whether you looking for a website on how to pick a lock, how the internet came into existence,

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or simply “a place to have gay sex with horses” (I shit you not, someone actually searched that. No, it wasn’t me), it’s all there somewhere. Things you may think are weird and unique and happen only to you have probably been searched thousands of times over. For instance, “Why do I have green poop?” has been searched 680,000 times, “I have a large cat in my pants” (searched 841,000 times) and “Who do I have to be to make you sleep with me?” (searched 3,290,000 times). See? You really aren’t alone.

There are plenty more weirdo fish in this sea. Here’s to Google, making you feel more connected, yet less special at the same time.

Over time the internet has spread, and grown, until it’s become the lovable, obese monstrosity that we know it as today. A place where you can research, chat, and entertain yourself with a whole variety of new games, videos and facts, and only the most out-of-date of us are still sitting at home lint-rolling our cats (for which, I might add, the ungracious old hag has never forgiven me. Obviously she has never heard the term “root of the problem”). These technophobes could be thought of as what a dear friend of mine (who shall only be identified here as M) infamously likes to refer to as “not quite the sharpest forks in the tool” (Don’t ask, because I don’t know).

So, you see children, you learn something new everyday. But I, of course, am far ahead of you, having learnt FOUR new things today:

1) Cats have long memories 2) Cats (usually large ones) are commonly found down pants 3) Forks are sharper than tools, and the former exists inside the latter 4) The internet has crept into our lives and into our hearts and we can’t imagine life without it

As the wise philosopher Pinocchio famously said (or perhaps it was Groucho Marx): “I once shot an elephant in my pajamas, how he got in my pyjamas I’ll never know”.

Goodnight!

HACKED.

By Brittany Sisam

Computers scare me. The internet terrifies me.

Any survey or questionnaire asking for my email address sends a tiny shiver down my spine. I know what you must be thinking…this fear is completely irrational… She’s nuts... Unfortunately, my fear is based on experience. It’s based on my personal encounter with an expert and evil computer hacker.

Week 1: Coming home exhausted from another full day of uni, which was roughly three hours long, I plonk myself down on my bed and open up my beloved Macbook to check my emails and the ever-interesting Facebook.

However, this time is different. When I type my password into the Facebook home page an angry red ‘incorrect password’ box pops up. After attempting to sign in a few more times I give up and head to the kitchen to contemplate an afternoon feed, thinking it is a Facebook screw-up and I’ll try again later.

This is when all hell breaks loose.

A text from a friends asking if someone else has been on my Facebook triggers alarm bells. When I receive a few more texts the alarm bells become sirens and I use my sister’s log in to check what’s going on. As soon as I see my page it becomes obvious, I have a hacker.

He begins by changing my Facebook status update to some disturbing derogatory statement. Next he changes my profile picture to a picture of Snoop Dog smoking weed. Lets get this straight…I am not a Snoop Dog fan. Trying to get access to my account, I request a new password, but the hacker has changed the email address so I no longer have any connection to my Facebook. This is not good.

He then decides he likes the idea of Facebook chat, and begins conversations with people, pretending to be me.

He creates a hate group specifically targeting people from my friends list. It includes statements like: All of you people whining about your day on Facebook, no-one gives a f***. Especially you, Sarah Jones. He invites everyone to join the group.

The hacker comments on many of my friends’ photos, saying rude things about outfits, specific people and stuff I can’t even bring myself to repeat.

This is all in the space of a day and soon I am so worked up I report my account as hacked and request it to be deleted. However, the hacker decides he has had enough, gives me the password and allows me to change the account back to my email address.

I believe it to be over, clean up my page, change my password to something completely random and go to bed utterly exhausted.

Week 2: My Facebook had been safe for almost a week and with my password changed I feel confident I am free of the hacker. I am definitely wrong.

It turns out the hacker has complete access to my email account. Not only can he change the password to my Facebook any time he wants, but he can also read all of my personal emails. With a best friend living overseas those emails contain my life.

The hacker is back to his old tricks, proud of himself for lulling me into a false sense of security and creating status updates like: You thought you could get rid of me but I am here to stay mother-f*****! The profile picture is now one of Kanye West.

He creates another group, this time advising people to protect themselves against hackers, taunting me for my stupidity.

He shares the personal details of my emails with anyone who will listen and puts up disgusting pictures of faeces, visible on everyone’s homepage. issue 4 march 2010

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My privacy is completely invaded and I receive no reply from the people at Facebook.

Week 3: The hacker has had full access to my account for over a week, continuing with his disturbing antics. I clear out my email address and stop using my Mac, still with no idea how he managed to hack my accounts.

But how could I expect him to stop at Facebook? Checking my emails for a reply from the Facebook staff I spot an email from TradeMe. I don’t often sell or buy online so I open it, concerned. “Congratulations on winning this auction, please contact the seller to complete the trade.”

With my mind whirling I open up Trademe and follow the links to see what I have bought… As soon as it pops up the blood drains from my face and I freeze. I am the winner of a $200,000 aeroplane.

Instead of continuing to go into details about my complete and utter invasion of privacy I am going to tell you why I shared my story. I want to prevent anyone else being subject to this kind of identity theft and privacy violation. I don’t see my fear of the internet as bad because hopefully it will stop this ever happening to me again, and I advise you to be extremely wary.

The hacker had access to my computer and with that all of the passwords I had asked my Mac to “remember” in order to save time when logging in. He even claimed to have access to my internet banking.

After getting my Mac kitted out with antiviral software, and getting a new email address and Facebook page with intense security settings I now know how to keep safe on the internet.

These seven techniques may be obvious but if I had followed them I may not have been hacked, so I’m going to state them anyway: 1. Install antivirus software onto your computer and/or laptop, even on Mac computers.

2. Never allow your computer to “remember” passwords, especially for sites you don’t know, and always log off when finished.

3. Don’t give any personal details over the phone, particularly not about your bank accounts.

4. If you receive an email asking for Facebook password confirmation, delete it immediately as this is a hacking scam.

5. Don’t share your passwords with anyone, especially not online as anyone could be watching.

6. Don’t join groups or complete quizzes on Facebook that ask for details about you or your account, this is another way Facebook accounts are hacked.

7. Use different passwords for all internet accounts and not ones that people can guess or generate easily.

The internet is a scary place, and although I never found out who my hacker was he claimed to be living in the U.K, so no matter where you are it can happen. Moral of the story is be safe on the computer and don’t live by the “it won’t happen to me” strategy… because trust me, it just might.

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TV Online Why do we download? o you've watched the latest episode of Gossip Girl, or you're catching up on this week's plot-thickening hour of Lost, but you're not watching it on a television screen. Instead, you turn to your laptop. You've opted for the torrent or stream option so many of us choose these days, simply for convenience or the ability to instantly find out who is dating who in the Upper East Side this week. But how is this affecting television viewership and networks, as well as the production companies who produce the TV shows themselves? And why do people download television onto their computers instead of lounging in front of the television on a Sunday afternoon? All questions I will attempt to answer for you, as I don my investigation cap.

It's the norm these days to find alternate ways to watch your favourite TV show, but who says we, the viewers, are to blame for this decision? Let's face it; accessing television shows in New Zealand is so difficult and limited, that of course people are going to do what they want to make sure they get to watch their favourite programs.

Let's take Gossip Girl, for example. Back in 2008, Gossip Girl was one of the biggest, most popular shows around.

It was the talk of the town, everyone knew what you meant when you said “GG”, but it's not because it was watched on television. Online viewership increased, while ratings for the television show went down and there was nothing The CW (the network Gossip Girl showed on) could do about it.

The CW pulled Gossip Girl episodes from their website, CW.com, in an attempt to push viewers to watching the show on television, but this had a backward effect. Illegal viewership online increased by 45 per cent, according to figures released, meaning that no matter what programmers did, or do today, people will still watch online and it's not the consumer that should necessarily be blamed.

Tenani French, the lovely Suggestions writer for debate and fellow AUT student, is an avid TV show watcher, being a fan of Glee, Weeds, True Blood, Skins, Desperate Housewives and Lost, and finds that the convenience of downloading these shows is what is most appealing.

"It's a lot more convenient than watching on TV. You can watch any time you like, and fit TV around your schedule, instead of living around a TV schedule."

Professor Henry Jenkins of Southern California says "privacy often reflects market failures on the part of producers rather than moral failures on the part of consumers". I apologise for the academia there, but what this guy is saying is that it's not your fault – the person watching a TV show – that

you choose to download television, but it's the constricting rules placed on you by broadcasters and people who create television shows that pushes us to download.

A more recent example, that I know had me majorly pissed off, was when TVNZ promised to broadcast the latest, and final, season of Lost just six hours after initial broadcast in the states. Lost fan boys everywhere basically wet themselves, knowing they would be able to watch the last season of Lost on their shiny plasmas and not have to wait as long as they had in the past.

However, before you applaud TVNZ, if you're a true Lost fan you'll notice that New Zealand is in fact a week behind. But didn't TVNZ promise to play Lost mere hours after initial broadcast? Yes, well when you're the big state broadcaster, it seems you can do what you like. TVNZ missed out on potential huge ratings and advertising (isn't that what they want?!) as well as letting down the Kiwi Lost fans.

Some shows have benefited from the huge surge in torrenting, however.

Glee, the musical television show based around high school kids in show choir has found huge success from online downloads. As well as the TV show, there are songs and behind the scenes clips to download and share with your friends. This is a great example of TV producers actually taking the power of the internet seriously and using it to their advantage. As a result, Glee is one of the biggest shows of last year and will continue to be huge this year.

Do people still watch television? Yeah, but not as religiously as was the norm 10 years ago.

I watch the news each night and any trashy reality TV shows that are on, but basically I’ll watch TV if I’m sitting in front of it, and I think the same would go for others.

But what is the future of television? Will people watch TV shows online more instead of the box?

It seems inevitable that television and the internet will fully integrate, as seen through services such as Hulu and YouTube, who already host and stream television shows, and more locally with TVNZ on demand. The main point is that broadcasters need to wake up to the fact they're not just letting themselves down, but the audience as well and that will end up pushing people away from television altogether.

Do people still watch television? Yeah, but not as religiously as was the norm 10 years ago.

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A Twitter Wedding

by Jess Cann

When you think of the word “wedding”, images of flowing, white dresses and veils, never-ending tables of food and expensive photographers spring to mind. All of these services can be found in your Yellow Pages, ads in the newspaper or doing a quick Google search online.

This isn’t the way Pauline Stockhausen went about organising her wedding.

Pauline decided to use businesses that use social media to organise her own.

Pauline Stockhausen has used social networking site Twitter since February 2008 and has found many lasting friendships and bonds while using the site. It was only natural that when she and her partner, Jason, decided to get married she instantly knew she wanted to use companies she knew from Twitter.

“I felt it would be disloyal to choose a company with a listing in a traditional place like the Yellow pages,” she says.

The micro-blogging website Twitter was founded in 2006 and has since rapidly increased in size and popularity. New Zealanders from all around the country have logged on and become active in discussion and made new friends from simple “tweets”. Businesses, in particular, have found it as a great communication tool between business and customer, some saying their business has improved because of it.

“Given the ‘real time’ nature of Twitter, I received instant feedback on my ideas and vision for the wedding. The companies were very responsive; exchanging ideas, prices and information needed to organise a wedding and stay on budget,” says Pauline.

Pauline found that the more she interacted with people on Twitter, the more opportunities fell into her lap, such as the Waiwera Thermal Resort offering to host the wedding reception, as well as giving her a whole-body makeover. She also became friends with Jayson Kingsbeer, a professional photographer from Gisborne who took the wedding snaps, as well as the people at Best Blooms from West Auckland who arranged all the flowers for her wedding.

So is social media a viable option for organising events? Simon Young, Director of #sy social media consultancy in Auckland believes so.

“It’s efficient, it’s not a time waster. You can communicate to a lot of people at once. Sometimes it’s really fast; you put a question out there and get speedy replies,” Young says.

The added benefit for companies on Twitter is that it’s free and unobtrusive advertising space, as Twitter is basically a word-of-mouth outlet. People can recommend services, food, places and people to their followers, so supporting Pauline’s wedding is not only a nice thing to do, but businesses received a lot of positive feedback about their contributions.

“The companies using Twitter are dedicated to providing a good customer experience and building good worth of mouth in a way that’s gained through a personal touch. If I talk to an advertisement in the Yellow pages, unfortunately, it doesn’t talk back,” Pauline says.

Tweet Ups: The future “group hang”

by Jess Cann Twitter gripped the nation last year, as people became fascinated with the thought of “following” someone. Celebrities jumped on the bandwagon, adding even more speed to an already huge snowball. Ashton Kutcher, Lily Allen, Pink, Lady GaGa, as well as New Zealand “celebrities” (if we have any) such as the Prime Minister and that guy Drew from C4 all jumped online – and on their phones – to tell their followers what they were eating for dinner. But what people didn’t realise was what happens past Twitter? What friendships carry over into real life and what do you do then?

This is where “Tweet Ups” come in. Before you bag it and say, “oh stupid internet stuff, it’s not real life”, you’ll find you’re sorely mistaken.

Tweet Ups go hand-in-hand with your tweeting experience, allowing you the opportunity to put a face to the tweet.

Meeting people in person is a great way to solidify relationships and contacts you may have begun online, allowing you to work at them offline, especially when you grab their number for future texting reference.

So what exactly is a Tweet Up, you ask? It’s basically a get together of many different people who use Twitter, for a few drinks, some food

and some good discussion. It’s just like an after-work drinks session, but with no strings attached, and you’re free to come and go as you please.

A Tweet Up can be held anywhere, as long as people know where it is.

There are people wanting to go and no one feels scared because they’re meeting people from the internet.

In my experience, Tweet Ups are great fun. I’ve been using Twitter for more than two years, but have only started attending Tweet Ups in the last six months. I’ve been to places I’d known exist but had never been, such as Elliot Stables in the CBD, met people on Twitter who are now great friends of mine and received a lot of free stuff. No, they are not creepers like you’d expect; you only get creepers if you go on that Zoosk application on Facebook, or whatever it’s called.

So if you’re a bit more adventurous than most and want to see what it’s like to meet others who use Twitter, come along to the next Tweet Up. You can do this by simply Googling ‘Auckland tweetup 2010’ and you may find that a tweet up is happening near you!

Before you bag it and say, “oh stupid internet stuff, it’s not real life”, you’ll find you’re sorely mistaken.

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A World Apart: From real life to Second Life

by Jared Van Huenen

We all know about The Sims. Created by Maxis in 2000, The Sims (stemming from ‘simulation’) was the first game to give users/players control over a digital human being and their family.

From getting a job, to falling in love, The Sims enables everyday people to do whatever they want. Since 2000, seven versions of the game have been released and it has become the single most successful PC game in history. Long story short, give humans a chance to play out their fantasies digitally and we will froth at the mouth.

In 2003, Californian company Linden Labs developed a similar game called Second Life. Second Life, however, was online only – and free. As of two months ago, there are 18 There are, in fact, Second Life million registered Second Life millionaires. These are people who accounts. Fair to have formed businesses selling say that people Second Life items that they’ve think it’s pretty cool. created, renting out property or Second Life is (this sounds ridiculous) becoming so sophisticated and in-depth property developers. that it’s near impossible to explain without the help of the promo video on their website (secondlife. com). It’s basically where you can pretend to look and act however you wish you could in your real life. You meet people, chat (via text, instant messaging or voice chat) and form relationships inside a massive 3D world.

Second Life is unique from most online games as it is hugely affected by user submitted content. In other words, the people who use it can design stuff within it – including the creation of objects and buildings, as well as altering the environment of the world.

Second Life has, over time, grown into a world that both matches the real world and in some aspects, exceeds it to a more fantastical/ fictional level. There are Second Life businesses, which operate inside the SL economy, which uses the Linden dollar ($L) as its currency. You can buy $L with your real money (which is where they start to reap the rewards) and use it to buy or rent property, go out on the town or buy new wallpaper for the bathroom.

There are, in fact, Second Life millionaires. These are people who have formed businesses selling Second Life items that they’ve created, renting

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out property or (this sounds ridiculous) becoming property developers.

These people have used their initial investment to become real – life millionaires. You have to be a premium member to purchase land, which carries a US$10 per month fee. Want to design a private island with a mansion and strippers and cocaine (without the strippers and cocaine)? $US295 a month. Mental.

As you can imagine, Second Life addiction has become a problem over the last six years. There are literally thousands of bloggers on online gaming addiction sites who say Second Life has become their first life.

Here’s a wee story you may find interesting: In 2003, Amy Taylor met David Pollard online and began “hanging out” in the Second Life world. Soon after, they met up in real life and married each other (they got married in Second Life too). Taylor had her suspicions however, that Pollard was cheating on her in their second lives. In 2007 Taylor caught Pollard’s avatar having sex with a Second Life prostitute. Pollard begged for forgiveness and their marriage continued, but (get this) Taylor hired a virtual private investigator to monitor his virtual actions. She found him cuddling with another girl on a Second Life couch in 2008, and promptly divorced him in both worlds. Taylor is now in another relationship with a nice chap she met playing World of Warcraft.

If you’ve seen the Gerard Butler film The Gamer you’ll be thinking “Holy shit is that actually real?” and while it’s not as immersive in real life, we’re headed along the same path. Can you imagine what it would be like if virtual reality technology was advanced enough for us to actually She found him cuddling with live in another world? another girl on a Second Life Pretty soon we’d be living couch in 2008, and promptly inside the Matrix.

The sad thing is that divorced him in both worlds. some people would prefer that. What does it say about our society when there are people who would rather live in a made-up world with fake family and friends than actually live in their own lives?

We haven’t had much exposure to Second Life in New Zealand and I think (in general) our culture would reject it. Despite that, it’s a site that’s gone from nowhere to 18 million users in six years. Surely it can only be a matter of time before the sad and the lonely among us find solace in unreality.

Scan This!

A commentary column on technology and social media

by Robert Frittmann

Just asking to be robbed.

According to my Twitter feed, on February 23, 2010 at 7:37pm I replaced Tenani French as the new Mayor of the AUT City Library. I also became the Mayor of the Hub Cafe on March 3, and of the SCIS Open Lab in WX303 on March 9. My loyal subjects, you may therefore refer to me as “Your Worship”. Haha! I see that Tenani still holds the mayoral chains for Hikuwai Plaza itself, but I intend to knock him off his perch there too! As I write this article, I’m sitting in the Plaza, chasing off some of Tenani’s constituents – that is, the pigeons and sparrows.

In case you were wondering, I’m talking about Foursquare (http:// foursquare.com): a website that turns the new GPS-enabled technology in devices like iPhones into a game, and brings computer geeks out from behind their desks and into the real world, interacting with real people.

Not that I’m calling Tenani a geek, mind you, (I have not met him in person yet), but I’m quite proud to be thought of as a geek myself. I’m a first-year BCIS student, intending to major in networking and security.

Not only can you use Foursquare to “check in” at your present location, but you can also make recommendations of things to see and do when visiting a venue, add other people’s suggestions to your “to do list”, and then complete them later on a subsequent visit. The person with the most check in’s at a specific location gets to be the Mayor of that venue, but that often doesn’t last long. Some social media savvy venues even offer special deals to the current Mayor when he/she visits (hint: I enjoy your chocolate muffins, Hub Cafe).

Similar in nature to BrightKite, Gowalla, and Loopt (amongst many others), social media critics are lauding Foursquare as the cream of the crop, and likely to even eclipse Twitter. This month Twitter fought back though, by unleashing its own location-aware API, which is at present only available to US residents. It will be an “opt-in” feature, so once we have it here in New Zealand, you can choose to tag your tweets with your geo-location information. The question is: would you really want to?

Publishing your current location online can be fun, and can help you meet up with people and do things together outdoors, away from your computer. But a recently created spoof geo-location site called PleaseRobMe (http://pleaserobme.com) was designed to remind us of the risks involved with such openness...

“The danger is publicly telling people where you are. This is because it leaves one place you’re definitely not… home. So here we are; on one end we’re leaving lights on when we’re going on a holiday, and on the other we’re telling everybody on the internet we’re not home.”

It does seem rather illogical, doesn’t it? But it happens, and is only likely to increase with new location-aware services being offered. A news story broke back in June 2009 of a podcaster, Arizona resident Israel Hyman, who actually had his home burgled after posting some tweets about his holiday in Kansas City. Was he being irresponsible? Have you ever posted your current location online?

I don’t have all the answers yet myself, but this column is intended to be a thought-provoking look at technology and social media. I had to leave the open space and cool evening air in Hikuwai Plaza and retreat to the AUT City Library to complete this column, as my netbook almost ran out of battery power. That’s my 10th check in at the library now, and I’m still definitely the Mayor here.

Entrepreneurial enterprise within the virtual fantasyscape (or “the criminal underworld”)

At first appearance, the words “virtual” and “crime” may seem oxymoronic. However, if we divulge into the etymology of these words we find that virtual comes from “virtue” which means “existing in essence”, whilst crime comes from the Latin “crimen” which is best translated as “judgment”. Actually then, virtual crime is a synonym for “non-violent” crime, which basically means “non-physical”; hence we can apply this to the realm of the fantasyscape (online world).

So how about this ethereal geography? Technically speaking, a virtual world only physically exists as a plastic case filled with electronic components, probably located somewhere in South Korea. Can we ascribe morality and regulation to pixels? No matter how we as people answer this question, corporate giants whose CEO’s are essentially the demiGod’s of virtual reality will impose sanctions upon “consumers” for the purpose of profit.

Thanks to this glorious thing called the internet, video games have stepped up a notch. Particularly the likes of online games can hardly be contrasted with the likes of Pacman, Donkey Kong, Mortal Combat or Age of Empires; classic as they may be. The interconnectedness the internet gives providence to its community, and consequently more and more online games are becoming what are best described as “community based”. The core problem this brings, as mentioned previously, is that recreational gamers have conflicting philosophy with the business administrators. And yes, philosophy extends even into the realms of the virtual.

We could focus our attention on the rather un-philanthropic phenomenon that is Facebook (more like facadebook) with the likes of Farmville. Farmville is such a subdued game, even my mother and auntie play. Again, it is best described as a “community based” game. This is because Farmville is an extensional application of Facebook, hence its original intent is social networking. This is in many ways, a diversification

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from traditional gaming (such as console gaming), where the original game design is the pudding, whilst the multi-player mode/function (if any) is the cherry on top. However when true, hardcore gamers find themselves in commune with others, the virtual overlords (corporations) are complacent in their approach.

So essentially what we have occurring here is the inevitable emergence of a desire for democracy and autonomy in an industry which has traditionally been an aristocracy; a dictatorship. The establishment of “consumer involvement”, as a businessperson would phrase it, is a relatively recent occurrence.

Back in the days of simulative games, where one game required hardware the size of a vending machine, this aristocratic approach was warranted. In contemporaneous times, the likes of MMORPG’s (Massive Multitude Online Role Playing Game) are best described as “emulation” (see: “The Matrix”). They are reflections of the real world, just as the sky is a reflection of the ocean; tough they are of similar appearance, in reality they have their subtle differences.

Similarly, although a strict physicist may tell us the only actual element of any online world is that plastic server over in South Korea… the metaphysicist is quick to point out that online worlds exist within the psychology of any and every participant. Just as it is man’s psychological nature which gives him superiority in the “real world”, this psychology does not falter in a fantasyscape; it is still present. Therefore all virtual realities are in their own subtle manner anthropological worlds, subject to the same psychological pangs and pains as “real life”.

There are many aspects to the criminal underworld of online gaming, such as scamming, gold farming/gold sweatshops, database hacking, game master corruption, botting or even kill stealing. However just as it is the corporate giants wavering the entitlements of psychological beings in favor of profit in “real life”; the same rings true for virtual life. Therefore if we are to take this pragmatic approach, an unregulated virtual industry is definitely cause for weariness; gamer or no gamer.

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Is Metacritic a better critic?

Mike Atkins gets critical about the internet (but not Gigli)

I write about music. But I'm going to digress a little from that subject here, and talk about movies. I was flipping through channels the other night when I came across a film called Gigli.

Now if that film's title means anything to you, it's probably because of the films reputation. Gigli is a famously terrible film. But Gigli is a certain particular kind of famously terrible. Gigli is not like other famously terrible films like ShowGirls, or Troll 2 - cult films that are usually referred to as â&#x20AC;&#x153;so bad it's goodâ&#x20AC;?. There'll never be a Gigli viewing party where everyone eats junk food and drinks chardon and titters at all the terrible lines of dialogue. Gigli is a film that supposedly no one would ever voluntarily subject themselves to. It's so bad, it's just bad. So obviously my curiosity was piqued.

True to that supposition, I was bored shitless by the film. It was not an enjoyable viewing experience. But here's the thing: I can't say objectively that I've never seen a worse film. I can't remember ever seeing a worse film, but Gigli was so forgettable that if I had seen a worse film, I would certainly have forgotten that too. So while I can say I did not enjoy Gigli, I cannot say that it was a bad film. It just wasn't good.

Which got me thinking: If I can't tell whether or not the famously terrible Gigli is in fact a terrible film, how can I secure in my skills as a critic?

Well, I can take comfort in the thought that I'm a music critic, not a film critic, but that's cold comfort, after all - terrible is terrible.

Now, as you may know there are no special qualifications to being a debate writer (all are welcome, hint, hint). There's nothing that objectively places my opinion above yours or anyone else's just because mine has been published. Now, there was a time when I'd be the exception that proved the rule (i.e. you could get your unqualified opinions published in a student publication, but very few places elsewhere). You could trust that everything you read was an informed opinion (informed by what was another question, but informed nonetheless).

That all changed with that series of tubes that we call the inty-nets.

Suddenly anyone could say anything, and every Joe "I have a rather impressive iTunes library" Schmo was a music critic. Now I realise that erroneous opinions about the worth of the new Vampire Weekend LP are not exactly the most pressing concern that the new media has thrown up, but it's the one that I'm concerning myself with. Damnit!

The site that's probably the most reliable is Metacritic music.

Metacritic aggregates reviews from all the established publications it can find, and gives albums an aggregate score. So for instance, the Metacritic rating of 97 that Brian Wilson's Smile has means that 97 per cent of all reviews were positive. Of course that leaves out the question of what constitutes a positive or a negative review (and can't a review be

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both positive and negative?), but it provides a good rule of thumb.

I think these broad rules of thumb are the way to go when it comes to the internet. Because if we look at the other end of the spectrum that the internet has to offer - the bastion of authoritative humanist music journalism on the internet, we see pitchfork media. We see everything that could with internet journalism go wrong. Pitchfork media is a bunch of Radiohead fans whose star rating system tells you a particular albumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sonic proximity to Radiohead's Kid A (i.e. five stars means that it is Radiohead's Kid A, four stars means it's nearly Radiohead's Kid A, and so on and so forth). As you can imagine, their review of the actual Radiohead's Kid A is priceless.

If pitchfork was an old-media institution, people would be able to choose whether to buy it or not, depending on how they felt about Radiohead. But the choice that the internet offers is so daunting, that people have a tendency to simply flock to the most popular thing (is Google really the best search engine? is YouTube really the best video website?). It's ironic that the choice that the internet offers often results in the opposite of choice; and the standard for music journalism on the net is a bunch of guys only qualified by the Radiohead fandom.

So, while the aggregation method may be flawed and lack nuance, it's much more likely to deliver you something you'll like (unless Radiohead is the greatest band in the world for you, then you'll have everything you need in pitchfork). If the internet is meant to be democratic, I say let everyone have equal say on the single most popular forums of each kind.

To close, I should mention an idea that I can't take credit for, though I cannot remember I heard it. There's a website called 8tracks.com where you get to put together little themed playlists from a library of songs that they have, and then other people can stream them. It's a lot of fun.

Last year being the end of a decade, a lot of people made "best of the 2000's" lists. If they'd aggregated those, then done the same with other such similarly themed playlists, they'd have cut out the middle-men of established publications, and formed a truly democratic forum - the sort of thing that the internet is meant to be, but very rarely is.

YouTube clips As a journalist, it’s my responsibility to keep you up-to-date on current affairs, world news and the breaking scoop. If this is what you expect to find in a top 10 list about YouTube phenomena, I’d stop reading now. But if you’re like me and love having even more excuses to put off that looming deadline, prepare to be educated.

Before I take on this digital journey, a bit of background information is needed about one of the best sites in cyberspace. While YouTube seems like it has forever been in our hearts and on our Macs, it was only created five years ago by former PayPal employees Steve Chen, Chad Hurley and Jawed Karim.

Its origins are based around a dinner party involving only Hurley and Chen, but Karim says he was the one who first pitched the idea of a video-sharing site and convinced the other two to turn it into a company. It sounds like petty bickering, but throw in internet Gods Google bearing a cheque for almost $US1.7 billion and you’ve got the famous YouTube.com.

It’s a place for people to share the mundane (or exciting) aspects of their lives with millions of viewers from around the world. There is an ever-growing list of people who used YouTube as a creative outlet and are now basking in a brighter future (current tween superstar Justin Bieber got famous from posting videos of him singing on YouTube). YouTube is currently uploading around 20 hours of new video online every minute. That’s right, in one minute you have almost a day’s worth of happy, wacky, downright disturbing and hilariously funny footage at your fingertips. It’s exhausting to think that even if you constantly watched the latest YouTube clips, you will never catch up.

Despite the plethora of videos to choose from, there is a handful (a large, Google handful?) of clips that have had millions of views and have become cult favourites around the world. No, Susan Boyle’s audition tape for Britain’s Got Talent is not one of the top 10, but it’s an example of how fast YouTube can propel someone to superstardom. I hear Boyle’s neglected her cat Pebbles since she got famous. For shame.

So without further ado, here’s the unofficial debate top 10 YouTube clips. (Note: debate takes no responsibility if you fail your next assignment because of this list.)

#10 search: this too shall pass rube OK Go always have amazing videos (remember the treadmills?) and this one is no exception. The rube is necessary because there are two videos for this song and this one, with more than eight million views, is amazing.

#5 search:

#9 search:

#4 search:

Disney mean girls This was only made two weeks ago but it’s so awesome. Someone has taken the trailer of the movie Mean Girls and dubbed it with Disney characters.

Lindsay Lohan is now The Little Mermaid.

JK wedding dance Apart from the ironic use of Chris Brown’s forever as the song they chose to walk down the aisle to, this video spread around the internet like wildfire last year. I hope my wedding is as awesome as this one day. top 60 ghetto names Two guys count down the 60 most ghetto names. Is your name on the list?

#3 search:

single ladies gone wrong Again, if you don’t like people hurting themselves then this video is not for you. Also, if you can figure out why she’s wearing the creepiest clown mask ever, email me!

#8 search: Nick Pitera a whole new world Those who haven’t seen this, prepare to be speechless. I won’t give anything away but you have to watch until at least the 1.37min mark. There are just no words.

#2 search:

#7 search: grape fall If you don’t like people hurting themselves, this video isn’t for you. For those who can’t help by laugh at other’s pain, the sound effects this news reporter makes is amazing. The action starts around the 40 second mark.

#1 search:

#6 search: Charlie bit my finger This is one of (if not the most) watched video in YouTube history. It rolls up three of my favourite things in life: babies, babies laughing and the name Charlie. So. Cute.

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evolution of dance This has had almost 140 million views since April 2006, and while it’s not as funny as some of the others on this list, it’s a good guide for how NOT to dance in town. By the minute mark I was guilty of four of those moves. total eclipse of the heart literal version I literally cry every time I watch this clip. It’s pure lyrical genius. If you haven’t seen the original music clip to this famous Bonnie Tyler song, don’t bother. This one is so much better, I promise.

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by Victor Abbott

But hey! That’s just what I think

Ok noobs: don’t look now but your resident gaming God has arrived and he brings bountiful gifts for all to enjoy. With that erratic intro out of the way, the name’s Victor and welcome to “TEH GAMER”. I’ve been gaming for as long as I’ve been able to walk.

Consoles I’ve owned include: Sega Master System, Sega Mega Drive, Playstation, Playstation 2, and more recently, the Playstation 3. I’m also a PC Gamer. Basically, I’m the guy giving you all the fantastical information you require.

So where does this lead us? Well, let us begin. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was, in my opinion, one of the best games of this generation.

Yes, maybe the storyline was a little weak and predictable, and maybe it was so generic that it got to the point where you knew the black guy was eventually going to die, and he did. But let’s be honest here people, COD4 was all about the multiplayer.

On November the 6th 2007 it was unleashed to the unsuspecting public, and was welcomed with a glorious roar of approval from the gaming community (selling over 12 million copies to date). To this day it is still being played by millions of people online. Last year the sequel to that smash hit was released, entitled Modern Warfare 2. This game was also a giganterific (it’s a word, in the dictionary of WIN) success, raking in seven million sales on its FIRST DAY. These titles were developed by a company known as Infinity Ward, and if you were to ask anyone into their War FPS games, they would know exactly who they are. Infinity Ward is a team of developers which mean they create the games, they are a company which works underneath Activision, who are the publishers and distributors of Infinity Ward (and many other development teams) games.

Because of Infinity Ward, Activision has made a heinous amount of cash. So it would be safe to assume that they would want to do everything in their power to keep Infinity Ward around. Or so you would think. Recently there has been a struggle between Activision and the two heads of Infinity Ward Vince Zampella and Jason West which has ended up in the sacking of both men and a hefty lawsuit. Why? You may ask. Well little nooblets, it is quite simple. Basically, they wanted to dabble in other areas of gaming and started talking to other publishers (it was rumoured that they had had meetings with EA, another giant in the gaming world) about supposedly a futuristic shooter or a different game entirely. However upon hearing this, the mighty suits at Activision busted out with the ban hammer, and abruptly put an end to IW’s plan for something new, which unfortunately resulted in the axing of the two key members, and a possible end to Infinity Ward.

‘But Victor, you almighty gaming god you, what does this mean?!’

Well my young padawans, it means that Activision made a stupid mistake and upon finding that their golden goose wasn’t producing they simply decided to kill it off, instead of letting it do its own thing for a while. Maybe going out and finding a stud goose and making some nasty goose love underneath the moonlight…I don’t know, it certainly would have been a lot smarter than simply cutting its head off. But, that’s just my opinion on the matter. And after all, what do I know?

Want to troll me? email at abbott_man@hotmail.com and I’ll let you know what’s what. BITCH.

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Recently I had a nightmare. A fully-fledged cold sweats, heart beating nightmare. I couldn’t remember what it was, but it scared the crap out of me.

I had the same dream the next night and then realised, as I gasped for air, what had shaken me to the core was a book. A satirical book that was set in a future so scary I imagined it as a reality – and it wasn’t good.

This book basically made out that the world had gone to hell in a hand basket. Technology had taken daily jobs and the population was dumber and more primal (i.e. sex and violence). The most terrifying thing was that reason, proof and science had become a heresy to the Love (a god substitute). That freaks me out.

Some of the more pedantic readers may notice I have stated my love of mystery, which is true, but knowing reason, proof and explanation keeps my mind at ease. I can be a bit OCD and reasoning helps me work through situations, so I don’t spend 25 minutes flicking a light switch, so to think of a world without the massive invasion of technology in the satirical world also gets me going.

Back in first year, I had to give a talk in class after watching Terminator. I talked about Skynet and the invasion of technology on the human race. Satellites roam the atmosphere, computers with in-built cameras are used to spy on students at home, integrated computer systems that never work in lecture theatres could be just “playing dead” until one day it’s Transformers 2 and technology wants to kill us all.

Now that may be a bit of a stretch, but with the way consumers accept technology into their lives, such as the iPad and Palm Pilots, it’s no wonder Gen-Y’s are getting arthritis and needing to wear glasses so soon.

I’m not saying technology is bad, but I think it can affect lives in some severely negative ways, such as addictions to the internet and cyber bullying. I mean, the world of technology keeps expanding with devices getting smaller and more popular, therefore cheaper. It won’t be long until your house starts welcoming you and saying, “I’m sorry, Dave, I’m afraid I can’t do that” when you ask it to look away as you get naked.

Sure this may not happen for a while, but it could still happen. The kind of world that relies on machinery to do all of its thinking, though it may be logically sound, has been deduced through pure rationalism it scares me (I am fully aware this disagrees with my first point, but who said rants have to make sense?).

Being old school, I enjoy some face-to-face time with others. I loathe Twitter in all its forms, as it has mainly become another way for 12-year-olds to spring forth their pointless lives onto the world. I do seem to be a very weird 20-year-old.

Cycling in Copenhagen

The Older Perspective.

by Michelle Pollock

John K Probert It seems that Lady Gaga is the word on everybody’s

Copenhagen was in the news a lot last year because the

lips at present! From what I am hearing, all who have attended her Auckland concerts had an absolute blast.

It brought me back memories of Buddy Holly and the Crickets. In my final years of college in Melbourne (1959/60) the entry requirement to a friend’s party was to take along your 12 inch LP of the Buddy Holly Story, part 1 and/or part 2.

If you happened to own one or both of these albums and wore a Perry Como cardigan with silver buttons, you were on the way – you were cool!

Of course our parties back then were very different, but nevertheless just right for the time. No alcohol or smoking. These were always held at the home of your class friends, with their parents as hosts. A record was placed on the turntable and the dancing began! Looking back it was great fun – especially if the girl you really fancied said yes when you asked for a dance.

It was all about belonging and feeling a sense of community. On these occasions we represented a sub-group of the larger student body made up by all our classmates. By being invited you felt very much included.

However as I recall, we did not ever consider those who had not been invited, and having heard about the party, might feel excluded.

All these thoughts just sprung up from Lady Gaga’s visit - and you all thought she was simply an awesome entertainer within her genre.

I am enjoying the opportunity this semester of studying Multicultural Communities to complete my Grad Dip in Arts (Conflict Resolution). We surely are in the midst of one here in the city of Auckland and especially at AUT! Six elements that constitute a definition of a “community” are postulated by Wood and Judikis in their book: Conversations on Community Theory (2002).

They suggest that a community is a group of people

climate change conference was held here. Rather fitting for a country that values things being clean and green, uses energy efficient bulbs, public transport and cycles a lot, right? When I arrived in Copenhagen I claimed a bike from those left by last semester’s exchange students.

After fixing the chain and sussing out the biking-on-the-wrong-sideof-the-road thing (my first cycle ride here was with an Australian – cue confusion when we hit what must be the only roundabout in Copenhagen!), I was able to head out and explore my new city. I quickly got used to popping my bag and books into my basket and heading off down the road.

Now, my bike might only have one gear and the brakes aren’t great, but with lights and a basket it’s pretty great. I never look quite as composed as the Danes when I arrive after cycling somewhere, but I’m working on it.

There’s no doubt the Danes love their bikes, and I love mine too. The old and the young, university students and business people... everyone cycles here. In a flat, easy-to-get around city like Copenhagen, cycling is an easy, cheap and quick mode of transport. You can also take your bikes onto the trains and metros easily, which makes things even better. Instead of there being rows and rows of car parks at the supermarkets or in the city, there are lots of bike racks – which are usually full, even in the snow!

Bikes are used not only for daytime transport, but when you head out at night; there’s parking for bikes out the front of the clubs. Not 100 per cent sure about their regulations regarding cycling while under the influence, but I saw a guy drinking a beer while cycling in the middle of the day yesterday. After almost two months here, that actually didn’t shock me.

Now that the weather is getting (slightly) better it seems like more and more people are out on their bikes. This isn’t surprising considering that cars have huge taxes and petrol is extremely expensive. Not only do the Danes have baby seats on the back of their bikes, it’s also common to see a seat for a child just behind the handlebars, a tandem-bike with a child on the back, a child being towed in a little trailer or sitting in the front box of a three wheel bike. There are times when I would be quite happy to have someone pedal me around, but I guess my own two legs will have to do for now! The Danes are also awesome at multitasking while cycling – whether drinking their take-away coffee, talking on their cell phones or texting – they can do it all.

I’m going to miss just jumping on my bike to go to class/shopping/the city, but there’s no way I would even consider that in Auckland. Here the cyclists rule the road. Although the ones in Auckland might think they do, in Denmark cars have to give way to bikes - although bikes have to give way to pedestrians at bus stops (this can be a little difficult if your brakes freeze). A major difference though is the design of the streets. Next to the footpath is a bike lane, which then has car parks between it and the road. This makes it much safer and easier, and bikes often have their own traffic lights too which is pretty cool. And with that, I’m off to cycle to class. Vi ses!

You can also follow me at: www.michellepollock. wordpress.com

1: with and 2: assuming responsibility for a common purpose and interest, 3: acknowledge their inter-connectedness, 4: respect the individual differences among members, 5: commit to the well-being and integrity of each other and 6: the group As with many definitions, especially within the social sciences field, this one is not without its criticisms. However for this purpose, let’s take some real positives and plusses from it.

Those who attended Lady Gaga’s concert and who are attracted to her music can certainly acknowledge their inter-connectedness in this. That said, outside of this shared interest they can have much or very little in common. This covers off the aspect of individual differences within this specific group. This is but one current and topical example, but it serves to illustrate significant elements of belonging.

We are all part of the AUT community. Within that, we study within different areas of discipline and at different levels. There are a considerable number of interest groups and clubs which we can choose to belong or ignore. Here we have the larger group, the AUT community, offering us further choices on a smaller scale.

Following on from what I said last issue about feeling good about yourself as an individual here amid the crowd on your campus, here is the opportunity to dip your toe in the water and sample what you can gain from being part of a special group/club – a community within a community.

Give it a go! You will feel encouraged and a renewed sense of belonging while at the same time bringing your individual flair and personality to the group.

issue 4 march 2010

www.ausm.org.nz

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The flu vaccine will protect you against the three strains of influenza virus that are most prevalent in the world at the moment.

This year the seasonal flu vaccine contains the H1N1 virus that will protect you from swine flu.

h

The vaccine will not prevent you getting “colds” or any other winter illness.

h

Dear Agony Aunt, Do you think I should have a flu vaccine? I’m a fit guy and don’t seem to get sick often. I think for me this might be unnecessary.

From X Dear X, Would I recommend having a flu vaccine? Definitely!

Why? Because influenza is extremely contagious. It is very efficient at spreading itself around, and is easily caught by being around someone who is sneezing or coughing, and by handling objects touched by someone with influenza.

When you are at university and spending significant periods of time in the same room as numerous other people, you have a high chance of catching influenza from anyone who has the virus.

Influenza is not just a “bad cold”. Although it starts off in a similar way.

It will soon get much worse than a cold. The influenza (flu) virus makes most people very ill. If you catch influenza you are likely to have a really high fever, a dry, hacking cough, a sore throat, painful aching muscles, a bad headache, and generally feel totally ghastly. You are likely to have to spend at least three days to a week in bed, and will feel run down and tired for at least several weeks afterwards.

This is likely to impact significantly on your ability to keep up with your studies and you will most definitely have to take time off uni/work. h

The flu vaccine is very safe and well tried and tested.

h

You cannot catch the flu from the vaccine.

The vaccine is usually only protective for one year. This is not because you lose the antibodies, but because the influenza virus keeps on changing itself to get around our defences.

The flu vaccine works by tricking your body into thinking that it is under attack by the influenza virus. Your immune system immediately starts working to produce antibodies. These antibodies stay in your blood, searching for and destroying any influenza virus that you come into contact with. It takes at least two weeks after having the vaccine before you have enough circulating antibodies to protect you. The flu vaccine does not interfere with your immune system; it just introduces the virus and your immune system does its own normal thing.

Older people and people with disorders like diabetes, asthma or immune deficiencies can die from influenza and can usually get the vaccine free from their doctor or nurse.

It doesn’t matter how fit and healthy you are – you can still catch influenza. If you decide against having the vaccine and do get influenza, do everyone else a favour and use good hygiene practices like covering sneezes and washing your hands thoroughly. Also, stay away from university – and other people – so that you don’t spread the virus to others!

It is also a good idea to make sure that you have someone around to look after you when you are sick and see a doctor if you are ill to make sure that you don’t have meningitis, as it starts off in a similar way to the flu.

To get an influenza vaccine, you can make an appointment at the Health Counselling and Wellbeing Centres at the City Campus phone 921-9992, or the North Shore Campus, Phone 921-9998. The cost for the vaccine is $10 for PHO (Primary Health Organisation) enrolled students and $25 for non – PHO enrolled students and international students.

website of the week

viewauckland.co.nz

by Jess Cann

I’m such a geek. I know this, but it’s still such a surprise when I realise just how geeky I can be.

ViewAuckland.co.nz totally fulfils my “geek needs”, such as cramming a whole lot of events into one easy-to-navigate website. You can find everything here, absolutely everything. Live gigs, movie screenings, lists of great pubs and bars to go to, information about sporting events, restaurants and venues, as well as parties and prizes.

The main attraction to ViewAuckland.co.nz for me is the fact that you can set up a simple profile of yourself, list things you like to do and then mark on a map your favourite locations. I don’t know if it’s because I love little details like that or what, but seeing little red flags on a map of Auckland of my favourite places makes me happy inside.

As well as this, you get to review things you do. If you see a movie, you leave a review. If you go to a bar, you review the service and beverages.

The great thing about this is you’re getting reviews from everyday people who have been to places you want to go. It’s a quick way to find out if that swanky restaurant is really worth the huge bill you pay.

The final little bit of ViewAuckland.co.nz that I love is the fact that you can sign up for emails for specific venues and receive updates about upcoming events at that place. This makes it so much easier to find out about things going on at your favourite spots, instead of having to trawl through Google or Facebook events. I definitely recommend ViewAuckland.co.nz for those who love to know about what’s going on and when.

iPhone app review

by Lynda Brendish If you need help navigating the shark-infested waters of the iPhone free app world, well – there’s not an app for that, but there is this review space.

Lightsaber Unleashed by TheMacBox If you regularly make the Kessel run in less than 12 parsecs (or at least understand the reference), you’re probably going to want this app. Like the name suggests, it’s a lightsaber. You get to choose from several pre-set jedi or sith avatars, or you can upload your own picture and customise the lightsaber. Then just wave it around to make lightsaber sounds, and if someone else also has the app you can even ‘fight’ with them – though I wouldn’t recommend doing this near someone you eventually hope to sleep with.

26

Things

NOT to do on

facebook

with Tenani French

Horoscopes ARIES (March 21-April 19)

Being “alternative” and “art-house” isn’t an excuse to not bathe.

Wednesday will be your day, but don’t wait for something to happen or you’ll miss the bus (metaphorically and literally).

TAURUS (April 20-May 20)

Friend Request me if we’re not friends

This week you’ll have ants in your pants. Take from that whatever you want, but I’d be wearing tight undies.

Seriously, why would you add me as a friend if we’ve never met?

Hearing things about me does not count. It’s called a ‘friend request’ for a reason, so don’t add me if we’re not friends. And meeting once doesn’t count either. Silly billy.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21)

Farmville

CANCER (June 22-July 22)

IF I HAVE IGNORED YOUR LAST FEW HUNDRED FARMVILLE REQUESTS THEN I OBVIOUSLY DON’T WANT TO BE YOUR NEIGHBOUR/GIVE YOU SEEDS/GIFT YOU A COW. FUCK. OFF.

Take a few days off uni toward the end of the week, and whatever you do – don’t go to work for the next five days. But don’t get lazy with it.

This week you’ll be mentally defeated by a computer. Don’t feel bad, it’s a sign of things to come. Eventually computers will run the world and all the humans will be eaten by robots. Fact.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22)

‘Like’ your own status

You just look like a douche if you ‘like’ your own status, obviously you think it’s cool or interesting enough to post in the first place, that should be indication enough that you agree with it, leave the liking to your friends.

Create a fake profile to spy on people

This may seem like a good idea at the time. Creating another profile for a more attractive version of yourself, with a cooler name and wittier status updates, for the sole purpose of spying on people you are not friends with. It ends up being a drag. There’s usually a reason the two of you aren’t friends on your real profile, so spying on them through another profile just irritates you and proves why you aren’t friends for real. Grow up.

You may sit on your proverbial pedestal and act better than everyone else, but remember – when you’re up high people can see up your dress.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

Your lack of motivation is directly linked to your unfulfilled dreams of fame and fortune. Write a song about it.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23)

This week, expect to take a trip. Not the drug kind, the falling kind. Wear shin guards.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21)

Believe it or not, you will meet the love of your life this week. It may be on Chat Roulette. Give it a jam.

Be honest

Never be honest on Facebook, you never really know who’s watching and it could get you in a lot of trouble. Never leave drunk tags on photos, never post a status update of what you actually think of someone, and never, EVER leave a wall post on your boyfriend/girlfriend’s wall. Everyone else can see it and also how pussy whipped you actually are. And since hypocrisy is hip [ok it’s probably not but as Suggestions writer I am declaring it is] I have to admit that I am guilty of everything on this page.

Seriously, don’t be my friend on Facebook, our friendship will suffer because of it.

Till next week, little readers, au revoir. And if you have anything you think should be suggested to the student masses, flick us an email to debate@aut.ac.nz with “Suggestions” in the subject line.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

Start a twitter account. Be careful not to tweet about where you are, because then people will know you’re not home and rob you.

27

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Revisit your primary school days with a good old fashioned times tables challenge with your friends. The result will be amazing.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

You have been feeling the financial pinch over the last month, and you’re starting to get depressed. Just think – if you were a woodchuck, how much wood do you reckon you could chuck?

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)

Foam party’s on Friday. Get involved. Don’t eat the foam.

issue 4 march 2010

www.ausm.org.nz

27

New Zealand Fashion Festival: a celebration of New Zealand Fashion

by Heather Rutherford

March 16 marked the first day of the soon to

be annual New Zealand Fashion festival. Unlike Air New Zealand Fashion Week, the clothing shown on the catwalk is already out in stores. That made this night more of a more general celebration of fashion for this season, instead of an industry focused event.

Organisers had big ideas this year with a fifty metre catwalk (twenty metres longer than New Zealand Fashion Week), around 40 models, and more than 700 people watching. Next year, organisers plan for it to be even bigger, incorporating exhibitions and even more fashion shows.

New Zealand Fashion week used to be the biggest event on the fashion calendar but now it is going to have some serious competition with this festival.

There were 17 designers and fashion labels showing altogether and here were some of the highlights:

Cybele

As a relatively new label, Cybele has come a long way in terms of stamping out its own direction and creating a following and this was evident during the show. They easily had the most show stopping piece of the night: a floor length, black sheer silk coat that had every pair of eyes in the room following it down the runway. The collection had a tone of “beautiful fragility” with lots of soft colours, draping and sheer silk.

Stolen Girlfriends Club

This season, cult label Stolen Girlfriends Club softened their usual hard-edged but cute, punkish look with a light hearted “Cowboys and Indians” feel. This more free-spirited, youthful collection called Welcome to Nowhere, was a breath of fresh air after all the more work wear inspired collections. I particularly liked the Navajo print jackets and the woollen cable knit shorts. Very cute!

Trelise Cooper

I think the models were under instruction to ham it up on the runway. One of them pretty much tried to give me a lap dance which kind of ruined the whole illusion. Apart from that they had some interesting pieces, such as a wire hemmed black top and a cute dress with a sequined bow.

Kate Sylvester

Normally when it comes to Kate Sylvester, I am personally a bigger fan of her morals than I am of her collections (that is not an insult – I think very highly of her environmentally-friendly approach). However this year, both of these aspects were equally impressive. Her Diamond Dogs collection, in my opinion, is one of her better ones of late. I looked at her collection

28

on the internet and fell in love with an ankle length gold dress called the “Morgan Long Dress”. I was very disappointed this dress wasn’t in the show. My favourite pieces in the show were the beautiful feathered pink dresses and the faux fur bolero.

Ed Hardy

Many people are divided on their views of Ed Hardy. No one else in New Zealand is doing anything at all similar to this label, and when we, as a country, are as isolated as we are from the rest of the world, having something that different in our market can only be a good thing right?

After tonight I wasn’t entirely convinced. The only thing I liked from this show was very bright and shiny, silver dress, which I only appreciated for its blatant, in-your-face gaudiness.

Zambesi

As always, the usual Zambesi dark, moody aesthetic blew me away. They used a sombre, muted colour palette that was very much at odds with all the other designers showing. To me, this was evidence of their confidence in the loyalty of their fans. When most designers are trying to give the brighter winter colours the public craves, Zambesi sticks to their guns. My favourite dress was the “Tube Dress” in camel. Other stand out pieces include the beautifully draped “Roman Dress” which came out last, and the “Armour Over” piece which I think would work very well on the menswear market. With Zambesi’s showing, one thing was abundantly clear to me, the trench coat is back with a vengeance this autumn. Keep a look out for many variations on the trench this season.

I was quite impressed with the stamina of this event. I thought it would be like the “Designer Selection Show” at New Zealand Fashion Week that left me quite cold and sorely regretting the loss of two hours of my life.

The catwalk at the New Zealand Fashion Festival was pretty impressive with its 50-metred vastness and colourful neon lighting.

The music was good (they had a selection of Auckland DJs playing) and we got a free glass of champagne on entry. This event did what I thought no event ever could: get me excited about the end of summer and happy to rug up in New Zealand designed winter gear. I’m already looking forward to next year’s Fashion Festival!

AUT students going Gaga for Lady Gaga before one of her Auckland shows

Erica Dorn

Heather Rutherford

Kate Burgoyne

Psychology Student Wearing Lara Parker corset and Kookai skirt Favourite Lady Gaga song: Bad Romance

2nd Year Diploma of Fashion Technology Student Wearing ‘cubist dress’ by AUT fashion student Violet Howlett Aitken and shoes from Ruby Boutique Favourite Lady Gaga song: I Like it Rough & Poker Face

2nd Year Diploma of Fashion Technology Student Wearing dress by Scrapbook, boots by Doc Martens, Jacket from Glassons Favourite Lady Gaga song: Teeth

20 LUCKY READERS OF

WILL WIN

a double pass to

Born of a god but raised as a man Perseus (Sam Worthington) is helpless to save his family from Hades (Ralph Fiennes), vengeful god of the underworld. With nothing left to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus(Liam Neeson) and unleash hell on earth.

www.clashofthetitansmovie.co.nz

To win, simply email debate@aut.ac.nz, with issue march 2010 www.ausm.org.nz “Clash of the4Titans” in the subject line.

IN CINEMAS APRIL 1 CO NZ

29

The Drab Doo-Riffs

Remember Me

with support from Mothers of Darkness

Film Review by Samantha McQueen

Review by Jess Cann

Audiences expecting a light-

Live Show at Cassette 9, March 6 It’s not very often that I fall in love with a band based solely on a live performance. I usually have to listen to a record or two before I can say wow, I really like their music. However, this is not the case when it comes to The Drab Doo-Riffs.

I had seen the band open the Big Day Out earlier this year and I was in awe of not only their music, but their energy and just plain awesomeness as well. So, naturally, I went home and became a fan on facebook and basically decided I would go to as many shows of theirs this year as I can.

Keeping my promise, I headed along to MUM night at Cassette 9 last Saturday with high expectations, after The Drab Doo-Riffs set the standard at BDO. I was not disappointed.

The Mothers of Darkness opened for them, playing strange Halloweensounding music, as my mate called it. I liked it, but definitely couldn’t understand what the lead singer was saying. I don’t know if it was the sound or the fact that I’ve gone deaf after attending a fair few gigs over the years.

They were good, but a fairly new band I’m assuming, since they only played four songs. Not really enough material to pass comment on, but still liked what I heard.

Then around 11pm, The Drab Doo-Riffs took the stage. I have no idea what the names of their songs are, but I don’t care. Well, I do care, which is why I plan to buy their EP, but the fact that they can get the whole crowd moving after 30 seconds is a sign of a great band. Highlight of the night was definitely the song Tania (see, I do know at least one song name), because so many people busted out moves on the dance floor like “the windmill” and “the octopus” (see: “hipster” on Google search).

The Drab Doo-Riffs has one of the best-skilled female guitarists I’ve ever seen (Lucy), as well as a bassist with really long hair (M.F Joyce), who plays extremely well. Drummer Mikey adds a really strong and consistent backbone to the band’s sound, and you can definitely hear the surf rock influence in his solos. Caoimhe, the front woman, is definitely worth seeing, simply for her stage performance. She goes out each time to play with her tambourine, 110 per cent energy and the willingness to sweat and then talk about her armpits on stage. And Karl, the front man, always dresses for the occasion in a dress shirt and tie, plays his harmonica whilst enlightening the audience about being depressed and finding somewhere better to live.

The Drab DooRiffs create music that anyone can enjoy. There were people there from age 18 to 80*, all dancing along and having a great time.

I really recommend them if you’re looking for new music, or want to find a kiwi band to support this year.

They’re definitely worth the $10. *I’m not lying, either. Pretty sure there were a couple of grandpas there.

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hearted romantic comedy starring Hollywood’s hottest immortal will be disappointed with Remember Me. It is a poignant but gritty drama revolving around strained family relationships, blossoming love and an ending so unexpected you will either find it offensive or will be picking your MARCH 11 jaw up off the ground and trying to restart your heart. I experienced the latter.

Set against the backdrop of New York, Tyler Hawkins (Twilight’s Robert Pattinson) is a brooding 21-year-old struggling to deal with the suicide of his older brother almost five years ago. He aimlessly drifts through life and only really shows emotion when he is around his younger sister Caroline (Ruby Jerins), an artistically creative 11-year-old who thinks her hot-shot father (Pierce Brosnan) doesn’t like her. That storyline alone is enough to pull at your heart strings. But wait, there’s more. Over in Queens, Ally Craig (Emilie de Ravin) is another tortured soul whose life has been marred by death and has an over-protective cop father (Chris Cooper), who coincidently rough-handled Tyler after a street fight behind a pub. Cue the revenge date which turns into a relationship based on mutual tragedy, family issues and an unknown purpose in life.

Robert Pattinson is desperately trying to prove he’s more than Twilight and while he still needs work, he delivers a solid performance as Tyler.

His character is sweet: he stands up for his sister, writes letters to his deceased brother and wins stuffed animals at the county fair, but Pattinson manages to add a darker feel to the “nice guy” persona. Director Allen Coulter (Hollywoodland) knows what the female audiences want and plays up Pattinson’s unkempt, sexy appearance with plaid shirts, Ray Bans and perfectly constructed bed hair. He’s constantly shot with a cigarette in hand or swigging from a beer bottle and the camera lingers on him whenever he is shirtless or in bed. His chemistry with Emilie de Ravin (Lost) is somewhat forced at times, but overall believable; however his best work comes from the tender interactions with Ruby Jerins.

Will Fetters’ screenplay is cluttered with different storylines, each equally deserving of being the main focus of the film. Unfortunately, with a running time of 112 minutes, some get lost in translation. The relationship between Ally and her father is fleeting; one minute she’s daddy’s little girl and the next she’s abandoned all forms of communication with him. Her reason behind this is shown in the film, but there’s little visual background as to how it got this way. It seems Fetters’ put all his eggs in one basket with the ending, which is played up with strategic cinematography and suspenseful music that will have you glued to the screen. Some may call it a cheap ploy, but props must be given for an original ending; it’s so rarely done in films these days.

Remember Me is an engaging and intense film that explores many issues faced by ordinary people tainted by extraordinary events. It’s not a manufactured love story like those normally seen on screen, and it is that sentiment this movie should be remembered for.

ONLY AT THE MOVIES!

Cobra Starship Live Show at Auckland Town Hall, March 12

Lady Gaga Live Show at Vector Arena, March 13

If the fairly significant line outside of the town

For those of you who don’t want to admit to liking

hall was anything to go by, the average age of the audience at Cobra Starship’s Auckland concert was somewhere in the early teens. Having recently been to a lot of R18 gigs, I found this slightly off putting. However, the minute Owl City came on to open the show, the age of the people around me no longer seemed such an issue.

Owl City, comprising of Adam Young and his backing band, was originally a musical side project that became an overnight sensation thanks to the internet. His most well known single Fireflies was a real crowd pleaser, even if some of his other songs were somewhat lost on the audience. The multi-tasking abilities of the violinist has to be mentioned – synchronized dancing and playing in the same song kept me entertained for a large part of the set.

At 9pm, give or take a few minutes, Cobra Starship kicked off their set with The City Is At War, a well-known single from their second album Viva La Cobra. From the moment they came on, lead singer Gabe Saporta buzzed with energy that the crowd couldn’t help but react to. A range of songs from their repertoire followed this, including recent cyber hit Pete Wentz Is The Only Reason We’re Famous, Nice Guys Finish Last and Kiss My Sass. In the song Snakes On A Plane, a crowd member was pulled onto the stage to do a pretty impressive rendition of the rap normally done by Travis Macoy from Gym Class Heroes. A shortened mash up of Church of Hot Addiction and Send My Love To The Dance Floor, I’ll See You In Hell (Hey Mister DJ) was included for the die-hard fans, which blank expressions indicated that many of the people around me weren’t. This was not lost on the band but they did not take it to heart, Saporta joking, “everyone was once a 12-year-old that only knew one song”. Many of the songs were accompanied with similar banter, even if some of the shout outs seemed somewhat mandatory for a band doing one of their first headlining tours.

Guitarist Ryland Blackintons talent was clearly evident in his guitar solos, and the inclusion of keytarist Victoria Asher, or “Vicky T”, provides the unique sound that helps them stand out from the plethora of pop punk bands around today. Radio hits Hot Mess and Good Girls Go Bad received the biggest crowd reaction, and the replacement of good with NZ created some deafening teenage screaming.

Overall, the manic dance moves provided by Saporta matched the high energy songs and created an awesome atmosphere that couldn’t help but infect even those who were only there for one or two hit singles.

The music was played with the ease of a band that has been together for a while and knows what they are doing. When Saporta declared that New Zealand was the only place where they had reached number one on the singles charts, their smiles seemed genuine.

Moments like those are what the crowd is there for.

Lady Gaga, I know you’re bullshitting me. You secretly watch her videos on YouTube late at night just to see what all the fuss is about. On Saturday March 13, I experienced one hell of a show. To my disbelief, Vector Arena was packed out, people lining up early on Saturday morning and stampeding their way through to the front when the gates opened.

Support act Semi Precious Weapons got the crowd roaring, with lead singer Justin Tranter stripping naked behind the amp for his costume change. He actually had the sexiest legs – any girl would be jealous. “I know you bitches are wet and excited to see she, Lady Gaga, but I need you to get your tits out!” Wasn’t expecting to see boobs at a Lady Gaga concert. Oh wait, maybe I was.

The anticipation got a bit too much for some 15-year-olds, who needed to be taken out from the front. A huge white drop and dimmed lights meant the Lady herself was about to appear. By this time the crowd was going nuts. After her first song, she revealed herself and her first hot sparkly purple leotard. She had 16 costume changes in total. Yep, 16. From her sexual black dominatrix bikini to a highly complex angelic goddess costume that moved, her little monster fans holding their infamous claw hands as we followed Gaga on her journey to the Monster Ball.

She genuinely seemed so overwhelmed to be there, but I’m pretty sure her audience felt it 10 times more. Her stage crew were amazing, and it was a treat to see half-naked male back up dancers on stage, grabbing at their extremely tight bike shorts before a multi-coloured backdrop of dildos. Two fine young specimens even had a cheeky pash at the end of her song Teeth. Incredible.

Taking time out of her show to talk to us meant we got to know a little bit more about Gaga herself. Knowing as Kiwis, we all like to get a bit wasted she revealed she composed most of her Monster album drunk, and also adding she’d rather die drinking with her friends and talking shit.

Man, she is amazing. If Gaga was a religion then she is my God. The sets and props were out of this world. Fire coming out her grand piano – Alicia Keys, jealous much? A huge chandelier descended and engulfed Gaga as she changed costume and an amazing New York City street scene morphed into a dark forest which revealed the weird, octopus fish monster thing at the end. Her energy on stage was insane, her heavy breathing into the microphone confirmed she wasn’t doing a Britney on us and by the end of Bad Romance she looked physically tired but the crowd were having the time of their lives helping her sing.

After a two-and-a-half-hour journey of elaborate sparkling costumes (special mention to everyone that dressed up, especially the guy all dressed up in red lace - that takes balls), hot sweaty bodies on stage (and the sweaty dude beside me that kept fanning his B.O. in my face) and a set that required three 747 freighters to fly over here, Lady Gaga delivered one of the highest energy performances I’ve seen in a very long time. Raw, sexy and ugly all rolled into one. If I wasn’t a broke student I would have gone again on Sunday.

Long live Gaga. What do I rate her concert and my hangover as I’m writing this?

10 out of 10, bitches.

Review by Zoe Kitson

issue 4 march 2010

www.ausm.org.nz

Review by Selena La Fleur

31

the t o e c p n S ffere di

9-17 APRIL

PERFORMANCE ART IN THE CBD

Correctly identify the FIVE differences in the pictures below then 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? A $10 voucher for The Counter cafe.

Nom nom nom!

Name Phone Email Campus

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For full programme details visit www.aucklandcity.govt.nz/events

Inter-Tertiary League 2010 NZ UNI GAMES 2010

AUT MEETINGS AND TRIALS SCHEDULE FREE SOCIAL SPORTS City

Box Fit Wednesdays 7:45-8:45am City Variety: hacky sack, skipping, table tennis Thursdays 11:30-1 City Quad Football Tuesdays and Thursdays 4-6pm Auckland Domain

North Shore

Handball & Korfball Tuesdays 12-1pm Turbo Touch Wednesdays 12-2pm Pilates Thursdays 12:30-1:30pm Dance Studio (Thanks to the School of Sport)

The Inter Tertiary League (ITL) is a year long social university sporting competition in which four tertiary institutes compete.

These are: AUT University, Massey University Albany, UNITEC and Manukau Institute of Technology.

It is held at the Trusts Stadium for indoor sports and UNITEC for outdoor sports. The sports are:

Mixed Volleyball Men’s Football Men’s Basketball Netball, Mixed Men’s Touch.

This is a social league so anyone can come and participate. If you want to find out more and join these teams please email:

kate.lowden@aut.ac.nz

Round 1 closing date to accept entries is Monday March 22.

Round 1 is held on Friday March 26.

Manukau

Netball & Basketball Mondays 12-2pm, Tuesdays 2-4pm Touch Mondays 12-2pm, Thursdays 2-4pm Utimate Frisbee Tuesdays 2-4pm

One-off Events

Zumba March 23, 12-1 North Shore Disability Day- Wheelchair Rugby March 25 11:30-1 City Quad

AUT FOOTBALL CLUB

Club training is every week on Tuesdays & Thursdays from 4 to 6pm at Auckland Domain and everybody are invited to join and kick the ball around.

Official Club Trials to select the Auckland Sunday Football League team are set for Tuesday March 23 at 4.30pm at Auckland Domain.

For more info on the club please contact Club President Chris at autfootball@gmail.com WEBSITE: www.ausm.org.nz/recreation for more on Sport @ AUT

FACEBOOK: become a fan of the “AUT Titans @ NZ Uni Games 2010 – Invercargill”

FACEBOOK: join our group “AuSM Sport”

AuSM Sport Team Leader Melita Martorana melita.martorana@aut.ac.nz 021 813 428

AuSM Sport Co-ordinator Kate Lowden kate.lowden@aut.ac.nz 021 288 2586

www.ausm.org.nz

33

Movie Screening March 17

34

issue 4 march 2010

www.ausm.org.nz

35

GET DOUBLE THE DISCOUNT! To celebrate UBS being the official supplier of textbooks to students at AUT, we are offering a massive

20% discount

on all items* at all UBS stores including textbooks, stationery and our huge range of fiction and non-fiction books at our Alfred Street store!!!



This voucher entitles the bearer to 20% off all items* in store for purchases between Monday 22nd and Friday 26th March 2010 from any of our three UBS stores.

Student / staff ID must be shown to claim the double discount offer.

Voucher may only be used once and must be presented and surrendered when claiming discount. * Excludes all NETT priced items, gift vouchers, phone cards, greeting cards, wrap, magazines, newspapers and stamps. * Voucher may be used at any of our stores - AUT City campus, AUT Akoranga campus or our University Of Auckland store * on Alfred Street. *Ask in store for details * *

Ask in store for details

AUT AUT AUT City City Campus Campus AUT Akoranga Akoranga Campus Campus 55 Wellesley Street East, Auckland City 90 Akoranga Drive, Northcote 55 Wellesley Street East, Auckland City 90 Akoranga Drive, Northcote Tel: Tel: Tel: 366 366 4550 4550 Fax: Fax: 366 366 4570 4570 Tel: 489 489 6105 6105 Fax: Fax: 489 489 7453 7453 Email: aut.city@ubsbooks.co.nz Email: aut.akoranga@ubsbooks.co.nz Email: aut.city@ubsbooks.co.nz Email: aut.akoranga@ubsbooks.co.nz Web: www.ubsbooks.co.nz Web: www.ubsbooks.co.nz 36 Open Monday to Friday or shop securely online Open Monday to Friday or shop securely online 24/724/7