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BRINGING UP THE FIRST-YEARS CRACKING THE FASHION INDUSTRY IT AIN’T EASY BEING RED A QUEER YEAR
ISSUE 02, 2011
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THINK TANK DOES UNI EXPAND THE MIND? 16/03/11 1:00 PM
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ISSUE 02 CONTENTS
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News Columns Competitions What’s On Interview Campus Chatter Student Lifestyle Travel Fashion Food & Booze Environment Science & Tech Entertainment Reviews Mindgames The Bull Pen Caught on Campus
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THINK TANK: CAN YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND AT UNI?
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EDITORS
Paul Karp Alex McKinnon Kira Spucys-Tahar Anne Widjaja Lewis D'Avigdor usubullmag@gmail.com CONTRIBUTORS
Miranda Fagan, Joseph Ware, Humyara Mahbub, Brendan Quigley, Phoebe Drake, Tim Lee, Max Halden, Jess Stirling, Joss Engebretsen, Fayzan Bakhtiar, Paul Ellis, Ashleigh Green, Mikey Shiraev, Richard Withers, Dominic Wilcox DESIGN
Anjali Belani PUBLICATIONS MANAGER
Chris Beaumont WWW.USUONLINE.COM FACEBOOK.COM/USUBULLMAGAZINE The views in this publication are not necessarily the views of USU. The information contained within this edition of Bull Magazine was correct at the time of printing. This publication is brought to you by the University of Sydney Union and The University of Sydney. ISSUE 02, 2011
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FOLLOW THE LEADER: FIRSTYEAR MENTORING AT USYD
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THINKING OUTSIDE THE QUAD
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FASHION FANTASY
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IT AIN’T EASY BEING RED(HEADED)
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YOUR GUIDE TO A QUEER YEAR
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05 06 08 17 24 31 33 34 35 36 37 38 40 43 45 46
CONTENTS 15/03/11 6:51 PM
BULL USUONLINE.COM NEWS
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1 The power’s in your hands: students are out filming their mini-masterpieces.
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2 Leaders: Nominations and applications for the next crop of student leaders are open.
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NEWS HUNGRY HAIRY GUERRILLAS ON THE LOOSE By the time you read this, the University of Sydney versions of Christopher Nolan, Kevin Smith and even perhaps Michael Bay will be running about camera in hand shouting ‘action!’, ‘cut!’ and forget it, we’ll just lose the monkey!’. Why? Because the USU’s Semester 1 Short Film Competition – Hairy Guerrilla – will have officially kicked off. A collaboration between the USU and the Film Society, Hairy Guerrilla is a unique competition, where budding directors are to produce a seven-minute film in only five days and vie for a number of prizes and the coveted distinction of best film. And, in
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the vein of the only-slightly-moreprestigious Tropfest, each film must include reference to a theme. This Semester’s theme is ‘hungry’. The short films can be any format – animation, drama, comedy, claymation, musical, anything so long as it references the theme in a creative manner. All entries are due on Monday 21 March, and will be screened to the public the next day, Tuesday 22 March, at Manning Bar at 6pm. Anybody is welcome to go along to the screening and watch the best and worst of student filmmaking. Among the pizza and popcorn, audience members will be given the power to vote for a people’s favourite. Rumour Is that Ricky Gervais might even host it this year…
STUDENT LEADERS APPLY WITHIN The University of Sydney Union is once again accepting applications for a number of positions in its Student Leadership Program. The program proudly supports students who have a taste for leadership and want to make a genuine impact on the University campus. Positions open include: two 2012 O-Week directors – the driving force behind the planning and running of Australia’s largest orientation festival; two 2011 Humanitarian Week Directors – organisers of the social justice awareness event taking place in August; two 2011 Interfaith Week directors – organisers of the week-long celebration of diversity and faith on campus; and student editors for the USU’s historic literary journal, Hermes. Applications close 8 April (6 May for Hermes editors). For more information visit usuonline.com.
USU BOARD NOMINATIONS OPENING That wonderful, familiar scent of student politics is once again in the air. On 23 March, nominations for University of Sydney Union Board candidates will officially open and students looking to get truly involved in the running of Australia’s largest student union will get their chance. All current USU members (not including Honorary or Associate members) are eligible for nomination, provided they gain authorisation from at least 10 fellow USU members as nominators. The closing date for nominees to submit their forms is 4pm, Wednesday 13 April. Election day is on Wednesday 25 May. Those interested in finding out more about the nomination and election process can attend an information session on Thursday, 31 March, 4pm at the Loggia in Manning House. Current USU Board Directors and staff will be on hand answer questions. For more information, jump on to usuonline.com > Get Involved > Elections.
WANTED: MUSIC LEGENDS Attention budding musos, electromaestros and all in between – the USU’s huge Band and DJ Comps are open for registration. If you’re serious about breaking into the business, then the Band Comp and DJ Comp are the best way to do it! Just ask the likes of Kyu, The Jezebels, Dappled Cities, The Vines, Josh Pyke and many more! Jump online to usuonline to download and entry form and get practising! Applications close 15 April, and the first heats start in May. DJs, you have a little longer to perfect your art – applications for DJ Comp close 5 August.
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ISSUE 02 COLOUMNS
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COLUMNS PRESIDENT’S DESK DAVID MANN
EDITOR’S NOTE PAUL, ALEX, KIRA, ANNE & LEWIS
Hi There! By now I hope you have all settled in after your voyage through Australia’s biggest O-week Festival. We hope that you enjoyed the festival and that you are beginning to explore the depth of what the USU and your Access Card offer! I would like to take this opportunity to address the members on the current negotiations with the University, in light of recent (and somewhat sensationalised) speculation. Initial meetings with the University administration in regards to the operational future of the USU have taken place, and there is far more work that needs to be done. It is far too early to make a statement in regards to what direction these negotiations will take, but we can say with certainty that we are negotiating in good faith to ensure the best possible outcome for our members – a goal that both the Union and the University are working towards. It is the independence of the Union and our members that are our strength and focus throughout this process. And it is our duty to protect the Union’s independence and, most importantly, the world class student experience our members currently enjoy. We will be sure to keep you posted as more developments come to light.
C
ongratulations! You, dear reader, are just killing it. By now, not only have you managed to settle into a solid uni/Manning Bar/sleep routine, but you’ve also just guaranteed yourself several hours of enjoyment by picking up the second issue of Bull. Boy, have you got some great times ahead of you! This month, we’ve stepped out of the office and onto the catwalk to dig up the dirt and investigate the ins and outs of the local underground fashion scene.You’ll also be getting an O-Week de-briefing, as we get the skinny on uni life from first-years that have also had the joy of being lovingly nurtured by their mentors. We’ll then be expanding your intellectual horizons, chatting to Barry O’Farrell (for balance, Kristina, we STUDENT PROGRAMS ALISTAIR COWIE asked and asked – but you declined and declined) and delving into the equally hot-button issue of ‘the It’s not often in your life that you can pretty much do whatever you like. Uni is one of those rare times. Grab the chance with both hands. ranga’. Dig in and wash down with some tiger blood! Regret is an awful thing.Your degree opens doors to jobs or further study Love, and it will certainly broaden your mind, but it’s how you go about getting The editors. it – and what you pick up along the way – can make the difference between THE MISSING MYTH Many of the eagle-eyed (well, actually even molesighted) readers noticed in our ‘Mythbusters: Uni Life’ piece in issue 1 a couple of similarities between myths 1 and 3. Namely, the were exactly the same. Well, we’ve scoured the computers of Bull’s office and found the missing myth. So, without further ado – we present the missing part of Anne’s fantastic feature!
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BULL USUONLINE.COM FEATURE
MYTHBUSTERS:
UNI LIFE ANNE WIDJAJA TELLS IT LIKE IT IS, MINUS THE EXPLOSIONS.
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pon first glance at the glossy University of Sydney brochure that arrived in my mailbox before O-Week, I instantly began to imagine my future university life as a three-dimensional extension of that front cover. I longed to be part of that racially diverse, cross-faculty friendship group. I couldn’t wait to lie on the grass, soak up the sunshine and show off my carefree, yet attractive laugh! Four years into my degree later, I realised that re-creating this vision in real life would be more challenging than I would have initially expected. After much consideration of my own initial mythic-sized expectations of uni life, I would like to pass on to you dear reader, the following myth busted truths. Note: this article should give you a good idea of the type of cynicism that will help you fit in with older students. Especially if you’re in the Arts faculty, being jaded is highly respected.
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3. MYTH: Inebriation is always awesome Don’t be that guy/girl who gets inappropriately drunk on a reliable basis. Admittedly, the line of appropriateness is blurred when you initially learn there are two bars on campus serving subsidised alcohol - but remember there’s always a time and place for frivolities. During your degree there will be no shortage of appropriate situations in which to fill your boots. This is mostly what makes uni really, flipping fun. But, unless there’s a party on, Manning Bar is usually a chill zone.You can pass off bad drunken behaviour as hilarious for the first few months of your first year, but it’s just not funny when you turn up tipsy to your tutorial for the eighth week in a row. Note: inebriation may or may not have been responsible for the cock-up!
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a good experience and a life-changing one. The USU’s O-Week was agreat chance for all of us – freshers and old hands alike – to see something of the amazing diversity of the University of Sydney. Hundreds of Clubs, debates, exhibitions, talks, bands, DJs, dances, comedians, lectures, parties and shows were all on display and all created by members of the USU – your fellow students. So dive in. Have a crack! Do something different. It doesn’t matter if you discover you’re excellent at it or if you discover you’re quite awful– it’s the discovery that’s the key. Join the Caving Society. Audition for a play. Start debating (ESL and Mandarin speakers, our speciality!), make a film, design a t-shirt, start sculpting, learn bridge (your mind will love you), run for Board….. The start of semester is a busy time, but don’t lose sight of life outside the classroom. Because it’s there that you’ll find friends, support and new ways of looking at old things. Things to do this month: Apply for a paid Student Leadership position (see news). Nominate for Board – the 2011 Elections will be held on May 25; Nominations close 4pm on April 13. Apply for a Kick Start grant – 50 x $1000 grants are up for grabs to help you with your special projects. Try for a Verge Gallery WildCard Slot – we will give you $1000 towards the mounting of your self-curated show. Register for the Kirby Cup – a public speaking competition hosted by our very own Michael Kirby. Join in Australia’s biggest and best university band comp – follow the footsteps of ’09 winners Kyu and countless other Band Comp success stories. Check out the website for more details about entry criteria and prizes. So hop to it! You might surprise yourself… and that’s always fun!
• • • • • •
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BULL USUONLINE.COM COMPETITIONS
NSW Permit no. LTPM-10-00329
CAPTION COMPETITION
WIN AN 8GB IPOD TOUCH! The new iPod Touch is here, the ultimate in portable entertainment! Music, movies, HD video recording, apps, games, email, youtube, web browsing – all on the sleek, slim design and high-res 3.5 inch display. The best part: we’re giving one away! Valued at $289.00 RRP, get your hands on this little baby today! WIN! So get cracking – send your ingeniously hilarious caption to usubullmag@gmail.com include name and contact details. Winners will be notified by email and the winning caption printed in the next edition.
IT’S SIMPLE AS, BRO! SIMPLY THINK OF SOMETHING WITTY TO GO WITH THE PIC, AND WE’LL PICK THE BEST CAPTION
WIN TICKETS TO HIP HOP HOORAY! Aussie Hip Hop royalty are coming to Manning Bar on 7 April for a not-to-be missed celebration of home-grown killer rhymes and beats. Illy, Dialectrix and The Tongue will have Manning Bar jumping for Hip Hop Hooray and to celebrate their arrival, we’re giving away TWO double-passes to the show! To enter the draw, simply send your name and details (email, phone number and favourite Hip hop artist) to usubullmag@gmail.com.
WIN! FEATURING AUSSIE HIP-HOP ACTS
THURSDAY 7TH APRIL - 8PM - MANNING BAR -
GA $15+BF /
ISSUE 1 WINNER! Congratualtions to GORDON LEIBOWITZ ‘Autobots, winner of the Heaps Free Roll out!” Commonwealth Prize Pack!
WIN A DOUBLE-PASS TO HAPPY ENDINGS COMEDY CLUB Happy Endings Comedy Club is a smoldering, intimate Comedy Club channeling a vintage NYC Jazz cellar. Bringing the finest comedians to an audience on the fringe of Kings Cross (read cool, non-seedy bit). The shows are already becoming folklore and tickets are only $15. We’re giving Happy Endings we’re giving away TWO double-passes to the club!
WIN!
To enter the draw simply send your name and details (email, phone number and favourite ice cream flavour) to usubullmag@gmail.com.
$5+BF
GET YOUR TIX AT: / manningbar.com oztix.com / manning bar
Check Happy Endings out online: www.happyendingscomedyclub.com.au
Entries for all competitions close 20 April 2011.
COMPETITIONS BULL_02_AB_v2.indd 6
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Join us today for just $55. BULL_02_AB_v2.indd 7
7ITH THREE ON CAMPUS HEALTH ĂžTNESS CENTRES over 30 recreation courses and more than SPORTING CLUBS WHETHER YOUmRE A SOCIAL SPORTSMAN OR AN /LYMPIC ATHLETE OUR ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP GIVES YOU ACCESS TO AN AMAZING RANGE OF BENEĂžTS AT AN UNBEATABLE PRICE
www.susf.com.au
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BULL USUONLINE.COM WHAT’S ON
WHAT’S ON YOUR GUIDE TO THE PLACES TO BE ON CAMPUS. WE’LL GIVE YOU THE WHEN AND WHERE – YOU SHOW UP AND ENJOY. TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT’S GOING ON (AND THERE’S A LOT) VISIT WWW.USUONLINE.COM AND CLICK THE CALENDAR.
MONDAY 21 MARCH CROQUET CLUB IGM 3-4pm, Loggia, Manning House
STUDENTS IN FREE ENTERPRISE AGM 6-7pm, Staff Common Rm, Merewether
POKER NIGHT AT HERMANN’S 5pm, Hermann’s Bar
TUESDAY 22 MARCH
SCASS AGM 1-2pm, SCA Lawn
FOCUS AGM 1-3pm, Common Room, Holme
PROJECT EDGE IGM 4-5pm, Reading Room, Holme
MANNING TRIVIA 5-6pm, Manning Bar
SUNSET JAZZ 6- 9pm, Manning Bar
PROJECT 52
EDUCATION AND SOCIAL WORK REVUE SOCIETY GM
7-10pm, Hermann’s Bar
1-3pm, Holme Common Room
THURSDAY 24 MARCH
CHEAP FOOD SOCIETY IGM 1-2pm, Isabel Fidler, Manning
TUESDAY TALKS 1-2pm, Manning Bar
SUCSA AGM 4-6pm, Holme
ROCK YA BALLS BINGO 5-6pm, Manning Balcony
BREWSICAL AGM 5:30-7pm, Barnard Eldershaw, Manning
CLOSE THE GAP 2011 BBQ 10am-3pm, Sunken Lawns
VISION GENERATION GENERAL MEETING 12-1pm, Isabel Fidler, Manning
CHOPSTICKS: AGM
ALCHEMISTS AGM
6-7:30 pm, Isabel Fidler, Manning
1-2pm, Room 356, Chem Building
7-10pm, Hermann’s Bar
2011 INTER-SOCIETY DRAGONBOAT CRUISE
WEDNESDAY 23 MARCH
6-10pm, Wharf 9, King St Wharf, Darling Harbour
JOKEY KARAOKE!
WEDNESDAY MARKETS
1-2pm, Manning Bar
HERMANN’S TRIVIA 1-2pm, Hermann’s Bar
SUSPECTS NAME CHANGE MEETING 12pm, Common Rm, Electrical Engineering
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7-10pm, Hermann’s Bar
SATURDAY 26 MARCH
THURSDAY 31 MARCH
GEOSOC NARRABEEN CAMPING TRIP
1-2pm, Manning Bar
1-2pm, Manning Bar
WEEK 6 MONDAY 4 APRIL 2011
1-2pm, Hermann’s Bar
Holiday Park
WEEK 5 TUESDAY 29 MARCH TUESDAY TALKS 1 -2pm, Manning Bar
ROCK YA BALLS BINGO JOKEY KARAOKE!
VEGESOC AGM 1-2pm. Manning Lawns
POKER NIGHT AT HERMANN’S 5pm, Hermann’s Bar
TUESDAY 5 APRIL TUESDAY TALKS 1-2pm, Manning Bar
7-10pm, Hermann’s Bar
WEDNESDAY 30 MARCH WEDNESDAY MARKETS 11am-3:30pm, JFR Plaza
LUNCHTIME SESSIONS
ROCK YA BALLS BINGO 5-6pm, Manning Bar
JOKEY KARAOKE! 7-10pm, Hermann’s Bar
WEDNESDAY 13 APRIL WEDNESDAY MARKETS 11am-3pm , JFR Plaza
LUNCHTIME SESSIONS
HERMANN’S TRIVIA 1-2pm, Hermann’s Bar
USU SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING 12pm, Manning Bar
SUABE AGM
ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERS AGM
5-6pm, Isabel Fidler, Manning
SUNSET JAZZ
1-2pm, Mechanical Engineering Drawing Office
6- 9pm, Manning Bar
NURSING SOCIETY MEETING & BBQ
7pm, Reading Room, Holme
BUSHWALKERS AGM
HERMANN’S TRIVIA SUNSET JAZZ 6-9pm, Manning Bar
THURSDAY 14 APRIL THEATRESPORTS 1-2pm, Manning Bar
WEEK 8, MONDAY 18 APRIL POKER NIGHT AT HERMANN’S 5-8pm, Hermann’s Bar
TUESDAY 19 APRIL 2011 TUESDAY TALKS
WEDNESDAY 6 APRIL
1-2pm, Manning Bar
GOLDEN KEY USYD SUPPORTERS CLUB IGM
5-6pm, Manning Bar
1-2pm, Manning Bar
PSYCHOLOGY SOCIETY GENERAL MEETING
RACESOC AGM
THEATRESPORTS
5-6pm, Manning Bar
FRIDAY 25 MARCH
1-2pm, Drawing Office 1, PNR
PROJECT 52
12pm, BIG4 Sydney Lakeside
1pm, Mechanical Engineering Drawing Office
11am-3pm , JFR Plaza
LUNCHTIME SESSIONS
4pm, Student Common Room, Nursing School
1-2pm, Seminar Rm 105, New Law Buidling
SUNSET JAZZ 6-9pm, Manning Bar
WEEK 7 MONDAY 11 APRIL 2011 POKER NIGHT AT HERMANN’S 5-8pm, Hermann’s Bar
TUESDAY 12 APRIL TUESDAY TALKS 1-2pm, Manning Bar
ROCK YA BALLS BINGO 5-6pm, Manning Bar
ROCK YA BALLS BINGO JOKEY KARAOKE! 7-10pm, Hermann’s Bar
WEDNESDAY 20 APRIL WEDNESDAY MARKETS 11am–3pm , JFR Plaza
LUNCHTIME SESSIONS 1-2pm, Manning Bar
MANNING TRIVIA 5-6pm, Manning Bar
PROJECT 52 7-10pm, Hermann’s Bar
WEEK 9 EASTER BREAK!
JOKEY KARAOKE! 7-10pm, Hermann’s Bar
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ISSUE 02 WHAT’S ON
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TOP PICKS HIP HOP HOORAY FEAT ILLY, DIALECTRIX AND THE TONGUE Thursday 7 April, Manning Bar, 8pm
FEATURING AUSSIE HIP-HOP ACTS
THURSDAY 7TH APRIL - 8PM - MANNING BAR -
GA $15+BF /
$5+BF
GET YOUR TIX AT: / manningbar.com oztix.com / manning bar
Not quite half-way through the semester and you already got the blues? Never fear cos Manning Bar is bringing you the sweetest hip hop line-up around right now to brighten your hump and get you shakin your rump! 18+
COMPETITION & APPLICATION DATES Show off some mad skillz and win some great prizes!
MICHAEL KIRBY PLAIN SPEAKING COMPETITION Open: 01 Mar / Close: 08 Apr
BOARD ELECTIONS NOMINATIONS Open: 23 Feb / Close: 13 Apr
2012 O-WEEK DIRECTORS APPLICATIONS
Heats: 12, 13, 14 April Semi Final: 03 & 05 May Grand Final: 12 May
Open: 23 Feb / Close: 06 May
HAIRY GUERRILLA: SEMESTER ONE SHORT FILM COMPETITION
2011 HUMANITARIAN WEEK DIRECTORS APPLICATIONS
Theme Announced: 17 Mar / Close: 21 Mar, 5pm
Open: 23 Feb / Close: 08 Apr
2011 INTERFAITH WEEK DIRECTORS APPLICATIONS Open: 23 Feb / Close: 08 Apr
SYDNEY UNI BAND COMPETITION & DJ COMPETITION APPLICATIONS Open: 22 Feb / Close: 15 Apr
T-SHIRT COMP APPLICATIONS Open: 01 Mar / Close: 21 Apr Online Voting: 02 to 13 May
KICK START GRANTS Applications Close: 04 Mar / 01 Apr / 06 May /03 Jun / 01 Jul
PALM AWARDS Open: 02 May / Close 12 Aug
SHAVED GORILLA: SECOND SEMESTER SHORT FILM COMP Theme Announced: 03 Jun
CALL FOR VERGE VOLLIES
WIN TICKETS! Bull Magazine is giving away 2 Double-Passes to a couple of lucky punters – see the competitions page (pg 6) for details!
CALIBRE & DRS Saturday 2 April, Manning Bar, 9pm One of the country’s foremost electronic music promoters teams up with Sydney’s home of Drum N Bass to present the debut Australian tour of one of the genre’s most elusive talents, Calibre together with MC DRS. 18+
DEAD KENNEDYS Saturday 9 April, Manning Bar, 8pm Dead Kennedys are one of the most popular and important American punk bands, and they are coming to Manning for a very special show. The legends of punk are renowned for their live show, described as a combination of theatrics and chaos. Sounds like our kinda people! 18+
25 Jul
TIXS Tickets Availablee from esk the ACCESS Desk or online at om manningbar.com
Details correct at time of printing but may be subject to change. Please check www.usuonline. com for current details.
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BULL USUONLINE.COM FEATURE
THE SECOND YEAR’S APPRENTICE S ALEX MCKINNON GETS ALL MOTHERLY AS AN ARTS MENTOR.
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tarting uni can be, to put it delicately, a bitch. The University of Sydney takes in thousands of new students a year, each one grappling with timetables, textbooks and finding Bosch lecture theatre. Staying ahead of tutes and assignments and dealing with a gargantuan amount of new information is hassle enough, let alone the chronically awkward game of musical chairs that is the first tute of the year. Like it or not, semester one, year one is an often frustrating, overwhelming and solitary experience.
Less than a decade ago, however, the situation was far worse. Focus-group research from 2002 revealed many first-years found their first few weeks at uni ‘awkward,’ ‘isolating,’ and ‘extremely sucky, hellish and bollocks,’ which is kind of the opposite of what’s wanted. Part of the problem was the orientation provided: a cursory ‘having lots of talking heads all telling first-years where they could go for what’. The University of Sydney’s Director of Student Services, Nerida Jarkey, decided to flip orientation on its head by “trying to provide support from the student’s perspective instead of the institution’s”. Thus was Arts Network Mentoring born, a volunteer-based initiative designed to provide a more personal, friendly experience for university newcomers through their opening weeks. Under the program, current students from the Arts Faculty put themselves up as student mentors, each of whom is assigned a group of around six first-years. Mentors are responsible for helping out with logistical stuff like course clashes and locating lecture theatres, giving advice about study, work and general student life, and providing ongoing support throughout the first few weeks of semester. The newbies get a guided tour of the uni, a friendly face on their first day and answers to all the questions they’re not able or willing to ask their parents or tutors. It’s a toned-down version of the hallmark American sorority tradition - where older students- Bigsact as mentors to freshwomen- Littles.
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ISSUE 02 FEATURE
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“For the last month the Arts Mentors have watched with matronly pride as their protégées learn to walk the walk at uni”.
From the Eyes of a First-Year MIRANDA FAGAN JUST STARTED AN ARTS DEGREE, AND TOOK PART IN THE ARTS MENTORING PROGRAM.
The program has been a resounding success. Three-hundred students took part in 2003 and since then it has more than tripled in size. Two days before O-Week, more than 800 first-year Arts and Media/Communications students poured into McLaurin Hall to be shown the ropes by a cohort of more than 100 blue-shirted volunteer uni veterans. Throughout the day, mentors chaperoned their wide-eyed protégées around the campus, schooling them on everything, from course readers to email accounts and the hallowed Uni Brothers Kebab meat box. O-Week provided the opportunity for first-years to gambol and frolic amid the endless rows of Society tents, and for their mentors to dispense advice on timetables, Access Cards and the important distinctions between Manning and Hermann’s. The sage advice did not stop when O-Week did, however, and with good reason; once the glamour wears off and uni in all its drudgery starts proper, a whole new set of challenges present themselves to first-timers. For the last month the Arts Mentors have been on hand day and night, taking panicky late-night phone calls, meeting up for morning coffee, and generally watching with matronly pride as their little mentees, with knock-kneed, Bambi-like caution, learnt to walk the walk at uni. While getting the skinny on the nuts-and-bolts stuff is important, this new approach to university induction is even more valuable as it overcomes one of the biggest challenges every student
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faces: making friends. Small-group mentoring provides young bloods with the opportunity to meet fellow first-years, all sharing the same fears, frustrations and hopes, in a positive and relatively relaxed atmosphere. That may sound like something Oprah would spruik alongside the latest Nicholas Sparks novel, but a good start goes a long way towards making this whole uni caper a less aggravating experience. Having friends or even acquaintances to sit next to in lectures, go to lunch or bitch about essays with is a tremendous release. The mentors themselves play a valuable role, too; in what can be an intimidating and isolating environment, knowing that it can be borne out from someone who’s been there can lighten a heavy burden. The opportunity to access your own student buddy/encyclopaedia is, thankfully, not just restricted to Arts students. Similar courses already exist for the Business and Education Faculties, and student societies in the Engineering and IT departments, among others, run their own orientation programs to help ease first-years into things. This year also saw the introduction of a mentoring program specifically for mature-age students, who often have a much harder time settling in on a campus dominated by a younger crowd. With the Bigs’n’Littles spirit now bigger than ever, and likely to grow even more in the years to come, things are looking up.
“When I enrolled at USYD, I honestly had no idea that becoming a student would be such an involved and complex process. Beginning university, I was really looking forward to joining societies, meeting like-minded people and studying subjects I’m passionate about and want to pursue a career in. I admit, I did have concerns, especially about how challenging first year subjects would be. Mentor day and O-Week revealed to me that there are a huge amount of great offers to take advantage of on campus, regarding everything, from text book bargains to tasty student friendly restaurants. I expected university to provide opportunities but I think I underestimated just how many. I really don’t know how I would have coped getting my readers, text books and various cards organised without my mentor’s straightforward help. Mentor day was also a great opportunity to meet other art students in my combined mentor group. It was interesting to hear them voice some of my own concerns regarding how tutorials actually work, the standard of work expected of first-years and where certain buildings were located on the seemingly huge campus. Also, because we all generally had the same interests it was just really fun getting to know each other. Now, after joining about six different Societies during O-Week and having sorted out all the details concerning my various uni cards and readers, I feel a lot more relaxed about starting and can’t wait for my first lecture. I think this year will be both fun and challenging.”
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ISSUE 02 FEATURE
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OUT OF OUR INTELLECTUAL COMFORT ZONE
T
he superabundance of stalls at O-Week was a testament to the variety of views and interests held by students around campus. As the tents were erected for the threeday festival, a literal marketplace of ideas was created.
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BULL USUONLINE.COM FEATURE
JOSEPH WARE CONSIDERS INTELLECTUAL AND IDEOLOGICAL CULTURE ON CAMPUS. ARE UNI STUDENTS GENUINELY OPEN-MINDED ABOUT THE WORLD?
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variety of views is one vital ingredient for a vibrant intellectual culture. But it is not enough. People also need to have their views challenged and be willing to change their minds when given good reason to do so, lest all that diversity be simply sound and fury signifying nothing. Uni should be a place where we are forced to defend and question that which we previously never needed to defend and never thought to question. A place where we realise the big issues of life (political, ethical, economic, spiritual issues) are complex - where we recognise that the greatest minds, with the best resources, having devoted their lives to the cause, have struggled with the same questions and have fallen on opposing sides of the debate. Uni should make us second-guess ourselves. Not only that, uni should actually alter our views, enable us to mature intellectually. Who wants to graduate thinking in the same way as they did in their first lecture? Uni should be a place of flip-flopping. Where we rush from class to a computer lab to change whatever we had
entered on Facebook as our political views, religious views, life philosophy and favourite quotations, and ‘unlike’ various pages which once represented our approach to life. It should throw us into intellectual vertigo. That’s not the say we should operate in an opinion vacuum. Michael Koziol, of the Atheist Society argues, “there are right and wrong answers - God either exists or doesn’t... there is nothing wrong with being convinced that you’re right about something.” He’s not wrong. Strong
opinion makes the academic world of tutorials and debates go round. But we need strong opinions that are weakly held. We need to argue like we think we’re right and listen like we think we’re wrong. We have every reason to exercise epistemic humility. Every novelist we read, lecturer we hear, artist we critique, director whose film we watch, scientist whose theory we study, every judge whose verdict we analyse; they all have written, said or thought of something we would do well to learn. Hugh Chilton, President of the Evangelical Union (EU), adds that “it’s not just the novelists, lecturers, artists, and scientists, from whom we have much to learn, but the weak, the unimpressive, the normal, the overlooked - in a Carslaw tute, or outside Redfern station.” So assuming that a greater degree of ideological flexibility is desirable: what’s holding
us back? Why do many of us stick to the same general worldview throughout our time at uni? It’s possible the rigidity of our opinions is a psychological predisposition, such as cognitive dissonance – the discomfort of holding two conflicting ideas simultaneously. It could probably also be borne in general academic negativity. Defensive, fault-finding mindsets reduce opposing arguments to their flaws; we blindly lock-on to weaknesses and look to criticise rather than learn. But what about the 200-plus Clubs and Societies? They isolate different persuasions. I’m not talking about the beer brewing, chocolateeating or chase-the-flag hobbyist societies. No, I mean the ideological factions - a first-year evangelical Christian joins the EU. A young atheist joins the Atheist Society. A Liberal supporter joins the Conservative Club; a Labor supporter – the Young Labor Club. A lefty goes to Greens on Campus; an off-the-politicalspectrum-lefty – Socialist Alternative, and so on. Instantly they’re surrounded by people who reinforce what they already think. They’re given
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“Uni should be a place where we are forced to defend and question that which we previously never needed to defend and never thought to question.”
a safe little bubble that allows them to waltz through uni essentially unchallenged. Some Clubs and Societies are more openminded than others, as Abigail McCarthy, a Club executive, highlighted at O-Week. “The better ones host debates or seminars that reply to external criticisms,” she said. For example the EU and the Atheist Society stage regular debates. There’s only so much Clubs and Societies can do. “In the end,” said Abigail, “it’s the individual’s responsibility to be intellectually rigorous and constantly reassess their opinions… [but] Clubs don’t make it easy for students to resist complacency”. Course and subject selection can also contribute to the disconnection of ideologies. The splitting of Political Economy from Economics certainly didn’t do much for diversity in the marketplace of ideas. It means our Socialist Alternative member and Liberal supporter will rarely meet each other in class. A Political Economy tutor, who preferred
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to stay anonymous, had his own views. He said despite the “disproportional number of ‘Make Capitalism History’ shirts in class,” he didn’t believe the obvious left bend stifled class debate. Though, he did acknowledge that the debate was “between the moderate left and the far left,” rather than opposing sides of the political or economic spectrum. He said departmental separation had benefits. “Overall the separation is a positive thing,” he said, “no lecturer or tutor can maintain objectivity. The separate teaching of ‘left’ and ‘right’ economic theories acknowledges that. It calls a spade a spade, lets students know when they sign up to a subject what ideology they’ll be learning from, and allows us to teach with passion.” Solutions, insofar as such a thing is necessary, are not obvious. Intellectual ghettoisation is somewhat inevitable in a university of our size. Students should certainly be able to join ideological or religious groups.
We all need engagement and support from people who share our passions. And they are much of what makes the uni experience. At school we were probably all part of a school community, but we’re never going to be in community with 45,000 people. We find community in smaller social groups, like the Baha’i Club or the Cuba-Venezuela Solidarity Club. Clubs and Societies are overwhelmingly positive forces. And we’re all entitled to our opinions. But we might learn more if we remember that we’re entitled to change them once in a while too.
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ISSUE 02 INTERVIEW
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s decision time approaches in NSW, Kira Spucys-Tahar chats to NSW Coalition Leader Barry O’ Farrell on our way to the ballot boxes. WHILE REALISING THAT TERTIARY EDUCATION IS A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ISSUE, DO YOU HAVE ANY POLICIES THAT WOULD DIRECTLY BENEFIT STUDENTS? Yes – the NSW Liberals and Nationals have plans across all areas of Government that will support students, including improving NightRide bus services, additional express trains, and our Jobs Action Plan. In relation to NightRide bus services, the NSW travelling public deserves a safe, reliable and accessible public transport system, particularly late at night. However, currently across many destinations the service is simply not available, or is too infrequent. We will provide a weekend timetable service on Thursday nights. In many cases this means that the frequency of services will be doubled. We will also introduce a new weekend NightRide Bus Service along the Carlingford and Richmond Lines and increase NightRide services to Parramatta and Macarthur. We are also committed to providing an additional 135 express and semi-express train services a week from the Central Coast, South Western and Western Sydney – saving up to two and half hours a week. These express services will help and make things easier for students to and from University and work. WITH THE PROPOSED INTEGRATED TRANSPORT AUTHORITY, CAN THE LIBERALS GUARANTEE THAT PUBLIC TRANSPORT SERVICES WILL IMPROVE AND IF SO, HOW? We will build the South West Rail Link and the North West Rail Link starting work in our first term. We will also establish a $40 million Park and Travel Safety Fund to provide additional safety measures at crime hot spots across the CityRail
network. This will include improvements to platforms, stations, trains and car parks through additional CCTV cameras, improved lighting and reliable help points. This is particularly important for students, particularly women, who may be travelling on trains before early morning or after late night lectures. The Integrated Transport Authority will improve the delivery of public transport services by better co-ordinating different transport modes and enabling more efficient delivery of major transport infrastructure projects. It will also ensure transport projects meet the community’s needs and are delivered on time and on budget – or the independent board will blow the whistle. WITH THE 100,000 NEW JOBS THE LIBERALS CLAIM THEY’LL CREATE BY LOWERING TAX, WILL THERE BE POSITIONS AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS AND OTHER CASUAL AND PART-TIME EARNERS? Yes, under our plan to target 100,000 new jobs over four years under our Jobs Action Plan, positions will become available for students and other casual and part-time earners. In fact, I’d expect they’d be a key beneficiary of the plan. The Jobs Action Plan will work by providing a payroll tax rebate of $4,000 per full time employee for the first 100,000 new payroll tax paying jobs created in NSW; paying the rebate in two equal parts, on the first and second anniversary of the hire of a new full time employee. This will encourage long term, sustainable jobs. It is estimated that the Jobs Action Plan will reduce the NSW unemployment rate by up to 0.3 per cent and increase economic activity by up to $3.6 billion. ASIDE FROM THE PROMISED FUNDING TO LIFELINE, DOES THE LIBERAL PARTY HAVE ANY OTHER POLICIES TOWARDS SUICIDE PREVENTION AND MENTAL HEALTH? We have a proud record of supporting mental health. In fact, it was our party under the leadership of John Brogden, when I was Shadow Minister for Health, which was the first anywhere in Australia to appoint someone to a dedicated Mental Health portfolio. In relation to the Lifeline policy, the NSW Liberals and Nationals support the outstanding
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work Lifeline does in suicide prevention and counselling services by providing $2 million in annual recurrent funding. We will ensure each of the 15 Lifeline call centres in NSW receive assistance – as they answer in NSW 170,000 calls each year. IF ELECTED, WILL A LIBERAL GOVERNMENT REVERSE THE ELECTRICITY PRIVATISATION SALE INTRODUCED BY LABOR? The NSW Liberals and Nationals believe we need to get to the bottom of Labor’s mess regarding the electricity privatisation. We will establish a Special Commission of Inquiry with powers similar to a Royal Commission. It will call for documents and public submissions, hold hearings and crossexamine witnesses under oath. I will bring the findings to the Parliament and reserve the right to use whatever remedies are available to protect the interests of the people of NSW. I’m committed to retaining the ‘poles and wires’ in public ownership. HOW WILL YOU BE SPENDING ELECTION DAY AND THEN ELECTION NIGHT? Unsurprisingly, on election day I will start the day in my local electorate voting to make NSW number one again. I will then visit other electorates to give my support to our NSW Liberals and Nationals candidates and the volunteers who will be out helping. In the evening I will be watching the results with my family and close friends. Obviously I am hoping it will be a positive result – so on Sunday I can immediately get started delivering real change for NSW. . WHAT DO YOUR SONS THINK ABOUT THEIR DAD BEING THE NEXT PREMIER OF NSW? The greatest achievement I can say without any hesitation is being a proud dad to Tom and Will, and husband to Rosemary. Obviously it’s hard on Rosemary and the boys, especially when there’s a critical story in the paper or a TV ad making me out to be some sort of gremlin, but they understand what I do. Rosemary and the boys are a great support and my number one supporters.
BARRY O’FARRELL
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E
THE
FASHION FANTASY
very girl, metrosexual man and his overly accessorised dog wants to get into the fashion industry. Unfortunately, as with most creative industries, just getting your foot in the door can be a difficult feat. More wannabe fashionistas than you’d expect are willing to fight to the death for the chance to serve a fashion editor their daily skinny latte.
WE GO TO THE BOTTOM OF THE COMPETITIVE WORLD OF AUSTRALIAN FASHION
Launch My Label Launch My Label is an event concept run by Chic Petite Events, taking place every four months. The evening’s aim is to provide a platform for emerging young designers to effectively launch themselves, gain exposure and find networks, contacts and media opportunities. The first 2011 evening held at the Embassy Events Centre in Sydney on 1 March lived up to its lower-rung billing. The organisation was a little haphazard, within minutes of the doors opening, all chairs were full and most were forced to stand (in heels!) for the duration of the show – many without programs, of which too few were printed. And while it may have been a fashion show, the somewhat diverse audience could have done with some food (especially as the booze was flowing.) But the very point of the show, the clothes themselves, certainly mixed things up. Designs by Lucy Kulmar fused the futuristic with the geometrical. Among Kulmar’s creations were an over-sized poncho worn over jeans with pleats at the knee (looking as though you’ve fallen over and attempted to fix the holes) and a mullet skirt (short in the front, long in the back) worn with a striking burnt orange blouse. Antonella Ianni’s cut-out suspender shirts showcased a preppy, school uniform-style and highlighted the androgynous look. Standouts included Bachhara, a collection sewn by properly-paid Bangladeshi workers in an attempt promote conscientious fashion. The designs were not awe-inspiringly original, but the beautiful, bold silk prints spoke for themselves. Most notable, however, was the mostly male collection from Chloe de Freitas, featuring dashing clothes that looked like they’d come straight out of the 18th Century. The three male models seemed to be having a little too much fun strutting the catwalk in some unique gear, such as a Neo/Matrix-inspired jacket, Jedi-inspired brown overcoat and Samuraiinspired lavender silk pant and shirt ensemble. As the three replicated the moves of Hansel from Zoolander, several middle-aged ladies in the audience swooned in adoration. The next Launch My Label event will run for four days at the end of July at a secret location. It’s to be a collaboration with an art gallery, photographers, models, stylists, designers and performers. In regards to her upcoming show, organiser Sharon Garrard says, “We’re looking for artists, designers, sculptors. I’m looking for something really original and cool. Obviously we want students on board. We want it to be an underground event.” Keep your eyes peeled, the next big name in Australian fashion has to start somewhere.
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Emerging fashion designers have even more trouble getting face time with important industry elites. Designers are faced first with the challenge of having to finance their own collections, before digging for opportunities to showcase their works to hard-to-catch buyers and fashion editors. It takes a tough hide and much hard work to rise to the ranks of Australian fashion moguls such as Alex Perry, Sass & Bide and Collette Dinnigan. Reality TV has capitalised on the cut-throat nature of the industry. TV hit Project Runway Australia hooks its audience with the dramatic weekly elimination of its designer contestants, literally delivering the mantra: ‘in fashion one day you’re in, the next day you’re out’. Winners of the show may appear to be given a leg up when they receive their a huge cash prize and some room on the runway at the Melbourne Fashion Week, but they too generally follow their fellow evicted contestants into fashion oblivion once left to their own devices. Boutique stores that stock new Australian designers must also compete with retail giants Myer and David Jones. They must also succumb to the fact that when these brands become successful, they often move away from independent retailers and rely on Myer and DJs to stock their brands. This move into the mainstream usually pays off. Myer just recently bought a 65 per cent stake in Sass & Bide for $42.25 million, beating David Jones in a bidding war. However, these actions still come at the cost of diminishing the sustainability of the smaller retailers willing to take risks on unknown designers. Up-and-comers aren’t the only ones being cast off the catwalk; many established designers are also struggling to keep their businesses afloat. As a result of low-level trade tariffs and the increased costs of production and manufacturing in Australia, local designers must inflate prices to survive and compete with cheaper foreign imports. In the wake of the Global Financial Crisis and the ensuing hit to the retail sector, designers faced even more difficult financial decisions. High-end women’s fashion designer Morrissey, denim label Ksubi and upmarket suit designer Herringbone have each gone into voluntary administration. Lisa Ho also dropped its financial backing of niche Australian label Mad Cortes. Many designers have even abandoned Australian Fashion Week to cut down on exorbitant costs. Akira Isogawa, Bettina Liano, Leona Edminston and Wayne Cooper were some of the big names that ditched last year’s show. So how’s a young, fresh designer supposed to get noticed in such a tough climate? Many prop up stalls at local markets to sell their wares directly to passers-by. Others try the extremely hard sell of having their clothes worn by celebrities to a high profile event. Once they’re asked by the red carpet reporter, ‘And who are you wearing?’ the future of the latest ‘it’ kid could be sealed.
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According to the owner of Chic Petite Events, Sharon Garrard, part of the problem is that young designers lack the PR and marketing skills to become visible. “You can do a collection quite easily but to take them (designs) into production is a hard step,” she says, “they don’t teach them that at Fashion College. They teach them to be creative, but no business skills.” That’s where the idea for Garrard’s Launch My Label events came from; “trying to help emerging designers. Help them network, find buyers, help with their PR…help them find a market, basically”. A new generation of Australian designers is now emerging, with vivid projects from bold designers taking inspiration from across the globe. In 2003, David Jones used an advertising campaign carrying the line, ‘We believe in Australian designers, because we believe in Australian fashion’. Since the GFC, however, it seems companies are more interested in their bottom-line than fostering any creative partnerships. It’s a challenging task for designers to find funding and approach people to assist in creating a profitable business model. Hope is not lost; hopefully big-name companies will follow the lead of grassroots-supporters such as Chic Petite Events, nurture emerging local talent and bring the Australian industry back to its eclectic, international trendsetting best.
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pwc.com.au/careers/experience-award
The PwC Student Experience Award
How can you get involved in the PwC Student Experience Award? What would you like to grow? The PwC Student Experience Award (formerly known as the PwC Excellence Award) has been established to recognise high calibre students who strive to maintain a balanced life. If you are currently combining full-time study with a passion for the environment, achieving success in your course of study and on the sporting field, or juggling studies with a commitment to a charitable organisation – just to name a few examples – then this is an award you deserve. As a winner of the award, you will receive both financial assistance towards the course or cause of your choice, and a professional development package designed to assist you with preparing for the workforce, regardless of which career you would like to pursue.
The award has the ability to become life changing – not only for the winning student, but for greater society. – Anonymous entry
How to apply: Simply log onto the website and tell us in 200 words or less how you achieve excellence in your work while maintaining a balanced life. The 2011 PwC Student Experience Award is open to all students from all degree disciplines who have at least one year of study remaining. Entries will open on 21 February 2011, and close on 2 May 2011. Find out more about how you can apply at pwc.com.au/careers/experience-award
2010
winners Richmond Glasgow University of Melbourne
Samantha Bobba University of New South Wales
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Sarah Jewell Australian National University Alexander Rose University of Queensland
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SORRY, RANGA T
itian, bloodnut, carrot-top, ginger-ninja, ranga, fire-crotch, Fanta-pants, Ginger Meggs; or the sardonic Australian term, bluey… whatever you call them, the redheads of this world always seem to be getting a raw deal. KIRA SPUCYS-TAHAR WONDERS WHY THE JACKIES AND MARILYNS OF THE WORLD ARE ALWAYS TORMENTING THE POOR ORPHAN ANNIES.
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BULL USUONLINE.COM FEATURE
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n mid-2010, when Julia Gillard ousted Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister of Australia, people came out in droves claiming a win for redheads. One radio station even made the comment, ‘Gillard becomes our first female PM, but not our first Ranga-In-Chief’ (that dubious honour went to James Scullin, Prime Minister of Australia from 1929 to 1931). Glossy mags rushed cover stories and photo spreads on the new PM. But before long, her hair colour soon became a point of reference for mocking – as if it were a flaw. The Illawara Mercury was the first; it ran an unflattering cover caricature of Gillard as the Redheads Safety Matches woman, while the more obnoxious of radio jocks began to ponder whether ‘the carpet matched the curtains’. Redheads have always been an easy target; the ABC’s 2007 comedy, Summer Heights High has made the term ‘ranga’ (derived from the likeness in hue to the fur of an orang-utan), resonant with today’s youth. In one episode, teenage delinquent, Jonah justifies bullying another student simply because of his fiery follicles. “People are racist to us cos we’re fobs,” says Jonah, “so we can be racist to rangas.” When told to apologise, Jonah begrudgingly uttered, “Sorry, Ranga”. Irreverent and funny as the scene was, it also brilliantly exposed the vicious environment that is the schoolyard, and how redheads, for some reason, seem to be at the bottom of the food chain. It’s very difficult to pinpoint the nature of the hairist attitudes beyond the simple ‘being different’ explanation. But history shows red locks are not always a liability – in fact in many cases, quite the opposite. There’ve been many remarkable gingers throughout time. Classical music had Vivaldi and his Four Seasons and the art world Botticelli’s goddesses. Nations have been led by bold redheads. Eric the Red, Richard the Lionheart and Henry VIII had tresses and infamy that stuck out from the crowd. Queen Elizabeth I wore a red wig after her own hair fell out when she was still quite young. Why red of all colours? Perhaps because the connotations of strength, blood and power were a symbol of the English royal family of the time, to the point where young English women often wore red wigs to emulate their beloved queen. The formidable leader of the Allies in World War II, Winston Churchill, wore his rusty locks with pride. In those days, nobody would have dreamed of teasing and mocking the russet-haired. We’ve been entertained by redheads: I Love Lucy’s Lucille Ball was a comedic carrot-top, while dancer Ginger Rogers and actor Robert Redford’s parents gave them most apt monikers. Today, redhead representation is sky-high flame-haired siren Florence from Florence and the Machine; Julianne Moore is gorgeous and all class; Christina Hendricks from Mad Men oozes sex appeal with her messy rouge up-do. All stand out from other talented ladies due to their knockout manes. Even supermodel Miranda Kerr was depicted as a titian schoolgirl, straight
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ISSUE 02 FEATURE
from the poetry of Gwen Harwood, in a highfashion advertising campaign. But why is there still stigma attached to a red mop on top? According to the Encyclopaedia of Hair, historically, ‘red-haired people have been the targets of superstitions, prejudices, and persecution…Some scholars trace negative attitudes about redheads to the belief that Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus in the New Testament, was thought to have this hair colour’. Broadly the colour red itself has many negative connotations that perhaps we project onto those with hair of that colour. One is never ‘in the blonde’ when we’re in debt, and someone in a fit of rage isn’t ‘seeing brunette’, they’re ‘seeing red’. In a capitalist democracy, the ‘reds’ are evil communists to be feared. Not helping is the pervading idea that redheads are a breed of their own. British musician M.I.A. caused a storm of controversy last April with the graphic video for her single
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‘Born Free’. In it, heavily-armed police round up redheads before driving into the desert and executing them. M.I.A. said it was a political statement to highlight the futility of violence in promoting a cause, however many found it to be mere gratuitous violence targeting a minority. Scientifically speaking, red hair and its associated traits (pale skin, light eyes etc) is a recessive gene, which some predict could extinct within a century. But as with the cause to save the jungle-dwelling orang-utans from the brink of extinction – ‘rangas’ themselves are fighting back. There exist entire online communities dedicated to promoting the cause of the redheads. The non-profit blog, gingerism. com is ‘documenting the existence of Gingerism in mainstream society’ and Redhedd.com is a 2000 member-strong forum. In 2008, ‘Sorry Ranga Day’ was celebrated on 10 August, which encouraged all Australians to apologise for ‘the indignity and degradation inflicted on red headed people’. While obviously with tongue firmly in cheek, the day shows that someone out knows the problems being faced by the minority of redheads. In the Netherlands, there is an organisation that holds an annual Redhead Day in September for people across the globe to celebrate their lucky red locks, while MTV Canada created ‘Kiss a Ginger Day’ on Facebook (albeit in response to ‘Kick a Ginger Day’, where schoolyard bullying hit a disturbing peak). It goes without saying that everyone should be accepted no matter what their race or religion and indeed, hair colour. One thing you may notice about the University of Sydney is the large proportion of redheads. And I have but one thing to say, Sorry Ranga.
“Why do we mercilessly tease our fellow humans simply because of the colour of their hair?”
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BULL SUUONLINE.COM.AU CAMPUS CHATTER
CAMPUS CHATTER I’M NOT A STALKER, BUT...
TO CHARLIE,
It has come to our attention that as a frequent visitor to our zoo, you may be able to provide some clues as to the disappearance of several of our tigers. We wou- what?
TO THE GUY THAT LET ME GO IN FRONT OF HIM IN THE TASTE CAFÉ LINE, Not many people in the world exist like you. Somebody generous enough to give up their own prime spot in the three metre line…this proves that gallantry is not dead. With love, Your tasty baguette MACBOOK GUY IN MY GOVERNMENT TUTE, Why are you always typing notes in our tutes? Are you trying to confuse everybody into thinking that the confusing chatter is actually worth taking down? Well it’s working. So I need to know that you’re actually doing other work that would justify you typing on your Macbook the entire tute. Give me a signal or something in our next tute. Confused (and a little paranoid)
SHORT LOANS SECTION OF FISHER, When you found that book that I’d spent ages looking for you stole my heart away too. Maybe next time I’ll meet you in the stacks? Dewy Decimal hater TO THE GUY THAT TYPES REALLY LOUDLY IN MY PHILOSOPHY LECTURE, STOP IT! It’s so distracting. I mean it’s philosophy: it’s uncool to be taking notes in anything but a moleskine notebook anyway. Note-taking traditionalist TO THE BROWN-EYED GIRL AT CENTRAL THAT ASKED WHICH BUSES GO TO SYDNEY UNI, Let’s co-ordinate our timetables so we can ride together more often. Guy with the sexy iTrip app on his iPhone
Oh god!.. No! San Francisco Zoo
MONDAY 10 AM CLASS, The entire class doesn’t need to see how madly in love you both are. If you must canoodle, find a secluded corner in Fisher or Victoria Park. There’s no need to make others uncomfortable during a lecture about auditing, we’re already suffering enough. Your lecturer TO THE CUTIE IN MY SOCIOLOGY TUTORIAL, You seem really shy, and you never say anything in class, but I think your hotness is totally understated. I’d love to hear what your real opinions are sometime. Weber admirer
TO MY TUTOR, It isn’t fair that you always come late to our tutorials and spend the whole time on your Blackberry, instead of actually tutoring. Covering what I did on the weekend with the person I’m supposed to be ‘debating’ world issues with does not constitute learning. Can’t wait to write your evaluation feedback. Get a new job please, Dissatisfied tutee
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TO THE JERSEY SHORE FAN I MET AT THE DEEP SEA O-WEEK PARTY, We met at the bar and bonded over our love for Jersey Shore. You made me feel like Ronnie D and Vinnie in that episode where they meet their dream girls at the club, and then decide that instead of hooking up with them they’re going to take them out on a proper date. I promise I’ll buy you flowers and a get a hair cut too if you don’t cancel on me like that dancer did to Vinnie. The real ‘situation’
TO THE MANNING BURGER CHEF GUY, You usually make a mean burger but last week you really outdid yourself. The patty was cooked to perfection and your sauce suggestions were spot on. I just wanted to thank you for saving me from an eternity of eating oily dim sims and cold sushi for lunch. BBQ fan TO ALL THE TENTS AT O-WEEK Nice erections… What? Don’t be so base! Camper TO THE GUY IN THE BINTANG SINGLET Nice singlet, where’d you get it? LOL, JK, you’re a douche… Not a Bali fan
SOMEONE CATCH YOUR WANDERING EYE? SOMEONE ANNOY THE HELL OUT OF YOU? SOMEONE MAKE YOU LAUGH DERISIVELY? LET US KNOW AND SEND YOUR MESSAGES TO:
usubullmag@gmail.com
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ISSUE 02 CAMPUS CHATTER
PLEASE, HAVE A COW
HUMYARA MAHBUB HATES ON NON-IPHONE USERS.
GOT BEEF WITH SOMETHING? SPILL YOUR GUTS IN 400 WORDS OR LESS TO USUBULL2010@ GMAIL.COM
Dear people who do not have iPhones, Do you realise that you are not down with the cool, trendy kids right now? How do you have a good time with your friends if cannot artistically capture all you ca the fun you are having on your Hipstamatic/Instagram app? Hipsta Having an amazing social life Havin means that you can constantly update all your friends on updat Facebook in real time! How else Faceb does eeveryone know how goodlooking you and your friends are, lookin what a raging time you all and w all the time? have together, t You Yo clearly don’t realise how important it is to receive constant impor feedback and validation feedba from ffriends of friends, that guy met at that party once, your you m cousin you haven’t seen in years,
W
elcome to Bull’s Variations on a Scene, where we encourage YOU to get your creative writing skills out and help evolve our story. It’s simple; read the current edition’s story and take one element of it – be it an object, setting, character, theme etc - and submit your own creative piece. Here is the first instalment – now you take it from here! EMAIL YOUR STORY VARIATIONS TO USUBULLMAG@GMAIL.COM STORIES CAN BE NO LONGER THAN 300 WORDS..
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or your old high-school history teacher. Your peers in your classes are also very disappointed that you can’t send them incredibly high resolution photos of the hilarious doodles you drew during that very boring lecture. As for other necessary distractions in class, if the person sitting in front of you is wearing something hideous, and you need to judge them secretly, it must be very dissatisfying for you to not be able to take a photo of them to send to your BFFs, with an appropriately withering caption. It must be equally crippling to only be able to merely suggest to someone that they Youtube ‘I’m On A Boat’, instead of just whipping out the Youtube search right there and then.
It’s sad that you’ll never get to experience the feeling of security you have, knowing that as an Apple user you belong to an extremely attractive and cute Apple family.You will never know the satisfaction of getting very useful help from the Genius Bar because your wi-fi isn’t working. And, most importantly, when you’re craving that post-alcohol binge burger, how do you decide which would be the most efficient Maccas run without FoodFinda and Google Maps? Oh, people who do not have iPhones, how do you live?
VARIATIONS ON A SCENE BRENDAN QUIGLEY
Sitting at the edge of the sofa, Michael let his hand stroll through a stack of old photos — mostly family holidays, birthday parties, kids laughing and smiling. He leant back, took another sip from the glass of scotch he’d poured for himself and placed it on the coffee table. He let the smooth liquid settle in his mouth, enjoying the flavour and the tingling in his nostrils. He considered what he was about to do: yes, he had to do it. A car pulled up in the driveway: she’s here. He could hear the car door shut, and the sound of footsteps as she approached the door. Calmly picking up a thin strap of brown leather from the table, Michael then moved to wait behind the wall beside the front door. He heard the key push back the pins inside the lock, and the door swung open. With a sigh, she stepped inside, kicked off her shoes and tossed her bag on the floor.
He tightened the strap in his hands, waiting patiently for her, as she did every day, to place the mail and her keys in a bowl by the door. Michael moved swiftly and silently up behind her, brought the strap around her throat, lifted her off the ground and, falling backwards, pulled her violently to the floor. Her legs kicked as she writhed on top of him, grasping at his hands in an attempt to release his grip. He listened to her struggling: glottal convulsions as she tried desperately to breathe. He pulled the strap tighter against her neck and waited for her to die. Silence filled the house. He let out a deep breath, resting for moment, then rolled her onto the floor. He stood up and looked down at her lifeless body. Michael stepped over her, walking to the front door. He turned the brass knob and slowly pushed the door open. For a moment, he stopped to look back at the scene and, with a certain finality, he shut the door behind him...
15/03/11 6:58 PM
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ZZZ DFFHVVEHQHÂżWV FRP DX ZZZ XVXRQOLQH FRP
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28
BULL USUONLINE.COM.AU FEATURE
WANT TO CONTACT SOMEONE? Ella Bailey: ebai8586@uni.sydney.edu.au Jack Freestone: jfre3423@uni.sydney.edu.au Queer Officers (Nathan Li and Clare Sullivan): queer.officers@src.usyd.edu.au Queer Revue: queer.revue@gmail.com Richard Sawyer: president@shades.org.au SULS Queer rep: queer@suls.org.au SUPRA Queer rep: queer@supra.usyd.edu.au
A QUEER KIND OF YEAR
QUEER REVUE SOCIETY PRESIDENT TIM LEE GIVES YOU THE LOWDOWN ON ALL THINGS RAINBOW.
BULL_02_AB_v2.indd 28
T
he University of Sydney is an institution that leads the way in many facets of student life, so its no surpise that it's home to one of the biggest, most exciting and diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) programs of any university in Australia. There is something for everyone and 2011 promises to be one of the best years in the University’s history for LGBT students. Though, for those unaware of the breadth of the LGBT program – here is an easy guide.
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ISSUE 02 29 FEATURE
Firstly, the program would not be possible without the support of the University of Sydney Union (USU). The USU itself has several LGBT Representatives, notably the Queer Events Coordinators, Ella Bailey and Jack Freestone. Their role is to provide support and services to LGBT students in whatever way this may be required, and they are more than happy to be contacted to answer questions. Ella and Jack maintain the Queerspace located on bottom floor of the Holme Building. It’s a place where queer and queer-friendly students can hang out and be themselves in an inclusive and homely atmosphere. Being renovated this year, the Queerspace is becoming the focal point and meeting place for the many LGBT-affiliated groups on campus. The Queerspace door is equipped with a security lock, so contact Jack or Ella for information on how to gain entry. The Coordinators hold a Queer Party each semester, which is a great opportunity to let your hair down and have a great night at one of the bars. With students from other universities also attending, it’s a fantastic opportunity to network and socialise outside of your regular circles. Ella also hosts the weekly Queer Girls Drinks at Manning Bar- a great opportunity for USyd’s queer ladies to meet one another, chat and have a drink. Meanwhile the LGBT community is also represented on the Union Board of Directors by Ben Tang, who holds the Queer Portfolio. The Student Representative Council (SRC) is a student-run organisation committed to help students and give them a voice. Every year, two Queer Officers (Nathan Li and Clare Sullivan this year) are elected to the SRC to head the Queer Collective, the SRC department dedicated to working for justice for gay, lesbian and transgender people. It pushes for change in the wider community through political activism. The Queer Officers also organise USyd’s contribution to the interuniversity Mardi Gras float, so keep that in mind for next year! Jointly-run between the SRC and the Queer Events Coordinators is the Identity course. Based on similar ACON programs, Identity covers issues of sexual health, identity, coming out and the Sydney scene, as well as public health issues like safety, violence and drug use. Identity runs from mid-April for six weeks. It is a gathering designed for people who might have recently come out, who feel the need to extend their queer social network or who want to talk about issues relating to sexual identity in general with friendly and like-minded people. It is highly recommended for new students. Please contact one of the Queer Events Coordinators or one of the SRC Queer Officers for more information. Beyond the programs, there are various LGBT-affiliated Clubs and Societies for you to get your teeth into. Shades is a USU society dedicated to enriching the lives of LGBT
BULL_02_AB_v2.indd 29
students and their straight friends. Formed in 2010, Shades put on some of the year’s best parties, attracted inspirational guest speakers and hosted meet-and-greet events with LGBT-friendly businesses. Shades isn’t interested in political campaigning: it’s interested in helping you have the best time possible at uni. And as hundreds of students would attest, it did just that last year when Shades began. As USyd’s biggest LGBT-affiliated society, there’s sure to be something in Shades’ diverse portfolio for you! If you want to know more, join the Facebook group or contact Shades President Richard Sawyer. The Queer Revue Society puts on one of the most fabulous shows of USU’s Revues season- and you can be part of it! The Revues are comedy sketch shows that run in Semester 2 each year that feature acting, singing and dancing, wholly performed, written and directed by you, the students. Many Faculties have a Revue, but Queer Revue joined the lineup for the first time in 2010. Last year’s show, The Gay After Tomorrow, was unanimously declared the best new non-Faculty Revue of the season (and it was so much fun). Gay or straight, writer, actor or technical wizard; however you want to get involved in the show, we’ll do our best to accommodate you. After all, it’s your show! If this sounds like you, join the Facebook group or contact the President of the Queer Revue Society: me!
Some other Societies and associations on campus, whilst not being LGBT-focused themselves, have a LGBT representative as part of their organisation, including the Sydney University Law Society (SULS) and the Sydney University Postgraduate Representative Association (SUPRA). See if any other Societies you have joined have queer representatives - if they don’t and you feel they need one, then get involved and enquire whether you could help to set up such a position. As if that weren‘t enough, events are put on specifically for LGBT students at USyd’s residential colleges. These are casual, friendly and relaxed, with a good mix of people from all colleges. Events occur periodically throughout the year- check the noticeboards! Last, but not least, there are some LGBT events that occur annually. Pride Week is the annual celebration of the queer community on campus, where all Usyd’s queer groups put on special events for students. The SRC newspaper, Honi Soit publishes a special queer issue each year, featuring articles relating to LGBT issues by queer and queer-friendly students. Articles can be published anonymously if you wish. So, there you have it! There’s bound to be something in that list that takes your fancy. Get in contact with one of the listed contacts, and above all, have a wonderful year and enjoy everything that USyd has to offer.
“GAY OR STRAIGHT, HOWEVER YOU WANT TO GET INVOLVED, THERE’S SOMETHING FOR YOU.”
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BULL_02_AB_v2.indd 30
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ISSUE 02 STUDENT LIFESTYLE
I
t’s 10am on a Monday. This means French, your first lecture of the week - in fact, your first lecture ever and you know you’re going to be late.You know this because your timetable specifies the Oriental Room as the location of your class, but you have a feeling you are somewhere on Physics Rd. Welcome to the University of Sydney - a university so large it has its own postcode (2006) and boasts a huge range of services for students. Full of hidden courtyards, strange statues and the sandstone buildings that enchanted you from the start, Sydney Uni is a great place to be. As a kid coming from a small country town that had no traffic lights and the only lift located in our local RSL (the classiest establishment in town), it was daunting to say the least. Having moved into college a week prior, I’d managed to establish a group of friends but was keen to meet more people, be involved in more things and explore the university so that I no longer spent my time between classes hopelessly lost. Ultimately, O-Week served all these purposes, and by the time I left the sprawling array of stalls, I had definitely joined more Clubs than I had time for. Now I’ve learnt this is just part of the fun, and each year trudging home with my showbags, I continue to wonder how I will ever fit everything in. By the end of my third week of university, I had perfected the art of walking into a room where I did not know anybody. It was simple: sidle in, straight to the drinks
and then introduce yourself to another person who looks as though they might be a first-year too. In fact, this was a tactic I discovered worked everywhere. Whilst waiting outside lectures, in tutorials, queuing at the Copy Centre... I had decided before I started university that I was going to make the most of it. After all, I had spent a year working to afford the move and so that I could receive benefits from Centrelink. Whilst some things had to be learned, such as the process of catching a bus or a train, other things came more naturally and I realised that being involved on campus is a very easy thing to do. My degree has interested and challenged me along the way, and having survived two years of university, and heading into my third, I have made a few observations along the way. For any people that are new to university, it’s hugely important to pick subjects that you enjoy. Otherwise you will
31
“It’s hugely important to pick subjects that you enjoy.”
hate 13 weeks of your life as you try or avoid learning a particular unit of study. (On that note, remember 31 March is the census date, the last day to withdraw from a subject). Also, I’m a fan of random introductions. Seriously, I have made some very good friends in my classes by simply introducing myself to the person sitting next to me. It’s not that weird, and you get used to it. Ultimately, be involved. Get involved in the USU, in your SRC and in all the amazing Clubs and Societies on offer. So while I still occasionally get lost, and sometimes don’t know which bus stop to get off at (or if I have to change trains), the transition from the country to the city, or from high school to uni, is not that bad. In fact, it’s fantastic!
Sydney Slicker PHOEBE DRAKE LOSES HERSELF IN THE THICK OF UNI ACTION.
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Entries close Thursday 21st April at usuonline.com
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ISSUE 02 TRAVEL
CITY FLORENCE
33
A LONGER ITINERARY
F
lorence is a city that deserves more than the most cursory whirlwind glance. There are plenty of attractions that make the less-famous sites an enriching experience. Orsanmichele, a small Gothic style church, between Piazza del Duomo and Piazza della Signoria is good for a contrast. The Bargello, an art gallery specialising in sculpture, is just as rewarding as the more famous Uffizi. CAN’T AFFORD THE FARE? Florence is a brilliant place to explore, but unfortunately it’s some distance away and flights ain’t cheap. Fun solution? Just load up copy of Assassin’s Creed 2 on your XBox or PS3 and you’ll be in the thick of the Florentine action! Better yet, you’re a knife-wielding assassin! How cool is that?!
“Italians dress quite formally for a night out, so leave the Ed Hardy at home: think Ivy, not Kings Cross.”
Fiesole, in the hills north of the city, is a great daytrip. Its views of the city may be less detailed and crisp than at Piazzale Michelangelo, but it offers greater scope and panoramic breadth. An old Etruscan settlement, Fiesole offers the opportunity to break up the Renaissance-dominated itinerary and gain insight into the other periods of the Italian peninsula’s rich history. Here you’ll see the ruins of an old amphitheatre and a wealth of historical artifacts that predate Roman conquest. NIGHTLIFE A night out for the Florentines means a night in a discoteca; clubbing is the essential social mode. Italians dress quite formally for a night out, so leave the Ed Hardy at home: think Ivy, not Kings Cross. Less common are small bars (‘lounge bars’) or pubs, which are generally more touristy because they cater more to homesick foreigners than Gucci-clad Florentines. WHEN TO VISIT There’s a tricky trade-off between when the weather is best and when the crowds are smallest in Florence. Summer is sweltering and to be avoided. Unequivocally the best weather’s in spring, but this brings the largest crowd, meaning long waits to see famous attractions. Winter is a good balance of the two, clement (compared to other European destinations, if not Sydney) but not overcrowded. DON’T BE THAT GUY Like in many European tourist hotspots, Segway tours have started popping up around the streets of Florence. It may seem like a cool way to get around, but it may just be a more high-tech way of pissing off other pedestrians and marking yourself out as a tourist. The best advice: don’t be that guy.
Fabulous Firenze PAUL KARP CHECKS OUT THE OLD HAUNTS OF LEONARDO AND MICHELANGELO – THE RENAISSANCE HEAVYWEIGHTS, NOT THE TURTLES.
TRAVEL
1. THE DUOMO
2. THE UFFIZI
3. BOBOLI GARDENS
4. PIAZZALE MICHELANGELO
5. SANTA CROCE
From the soft pinks and greens of the marble façade to the striking red tiles of Brunelleschi’s dome, Santa Maria del Fiore is immediately identifiable as Florence’s symbol. Highlights include the golden doors of the baptistery, and the view from the dome or Giotto’s bell tower.
This art gallery just off of Piazza della Signoria is world-famous for a reason: with works by Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Botticelli, its collection is a tour de force of the fruits of the Rinascimento (Renaissance, if you will). The rich allegory of the mythical figures in Botticelli’s Primavera is a particular highlight.
Attached to the residence of the Medici, Palazzo Pitti, these gardens are a breath of fresh air. The lush greenery on the south side of the Arno River is a relief from the manmade wonders of art and architecture for which the city is famed.
Raised above the south bank of a river is this hillside Piazza, offering a sensational view of the city, particularly the Ponte Vecchio at the centre of the river. There’s a copy of Michelangelo’s David which is, conveniently, in bronze so even the most clueless tourist shouldn’t confuse it for the original, which is housed in the Accademia.
The magnificent marble façade of Santa Croce is similar to that of the Duomo, but the key attraction here is the tombs of many very famous Italians: Galileo, Michelangelo and Machiavelli to name a few. There is also a funerary monument to Dante, whose statue strikes an authoritative pose outside, though he’s actually buried in Ravenna.
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34
BULL USUONLINE.COM FASHION
FASHION
Check price tag Size Look for stains Try on
E
ven when I set out on a shopping trip with a convincingly dire ‘need’ for new clothing, my expedition usually ends in disappointment. Besides the physical drain of trawling through shop after shop without finding even one measly accessory to satisfy my impulse buying habits; my taste for unfairly expensive fashion always strains against my piddly student budget. If this rings true to your own experiences, you’ll be glad to know that there is an easy solution to such frustrations. It’s where solutions to everything can be found… the Internet. Since the birth of Amazon and eBay, millions of jaded shoppers like me have begun to realise that shopping online is the absolute shiz.
Windows Shopping ANNE WIDJAJA DISCOVERS THE THRILLS OF SHOPPING ONLINE.
BULL_02_AB_v2.indd 34
I came to this bold conclusion after a brief period of optimism in the retail future of Sydney. Inspired by a single purchase made at a department store sale and bored of the bidding madness of eBay, I had high hopes for the ‘we’re-practically-giving-it-away,’ post-Christmas sales. After searching through endless racks of messy, make-up-stained, odd-sized rubbish, I gave up and decided to go home and return to the sanctum of online shopping. Within a few Google searches of my favourite, trusted Australian designers (Alice Mccall, Sass & Bide, Thurley), I was titillated to discover the online boutiques that these well-established designers had recently opened. I found pages and pages of reduced stock neatly displayed on my browser, safely stored in far away storerooms and
Add to maybe pile Buy
TOP SHOPS ON THE NET ebay.com.au missyconfidential.com.au urbanoutfitters.com asos.com etsy.com mycatwalk.com.au bluefly.com
protected from the dirty mitts of bargain hunters. It was retail bliss without even leaving the house. Now, with the near-parity of the Australian and US dollar and competitive international shipping rates, American online retailers such as Urban Outfitters, Bluefly, Neiman Marcus and Macy’s Online have become slightly more within the realm of affordable. The best part is that this shopping experience has no time limit and you have an almost infinite number of clothes, shoes, accessories etc. to browse through. Consequently, I have discovered the procrastination power of online retail therapy is comparable to that of, drum-roll, Facebook. Between doing the dishes and starting that 2,000 word essay, I think we all have a bit of time for searching for that perfect outfit.
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ISSUE 02 FOOD & BOOZE
35
RESTAURANT STORE ESPRESSO
Picnic with a difference MAX HALDEN DISCOVERS THAT THE COOL KIDS DO IT IN THE PARK, AS STORE ESPRESSO SERVES YOU WHERE YOU WANT IT MOST.
A
s we trudge across Camperdown Park towards Store Espresso on an overcast Sunday morning, our group expresses some uncertainty. The place is packed (that’s good), but the only remaining seats outside are around a table of comically small Alice in Wonderland proportion (that’s bad). But we don’t hesitate for long: Store Espresso oozes charm, hitting exactly the right balance between Look at the Effing Hipster pretentiousness and casual suburban cool that every place wishes they could pull off. It’s the kind of place where you don’t mind eating food on your lap. Most new cafés either come off as try-hard or ‘try somewhere else’. Here, the décor is spot on, from the exposed light bulbs and disused crates (for both decoration and extra outdoor seating) to the Dali-esque painting of a spoon on the far wall. There is a big communal table inside but those in the know can borrow a picnic blanket or even be served at a picnic table on the other side of the cul-
de-sac. Regulars can always get a table if they’re inventive enough. Other nice touches include the pegged menu, the giant lemon slices in the equally generous water jugs and fancy pink salt. This eye for detail creates a vibe of comfort, simplicity and care that radiates out from its trendy exterior. Cool trimmings without the cold shoulder. Food time! We’re here for brunch and most of us can’t look past the breakfast plate – a collection of avocado, roast tomato, ricotta and poached eggs accompanied by sourdough and a sweet treat of strawberry jam on the side. Sweet and savoury together at last. Scrambled eggs with pork and fennel sausage also gets a guernsey. As we banter over the Good Weekend quiz and admire the view, the food emerges. The presentation is NEED TO KNOW: 17 Fowler Street, Camperdown 2050 (15 minute walk from Sydney Uni) All day breakfast/lunch $4.50 – $15 Open 7 days 8am-4pm DON’T EXPECT: life-changing food/coffee GREAT FOR: a relaxed meal or quick bite in a charming location for a good price
as modest as our chic surrounds, with a pleasantly refined simplicity. The taste of the breakfast plate is unfortunately also simple; it’s all done well but lacks an ‘x-factor’ to pull it all together. The tart jam finish is a welcome addition but the package is not outstanding. The scrambled eggs however are scrumptious, with the soupy sausage and onion mix adding a depth of spicy sweetness to the fluffy eggs. And of course, the coffee is good. The Euroblend brew won’t be stealing too many customers from the nearby Campos or Luxe stores, but my strong cappuccino is full-flavoured and leaves a pleasant lingering earthiness. Like everything here, it is made with care and hard to fault. As we pay the bill, plenty of punters are already tucking into lunch fare, from freshly- made sandwiches to generous-looking veggie burgers. Even more tempting are the range of freshly-baked goodies – and I discovered the following afternoon that the rhubarb muffin tastes just as good as it looks. Add a T2 peppermint tea and my three-thirtyitis miraculously evaporates into the afternoon sunlight. Store Espresso won’t set the dining world on fire. But that’s not the point. There is no avantgarde architecture, no daring culinary creations and no pretentious staff with attitudes larger than their vintage clothes collections. There aren’t even any macaroons. What you get instead is a café that makes beautiful use of its lush environs to serve fresh, delicious food at a reasonable price. Sydney Uni is surrounded by places that you have to be ‘seen’ eating in. Do yourself a favour and walk down to Store instead.
FOOD & BOOZE BULL_02_AB_v2.indd 35
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36
BULL USUONLINE.COM ENVIRONMENT
Disaster-proofing ALEX MCKINNON ASKS WHETHER THE WIDE, BROWN LAND SHOULD USE PROTECTION.
I
f countries were TV characters Australia would be Mr. Bean: completely accidentprone. In the past two years Queensland’s floods, Perth’s bushfires,Victoria’s floods and bushfires and Cyclone Yasi deprived Australia of a whopping $37.5 billion in emergency aid, rescue efforts, reconstruction costs and general mopping-up. This, on top of the constant half-expectation that another dust storm is going to come sweeping in from out West like God’s wrath; the rapidly-vanishing puddle that is the Murray-Darling; and the usual happy package of droughts, pests, tropical cyclones, flash floods and bushfires, raises a pretty important question: should we be more prepared when calamity strikes?
“We got lucky; Cairns and Townsville came within about 100 kilometres of being wiped off the map.”
Currently, natural disasters are paid for in a variety of ways. State governments decide how to deal with sudden emergencies; some take out private insurance with multinational companies, some set up their own insurance funds with taxpayer dollars, while others- like Queenslandjust dip into the budget. Normally, this works pretty well. We do have a lot of natural disasters, but as a nation that pretty much has its act together, we manage to drum up the funds when needed. Furthermore, Australians are a generous lot when it comes to catastrophes. As of Australia Day, over $176 million had been donated to the Queensland Flood Appeal. But, for a country as vulnerable to disaster as ours, our approach could be better. At the height of the floods, several independent MPs and the Greens called for a permanent, taxpayer-funded emergency stash to deal with sudden natural disasters. The idea made the headlines for a few days before getting sidelined, and now has about as much chance of becoming reality as a well-scripted James Cameron movie, but there are some pretty compelling reasons to at least think about it. For instance, not gutting budgets every time Mother Nature rears her ugly head would cut down on bureaucratic red tape and political headaches. Terry Barnes, a senior Howard government advisor and disaster coordinator, recently argued in the Herald that a disaster fund “could help significantly in minimising unplanned spikes in government budgets and damage to the wider economy in responding to sudden natural catastrophes”. It’s not a particularly radical concept; New Zealand’s Earthquake Commission has existed since 1945 covering, contrary to its name, everything from tsunamis to volcanic eruptions. It recently proved its worth in the wake of the Christchurch quakes. Australia’s Frankenstein-like approach to patching the country up isn’t ideal or sustainable. Professor Ross Garnaut (aka Mr Climate) warned post-Cyclone Yasi that “a warming climate does lead to intensification of these sorts of events,” in other words: ‘We ain’t seen nothing yet’. Natural disasters have that nasty habit of unpredictability. Luckily,Yasi was less Armageddon-ish than feared but Townsville and Cairns both came within about 100 kilometres of being wiped off the map. If that had happened, a lot more money would have been needed, and too quickly to rummage through budgets for it. If a permanent fund enabled a quicker response to a disaster of that magnitude, it could save lives, which would be well worth the time and effort of re-jigging the system. When that happens, if at all, only time will tell.
ENVIRONMENT BULL_02_AB_v2.indd 36
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ISSUE 02 SCIENCE & TECH
It’s getting hot in here
37
A
PAUL KARP EXPLAINS WHY CLIMATE CHANGE IS MORE COMPLEX THAN JUST GLOBAL WARMING (BUT YES, THAT TOO).
nother year, another highest temperature record. The UN’s World Meteorological Organisation has confirmed 2010 was the warmest year on record, continuing the global warming trend. In fact, the 10 warmest years on record have been since 1998.
SCIENCE & TECH The general scientific consensus is that the greenhouse effect, whereby greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide trap heat in the atmosphere, accounts for most of that increase. But the greenhouse effect is just one unintended consequence of human activity. With the changing composition of the atmosphere, there’s a lot more happening up there than just the greenhouse effect. GLOBAL DIMMING Global dimming is, as you would guess, a reduction in the amount of light that reaches the earth’s surface. Global dimming operates in two ways. First aerosols, such as soot, increase the reflectivity of clouds by fostering the formation of many tiny water droplets rather than fewer larger ones, and these tiny droplets reflect more light back into space. Secondly, aeroplanes condense water vapour in the sky as they fly, forming artificial clouds known as condensation trails (contrails) leaving more persistent cloud cover. Contrails, like clouds, can warm the earth by trapping heat and also potentially cool the earth by preventing light reaching its surface - it depends on the season and time of day. Although according to a report for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) entitled ‘Aviation and the Global Atmosphere’, the net effect of contrails warms the planet, global dimming still shows the potential, under certain conditions, for human intervention to cool the planet. In 2001, in the
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three days following September 11 when the entire US jet fleet was grounded, climatologists noted an unprecedented increase in daytime temperatures relative to night-time temperatures. They presumed the absence of contrails allowed additional sunlight to reach the ground – increasing temperatures. OZONE DEPLETION Ozone layer discussion might seem so 90s, but it wasn’t so long ago that we were more worried about the hole over Antarctica than burning coal, or whether we should drive a Prius. Ozone in the atmosphere protects us from harmful UV rays, but it’s rather sensitive to nasty chemicals like chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that for a long time nibbled away at it. Fortunately, humankind got its act together on this one and the 1987 Montreal Protocol banned use of CFCs, today standing as a critical positive example of international cooperation fighting climate change problems. By 2005 the IPCC concluded the global average rate of ozone depletion has approximately stabilised. Although considerable variability in ozone is expected from year to year, particularly in polar regions, the ozone layer is expected to begin to recover in coming decades.
to fight fire with fire, so to speak, and combat unintended changes in climate with planned ones. There are so many variables affecting the climate, that so many can be tinkered with to get the desired effect. To prevent light being absorbed and turned into heat, we could increase the reflectivity of the earth. Scientists believe this could be achieved on as small a scale as painting everybody’s roofs white or on a scale as ambitious as creating a Mr Burns-style giant sun shade in space composed of trillions of tiny reflectors. Other solutions involve sucking more carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. If planting more trees sounds too easy, there’s the suggestion to seed the oceans with iron filings to encourage algal growth, which will in turn increase photosynthesis and extract CO2. Alternatively, ‘man-made trees’ can filter carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and then use a series of chemical reactions to change that into disposable greenhouse gas. So there you have it: ‘climate change,’ far from just being a softer name to the troubling phenomenon of global warming, accurately describes the multiplicity of ways our environment is changing and is changed by us. Changing, but still hotter.
GEO-ENGINEERING Some believe global warming has become so bad, or the cost and difficulty of moving away from fossil fuels so great, that they want
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BULL USUONLINE.COM ENTERTAINMENT
ENTERTAINMENT S ummer’s over, and with it the jam-packed festival season, aww. Jess and Joss from Beat the System reflect on one of the more obscure, but amazing outdoor music gatherings.
Three days in the rainforest JESS STIRLING AND JOSS ENGEBRETSEN
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after dark, it all transformed into wild, dub-step driven chaos. Tent after tent of DJs sprung up, providing heart pumping, muscle-driving, dirty beats to keep hardcore festival-goers happy until well after 6am.
Peats Ridge is the kind of festival that makes you want to sell all your material possessions, buy a house boat and change your name to Moonbeam. Set in the glorious Glenworth Valley north of Sydney, it’s a delightful and different way to ring in the new year, with its focus on creativity, sustainability and providing an inclusive, family-friendly atmosphere. Think bare feet, morning swims in the river surrounding the festival site, craft workshops and hippy children in tie-dye frolicking around, all against a backdrop of art, music, great food and the odd mariachi band. Oh, and then there’s the sweet line-up of Australian and international bands, as diverse and varied as the crowd of weird and wonderful festival-goers they attract.
DAY TWO Waking up obscenely early on day two, our fragile heads were soothed by some 8am yoga in the multipurpose ‘workshop tent’ followed by a swim in the river. The quirky Lanie Lane kicked things off with her acclaimed single ‘What Do I Do,’ followed by the utterly charming four-piece Tin Sparrow, whose laid-back, folk-rock sound should see them become household names before the year is out. After a brief stint back at the workshop tent for some African drumming, we headed to see Sydney wonder kid Jonathan Boulet do his thing on the main stage. And what an impressive thing it was, with a huge percussion sound (including one dude whose sole task appeared to be to bash the proverbial out of a tom-tom) and great, sophisticated harmonies. The musical delight continued with the Hungry Kids of Hungary as ferociously energetic as usual, and future indie legends Parades (with Jonathan Boulet on drums) were brilliant. But the highlight came from seasoned vets Decoder Ring, whose dreamy electro teamed with incredible visual backdrops to provide an absolute treat for eyes and ears.
DAY ONE We set up our tents in one of the amazing campsites, just a stone’s throw from the main stage and surrounded by idyllic rainforest and our own personal river (hangover cure WIN!). The morning was spent wandering around the colourful festival site - a grassy maze of food, markets and installation art, discovering a few musical gems such as Evan and the Brave, who had the female audience members as putty in their hands with their beautiful harmonies and acoustic sound. Sydney’s The Retreat also won the crowd over with an unpretentious, heartfelt set, and a female drummer who, like the Sirens of ancient mythology, lured men to crash upon the barriers. Then came the big names. Washington’s set was so electric that even the brutal 35-degree heat couldn’t keep the crowd from dancing, and The Jezabels left the crowd awe-struck with lead singer Hayley Mary’s soaring vocals belting out their killer set. Angus and Julia Stone ended the evening solidly, busting some impressive trumpet solos and engaging in some actual crowd banter. Then,
DAY THREE New Years Eve finally rolled around, started off by Matt Corby shaking off his Australian Idol label with a solid Buckley-esque set. Next was a trip to the Chai Temple to see Sydney Uni’s very own Emma Davis win us all over with her sweet, folky sounds. New Years Eve: the culmination of three days of art, music, performance, parades and body paint, was every bit as nuts as it promised to be. Fancy-dress themed, we spent the night partying with mimes, burlesque dancers, Indian chiefs and people wearing nothing more than a lick of paint and a feather boa. The atmosphere approaching the countdown bordered on generalised hysteria, with fire twirlers, more body painting and, of course, another obligatory parade. The evening was spent watching predicably stellar performances from Fire! Santa Rosa Fire!, Jinja Safari and Cloud Control before 2011 was brought in with some serious aplomb by the Danish whizz-kid, Trentemoller. The great Dane’s huge electronic sound provided a exceptional end to an exceptional festival. All too soon it was time to leave this blessedout haven and return to the real world to start counting down the days until next year. We’re already planning our costumes.
PEATS RIDGE
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and The ACCESS Desk, Level 2, Manning House, The University of Sydney
SAT
26
MAR 8PM 18+
+ CLAIM THE THRONE + BANE OF ISILDUR (FINLAND)
MON
2
+ FOREIGNDUB + ROLLERS MUSIC
APR 8PM
(UK)
18+
TUE
7
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APR 8PM 18+
SE
LL
WED
9
ING
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THU
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APR
THE UNIVERSAL STRUGGLE TOUR II
FEAT. ANTHONY B (JAMAICA) + CECILE (JAMAICA)
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+ SKISM + TROLLEY SNATCHER
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HUGH CORNWELL
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MAY
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MAY 6 – HOUSE OF PAIN (USA) // MAY 13 – ALESTORM (SCOTLAND) + VOYAGER // MAY 27 – THE HAUNTED (SWEDEN) + BURIED IN VERONA + RECOIL + DAWN HEIST // MAY 28 – MORBID ANGEL (USA) JUNE 11 – NEVERMORE (USA) + DAYSEND + ANNO DOMINI + AS SILENCE BREAKS
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BULL USUONLINE.COM REVIEWS
REVIEWS FILM 127 HOURS DANNY BOYLE
FILM TRUE GRIT ETHAN AND JOEL COEN
BOOK HALF THE SKY NICHOLAS KRISTOF & SHERYL WUDUNN
STAGE THE DIARY OF A MADMAN BELVOIR ST THEATRE
For a film about the true story of Aron Ralston, (James Franco) trapped by a boulder for over five days, 127 Hours is surprisingly far from being dreary and depressing. Shot with fast-moving cameras and cut with multiple panels per frame, a suspenseful pace is set in from the beginning of the film, which quickly peaks with a not-all-that gruesome climax. In between, Franco and Danny Boyle sketch out Ralston’s character and his motivations with minimal exposition, simultaneously demonstrating the impressive spirit of human nature. We see how Ralston, stuck in an impossibly hopeless situation, somehow finds the courage and strength to go on, all so he can be better at a mundane life. He wants to be able to call his mother back every time she leaves a message, make amends with his girlfriend, and go get drunk at a party. Danny Boyle, Simon Beaufoy (who co-wrote the script with Boyle) and AR Rahman have produced an inspiring film, worth watching if only for James Franco’s astonishing performance alone. 127 Hours is probably the best you’ll feel after witnessing a man willingly lose a limb, but that’s not what it’s really about – it’s about watching a man willingly trade his right hand for the chance to live again.
The danger with Coen brothers’ films is to expect too much. While one can’t be blamed for hoping for another Fargo or No Country, the Coen brothers don’t always set out to change cinema forever. True Grit is nonetheless an enjoyable fresh take on the American West. The dialogue is sharp, its narrative engaging and the characters are, on the whole, original and deep. Admittedly, it doesn’t amount to more than the sum of its parts but the parts are so satisfying in their own right that it doesn’t really matter. This film does break ground in its tenderly-aged female protagonist Mattie Ross, whose masterful control of language, deep-rooted confidence and determination truly unsettles traditional ideas about age and gender at this point in American history. The pseudo love-triangle between Mattie and her two law-enforcing aides, played by Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon, is intriguing. The film’s exploration of ‘true grit’ is also interesting. But, ultimately, the film doesn’t end up being as moving as it could be. While it’s a fun and inventive take on the West, it would almost certainly be getting more attention if it was created by directors with less of an auteur status.
An ancient Chinese proverb goes that women hold up half the sky. Whilst personally I’d say that ‘half’ is an underestimate, the purpose of Half the Sky is to raise awareness of one of the most widespread human-rights violations of our age: the struggle for women’s equality around the world. Authors Nicholas Kristof (a NewYork Times journalist) and Sheryl Wudunn display an incredible knowledge and experience in the field and successfully offer the reader some very practical solutions to gender imbalance. The book’s drawcard is not its confronting statistics or sensationalised statements, but its engaging portrayal of the lives of real women. From stories of the trafficking of women in Asia, to Obstetric Fistula epidemics in Africa, the reader gains a vivid picture of the injustices faced by women globally. Kristof and Wudunn are also hopeful, detailing stories of women like Rath from Cambodia, who escaped from a brothel and now runs a thriving retail business that supports her family. The book’s message inspires the reader to make use of your voice, your wealth and your education in the best, most progressive way. And if you need one more reason to pick it up, Oprah read the book and she absolutely loves it.
Few stage productions will ever attain this kind of significance. Not only does The Diary of a Madman mark the end of Neil Armfield’s impressive reign as artistic director of Belvoir’s Company B, but in this revamp of the original 1989 production, Geoffrey Rush’s performance reaches virtuoso status. Theatre lovers should bring a change of underwear. Act 1 introduces Poprischin (Rush), a lowly clerk who is disgruntled with his demeaning work, yearning to be noticed by his boss’ beautiful daughter Sophia. Rush plays the role as part-foppish aristocrat, part-jester, indulging in the character’s playful asides. His timing and nuance are standout and he transforms Poprischin’s often difficult soliloquy into a fresh and tickling comedy. However, when Sophia’s rejection drives him into an asylum in Act 2, the tone of the play turns to tragedy. It is Rush and Armfield’s nuanced balance of tragedy and comedy that make this production so mesmerising and ultimately heartbreaking.Yet, others deserve mention:Yael Stone is also excellent as Poprischin’s exasperated Finnish maid and later a haunting asylum inmate. The musicians’ cheeky and suspenseful dialogue with the action added colour to the minimalist set. The chance to see a production like this is why we come to the theatre.
ASHLEIGH GREEN
MIKEY SHIRAEV
FAYZAN BAKHTIAR
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PAUL ELLIS
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ISSUE 02 REVIEWS
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FILM
Black Swan Darren Aronofsky RICHARD WITHERS Black Swan is driven by a dedicated, Oscar award-winning performance from Natalie Portman, playing the role of the psychologicallytormented perfectionist Nina Sayers, a ballerina who earns the role as Swan Queen in her company’s opening season performance of ‘Swan Lake’. Portman’s own physical challenges in playing the role (she lost 20 pounds and sustained various injuries during filming) is indicative of the film’s overall theme – the consuming and potentially debilitating nature of the pursuit of perfection in ballet. The film follows Nina’s physical and emotional struggle to portray the character of the White Swan’s lascivious alter ego - the Black Swan. Confronted by an overbearing mother, whose own mediocre dance career leads her to channel her own ambitions through her daughter’s career, Nina predominantly stays hidden away in her pink-walled bedroom, enclosed within a bubble of perpetual childhood. Aronofsky uses Nina’s naïve innocence to lure his audience into siding with Nina’s sinister perception of her dance-rival Lily (Mila Kunis), who she believes is out to get her. This is the most thrilling conflict in the film, as Nina’s erratic and twisted descent into delirium creates an increasingly frantic build-up to the
Fox Searchlight Pictures
opening night of ‘Swan Lake’. We feel just as claustrophobic and helpless as Nina herself, as she struggles to distinguish between her own paranoid visions of Lily, and the reality of her own violent (and sometimes gory) selfdestruction. The film manages to frustrate as much as tantalise the viewer. While fans of Darren Aronofsky may not regard Black Swan in the same esteem
as TheWrestler or Requiem for a Dream, it is a provocative film with a sophisticated and delicate blend of grace and grit. Admittedly, the film is at times uncomfortable to watch; however, Aronofsky succeeds in creating something that is both disturbing and refined. Black Swan hauntingly explores the depths of fixation in an industry that is damagingly obsessed with ideals of beauty and perfection.
GIG
Two Door Cinema Club Enmore Theatre ANNE WIDJAJA When Two Door Cinema Club’s lead singer Alex Trimble introduced a song in the set list as “from our old stuff,” the crowd’s rapturous response was cut short by Alex exclaiming “f*** you, we don’t have any old stuff!” It’s easy to forget that Irish, indie-guitar-pop hit makers Two Door Cinema Club only released their debut album Tourist History in March last year. After playing Splendour in the Grass and a sideshow at Manning Bar in 2010, the band returned to Australia just six months later for the Laneway Festival. Not only did the band upgrade their Laneway sideshow to the Enmore Theatre, but they’ve also gone from upcoming talent to sell-out indie pop stars. Two Door Cinema Club had the crowd at hello, or in this case, at the plucking guitar
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riff intro of album opener ‘Cigarettes in the Theatre’. By the opening bars of the track, the crowd (as well as the actual floor of the Enmore) were gleefully jumping and bopping to the band’s frenetic pace. The following rendition of single ‘Undercover Martyn’ was almost drowned out by the shouting of the frighteningly energetic all-ages audience. It was clear that the band’s performance was most exciting when they followed the formula of their best songs: layered build-ups around the chorus, simple lead guitar melodies, sweet and simple vocals, and a fast-paced percussion beat. ‘Eat Up It’s Good For You’ and ‘Come Back Home’ are pop songs where all the instruments are following a catchy melody. The crowd isn’t just singing along to the lyrics, but the guitar melodies too. Except for the Foals-esque ‘Handshake’, which was surprisingly dimly received, there was no dip in the energy of the short but sweet one hour set. The crowd, and the band, came to the gig with a resolute intention to have a maximum amount of good times. In the all-tooserious indie scene, it’s refreshing to see that the popularity of the band shows that hipsters aren’t all afraid of a little fun.
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university of sydney union
WEDNESDAY
11am - 3pm, jane foss russell Plaza
Every second
Wednesday during Semester
02 March 16 March 30 March 13 April 04 May 18 May 01 June
For stall bookings and enquiries: email markets@usu.usyd.edu.au or call the Access Desk 9563 6000 - www.usuonline.com
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ISSUE 02 MINDGAMES
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CROSSWORD
SUDOKU
ACROSS
DOWN
01 05 07 07 08 09 10 12 14 17 18 20 21 22 23
02 03 04 05 06 07 11 12 13 15 16 19
Consequence (6) Slippery liquid (3) Allaying hostility (9) Courageous (5) Attract (7) Droll (5) Supporter of James II (8) Margaret ___ : Canadian novelist (6) Throws (6) Physical wounds (8) Bodies of water (5) Pipe-like (7) Female relation (5) Canine (3) Procession (6)
Sweet icing (7) A set of recipes (8) Pack tightly (4) They are said to be the food of love (7) Legal practitioners (7) Irritate (5) Capital of South Carolina (8) Clap hands (7) Labouring (7) Green gemstone (7) Get together (5) Wets (anag) (4)
CALCUDOKU
WORD PYRAMID
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UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY UNION AND USYD FILM SOC PRESENT
THEME ANNOUNCED THURSDAY 17 MARCH AT USUONLINE.COM
ENTRIES DUE MONDAY 21 MARCH, 5PM
SCREENING TUESDAY 22 MARCH, MANNING BAR, 6PM
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT THE ACCESS DESK, LEVEL 1 MANNING HOUSE INFO@USU.USYD.EDU.AU // 9563 6000 // USUONLINE.COM
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ISSUE 02 THE BULL PEN
In a State Election Far, Far Away DOMINIC WILCOX USES THE FORCE TO PREDICT THE WINNER
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tate politics are always interesting – politicians have the most vicious debate over the most trivial issues. It’s like school captain elections. People put in so much effort, but secretly everyone knows that it doesn’t make the slightest difference whether it’s the nerdy kid or the sporty kid representing the school at the local council morning tea.
We shouldn’t expect this election to be any different. Great debates and controversies will be had over the privatisation of the little hand on the clock at Circular Quay Station, and whether lines in the middle of the road should be in white or cream. Nevertheless, there will be plenty of screaming from both sides. What makes this election really different, however, is the fact that the Liberal/National Coalition are probably going to win. And, let’s face it, we may well lose our prestige of having the bestlooking Premier in the state. No matter what side of the political spectrum you’re on, you’ll probably agree that Kristina Keneally is pretty damn good looking. And when she gets up to make an announcement with the hunky Treasurer Eric Roozendaal, it’s like you’ve walked into a Hollywood film, complete with grating American accents. Barry O’Farrell, on the other hand, isn’t quite your average poster-boy. It’s like that scene in StarWars where Luke Skywalker encounters Princess Leia chained to Jabba the Hutt. Now imagine
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if instead of rescuing the Princess, Luke had fallen in love with Jabba, and whisked him away to married life on Macquarie Street, while the rest of the galaxy succumbed to urban sprawl and lack of services. Essentially this is what, by all indications, could happen on 26 March. Oh, and then there’s the Greens. Traditionally, the Greens have held the unenviable position of everyone hating them. It must be hard being a Green. The right hates them, because they believe they are a bunch of atheist socialists who have nothing better to do than ruin capitalism, shoot farmers and ban sausages. It doesn’t help that all this is essentially true. And the mainstream left hates them because they believe them to be annoying little plagiarisers who steal all the credit while making the rest of them look bad (‘How many small business owners have you pissed off today, Labor? None? Not good enough!’). It’s like Chewbacca turning around and going ‘AEWEERGGGGGG’, roughly translated: ‘actually, it was me who saved the galaxy’. But- and it’s a big but (actually it’s so big, it should look like this – BUT), - this time around, everyone doesn’t hate the Greens. There’s been so much vitriol directed at Labor that by the time the average punter/Daily Telegraph gets around to the Greens, they’re so exhausted that all they can do is mutter something incoherent about fishing. Perhaps this time around, the Greens may do okay. So that’s pretty much it. The election will probably be over before Antony Green can say: ‘we seem to be having technical issues, so let me just dwell on an obscure anecdote from 1983 instead’. After the election, Barry O’Farrell will probably be Premier, and NSW will be restored back to its ‘glory days’… or in other words – boring days without a minister disgracing themselves each week. And as for Kristina Keneally, she’ll be Opposition leader for a week or so, before being stabbed in the back by her deputy. She was doomed when she first opened her mouth to say ‘sorry’. It’s called the Kevin Rudd syndrome.
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BULL USUONLINE.COM CAUGHT ON CAMPUS
STUDENTS LIVE THE LIFE OF A BOWLING BALL THE LOVELY SPOCS
GETTING TOPSY-TURVY AT THE UV PARTY
CLOWNING AROUND BONDI HAS NOTHING ON HERMANN’S BEACH
PHOTOS BY SHER ALI KHAN
23 – 25 FEBRUARY 2011 O-WEEK: WELCOME ABOARD
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tudents flocked to the ever-awesome three-day O-Week festival this February, this year coming with a nautical twist. The campus was awash with students, stalls, parties, activities and general festivities. A merry time was had, but luckily, nobody went overboard…
CAUGHT ON CAMPUS HUDDLE TIME!
CLUBS: GOTTA JOIN EM ALL! THE GREAT UV PARTY ILLUMINATION
GRAVITY’S PRETTY OVERRATED
ALL SMILES
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LEADERS WANTED BECOME A BOARD DIRECTOR NOMINATIONS OPEN 23 March 2011 CLOSE 4pm, 13 April 2011 Come to an information session and hear more about the nomination process. Ask questions and meet some current USU Board Directors and Staff.
Information Session 5pm, Wednesday 30 March, The Reading Room, Holme Building Women’s Mentoring Session: 4pm, Thursday 31 March, The Loggia, Manning House Refreshments provided
WE ARE YOUR UNION The USU is governed by a Board of Student Directors elected by members of the USU. If you want to make a real difference to the way USU is governed, you can run for a position on our Board of Directors. Determine the future of the country’s largest Student Union.
Election Day 25 May 2011
T: 9563 6159 www.usuonline.com/Get_Involved/Elections
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