Perspective October 2014 by GIS Perspective

OCTOBER 2014

Perspective

CONTENTS EDITOR IN CHIEF INA HANNINGER MANAGING EDITORS SARA TRETT ERIC BLACKSHAW

EDITOR’S NOTE 3 INA HANNINGER IGNORANCE AND WOMEN 4 SARA TRETT THE MACHINES ARE TAKING OVER 6 ERIC BLACKSHAW

EDITORS FARAH JABIR JOYIE CHOOI VITTORIA SCARDIGLI LUQMAN SWIFT ZHOU CHEN CHEE

INTERVIEW WITH MR. CARTWRIGHT 8 BENJAMIN PHANG

HEAD OF FINANCE GAUTAM JETHWANI

PURGING PROCRASTINATION 10 GAUTAM JETHWANI

HEAD OF PHOTOGRAPHY ROHAIL AKBAR

FREE DRESS DAY EVERYDAY! 12 JOYIE CHOOI

LAYOUT EDITORS NORIKA YAGI CHANG SHEN HO

THE FUTURE IS NOW 7 VITTORIA SCARDIGLI

THE MALDIVES 14 TASHA JAYABALAN TED TALKS 17 ZHOU CHEN CHEE THE DARK SAVIOURS OF COUNTRY 18 LUQMAN SWIFT ART SECTION 20 VARIOUS

OCTOBER 2014

E T O N ’S R O T I ED So it’s 9:47 on a Tuesday night. My perpetual pile of A level homework has been adequately lessened (for now), I’ve got a 4 hour version of ‘Intro’ by The XX playing in the background, a bowl of seedless organic grapes on my right and I am as of now staring blankly and fruitlessly (well except for the grapes) at an empty google drive document. Nope. I have no clue how to do this Editor’s note… Daunted and dazed as I am, it looks as though I’m now facing the fallout of my unwise neglect towards writing anything but instant messages and scrawled out class notes for the past month. For all you keen linguists out there, please, if you take anything from this, let it be the importance of regular downtime for your literary artistry. Write, write, right away! Well, I suppose I’ll start off by introducing Perspective itself. Yes I admit, it has plunged quite a bit under the radar lately- but it still exists, I swear! Essentially, Perspective is a student-led collective of budding young writers, editors, photographers and managers. Run by myself, Sara and Eric, we meet every Mondays at 2:30pm and work to produce issues much like this very piece of paper you’re holding right now. Having been appointed new Editor-in-Chief, it might almost seem quite absurd that someone taking A level Physics, Chemistry and Further Maths is going to run a magazine such as Perspective. (It’s been known that most EICs take English Lit.) This job is, neither in any fundamental sense, related to Science or Maths, nor is it going to certify me as an Engineer one day. Yet, at the end of the day, I kid you not when I say that I will always stand by the virtue of Perspective, and that I will always vouch for the far-reaching significance media and opinions will forever have on humanity. Bubbling with whimsical musings and fiery opinions, we writers endeavour to bring into existence the elegant untold truths and attitudes of the

human experience. Be it your views on life as a third culture kid, to venting out your disappointment at new Apple products - writing an article here not only empowers you to influence the perceptions of people around you, it also compels you to challenge your own. It’s a way for you to, in some sense, impact the world. Now if we think about it: in all the past millennia of civilisation, every thought or spoken word that every human being has ever had- all those electrochemical signals of neurons firing in our brain- has eventually gone to perish. If it isn’t by the withering of a memory, it’ll be by our very inevitable biological demise. You see, while we are transient beings, our literature is immortal. Writing is a means to transcend ourselves: to preserve human ideals, as well as to be able to influence the world around you. And well, on top of all this- you’re also going to become better at drafting emails for your future job! Truly though, the words you read in the following articles I’m sure will endure with you. From Eric claiming that machines are plotting world domination, to Sara’s enlightening evaluation of society’s connotations of “pushy” feminists, to Vittoria’s mentions of boys being “stuck in Neverland,” to Luqman’s thoughtful promotion of satanic country music. (We really are a bunch of whackos intriguing people). Quite honestly, the articles I got to read throughout my years at Perspective have both amused me and evoked thought. Such reading and writing is a simple pleasure that even the hardest of scientists can revel in. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it- and my dear reader, I hope you do too. “If you would not be forgotten as soon as you are dead, either write something worth reading or do things worth writing.” -Benjamin Franklin Your ever keen Editor-in-Chief,

WE CAN DO IT!

Perspective

ignorance

thing is, that when this happens, others tend to join in on the ignorance, setting an idea, or a cause, back a considerable amount of time.

AND WOMEN

Back to feminism, there has been a lot of distortion trying to define what it actually is, we’ve seen Shailene Woodley declare to the world that she is not a feminist, that as a rule she “believes in equality”, implying that feminism is somehow about women taking all the power, about femi-nazis overrunning governments, arresting all men, and thriving in a world owned and operated by women… Well that’s not completely true.

SARA TRETT ‘Feminism’ is an issue that has been prevalent through all of history, most notably the last two centuries. From the Suffragettes in the West donning their sashes and banners, to the Far East, where women revolted against the binding of their feet in conformation with a man’s idea of beauty, this word has caused great shifts in society, changing world orders and ideologies. But unfortunately, along the way, the word itself has been misinterpreted to the point where most people are unsure of what a ‘feminist’ actually is, what they want to do, and what their motives are behind it. These days, with groundbreaking advances of communication, you would assume that sharing, comparing, and compiling information to reach a consensus on what feminism/a feminist actually is would be easy. Not so. The Internet’s ability to instantaneously share a person’s thoughts with billions of people around the world has led to some pretty dangerous things, the one I’m most concerned with in this article, is the widespread ignorance that is perpetuated when one posts ‘facts’ onto the net, especially with an issue so easily misinterpreted as feminism.

“NOT EVERYTHING

YOU READ ONLINE IS A FACT”

Not everything you read online is fact. What you read needs to be taken at face value, but also questioned, and challenged*. With social media and YouTube celebrities, and famous bloggers making millions off of ‘amusing’ (more often misled) comments, it’s no wonder every other person who logs onto Facebook feels that if they write something shocking or controversial, or start an argument on a subject they are blatantly ignorant about, that they will be noticed, and applauded for it and experience their five seconds of fame. The sad

Feminism started out because women did not have rights. They had no say in politics, they had no say in the media, they barely had a say in the choices made about their own lives. A lot of this had to do with them being the (physically) weaker sex, a label which stuck, through propaganda telling women that they were ‘delicate’, that they were “daughters, wives and mothers” full stop. Feminism started because men did not consider women to be equal to them, and a large majority of women didn’t consider themselves to be equal to men. Feminists challenged that. They didn’t want to be under a man’s control their entire lives, they realised that women could do just as well as men could.

“FEMINISM STARTED BECAUSE MEN DID NOT CONSIDER WOMEN TO BE EQUAL TO THEM”

And feminists have made a lot of progress, they’ve gotten women the vote, they’ve drastically changed how women are viewed in society, and they’re also ensuring that women are treated the same way men are, the main point at the moment being, that they would very much like equal wages to men. Of course, not all places discriminate sexually about that, but if any of you have ever heard of the “glass ceiling”, it’s used to describe the idea that when employed, women are subject to a barrier, that is not tangible, or explainable, or justifiable, which stops them from reaching certain rungs on the corporate ladder. Can you blame a girl for getting mad that even though she’s working just as hard, and is just as smart, and just as capable, and just as useful, she’ll just never be able to do as well

OCTOBER 2014 for a reason that is not tangible, or explainable, or even slightly justifiable. It’s like teachers having favourites, whatever you do will just never be good enough, and it’s frustrating. I myself am not a feminist, not because I don’t believe in the kind of equality that real feminists fight for, but because I don’t need/want that label, with all of the negative connotations that society has attributed to it. I am very happy knowing what I believe in, and kicking butt in an argument when someone brings it up. I also realise that this bad reputation that feminists have isn’t just because of men making jokes (or women making jokes about themselves)** or that some of society is still stuck in Victorian ideologies, it’s because some women get a bit radical and genuinely hate men, and they call themselves feminists, creating an image of feminists as ‘pushy’ ‘lesbians’[1]. In fact, a lot of the confusion comes with the name itself, “umm if you’re feminists, that means you’re only for women right? Cause, like, women are female?” I concede you that point. The name gives the wrong impression, but the thing you have to understand is that, at the time the movement was developed, it was just women, fighting for themselves against the crushing power men had over them, and they could only look to other females for support. Sure, feminists might be due for some relabeling or some sort of new marketing campaign, but hopefully, this article will be a step in the right direction. *In the same way, you need to challenge what I’m saying in this article. People can only write what they see, and what they think, but it may not be what you see or think, that’s why you need to think for yourselves. **It gets a bit old when the only comeback someone has is “get back to the kitchen”. Conversations with Feminism: Political Theory and Practice by Penny A. Weiss: a book which you can read online, where an investigation was done into how people view and associate feminists… it’s pretty shocking results.

[1]

Perspective

OCTOBER 2014

ARE TAKING OVER ERIC BLACKSHAW

Okay maybe it’s not the apocalypse quite yet. Skynet isn’t in control like in the Terminator (Or is it?) and AI’s haven’t forced us into an artificial computer world to harvest our life sources for energy like they did in The Matrix. OR HAVE THEY? Those of you who have watched the movie will understand exactly what I am suggesting. If you haven’t watched the movie then SHAME ON YOU. Stop reading right now and go watch it. Just the original at least since the sequels are all rubbish and kung fuey type slo-mo awesomeness. Wait no at least finish my little article first. Thank you. What was I saying? Ah yes, technological apocalypse.

So while machines and technology are not so much walking around and shooting laser beams at us they most certainly are very much integrated into our lives and, I think, feeding off our very souls. One only has to look at our delightful school to see the firm grip that technology has established. Every day you can see all those year 8 kids playing whatever it is they play on their iPads which were obviously a wise addition into our school curriculum. EVERY single day their little eyes fixated on the screens as they huddle in a tight circle while life passes by around them. I know it is particularly grown up of me to say this but GO OUTSIDE AND PLAY. iPads and other devices seem more like shackles on to the minds of newer generations, holding them back from the freedom that is going outside and enjoying life. After all, the earth is most

likely doomed environmentally so try to enjoy sun and trees and nature stuff while you can. Now I have already chastised you young’uns for your lack of connectivity with the outside world much like your parents may have done, but it is not without reason. See, the reason your parents make numerous attempts to divert your attention from games into books could be a result of their own bitter experiences. At their age they read books so they were told to go outside and play. And their parents were told to stop being outside and playing but go work instead. Therefore, due to their bitterness for not being able to do what they wanted, they would instead force it upon their unknowing children. This bitterness is passed on continuously in what I have proudly called the “cycle of scolding” (patent pending). So if you feel judged for your zombie-like iPad dependent existence, don’t worry. It will soon be your turn to hate on your perpetually more zombified children. Isn’t life grand?

“GO OUTSIDE AND

PLAY”

In conclusion, despite any effort, technology will always continue to improve and so will our immersion into it. Just a little information to light up our small existences. KIDS get off your iPads! Alright I’m off to computer or text or whatever my generation does. Ciao.

Time is controlling. Wherever we may be, whatever we may be doing, it is always there to slow us down or speed us up. It is the one thing that everyone has been frustrated with; some may be annoyed at the fact that they have too much on their hands, others worried about it slipping through the spaces between their fingers. We usually relate more to the former.

We seem to always live our lives in the future and are therefore constantly anxious and impatient for the days that lie ahead. From a young age, we unconsciously begin laying out the blueprints for our destined careers through the aid of our relatives’ endless questions regarding what we want to be when we ‘grow up.’ Some of us, the lucky ones, are basically born knowing the correct answer to that question. From then on, we make firm choices that ensure the achievement of our ever-present goal. Others, like me, are dragged into an endless vortex of decisions upon decisions that will one day (hopefully) lead us to the correct path. Those of us stuck in this unknowing thus run around with this giant clock ticking over our heads, yelling at us for every day that passes, during which we have obviously still not decided what we want to be.

What do we want to be when we grow up? It seems impossible to decide when there are so many options, or rather when there are TOO many options. I want to be anything and everything, except for the things I do not like. Who even decides when we have grown up? We know we have fully grown when we become men and women instead of boys and girls. Even then it is subject to opinion. Girls are considered women when they finally hit puberty, and boys… Boys seem to forever be stuck on Neverland with Peter Pan, even if they buy a briefcase, get a tailored a suit and work a 9 to 5. Being uncertain of your choices and simultaneously stuck in the future is never a good idea. It simply makes running out of time easier (and a whole lot faster). However, time is inevitably controlling. It will dig through your mountain of weaknesses and team up with them to ruin your sanity completely. Having trouble making up your mind becomes even trickier when time decides to fly by. Just like that, it seems as if we went from entering secondary school on Monday to having three children on Saturday. Eventually, on Sunday, we look back and realise that all our worrying was silly. As the famous quote goes, “Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay it’s not the end;” therefore live every day enjoying the present and not only worrying about the future, because on Sunday everything will be in its correct place.

Perspective

INTERVIEW WITH

MR. CARTWRIGHT BENJAMIN PHANG

A new school year has begun, and it’s always great to see fresh faces. This year, we see a mighty addition to various faculties, so we took the liberty to do some snooping around with the teachers. We managed to get hold of Mr. Cartwright, a former astrophysicist, music enthusiast and math teacher, who has come all the way from his previous school at Taunton, to join us here at GIS. Interviewer: Can you tell us a bit about yourself Mr. Cartwright? For example, your last job or any interesting facts about yourself? Mr. Cartwright: Well my last job was at a place called Castle School at Taunton, which only went up to Year 11, so it’s nice to be able to teach A levels once again here at GIS. Previous to that, I worked in a school in a really rural area, in the middle of a national park, which was quite fun because a lot of our kids helped out in the farms, assisting in lamb births and what not. Come Christmas, half of them would be busy plucking turkeys! In my previous school I did loads of stuff. We went to Paris on a music trip and played in Notre Dame. Last year, we did Hairspray the Musical which was really fun. I played in the band for that and conducted a couple of acts. It was really nice.

tunes. We’ve composed a few of our own tunes and it was great.

Interviewer: That is really true. Now, before we conclude, could you recommend a good read?

Interviewer: Oh cool. How would you compare KL to your previous town in the UK?

Mr. Cartwright: I’ve just read Bad Science, it’s a really good book by Dr. Ben Goldcare, who runs a website about the topic. It takes a lot of famous cases and a lot of misconceptions about science and turns it on its head, for example, alternative therapy is advertised as scientific when there is no scientific basis, and the fact that anyone can call themselves a nutritionist and get away with it. It talks about all the weird things that people don’t realize when they get advertised to, things that are actually completely misleading and have no scientific basis. They just sound “sciency” and it’s just the way media portrays science as something impossibly difficult for anyone to understand, they don’t give out any proper facts but rather just employ fancy sounding words. It’s a really good read, for anyone who does math or science, there’s some really good stuff on statistics and the misuse of it as well. It really opens the mind to how much rubbish is thrown at everyone every day and how easy it is to get caught up in it and go like “Ok, that’s definitely the best drug” or “This will cure cancer!” or “A glass of wine a day will cure cancer!” but the next day it doesn’t and where all these weird stories come from. A really good book for anyone who’s interested.

Mr. Cartwright: It’s a lot bigger, a city compared to what I’m used to, so there’s a lot going on. Students are much more participative here. In my tutor group last year, the students did a bit of sports, maybe some music but the students here take it to another level, scuba diving, sailing and skiing, all sorts of stuff. In fact, 4 or 5 people from my tutor group have just gone back to Japan to do some extreme sports which is really neat. Interviewer: What subjects do you teach? Mr. Cartwright: I teach A-level further math and normal math. I used to teach Physics back in my old school, A levels physics, which was nice. But just math here for the time being. I did also use to teach music in a sixth form college.

Interviewer: Any advice on students taking your courses?

Thank you Mr. Cartwright for agreeing to the interview. It was a pleasure to talk to you and we wish you the best in your future here at Garden. Benjamin Phang 12W

Interviewer: What genres did the band play? Mr. Cartwright: Loads of Jazz mainly, funk, lots of hip hop, drum and bass stuff. I would setup a band to play traditional swing music and then I’d setup a funk band which would do more modern

Mr. Cartwright: For Further Math, you’ve got to love math a lot, find it very interesting and find the beauty in it. When you have a derivation, and you’re starting to derive it, you have this massive string going on infinitely, but just a couple of steps will completely take it out. My favorite one was when I was showing my year 8s how to turn recurring decimals into fractions, and it’s really nice to be able to get something that goes on forever to turn into two numbers. But my main advice would be perseverance and persistence, as my quote says on the board outside my class, “There are two ways you can be brilliant at math, you can be the smartest kid, or you can be the dumbest and work really, really hard.”

OCTOBER 2014

Perspective

PURGING PROCRASTINATION GAUTAM JETHWANI “I’ll do it tonight” is what I told myself when I was tasked with writing this article. Yet, every night until the deadline, I found the blank page staring back at me. With distractions bombarding me from all angles, I had absolutely no motivation to roll back my sleeves and get down to it. Procrastination is a monumental problem amongst GIS students today, evidenced by the many sightings all around school during morning registration of students anxiously rushing to get their homework done in time for the first lesson. Is it a problem with you? Here are five key tips from a fellow procrastinator who managed to overcome his procrastination problems (Editor’s note: well, not quite yet, Gautam) on how to increase your productivity so that you can enjoy your morning registrations without any worry.

“I’LL DO IT TONIGHT” IS WHAT I TOLD MYSELF

Keep a schedule After you get home from school, during lunch or registration, write a list of the studying or homework you have to do for the day and allocate specific times to do these tasks. Don’t forget to allot downtime and ensure that time set aside for your tasks are realistic and achievable so that it’s easy for you to stick to your plan. Keeping to your plan is imperative so that the rest of your day’s activities are not affected. Get in the right mindset Nothing can be done with a negative attitude. If thoughts such as “this is so mind numbingly boring” and “I wish I could be Snapchatting right now” are constantly drifting through your head, your productivity will deteriorate very quickly. Have a positive mindset, telling yourself that you can do it. In the situation that what you are studying isn’t so

OCTOBER 2014

intriguing, then make it interesting in your own way, possibly by applying the knowledge to your own life. Eliminate all distractions Turn off anything and everything you own that has a screen, iPods, phones, laptops, tablets. If you feel that you cannot resist the temptation of these devices, then give them to someone you trust for the duration of your studying so that they won’t be accessible to you. In the case of other disturbances in your vicinity that you cannot be rid off, then adjourn to a quieter area that will help you focus, such as a library. If you require the internet for research, you can download an application on your laptop called “Self Control.” This ingenious program allows you to key in the URLs of websites that distract you and it blocks them on your laptop for a period of time that you set. The beauty of it is that there is no way around it. Take regular breaks Even though it feels like the right thing to do, continuous studying can destroy your motivation. Resting is absolutely essential so that your brain can collate and comprehend all the knowledge it has just absorbed. In fact, a technique of working was developed in the 80s by a man named Francesco Cirillo called the Pomodoro technique, which dictated that you should study for 25 minutes and rest for 5 minutes. That way, you don’t get bombarded by all the information you are trying to absorb yet not too much time is wasted. Consider doing some exercise after you’ve been working for a long time. Not only can sports such as swimming and running can give you time to clear your head, exercise also releases endorphins, which can help combat the depression that comes with studying and put you in a good mood again

“NOTHING CAN BE DONE

WITH A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE”

Get a study partner Sometimes, a friend can help keep you on track and focused on the task at hand. Not only can they ensure that you are not distracted, but they can also aid you in your learning, while you do

the same for them. Be careful when you choose a partner. Try and pick someone you work well with, not someone you have fun with. There is a fine line between a bad influence and a study partner.

“THERE IS A FINE LINE BETWEEN A BAD INFLUENCE AND A STUDY PARTNER”

Even if you think you have plenty of time to complete your work and you have all the time in the world to relax before you even have to touch your assignments, it’s better to do your work as early as possible so that you can enjoy stress-free relaxation. Remember, the best way to get rid of your mountainous workload is to face it, Just make sure you don’t forget to bring your finished work to school on the correct day so that it wasn’t all for nothing!

Perspective

free-dress day, EVERYDAY!

JOYIE CHOOI The first thing that probably springs to mind with the mention of Sixth Form is the seeming lack of uniform – and please do take note that I use the term ‘lack of uniform’ extremely loosely. I’m here to give a brief summary about all things ‘Sixth Form’, so I thought that it would be best to start off with the most obvious physical aspects. Firstly, I still have trouble understanding how guys get away with having approximately five shirts that they rotate each week; girls, on the other hand, have to worry about the length and fit of each outfit, making sure that it is appropriate and considered to be suitable attire for work. Colour combinations will start to give you a headache, and after a month of enjoying this trivial little ‘luxury’, you’ll start to want a uniform again. What I’m trying to say is: sixth formers hate dressing up to go to school on a daily basis. To be honest, I don’t really utilise my lift-pass as much as I would like. In lower secondary, I had at least one or two classes each day on ‘the other side of the world’. But sadly enough, I now only use that lift for house assemblies. “But what about the lift in the old building”, you might ask – well, if you’ve been ‘lucky’ enough to take that lift, you would know never to do it again. The fright of being stuck in a dark, minute box is enough to make me LIKE the stairs. Welcome to the world of the common room! Where all magical things happen, for instance: - Someone miraculously always has a pack of cards handy - Watching ‘Suits’ and blasting it so everyone else can follow along is another popular pastime - And there’s always good, old-fashioned sleeping - On the other hand, free periods MIGHT be more beneficial if you spent the time trying to deplete the ever-growing pile of homework, or cram for a test for the next lesson.

OCTOBER 2014

Moving onto organisation – yes, it is a big word that is said too often, but its importance is unfathomable. You will find yourself getting more and more homework each day, and those essays aren’t going to write themselves. This may sound cheesy, but stay on your game and try to do homework on the day you get it.

“THOSE ESSAYS AREN’T GOING TO

WRITE THEMSELVES” SUBJECT CHOICES On a more serious note, in Year 11 you will come to make another set of extremely difficult and extremely important set of decisions. At the end of Year 9, I’m sure choosing iGCSEs stressed you out and being lectured about its uttermost importance seemed a bit extreme at the time. Nevertheless, I’m sorry to say that it is all true – what you chose then really determines how wide your options are for A Levels, and thus university courses, and therefore career pathways. However, before any misconceptions arise, I would like to emphasise how Sixth Form is actually hard work, even though you may curiously peer into the common room through the glass double doors and see us lounging casually inside. Originally I thought that four subjects would be manageable – I liked the idea of ‘cutting off all the fat’ and only taking the subjects you really had a passionate interest in. But the 12 pack of wolves from Year 11 soon turned into the four feisty T-rexes of Sixth Form. For all those current Year 12’s out there, you may recall Ms. Lawrence giving a presentation at the end of last year regarding the choosing of A Level subjects. Not only was a large emphasis put on considering those four blocks relative to prospective career paths and university choices, but more so on interest and passion for various areas of study. The bottom line is: choose subjects that you really like. You have four lessons of each class a week, so if you despise or find a subject even slightly dull, it’s going to be difficult facing that field of work practically every single day. The reason many people’s careers have nothing to do with their university or A Level course

is probably to do with the fact that we pretty much need to have a good idea of our future selves as early as the age of 14. Here at GIS, we try to give students as much guidance as possible for a smoother transition from KS3 to KS4 and KS4 to KS5. This year, many new ideas have been implemented in order to aid the process. For example, there has been an FAQs session between the Year 11’s and Year 12’s, a new A Level subjects question booklet, and a proposed subjects taster week to support the difficult decision making process by allowing students to experience Sixth Form classes, and thus prompt possible questions that could be raised to further confirm the choices made. The aim has been to ensure that students make the most informed decision possible, so please take advantage of these new opportunities and choose wisely. Having said that, if you find that you have chosen the ‘wrong’ combination of subjects at either iGCSE or A Level, it is not too late. Many university courses don’t have a specific set of subject as entry requirements – but before you make any decision, it is best to go onto the university website and check everything out for yourself. I’m really sorry if I’ve made sixth form life sound somewhat terrifying, but Year 12 has undoubtedly been my most enjoyable year of secondary here at GIS. It is tough work and much perseverance is needed, but the rewards at the end are definitely worth the struggle. Year 12 is really the year to do your best, so don’t give up. I hope the iGCSE and A Level grade boundaries this year were EVER in your favour!

Perspective

OCTOBER 2014

15 like swimming in impossibly turquoise lagoons, snorkelling through mesmerizing coral reefs, rubbing flippers with tropical fish painted every colour in the crayon box to get you thinking: yeah, I could get used to this surreal lifestyle (and trust me that happened way more than once!)

“FEELING AS ONE WITH NATURE

COMES NATURALLY”

Located about 435 miles southwest of Sri Lanka in the Laccadive Sea, the Maldives is a chain of about 1,200 small ancient coral islands that grew up around the sides of towering prehistoric volcanoes. These ancient ruins are now long gone, instead leaving behind coral islands of incredible natural beauty. All the way from the modernity of the capital, Male, to the idyllic paradise of the uninhabited Southern Atolls, travellers now colonise this area, seeking unbridled pampering and romance . This geological eccentricity nestled in the middle of the Indian Ocean is Asia’s smallest country, one of its most exclusive (and expensive), however, it also happens to be most endangered. Everybody talks about global warmingsome even bear some genuine care- but many do not understand the full effects it will have over the next few decades on our pristine earth and how important each step can be. Unfortunately, as the lowest country on the planet, the Maldives could vanish in the not-too-distant future if sea levels continue to rise. The threat is so real, in fact, that the government is considering purchasing land in neighbouring countries for the worst case scenario of relocating its roughly 300,000 residents, emphasizing how important it is for travellers to visit this exquisite set of islands before it is too late. However, let us hope, instead, that the world’s wave of environmental consciousness continues to produce new ideas and new ways of living that will help protect and preserve this dazzling natural

treasure, because trust me, there is no place else quite like it on our planet. Fortunately on the bright side, the Maldivian lifestyle is a life stripped down to pure simplicity where visitors can experience bright blue skies, allyear sunshine and fantastic diving and snorkelling in lagoons the temperature of bath water. Minutes melt into hours, hours into days - it is the luxury of doing nothing and doing it in your own time. Also, every few months brings newly opened resorts from top end boutique brands to ecologically sound naturalistic hotels, providing the holiday of a lifetime. The Maldives demands the attention of anyone looking for a uniquely indulgent break and sheer beauty that stays with you long after your tan has faded.

“BECAUSE TRUST ME, THERE IS NO PLACE QUITE LIKE IT ON OUR PLANET.”

The success of the Maldivian lifestyle gives credit to the incredible growth the country has had over the last decade, having bounced back from a series of disasters in the past few years, including the coral bleaching wrought by el Nino and the horror of the 2004 tsunami. Indeed, so superior are its beaches, so cobalt blue its waters, and so warm its welcome that the country has become a paradise whether it be for honeymooners, sun worshippers or divers. There is nothing

As with most remote islands, some of the best adventures in the Maldives are to be had in the sea. During the day, it is a difficult decision between sunbathing in the intense Maldivian sun (don’t forget your sunscreen!) or getting a snorkel and chasing divine reef fish through the corridors of the coral that are displayed as close as up to shore. However, there also many night activities in the Maldives just waiting to be explored, one involving the particularly famous and renowned sunset cruises offered on most of the 200 inhabited islands, where you can expect to find yourself with big thrills and a glass of champagne at hand, as scores of completely wild dolphins put on an effortless natural display that you will not find at any marine park, or any other place in the world. Another popular excursion is night fishing way out in open ocean, where you can easily reel in fishes that you have never even heard of and if you are lucky, even spot and feed a few baby sharks! The Maldives truly is a place for everybody, whether your ideal holiday consists of spending hours on the beach, trekking through unrefined jungles, renting out a boat for a day trip or just eating pure, great local seafood, the Maldives is truly a place where feeling as one with nature comes naturally, especially as dramatic cliffs, caves and overhangs, brilliant coral growths, and for adventure seekers, a chance to witness big predators such as sharks, barracudas and prolific reef fish are right at your doorstep. It’s a wonder why you aren’t booking your flights already!

Perspective

I am sure that country music bears no real significance to our lives, apart from the solitary Taylor Swift track now and again, because of our current geographical disposition. I for one have no interest in the pick-up trucks and the “burnin’ barns of Alabama” of popular country. That being said, the existence of a different breed of country has come to my attention, “gothic country”.

The refreshing sound of grainy vocals and simpler soundscapes is what attracted me to “Those Poor B*stards” in a sea of cleanly-produced pretty much soulless acts, a duo with some interesting ideas when it comes to the stereotypically down home genre. Lonesome Wyatt’s deep haunting vocals hang on every track like one of them outlaws on the gallows, coupled with the Minister’s dark and brooding instrumentation create a real depressing force to be reckoned with. Their album “Satan is Watching” is an opus of sorts where they really embrace the sinister overtones on all their music, really taking advantage of somewhat lo-fi recordings to force the ideas of sadness and depression. If more of Lonesome Wyatt is what you want, then you would be in luck, for he is prolific in the alternative country scene with his other band the Holy Spooks and a single collaboration album with Rachel Brooke, a talented blues singer in her own right.

Another band worth a mention here is the “Sons of Perdition”; I use the term band loosely because it is actually a series of collaborations between Zebulon Whitley and various rascals he ropes in now and again. Compared to the aforementioned “B*stards”, the “Sons” feature

cheerier instrumentation often branching out into wibbly-wobbly guitars that could remind one of surfrock every now and again; but that by no means it is all rainbows and gumdrops in this camp. The subject matter of the songs is still deeply rooted in darkness. Interestingly enough Zeb’s name is a psuedonym comes from a character that can be found in H.P. Lovecraft’s books, hinting at the dark atmosphere that he tries and often succeeds to exude.

Now for something with a little less doom and gloom, something we all might be a bit more comfortable with calling country music, Hank Williams III has been a loyal purveyor of Hellbilly for years now, and he shows no signs of stopping. He probably shows the most diversity in the whole cadre that I have presented as of yet, with albums being completely composed of doom metal-esque distorted guitars with punk influences you can feel and albums like “Brothers of the 4X4” filled with fiddles and tongue-in-cheek lyrics about his hick lifestyle. Hank’s music is also the lightest of the music which tries not to take itself too seriously, but sometimes the satire can fall to the other end of the scale and end up sounding too much like that which it tries to make fun of.

At the end of the day this kind of music is definitely not for everybody, but if you are like me and you enjoy your metal in the doom variety, or your rock in the flavor of the occult, then this would be right up your proverbial main street. One thing is for sure though; none of this is party music.

OCTOBER 2014

Perspective

OCTOBER 2014 ANONYMOUS

ZHOU CHEN CHEE

I was 12 when I watched my first TED talk. It was one by Amy Cuddy about how “your body language shapes who you are.” And truly, it was amazing; one of those breath-taking videos that make you clap like an idiot to your computer screen. It enlightened me, broadened my horizons and changed the ways I viewed things. For those of you unfamiliar with TED talks, TED is a non-profit devoted to spreading ideas, usually done so in the form of short, powerful talks. TED was established in 1984 as a conference initially where Technology, Entertainment and Design converged (that’s what TED stands for by the way). Today, however, TED covers almost all topics - from science to business to global issues in over 100 languages. Although talks are the main focus, there are many independently run TEDx events to help share ideas in communities around the world. Their objective is simple (and I quote from their website) “TED is a global community, welcoming people from every discipline and culture who seek a deeper understanding of the world. We believe passionately in the power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and, ultimately, the world.”

TED IS A GLOBAL COMMUNITY Since the very moment it began, its popularity has soared. More and more people have been viewing TED talks, more and more people have been speaking on TED talks and more and more TED talks are taking place. Why? Is it because they’re interesting? Is it because they’re informative? Or is it because they’re fun and funny? Probably all of the above and more. The main reason why we all keep coming back to TED is because it makes learning free, interesting and of course free. Catch. Here are some facts about to be thrown at you. 1) TED is the most popular lecture series online and their videos have racked up some 800 million views. 2) TED has 2.4 million likes on Facebook, in perspective the hit British romance drama series Downton Abbey has 691k. 3)

To date, users can stream over 1700 TED talks on their website. Some famous individuals who have attended a TED talk include Bill Gates, Bill Clinton, Jane Goodall, Sergey Brin and Malcom Gladwell. Ok your arms and brain are probably full now so I’ll stop.

PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING BY PRETTY MUCH ANYONE At the moment the most popular TED talk of all time has a staggering 2.3 million views by Sir Ken Robinson who says that “Schools kill creativity”. (I wonder if here at Garden we agree with that or not?) With famous figures such as Steve Job’s telling us “How to live before you die” or Bill Gates talking about how “Teachers need real feedback” it’s no wonder TED talks are so edge-of-your-seat interesting. Furthermore, aside from TED educating the world with brilliant ideas from brilliant people, it is a great example of how technology has helped globalize conferences and how spreading information is easier simply by being able to go viral. Technology is a new tool and TED is using it to reap positive benefits. As students, the TED archive can benefit us immensely. It allows us to quite literally have access to global conferences at a push of a button, conferences about pretty much anything by pretty much anyone. Conferences that introduce us to new concepts or teach us to see things in a whole new perspective, conferences that spark ideas within us and make us question everything instead of simply blindly learning. Personally I believe that TED has benefited me and can benefit all of us at Garden too. After watching a TED talk your brain becomes a beehive of activity and thought, it’s like instead of the computer getting an information overload, your brain is. So for all of you lifeless people living under a rock who haven’t seen a TED talk yet, get straight to www.ted.com. After all, seeing is believing.

ARTS SECTION Submit your art to: articles.squid@gmail.com

ROHAIL AKBAR

Perspective

RUPA ANURENDRA

ROHAIL AKBAR

BINLING LIM

OCTOBER 2014

Perspective

O TEMPORA!

23 LAAREB GUL

“Now is the winter of our Discotheque,” Now playing at the corner of Oxford Street and Hell, Live. Live at this Apollo! That Apollo! Christ! Shakespeare, made new, all new, So damned new at this new theatre, Sweet JESUS is it new, Not your “Wherefore art thou,” Now “Where you at, son?” Ignoring the semantic inaccuracies, Away with your rolling linguistic marches on amber fields of poetry, Now: Gra’ui’ous swearing and dropped t’s, Whitewash Othello – and his set, and his lines, Caesar lives – and Macbeth! And Hamlet! They’re all alive, waiting here, for you, And this time no monologues, no stabbings – hell, no knives at all, Just happy endings and silhouettes on plasticard sunsets, Print another backdrop out, they’re only ten quid down the road, Next to the Iambic Pentameter blowout sale, and the two-for-one metaphor offers, Hwaet! We Gar-Dena in gear-dagum! WAIT! WE GARDENER, IN GEAR, THE GUM! Alas, poor Horatio, I knew him, Yorick.

ANONYMOUS

AMANDA GAYLE

OCTOBER 2014 ZHOU CHEN CHEE

Perspective

PERSPECTIVE 2014