Issue 6 | Vol 6 | August 2014
4 6 9 1 o t e m o c l e W
STUDENT LIFE | CAMPUS NEWS | ARTS & CULTURE | STYLE & SUSTAINABILITY | AND MORE...
SH FRE D FOO T KE MAR NOW N OPE
OVERLOAD your Senses WITH A L ARGER SELECTION OF FRESH PRODUCE
08 1964 The Year That Was 10 Time for Celebration 11 ICAC So Far 12 The Last Word 13 Pistols at Dawn 14 A Fair Go For All? 15 Blogs & Broadsheets 16 The Truth Behind Your Degree
34 A Kite in the Exotic Sky 36 Madame Butterfly’s Fortune Shop 38 Nicholas Rider Photography
18 Student Voice: Parking 22 Wellbeing: To Be or Not To Be 22 International: How to Survive Uni 23 The Rant: Days, Weeks, Years 23 History In Review: Wallumatta 24 Environment: Growing Greener
26 Survival Tips: Student Societies 28 Alumni Speak! 31 Setting Trends: the 60s 32 One Act of Kindness
42 Advice: Not So Punny 43 Check In 44 Smiling Chef: The Naked Cake 46 The Stew: Discover The Rocks 48 Reviews 50 Puzzles & Horoscopes
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EDITOR’S LE T TER
T
Macquarie University Student Publication
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MARKETING TEAM Advertising Manager Varun Fernando Marketing Manager Josephine Clark-Wroe Marketing Officer Manisha Josephraja Social Media Manager Raelee Lancaster
his issue of Grapeshot is not only a celebration of 50 years of Macquarie University, but it is (oh, so conveniently) Grapeshot’s 50th edition. In this edition, we’re taking a look at something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue. Behind this neo-60s designed cover, we look at 1964: a year of headlines (p. 8), we re-cap 60s fashion (p.31) and hear from some of Macquarie’s prestigious alumni (p.28). We’ve also got the low-down on how to keep your student group going, after chatting with one of Macquarie’s oldest student groups (p.26). Two of our reporters take a critical look at parking prices on campus (p.18). Overall, this is one of our most jam-packed issues to keep you entertained through your first weeks back at uni. So kick back, relax, enjoy the MacFest celebrations, but most of all – happy reading. Eds
o it’s well after midnight and I’m sitting in the Grapeshot office. The latest I’ve stayed back is around 4am, which is pointless really. After midnight everything looks better with that extra comma; no without it, actually… better put it back in. The words take on a Dali-esque life of their own. Have you ever been to the office? You should. We encourage drop-ins (except the occasional student politician, then we duck and hide). In the day you can see straight across the grass to the lake. You can watch people wandering to and fro between the campus hub and the gym. (We’re probably definitely checking you out through these conveniently tinted windows.) I’ve made some wonderful friends here over the past year and a half. Enemies, too, I assume. For the most part, though, I have a premature nostalgia for everyone and everything that’s happened in this space. I’ve seen such talented people pour their heart and soul into this magazine and I’ve watched them go on to great things. Some of our
Mia Kwok
Outgoing Editor in Chief
ex-writers and ex-editors have gone on to work for Harper’s Bazaar, Yen Magazine, MTV, to name a few, or even to become their own bosses. Even those that are still making their way, I know they have a bright future ahead of them because I’ve seen the passion and the hard work that they put into the things they love. There’s a tendency in this industry, and many others I’m sure, for people to succumb to Imposter Syndrome. People tell you to “fake it until you make it”, but you’re never quite sure when you’ve made it. Even now, I still hesitate to label myself a ‘writer’ or an ‘editor’ in the way that others would easily say “I’m a doctor/teacher/lawyer”. I’m still not sure who let me be in charge of running a publication. Somehow, though, at the end of each month a magazine made entirely by students comes out on the stands. So I want to say, to every single person involved in that process, you’ve made it. Now keep on doing what you’re doing. So it’s with a tinge of regret that I wrap this up, my last editorial for Grapeshot. This great publication will keep on growing and keep on getting better. This, our 50th edition, is just the start. I know that the team I’m leaving behind is kick-ass.
EDITORIAL & CREATIVE PRODUCTION Editor in Chief Mia Kwok Deputy Editor Kristina Cavanna Features Editor Amanda Mahony News Editor Emma Vlatko Regulars Editor Sarah Basford Copy Editor Claire Catacouzinos Creative Director Moxfi Designs Illustrator James Rotanson
SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS
Blake Antrobus, Kieren Ash, Barry Brook, Georgiana Campbell, Brendon D’Souza, Lily Davis, Nathan Falzon, Sukriti Gautam, Alessandro Guarrera, Tim Hart, Kira-Louise Henderson, Giulianna Karoufeh, Ellen Kirkpatrick, Katherine Lam, Ben McCarthy, Cesar Bonillo Morales, Maculty Newltham, Ben Nour, Gemma Quinn, Alexander Read, Nicholas Rider, Marie Claire Selim, Jessica Sheridan, Rowan Taylor, Cassandra Teo, Alexandra Wrathall, Rabeah Zafrullah, Yiyi Zhang
EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARD Alexander West, Emma Grimley, Gemma Quinn, Jack Morgan, Kristofer Gilmour, Melroy Rodrigues, Natalie Morton, Nigel Khine PUBLISHER Craig Oliver The publication team acknowledges the Darug Aboriginal people as the traditional custodians of the land on which Macquarie University is situated. DISCLAIMER The views and opinions expressed in Grapeshot Magazine are not necessarily those of the publication team, the Macquarie University student body or Campus Life staff.
2014 SESSION 2 CAREERS FAIR
FEATURING THE COMPANIES ABOVE AND YOU!
Get the answers today to help you with your tomorrow! EVENT DATE: Friday 8 August, 12pm-3pm LOCATION: E7B Courtyard (Indoor Courtyard) Pre-register NOW to walk right in on the day! Just scan the code below to Career Hub.
s k n a h T l a i c e Sp Name: Rabeah Zafrullah Age: 20
Name: Lily Davis Age: 21
Degree: BA, Major in Writing
Degree: BA Media
Career Aspiration: Epic Fantasy Novelist Part-time job: Administration at Western Grammar School
Career Aspirations: filmmaker Part time job: children’s party host
Why Contribute to Grapeshot? For the thrill of being published and because I love writing but I’m also lazy, so this forces me to practice. What does the word “Grapeshot” mean to you? Half a shot of grape juice and half a grape being fired from a rifle. Where will you be in 50yrs? In fifty years I’ll probably still be reading epic fantasy novels and will have hopefully written a few of them too.
Why do you contribute to Grapeshot? I think it’s a great way to engage with university life and gain experience! What does the word “Grapeshot” mean to you? Student voice Where will you be in 50yrs? Maybe watching and writing about films in my own little cinema. I can just hope to have plenty of treasured memories, like my time at Grapeshot.
Did you know? The cover design was the creative genius of our Illustrator James Rotanson. Take another look, did you see that the flowers are made up of the number ‘50’? I mean seriously? How does he even do it? He also did our Features Opener on p.25
TIME FOR CELEBRATION ICAC SO FAR THE LAST WORD PISTOLS AT DAWN A FAIR GO FOR ALL? BLOGS AND BROADSHEETS THE TRUTH BEHIND YOUR DEGREE
NEWS
1964 THE YEAR THAT WAS
Grapeshot R A E Y E H T : 4 196 THAT WAS
EX TRA
EX TRA
MAJOR O O K B A C K AT T H E L A S E K TA , O K AT L , EMMA V L D 50 Y E A R S AG O. R O OUR NEWS EDITOR W E H T D N U O R PLACE A E V E N T S T H AT T O O K
POITIER TAKES TOP AC TING PRIZE
s ceremony In April, the 1964 Oscar ney Poitier in Los Angeles saw Sid -American become the first African tor award. actor to win the Best Ac of Homer l Winning for his portraya worker n Smith, a constructio ns in nu ee who happens upon thr Field the of Arizona, the film, Lilies six er oth an was also nominated for d an e tur Pic awards, including Best his ing eiv Best Screenplay. Upon rec rcome with award, Poiter was ove has been emotion, stating that, “it ment.” mo s a long journey to thi the for ted Poitier had been nomina , lier ear rs Best Actor award five yea n. sto He but lost out to Charlton
THE VIE TNAM “LOT TERY”
NELSON MANDEL A
prisonment. sentenced to life im al, Mandela Similar to the 1962 tri highlight the used his time in court to In his threeracism in South Africa. he stated that hour courtroom speech, al for which I a free society was “an ide ugh the trial am prepared to die”. Altho ela was found nd Ma n lso Ne e, Jun 12 al criticism, On drew much internation conspiracy to d an ge ota sab of ilty the next 27 gu Mandela would spend government. the row rth ove tly len . vio years of his life in prison used were He and his two co-acc
MANDELA SENTENCED TO LIFE IN PRISON
l tensions Responding to the globa ber 1964 over Vietnam, in Novem t Menzies Prime Minister Rober for 20-yearintroduced conscription ection of old Australian males. Sel bia annual conscripts was made by e of birth. lottery draw based on dat ed to give Conscripts were requir vice to the two years of full-time ser s domestic armed forces. Despite thi Menzies, effort by Prime Minister stralia’s Au the first shipment of o wh fought 7,500 thousand troops s not sent in the Vietnam War wa until 1965. grapeshotmq.com.au
BEATLE-MANIA HITS AUSTRALIA
e a trip down 1964 saw “the fab-four” tak r Australian under for their first eve greeted at the tour. The Beatles were eaming teens airport by thousands of scr d across the who then followed the ban out concerts. country for their 10 sell ts goers were Of course, not all concer rry O’Brien satisfied. 19-year-old Ke strating. “It found the experience fru m in person,” was stunning to see the ointing that he said, “but it was disapp sic because the you couldn’t hear the mu Nevertheless, screaming was non-stop.” ‘Lads from enthusiasm for the pened, with Liverpool’ was not dam ly be the first many hoping it would on of many Australian tours.
THE BEATLES IN STO ol, Fraser But outside of the po angering sy, ver tro caused some con in the ing rch ma her sponsors by an ng ari we y on Opening cerem ing be d an e, tum old swimming cos stealing arrested for allegedly te this spi De g. an Olympic fla d the me na s wa ser controversy, Fra her for ar Ye the of 1964 Australian s. efforts at the Game we re the Th e To ky o Ol ympic s ati on all y ern int fir st ev er to be tel eca st liv e.
DAWN FRASER IN 1958
AUSTRALIA SHINES IN TOKYO
mes, taking The Tokyo Olympic Ga October, 24 place between 10 to cess for suc were considered a great thlete 3-a 24 Australian sport. The the in hth eig Olympic team, placed ls. da me 18 final tally, taking home re we se the Naturally, the bulk of m, tea ng mi awarded to our swim winning with Betty Cuthbert d gold ase Australia’s only land-b Dawn s wa n medal. A notable wi . This yle est Fraser in the 100m Fre made d an s win broke many record this n wi to e Fraser the first athlet s. me Ga pic event at three Olym
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A ROYAL AFFAIR: THE GLADESVILLE BRIDGE IS OPENED
Gladesville On 2 October, the opened by Bridge was officially Princess Her Royal Highness Kent. of Marina, the Duchess arch ary en The new six-lane cat and e dg bri replaced a single laned tta ma rra Pa tramway across the rs ide y-s ne River. Hundreds of Syd al ici off the showed up to watch e dg bri the ceremony and walk ess inc Pr e for the first time. Th ur views herself marveled at harbo st point he as she stood at the hig the world’s of what is currently, The new longest concrete archway. make to structure was expected ney Syd for travelling much easier . ter wa d commuters, on land an
CKHOLM IN 1963
A PRINCE IS B O R N!
birth to her Queen Elizabeth gave rd Antony fourth child, Prince Edwa March at Richard Louis on 10 his birth, on Buckingham Palace. Up odness! “go the Queen exclaimed, house the in What fun to have a baby was e nc Pri again!” The blue-eyed y Ma 2 on er baptised two months lat sor nd Wi at in the Private Chapel close family Castle, surrounded by of his birth, e and friends. At the tim rd in line thi Prince Edward was the for the throne.
AUSTRALIA’S TOP SINGLES OF 1964 ere’/ ‘Love 1. ‘I Saw Her Standing Th Me Do’ – The Beatles a Woman’ 2. ‘I Feel Fine’/ ‘She’s – The Beatles ‘You Can’t 3. ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’/ Do That’ – The Beatles ‘Things We 4. ‘A Hard Day’s Night’/ es atl Said Today’ – The Be Beatles 5. ‘All My Loving’ – The n Better’/ ow 6. ‘I Should Have Kn ‘If I Fell’ – The Beatles You Baby’ 7. ‘Ain’t That Loving – Elvis Presley ’ – The 8. ‘Have I The Right? Honeycombs la Black 9. ‘You’re My World’ – Cil – Roy n’ ma 10. ‘Oh, Pretty Wo Orbison
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TIME FOR CELEBRATION WORDS | Ben Nour
NEWS
local and global
Macquarie University is celebrating its 50 year anniversary in 2014. Named after the early colonial Governor, Lachlan Macquarie, Macquarie University was opened to students on 6 March, 1967. In its first year, Macquarie had 956 enrolments and 622 effective full-time students. Since then, it has grown to become Sydney’s fourth largest university with over 35,000 students. So, if Macquarie University was not officially opened until 1967, why are we celebrating 50 years in 2014? In the early 1960s, student university enrolments were low, and calls for a third university in Sydney intensified. In 1964, the NSW Government responded to these concerns by drafting and passing the Macquarie University Act 1964 (NSW). So, even though the 50 year anniversary for students will not occur for another three years, 2014 marks 50 years since the decision was made to establish Macquarie University. To make the most of this milestone, the university has planned a huge range of jubilee events and activities. These celebrations will continue until the end of 2017. Events planned include the Student Photography Exhibition opened on 1 August. This exhibition showcases historical images from Macquarie’s history, including Conception Day in 1970, student protests in the 1980s, and every cover of the university’s various student publications from the past 50 years. Meanwhile, October will see the launch of the Macquarie University Art publication, featuring the university’s vast art collection. Other events planned include the Jubilee Student Groups Night, celebrating the contributions of past and current university student groups, and the Faculty of Business and Economics Women’s conference, a gala event featuring prominent Macquarie women. For more information on planned celebratory events and activities, visit jubilee.mq.edu.au or follow Macquarie University on Facebook.
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ICAC SO FAR
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Above: Former Mayor of Ryde, Ivan Petch
WORDS | Sarah Basford
GLORY!
In July, the 2014 Eastern University Games , held in Newcastle, proved a successful venture for Macquarie’s team. Placing third overall out of eighteen universities, the Men’s Basketball team won gold out of the twenty six competing teams with Men’s Football, Women’s Hockey and Men’s Oztag all finishing with silver. Newcastle University took out the top spot overall with UTS trailing in second place. Macquarie will have their next chance in the upcoming Australian University Games which will be held in Sydney from 28 September to 3 October.
NEWS
It seems that not a week in the past year has gone by without fresh revelations of political corruption in NSW. Since mid 2013, 11 politicians have fallen victim to various Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) investigations, leading to their political demise. The Independent Commission Against Corruption Act 1988 (NSW), responsible for the establishment of ICAC, defines corrupt conduct as “deliberate or intentional wrongdoing... that involves or affects a NSW public official or public sector organisation”. Corrupt conduct comes in many forms including breach of trust, fraud, election bribery, and theft, and the perversion of justice. Since 1989, there have been several high profile ICAC investigations, but none more so than the recent operations, Cyrus, Meeka and Cabot. While the investigations targeted corrupt former Labor Minister Eddie O’Beid, they were responsible for the resignation of NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell. O’Farrell was caught lying about a $3000 bottle of Grange while giving evidence at the proceedings in April. The past few years have also seen several other members of parliament resign, be suspended, or expelled from their position, reinforcing the belief that political corruption in NSW is widespread. Marie Ficarra, a member of the Liberal Party Australia of the New South Wales Legislative Council, was accused of accepting a $5000 bribe, forcing her to step aside from the NSW Liberal Party and sit as an independent. On a related matter, a string of Central Coast Liberal MPs, including former NSW Energy Minister Chris Hartcher, were forced to resign after an illegal slush fund named “Eight by Five” was discovered. Senator Arthur Sinodinos, a former Director of Australian Water Holdings, was also forced to step down from a federal ministerial position after he was found to make $20 million from corrupt dealings. Closer to home, in Macquarie University’s own electorate, ICAC recently released a report on the investigation of the former mayor of the City of Ryde, Ivan Petch. The Commission found that, in a bid to discredit General Manager John Neish, Petch leaked a confidential report about Neish viewing pornography on a Council issued laptop. Four more counsellors, including Petch, were also found to have strategically hidden campaign donations to avoid public scrutiny. So far, Petch has denied the allegations and intends to take the matter to the Supreme Court. Despite this apparent flurry of activity, the past months have seen much criticism of the ICAC process, mainly on that corruption findings by ICAC rarely result in criminal prosecution. In late June this year, Eddie Obeid commented that there was a “one percent” chance of him being criminally prosecuted. These taunts provoked the NSW Attorney General Greg Smith to announce a Parliamentary Inquiry, with the view of strengthening ICAC. The inquiry will examine s38 of the Act which prevents criminal prosecution against witnesses who have been compelled to testify at an ICAC hearing. The results of this inquiry will hopefully allow the ICAC to close the gap between the exposure of political corruption, and the criminal prosecution of those responsible.
local and global
WORDS | Giulianna Kharoufeh
NEW FACULTY
The University Council of Macquarie University has announced that a new faculty will be established in Medicine and Health Sciences. Vice-Chancellor, Bruce Dowton, believes that the new faculty will help the university in its pursuit of becoming a “leader of integrated clinical care, medical and health research and education”. The faculty follows in the path of a number of medical establishments that have been created in recent years such as the Macquarie University Hospital and the Australian School of Advanced Medicine. Adding to the announcement, Dowton aspires to build the nation’s first fully integrated Academic Health Sciences Centre.
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THE LAST WORD:
BUDGET CUTS TO REFUGEES WORDS | Alexander Read
NEWS
local and global
Alexander Read is a member of the Macquarie University Greens Party and a Student Representative on the Academic Senate. In an effort to fix “Labor’s mess”, and to prevent the runaway debt crises that occurred throughout Europe, the 2014 budget has been largely one of austerity. In his budget speech, Treasurer Joe Hockey announced cuts to education, welfare, health, Indigenous programs and climate change efforts. However, these cuts have raised a fundamental question about how our taxes should be spent. If government revenue is not for spending on essential services and supporting the most vulnerable, then what is it for? One of the more controversial cuts was the $140,000 taken from the Refugee Council of Australia. The purpose of this council is to “promote the development of humane, lawful and constructive policies towards refugees and asylum seekers. In a press conference, Immigration Minister Scott Morrison stated that funding for the Council was simply “not consistent with what we are doing with this budget.” He went on to say that “it’s not the government’s view that taxpayer funding should be there to support what is effectively an advocacy group.” What Morrison seems to be arguing is that people who do not pay taxes should not be entitled to receive benefits from their use. After all, why should an Iranian refugee have the right to humane and lawful treatment under Australian law if they have not paid any taxes? The Greens would have us believe this cut is ideological, connected to the battle currently being waged in Federal parliament over ‘illegal’ boat people. Refugees are some of the must vulnerable people in the international society, advocating for their rights can only improve their quality of life and experience, as they try to adjust to a new culture and society. Their lives are, in effect, being used for nothing more than to acquire political capital. Even from an economic rationalist perspective, taking
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funds away from refugee advocacy groups has little to do with fiscal responsibility. Yes, the government now has an extra $140, 000 in its pocket, but it is only a quarter of the Prime Minister’s salary. This budgetary gain is seemingly negligible for the government’s ‘fiscal emergency.’ The figure is further dwarfed by Prime Minister Abbott’s $4.3 million “communication and social media specialists” budget. However, to the Refugee Council, $140,000 is a lot of money and they will find it much harder to operate and provide support to those who need it most. Regardless of their election promises and the “looming debt crisis,” Scott Morrison and the entire Abbott government should not forget that seeking asylum is a human right. Australia is obligated under international law to provide assistance to those who come to Australia, escaping government persecution or conflict. Ultimately, what we can draw from this year’s budget is that the purpose of our taxes is to serve the agenda of our Government. Clearly, the current agenda does not prioritise aiding those who most need government support.
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PISTOLS AT DAWN! WORDS | Kira-Louise Henderson
local and global
for private sales. Furthermore, federal law does not require records of the acquisition, possession, and transfer of privately held firearms, meaning that the possession of a firearm can be almost untraceable. Meanwhile, in Australia, the right to private gun ownership is not guaranteed by law. Prospective purchases must prove that a genuine reason to posses a firearm exists, and, unlike the US, personal protection is not enough. To obtain a firearm licence, which lasts for no more than five years, owners must demonstrate an understanding of firearm safety and law. Although children, as young as 10, may own a firearm, authorities maintain detailed record of gun owners. At the heart of the US debate is the Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights, giving citizens the “right to bear arms.” According to Ashley, the main purpose of this Amendment is to keep their government in check. “The right to bear arms keeps the government from having so much power,” she says. “All the Amendments are important, but the Second Amendment is the most important because it ensures the others won’t be taken away.” With US leaders looking to Australia’s gun laws in an effort to curb the amount of violence, and increasing media coverage of mass shootings, some believe that now is the time to push for serious gun reform. Others believe that with this violence, it is now more important than ever for people to stay armed.
NEWS
“Holding a gun amnesty like Australia did, will take guns out of good people’s hands and keep them in criminals’ hands. Yeah, we can make gun laws, but criminals don’t follow laws,” says Ashley, an American student from Florida. A large scale gun massacre has not occurred in Australia since the Port Arthur Massacre, in 1996. However, in the United States, there have been 74 school shootings alone since December 2013. Most recently, in May this year, Elliot Rodger killed six people and injured thirteen others before turning the gun on himself, near the University of California. Surprisingly, whilst the number of shootings in US schools has gone down, the number of fatalities in these shootings has increased. In response to the recent tragedies, US President Barack Obama made comments praising Australia’s gun control laws. He compared them to his own country’s gun violence, stating that “our levels of gun violence are off the charts. There’s no advanced, developed country that would put up with this.” In the US, restrictions on privately owned firearms vary state to state. Generally, a person must be 18 to purchase a shotgun or 21 to purchase other types of guns. Purchasing from a licenced dealer requires criminal and mental health background checks. Where a past history of family violence exists, the right to firearm possession can be denied However, these background checks are not mandatory
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NEWS
local and global
A FAIR GO FOR ALL?
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WORDS | Ellen Kirkpatrick Macquarie University student and LEAP Refugee Mentor volunteer, Brita Penfold, has witnessed first hand “how passionate refugee youth can be and how much they value the opportunity to gain an education.” Her experience in the LEAP program was an enlightening one, making her realise that the refugee youth arriving in Australia have “incredible drive to take advantage of the opportunities available...” The recent National Inquiry into Children in Immigration Detention found that living in detention for an extended period of time greatly hindered the ability of refugee youth to develop into healthy adults. The longer the time they spent in detention, it found, the more the trauma of their past was exacerbated. This is particularly so if they have been separated from their family. Hamayun Qayyum, a Macquarie University student who came to Australia in 2009 as a refugee from Afghanistan, agrees. He faced a number of challenges in adjusting to Australian life, but stated that undertaking tertiary education at Macquarie University was a major factor in assisting him to overcome his challenges. “My degree and other programs at Macquarie University have allowed me to find my place in my new society through interactions with other students, staff, and partners,” he stated. In particular he acknowledged university programs such as PACE International and the Global Leadership Program. “It has allowed me to regain my self-confidence and realise my life goals.” “I am aware of my good fortune of being part of the Australian society, and as an Australian I will strive to contribute towards a progressive society in Australia that upholds equality and social justice for all.” Refugee Week is an important annual event celebrating the positive contributions refugees have made to Australia. The event epitomises Australia’s humanitarian, ethic and culture of a ‘fair go’ for all. However, this years Refugee Week, celebrated between the 15 to 21 of June, coincided with a string of racist remarks and xenophobia across the country, spurred largely by our politicians. Attorney-General George Brandis, has continually come to the defence of bigotry through his attempts to repeal s18C of the Racial Discrimination Act. Even more concerning is the repeated c omments from our Immigration Minister Scott Morrison, referring to those who arrive in Australia by boat as “illegal.” This term has long been established as a lie. Outside of politics, a recent report by Andrew Hamilton in Eureaka Street found that 71 per cent of Australians believed that asylum seekers should be turned away. Although, Qayyum points out, “seeking refuge is a fundamental human right.” Indeed, Australia is a signatory to the United Nations Refugee Convention, the UN Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. “We cannot question the right of a human being to seek refuge…” Qayyum states. “However, I also believe that being able to seek refuge in a country, like Australia, is not the end of problems for refugees, but rather a beginning of many others, and most importantly, social issues. Penfolds agrees, concluding that many of the racists stereotypes seen in Australian media and politics would be more likely to disappear “if people became more involved with refugee youth, and accepted these people as positive contributors to the community.” grapeshotmq.com.au
BLOGS AND BROADSHEETS: THE CHANGING FACE OF AUSTRALIAN NEWSPAPERS WORDS | Alessandro Guarrera “Moral to the point of priggishness, patriotic to the point of servility…”
move towards the pay wall subscription model popular with large online newspapers. Indeed, the very foundations of media distributor changed forever with the birth of the World Wide Web. From Perez Hilton, to every question’s answer being “Google it,” the internet has seen the rise of citizen journalism, social media, and less patience from consumers to wait for their news. We now live in an age of stories constantly being updated; where coverage begins and ends at the press of a button. Continually playing catch up, ‘old media’ doesn’t seem to be helping themselves. Fairfax Media’s recent layoffs have put more of an emphasis on the use of publicly available sources, sacrificing their credibility for extra profits.
NEWS
local and global
These words described The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser, Australia’s first newspapers, active from 1803 to 1842. During this time, newspapers as weeklies were a common feature. The Australian launched in 1824, and The Sydney Herald in 1831. Daily papers and the tabloid format did not arrive until the twentieth century, with The Australian becoming Australia’s first national daily newspaper in 1964. However, broadsheets have largely been abandoned in the last decade. The Sydney Morning Herald changed to a tabloid-only format in 2012, leaving The Australian as one of the last bastions of the broadsheet. Meanwhile, more and more newspapers are digitising to keep up with the modern consumer. This shift has seen less advertising revenue and a
The question must therefore be asked, who still needs the newspaper? Technology yet may be the saving grace, if not for The Herald and The Australian, then for journalism as a whole. Nowadays, news has the ability to take readers into a story, like never before, almost putting them into the scenes. Smartphones, laptops, tablets, and wearable devices have also propelled us beyond last century’s science fiction, allowing news to be consumed anywhere and at anytime. An example was the December 2009 issue of Esquire, which saw a raft of celebrities embrace the first Augmented Reality magazine. Clumsy as some of it seems, and as cynical as it was to hire ‘Iron Man’ to advertise this kinetic tech, it is but one step by ‘the old guard’ to bring news journalism into the modern age.
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THE TRUTH BEHIND YOUR DEGREE
NEWS
local and global
WORDS | Raelee Lancaster A recent survey has found that university students will likely be unemployed for four months after they graduate. Studies have shown that in 2013, 71.3 per cent of students had full-time employment, down five per cent from the previous year. Meanwhile, only 18.1 per cent of students managed to obtain casual or part-time work, and a further 10.6 per cent were found to be unemployed. “This is a very real problem,” said postgraduate student, Casey. “Many friends of mine who have graduated university are either unemployed, in low-paying jobs that have nothing to do with their degree, or aren’t being paid at all as interns.” “It comes down to experience,” adds fellow Macquarie student, Ashley. “Businesses don’t want to hire someone who has no previous work experience. That is difficult if you’re a full-time student who wants to put all of their time into their studies.” The decrease in full-time employment for graduate students is attributed to an oversupply of university students. For example, earlier this year The Australian Financial Review found that the number of law students had doubled over the past decade, noting that there are not enough jobs in the field of law for all of these graduates. However, it’s not only law graduates who are struggling to find jobs. While arts majors always have, and continue to struggle finding employment after university, it may come as a shock to find out that science majors are also having difficulty finding work in such fields as dentistry, veterinary science and speech pathology. In an article for The Sunday Morning Herald, journalist Tony Featherstone argues that universities are being unfair to students by allowing so many to graduate when they know the prospects of jobs are limited. “It seems like students are being asked to pay more for degrees that are worth less,” he states. The Australian’s Judith Sloan agrees, questioning whether universities should limit the number of students they recruit instead of telling high school students that university is the best thing for them. “Less able school leavers are implicitly being encouraged to enrol in higher education rather than consider attending TAFE or another vocational institution, even though the latter option may be more suitable for them,” she says in her article, “studied lessons in career suicide.” Therefore, life after university appears to be a doubleedged sword. While a university degree does not guarantee you a job, your chances of developing a career without one are even further diminished. “Being a university student isn’t the meal ticket it once was,” Judith Sloan continues. “There are better uses of precious taxpayer dollars than funding marginal students who then cannot find related employment.” page 16 | grapeshot magazine
Indeed, the problem may not lie with the system itself, but current student expectations. Macquarie University student Aimee states that “people expect to walk into a six-figure job after university, instead of working their way up the career ladder.”
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REGULARS Student Voice 18 | 20 Wellbeing & International 22 Days, Weeks, Years & History 23
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STUDEN
IS THE COST OF PARKING
WORDS | Kieren Ash If anybody knows the value of a dollar, it’s us – the in-betweeners. We’re in between school and full-time work. When your occupation is a by-word for an obsessive devotion to thrift and a synonym for abject poverty, you know you’re dealing with a fairly skint group of people. And when it comes to parking at Macquarie University, students like you and I, are getting taken for a ride.
Students at Macquarie pay a very high premium for the pleasure of parking on campus. A yearly permit costs $290, a sizeable chunk of change that could easily purchase two first year textbooks, or 41 pints of the cheapest beer at UBar (and face it, you buy the cheapest beer). With only 4,000 parking spaces on campus for a university that boasts 40,000 students and staff, iron laws of supply and demand dictate a sizeable bill.
The cost of living is a big issue for students around the country. Last years report by Universities Australia revealed that up to two thirds of all university students live below the poverty line, and financial stresses are on the rise. When the Budget was released in May this year, students were lined up to undergo a lot of the pain. Furthermore, even a few dollars taken away poses a risk to students’ financial security now and well into the future. For those of us that don’t live with easy access to a train line or bus service, driving is the only option left to get to uni.
Alternatively, if you were to forgo a permit and pay at the ticket machine, a full time student that was lucky enough to fit their 12 contact hours into just two days would pay $50 a week in tickets: an impressive $1300 an academic year. No arts student, even one as innumerate as myself, would make this their first choice.
With this in mind, we undertook an investigation into parking at Macquarie University. How do we compare in terms of price and availability? What do students think about the parking situation? How can we ease the squeeze on squeezedenough-already students?
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So how does Macquarie compare? We might have the finest grounds, architecture that would make Stalin red with envy, yet in comparison with other universities in Sydney, we get an inferior deal on all fronts price, availability, and quality. Students studying at the University of Western Sydney can get their yearly permits for as little as $92. USYD’s Cumberland Campus sells a yearly permit for just $147, and even our Novocastrian brethren at UoN pay half what we do, just
$151. Macquarie Uni is by far the most expensive campus for parking. Robert O’Brien, a 23-year-old IT student, thinks it’s a rip-off. Even with a full-time job he finds it hard to cope. “It’s definitely not fair, for what you get it’s way too expensive. It’s such a massive up front cost.” Thankfully for Rob, finding a space isn’t hard because he takes night classes and gets to choose a space when we are all leaving ours. However, finding a parking spot is a problem for someone like Tiarne Heath, a 20-year-old second year Media student. What she finds is that more often than not, the product she paid good money for is not available. “The price is not really bad, but it’s more that there’s nowhere near enough spaces for all the people who buy them. I’ve got to drive around for an hour to find a park that I’ve PAID for which is bullshit. If you can’t find a spot you have to park off campus and walk ages to your classes or be late. It doesn’t make any sense.” Tiarne makes an interesting point. Parking is one product or service that you can pay for and not be guaranteed to receive. Something that we would be rightly frustrated about if it was food or clothing. Yet many of us pay for parking only to receive nothing in return. The university even states on their website that purchase of a permit is no
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NT VOICE
TAKING YOU FOR A RIDE?
WORDS | Rowan Taylor guarantee of finding a spot. Paying a lot of money for nothing sounds like a scam to you, and it does to me. There are consumer laws against this, and if not, there should be. And it wasn’t always this way! When Larissa Allen studied primary education at Macquarie from 1989 to 1992, she found parking plentiful and extremely cheap. “It was very cheap, it had to be, because I was a student! My boyfriend called me Dollar-Fifty Larissa because I never had a cent on me, but even then I could afford the parking easily.” Larissa was surprised to hear how expensive parking at university had become since she graduated. So why the big hike? A lack of spaces is certainly something that anyone who has driven to Macquarie has experienced. When there are ten students for every parking space on campus, it’s hardly surprising that it’s difficult to find a spot. However, when the university’s financial interests are taken into consideration, it makes even more sense. Scarcity drives up price, and it’s in the interest of the university to keep parking scarce and expensive. Could it be that the university is keeping parking scarce and expensive to improve their bottom line? Macquarie University’s 2013 financial report show parking fees and charges earned them
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a cool $4.6 million that year, up from $3.8 million in 2012. It’s not a massive part of their operating revenue, but it’s no small change either. Business students could testify that a company that was turning over almost $5 million in revenue and growing every year was a healthy one indeed. The solution for our parking problem is simple, economical and rational. The university must invest in new and expanded parking facilities to make parking more accessible and affordable for the students who pay for it. An increased supply of parking should mean that the price of permits and parking should fall for everybody. History has shown that parking can be affordable and accessible for students at Macquarie. It’s up to you and me to make our voices heard, and demand treatment equal to that received by our peers at UWS or UoN. Shouldn’t we, as students, and as customers, demand proper treatment? Shouldn’t we all get a fair go from Macquarie University? Kieren Ash (Vice-President of Macquarie University Labor) will be running a campaign on the issue of parking costs at the university over the next semester. If you want to help take up the fight on parking prices, sign the Labor Club’s petition: “Don’t get ripped off – have your say.”
I normally get the bus into university. I do so because it’s convenient, cheap, and saves me from waiting in the endless cue to get out of the university come 5pm. Although, while I was researching this article I decided to give driving a try. Ironically, I got lost. After driving in circles around the campus for about 10 minutes I took a wrong turning and ended up driving down a footpath, startling ibises and students alike. Unlike, one kind soul directed me back to the road, I spotted a couple of cars parked on a grassy bank. The university parking situation was so desperate on that day that some risked large fines just so they could park their cars somewhere. So what does that say about our universities ‘future planning’ aspirations? MQU’s North Ryde Campus is accessible in almost every way imaginable. It has its own train station, its the terminus of multiple bus routes, and has free access for pushbikes. It would stand to reason that the 4000 parking spots available to staff, students, and visitors would be more than sufficient to hold the remaining commuters. However, this doesn’t appear to be the case. A general consensus among the staff and students I interviewed, was that parking at university is often a stressful activity, due to the sheer number of cars parked and the congestion that occurs during peak times (cont.)
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“It’s impossible to get parking after 9am,” says Tom (a second year Law student). “I just park my car in the shopping centre and move it every three hours.” There has been an increase in traffic volume at the university since Macquarie shopping centre started their renovations. Some students are increasingly frustrated at the number of shoppers who use the university car parks when they are unable to find parking in the Centre. Jared says he is beginning to regret his choice to buy a permit. “I can’t believe I paid $170 for my pass and I can’t get a spot unless I drive all the way to Y3A… and only if I’m lucky. Security needs to be better with ticketing.” Parking fees at university range from $6 for a one hour stay, to an exorbitant $1200 for a ‘premium’ annual pass. The latter guarantees a spot in a secured bay in the E1 multistorey. The most commonly purchased permit is the student half-yearly which is $170. People with disability permits are able to park for free, as are any motorbikes that park in the designated bays. The day to day pricing is similar to that offered at the University of Western Sydney (who offer $6 casual parking). However, dedicated parking spots cost nearly $500 less per year than their counterparts at MQU. UWS has one thing that MQU doesn’t – free spots. The Parramatta campus is divided into two sections. The south campus is where the majority of classes take place, and like our campus, there are almost no available spaces by 9am. However, once the southern campus is full, cars are directed to park in the north campus, where there are always spots (available). UWS offers a free shuttle service from the northern car parks to the southern complex. This shuttle service runs with three busses for most of the day. However, despite its flaws, Macquarie is still far from the worst University from a parking perspective. Kayne is a second year Physio student at UTS’s Ku-ring-gai campus, and he paints a grim picture of the parking situation there. “Since they started privatising parts of the uni, there has been a serious lack of parking for students. Those who can’t get spots early in the morning have to park along the narrow streets leading into the uni.” It’s hard not to wince at the
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thought. A combination of large numbers of inexperienced drivers, narrow streets, and bad tempers are a panel beaters wildest dream. I’m willing to bet that the State Debt Recovery Office reaps a rich harvest from the situation as well. While the car parking facilities at MQU may attract the ire of many of its users, cyclists are spoilt for choice. There are many bike racks available around university, as well as free bike maintenance facilities, which give riders access to basic tools, such as hand pumps and screwdrivers. Parking a bike is free, unless you opt to leave your bike in one of the secure enclosures. These are locked garages specifically for bikes that have CCTV monitoring. A spot in these garages will set you back $25 for a semester. As one media student put it, “I love bringing my bike into Uni! I was so unfit before I came here…they’ve even got showers!” Apart from the underground car park in the Cochlear building (which is for employees only), there hasn’t been any recent expansion in parking capacity on campus. However, the instigation of a carpooling scheme shows that the university is trying to cut down on congestion. Students can find other potential car poolers on a dedicated online service (called ‘Jayride’) and use one of 12 designated car spaces. Parking a car at Macquarie University is quite an ordeal, but it’s like this at other universities. The fact that Macquarie is investing in carpooling and cycling demonstrates an understanding of the congestion issues facing students; but improvements could still be made. For example, the shuttle bus service only runs after 4:00pm, and only once every half hour. When compared to UWS (which has three shuttle busses running between its car parks, outlying and city campuses) this seems grossly inadequate. Since large numbers of students park around the Y3A area, perhaps a dedicated shuttle bus would be a way to increase student satisfaction? Alternatively, they could continue along the alternative energy path. In the future, some enterprising business-person might set up a hot-air balloon port (are they called ports?) next to the lake. Hmm, I wonder.
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DISCIPLINE:
TO BE OR NOT TO BE WORDS | Sukriti Gautam
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o achieve anything in life, one needs to be disciplined. The definition of discipline is not limited to acting or doing something consistently, but to be able to master one’s mind and body in order to learn consistently. Most people believe ruling just the mind or body leads to consistency, but this is not true. When one commands the body to sit quietly for an hour, the body revolts immediately. “You have bills to pay, check your email now, your phone is ringing.” Some people are able to maintain the stillness in the body, even with the mind going haywire. This is the first step to discipline. When the body is under control, the mind will surely follow suit. Whatever happens in the body, happens in the mind, and vice versa. If the body remains still, the mind will eventually become silent. The great Indian yoga philosopher, Patañjali says that if one can sit silently without moving the body or mind for a few hours, one is growing in the capacity of ‘to be’. When one is able to just ‘be’, then it means that the mind and body have been enslaved. When one knows what it means ‘to be’, then one can learn and become humble. One can surrender, and no false ego will cling, because once centred, one will know that all egos are false. One can bow down, and a discipline will be born.
INTERNATIONAL: MIND MANAGING WORDS | Cesar Bonillo Morales
How do I survive university when I have the concentration of a five year old?
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eah, I know it sounds weird but I’ve been asking myself this question for a long time now. This is my first time living abroad and I feel like my mind is divided into two. The loud Spanish speaking side, and the side trying to learn English. It has been hard so far and I have no idea what I will do when my Master’s degree begins. I remember, very clearly, that being in university is not easy. Sometimes, it’s like a race to manage your time and schedule for your classes, homework, social life, hobbies, and part time job, and, let’s not forget, my dispersed mind. The mind of a five year old kid that always needs to be doing something interesting or all focus will be lost. page 22 | grapeshot magazine
Right now, I should be doing my homework, but instead, I am doing something different, and when the due date for that homework is almost here, I will run a marathon on the computer. I will type so fast that the keyboard will explode. I will run to the printer, get more
homework, and then do it all over again. A tip or two might help me to improve my skills in time management, and how to be focused, but until then, I’ll just repeat the process of adapting myself to life in English, because hey, my teachers are demanding my attention. grapeshotmq.com.au
DAYS, WEEKS, YEARS I remember once, a friend told me that she and her latest fling were going out for a romantic evening with the works. Swapping elaborate gifts, fancy dinner reservations (I tend to go to places where rocking up without a booking is never a risky option), and she was even getting her nails done. I have never gotten my nails done, and that’s probably why this detail was so incredulous to me; but that’s beside the point.
WORDS | Jessica Sheridan
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ach year my parents celebrate their wedding anniversary in small doses. It usually involves swapping cards, a bunch of flowers, and maybe a nice dinner. Nothing too over the top – my parents are the quiet sort. Other than those extra details, it’s just another day of the year for them. And that’s totally okay.
When I asked what the occasion was, she told me with giddiness that it was to celebrate their anniversary. Their one week anniversary! One whole week! Wow. And at first this made me unreasonably angry. I thought my friend was smarter than this? Here she was, blowing a lot of money to celebrate something as trivial as a one week anniversary. Is that really something worth celebrating? Really?
My parents are the most in-love people I know, and celebrating their anniversary each year in such a reserved, but sweet way, has influenced me a lot. One single day doesn’t matter, it’s the collection of all those days that are important. That’s when another friend pointed something out to me. The Australian Bureau of Statistics says that in 2012, 49,917 couples were divorced, following an increasing trend. Each year, more people are going through divorce. And beyond that, I can only imagine the couples that are disintegrating each year too. Not that every break up is messy and painful, but overall, it looks as though people are finding it harder to hold onto romantic love. I think a lot of us know that it’s hard to find love in the first place too. Love is hard. So, it’s not really that bad, is it? To make a big fuss about the little things? Because even though it was only one week, it’s important to make every day count in whatever way works for you. So what if my friend had an extravagant one week anniversary where she got to dress up, have fun, and be filled with pretty pink butterflies of romance? That’s totally okay.
WALLUMATTA: REDISCOVERING THE CITY OF RYDE WORDS | Claire Catacouzinos
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t the beginning of every Grapeshot magazine, we humbly acknowledge the Darug Aboriginal people as the traditional custodians of the land on which Macquarie University is situated. Specifically, it was the Wallumedegal or Wallumettagal Indigenous Aboriginal tribe from this Darug nation that were the traditional owners of Ryde which they called Wallumatta. Their clan name was most likely derived from the word “wallumai” which means “snapper fish,” so they would have been the “snapper people”. Artefacts are scattered around the whole area of Ryde, such as axe grinding grooves and rock engravings. Their history still survives and we are very appreciative of their beautiful land. Ryde is the third oldest white settlement in Australia after Sydney and Parramatta. A lot of us students don’t know that Macquarie University and the area between Parramatta and Lane Cove River was known to the white settlers as the Field of Mars (Mars being the Roman God of grapeshotmq.com.au
War – yes, there’s European History here). It was named by Governor Phillip in 1792 who allocated divisions of the land for small farms and villas to a couple of former British marines and convicts. So Field of Mars means a “land of the soldiers”. So we’re standing on farm land, how crazy is that when there’s cars zapping about all the time? A part of Ryde is still known as The Field of Mars Reserve which is a remnant of bushland that you can visit and follow boardwalks and walking tracks. This metropolis area even has streets named after famous battles, like Balaclava Road that sounds like the tasty Baklava dessert, is actually named after the Battle of Balaclava in 1854. Even Culloden Road and Talavera Road where we park outside of uni are named after battles. This is so relevant when it comes to finding a damn parking spot! Fellow students, there is history everywhere! The next time you step on campus, think about the incredible sandstone soil we stand on, and our Lake, it’s actually part of Mars Creek! Never forget, we’re all soldiers battling for parking spots, to then snap our way through university! grapeshot magazine | page 23
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his year Australia has achieved a positive result in the International Court of Justice to stop whaling in areas of Antarctica. This is undeniably a great win in ecological protection. Every country is impacted by the wellbeing of our planet. With this in mind, one might ask; how else has our country strived to care for the environment? The Environmental Movement really took off fifty years ago in Australia, and developed momentum in the 70s and 80s. Focusing on protecting our unique plant and animal life, the movement was largely pushed forward by nonpolitical campaigns and activists. Even in its early days, the movement relied on volunteers. One of the larger campaigns to develop was Landcare Australia, which still exists today. Landcare relies on small community groups to organise and address environmental concerns in their local areas. The organisation has been very successful, now operating outside Australia in twenty other countries. Landcare not only campaigns to protect our natural land environments, but also our coastline. After all, our beaches are near and dear to many Australians. Australia was the first country in the world to have a political party aimed at environmentalism – the Greens. Formed as a state party in Tasmania, and banding together to form a national party in 1992, the Greens are most famous for their lobbying to protect the environment.
GROWING GREENER WORDS | Jessica Sheridan
In general, the environment has become a truly recognised issue in Parliament, with current Liberal plans to introduce new ‘Clean Energy Legislation’ to encourage businesses to actively decrease their contribution to greenhouse emissions. However, statistics show that participation in these environmentalist campaigns is no longer on the rise. The number of Australians who openly claim to care about the environment has declined. This could be devastating for a movement that has relied on its volunteers and activists from its beginnings. In order for Australia, as a nation, to stand as a hero of the environment, it is up to Australians, as individuals, to stand up.
FEATURES STUDENT SOCIETIES | ALUMNI SPEAK | SETTING TRENDS | ONE ACT OF KINDNESS
WHAT MAKES A STUDENT SOCIETY? WORDS | Raelee Lancaster
Raelee talks to Macquarie University’s oldest student group, DRAMAC, and investigates what makes a student group successful.
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tudent societies. A community of acceptance and fun, where people grow and learn who they are in this big world. Without student societies, university would be a boring place. DRAMAC is Macquarie University’s Dramatic Arts Society, and also its oldest society. What has made it last so long? What makes this society, and other societies like it, so great? Here are a few reasons: 1.
The most obvious reason student societies have lasted is that they are a way of finding new friends who share similar beliefs and passions with you. Whether it be by bonding over your love for Doctor Who, or meeting with people of the same cultural background, the friends you meet could completely change your life, and last you a lifetime.
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Societies provide a fun, and often cheap distraction from your hectic workload. As university students, we are all looking for fun ways to spend our spare time that doesn’t put a gaping hole in our already dented wallets.
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Societies, like the Macquarie University Ancient History Association, allow you to get to know your lecturers. This can be a little frightening at first, especially if you’re coming from high school where teachers can be known to be emotionless harpies with no social lives. Surprisingly, you might realise that teachers are actually people too.
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Networking is also a beneficial aspect of student societies. Talking to meet people is the most crucial part of networking, and you never know who you could meet at a society function. They could be your ticket to get your next internship or paid job.
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On that note, societies are great resume builders. Running group activities, doing volunteer work, and earning experience within and through your society is a great way to impress future employers. They get you out of your comfort zone. Have you ever wanted to try acting, but are more of the ‘behind-thescenes’ type? Perhaps you’ve always wanted to dress up as a Viking and drink mead all day, but are worried people will look at you weirdly? Well there is no need to be ashamed to try something new with Macquarie’s inclusive societies.
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7.
That brings me to my next point. Student societies provide a safe environment for you to explore your interests without the fear of judgement.
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It doesn’t matter which society you are a part of. Be a part of the Physics and Astronomy Society, or the Adventure Time Society, and you’ll be bound to learn something new and exciting to throw around in conversation at your next trivia night.
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Another perk is that you can join as many societies as you want! As long as you have the time, that is. This is great for those of you who have multiple, diverse interests.
10. There is something for everyone! With cultural, professional, humanitarian, performing arts, political, religious and spiritual, and social student societies, Macquarie has a group to fit everyone’s tastes. Yes, including all of you pyromaniacs out there! grapeshotmq.com.au
DRAMAC
DRAMAC is the primary drama society at Macquarie University, established in 1967 by Gillian Levitt, “presumably because Macquarie University needed a drama society,” said Sydney Abba, DRAMAC Publicity Officer. Since its foundation, DRAMAC has seen some of Australia’s who’s who in its ranks, such as comedian Chris Lilley and ABC presenter “Hex” (Stephanie Bendixsen). Therein lies the beauty of DRAMAC. “There is literally a role for everyone. You don’t have to act to be in the society, because we need producers, directors, writers, costume designers, lighting technicians, executive members and just a wonderful audience to enjoy our shows! Throughout the year, the society holds seven plays showcasing the variety of talent that Macquarie University has on offer.
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“A stand out was a student written play ‘A Dark Day’s Knight,’ which featured fifty plus hand sewn original costumes, and some amazing lightsaber choreography. There is literally a show for everyone!” Sydney exclaims. Plays are chosen through a democratic pitching process whereby students get to vote for the shows they want to see. To less serious events, Sydney mentions that DRAMAC has “a never-ending social side, whether it’s group events or individual hang out sessions. You won’t believe it until you actually experience it, but everyone finds friends in DRAMAC.”
A version of this article was previously published on Grapeshot Online.
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ALUMNI
Macquarie University has churned out some stellar alumni over the years and we were fortunate enough to have two alumni write for us. Drummer of Boy and Bear, Tim Hart, writes about his difficulty in finding his own path through university. Meanwhile, Professor at University of Adelaide and Director of Climate Science at the Environment Institute, Barry Brook, offers insight into why Macquarie University stands out from the rest.
Tim Hart | Boy and Bear To be honest, I never really wanted to go to university. It wasn’t part of the grand plan I had for my life, nor was it a road that I thought I needed to take for my transition from boy to man, or some such noble sentiment. I went because I didn’t know what else to do. I had no inspiration. No desire to think that my path would lead to anything, even partially resembling what the high school careers advisor would call a vocation. But I went. And by the second year, I found myself in Macquarie’s contemporary music department. I don’t believe it too big a statement to say that the head of the department, at the time, provided me with the motivation and self-belief that I needed to start a journey, that I’m lucky enough to still be on today. Now, I’m not going to glorify the power of the lecturer or the snobbery of academia. If anything, I think it’s a thin veil disguising those who fear doing, and hide behind theorising. One thing I do have the utmost respect for is the ability to inspire another individual to want to learn. To instil in someone the drive to discover for themselves what they are capable of, what interests them the most, and where their own talents lay. That’s what one man did for me. He took the time to listen to a slightly subpar, unmotivated, and, at times, lazy student. These days I play music for a living and feel very fortunate for the opportunity to follow my own unique path. I have no doubt that without the ability of passionate teachers to light the flame within one to work harder, to learn, to be taught, to be teachable, I wouldn’t have had the courage to be where I am today (which is a lonely hotel room, on tour as it turns out ) I’m thankful to Macquarie University for having the sense to employ good people, not just good academics. To all my teachers that saw something in me, even when I didn’t myself, I thank you too.
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I SPEAK!
Barry Brook | Environmental Professor When I hit Macquarie University in the early 1990s, it was still seen as a slightly edgy (but, ahem, increasingly mature) institution, to be found somewhere up north from the sandstones. I came from the countryside and was looking for a place that would let me explore a diversity of topics. How could I meld my interests in fossils, ecology, computer programming, and astronomy? Macquarie was really my only (and best) choice, because the other universities had heavily structured (read: inflexible) academic programs. By contrast, Macquarie was a pioneer of student-focused and tailored degrees. I studied in the days when lecture halls were full, you accessed the internet (it was the web then) using Mosaic, UNIX and gophers, snuck-in network Doom in the labs after hours, and wrote essays on massed communal desktops. I was immersed in the whole campus scene thanks to rooming at Dunmore Lang College, and even got to hang out with the cool guys and gals doing actuarial studies and psychology. I loved it! I ended up staying for seven years (undergrad through honours and PhD). Since then, I’ve worked at about half a dozen institutions in Australia and overseas. I still collaborate on science with my PhD supervisor and many other colleagues I met during my time studying at Macquarie. I’ve always been proud of my Macquarie-minted education, and it’s a thrill to meet other graduates of my alma mater when I travel. Those connections really do endure.
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WORDS | Lily Davis Lily Davis sat down with Australian diver and silver medalist Melissa Wu as well as journalist, author, and filmmaker Jeff McMullen, who have both made outstanding contributions in their chosen fields.
Melissa Wu | Professional Diver
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t the astonishing age of 13, Melissa Wu became a household name, after winning a silver medal at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games. Her successes in the sporting arena were achieved through unshakeable determination and skill, which she now also applies to her studies at Macquarie University. After beginning a BA Media, Wu has now switched, and is currently undertaking a Bachelor of Commerce. However, studying becomes complicated when you’re balancing it with the time, travelling, and commitment necessary to be a professional athlete. “It can be quite difficult. It’s fine when I’m at home training, but when I travel overseas we have a lot of trouble at times with internet connection, and also missing lectures and tutorials is a big obstacle as well,” Wu says. “So far I’ve been able to balance it quite well, it’s just a matter of using the resources and getting people to help me, and it’s been really great so far.” We asked Wu if she thought her sporting commitments changed her experience of university. “I think being an athlete makes studying really difficult, and from speaking to other athletes, I see a lot of them have the same problems. I look at, for example, my sisters who have gone through university. I love what I’ve achieved, but at the same time, I guess I envy the experience they’ve had, and all the fun they’ve had, and the friends they’ve made. For me, university is more of a challenge.” Wu adds, “It’s really great that Macquarie is so helpful, understanding, and supportive of their athletes. Sometimes I wish I could do it like normal students as well, and have both experiences.” Diving, no doubt, has been a profound influence on Wu’s life. Learning to dive from an early age, it was at age 11 or 12 that her incredible talent starting to show. “It was a bit of blur. It wasn’t as if I knew I was good or anything, I just remember loving it and working really hard, and then all of a sudden I was thrown into this international competition. I was really naïve, but I just loved everything about it.” Diving has provided her with what she would consider her greatest achievement. “Winning silver at the Olympics. That’s what I’d worked towards for so many years. It was great to be able to achieve that. That was the pinnacle of sport and the highest you can get in diving.” page 30 | grapeshot magazine
Despite her enormous commitments, almost unheard of for someone of such a young age, Wu has achieved outside of the sporting sphere. Juggling a degree on top of her training can’t be easy, but that hasn’t stopped her. Interestingly, She hasn’t locked in commerce as a career for the future. “I’m also interested in fashion. I studied a fashion business course outside of university, and I would like to go down that path. If not, I’ll major in marketing, and just see where that takes me.” No matter what, her sporting aspirations are never in question. “I’m hoping to win a medal again in Rio, that’s definitely what I’ll be working towards.”
Jeff McMullen | Australian Journalist
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ince leaving Macquarie University, Jeff McMullen has paved an extensive career, which has stretched to various corners of the globe. McMullen’s worldview took shape from the age of eight or nine, while living with his family on the island of Penang in Malaya. It was here that, “I began to make sense of the world around me by writing in journals and adding pictures and sketches,” says Jeff. “I began to see the richness of so many cultures. There were Malayas, Indians, Indonesians, and Chinese, as well as some vestiges of British colonialism. I started writing there about what I saw around me, and I have never stopped. It’s a way to make sense of the world and see the deliciousness of difference, and the many shades of human creativity.” The ideas that struck Jeff as a boy in Malaya clearly stayed with him throughout his adult life. As a young man he set out to study a BA in Literature, History, and Political Philosophy at Macquarie University. “I began to seek out an education in the longer timelines of world history, literature, politics, philosophy, some economics and law, and above all, the earth science that makes sense of all around us. You simply can’t report the daily story of life on earth without understanding the big picture.”
vocate for social and political change. Thea gave me an ear for the stories of the unforgettable strangers, not only the powerful and famous.” This proved to be yet another idea that McMullen would carry with him throughout his career. It drew him to report on over 30 global conflicts, and travel extensively, while working as a foreign correspondent for the ABC, Four Corners, and Sixty Minutes. McMullen also worked as the interviewer and anchor of Difference and Opinion, and was a part of many televised forums on the National Indigenous Television Network. He singles out his work on the genocide in Guatemala as both the most challenging and rewarding of his career. “It was beyond belief, not like any of the 30 wars I reported on, because the carnage was more like a human abattoir.” Despite the horrifying reality, he was able to make his mark. “A Four Corners report of mine in 1982, ‘Genocide in Guatemala’, told the world that some 250,000 Maya Quiche people, the last Indigenous majority in the Americas, were being slaughtered by the Army of President Rios Montt. I provided testimony to the American Congress and the House Armed Services Committee voted to suspend the shipment of helicopters to the genocidal Army. This is one of many examples that show that the truth has a power and a beauty of its own.” Throughout his life, Jeff never stopped learning. Not only did he go on to complete further study, including a Doctorate of Letters at Macquarie University, but, “I have gone on studying in many ways, learning from encounters with brilliant scientists, activists on many fronts, people who want to make this a better world.” When asked what advice he would give to those graduating from Macquarie University he stated, “Use every breath and treat every day as a precious opportunity. Drink deep on the beauty of the world. Read widely and give yourself the time for silence and reflection.”
While reflecting on his time at Macquarie University, he describes Thea Astley, the late novelist, as a seminal influence on his writing. “She taught me English Literature and Writing in her Macquarie University classes. She used to urge me to “find your own voice”, bring to your journalism all you know and who you are. I have done that for the rest of my life, crossing the boundary from mere reporting of the daily story to a commitment to adgrapeshotmq.com.au
Setting Trends: the 60s Women of the ‘swinging sixties’ knew how to test the waters with their wardrobe, and turn heads doing so. It wasn’t just shorter skirts that caught attention, but an attitude of liberation and discovery. The sixties was a time of extremes in fashionable exploration. Gemma Quinn writes.
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ver a mere decade, huge changes swept the world of fashion. In terms of innovation and longevity of influence, the 60s are heralded as one of two of the most influential periods of clothing design (the second being the 1920s). Not surprisingly, these two decades had one thing in common when it comes to fashion: increased expression and freedom of movement (physically) for women. For young people of the 1960s, the devastation and rationing that occurred during the Second World War were a distant memory at best. With the disposable income their parents didn’t have, youth of the early 60s embraced a war-free, carefree world with both hands, and paved the way for a decade of diverse, youth-lead fashion.
Early 60s: Jackie Onassis
There is a reason that Jackie O is still a household name – the woman knew how to set a trend! Own a pair of wide round sunglasses? Ever trekked around in thong-sandals? Considered accessorising with a silk scarf? If yes, then my dear, you are emulating the ever-lovely Jacqueline Onassis. Jackie O was the darling of the early 60s, capturing the hope, intelligence, sophistication, poise and style that a generation of women sought to demonstrate. Outfits of the early 60s carried on the demure elements of 1950s fashion, coupling them with simple, clean lines and mildly looser silhouettes. Notably, the ‘biascut’, used in bodices allowed women a shape that fit their curves without the restrictiveness (particularly around the waistline) found in fashion of the previous decade.
The Mod mid-60s: Twiggy and Edie Sedgwick London designers pioneered the Mod-look, following suit from the fashionistas of Carnaby Street who called (as Mary Quant was famously attributed for saying) “Shorter! Shorter!” when it came to their skirts. Obsessed with bold-prints, strong lines, and previously unused colours, Mod was highly stylized and artistic. The self-service boutiques of London’s Soho district broke from the traditional model of shopping where women would be closely attended by shop assistants. Women could now do what grapeshotmq.com.au
we now take for granted: browse. This idea of shopping without pressure or influence fit with the ‘carefree’ attitudes that the youth of the 60s identified with. Eager to break from all things traditional, the youth turned to shorter skirts, freeform A-line silhouettes and bright colours that had previously been reserved for children. For the first time thighs were on display, bright tights were available, and an attitude of ‘anything goes’ showed in each design. English model Twiggy is the undisputed face of Mod. Her bold eyeliner and pale lipstick, striking blond boy-cut, and waif-like frame are recognized world-wide even today. Twiggy was never caught without a bright coloured shift dress, kitten heels or knee-high boots, and of course, thick false lashes. But while Twiggy was the ‘clean’, youthful face of Mod, over in the US Edie Sedgwick pioneered an edgier take on the mid-Sixties trend. This muse of Andy Warhol’s and ultimately tragic socialite went one step further with fashion’s obsession with legs, ditching miniskirts in favour of leotards and black tights, paired effortlessly with a black and white striped top. She brought together fashion and art in a new and uniquely 60s way. These two creative spheres have always intermingled, but the 1960s saw a new era of bringing art to the masses. The sharp lines and boldness of the Mod-scene lent itself perfectly to the long-gone painter Piet Mondrian’s work, lived on in what is arguably Yves Saint Laurent’s most renowned collections.
Late 60s: The Hippie Daze Janis Joplin and Anita Pallenberg The phrase “do your own thing” was on the tip of every young tongue (well that, and a little LSD). What Mod had dabbled in with ‘street style’, Hippie fashion cemented. The look was pioneered by youths, with designers playing catch-up on the trends set by young people. With limited disposable income, DIY and thrift-shopping was a must; home-made leather tassels, patched up jeans and freeflowing tops were in. Hair was no longer structured, and primped, but allowed to grow long and casually layered. Rock n Roll reigned supreme, with Janis Joplin and Anita Pallenberg epitomised the style. Women were increasingly dressing in more ‘masculine’ ways, reflecting the feminist movement. Jeans were for the first time a staple in every woman’s wardrobe. Clothing was increasingly softer and more free-form, with pants becoming increasingly wide and tunics replacing bias-cut tops. I mean really, you need a bit of comfort after all that rocking out! For this look think effortless-style topped with Janis Joplin’s trademark round sunglasses.
How to Embrace 60s Trends Today Here are a few tips for emulating (or shall we say “paying homage to”?) styles of the 1960s. One quick search on ASOS will leave you overwhelmed with sixties-inspired shift dresses galore. For a particularly Mod look, go for solid prints and pair your dress with brightly coloured tights. If you’re feeling bold, some Celeste Stein Harlequin tights will turn your outfit from mediocre to Mod in a heartbeat, especially with a black A-line minidress and white Peter-Pan collar! If you are looking for more of a late-60s vibe in your style, consider paisley or brown tones. Hippie styles are easy to come by, particularly in op-shops. If you prefer your clothes new, anything branded ‘boho’ will do the trick. And don’t forget, whether you’re going Jackie-O or Janis, cute sunnies are a must! As 60s designer Barbara Hulanki said in 2013, “Women have such boring wardrobes these days because they must follow fashion, they must, they must.” To truly embrace 60s fashion, “do your own thing”! Scour markets and boutiques for unusual items and consider what looks ‘good’ rather than what is ‘on-trend’. grapeshot magazine | page 31
ONE ACT OF KINDNESS WORDS | Cassandra Teo
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ith today’s world absorbing themselves in the digital age, personal contact, and as a consequence; kindness, is decreasing. Think about it. When was the last time you did something kind for someone you know, or even for a stranger? Well, now is the best time to get on it as MQ’s Sustainability Department has launched its One Act campaign. Also known as random acts of kindness, the goal is to do a small act of kindness to brighten someone else’s day. A ‘One Act’ card is given to the recipient of the act, along with the act of kindness, telling them to “pay it forward”. MQ Sustainability is with high hopes that this will start off a ripple effect of kindness. During the launch, on 2 July, volunteers walked around campus handing out Keep Cups, water bottles, free trade chocolates, and vouchers for the Farmer’s Bunch market on campus. The lucky ones who were reeled in towards the tables at Marxine’s Courtyard received cupcakes, courtesy of Sweets by Sweets. One of the Sweets by Sweets volunteers who baked the cupcakes, Emily Freeth, was a first time volunteer for the Sustainability Department. While the society were hesitant about helping out at first, due to the lack of manpower, they decided that it was definitely worth their while to help spread kindness in the form of cupcakes. Deciding that giving out cupcakes is her favourite act of kindness to-date, Freeth explained that it warmed her heart to know that their cupcakes and kindness were appreciated. And indeed, they were, as the volunteers watched faces lighting up upon finding out that the cupcakes were free. Another new face on MQ Sustainability’s volunteer team was
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Joanne Phan. Currently undertaking a Bachelor of Environment, Phan has never found the time to volunteer until this opportunity sprang up. She was keen on getting acquainted with the Sustainability Department and their campaigns. It looks like the department has found themselves another volunteer for upcoming events. “I liked the idea of being randomly kind,” Phan says. “It allows people to remember that we are all connected in some way, and that they are seen, and important. It builds community which is vital for solving large scale problems.” Her reasoning is that communication through kindness will bring about the motivation needed to tackle the problem. It will also form trust and team work with others (working on the problem). A second year student majoring in Marketing and International Business, Shannen Chuen is not new to MQ Sustainability’s volunteer scene. Having experience with their Tap It campaign and Farmers Bunch market, Chuen started volunteering with MQ's Sustainability Department because she found it fun, and a great way to gain new connections, and make friends with the same interests. Chuen describes herself as an introvert who hopes to develop her social skills while making an impact with the help of the sustainability team. The idea of the One Act campaign intrigued her and the opportunity to help pass on some kindness was too good to pass up. “It is something that is beautiful about the campaign”, she says. What will you do as your first random act of kindness? Don’t forget that “no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted,” quoted by Aesop. It can be a coffee or it can be a kind word. Whatever it is, it is sure to make someone’s day. Maybe you’ll be on the receiving end of a One Act card!
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CREATIVE A Kite in the Exotic Sky 34 Madame Butterfly’s Fortune Shop 36 Photography 38 | 40
A KITE IN THE EXOTIC WORDS | Yiyi Zhang
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CHAPTER 1
he weather in North Melbourne is not very cold, even though it is July, which is the coldest month in the whole year. It is known to all that Melbourne is always rainy. Lucy is in a hurry to get to university. She goes to her class, holding a stack of books in her hands. The scene is repeated day after day. Lucy recalls that she had burned the midnight oil several months ago, in order to be admitted into university. Lucy has been in Melbourne for no more than half a year. At that time, Lucy was at a loss. She did not know if the decision she made to further her study abroad would be worth it or not, and she had made this choice against her parent’s wishes. She missed them, and her lovely pet dog, so much. Suddenly, a cool breeze blows her ears with cold rain drops, which drives her back to reality. Lucy takes out her mobile to check her bus’s timetable by a software. This software was the first thing Lucy had learned
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in Australia to use. At that moment, the bus comes, splashing some water on the ground after heavy rain. Luckily, Lucy is quickminded. She doesn’t get splashed. She gets on the bus and dashes away. In the classroom, the teacher has made a presentation assignment. The students need to introduce a traditional item representing their culture. Lucy has no idea at first and thinks for a long time. But then a notion catches her mind. She remembers when she
was leaving China to come to Australia. She had received a kite as a farewell present from her best friend. She knows that kites were invented by Chinese people over two thousand years ago as a signal to warn cities of oncoming enemies. In ancient time, kites were called Yao. They were also well known as Yuan in the northern region of China. Lucy remembers an article about this in her IELT’s tests (International English Language Testing System). So she chooses kites for her presentation to introduce to her classmates so that they can learn about Chinese traditional culture. Looking around, she sees that all the classmates are devoted, writing an introduction for their presentation. The place is in silence. Jane from Egypt chooses pyramids as her topic, and Wendy from Japan chooses sakura to talk about, all of which represent local manners and feelings in their cultures. Lucy waits until all her classmates have finished their presentation. She is the last one to go onstage to present her speech about kites. She tries her best to control her tension and to keep calm. She introduces the process for making a kite, and the origin of kites. She speaks slowly and fluently with some gestures sometimes. A warm smile, and her detailed presentations wins the appraisal and applause for her presentation. This gives her a huge boost.
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SKY Lucy stares at the kite. It is a pink bird-like kite, with the skeleton made up of bamboo. A blanket of colorful paper coveres the skeleton, which makes the kite look vivid. The kite is from her best friend Lin. Lucy misses her friend. The memories of those wonderful days at university in China have never really left her. What has left, was a deep impression on her of the kite festival that was held at the university every year. Lucy had called her classmates to join the Kite Festival the first year at university. The festival was held every year on May, and sought to rekindle students’ inspiration for Chinese traditional culture. The rules of the contest of making kites was simple. The match was carried out to headto-head elimination for the top ten team. Finally, the top four teams were competed for championship. Lucy remembers that it was a sunny day in China on that day. The warm breeze and sunshine seemed to make most people happy. Lucy and her team members, David, Lin, and Tom, were the first team to come to the playing field. When the timer began, all the teams acted at once. David was strong, so he was assigned to sharpen the bamboo to make them slim. Tom was so intelligent that he was assigned to make the skeleton for the kite. Lin was good at Chinese painting,so she was devoted to drawing a bird-like kite paper. The last and most important task was for Lucy to cut the paper and paste the paper into the skeleton of the kite. It took one hour ten minutes to finish the processes for kite-making, and they weretwo minutes behind first place. But it did not matter because the kite match symbolised that competing came after friendship. Lucy also remembers clearly that they had held a dinner party that night. Four close friends had cheered and enjoyed the wonderful night.
Now, at present, Lucy sits alone with her kite, wondering if her close-friends are alright, or not, whether Lin got married, or not. She misses them and sends best wishes to them. The clock begins to strike twelve. Lucy is lost in thought, staring out of the window. She is very far from sleeping, even. She takes her mobile out of her pocket and loggs onto Facebook. She sends a message to her best friend Lin. But she isn’t online. Maybe Lin has fallen asleep, she thinks, maybe she has gone to bed early. After that, Lucy realises that her father is online. She remembers that she hasn’t talked to her parents for a few days. The last time she had had a chat with her father, it was seven days ago. She misses them and wonders what they are doing right now. A click or two and a familiar voice speaks into Lucy’s ear. A familiar face appears before her eyes. “Lucy, my dear, how are you doing? Are you busy these days, we have not received news from you for a long time, we miss you…” It’s her father’s voice. She cannot keep back her tears. The voice from the phone still stays the same, a charismatic voice. But at that moment, Lucy does not know how to answer her father. She just sits there. After a few seconds, Lucy reacts. “I am fine, Dad. Don’t worry, I can take a care of myself. Are you okay?” Sometimes Lucy has no idea what to say. Every time she invites her father to chat online, she is very happy and eager to talk to him, but she does not know what to say. After a few usual greetings, the atmosphere goes into silence. Like now. Lucy and her father look at each other on the phone and do not say one word. They stare at each other. Their eyes, their only contact. “Dad, why are you not asleep? Are you busy with your work these days?” Lucy breaks the silence first. “What are you doing now?’’
“No, my dear, I am busy with my kites. I will be entering an amateur kite contest. So I am preparing for it now.” Kites, yes. Of course, kites! How could she forget? Her father has a client who devotes his time in a state-owned enterprise. He will have a tranquil life when he retires. But for now, he always wraps up his time in making kites. Lucy remembers that herfather told her that he liked flying and making kites with a group of friends when he was very young. She can also recollect a scene that she was running with a kite when she was young, her father controlling the string on the grassland that’s dotted with countless of unknown flowers. When the sun went down, she remembered helping her father fold the kite quickly, singing a song, while he collected the kite line. This kite line impressed her heart so deeply. It was so long. She remembers her father often spent several months to make a kite. From the first step of sharping the bamboo stick, to the last step of pasting the colourful paper on. Lucy’s father was so strict that any piece of had to be carefully crafted. In fact, Lucy felt she was also a kite made by her father. He had spent about twenty years making a kite, and then a long time trying to get it off the ground. Now, the kite is airborne and it flows whenever it wants, wherever it wants in an exotic sky. At this moment, tears begin to run down Lucy’s cheeks. She knows the kite will become more distant and will need more string to fly more higher, to keep balance and maintain a correct direction. It is a known fact that the kite will become more distant, it won’t be long before that beautiful creature will snap the lifeline that binds the two together with it, and it will soar as it is meant to soar, free and alone. But, in Lucy’s heart, she will always be her father’s kite, and the ball of string will always be held by her father’s hand, forever, no matter where she flies, even far, far away…
Check out Grapeshot Online for the full-version of Yiyi Zhang’s story grapeshotmq.com.au
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MADAME BUT TERFLY’S FORTUNE SHOP WORDS| Katharine Lam
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was an old lady perusing through a great shelf of old leather-bound books. She would pick one out at random before flicking through it and placing it back on the shelf. A young couple was standing in front of the display of Himalayan singing bowls, arguing over which one made the best sound, as a man wearing paisley trousers was haggling with the shop attendant over the price of a string of dried mushrooms he was holding. The candles were at the back of the shop. They were oddly arranged as if a child had come along and messed up the display, putting things back where they didn’t belong. There were rainbow ones and black ones and ones with dried flowers pressed into them. There were candles shaped like ducks, and candles that were made from soy for vegans who were concerned about bee welfare. The scented ones even while unlit were giving off a cloying perfume that was giving me a slight headache.
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adame Butterfly’s Fortune Shop was a standing cliché. When I pushed open the painted red door, a set of wind chimes tinkled amiably in the background. The inside of the store was adorned with large dream catchers that were suspended from the ceiling with vibrant feathers dangling languidly in the still summer air. The shelves were stocked full of crystal balls and quartz geodes that glittered merrily in the sunlight. The air smelled strongly of sandalwood incense and burnt sage, while a sleek black cat picked its way across Ouija board that had been hastily left out of its box. A pack of schoolgirls were looking at sets of tarot cards, which were 20 per cent off that day. In the corner, there
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The angel candles were right in the middle. Stark white against the mish-mash of colour, size, and texture. I looked at the price tag. It was bloody expensive. But this was not a time to think of expense. In fact, maybe it would mean more if I had paid an exorbitant price for it. But as my fingers came into contact with the cold wax, I was hit hard by a pang of sadness. It reminded me of the statue outside the care facility. The candle was molded in the same renaissance style as the water nymph in the courtyard where I used to go sit after seeing Claire. They both had the same dead, pupil-less eyes, and serious expression that she used to get at the end. I pictured her lying in her hospital bed in her white gown, hooked up to all those mechanical devices trying to prolong her life. The familiar twinge of anxiety and guilt surfaced like a virulent sickness in my abdomen. Claire would probably snort in derision if she knew I was buying something so ridiculously overpriced. Tacky, she would have called the beautiful, aloof angel. Claire thought many things were tacky. Which was odd, because she often dressed in clothes that were much too big for her and from the second hand store. I didn’t really understand her; she was like a brussel sprout. A mystery wrapped in layers of enigma. It was how she used to describe herself. She should have left after me, to spare me the sight of her small coffin being lowered into the dirt. Funerals are meant to be
gloomy, but I felt as if the solemnity and formality of the ceremony was offensive. They dressed her in a stiff black dress with a high neckline. My God, how they would have struggled to get her in that had she still been alive. But she wasn’t alive. And so I stood, feeling ludicrous, holding the white angel candle in a store that sold rabbit foot key chains while tears threatened to overwhelm my eyes. The black cat had found its way to the candles. It was not a graceful cat as it subsequently began knocking off many of the candles that were on the top shelf. A cinnamon candle hit the stack of floor cushions before rolling to my feet. Claire loved to eat cinnamon donuts. She would try to eat them sneakily in her room, but I would always be able to tell because she often left grains of cinnamon sugar over her bed sheets. I would have to shake them outside and the granules would be catapulted into the wind to feed some lucky ants in the grass. The blue candle reminded me of her school uniform. It was speckled with flecks of colour like her tunic was because she used to never wear a paint shirt. I remembered her sitting at the large desk in the studio, the sun illuminating the wisps of hair around her face. Her brushstrokes were heavy and bold and when she had finished it turned out to be a fair rendition of Muffins, the neighbour’s cat – even if his eyes were slightly lopsided. There was a mint candle with dried leaves pressed into the sides. It prompted me of the time when Claire planted several mint seedlings in the garden when I went overseas for a month. When I got back, the yard was full of it. It had overtaken everything, and when the wind was blowing in the right direction, the whole house smelled like pleasant toothpaste. She claimed not to have known it was invasive. But you could never tell with her. She was exceptionally intelligent and inquisitive, and unfortunately those traits may have actually attributed to her eventual death. I gathered up the candles that reminded me of her, plus a few novelty ones, because Claire liked novelty things, and headed to the cashier. I was greeted by splashes of rainbow light as the sun’s cheerful rays refracted through the crystal strands hanging in front of the window. I felt a sense of calm comer over me, washing away my sadness, for now. Later that night, the air was filled with the scent of cinnamon and mint as I sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to her framed picture on the studio table. grapeshot magazine | page 37
MACQUARIE AT ITS SHARPEST
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Nicholas Rider takes us around campus to see some of Macquarie’s familiar buildings from a
different angle. See if you can work out which buildings he visited. To see more, check out Grapeshot Online: grapeshotmq.com.au
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NOT SO PUNNY My friend is constantly getting on my nerves with her incessant ‘jokes’ and puns. They aren’t funny at all and I’m so sick of pity-laughing at everything. At first, I thought nothing of it, but now I’m starting to become embarrassed when I introduce her to new people. WORDS | Manisha Josephraja
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have to say, firstly, that the only people that don’t appreciate a good pun are those that are just mad that they didn’t think of it themselves. You don’t mention what kind of jokes these are. If they are offensive to you or other people, then you should gently remind them that there’s a time and place for everything (and sometimes it’s never). A number of psychological studies have concluded that humour may act as an advanced defence mechanism that is often used to hide or protect ourselves from anxiety. Any nervous laughter in the house? Finally, some evidence to back up that we aren’t cruel and heartless… well, intentionally anyway. Everyone has a slightly different sense of humour, but this shouldn’t stop you from introducing them to your other friends. Let them meet and if they hate, then let ‘em hate and watch the money pile up. They might appreciate their sense of humour and may even take the onus away from you to laugh all the time. If these jokes are, however, astonishingly bad then I recommend fighting fire with fire. Try some of these sure fire winners: What do you call an alligator in a vest? An Investigator Why is Peter Pan always flying? He Neverlands. I love this joke because it never grows old. You’ll either find a new way to bond with your friend or she’ll write to an extremely underqualified advice columnist asking for help on what to do with you.
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CHECK IN CHECK IT OUT
WORDS | Alexandra Wrathall
during O Week and MacFest, or maintaining contact with groups and clubs that interested you during the session can be no small task.
FREE, TAILORED TO YOU AND EXCLUSIVE TO MACQUARIE - CHECK IN IS THE FUTURE OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT.
So allow me to introduce the link that is about to digitally streamline your university experience: checkin.mq.edu.au
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s the children of a digital age I know that as a Gen Y, I have a different set of expectations to media, marketing, and communication, then say, my parents did. The parentals came from an age where ignoring unwanted advertising simply meant throwing away a forest of paper flyers, or just walking on past the reams of posters that adorn the streets of Sydney. No thanks, see ya later, I’m going to keep on walking, thanks. However, in a world where three hours away from my email results in ‘Inbox 20’ and I would rather stick a hot fork in my eye than select ‘contact me with regular offers and newsletters’ – escaping unwanted and excessive promotion is near impossible. This is compounded upon when you consider that information and promotion can be emailed, in print, Facebooked, Tweeted, or shared on Instagram. But don’t get me wrong, marketing and media are fabulous things, and if I couldn’t ‘Google it’ at will, or access info easily online, my life and career would grind to a halt. The issue is, how I can control what information is sent to me, and how can I only access the information that I want? Well, Campus Life has devised a solution for my first world problem. Focused on generating and facilitating a balanced student experience, Campus Life is aware of just how much media and opportunity students can access (or lose track of and drown in). Managing all that is on offer grapeshotmq.com.au
Developing their digital focus so that it evolves in tandem with the Macquarie University student body, Campus Life’s new system allows students to select their interests, and then link them with the relevant Student Groups or Sport Clubs. Created in early 2014 by Campus Life as a part of their new digital focus to connect with students, ‘Check In’ allows students to create a personal student profile. Profile information and student details are kept private and are managed in accordance with the university’s privacy regulations. Still in development, the system will grow during the year to include discount promotions, events, and social media, alongside tailored email communications, aka eDMs. So if you missed talking to that representative of W.A.N.G at O Week, or if you signed up to Water Polo at MacFest but lost track of dates and names – Check In is the answer. Not only can you find groups, clubs, and information that you may not know that interests you, but you can also connect with groups that you may have already noticed, but have not yet had a chance to contact. How do you register posthaste? Registering your interest is quick and easy – like any good app should be. 1. Visit checkin.mq.edu.au. 2. Fill in the registration form with your name, email, and student number, and select your areas of interest. 3. Monitor your inbox for upcoming events/activities/groups/clubs that you would like to hear about/from. So this Session Two, ditch the overrun Inbox and irritating notifications that have the value of a CandyCrush request, and take control of your media and university experience with Check In. grapeshot magazine | page 43
COOKING WITH THE SMILING CHEF:
THE NAKED CAKE For more great recipes you can check out my blog and find links to my Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest pages. Brendon D’Souza a.k.a. The Smiling Chef :) Website: brendonthesmilingchef.wordpress.com Like: Brendon The Smiling Chef Tweet: @bthesmilingchef
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It’s the cake scandalising party-goers everywhere. Baring it all in the flesh, naked cakes are the real deal. Just a rustic sponge sandwich with a buttercream frosting. Owner of Momofuku Milk Bar New York, Christina Tosi, is credited with the creation and popularisation of the “Naked Cake”. She once told ABC NEWS that it was a desire to cast recipes and flavours as the “visual stars” of her creations that pushed her to re-invent more traditional models. To truly celebrate the 50th Birthday of our beloved Macquarie University, I would like to share with you my take on a naked cake. I love that they are budget friendly – no more fiddly fondant or daunting decorating. You can decorate them with just about anything. Mandarins and clementines have just come into season and they pair perfectly with French lavender. By all means, feel free to mix and match your favourite combinations. Due to the lack of covering, these cakes won’t last as long as the others, so it is best eaten within 24 hours. Not that it will last that long of course. Happy Cooking!
INGREDIENTS CAKE • 250g unsalted butter, softened • 225g caster sugar • 2 tsp vanilla extract • 4 eggs, lightly beaten • 225g self-raising flour • 150g plain flour • 150ml milk FROSTING • 125g unsalted butter, softened • 150g icing sugar mixture • 1 tsp vanilla extract • 1 tsp milk SPECIAL EQUIPMENT • 4x10 cm cake tins • Serrated knife • Palette or butter knife • Cake stand or plate
METHOD Do your prep. Pre-heat the oven to 180ºC. Grease four 10cm cake tins with butter. Cut a circle from baking paper the same size as the tin. For the cakes, combine the butter and sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl with electric beaters until light and fluffy. This usually takes between 5 and 10 minutes. Add one egg and continue to mix until it is well. Continue with the remaining eggs. Add the combined flours and milk and carefully stir with a large metal spoon or silicon spatula. Do this very slowly or the milk will splatter. Divide between the four tins. Place the
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tins on a baking tray, on the middle shelf of your pre-heated oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the cakes have risen, are golden brown, and a cocktail skewer inserted into the centre of each cake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before proceeding. For the buttercream, beat the softened butter and icing sugars in a large mixing bowl, using electric beaters at low speed, until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and milk and stir until combined. Allow to stand for a few minutes to firm up. Assemble the cake. Place one cooled cake on a flat surface. There will be a bit of the cake that rises above the tin. This is called the crown. Using a serrated knife carefully cut the crown off the cake. Repeat with the remaining cakes until you have four even layers. You can use the leftover cake to make cake pops, or simply enjoy with leftover frosting for afternoon tea. Place a small dollop of icing onto the centre of the cake stand. This will hold the cake steady as you ice. Place the first cake layer over the dollop. Spread ¼ of the icing mixture over the surface of the cake and gently top with the second layer. Repeat twice for the remaining cakes, finishing with a cake layer for the top. Use the leftover icing to cover the surface of the cake. The best way to do this is to dollop the icing in small patches all over the cake and spread it thinly over the surface. When you are happy with your icing job, allow the cake to stand for twenty minutes to allow the icing to set. Decorate with your favourite fruits and flowers, and serve.
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THE FORTUNE OF WAR The carpet’s older than your grandpa, the music’s from your parent’s twenties, and the place smells suspiciously of old spice (though that was probably me). If you’re in The Rocks and want to have a few beers in a pub packed with all ages, then go to the Fortune of War. Within a stone’s throw of some of Sydney’s best and seediest spots, the Fortune’s only a short walk from Circular Quay station, making this your scurvy, sea lovin’ port of call. “Hello Sailor,” indeed.
PU IN T ROC
THE STEW WORDS | Alessandro Guarrera Celebrating Macquarie’s history has made us wonder about Sydney’s history. So, we sent Alessandro Guarrera to venture out to some of the oldest pubs in Sydney, coincidentally, all in the historical quarter of The Rocks.
THE HERO OF WATERLOO Want some country flavour with ye olde Sydney towne trappings? The Hero of Waterloo is your destination. With loud country music replete with ‘yee-haw’s, a hollerin’ atmosphere, and dancing that borders on being outright hootenanny, this place is certainly Sydney’s folk hero of the country-bar scene. If the rural milieu is for you, then why aren’t you there? Put down this magazine and head over to The Rocks and get jiggy with it.
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UBS THE CKS
THE GLENMORE HOTEL Nursing a hard glass of double-strength water, I found myself in the Glenmore, an aged bar just up the Argyle steps, with a fantastic rooftop view of Darling Harbour. In the Glenmore, you’ll find a crowd of strangers who are old friends in the making, easy to talk to and fun to be with. Worried about winter? The place has ample heaters scattered throughout, only adding to its charm and chaleur.
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THE AUSTRALIAN HERITAGE HOTEL It has a hundred years of drinking to its name. Just think of that, a centenary of alcoholic revelry, though the Fortune’s undoubtedly older, The Australian happens to be more than just any old hotel. Surrounded by American flags commemorating what I hope wasn’t Will Smith punching aliens in the face, I saw many unnecessary heaters further warming customers already swaddled in beer blankets. The Australian is a great place to sit, talk, and have some serious thinking and drinking. Just be prepared to look hard for a good table. grapeshotmq.com.au
grapeshot magazine | page 47
CONCERT
MUSIC
WOODSTOCK (1970)
WHERE DID OUR LOVE GO | THE SUPREMES
Few years after JFK declared himself a jam donut, Woodstock happened. It was a time of free love, wild drugs and grassy activism. A time where the domestication of the dog continued unabated. This was the summer of 1969, repackaged and rereleased in 1970 as a documentary of the legendary Woodstock Music and Art Festival, the film, directed by Michael Wadleigh. Much of the film focuses on talking to the people of the town, but we’re really just here for the music. Thankfully, Woodstock delivers a hit of face-melting riffs and war-hating licks, echoing long past the deaths of their performers. See it for Jimi Hendrix’s distorted haze of guitar-slicing solos. Listen to the people become one during ‘rain chant’. Let Richie Haven give you wings; for many and for good reason, he’s an icon of the show.
The original Destiny’s Child, pioneers of the beehive hairstyle and fame rivalling Beatle-mania, can anyone possibly hate The Supremes? Where Did Our Love Go is the second full length album from the vocal group and includes some of their biggest hits, including the title track and ‘Baby Love’. This is the album that turned them from “no-hit” Supremes after the lack of a commercial hit from their first album, to queens of the American music scene. Still maintaining their status as the most successful vocal group of all time in the U.S, this album of hit singles justifies their positions on the throne. Listen to Diana in her prime, before time got to her.
Alessandro Guarrera
DONT LOOK BACK (1967) This documentary offers a shrewd insight into the life of an eccentric artist who was highly misunderstood by the media. D. A. Pennebaker portrays Bob Dylan as a charming contrarian through scenes containing interviews with journalists whom he torments and confuses while maintaining astute. Highlights of the footage include snippets of classic songs such as ‘Times They Are a-Changin’ and ‘It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue’. Portraying an icon of the beat generation at his finest, this documentary further cements his cult status in music history.
Sarah Basford
MONTEREY POP (1968) Another documentary classic considered by many as a prelude to the well-received 1970 film, Woodstock, it perfectly encases the music and culture of the era into a visually beautiful package. Notable performances include Jimi Hendrix’s ‘Wild Thing’ where he sets his guitar on fire as well as sixties staple, ‘California Dreamin’ by The Mamas & The Papas, and a cathartic performance from Ravi Shankar. Forget about the flower headband craze that only Lana Del Rey and Sandi Thom would be proud of, all your retro cravings can be found here.
Sarah Basford
TIMES THEY ARE A-CHANGIN’ | BOB DYLAN Bob Dylan’s The Times They Are A-Changin’ is the third studio album from the legendary American rock-and-roll singersongwriter. The title track is one of Dylan’s most renowned songs, echoing the movements for social change that were so pertinent during 1964. Unlike his earlier albums, the tracks on this record deal with racism and politics, with thoughtprovoking lyrics as well as slow melodies that were mostly inspired by Scottish and Irish folksongs. While the album is less musically enthralling than Dylan’s other works, its probing themes can be applied timelessly to any era, and the record was, and can still be seen as a vehicle for social change.
Marie Claire Selim
I WALK THE LINE | JOHNNY CASH This is Cash at his best, telling stories about himself, his country, and his history. Classics like ‘Walk the Line’ and ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ form cornerstones of the Cash legend, but you can’t overlook his more artistic dalliances like the haunting ‘Give My Love to Rose’, his ode to the American South in ‘Hey Porter’, or ‘Big River’, which fellow musician, Bob Dylan, claimed was one of the finest pieces of songwriting ever conceived. Kieren Ash
Sarah Basford
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FILMS
BOOKS
MARY POPPINS (1964)
FLOWERS FOR HITLER | LEONARD COHEN
With the recent release of Saving Mr Banks, it’s a good time to revisit the children’s classic central to the story. That film was Disney’s Mary Poppins. The film begins with Jane and Michael Banks, who have consistently driven away every nanny their father has hired. He’s at his wit’s end, at least until Mary Poppins, quite literally, floats down from the sky to save the day. With her around, some magical things begin to happen to the Banks family. The film is a whimsical, feel-good adventure. There are some unforgettable scenes with dancing penguins and chimney sweeps. Cleaning your bedroom will never have looked like more fun. Julie Andrews is an absolute delight in the role. If you like musicals, then this is a joyous classic to sink your teeth into. Mary Poppins certainly has stood the test of time.
A story of stories, a confusing parable of descending madness, a poem whose vivid imagery is obscured by a confusing milieu of ever-changing stories that give Flowers for Hitler a formless form. With scant mention of Hitler or flowers, the poem instead confronts the ghosts of thought and feelings, hyperinflating them until they become grotesque. In his poem “All there is to know about Albert Eichhman”, Cohen describes the man’s features: all average, no distinguishing characteristics – asking us if we expected some kind of monster? On the whole, I found Cohen’s poetry to be an incomprehensible mess, perhaps best approached by taking on a fifty-year-old method of mind-altering introspection. One poem is a single act play, while another is an epilogue placed past the halfway point of the novel. The mood is altogether fey and fell; moments of intimacy mix with transgressional longing, musings on the future lie under looming shadows, and the present is something altogether inscrutable.
Lily Davis
GOLDFINGER (1964)
Alessandro Guarrera
This beloved classic will not disappoint. A dashing Sean Connery is fantastic as 007, oozing with just the right amount of charm. This time Bond’s mission involves Fort Knox and a money-hungry villain Auric Goldfinger (Gert Frobe) whose plans are to destroy the world’s entire economy. This film brings with it everything you would expect from a James Bond film. There is plenty of action, gimmicks, a fancy car, and a love interest, Pussy Galore. It’s a fun-filled, stylish ride.
Lily Davis
DR STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB (1964) Kubrick offers comical insight into this bygone era by poking fun at the high tensions in the political environment. The story follows the consequences of a manic Air Force general who commands a nuclear strike on Russia as the U.S President and his advisors frantically attempt to impede the ominous “Doomsday”. Peter Sellers offers an electric performance playing three of the main characters, including the whimsical Dr. Strangelove. This classic is well worthy of a revisit. Sarah Basford
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WHY WE CAN’T WAIT | MARTIN LUTHER KING Why We Can’t Wait is the fourth book written by King, and one of the most important literary achievements during the civil-rights movement in America. It is written with the same proficiency that King delivered his oratory and details in the 1963 Birmingham Campaign in Alabama. Thousands of African-American protestors demanded an end to racial segregation in Alabama, and it resulted in thousands thrown into jail. Accordingly, King called 1963 “The Year of the Negro Revolution,” and this book succinctly details all these events, giving insight into such a tumultuous period. Nathan Falzon
A CARIBBEAN MYSTERY | AGATHA CHRISTIE Christie has you guessing the suspect throughout, and only satisfies your curiosity when you’re at your wits’ end. “Want to see a picture of a murderer?” On a holiday in the Caribbean, Miss. Marple is met with a strange case. A man, who was intending to show her the face of an unconvicted murderer, is found dead in his hotel room, and the suspect is one of the many guests. In this classic murder mystery, Christie weaves together clues and questionable motives brilliantly, with the most subtle of hints only showing up after a thorough reread.
Rabeah Zafrullah
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CROSSWORD Rabeah Zafrullah
HOROSCOPES WORDS | Georgiana Campbell AQUARIUS – You’re a good communicator, so communicate yourself out of those problems you made by over communicating. PISCES – People seek you out for comfort and the right words, so choose them wisely, lest you start a war. ARIES – Oh Aries, you’re so big and strong. Set some loins alight with your passion and get this winter party started! TAURUS – Ah, another strong one. Your Gran needs you to move some firewood – stop shirking your responsibilities. GEMINI – Hold still a second, pick a face or the wind will change and it will be too late. CANCER – Find some water and wash away your sins – I’m thinking vodka and kale based detoxes.
Across:
1. The date on which an event took. place, often forgotten. 6. A professional, particularly in sports. 9. The origin of the dogs in the Sherlock Holmes novel. 10. A wooden human figure. 11. Not under. 12. Stay somewhere longer than necessary, reluctant to leave. 13. Willy Wonka’s minions were called ___ loompas. 15. In Freud’s division of the psyche, the unconscious third that is the source of impulse and instinct. 16. Smelling particularly horrible. 18. A short distance away. 19. Used to link alternatives. 20. A small sealed packet containing a portion of something. 22. Tumblr users will ask what this is when they can’t breathe from laughing. 25. A short official note. 27. A medical problem where patches of skin become rough or blistered. 28. The final evolution of Ash’s first grass-type pokemon. 29. Hair-like projections on cells that help them move around. 30. See you later, ___. 32. To roughly judge the value of ___. 33. She has them apple bottom jeans, as well as the boots with the fur.
Down
1. A person/animal with congenital absence of pigment in the skin. 2. America’s space exploration team. 3. Capital of Austria. 4. A gun that allows several shots to be fired without reloading. 5. A lost city filled with gold. 7. If you’re on good terms with the leader of the Autobots, you’ll call him ___. 8. A giant bird with a tendency to stick its head in the sand. 11. Control the functioning of a machine or system/perform surgery. 14. Material from which metals or minerals can be extracted. 16. A mathematical rule expressed in symbols. 17. A device that stuns or dazes. 18. Ornament worn around the neck. 21. In equal amounts. 23. An edible mollusk of warm seas. 24. A scientist with a law and unit named after him who discovered electromagnetic induction and electrolysis. 26. Soluble medicine administered directly into the venous circulation. 29. Money. 31. A great deal, also a prophet.
LEO – Lick your wounds before re-entering the battlefield. Stop trying to heal everyone else first. VIRGO – It’s time to plant some spring veg – your moons are aligned for some sweet asparagus and artichokes. LIBRA – That thing you were meant to do that had a deadline – it’s too late. Stop feeling sorry for yourself and move on. SCORPIO – So stubborn. Stop. That is all. SAGITTARIUS – Keep those winter-induced split-ends in check, or you’ll lose that meticulously maintained volume. CAPRICORN – You’re moving too fast and you’re gonna get a speeding ticket or something. Relax, it’s winter. Move like a turtle.
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Just 10 minutes from campus by train!
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