Empire Times 40.2

[et] empire times vol. 40 issue 2

your free student magazine

Empire Times wouldn’t happen without our wonderful contributors, and we’re looking for more! If you can write, draw, paint, take photos, or do anything creative at all, get in touch with us now at empire.times@Flinders.edu.au.

Don’t forget to keep an eye on our Facebook page for news, Deadlines, giveaways, reviewing opportunities and other good things.

[ et ] Contents Editorial..............................................................................................................................................3 Prez Dispenser / Brodie McGee..........................................................................................................4 Teaching or Preaching? / Katerina Bryant.........................................................................................6/7 My Semester in Calgary! / Heidi Miller..................................................................................................8 An Abolitionist Approach: The Moral Necessity of Veganism / Ira Herbold...........................................9 Dear Dorothy.....................................................................................................................................10 Sex Ed with Mistress M: Informed Consent / Emma Sachsse............................................................11 The Price of Dreams / Jess Dangerfield........................................................................................12/13 Why Can’t We Be Friends? / Miranda Richardson........................................................................14/15 Vox Pops.....................................................................................................................................16/17 Same Sex Marriage: Why Australia Has Fallen Behind / Angus Rawson............................................18 Mardi Gras / James Vigus.......................................................................................................19/20/21 WOMADelaide..................................................................................................................22/23/24/25 Music.....................................................................................................................................26/27/28 The Hilarity and Horror of Customer Service / Annie Robinson..........................................................29 An Open Letter to the Jackeroo Two Man Tent / Freya Dougan.........................................................30 Crap I Don’t Need / Ondine Baker................................................................................................32/33 Theatre.............................................................................................................................................34 Film........................................................................................................................................35/36/37 Environment Officer’s Report: Recapping O’Week / Adriana Allman..................................................38 Books...............................................................................................................................................41 Poetry.........................................................................................................................................42/43 Fiction.........................................................................................................................................44/45 Games..............................................................................................................................................46 Not Just For Nerds / Kevin Clark.......................................................................................................47 Blast from the Past...........................................................................................................................48 Editors: Simon Collinson, Sarah Gates, and Dunja Nedic Front and back cover artwork by Matthew Holdinghausen Empire Times is a free publication of the Flinders University Student Association Visit us at fb.com/empiretimesmag or fusa.edu.au/Common/ContentWM.aspx?CID=33

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editorial ] [editorial

Beware the Ides of March! Beware, also, the music festivals of March, the theatre shows, car races, and art exhibitions of March, the pop-up beer gardens, shitty standup, weird puppetry, street parades, and… let me put it this way: just beware March in general.

— The Soothsayer, Julius Caesar Yes, Mad March is over. Now that the dust has settled, we can all breathe a sigh of contentment, relief, or sadness, and maybe even catch a few hours sleep. But what comes next?

This second issue of Empire Times is aimed at getting you through the next few arid weeks.

The realities of study are setting in, we’re becoming intimately acquainted with parking on the oval, and group projects are already disintegrating into Lord of the Flies-esque disarray and horror.

However, there’s nothing to fear! We’re here to help you out, with the best procrastination aids on campus. We have a great retrospective on Womad, an interview with British India, pieces on the moral necessity of veganism, a report on police violence at Mardi Gras, an explanation of why gaming isn’t just for nerds, and a bunch of great theatre, film, album, and book reviews.

A new columnist joins us in this issue: Emma Sachsse will be dispensing sage advice on sex and love; her first piece is on page 11. You

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can check out her blog at www.askmistressm. com. We’re also thrilled to have two talented new designers on board: Preesan Pillay and Jemima Thomson.

We’ll be announcing our new subeditors soon, so keep an eye on our Facebook page for the news. Didn’t want to commit to a whole year of editing and writing? Never fear! A plethora of great prizes and opportunities for creatives have recently come across our desk. Check out the following: • The Monash University Undergraduate Prize for Creative Writing, worth $4,000 (Closes 15 April, see page 40 for more details) • The Flinders University Young Playwrights Award, worth $1,000. (Closes 26 April, more info: www.statetheatrecompany.com.au/ home/education/youngplaywrights/) • The Unsigned Only songwriting competition, worth up to $10,000. (Closes 16 April, more info: www.unsignedonly. com/) As always, we love hearing your raves, complaints, article ideas, marriage proposals, whatever: hit us up on Facebook at www. facebook.com/empiretimesmag or by email at empire.times@flinders.edu.au.

Until next time folks, Simon, Sarah, and Dunja

Thank You! Once again, the editors would like to extend a huge thanks to our contributors – especially those of you who’ve contributed to both issues so far!

If you’d like to join us for Issue Three, drop us a line at empire.times@flinders.edu.au.

Writers Adriana Allman

Jessica Dangerfield

Angus Rawson

Jess Nicole

Annie Robinson

Katerina Bryant

Charles Chiam Chuang Chao Elizabeth Daw Emma Sachsse

Kevin Clark Kimberley Ellis Miranda Richardson

Freya Dougan

Nikki Klindzic

Heidi Miller

Ondine Baker

Ira Herbold

Preesan Pillay

James Vigus

Sean Anderson Tim Walter Photographers and Artists

Apologies

Geoff Fox

To Mohammad Ferdous Mehbub, who was not acknowledged for his photography in the Vox Pop section of Issue One. To Lauren Brice and Miranda Richardson, whose names did not appear beside their articles in Issue One.

Matthew Holdinghausen Mohammad Ferdous Mehbub Simon Bannister

Design Sub-Editors Jemima Thomson Preesan Pillay

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prez dispenser

Hey Y’all, It’s been the busiest couple of weeks that Student Council have had in a long time; all because of the input and direction FUSA have had in this year’s O-Week and Clubs Fair Day. O-Week (or, more accurately, O-Couple-of-Days) is primarily organised by Flinders One - the dudes and ladies that do your food and coffee in the refectory. We know how much people love that, so we wanted to make sure it was bigger and better than in previous years. For first year students, you probably don’t have anything to compare it to, but feedback that we’ve had from both new and continuing students has been pretty positive so far. We’ve worked closely with Flinders One and have forged a good working relationship, working towards the same goal: bigger and better.

We also ran our all student forum recently to get some feedback on what people want to see on campus throughout the year. We got some great feedback from that, and we’re holding another one soon on May 21st. I strongly urge as many of you to come along to that – not only do you get direct input into making Flinders a better uni outside of class, but you can give us direct feedback on our plans; past, present and future. Do it. The details will be up on our website so check them.

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multicultural festivals, and a bunch of other things. Remember that uni life isn’t just about the classes.

It’s about the friends and the fun, too. But, just like anything else in life, you’ll only get out of it what you put in. So come along to our events, make some mates and have a good time.

Similarly, the clubs and societies on campus are starting to take off again, and there are over 60 that you can join. I’ve heard, anecdotally, that a bunch of people find it lame to join a “club” on campus, but I think that comes down to not understanding what clubs do, exactly.

If you’re interested in joining an active group of students who are interested in business and international exchanges, check out AIESEC. Interested in promotion of gender and sexuality equality? Join the Queer Society.

Love photography? Photography Club.

Interested in economics or investment portfolios?

Investment Club.

Love getting dirty, being outside and climbing into holes or up cliffs? Speleological Society.

Love hanging out with mates, sitting on the grass and drinking? The Lake Monster Watching Society.

On a completely different note, most of you would have, by now, received several emails about FUSA by-elections and you’ll be wondering what the fuck they mean, or what’s going on. I’m sorry if the emails are getting a bit annoying, but in short we’re trying to make sure that the best possible people are being elected to the FUSA Council to make sure only the most committed and active people at this university are fighting for your rights and services, but also putting on the best events we can, given the resources made available to us.

… And that’s just 6 of over 60. Some are about making friends here on campus, some are about pairing you up with a mentor/mentee, some are about international relations, and some pairing you up with a person in your field of work and making sure you’re supported in achieving the best you can. Academic, social, political… you just have to get involved.

With that in mind, we have a bunch of events lined up for you all this year; including more pub crawls, quiz nights, band days, student parties,

President, Flinders University Student Association

Brodie McGee

[ contributor spotlight ] James Vigus

Ondine Baker

Tell us a bit about yourself!

Tell us a bit about yourself!

Passionate activist in Socialist Alternative, with a deep sense of social justice, very political no apologies. Currently studying Masters in Social Work, completed History Honours at Flinders last year, did my undergraduate studies at Monash. Unashamedly pro Essendon Bombers despite recent events. Have a long term partner, shame we don’t have the right to marry if we like.

I’m 18 years old and this is my second year at Flinders.

I’m doing a double degree in Law and Behavioural Science. I enjoy dancing, singing, chocolate and red wine. I’m secretly a huge geek (Doctor Who fun, One Direction groupie, etc.)

If you could have dinner with any five people, living or dead, who would they be and why?

Go to the bakery and eat everything.

Eleanor Marx, a heroic Socialist activist, who organised the working women and men in the East side of London in the late 19th century, a true radical.

What’s your vision of a perfect world?

Bradley Manning, is there anyone more courageous than this young gay man on the face of the earth today?

A whistleblower who exposed the war crimes of the US military establishment, who has been stripped of all his civil rights, thanks Obama, and is now facing a lifetime of silent torture languishing in prison, all for exposing the truth. Why don’t the various ‘Official’ LGBT groups stand up for this hero?

Barbara Shaw an inspiring Aboriginal activist based in Alice Springs. An outspoken critic of the racist Northern Territory intervention, labelling it as wrong, unjust and paternalistic, she has been a tireless campaigner for her people and for all Aboriginal people across this continent, who she believes are being stereotyped and demonised.

What is the first thing you would do if today was your last day?

World peace, no more hunger and pet unicorns.

If you could have dinner with any five people, living or dead, who would they be and why?

Harry Styles, David Tennant, Rita Ora, Noel Fielding and Jensen Ackles – so I could decide which one I want to marry.

Worst Flinders moment?

Worst – being attacked by the evil, bloodthirsty ducks on the lawn in the plaza. Quackity dickheads.

Malalai Joya, a brave activist, writer and former Parliamentarian from Afghanistan. Outspoken against the warlords, war criminals and fearlessly against American and western occupation, a women of true principles and values.

Michael Barber, because someone has to pay for the dinner. With a modest, at the market rate salary of $720,000, plus all the other perks, our Vice Chancellor may as well feel uncomfortable listening to the other dinner guests just once in his privileged existence.

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I would like to acknowledge that the place of religion in the schooling system is a complex one. My aim is to evoke a discussion, which is in no way prejudicial or pits one religion (or lack thereof) against another. I am not against religious education, just the forced devout following as practiced in some schools.

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Words by Katerina Bryant

Religious education has an overwhelming presence within the private school sector, dictating what religious practices students engage in during the school day.

Morning prayer at assembly, weekly church services, a bible in every locker, a crucifix firmly hanging on the classroom wall are common symbols and practices found within private schools. This article examines if there is a place for religious education in schools.

Australia largely conforms to the notion of the secular state. Simply put, the government and the church have separated, meaning that the church no longer has the power to govern. The church does not contribute to the formation of state law. Nor does public funding assist in establishing places of worship.

South Australian senior high school students are offered a choice of three religious studies courses whilst completing the SA Certificate of Education, however, there is little uptake of these. In contrast at many private, religious based high schools, students are required to undertake religious studies, pray at assemblies and attend church services.

The question I pose is: should the standards set by government for religious education be adhered to by the private sector?

It can be argued that because children are attending a private school, the school has the right to determine how and when religion will be taught. Private schools, however, are not wholly private. They receive state funding.

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Should the standards set by government for religious education be adhered to by the private sector?

The Commonwealth Government actually contributes more funds to private than state schools. In 2005, the Commonwealth Government paid $4.8 billion to private and $2.1 billion to state. That same year, State Governments paid an additional $1.8 billion to the private sector and $22.1 billion to state schools.

Andrew Dowling, in his 2007 report on funding Australian schools, stated, “In 2005 a child in a nongovernment secondary school was funded at the same rate as a child at a state school - both at an average of $8,944 per secondary student per year.”

The current funding model is not held in high regard by educators, as shown by the education policy advisor, Margaret Vickers stating in 2005, it is “inequitable and inefficient.”

As private schools receive government funding, there is little reason why they shouldn’t follow the state model for religious education.

Parents may choose to send their children to a school because of its religious values, however, ideology is not always the deciding factor. For example, some parents send their children to Catholic schools, because they want their child’s education to resemble that of a private school but without the exorbitant fees. Due to the combination of state funding and high tuition fees, private schools have more financial support and are generally seen as more prestigious. By choosing a state school, parents may feel that they are sacrificing the learning environment they wish for their children.

Children raised in a non-religious home or those who are of a different religion to the one being taught at school, such as a Buddhist child in a Christian school, cannot truly be accommodated. If they choose to not attend religious studies, sitting in a separate classroom or just being identified as ‘different’ may exclude them from their peers.

In the current education system, many students who do not believe in the particular religion being taught are forced to endure religious education. Even those who maintain religious beliefs may feel stifled by Church customs and forced attendance. The current model

does not accommodate that people’s practice of faith may not conform to the practices of the Church.

Religious education can be positive, in that it teaches commendable qualities such as kindness, forgiveness, and generosity of spirit. These behaviours, however, are not limited to the religious, but are practices of human compassion. Religious education in private schools is biased towards a specific religion. This bias can emphasise difference, encourage conformity and force certain religious practices through social norms.

From personal experience, there is an immense discomfort in not participating in religious practices at school, sitting stiffly upright while all your peers bend in prayer. A child in this scenario may feel like they are rebelling against authority, often dreading confrontation and avoiding accusatory glances from teachers. Children should not be forced to choose between their beliefs and being accepted within the school environment.

To summarise, I ask whether religion should continue to play a role in the education of Australia’s youth.

Or rather, perhaps religious education should be an endeavour undertaken at home or in one’s community rather than at school. There are ample opportunities for religious education to occur, specifically within places of worship, which offer classes such as Sunday school or bible study. If religious education within a learning institution is desired, universities offer courses in religious studies for undergraduates that can be undertaken as a major, minor, or elective. These courses are available when one is of age to exercise religious choice in the education system. Furthermore, this system is fitting as it accommodates the many who adopt religious beliefs later in life or those whose beliefs develop or change over their lifetime. Ultimately, I would argue that private schools must adhere to the standards set by the government, or should otherwise cast away their bias, committing to a system that accommodates all forms of religious expression.

What are your thoughts?

Email us at empire.times@flinders.edu.au

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September 2012 - December 2012 University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

3rd Year Bachelor of Tourism, Flinders University 3rd September 2012, Well, I am finally here! After almost a year of preparation, months of saving, mountains of paperwork, trip planning with friends, tears of sadness at leaving my family, jitters about flying across the world to a new place and new people, and the constant excitement of my upcoming adventure, I am finally in Calgary, central Canada, where I will be studying for the next four months.

I have spent the past eight weeks doing a University Placement on a dude ranch in central British Columbia, where we were riding horses, driving tractors and living like cowboys. Calgary could not be more different. I am living with my friend from Flinders in a student residence on the university campus, and we are already settling in.

I am, of course, extremely nervous – but excited – about studying at a completely new university, doing completely different classes to those I would be taking back home, making new friends, living away from home, doing everything for myself and finding my way around a new campus and city in a foreign country, but I would not want to be anywhere else.

I am so excited anticipating what the next 4 months will hold!

8th October 2012 I have well and truly settled into life in Calgary now. I love the city, the campus is amazing and living in student accommodation is incredible! We have met a fabulous group of people, a mixture of Canadians and other international students, along with a surprisingly large number of Adelaideans!

I can successfully find my way to all my classes and have even found some shortcuts. I have also found a job working in the bar/pub on campus, The Den, which has been amazing fun and a great way to make friends and earn a bit of money, which is quickly being eaten up by things such as buying a second-hand snowboard! We have adjusted to the cold, and a day of merely -5°C has us carrying our winter coats as we look around saying ‘hmm,

its pretty hot today.’ I have even learnt to look the other way when crossing the street and have stopped trying to get into the car on the wrong side.

We have also been getting into the Canadian customs of ice hockey, college football, and putting maple syrup on everything. The weather is getting colder and colder, and we have already seen our first snow. It was amusing to see all the international students, including Brazilians and Australians, running outside at 11pm to stand in the snow that the Canadians considered ‘awful.’

We have also experienced the Thanksgiving tradition, and even managed to cook a turkey with all the side dishes.

I have also just spent a fantastic weekend in Banff and Lake Louise, in Banff National Park, exploring the lake and surrounding mountains with family from home who were visiting. This has been one of my highlights so far. It’s so nice to be with family again.

My classes are all fascinating, if slightly harder than I am used to. It is so interesting to see how tourism and other areas on which I’m focussing are taught in another country and how they have altered my perspective.

One thing I have not been enjoying so much is the looming midterms and the incessant need to study for them.

Studying on my holiday? That doesn’t sound right! But I have found a good spot in the library with a fantastic view of the snow-covered mountains, so it might not be so bad.

18th December 2012 Well, my bags are slowly being packed, my two huge boxes of clothes and other purchases are in the shipping container heading for Australia, we’ve started saying goodbyes, and it’s time to head home.

It has been the most amazing semester, everything I could have hoped for. As clichéd as it sounds, I could not have met a nicer group of people, been in a more beautiful part of the world or learnt any more about myself than I did.

What a fabulous way to spend a semester and what a complete change from my life back home. I will take some great gifts away from my time here: things I’ve learned, new skills I’ve acquired, and a newfound confidence, perseverance, and ability to take advantage of opportunities.

See you next time, Calgary!

Words by Heidi Miller

A Semester In Calgary

Morality and Veganism Words by Ira Herbold

“If man wants freedom why keep birds and animals in cages? Truly man is the king of beasts, for his brutality exceeds them. We live by the death of others.”

– Leonardo da Vinci

In July of 1990, someone tried to kill Francis.

Francis ran from his would-be killers, who intended to stun him and slit his throat, leaping over a fence and escaping.

He managed to evade those hunting him for almost five months before he was recaptured and died of injuries sustained in the process. Thousands more like Francis are killed every year. Why, you may ask, is so little said about this ongoing horror story? Because Francis was (“only”) a pig.

The place from which he escaped was the C-A Meats slaughterhouse in Red Deer, Alberta, and the reason an attempt was made on his life was so that his blood could be drained, the hair scalded from his body, and his carcass decapitated, cut into pieces, and sold in supermarkets and butchers’ shops.

In 1997, a bronze sculpture of Francis was erected in downtown Red Deer to commemorate “the pig who earned his freedom.” This idea—that a sentient creature must somehow earn the freedom not to be brutally slaughtered—plainly exposes the indefensible attitudes of most people in our culture towards non-human animals.

The Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness, signed by a group of prominent neuroscientists in July 2012, proclaims that many non-human animals (including all birds and mammals) are conscious and aware to the same or similar degree that humans are. The mounting evidence that non-human animals are conscious and have the same capacity for experiencing pain and suffering as we do cannot be ignored, and necessitates a dramatic change in our general treatment of these animals.

It is hardly controversial to declare that killing a human being against their will in order to consume their flesh is immoral; given the similarities in sentience between human and non-human animals, there is no good reason that nonhuman animals should not be afforded the same moral consideration. It is prejudice alone that allows us to deny non-human animals the rights that we expect for ourselves.

What of animal products besides meat? While questions surrounding the consent of, say, chickens for us to use their eggs are undoubtedly philosophically complex ones, given the current state of animal product related industries, they are also entirely academic and largely irrelevant.

Regardless of consent, the production process of the egg industry is by no means free of suffering and death. A complete catalogue of the horrors of animal product related industries would take far more space than I can take here, but in order to support my thesis a brief examination of at least some elements is required.

In the egg industry, to continue with the example, male chicks are killed as soon as their sex can be identified. If they are lucky, they are simply electrocuted or thrown (alive) into meat grinders. If not, they are tossed into bins and left to starve or suffocate under the weight of other chicks on top of them. This practice occurs even in free range egg operations where laying hens are treated relatively humanely (right up until they stop producing eggs, of course, at which point they are killed).

Female dairy cows are artificially inseminated without consent and against their will. The male calves that result are slaughtered for their meat; females suffer the same fate as their mothers. Cows have a natural lifespan of fifteen to twenty years, but dairy cows are killed at four to five years when their milk yields decline.

Just how severe is the problem overall? According to the UN, in 2003 approximately 53 billion land animals (at a minimum) were slaughtered worldwide. This figure does not include aquatic animals; according to one study, the estimated annual capture of fish worldwide is 0.97-2.74 trillion.

These figures clearly show that our use of non-human animals for food, clothing, and entertainment is an atrocity on a scale that far outstrips any other committed by our species. We torture them, we terrorize them, we enslave them, we rape them, and we murder them. If you purchase or consume animal products, you are subsidizing and supporting the suffering and slaughter of these animals.

Veganism is the only morally defensible option. There is no such thing as humane meat, eggs, milk, fur, or leather, and only with the complete cessation of support for the industrial exploitation and wholesale slaughter of sentient creatures are our moral obligations to non-human animals satisfied.

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Dear Do rothy Dear Dorothy, Please he . I ke ep having small fght getting outlpof co nt what’s going wrong. rol. I feel like I casn’witthgomy housemate, but they’re home and I don’t k now Unwilling arguer Dear Unwilling, You don’t mention what you and your housemate are fighting over, and this is pretty integral to what you should do about it.

I’d hazard a guess that you’re fighting over “house things,” like someone drinking all the milk and not replacing it, or someone leaving their dishes in the sink until they start to smell vile.

The important thing here is to set some boundaries. It’s impossible to foresee all the things that might annoy you about living with someone before you move in together, especially if you’ve never previously lived with anyone but your family (with time and multiple housemates, you’ll realise what your non-negotiables are, and what you can live with even though it pisses you off). Set aside some time with your housemate to figure out what you can each do to accommodate the other person, within reason of course.

If it’s other stuff that you’re arguing about, then it might just be a personality clash and how you negotiate will probably be largely dependent on whether you were friends beforehand. If you weren’t, then you could just agree to co-habitate without really needing to hang out with each other. But if you were, then an agreement to be civil without being friends will likely cause a lot of tension and the best way to salvage the friendship would be to move out.

Try to talk to your housemate about why you’re fighting and be empathetic to other things that might be going on for them that are causing them to bitch at you. Your home should be where you go to get away from all the shit in the world, so if you try a couple of times to sort it out and you’re still miserable and dreading going home, find out from your landlord or real estate agent whether you can get out of your contract or sublet your room.

Dear Dorothy, t hind in my readings! Wha be y ad re al m I’ d an 4 It’s only weekHELP! should I do?

Sincerely, Falling Behind Dear Falling Behind, The academic staff will want me to tell you that you need to catch up STAT and that doing the readings is imperative to you successfully completing the semester. In my experience however, this is rarely the case, but it certainly could be in your topic/s.

My advice is to do the readings for next week and see how helpful they are to you understanding the lecture or tutorial.

If you’re struggling (or if your exams are going to be based on content in your readings, not just lectures), then set aside some time to catch up. Tell your friends you’re not drinking this weekend, or your Mum that you need to skip Sunday brunch, or get out of whatever commitments it is that you need to get out of, and just do your readings.

If, however, you find that the readings aren’t entirely crucial to your participation or successful completion of the topic, or they’re just a slightly longer version of the lectures, then just start doing them now and go back over your previous readings on a need-to-know basis.

Readings are definitely important and will definitely contribute to you doing well at uni, but your time can be better spent getting ahead in your work rather than desperately trying to catch up on material you don’t need to complete the topic.

(Of course I accept zero responsibility if you decide not to do your readings and fail the semester as a result. Be an adult and own your shit, dude).

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Sex Ed with Mistress M: Informed Consent So here we all are, settling into the new year, and perhaps you’re noticing that there are lots of attractive people on campus you haven’t had sex with (yet). But slow down, there’s no rush – take your time and make sure you don’t do anything, or anyone, that you might later regret, like Mike from the Drama Centre (yeah right, as if any of the rest of us could shag anyone from the Drama Centre; they are way too incestuous for that to happen).

The most important question to ask someone before you have sex with them is, “Would you like to have sex with me?” If you just ask, “Would you like to have sex?,” they may say “Yes” but be talking about Mike from the Drama Centre. It is really important to be clear about consent for many reasons. For instance, having respect for other people and trying to be a sensitive and understanding person, or something. That, and not getting accused of rape. Not getting accused of rape is important (unless you are a rapist): it’s not an easy reputation to shake off, no matter how innocent you may be.

Ambiguity is a bitch, especially when it comes to sex, so don’t fall prey to it. Make sure that when you have sex, you are clear about who wants to be involved and what they want to do and with whom. If you aren’t sure, just don’t do it. Conversely, you should always make sure that the person with whom you are having sex, or with whom you are about to engage in coitus, has clearly and soberly said yes. If you remove all chance of miscommunication and ambiguity, you remove the chance that one or both of you will get it wrong.

If the person you want to have sex with says no, stop, immediately. If you don’t, it is rape, clear and simple.

There are times when someone can’t say yes, legally. One of these is if they are underage. The age of consent here in South Australia is 17, so any sexual act between an adult and a person under the age of consent is considered abusive. In Queensland, it is 18 for anal and 16 for everything else (it’s the only state to differentiate).

So apparently you are psychologically equipped to make an informed decision about head jobs and coitus by 16, but you can’t decide for yourself if you want to take it up the arse until you are 18.

Another time your partner can’t legally say yes is when they are drunk, on drugs or asleep. So no matter how much they beg, legally it is still considered rape. Of course, if you find yourself wanting to have sex with someone who is asleep or passed out, you probably need some help of the professional kind.

It is also important to manage expectations, so if you want to say no to anything sexual, you don’t need to be polite, but rather you need to be really clear. It is okay to change your mind or to not feel like it, and this applies even if you have had sex with the person before (even if it was earlier that day!). No one has any right to force you to do something you are uncomfortable with.

So there’s this month’s top tip for better sex: make sure it is truly consensual and as always, love yourself first.

Words

by Emma Sachsse

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“Sometimes the price of dreams is achieving them,” states Michael J. Sullivan, artist and fantasy author, revealing a tough fact: dreams don’t come cheap.

Dreams are expensive, and not just financially. They are expensive in the time it takes to pursue them. How many people have given up on their childhood dreams of being a ballerina, doctor or astronaut, simply because life got in the way?

Alright, some dreams just aren’t realistic in the first place. Some require training and dedication from an early age, or a certain level of academia. However, a Salary.com survey revealed that 60% of adults still wish they could fulfil their childhood dreams.

As we grow older many dreams are put on the back burner to make way for study, work, and family. Dreams are discarded because they are not financially viable. We start to question: How can I make a living from that?

How will I get enough money to do this?

Most of us can’t afford to single-mindedly pursue our dreams; we are dependent on an income, both to survive and fund these aspirations. This can often require multiple jobs. It’s not surprising then, that after working at a nine-to-five job, coming home with the intent of turning that dream into reality can seem daunting; not to mention, impossible. Many dreams are abandoned because the level of sacrifice and commitment just can’t be met. Life gets in the way of our dreams.

A travel enthusiast may be lucky enough to traverse the world for work, but others aren’t so fortunate to have their job and dream go hand in hand; they’ll have to plan separate time for both.

With the long-standing dream of being a professional writer, I’m only just beginning to understand the complications this entails. For years I’ve had a perfectly reasonable, well-thought-out plan: write a book, and overnight it will become a bestseller. I will shake hands with J.K. Rowling, and voila! I miraculously end up with enough money to fund my outstandingly successful writing career, whilst also enjoying a life of luxury.

This plan seemed perfectly reasonable when I was twelve. Now, of course, I understand I forgot to compensate for one thing: failure.

Let’s face it, who isn’t afraid of failure? It throws doubt on our abilities and dreams, and chips away at our self-confidence. However, something the successful can teach us is that without failure we can’t experience success.

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We are all familiar with the rags to riches story of J.K. Rowling. Her first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, was rejected by twelve publishing houses. Marilyn Monroe was told she was not “pretty or talented enough to be an actress.” Walt Disney was fired from his position at a newspaper because he “lacked imagination.” Albert Einstein’s teachers called him “slow and mentally handicapped.”

With persistence and a positive outlook, failure can make accomplishment that much sweeter. People fail, but “winners fail until they succeed.” Those without a hard skin, who aren’t so focussed, however, can take these setbacks as signs to give up instead of trying harder. They lose faith in themselves and forget why their dream was so important. They question their ability. Don’t they realise how amazing I am? Aren’t I good enough?

Unfortunately, dreams take more than sheer talent to evolve. They require faith, self-confidence and, most of all, determination.

Many people have insecurities about themselves and their abilities. They convince themselves that they are not worthy of a particular dream. Perhaps they fear the eventual outcome will be too much to handle, or won’t be anything like they imagined.

The biggest regret of people’s lives is unfulfilled dreams and aspirations.

According to Salary.com, only 16% of people surveyed are living their childhood dreams.

Why? Most never start, feeling too intimidated by the task. Those who do are usually held back by fear which prevents them from achieving their dreams. This fear may materialise in different ways: fear of failure, fear of setbacks, criticism, and challenges, fear of change and the unknown, fear of the judgement of others, and sometimes, fear of success.

Sometimes something as simple as poor organisation is to blame. People fail to set deadlines and plan. Their dream has no target and time limit and, therefore, is not likely to develop. They see their dream as impossible because they are trying to accomplish it all in one go, instead of breaking it down into manageable pieces.

They don’t ask, When do I plan on completing this and how will I achieve it?

While dreams seem at times to be unachievable, they can become reality if the desire and dedication exists to accomplish them. Also, indentifying and addressing fears and doubts can help you focus on your aspirations and why you wish to achieve them.

With this in mind, consider Richard Wilkins’s advice, “Give as much energy to your dreams as you do to your fears.”

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Words by Miranda Richardson

“All games, even the most literal, between a man and a woman are implicitly sexual.”

cynics – but by then I was far too busy wanting to have his beautiful blue-eyed babies. Soul mates: it’s a trap.

I’m an optimistic person when it comes to the possibility of innocent, platonic relationships between men and women.

But when I happened upon the above quote in John Fowles’ The Magus, rather than scoffing as I usually do at such a cynical idea, I stopped to fear that it could be true. Of course, I soon confirmed by scouring past experiences that every lighthearted opposition between men and women does not have to be somehow sexual. But I think people sometimes question their friendships with the opposite sex. These relationships seem to have a layer of complication that we don’t experience with the same gender.

Admittedly when one is single and occasionally feeling lonely, one does tend to question one’s existing relationships with the opposite sex in the hopes of finding romantic potential. And even if we don’t find any real potential, the idea of creating romance for romance’s sake has its appeal. The simple logic is, ‘We have a lot of fun together, you look alright – maybe we should have sex.’ Beneath interactions with the opposite sex, there’s a certain underlying sense of possibility. This may be what Fowles is considering in his statement: if a man and a woman play a game together, they have a comfortable vantage point for observing each other’s ‘potential’. They can test the boundaries of this potential, express their skill or dominance, flirt, and tease each other. This is fine if they’re actively seeking romantic discourse.

There are plenty of traps one can fall into in pursuit of a platonic relationship with the opposite sex. For example, if you’re actually soul mates, you will definitely not be able to remain just friends. Before I fell in love with my partner he was my very favourite example of how a man and a woman can be extremely close without stumbling across any pesky romantic impulses. I almost didn’t want to date him just so that I could stick it to the

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The trouble is that, when you become close friends with someone, you inevitably love them. And even if it’s not romantic love, I’ll bet it must look like it sometimes when your eyes light up when you see them; when you’re supportive and excited

for them; and when you share all your secrets with them. And if you’re trying to figure out what romantic love looks like, it’s easy to mistake normal affection for the capital ‘L’ type Love.

If you do think you might have feelings for a friend, it’s definitely better to tell them regardless of whether you think they’ll reciprocate or not. A few years back, a male friend of mine asked me if I might be interested in more, and I knew that he simply wasn’t the one for me. We talked it out, promised each other we wouldn’t let it get awkward because we so much wanted to remain friends, and we did. This obviously doesn’t always work. I tried the same thing when I was in a similar situation again with a male friend – tried to talk it out in a calm fashion and move on together knowing exactly where we stood. But he never acted quite the same after that, which made it hard for me to act the same as well, and we drifted apart. That may be a sad result, but we didn’t stop seeing each other for any bitter reasons and we could easily hang out again today. We can only move forward if we know where we stand.

Ultimately, if one of you doesn’t want to be just friends, it won’t happen. If you both feel the same way, you can start a relationship and have happy rainbow glitter times. But if only one of you can’t help but flirt all the time and test the other’s ‘potential’, they will only be creeped out or confused, and this can never have a satisfying result. Either way, it’s not a friendship anymore. So if you want to be friends with the opposite sex, just make sure you know what you want, and then make sure they know it too. There are a few necessary conditions, but a friendship can be just as rewarding, exciting, beautiful and possible as romance can be between opposite sexes. This is exactly why millions of men and women are out there being ‘just’ friends right now.

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Degree: Behavioural Science If you could live anywhere in the world, where and why?

Japan. I travelled there a few years back and I loved the politeness of people and tradition.

If you could ask Ned Kelly one question, what would it be?

Why did you design an armoured suit that would make you boil in the heat?

Degree: Bachelor of Arts (Exchange Student)

Degree: Bachelor of Arts, High Achievers Program If an asteroid were headed for the Earth, what should we do?

Pray, and eat sushi. Because sushi’s delicious.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where and why?

The Riverland (my home town), because it’s lovely.

Degree: Bachelor of Archaeology

If you could live anywhere in the world, where and why?

Australia, because it’s hotter than England.

If an asteroid were headed for the Earth, what should we do?

If it’s bigger than Pluto, we will all be dead, otherwise try and break it up with an explosion.

If you could ask Ned Kelly one question, what would it be?

Will you pay for me to stay in Australia with your stolen money?

What were your favourite books when you were growing up?

The Harry Potter books and Possum Magic.

Background Photography by Geoff Fox

Degree: Bachelor of Archaeology

Degree: Bachelor of Archaeology

What was your favourite book when you were growing up?

Deltora Quest.

If you could live anywhere in the world, where and why?

Adelaide. I like it here. The climate and environment are very diverse.

Plus, most of my family is here.

If you could ask Ned Kelly one question, what would it be?

What’s your favourite food?

Where would you most like to live, and why?

Japan. I love the culture and the environment.

If you could ask Ned Kelly one question, what would it be?

Whether, in hindsight, he thought his cause/actions were worth the consequences he faced.

Degree: Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Environmental Science)

Degree: Sociology (International Student from South Carolina, USA)

If an asteroid were headed for the Earth, what should we do?

Pray.

If an asteroid were headed for the Earth, what should we do?

Just push the Earth somewhere else?

If you could ask Ned Kelly one question, what would it be?

Cake or death?

If you could ask Ned Kelly one question, what would it be?

Who are you‌?

Same Sex Marriage Why Australia Is Falling Behind Words by Angus Rawson

Australia is falling behind when it comes to accepting same sex marriage.

Great Britain’s recent change in legislation shows that marriage equality is an increasingly popular global idea, with the legislation passing in the House of Lords 400 to 175. But Australia’s government won’t recognise these unions, even with the increasing support of the Australian people.

Over the last decade, civil unions and same sex marriage have been debated in both state and federal parliaments. In 2012, a Tasmanian bill was nearly passed legalising civil unions and sex marriage. It passed the lower house but failed in the Legislative Council eight to six.

Civil unions are legally recognised in four states and the Australian Capital Territory. Obviously there is some acceptance for these issues; but it’s time for Australia to take another step forward.

A significant point of conflict with same sex marriage is the word marriage and its connotations with religion. Many celebrants refuse to perform same sex weddings.

Some conservative members of religious communities see marriage as a union under god between a man and a woman.

This argument is massively flawed, however, since there is a separation between church and state. People who do not practice or follow a religion are not subject to the discrimination faced by same sex couples. Although Australia’s laws and social structures have formed from the values of Christianity, our Constitution specifically states that the Commonwealth should not impose any religious observance.

Therefore, this issue should be decided by the will of the people and not that of our religious heritage.

Same sex marriage will create equality for the gay, lesbian, transgendered and bisexual in Australia.

Many countries have tried creating civil unions that give same sex couples the same rights, but which resulted in a numerous problems.

A recent study from Illinois indicated that although civil unions gave the same rights, couples still faced discrimination in health care, housing and in the workplace.

This is believed to be caused by a lack of understanding of what a civil union is and what it represents. People don’t know how to refer to partners in a civil union and social perception has created a lesser status for same sex couples. According to the University of Queensland, 80% of same sex partners want marriage equality whereas only 25% want to enter into a civil union. Same sex marriage is important in creating equal treatment for same sex couples, helping to remove barriers and allowing the celebration of two people’s love and kinship to be shown at an equal standard.

This is just the next step in equality and needs to be taken now. If you look back through history many great inequalities have resulted from hatred of minority groups, whether based on race, gender, religion or sexuality. As we now look back on these problems of the past (some of which remain current issues) we cringe at the very idea of certain groups being denied the rights fundamental to the rest of society. It begs the question, “When generations look back, will we look like ignorant fools refusing equality or the enlightened society that made the change that was needed?”

It seems many countries have decided not to be left behind. A change needs to happen and it needs to happen now. It the people’s responsibility to put pressure on our political leaders when we see liberty withheld without any good reason. Whether you are gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, transgendered, or any other sexual orientation, you deserve to be happy and celebrate love for your partner with equal rights and without vilification.

Mardi Gras 2013

The Return of Police Violence A report by James Vigus In March 2013 the colourful defiance and celebrations of the annual Sydney Mardi Gras took an unexpected turn. This year’s parade will be remembered as the year that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) people and their many supporters felt the crushing weight of police homophobia.

Parade participants and spectators witnessed a very large mobilisation of the NSW police riot squad.

This was in itself a homophobic gesture, implying that Mardi Gras would be unruly and in need of containment. However, the intimidating actions of the police escalated further, and resulted in outright acts of violence towards members of the crowd.

The police assault on Jamie Jackson will be remembered for two reasons. Firstly, because we all saw it on TV or the internet. Secondly, because a week later activists mobilised a huge demonstration opposing police violence in Sydney. On the night of Mardi Gras there were undoubtedly many instances of police harassment that went unreported, but in the particularly sickening example that is Jackson’s case – an assault carried out in a cowardly fashion – Jackson was violently manhandled and forced to the ground by uniformed officers. The events were filmed and posted on YouTube and social media. In the video, a witness can be heard complaining to a police officer: “We just saw you whack his head against the ground … and then you punched him … you’re a piece of shit!” Moments later, as the camera captures the blood left on the ground from the first assault, the officer smashes 18-year-old Jamie Jackson face-first

into the pavement. Jackson clearly posed no threat to anyone, but the policeman puts his boot into the young man’s back anyway, grinding him against the pavement.

The most sickening thing about the video of Jackson’s assault is the manner in which the officers carry out their supposed “duties.”

The violence inflicted upon a very small young man is carried out with apparent nonchalance.

Although police are clearly keen to try and prevent video footage from being made, they are nonetheless happy for onlookers to witness their actions. No officer appears surprised, shaken, or taken aback. They are well versed in this kind of activity – they’ve done it before.

They don’t appear to care at all for the victim,

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only that people might find out what has gone on through the films being made.

On the same night Jackson was attacked, another assault was reported by Bryn Hutchinson. He was hog-tied, kicked, and stomped on as he tried to cross the road at the end of the parade. Others have said they saw multiple uses of excessive force, as police shoved pedestrians about while directing traffic. Many attending the Mardi Gras afterparty were forced to undergo total strip searches.

It is clear from the numerous reports that a large group of police attended Mardi Gras 2013 like a gang of brutish thugs, spoiling for a fight and in the mood to kick some queer heads. But police violence against LGBTI people is not new. The first Mardi Gras in 1978 was – ironically – a protest against police harassment. That protest itself was attacked by police who subsequently arrested 53 people, only two of whom were later charged. To add to the intimidation, the police subsequently released the full names of all arrestees for publication by the media. Not surprisingly, these people continued to suffer homophobic harassment, attacks, and recriminations. While mainstream history casts a shadow over these events, the police never apologised for their disgraceful and homophobic attack on the first Mardi Gras. However, they had the gall to boast that their “relationship with the gay and lesbian community is absolutely first class”

when challenged about the events of this year.

The police violence at Mardi Gras 2013 shocked many LGBTI people; however, the prominence of the events has also opened a space in public debate, encouraging many people to come forward and tell stories about police homophobia in their city or state. Over 2,000 people attended a lively rally on the Friday following Mardi Gras, despite the fact that it had been organised in just two days. This highlighted the level of anger and disappointment at the police, and a desire among many to see an end to police harassment. Following the original Mardi Gras parade route, the rally met at Taylor Square in Sydney, where the crowd listened to a number of shocked community leaders. These included Ray Jackson from Sydney’s Aboriginal community, who spoke about the treatment of Aboriginal people at the hands of the police and the need for solidarity between minority groups in Sydney. The march travelled down Oxford Street to the Surry Hills Police station, where one of the rally organisers, National Union of Students (NUS) Queer Officer, Cat Rose, read out demands that had been formulated by leading LGBTI activists.

They called for an end to internal investigations, excessive policing, and bullshit charges; respect for the LGBTI community; and respect for Mardi Gras. The activists defiantly proclaimed: “We will not be trampled again.”

Despite the shock and horror at the police actions felt by many LGBTI people, it is clear that no event better highlights the significant shift in mass consciousness and attitude towards LGBTI people in Australian society than Mardi Gras. When you compare the situation confronting gays at that first Mardi Gras in 1978 with the situation today, you can start to appreciate some of the LGBTI liberation movement’s gains. For a start, the attendance at LGBTI events has dramatically increased. At the first Mardi Gras – in fact an assemblage of three main events – the numbers were quite small: a protest march in the morning with about 400 people, and a mass meeting and parade of around 2,000 people. Today, the numbers involved in the parade are counted in the hundreds of thousands, plus the tens of thousands who go to other Mardi Gras events. Although not directly linked to the Mardi Gras Festival, the attendances at protest marches across Australia – most notably those supporting the same sex marriage campaign – have consistently numbered in the thousands.

To highlight further the fact that there has been a positive shift in popular consciousness, one need only consider the actual treatment of LGBTI people 35 years ago (or more). In his book, Living Out Loud: A History of Gay and Lesbian Activism in Australia, Graham Willett described the situation facing LGBTI people as late as the 1960s as follows: It is not very long ago that to be homosexual in Australia was to be feared, hated and persecuted.

Lesbians and homosexual men were widely believed to be evil, psychologically disordered or, at best, pathetically unhappy people. Religion called it a sin; psychology, a mental illness. The law made male homosexual acts, even between consenting adults, illegal and prescribed harsh terms of imprisonment. Discrimination was actively pursued by state institutions such as the courts, the schools and the public service. Newspapers in the 1950s and 1960s, when they mentioned the subject at all, confined their coverage to transvestites and child molesters, soliciting in public toilets and gruesome murders.

The first Sydney Mardi Gras was held on the night of June 24, 1978, the closest Saturday to the anniversary of the Stonewall riots (June 28). It was part of a weekend of international solidarity called

by San Francisco’s Gay Freedom Day Committee, who sent a letter to activists in Sydney encouraging them to participate in worldwide activities. At the Sydney parade the song “Sing if you’re glad to be gay” belted out from the lead truck’s PA system as the parade made its way down Oxford Street.

Close to 2,000 people joined in the march, singing along and chanting “out of the bars and into the streets, join us,” “better blatant than latent,” “stop the police attacks on gays, women and blacks,” and “2, 4, 6, 8 – gay is good as straight.”

Since that first Mardi Gras 35 years ago society has made immense progress. This progress is in no small part due to the LGBTI liberation movement.

The trend towards more people ‘coming out’ and being proud of their sexuality has fundamentally changed Australian society. Today, the vast majority of people have at least one – and often many – LGBTI people in their lives. Coming out and being proud has normalised our sexuality to the eyes of the great majority of Australians.

Make no mistake: the greatly improved situation we find ourselves in today has not come about thanks to the police or government, who continue to deny us marriage rights and intimidate us at our public events. Nor is this progress the result of the insights of an educated, enlightened minority. Instead, it has been born of the struggles of thousands of LBGTI people in our workplaces and university campuses and on the streets of our cities. If you oppose homophobia, and want to stand in the traditions of defiance that Mardi Gras embodies, get to the Adelaide Equal Love Rally for Marriage Equality: 1pm, Saturday May 25 at Parliament House on North Terrace.

James Vigus, a leading activist in Equal Love Adelaide, has recently completed his Honours in History. He is the President of the Socialist Alternative at Flinders University.

Every year, from March 8th to 11th, the relatively quiet Adelaide Botanic Park erupts with the sound of drums and strings of all kinds. People flock to the World of Music, Arts, and Dance festival, more commonly known as WOMAD. I, as someone who’d never previously attended, had no idea of exactly what to expect.

As it turns out, merely arriving at the gates made an impression. I was greeted with a massive line of people waiting patiently in over 34-degree heat to gain entry. Upon getting into the festival I was instantly struck by the atmosphere; it was far more colourful than your usual music festival, with the majority of revellers being dressed in loose tie-dye outfits, bangles and bandanas. Plus, the grounds were impeccably clean; there were more recycling bins than toilets and more than once I saw people actively binning rubbish that they happened upon.

As I weaved my way to the first act on my list, I encountered a plethora of food and craft stalls, with enough deliciously spicy and exotic aromas wafting about to make me wish I had more than a student’s budget with which to work.

I had gone into the festival with a small list of artists to see that seemed interesting on paper. I quickly discovered, however, that it was more fun to just wander around and enjoy whatever happened to be playing.

At one point, I walked away from the end of one performance and found a Malian artist playing an amazing solo on what seemed to be little more than a broken oar with some nylon attached. I later discovered that the instrument was called an ngoni and his songs were recorded whilst his hometown was engulfed in a coup d’état.

The stages themselves enhanced the performances and catered for every taste, with the acts performed on the large main stage allowing crowds to gather in a massive dance party. Smaller, more intimate stages encouraged a picnic atmosphere to just sit and enjoy the music.

WOMAD is certainly a unique festival and I’d definitely recommend everyone to experience it at least once. It may not have huge mainstream (or indie) headliners, but every artist has a story to tell and, more often than not, it seems that festival goers, regardless of perceived taste, are able to connect with them on some level.

Compagnie Luc Amoros – ‘Blank Page’ (France) The curious audience surrounds a ten-metre high scaffolding, separated into nine clear Perspex panels. What ensues is a dynamic performance combining art, music, and spoken word. Six performers paint and etch scenes and phrases onto their canvases in an ever-evolving story.

They take the audience through stories of ancient civilisation, mourning the loss of language and culture; reflections of the bombing of Hiroshima in World War Two; and a cheeky retelling of creationism. They traverse multiple artistic styles, singing a chant-like score all the while. The vocals are accompanied by an electric double bass, the flow of the music resonating with the themes and ideas of the artwork. Compagnie Luc Amoros – ‘Blank Page’ was an innovative performance that captivated its audience; certainly a highlight of WOMADelaide.

Words by Sarah Gates and Preesan Pillay Photography by Mohammad Ferdous Mehbub

Taste the World: Shunsuke Kimura & Etsuro Ono (Japan) Not only did WOMADelaide boast some fine international music, the festival also included the Taste the World program, introducing audiences to the local cuisine of some of the acts. Hosted by local food expert Rosa Matto, Shunsuke Kimura & Etsuro Ono invited audience to share with them stories from their homes, a little musical accompaniment to their cooking, and a dish of Gyoza miso nabe, Japanese dumplings made in a soup-like hot pot of ingredients. The duo performed a contemporary take on the tsugaru-shamisen and Shinobue bamboo flute. Their folk score was largely improvised, as is traditional for musicians using the tsugaru-shamisen.

The audience was amused but ultimately impressed by the Japanese men – for their musical talent as well as their vision, good humour, and cooking skills.

Mike Oldfield’s iconic album Tubular Bells was an unlikely smash hit. The celtic-folk-rock score catapulted its composer and Richard Branson’s new Virgin Music brand into international fame in 1973 and 1974.

Almost 40 years later, Daniel Holdsworth and Aidan Roberts take on the monster project of arranging the album to be performed live, in 52 minutes, with more than 20 instruments. Their hit show Tubular Bells for Two has had massive success, earning them multiple awards, most recently, at the Sydney and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals.

Tubular Bells for Two is touring Australia in 2013, starting with their WOMADelaide performance.

Sarah Gates speaks to Daniel about the show and life as a musician.

How did the show come about?

We decided to just do one show; a one-off show just to get it out there. We didn’t think many people would come, to be honest. We booked a little, tiny venue and told the venue, ‘Look. We’re this weird little show, but we promise we’ll bring 20 friends and family along.’ To our surprise, we arrived at the show and it sold out.

It seems to have taken on a life of its own. We’ve tapped into something that we had no idea existed. There’s a big network of people out there that love this music. But not only that, we’re not just a cover band; it’s actually a real theatrical event. People are wondering: How on Earth are these two guys going to pull this thing off, with 30 instruments on the stage? At one point you’ve got your

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hand on a piano, your foot’s playing the kick of a drum and your other hand’s playing a guitar. You can feel this tension in the audience of people asking, Will they get there?

Which achievement are you most proud of?

Having a sellout run at the Edinburgh Festival last year and winning two awards there: the Bank of Scotland Herald Angel Award and the Best Musical Moment Award. That was really humbling.

Do you have a preshow ritual?

I need quiet time. Sometimes I also have a glass of wine, but any more than that and the show becomes impossible to perform.

Is there a part of the show you find particularly challenging?

There’s a section where I have to play the drums; but I have to play the drums whilst doing other things at the same time. That’s particularly challenging. I worry about that every night. With any other instrument you can play a bung note and it won’t matter too much. But on a drum kit, if you miss a beat or screw up a rhythm then it’s really obvious.

Was there ever a time when you had serious doubts about being a musician?

Yeah there was; after high school, when I went to university to study music. I think it was that big fish in a small pond idea. When I was in high school I was one of the best musicians in the class and then I went to uni, where everyone is a fantastic musician. In second year I gave up. I went and got a job doing customer service for a computer company, which destroyed my soul for six months. And by the end of it I just knew, I’d have to keep playing music. So I went back to uni and joined a band.

If you weren’t in the music industry, what occupation do you think you’d be in right now?

Up until we started touring Tubular Bells For Two I was a music teacher. I’ve always liked teaching, I suppose. Or maybe a psychologist – psychology interests me. Or a train driver, that’d be alright.

How do you connect with your fans?

With this show it’s quite interesting. We’ve had an incredible response from fans through social media. We also try to meet up with people wherever we go; whether they be people who love the album or who have heard

our music before. I just love having a drink with someone after the show and getting to know them. I think that’s important. I don’t think there should ever be a huge separation between an artist and the people that go see their work.

Has anything catastrophic ever happened on stage?

During the Sydney Fringe Festival last year, we had a show where we were about half way through Act Two and the power went out on one half of the stage. We lost half our instruments and we just had to improvise. But even though all that happened – and it was really obvious to the audience what was going on – we actually got one of the best responses we’ve ever had because, somehow, we still managed to get there in the end. And that’s part of the show: once you play that first note, there’s no turning back. There’s always a chance of something going wrong. We set ourselves almost impossible tasks.

I think the most enjoyable part of the show is the tension.

If you could live in someone else’s shoes for the day, who would you pick?

Bob Hawke! I’d love to be Bob Hawke in the 80s, just to see what it would have been like to be Prime Minister then.

What is the most embarrassing thing you’ve cried over?

Breaking my first guitar. That’s not really embarrassing though, is it? I don’t know… I get emotional every time I watch Star Wars.

Words By Sarah Gates

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A moment with:

Words By Katerina Bryant

British India Katerina Bryant speaks with Declan Melia, lead vocalist, lyricist and guitarist for the Melbournebased band, British India.

What were your work-in-progress names before you decided on British India?

We were The Curtins for a while which, as opposed to being about window coverings, was in honour of the Australian Prime Minister, John Curtin. It was our name for about a year until somehow we realised it was the worst name for a band ever and we had to change it immediately. We changed it to Revolver, which was a Beatles album, but it was just a bit contrived. So, British India seemed a really good fit.

A common question is what musicians have influenced you, but I am curious to what literature or films have influenced you?

We’re always pinching titles and lyrics from different films. It’s quite far reaching. We tend to go for pretty horrible films. We prefer really bad ones like 70s B-movies, like Troma movies.

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In fact, the title “Another Christmas in the Trenches” is from Home Alone 2. Which is probably the better of the Home Alones. It was a really important film to us growing up and is still very important to us now.

So it seemed a very logical influence.

I particularly loved the song, “Twice Inna Lifetime” from “Controller.” What was its writing process?

The lyrical influence comes from a song by Black Star, which is also called “Twice Inna Lifetime.” The spelling’s the same, which is very important to me to have the spelling like that. It was a pain in the ass to get the label to agree to spell it incorrectly on the album. But I fought for it. I fought long and hard. Which is rare because normally I’m quite inclined to give up.

What are your go-to meals before a show?

Japanese. Every time. It’s very light. There was a period where we used to eat a lot of pub food because it was free. The first time on the road we worked out that, “Shit. Pub food is free. Let’s eat!”

We’d eat and eat and drink and drink and then we’d go on stage feeling like sumo wrestlers. So we tend to get Japanese. Sushi Train is best. So much fun. The food comes around on the train, you lift it off. It’s very enjoyable. You can cover it in your own condiments. Japanese takes the boat.

What is life like on the road together?

It’s fabulous! It’s good to be back with my partners in crime. The feeling in the band, the camaraderie is very high. It’s always quite good but as has been documented in our songs, as well as in print, it has really been quite hard making this record, and really hard getting it to come together and there were some pretty depressing, miserable times thrown in for good measure. So to come out of the other side of that and to have everything ready to go is a really, really good feeling. It’s brought us together. There’s a really emphatic, pseudospiritual link between us at the moment. It’s great.

Sorry, I sound like Anthony Kiedis or someone nauseating like that.

Would you rather be touring or writing?

Touring without a shadow of a doubt. I think if this band had the option we would tour endlessly and never release another record. We really, really much prefer touring. We’ve never felt quite at home in the studio. We’ve always found it a little stifling because I think the things we hear in our head never sound as good when we record. I’m not sure why that is. Whereas, when you’re on stage and you’re screaming at the audience and they’re screaming back at you and it’s dark and loud, those kinds of things don’t seem to matter.

It’s very liberating.

You’re playing at the Gov on April 24th for your upcoming tour, what can Flinders students expect from your show?

They should expect to have a good time! It’s never been anything for us other than having a party and a good time at the shows. I don’t think people come to a British India show to hear me sing a perfect harmony, or to watch Nick do a fabulous arpeggio solo. They come to go crazy. To have a drink, have a dance and let their hair down. That’s the spectacle we try and contribute. I think people just want to have a good time.

Where to next for British India?

This record is going to come out and it’s going to be well loved by all our adoring fans plus a few more. That’s me with my fingers firmly crossed.

We’ve got this tour, which takes us to all the capital cities. Now the record’s out we have no excuse to be doing anything other than being out there playing shows and kissing pretty girls whenever we get a chance. Which is basically all we want to do for the rest of the year. And probably for the rest of our lives.

Any destinations you’re particularly looking forward to?

Yes! There is one in particular. Adelaide is our favourite place to come. Well, The Gov in particular. It’s a great place to visit. The people are very receptive to good music and it’s just the right fit for us. It’s a nice big stage. It’s a nice sound.

And the kids are completely mad.

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MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC continuity to the piece.

There are slower, slightly softer songs on the album such as ‘Bad Habit’ and ‘Late Night.’ While these do have good features and give the album a nice contrast, the band is really in their element when they are jamming out in noise and heavy guitar effects with front man Yannis Philippakis yelling over the top.

Holy Fire is the third album from British indie rock band Foals. It follows on very much from their 2010 album Total Life Forever, with both albums very similar in style, tone, and quality.

Foals are an exciting band in that they have revitalised the post-punk style of British bands of the late 70s and early 80s and given it a fresh new life. They have taken the early melodic and repetitive guitar, bass and synth lines and the industrial drum sounds from Manchester bands such as Joy Division, but complemented this with occasional smooth blues licks and swelling distortion filled crescendos. Rather than sound like other post punk bands, they have fleshed out these influences and created their own distinct style.

Holy Fire is definitely danceable, especially the songs ‘My Number’ and ‘Providence.’ ‘My Number’ combines catchy pop synth lines with powerful guitar stabs.

‘Providence’ is a triumph of noise, with the use of the repeated line “I’m an animal just like you” giving

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Holy Fire is a solid indie rock record that uses influences from the past to create a unique sound. Foals fans new and old will enjoy this album as it maintains the high level of musicianship shown in Total Life Forever.

Words By Elizabeth Daw

Of all the Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds albums, Push the Sky Away is the most minimalistic of all, and is a complete contrast to their 2008 album, Dig, Lazarus, Dig!!!

– an album which saw the band experiment with garage rock and a sense of entertaining kookiness.

In this latest release, the guitars are practically laid to rest (unsurprising given their farewell to guitarist Mick

Harvey in 2009) and the subtlety in their use of instruments sets a mellow tone for the album while allowing Cave’s lyrical talent to reign.

As the fifteenth album for Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Push the Sky Away is an understated and enveloping collection of nine songs.

The opening track and first single, We No Who U R, sets the tone with its melancholic and atmospheric feel. The album itself is a triumph of less-is-more: its most captivating moments come where solid bass, modest piano, and heartbreaking violin underpin Cave’s off-the-cuff delivery. Water’s Edge, in particular, utilises an avant-garde drumbeat and unsettling violin to haunting effect. Cave employs obscenity and humour in his lyrics “I was the match that would fire up her snatch” in Mermaids which, curiously, develops into a dark and soothing love song. The climax of the album, Higgs Boson Blues, tells of an illusory journey to Geneva which indulges Cave’s humour and social ideologies with references to Robert Johnson, Lucifer, and Hannah Montana. With an unnerving synth, the title track Push the Sky Away is somewhat static and ambient in nature and wraps up the album in an unsurprisingly disconsolate fade-out.

Overall, the album is wellsequenced and while it may take a few plays in order to appreciate Cave’s wit and the undercurrent of morose sensibility, it is well worth a listen.

Words By Jess Nicole

How to Tell Them They’re Wrong: The Hilarity and Horror of Customer Service Words By Annie Robinson Most full time Uni students are familiar with the unfortunate necessity of having a casual job. Although a lot of us whinge about these jobs to no end, we all know their importance. While they don’t help lighten our HELP debts in the slightest, they provide us with just enough of an income for food, petrol, rent and life’s other necessities (like coffee, and that new item of clothing you couldn’t resist). We need these jobs to afford the occasional uni textbook we’ve convinced ourselves we will actually read, and the routine pre week-one trips to Officeworks. We need them to afford those regrettable tequila shots during swot vac after exams.

her upbringing because she was chewing too loudly during the film (I cleaned up after them, listened to their complaints patiently, and gave them more popcorn), had my intelligence questioned when I couldn’t tell a lady what films would be out this time next year (I was sincerely apologetic about my lack of time-travel abilities). I’ve been told that I have no right to allocate people seats as it’s a ‘free country,’ and been subjected to rude remarks about how there are ‘too many calculators in schools these days’ after a customer thought I’d quoted her purchase incorrectly (I hadn’t).

These scenarios are just a few of the many awful experiences I’ve had working in customer service.

I’ve had a range of casual jobs, and generally, they’ve been pretty good. I’ve made great friends, and enjoyed staff discounts and ideal working hours. The only obvious downside is that these casual customer service positions do unfortunately involve customer service. Of course, we are all customers ourselves, usually on a daily basis, and most of us are friendly, patient, and keen for a chat. But when I do serve the odd one or two per shift who seem on a mission to make me feel inadequate for no particular reason, it can truly leave me feeling pessimistic and, perhaps a little melodramatically, questioning the nature of the human race.

Customer service is probably the most important part of running a business. Loyal customers keep small businesses alive, provide an income for a lot of people, and contribute to the atmosphere of many venues. Customers must be served with respect, and yet when one is extremely rude, it can be very difficult to bite your tongue, smile, and act like they haven’t deliberately offended you. A few weeks ago when a customer was particularly rude, and had shouted at me for not listening to her properly, I couldn’t help but indignantly deliver the ultimate comeback - “I’m doing the best I can with the information you’ve given me, I’d appreciate it if you could speak respectfully please.”

It achieved the desired effect – silence – for about 10 seconds.

It was after some particularly bad shifts (around Christmas time, otherwise known as “Retail Workers’ Hell”), that my colleagues and I decided that rather then just being nasty human beings, some phenomenon must occur when particular people walk though the doors of a shop; they magically transform into a different being altogether: The Customer.

Cus.tom.er/kʌstəmə(r)/noun: An often unpredictable and opinionated creature, native to service- and product-providing outlets across the world. Contrary to popular belief, they are seldom right.

Customers inhabit retail and hospitality venues, preying on those they believe to be inferior in the food chain: the lowly customer service staff. It is unknown who or what causes this transformation, and why particular people are affected. If anyone’s willing to assist in this research, I recommend you make sure Retail Award Rates apply.

Having worked at a cinema for the last year, I feel like I have now seen it all: A customer emptying her popcorn onto an elderly man’s head after he insulted

Everyone has their own ridiculous and often hilarious customer service stories. They are often character building, good ice-breakers when starting a new job, and excellent life lessons. I must admit, magical transformations of people into fearsome Customers, are probably unlikely. A more plausible explanation is that some people are just sad, or having a bad week, and perhaps just need to snap at someone. Perhaps they need to passionately argue about prices, not because they really care, but because they need to let off some steam and there’s nobody else around to listen to them.

I think of myself as doing a few people of the world a small favour. Maybe if they snap at me, they won’t get angry in the next store they walk into. Maybe they’ll feel a bit better, a bit relieved, a bit happier. As my faithful old friend Dictionary.com tells me, informally, a customer is a person one has to deal with. It says nothing about them always being right.

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Dear Jackeroo Two Man Tent (as sold by Kmart),

Because of your appalling manufacturing and deceitful advertising, I have been mocked, ridiculed, and bloody cold.

You are a disgrace, mate.

I was going camping at a music festival for four days and needed a tent. I saw you on the shelf and picked you up from Kmart.

You said you were a “two man tent.” I found “two man” to be an oddly gender-specific unit of mass with undeniable vibes of Brokeback Mountain, but there were no “two person” tents available. Move into the 21st century, retailers. As a woman, I can vote and wear pants now.

I paid twelve dollars for you. Here is a list of things that also cost approximately twelve dollars, but provide better shelter: • • • •

a throw pillow a magazine ten issues of the Herald Sun a large pizza box.

There is also wishful thinking, which costs nothing. That still would have been better.

When I showed you to my fellow camp-goers they laughed at my misfortune and called me an idiot. This was not a nice experience.

Upon arrival at the campsite I quickly learned that two men are supposed to fit in a space one metre high and like, one-point-five metres across. Two pygmies perhaps. Don’t you know, Jackeroo, that there are hormones in chicken now and a lot of us comfort eat? Humans are bigger. Get with it.

Once my tent was erected, I had the delightful task of inserting my Jackeroo branded “double” mattress into a hole it did not want to fit into. You’d think it would be simple to fit a mattress for two into a tent for two. Not so.

Eventually, however, the mattress was jammed in there, leaving fuck-all space for a pillow, backpack or human body. But the mattress fit. Well played, Jackeroo, well played.

My first night in the tent can only be described as water-torture. All the precipitation in the outback air clung to the flimsy tent fabric and dripped right into my face. I was fucking cold. Cold as balls.

I was so cold I thought I was going to catch hypothermia in that tent. The only time I have been more cold was the time I locked myself out of my house late one winter night and slept in the laundry. I found out in the morning it was the coldest August night in my city on record and three homeless people had died in the parklands. That is correct. Died. I faced death amongst my own dirty underpants and I still had a better night than I did in your tent.

What worries me more is that I’m not the only dickhead who bought the Jackeroo two man tent. I counted dozens of the little tee-pees at the festival, scattered throughout the campsite like kiddy-pool-blue beacons of suffering. I felt sorry for the poor bastards in those tents. Luckily for me, after a few hours on my first night, a friend let me bunk in with her. Others perhaps were not so lucky.

The following day, realising how useless the tent really was, my camping companions cut a hole in the bottom with a Stanley knife and declared it as the piss tent.

Trying to urinate in a one metre high tent after a long day of drinking gin and juice in the sun while wearing two pairs of tights was a completely horrible and utterly confusing experience. I felt like a giraffe being born. It wasn’t nice. Your tent is too shit to even take a piss in. Consider that.

Allow me to paraphrase a festival-goer on acid: ‘fuckingcuntsfuckshitballs’.

That’s how I feel about this whole thing.

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Kind regards, Freya Dougan

Photography By Simon Bannister

CRAP I Don’t Need Words by Ondine Baker

Think about it... how many times have you walked out of a store, only to realise you’ve bought practically everything in there except what you originally wanted?

Chewing gum, magazines, maybe a new iPhone cover (even though you have five sitting at home that you don’t use)? We’re bombarded by people telling us to buy. Sometimes it’s hard to maintain focus.

I hope I’m not alone in this. The other day I went in to the shop to buy a DVD (which I probably didn’t really need in the first place). I walked out with five bottles of nail polish, three DVDs and a Pillow Pet. I did not need even one of these items (save maybe the Pillow Pet, he’s pretty awesome), but I bought them anyway.

The nail polish just looked so colourful and shiny, all lined up. When it comes to that kind of thing I’m like a magpie: ‘wow-so-pretty-so-sparkly-must-have-now’. I always find a way to justify these purchases. I went to the gym yesterday, therefore I’m allowed to sit on the couch and watch Supernatural for three hours. I get terrified watching Supernatural, therefore I need a pillow pet to cuddle so I can sleep at night. I am the ultimate consumer. My life is filled with crap I do not need.

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I feel like girls are possibly more susceptible to this than guys. Seriously ladies, look in your handbags right now and tell me how many tubes of lip gloss are in there. I think guys, however, get sucked in as well. How many Xbox/computer/PlayStation games do the men in your life own? About a million? How many does he play regularly? Maybe two. And no matter what the pretty

lady at the pharmacy told you, three different tubs of protein powder aren’t going to enhance your body in three different ways.

I am the ultimate consumer. My life is filled with crap

I do not need.

I would also like to mention here the ultimate day of consumerism: Valentine’s Day. Now, I’m not an avid hater of Valentine’s Day, and I would like to say that if someone were to buy me flowers, chocolates, or diamonds, I would be quite happy. My cynical side does, however, like to sit back and scorn the whole idea. Girls are taught to expect piles of pointless gifts, and guys are forced to buy it for them – that is, if they want to keep their girlfriend. Does anyone need a dozen long stemmed red roses? No! They look pretty for a few days, but die within the fortnight. No one needs that. Buy a rose bush if you really want to, surely that’s much more economical. Then there’s the jewellery, which lasts much longer than a flower. Then again, I have a box stashed in my wardrobe filled with jewellery that I no longer wear because an ex bought it for me.

More crap that I should probably sell on eBay.

Let us also take a look at technology in all of this.

Nowadays everyone has a smart phone, and we fill them with ‘apps’ – programs that are designed to facilitate and micromanage every aspect of our lives. How many apps do you have downloaded on to your phone right now? Probably more than thirty, at least. I have 56. There’s the one for recipes (you never cook), ‘four pics one word’ (for boring lectures), various games you were obsessed with for a week and haven’t played since, and all your social media.

Plus there are those workout routines you have never used, but nevertheless keep on your phone so people will see them and think you do something other than stalk your crush on Facebook. We do not need any of this stuff! In the past we managed to raise children without the Baby Monitor 3G, managed to sleep without SleepStream 2 Pro, figured out how to kiss without the Kissing Tester... Why do we feel the need to surround ourselves with this pointless crap? Because it’s there. Because no matter how hard you try, you will download that app that allows you to edit pictures so it looks like you’re kissing your favourite celebrity (just for

shits’n’gigs, you don’t have it hanging on your mirror or anything creepy like that). It’s fun, and while it may be useless, it’s also harmless.

Why do we feel the need to surround ourselves with this pointless crap?

So, I would like to think that after taking the time to analyse all the crap I don’t need in my life and then writing about it, I will perhaps be able to negate this terrible habit I have of wanting so much useless stuff.

Let’s just ignore the fact that I’m about to go shopping.

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Fringe Wrap-Up Words by Sarah Gates Another festival season has wrapped up with the 2013 Fringe Awards. After four weeks and hundreds of shows, 80 arts industry judges selected the best and most popular to receive over $25,000 in prizes. Circus and physical theatre shows did particularly well this year, with both Circolombia and Limbo winning the BankSA Pick of the Fringe Award. Arts Projects Australia’s Leo won the John Chattaway Innovation Award with their unique blend of dance, circus and theatre. But surprisingly, the BankSA Best Circus & Physical Theatre Award went to threeperson company, 3 is a Crowd’s Fright or Flight.

Despite this trend, the Adelaide Fringe also excelled in presenting exciting new theatre to its eager audiences.

The Book of Loco picked up two awards and Holden Street Theatres had two shows win awards, Breaker and Glory Dazed, with Angry Young Man earning several nominations and my personal pick of the Fringe.

The awards were a wonderful way to end the season, with crowds cheering for their favourite performances and congratulating all who participated. The judges would’ve had their difficulty choosing the winners. All nominees were brilliant performances in an all-round fantastic festival of theatre, circus, dance, music, and art.

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Film Section Am I growing more bitterly cynical with age, or are the minds of both movie-goers and critics turning to a thick grey mush? Because it seems as if it was not all that long ago that a percentile on rottentomatoes. com was a fairly accurate indicator of whether or not I would enjoy a film. Side Effects, directed by Stephen Soderberg and starring Jude Law, Rooney Mara and my boyhood crush, Catherine Zeta Jones, received an 83% rating overall and three and a half stars from good ol’ Roger Ebert. I’m baffled.

I went into the theatre with no preconceived notions about the film. I had no idea of the plot, the reviews, or even the genre, so for me, the first half of the film seemed an exposé of the pharmaceutical industry, and I was intrigued, having been a long-time critic of the over prescription of antidepressants. Unfortunately, the film did not stay the course on social commentary and critique of the world of pharmaceutical medicine, and instead devolved into a forgettable thriller, the twists and turns of which were spoon-fed to the audience both slowly and ineffectively.

The main players in the film, with the exception of Channing Tatum whose screen presence resembles in equal parts a G.I. Joe doll and a particularly uninteresting chipmunk, are reasonably good A-list actors who have at one time or another had some excellent performances (though when Jude Law has had good performances he, like Channing Tatum, is still irritating and is also comparable to any number of members of the order Rodentia). There was nothing to warm the audience to any of the characters and though the story lends itself to a distaste for all of them at least at some point in the film, it would have been nice to have a more likeable protagonist than Jude Law, and perhaps a more obvious one.

The poor continuity in editing made matters even worse for the diligent viewer. Rooney Mara’s hair often

made impossible changes from scene to scene, and occasionally from shot to shot. At one point she even made an accidental glance at the camera in the mirror that was never edited out. I sincerely hope leaving the shot was an accident and not a stylistic foreshadowing move on the part of Soderberg, because either way it looked like an amateur mistake. During the making of the film, there was a sudden change in production company, so for some mistakes I’ve tried to give them the benefit of the doubt, but others were unacceptable and will significantly decrease enjoyment for lovers of the art of film who aren’t simply after a cheap thrill when they hit up the big screen for a night.

The saddest thing about Side Effects is that it had such amazing potential. The story is truly an original one and Soderberg’s directorial choices were great in concept, and only fell short in execution due to uninspired acting performances, poor music and hurried production.

The choice of stilted and ever-so-slightly slow and metered dialogue helped the yellow-tinged, dark, and high-contrast lighting to create an eerie ambience that mirrored the ostensibly depressive mental state of Rooney Mara’s character, while at least touching on a film noir feel. The timing and structure of the film were also well-executed, and the jumps back and forth in chronology were seamless and effective.

Had the production team taken its time, Side Effects could have been a new 21st century classic thriller, but it simply did not come together. If you ask me, it’s worth a DVD view for the story alone, but if you’ve got a keen eye and you aren’t easily impressed, you’ll be sorely disappointed if you paid for full-price cinema tickets.

Words by Sean Anderson

journals, and listened to heavy metal. The three were found guilty at trial, based on weak evidence and a confession by the intellectually disabled Misskelley. It is argued in West of Memphis that the famous confession was in fact a result of police coercion.

This documentary film, produced by Peter Jackson, details the 1993 murders of three eight-year-old boys in the town of West Memphis, Arkansas. More specifically, it focuses on the three teenagers found guilty of the crime a few months later – Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley – and presents a convincing argument that these men were wrongfully convicted. Thanks to three documentary films made by television network HBO, people across the world have heard of this high profile case.

The city of West Memphis was devastated after the brutal crimes, and due to the large amount of pressure placed on the police, the documentary suggests they were hasty to arrest the teenagers now known as the West Memphis Three. They were targeted largely due to the fact they were antisocial, wore black, wrote depressing thoughts in their

At first it seems clear that the three teens arrested were somehow involved in the shocking crimes, but as the film progresses and the prosecution’s faulty arguments are examined, it’s impossible not to reverse your thinking. West of Memphis interviews many people who were involved in the case, including Damien Echols from prison, his wife Lorrie, who is behind the efforts to get him released, and the parents of the young murder victims. At times the film does feel slightly biased, as it is a project of those who have a close personal relationship with the men. They introduce various celebrity supporters such as Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam, Johnny Depp, and the film’s producer Peter Jackson, presumably to show that if high profile celebrities are behind them, they must be innocent.

The film also goes on to somewhat irresponsibly point the finger at the father of one of the victims. Their evidence merits further investigation, but also has the potential to harm an innocent man, which seems a tad hypocritical considering the film’s purpose.

West of Memphis provides an interesting, thought-provoking and controversial portrayal of what can happen when the legal system fails, if indeed it did fail.

Words by Annie Robinson

The cinematography is stunning. Approximately half of the movie appears to occur on a stage, with clearly visible moving sets, backdrops and constantly changing costumes. Actors appear in the riggings and wings of this 'theatre,' overhearing discussions beneath them on the 'stage.' This effect is intriguing to begin with, however, it becomes confusing and tiresome at points, distracting the audience from the plot. On the other hand, the costumes are breathtaking, well worth the Oscar it won, especially in the ballroom scene where colourful dresses are twirled around the room in a display of vibrant splendour.

A million little intricacies interlaced the setting, costuming and direction of Anna Karenina, creating a tragic love story, which would have been very accurate for its era. The director, Joe Wright, fashions an atmosphere that draws the audience into a world of passion, desire, and loss. He evokes strong emotions by ensuring the characters are relatable.

The audience is encouraged to both love and hate Keira Knightley’s Anna Karenina as she battles with inner turmoil and the insecurities of love and lust. Her handsome co-star, Aaron Taylor Johnson, cleverly charms with his character Vronsky’s mysterious allure.

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Strangely, there are moments of laughter, despite the seriousness of the themes. Choreography and directing choices create comedy by leaving the audience uncertain as to the characters’ actions and motivations. Conversely, some parts force tears to the eyes of its audience, so there is a nice balance - that is, if the humour was intentional.

All in all, Anna Karenina is a stylised and creative work of art. It will thrill some people, and leave others totally dumbfounded. It is certainly not for everyone; and if you expect a happy movie to uplift your spirits, you will be sorely disappointed. So make sure you choose wisely.

Words by Nikki Klindzic

CROSSWORD GOES HERE WIN

Complete the crossword, use the higlighted letters to form a film related anagram and send your answer to stephanie. walker@flinders.edu.au to win one of 10 free double passes to Palace Nova.

ACROSS

DOWN

5. Wes Anderson film The Life ______ 7. Plays Barney on CBS tv series How I Met Your Mother ____ Patrick Harris 8. ______ Stone, best known for her performances in Total Recall (1990) and Basic Instinct 10. Re-emerging Fox tv series Arrested ________ 12. Dead pan actress known for her character April in Parks and Recreation ______ Plaza 15. Film starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts ____ ______ (2 Words) 17. British sitcom starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb (2 Words) 19. Name the 2012 film who’s namesake stems from Greek mythology 20. This character from NBC’s Community is ‘the worst’ _____ 23. Name the actor who played Col. Frank Fitts in 1999’s American Beauty _____ Cooper 24. Woody Allen film Vicky Cristina _________ 25. Writer of Being John Malkovich and Adaptation _______ Kaufman

1. Mexican American film actress, producer of Ugly Betty, Salma _____ 2. Susan _____, actress and oscar winner for 1995 film Dead Man Walking 3. American fantasy tv series created by HBO staring Peter Dinklage (3 Words) 4. Best friend to Wayne in Waynes World _____ Algar 6. Director of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Michel ______ 9. English actor, writer and comedian Simon ____, known for Shaun of the Dead 11. Comedian and Actor famous for Happy Gilmore, Adam ______ 13. Other half of comedic duo paired with Jennifer Saunders ____ ______ (2 Words) 14.

Actor Johnny ____, frequently collaborates with Tim BUrton 16.

Animated film series with voice actors Tim Allen and Tom Hanks (2 Words) 18.

Zom-Rom-Com starring Nicholas Hoult playing at Palace Nova April 11 (2 Words) 21.

1940s Hitchcock film starring Laurence Olivier 22.

Actor/Comedian who played Manny in BBC4 series Black Books, Bill _____

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Environment Officer Report: Recapping O-Week The humid weather on the Monday may have made my hair incredibly curly and unruly, and the Tuesday may have burnt me to a crisp, but it was great to see such a great turnout for O-Week. I would say this year’s O-Week has been the best one since I started uni five years ago. With FUSA’s involvement, we’ve been able to influence how O-Week looks and to better understand what students actually want.

As environment officer, I was happy that our FUSA bags were made of calico, rather than the regular green bags (which are made of polypropylene, a fossil fuel-based plastic). I reckon they look good too, so two thumbs up from me. However I wasn’t too impressed with a particular commercial stall using a high volume of plastic cups they weren’t allowed to refill if someone asked for a top up.

A new initiative on campus is Fairtrade at Flinders. It is a movement to create greater awareness about Fairtrade and its importance. It is the university’s opportunity to promote justice for workers in the developing world by promoting better prices and working conditions, local sustainability, and fair terms of trade. The campaign’s main goal and mission is for Flinders University to become an accredited Fairtrade Community. The greater the number of people interested in this, the more likely it is to happen!

Regarding food on campus that is both better for you and more ethical, the Flinders Organic Food co-op, which has been running for a number of years thanks to the hard-working volunteers, supplies fresh, cheap, seasonal organic fruit and vegetables on campus, which you can purchase in different priced bags. They always appreciate volunteers, so get involved! The group meet up in the Enviro Space every Thursday at 12.30pm.

I was also happy to see people signing up for the community garden after tours were conducted during O-Week.

Located near Flinders Living between the main campus and Sturt Campus, the garden provides an opportunity for all students and staff to grow their own herbs, fruits and vegetables. The group meet each Wednesday between 11am and 2pm to do necessary work to maintain the garden. It’s a great opportunity for new members to learn about the garden, permaculture and learn some tips to save money in your own gvarden. Not many people know about this little gem, but no excuses now!

Bush for Life have also jumped on board to help manage the Grey Box Grassy Woodlands next to the campus. The Grey Box Grassy Woodlands are listed in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC) as nationally endangered. There will be a bush regeneration workshop on campus in April in which people can learn about biodiversity and bush regeneration skills, followed by a bush regeneration day, which is a training session that I would urge as many people as possible to attend.

I’ve only written about a handful of groups for the environmentally conscious that were around during O-Week. But don’t think that you have missed out: you can join groups at any point during the year! If you’re interested in finding out more, please contact me at environment.officer@flinders.edu.au. Or even better, visit the Enviro Space (opposite the Wholefoods store) and pick up some flyers, or have a chat to some of the regulars that may be there.

For more information about the Flinders Food Co-Op, or to place an order, visit: http://flindersorganic.org.

Information about the Bush for Life workshops can be found at the Flinders events page: http://www.flinders. edu.au/events/show/event/bush-for-life-programme.

Be sure to join the Flinders Fairtrade Society on facebook by searching for ‘Flinders Fairtrade Society.’

Words by Adriana Allman

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On Campus Events April 9th Fair Go? Inequality Among Children in Australia – Lecture by Associate Professor Gerry Redmond. Flinders University City Campus,182 Victoria Square. 4pm.

12th FUSA Pub Crawl: The Journey Begins. 8pm.

Buy your shirt (Black or Green) online at fusa.edu.au/store or in person at the FUSA Hub (On the Plaza, next to Subway).

14th Flinders University Run Adelaide. 5km/10km/Half-marathon run around Elder Park, King William Road. 7am.

15th Refugee and asylum seeker housing and good social outcomes: What are our achievements and aspirations – Seminar. Flinders University City Campus,182 Victoria Square. 9am.

May 1st Mental Health Awareness Day 21st All Student Forum

Red Bull at O-Week On Monday the 25th of February Red Bull arrived on campus to energise staff and students with some much needed “Wiiings” for what can now be crowned as the most successful O’Week that Flinders University has organised. For three days the Wings Team sampled alongside the Red Bull DJ Event Vehicle, more affectionately known as “Frankie.” The silent disco gave both staff and students the opportunity to make fools of themselves, bemusing spectators. At the end of it all, a small graffiti-style memento was gifted to FlindersOne on behalf of the Red Bull crew to remember all the exciting and energetic times that were had.

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Book Review

Satantango, by László Krasznahorkai Eastern European writers aren’t widely regarded as being a cheerful bunch (after a century of war and repression, who can blame them), but they’ve been getting a lot of attention in recent years: popular novels like A Short History of Tractors in Ukranian have been set there, Hungarian novelist Imre Kertész won the 2002 Nobel Prize for Literature, with Romanian Herta Müller following in 2009, and publishers of translated fiction are increasingly taking notice.

Why are they so popular? My guess is it’s that very darkness and seriousness for which they’ve long been known – think of Kafka’s Metamorphosis, fundamentally a pretty bleak, sinister book. It’s hard to find that in modern non-European writing. (Seriously, did you read Freedom?) And among modern Eastern Europeans, Hungarian novelist László Krasznahorkai might just be the darkest, strangest, and gnarliest of all.

Satantango, originally published in 1985, was released in English last year, although some English speakers might have encountered it in Béla Tarr’s 7-hour long film adaptation, released in 1994. It’s a deliberately hazy portrait of the inhabitants of a benighted rural village, talked into rebuilding a ruined collective farm by a man they had thought dead, who is either a prophet, a conman, or the devil. We see the village’s petty feuds, misguided schemes, and common tragedies through the perspectives of a number of its inhabitants as they trudge around in the rain or drink themselves to a stupor in the rotting bar, waiting for this mysterious figure to arrive.

I’ve heard elsewhere that Satantango can be read as a parable of Hungary’s Communist past or a continuation of the Modernist experiment, but I prefer to take it on its own weird terms: two halves, six chapters stepping forward and six steps back – a tango with Satan.

If this sounds a bit like The Outsider with mud, that’s because it kind of is. Both novels take the psychic pain of dreary, aimless lives as a theme, but where Camus skates over the surface to make his philosophical point, Krasznahorkai dives into the detail of his decaying universe, with the precision and humour of a Beckett or a Nietzsche.

Krasznahorkai is notorious for writing reeeeeeeeally long sentences. They writhe around like a nightmare or a hallucination, trapped just like his characters yet possessing a kind of perverse beauty. Take this example: Quietly, continually, the rain fell and the inconsolable wind that died then was forever resurrected ruffled the still surfaces of puddles so lightly it failed to disturb the delicate dead skin that had covered them during the night so that instead of recovering the previous day’s tired glitter they increasingly and remorselessly absorbed the light that swam slowly out of the east.

What a gorgeous sunrise, I hear you thinking! Yeah, that was my first reaction too. But it’s undeniable that Krasznahorkai has a gift for minute observations. The portrait of an alcoholic doctor, incapacitated for years by his insane obsession with recording every change in his surroundings, is a great example of this. We’re meant to sympathise with these characters, but we’re also invited to laugh at them.

Fans of Kafka or Thomas Bernhard will love this book (the epigraph is from The Castle and there’s a chapter which reads like a pastiche of The Trial), but everyone who needs a break from the mindless cheeriness of our media would benefit from checking this out. Save it for winter: it’s the perfect thing to read in the cold and the rain.

Words by Simon Collinson

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Poetry Numb

by Tim Walter She told me something had to change She said boredom was unbearable Her situation was a problem something she could not stand She wanted fulfilment to feel like she was alive I said I could help you turn weary minutes into wishes Take a breath of air so pure Until help is on its way Deep outside the marginal I keep tunnelling until I find something I give you back your hand Some people say it is bad luck But fate has made this come to be If you were numb to everything You’d see what happened to subtlety

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Alone

by Tim Walter It’s uncomfortable, I noticed Unknown eyes fixed on mine I tried to get away Then I saw you behind the crowd, alone and hopeless I spoke, but you were already gone I waved, but you didn’t even say good-bye You just stood there, frozen, so still I wanted to free you You moved me without making a sound Excited me without making a gesture Your summer blue eyes drew me in Then left me forever It took so long for me, to believe my own idiocy Finally I realised, that you were leading, leaving And now I’m alone Sinking into the crowd once more

Winter Wings

by Jess Nicole Down to the church to sing the hymns that are said to save your

soul. Cleanse yourself of all desires and beg the Lord to save you.

Damn your winter wings that carried you to a darker place. Your husband is no fool; your lipstick stained on another man's collar.

In a stable where you first confessed your love, thorns buried themselves in future wounds. You took your vows under the light of the moon when your mother demanded the cross. He lay you down and flushed your soft cheeks. Under sheets you came with warm fingers inside of you. The sighs of pleasure faded by the time Spring came. When the sun rose, your eyes dulled. The hand of God is going to reach down past the steeple and smother you.

Are We Not Earth’s Children?

by Charles Chiam Chuang Chao Listen, do you not hear that?

Why do you deny This crying Earth, the weeping shores, the tortured souls?

Are you not aware?

Of the bloody seas Where mighty sharks were being torn apart?

Of the burning jungles Where fantastic baboons lost their homes?

Of the shrinking wilderness Where great wolves had become prey instead?

Of the invaded forests Where beautiful stags were sacrificed for ‘sport’?

Of the lost innocence Where majestic griffins never soar?

All this violence, lust, ignorance and hatred Among ourselves we destroy, among others we slay Why are we allowing ourselves to be divided?

Do we not share the same dream of a bright future?

This world we share We did not inherit it It is borrowed from our children Put aside our differences, my friends Now is the time, let us create a miracle together So that we will heal the world, and complete the circle of life.

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Sli

By Kimberley Ellis

She woke to a body in revolt. Head woollen and heavy, eyes aching even while closed. Her stomach twisting and writhing like a living thing but arms too weak to help her sit up. She heaved and rolled to lean over the side of the bed in time to vomit up burning bile. She continued to gag for a long while, made more painful by the fact she had nothing left in her stomach. Afterwards she lay back on the mattress, exhausted and still afraid to open her sore eyes. Only then did she hear the casually kind voice of a nurse and she remembered where and who she was.

They were happy. Sure they fought occasionally, what couple didn’t? The creepy kind that finish each other’s sentences and have annual family camping trips, that’s who. But fighting is normal, healthy even. She could never understand what Harry was complaining about but she did her best to appear contrite when she knew she wasn’t winning. Other times she’d shout him down for hours until he gave in.

There was a gaping hole inside her chest and she couldn’t patch it up. No one could see it and nothing soothed it and it was her pain to carry alone. Some people tried to help; she knew they did: her mother, her best friend Sal, even Dom came once despite how uncomfortable it made him. She was grateful for their worry in that small part of her mind that was still rational. But the hole in her chest took up most of her energy and most of her attention. And it didn’t matter what they said or did, they couldn’t make the hole go away. So she sat there quietly and nodded or replied where appropriate until they left and then was grateful for the silence.

She knew everything about him. She knew what schools he had attended, what jobs he’d held, how many girlfriends he’d had before her. She knew his favourites; food, bars, TV shows, even things he wouldn’t admit like having a favourite colour.

Everyone had a favourite colour. And she made sure he knew everything about her.

She knew every little gesture, the tired roll of his shoulders after a long day at work, the way he scrubbed at his face when he was frustrated.

Her mother cried. She asked over and over: why? Why had she done it? She just stared ahead, waiting for her mother to exhaust herself and leave. She didn’t want to try to explain that she hadn’t meant to, it was an accident. It all seemed too hard.

Guilt sat like a lead weight on her chest. The fact that it was an accident didn’t make her mother’s tears easier to bear. The syringe of liquid the nurse injected into

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ip her IV every day did though, making her head a quieter place to live for a few hours.

They met at a bar, just like lots of couples, but from the start she knew theirs was a different love. Sometimes she’d watch Rom-Coms and be amazed at how like her life they were. She found this comforting, the couples in these movies almost always fought over some silly misunderstanding but they made up in the end.

Usually there was a wedding, something to aspire to.

When Harry told her he wanted a break she took it in her stride. This kind of thing happened all the time in the movies. It hurt but he’d realise his mistake in a few weeks and come back weighed down with guilt and apologies. She would accept graciously and though she never admitted it aloud, she occasionally pictured him proposing. She went out every weekend with her friends, spending hours making sure she looked good in case she bumped in to Harry. They often went to his favourite bars.

It didn’t turn out like it was supposed to. Harry didn’t come back no matter how much she willed it. Eventually she broke and called him. He wanted to talk but she was already mad; why had she had to call? He would have to work damn hard now to get her back. She planned on holding out until he begged. After what he put her through he deserved it.

She took extra care with her dress and makeup on the day of their meeting and made sure they arranged to meet at a popular cafe. She wanted others to see his apology; see his devotion to her. She was irked when she saw Harry at the cafe, he wasn’t holding any flowers and he didn’t look nearly distraught enough.

He broke her heart.

It was his fault. It was his fault she couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. It was his fault she had to take the pills to sleep. It was his fault she was blinded by tears. It was his fault she was driving that fast. His fault she was trying to outrun everything. It was his fault her foot slipped on the pedal.

Everything slipped.

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GAMES Easy

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Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/~jdhildeb/software/sudokugen/ on Tue Mar 12 01:51:03 2013 GMT. Enjoy!

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Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/~jdhildeb/software/sudokugen/ on Tue Mar 12 01:49:16 2013 GMT. Enjoy!

Puzzle 1 (Hard, difficulty rating 0.66)

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Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/~jdhildeb/software/sudokugen/ on Tue Mar 12 01:51:24 2013 GMT. Enjoy!

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Generated by http://www.opensky.ca/~jdhildeb/software/sudokugen/ on Tue Mar 12 01:51:36 2013 GMT. Enjoy!

Not Just For Words By Kevin Clark

Gamers suffer from a self inflicted stereotype: the inactive male who spends more Saturday nights at home on the computer than out and about, and who knows the lore of his preferred game better than the cast of whichever soap has leapt to recent popularity.

On Thursday March 7, I stood at the Flinders University Digital Gaming Enthusiast’s (FUDGE) first 2013 meeting and can confirm that this stereotype is only partially true.

Whether you’re an experienced player, noob, or just into single player consider FUDGE. But first a disclaimer; I do fit into the stereotype mentioned above and even wear glasses to add to the image. However, this is not true of the majority of gamers. The stereotype is self-inflicted, as gamer culture does not actively work to discourage it.

Popular events such as Street Geek offer half-price entry to women, and the ever-amusing Big Bang Theory television show encourages the idea that this is the only type of gamer.

FUDGE was a small group before this year, but, with advertising through posters, an O’Week stall, and the promise of free brownies (with fudge of course), the group has more than doubled in size so far this year.

The reason? There is not just one type of gamer. And fudge brownies are delicious. Some join because they enjoy DotA (Defence of the Ancients) or strategy games, others play RPGs (role playing games), Call of Duty, and more still are avid MineCraft fans. The group’s 20 members packed into one of the upstairs library study rooms and they were a varied bunch.

So what took up the majority of the time in the meeting? Was it working on teams, discussing upcoming tournaments, or whether PCs are better than consoles? No, no, and PCs are definitely better.

The majority of the meeting was planning social events. Yes, some of it was stereotypical (the creation of a Dungeons and Dragons group - mostly for people who have never played before), but the rest focussed on making the group as accessible as possible to new members. Which brings us to our conclusion; gamers are much more than the stereotype. For most of us, it’s about enjoying the social aspect, which in turn enhances the game. Far from being asocial, gamers are just as social as non-gamers.

So, if you’re interested in meeting other people around uni, gaming could be the way to go. Whether you’re an experienced player, noob, or just into single player – consider FUDGE. If for no other reason, the brownies are absolutely delicious.

[47]

Empire Times volume 9, Issue 3 (1977)

Blast from the past

Photo competitionS Congratulations to Mansour Alotaibi, the winner of our first competition: Photo Outside My Country.

• Our next competition is Photos of Adelaide.

We want you to send us your best photos of the city: its places, people, events, nature, and life!

Good luck!

Please send your submissions to empire.times@flinders.edu.au as a TIFF or PDF file with a resolution of at least 300dpi. Submissions close on the 18th of April.