72 GE INVO T L Turn VED! to last p the age.
- Go out near campus without blowing the budget - Where is your new union membership going? - Reviews, fiction and more!
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4
Editors’ Letter
18 Designer Spotlight: MeiMei Xu
38 Writer’s Lament
5
Contributor’s Bios
19 Work by Charlottle Whittle
40 What is RUSU?
6
RUSU President Says G’Day
20 Work by Sara Awamleh
42 Agony Aunt
8
On-Campus, On Budget:
22 Chronic Confusion
44 #Lyfe101
24 Nice to Meat You?
46 Rapping on the
How to Live It Up in Melbourne on a Minimum Wage
Door of Racism 12 Architecture: Work by
26 Robo-Pet
48 Reviews
Astra Whitton + Sarita Mizdree, and Stephen
28 Quiz
Annett + Grant Trewella 14 What’s The Matter!? 15 Denaturing Proteins 17 Designer Spotlight: Bella McGoldrick
30 Stranger Than Faction 32 Who You Gonna Call?
50 What’s On 51 Get Involved!
35 Race to Arms 36 Old Mrs Stanek’s Alarm Clock
Catalyst is the student magazine of the RMIT
Copyright RMIT University Student Union 2015
expressed herein are not necessarily the views of
on the stolen land of the Wurundjeri People of the
University Student Union (RUSU). The views
the editors, printers or RUSU. All material remains the property of the individual writers and artists.
Catalyst reserves the right to republish in any format.
Catalyst acknowledges this magazine was produced Kulin Nation. We pay our respects to their elders, both past and present. We also acknowledge the traditional owners of all the lands from
which the stories and artworks were sourced.
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/ E D I TO R S ’ L E T T E R /
Welcome to the next stage of Catalyst! We’ve come a long way since our first broadsheet, coffee-stained 1944 edition and after 70-odd years, we’re still alive and kicking.
If you’re joining us for the first time this year, or need a refresher,
we’re RMIT’s longest running student media outlet! Catalyst is proudly
written, recorded and produced by students from RMIT and surrounding communities. We’re inclusive of every part of the university, from arts to aerospace, and we’re always growing.
That’s why in our first issue of 2016, we’re peering into the not-
too-distant future. It won’t be long until we’ll be able to solve medical dilemmas with robot pets (pg. 24), eat meat grown by scientists rather
than farmers (pg. 22) and - if Ridley Scott’s films are anything to go by driving our flying cars around Melbourne (pg. 46)!
Turns out, there’s quite a lot more to synthetic than fake green turf or
bright coloured substances in glass beakers.
Sound groovy? Well, that’s not all that’s new!
In 2016 we’re introducing a whole bunch of new regular sections into the
magazine, so take a flip through to discover work from some of RMIT’s best!
Want to see your pieces in these pages? Fancy contributing to our
podcast Cataclysm? Interested in working with RMITV and Catalyst on our co-productions team Cluster?
We want to hear from you! Feel free to visit our office in 57.4.22, drop
us a line at rmitcatalyst@gmail.com or send us your finest carrier pigeon. That’s all for now, in the meantime keep up with all things Catalyst on
The Catalyst team, without
whom this publication would never have made it to print: Editors
CLAUDIA LONG, KATIE COULTHARD AND NATHAN BROWN
social media, at www.rmitcatalyst.com and look out for the first episode
Art director
See you soon,
Reviews coordinator
of the Cataclysm podcast out later this month!
Claudia, Katie and Nathan
HOPE LUMSDEN-BARRY
JEN PARK
Social media
JULIA SANSONE Subeditors
RACHAEL WARD, EVAN YOUNG, NICOLE PERRIERA, SOPHIE
HEIZER, MAX STAINKAMPH
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CONTRIBUTORS SARA AWAMLEH Fashion
Sara is a 20 year old designer currently in her second year of
an associate degree in Fashion Design and Technology. In her eyes, fashion is about wearing clothes to please yourself and
not others! Her goal is to continue designing womenswear and make all great women out there feel great about themselves. GRANT TREWELLA AND STEPHEN ANNETT Architecture
Grant is a Masters of Architecture student with an interest in
emergent design and new technologies. He is an architectural
assistant at Lyons Architecture and a Research Assistant at RMIT. Stephen Annett is a Bachelor of Architecture student with an interest in new fabrication techniques and technology. He is also Research Assistant at RMIT. HOPE LUMSDEN-BARRY Art Director
Hope is a Media and Communications (Honours) student and Catalyst’s brand new Art Director. After graduating from her bachelor degree, she’s looking forward to the year ahead and enjoys photography in
her spare time; time that’s scarce when she’s busy helping Catalyst. JEN PARK
Arts & Culture
Jen is a second year journalism student who likes to write on music, film, social and political issues. She’s not too keen on
parsley because it’s “basically a miniature salad leaf”, but is pro coriander. Chris Kenny once called her “pathetic” on Twitter and she’s forever grateful for 1080p movie downloads. CHARLOTTE WHITTLE Fashion Textiles
Charlotte is in her second year of studying fashion textiles
and merchandising. She loves to get out and travel as much
as possible. She has an obsession with rooftops and city night
skies. When she’s not enjoying the lights in Melbourne, she loves fashion blogging, photography and having bake sessions. HELENA RUSE Agony Aunt
Helena is a second year Media and Communications student and one third of the Leftovers comedy sketch series (Check
‘em out on Facebook). While Film & TV are her true passions, Helena enjoys schooling first years on the basic principles of
adulthood (p. 39) and dreams of moving abroad one day soon.
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/ ST U D E NT L I F E /
RUSU President Says G’Day A big welcome and hello to the thousands of students beginning their journey at RMIT University. For our returning students, welcome back! Whether you’re tackling your undergrad, studying in
Vocational Education or simply losing sleep over your masters or PhD, we will be here for you in 2016.
RMIT and the Student Union (RUSU) have a long history. We’ve
been here for more than 70 years. Our first President was John Storey
Jr. whose name and legacy live on in Storey Hall. With so much history behind us, I’m proud to be part of this year’s team who will continue to stick up for students as we make RMIT an even better place. RUSU is 100% run by students, for students. We work
to make sure you get a fair go, have a strong voice and are supported in all aspects of your university life.
When times get tough we’ll be here for you; offering professional,
independent support and advice in both your academic and day-to-day
life through our student rights and the Compass Welfare drop-in centre. We’re also here to make sure you get the most out of your time at RMIT. RUSU has over 100 active clubs and societies, weekly free food events and heaps of parties and other fun events for you to get involved in – Orientation and 2016 has plenty to offer!
It’s not all fun and games though. As RMIT grows and our university
community becomes more diverse, RUSU will fight to ensure all
students across all campuses have an equitable student experience
through having access to the services and support you need to succeed. I’m a strong supporter of student control over student
affairs, believing that students should have major input into the operations and decisions made within RMIT.
We provide input into nearly everything RMIT does, whether
it’s new buildings, changes to program structures or related to the University’s policy and procedures. We’re here representing you
every step of the way to make sure you always get the best deal.
So sign up for our very affordable 2016 membership (only $10)
and explore our services. Why not get involved in orientation events, become a RUSU volunteer, or come check out what we’re up to by
visiting us on campus? We’ve really got something to offer everyone. See you around campus and don’t forget to grab the best coffee at RMIT from RUSU’s café Realfoods, open at the City campus and soon to be open at Bundoora. Ariel Zohar President
RMIT University Student Union P.S. If you want to get in touch with me about anything at all, shoot me a line at rusu.president@rmit.edu.au
RUSU PRESENTS
E M O WELC 6 1 0 2 H S BA ‘WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE’
thursday 25 february alumni courtyard, from 4pm free bar + free food rusu members only! sign up during o–week! su.rmit.edu.au
rusupage
rmitsu
rmit_rusu
rusuonline
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On-Campus, On Budget: How to Live It Up in Melbourne on a Minimum Wage According to most TV shows and movies, university is the time of your life! There’s the partying, opportunities to broaden Words by
ROCHELLE KIRKHAM @RochelleKirkham
your horizons and have a drink (or six) at amazing bars in the city. And that’s all well and good, until you remember that
those Centrelink/maccas dollars just ain’t gonna cut it for the slab you were planning on taking to that house party.
Sometimes rent, Myki fees (or rather, Myki fines) and uni costs can
get in the way of a good time. But never fear! Here are some place to PRICE GUIDE:
check out when you’re looking for a feed or some fun on a budget!
$ = super cheap
you see the small shop. A short two minute
$$$ = a little bit fancy but still affordable
Open: Mon-Fri 8am-6pm, Sat 11am-4pm
$$ = still cheap
walk from RMIT, right beside building 80. Cuisine: Chinese, Taiwanese
RMIT CITY CAMPUS DON DON
Where: 198 Little Lonsdale St, Melbourne A five to 10 minute walk from RMIT.
Prices: Traditional Baos $2.5-$4.0, Gua Baos $4.9 Recommended: Braised pork belly or
$
roast pork belly gua baos ($4.90) Cash or card accepted
Open: Mon-Sun 11am - 9pm
A small trendy shop, Wonderbao is a hidden
Prices: Meals under $10
Taiwanese gua baos are a unique favourite
Cuisine: Japanese
Recommended: Teriyaki Chicken Don ($6.70), Dondon Box ($8.70) Cash only
Don Don is the perfect place for a super quick,
gem for soft fluffy baos with tasty fillings.
resembling a bao burger. One bao makes a
scrumptious light snack, multiple would make a decent lunch. So close to RMIT, Wonderbao is a cheap and delicious lunch alternative.
tasty and affordable meal. Don’t be put off by
MAMAK
minutes of ordering, making it a great to place
A 10 to 15 minute walk from RMIT.
long queues as you will receive your meal within for a quick meal break in between classes. WONDERBAO
Where: Shop 4/ 19-37 A’Beckett St, Melbourne. $ Can be a little difficult to find: either walk
from Literature Lane (off Little Latrobe Street) or through number 19-37 A’Beckett St until
Where: 366 Lonsdale St, Melbourne Open: Seven days, lunch 11.30am2.30pm, dinner 5.30pm-9.30pm Cuisine: Malaysian Prices: $6 -$20
Recommended: 1/2 dozen chicken satay ($10.00), Roti canai ($6) Cash or card accepted
$$
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Wonderbao (left), Mamak (right) A bustling and popular Malaysian restaurant,
THE GREEN REFECTORY
is worth the walk from RMIT if you have
A five to 10 minute walk from RMIT.
Mamak is a hit for a quality cheap meal and
Where: 115 Sydney Rd, Brunswick
time to spare. The dishes are bursting with
Open: Mon-Sat 7am-8pm
flavour and fresh ingredients. If you’re after
Cuisine: Modern Australian
a feast, dine with a friend and order satay,
Prices: $3 - $15
noodles and roti for about $15 a head.
Recommended: Breakfast stack ($11)
Cash only
RMIT BRUNSWICK CAMPUS A1 BAKERY
Where: 643-645 Sydney Rd, Brunswick
$
A 15 to 20 minute walk or 5 min train ride from RMIT.
Open: Mon-Wed & Sun 7am–7pm,
The Green Refectory is a fantastic place for a
delicious breakfast (all-day) or lunch around $10.
The homely cafe is vegan and vegetarian friendly boasting fresh and quality food and ingredients.
Expect large crowds and a queue to order at lunch.
Thurs -Sat 7am–9pm
THOM PHAT
Prices: $1.50-$12.00
A five minute walk from RMIT.
Cuisine: Lebanese
Recommended: Kibbie platter ($8), meat pizza ($3) Cash Only
A1 Bakery is a student haven, boasting plentiful choices for lunch under $10. Choose from
scrumptious and filling Lebanese pies, pizzas,
$$
Where: 182-184 Sydney Road, Brunswick
$$$
Open: Wed-Mon 11am- late, closed Tues Cuisine: Asian-inspired
Prices: Starters $5-$15, mains $15-$30 Recommended: Pulled pork and softshell crab Phat Tacos ($5)
wraps and platters to satisfy your hunger after
Serving Asian-inspired food, Thom Phat is a
Road from uni. Expect your food to be out
relaxed atmosphere. Some menu options are
a decent 15 to 20 minute walk up Sydney
within five minutes of ordering to then sit in a large casual dining space or take away.
hip restaurant with friendly staff and a casual, a little on the expensive side, but direct your
attention to the Thom Phat tacos or starters and snacks. If you are after a flavour explosion, go for the divine pulled pork taco; keep in mind they are a mini taco, so order two for lunch.
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CHEAP ARTS:
So now that your tummy is full, fancy going out to experience some ~culture~? Of course you do! Shame about you having spent the Words by
CLAUDIA LONG
small amount of money you have on that feed though eh? Never fear! There’s plenty of free/low-cost things to see in Melbourne!
@claudialongsays
$
ACCA (AUSTRALIAN CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY ART)
$
Open: 10am - 5pm
A 15 minute tram ride from RMIT.
Price: Free!
Open: 10am - 5pm Price: Free!
Already visited the blockbusters at the NGV? Why not travel a kilometer down the road to check out
ACCA. Aside from being that spot where they film a
bunch of car commercials, that big rusty building on Sturt street is home to one of the best free galleries in Melbourne. Showcasing contemporary art from Australia and around the world, ACCA is always
bringing great contemporary artists to Melbourne. If you’ve got time (and a bit of cash), head next
door to the Malthouse Theatre! Speaking of which...
Where: Arts Centre (Swanston st) and
Where: ACMI, Federation Square, CBD A 15 minute walk from RMIT.
Where: 111 Sturt St, Southbank
CHEAP-ISH THEATRE
ACMI: SCREEN WORLDS
$$$
Malthouse Theatre (113 Sturt St, Southbank) A 15 minute tram ride from RMIT. Open: 10am - 5pm Price: $30 - $50
Got someone you’re looking to impress? Want to
do something nice with your cats special someone or best mate? Why not take them to discount
theatre! If you’ve been saving some of that cold
hard cash you’re earning at *insert retail/hospitality job here* the Malthouse offers full-time student discount tickets from $30 and rush (last minute)
tickets for $20. That’s a $35 saving by the way! If
you really want to get fancy, Opera Australia offers rush tickets for $50 for those wanting to break up their full-time study with some Carmen or Aida.
Take your next date here. Yes, really. While it may seem odd to visit a show about our history with
film, tv and gaming for a ~romantic outing~ Screen Worlds is the perfect place to while away the
afternoon. The exhibition has no shortage of daggy Australiana to kickstart conversations with that guy
you met on Tinder who wears an akubra (Ironically? Legitimately? Who knows?). Plus, there’s plenty of
film references to keep the conversation flowing. It even has a dark, foggy room where you can sneak a kiss or two, which we promise isn’t as creepy as it sounds. Want an activity worthy of 5 stars from
Margaret and David? Pay a visit to Screen Worlds.
ARCHITECTURE
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/ AR C H I T E CT U R E /
“This was an early conceptual model for a studio named Atlas. The task was to design an artist in residence space that would have an active
relationship with a real building called the Lyons House Museum, that resides on the adjacent
block in the suburb of Kew. Sarita and I explored
the possibility of a parasitic relationship between these two buildings, as well as that which exists between an artist and a gallery curator. This
chaotic model draws its inspiration from nature,
particularly beehives. With this model we tried to assert that purpose, productivity and order can
be achieved within a chaotic, organic space. The consequences of this lifestyle could adversely
impact the host, thus subverting the traditional
Astra Whitton and Sarita Mizdree
hierarchy of the artist, collector relationship.�
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Temple of Atrophy’ explores a combination of prepackaged digital techniques to simulate complex
natural phenomena. These techniques are standard within certain types of 3-D modelling software,
normally used to simulate 3-D effects such as liquids, clouds, smoke, spray and dust for use within the
animation and film industries. By using a designed sequence of these ‘standard’ techniques we were able to produce something that is not legible to
any single technique but emerges as a new entity. The research, undertaken as part of the Bachelor of Architectural Design under Lecturer Gwyllim
Jahn, aims to generate strange objects that prompt us to re-examine our values, tastes, assumptions
Stephen Annett and Grant Trewella
and agency as designers. Utilising new forms of
making within computational design and fabrication, our project is not concerned with optimisation (a rule-based process whereby variables are
placed into a computer program to generate
the most rational and efficient outcomes) or the new and beautiful. Instead, we aim to provoke intrigue, and question the nature of digital
production and the role it could potentially play in creating a new architectural language.
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/ S C I E NC E AND I NNOVAT I O N /
Do you like gaming? Do you like science?
Do you want to impact the world in real time?
Of course the answer to all these questions is yes!
And guess what? There is a way to combine all three into one
pastime. It’s called Fold it: a puzzle game that involves folding and configuring a protein arrangement in 3 dimensions.
Words by OLIVER BARNES
You might be getting to this point and thinking to yourself,
‘wait I know that there is protein in my steak and my mate who goes to the gym is always guzzling the stuff to get mad buff but what does that have to do with helping research?’.
The truth is that not only is there protein in steak - and your
mate Vlad’s ripped six pack - but it’s in your salad, eyes, stomach,
hair and pretty much every part of your body. In fact, all cells have proteins and they have a huge range of different roles in your
body and the world. For example did you know that all the food you digest is broken down by proteins called enzymes?
To put it simply proteins are one of the most basic building blocks of life
and that is in part thanks to little things called amino acids. In the human
body there are 20 unique amino acids that make a chain to create a protein,
and their order makes them interact differently with their surroundings. If you look at the median protein length in the human body it’s 480 amino acids
long.(1) A little math will tell you that 20480= ... is too much for my calculator to comprehend and that’s a lot. Seriously though, that number is huge!
Not only is the order of the amino acids important to figure out, but
also something called conformation in space. This means we aren’t just
talking about a chain or line of amino acids the reality is that they are in
a 3 dimensional environment and they take 3 dimensional shapes. These
are also very important to understand to know how they interact with their surroundings. It’s getting complicated... imagine how biologists feel!
So by now you might be asking ‘what has all this got to do with computer
games and making a difference?’. Well, Fold it has been developed to make state of the art protein construction tools available to the public. We have
all heard that two heads are greater than one, so it follows that seven billion heads are better than two. In fact, problems that scientists have been trying to solve for decades are now being figured out by ordinary people around the world as they now have the tools to contribute in their spare time. The impact of this is huge! With a better understanding of how
proteins are structured and behave medicine can be developed to
help people with previously untreatable conditions, including genetic
diseases. You could save someone’s life in your spare time. Got a sec?
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EXPERIMENT: DENATURING PROTEINS It’s super easy to change a protein’s conformation in space, in fact we do it everyday.
Protein denaturing is the technical term but to you it’s just cooking an egg.
Proteins are everywhere and we’re going to prove it! Seeing some protein interaction is easy when you expose high protein items such as eggs
or milk to extreme conditions like high acidity, high temperatures or salt. Here’s how: ALL YOU NEED IS…
METHOD:
50 mls of vinegar
Put equal parts milk in each container
2 containers
the other and swirl them until it’s all mixed in.
1 cup of milk 1 lemon
A strainer
Coffee filters A sink
Add the juice of the lemon to one, vinegar to Let stand for 30 minutes.
Filter the contents of each container using your coffee filters. Inspect!
All the white powder that is on the filter paper is
something called casein protein. In this case we used acid to denature the protein and it became a solid. This protein is important for growth and development, is easy to digest and is a high quality source of amino acids. But get a fresh glass of milk instead!
(1)https://www.ocf.berkeley.
edu/~asiegel/posts/?paged=6
Average length of each human
protein: 480 amino acids
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/ S C I E NC E AND I NNOVAT I O N /
FASHION COVER
FASHION
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A new year brings the promise of golden opportunities, a gym membership and countless green smoothies. For RMIT Bachelor of Fashion (Design) (Honours)
graduate students Bella McGoldrick and MeiMei Xu, 2016 is a year to plan, promote and create. While others are hitting the pavement, these graduates are forging a path to greatness.
Multi-hyphenate Bella McGoldrick (designer,
illustrator and all-round cool girl) is enjoying a less
busy schedule having graduated from RMIT last year.
“It’s not what you think fashion is,” McGoldrick says. “Everyone’s running off zero sleep, coming in their
pyjamas. It’s disaster zone all the time with roaring fights with security guards, and so much coffee and KFC.”
McGoldrick’s successful graduate collection has
earned her a spot on the catwalk, with her garments gracing the runway at the Melbourne Spring Fashion Week 2015.
Excessive Elegance explored the “loss of fashion
through the fashion image”; the ways in which
clever marketing can make an unwearable product
desirable. Cue purple and fluro yellow feathers and heavy embellishment.
It’s the “shove it in your face’” style of McGoldrick’s
designs that make them unique. That’s not to say she wasn’t questioned.
“I want people to feel uncomfortable,” she says.
“What I learnt from my final year is to trust yourself.
There will always be people who don’t like your stuff, but the only way it’s ever going to be truly successful is if it’s purely you.”
Already having spent part of her course in Paris
(winning the Sophie Hallette prize at the Paris College
of Art) McGoldrick is jetting off to New York in June. Taking advantage of her J-1 Visa, she’ll be staying in a tiny apartment and working at a bar or in retail to get her through. Fashion over dinner? Always.
With her name already sprawled across a billboard
she had made for her graduate presentation, McGoldrick is gaining international recognition.
Her personal Instagram already worth gawking at,
it’s Bella’s second page (@bm.illustrations) dedicated to her fashion illustrations that’s the most desirable. Her
hobby-turned-business began with friends’ birthday cards, now moving on to McGoldrick gaining corporate
gigs. Supermodel of the moment Gigi Hadid even gave
her a like. Coincidence that she shares the same name as Gigi’s sister? Pure fashion destiny.
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/ FAS H I O N /
Moving to Australia eight years ago from her
birthplace in Beijing, China, fellow graduate MeiMei Xu is making a name for herself on local ground.
Having just returned from a well deserved holiday
back home, Xu is back exercising her creativity once
again. In a period she describes as the “time to show off,” Xu is busy researching and designing projects for her own label.
“I often get inspired from loving others and being
loved,” Xu says.
“I am visiting many art galleries and museums,
enjoying admiring good art.”
In a world where a “thumbs up” Like constitutes
fashion’s worth, the ability to narrate and question is something of a rarity. Xu’s designs are more than a pretty dress on a rack.
“I design pieces that can narrate a certain mood
through their details,” she says.
“I want to design things that question superficial
artificiality and express the simplicity of being beautiful.”
“Intense, inspiring, rich and challenging” sum up
Xu’s four years at RMIT. Xu tells me she is sad that
she no longer has access to RMIT’s special machines. But who needs a machine when you’ve got Xu’s imagination?
Her graduate collection WRAPPAGE featured six
outfits that demonstrated the act of unwrapping a carefully wrapped package, from bubble wrap to gold lining.
Exploring physical and psychological notions
of concealing and wrapping oneself, Xu wanted to highlight the “excitement, curiosity, fragility and
vulnerability behind layers of packaging”.
Though Xu’s designs may grace the word ‘fragile’,
her career accolades say otherwise. Fashion Journal, Broadsheet and METAL magazine form only a sample
of the publications she’s been featured in. Recently, her short film STIUS featuring her second year collection was nominated as one of the finalists for the Virgin
Australia Fashion Festival’s Fashion Film Series for 2016. “I was lucky enough to be involved throughout the
entire process: script writing, soundtrack composing, sound designing, film editing. It involved lots of
conversations, late nights and many amazing people who I look up to and love,” she says.
With Xu describing fashion and film as the “perfect
couple,” her and the STIUS team “definitely long to collaborate again”.
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Charlotte Whittle is the RMIT University Student Union
Brunswick Coordinator and resin jewellery designer.
Since year 12 Charlotte has been making earrings, necklaces and rings from brightly coloured resin after being inspired by a former art teacher. If you’re
interested in finding out more about Charlotte’s work and want to purchase some yourself drop her a line at charlotte.whittle@rmit.edu.au!
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/ FAS H I O N /
Sara Awamleh is a 20 year old designer currently in
her second year of an associate degree in fashion
design and technology. Sara says modest wear and
evening wear / couture is her main focus in the future. In Sara’s eyes, fashion is about wearing clothes to please yourself and not others! Its about feeling
comfortable and loving life! Her goal is to continue
designing womenswear and make all great women out there feel great about themselves.
Illustration credit: Sara Awamleh & Nida Naeem
By Sara Awamleh & Nida Naeem
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FEATURES
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/ F E AT U R E /
Words by LUKE MICHAEL | @LUKE_MICHAEL96 “It hit me instantly. Usually with normal cannabis it
would take 10 to 15 minutes before I got stoned, this hit me within seconds, like three bong hits at once.”
Meet 18 year old Jasper*, high school student,
Star Wars enthusiast, regular user and one of the
many young people experimenting with a new class of drugs. These
novel
psychoactive
substances
(NPS),
commonly known as synthetic drugs, have emerged in
the last few years, causing headaches for authorities, health professionals and drug takers alike.
Mimicking the effects of more widely known illicit
drugs, these substances are hard to detect, constantly changing and potentially extremely dangerous.
If one is so inclined, they can walk into their local
sex shop and buy these drugs over the counter as easily as buying Panadol at the chemist.
Jasper recalled having no side effects, but not
everybody is so lucky.
A Chelsea Heights man recently died consuming synthetic cannabis from a Frankston sex shop. He
thought the drug was legal and safe but it was found to be anything but. He is one of a growing number of Australians who are dying from these substances.
Christine Fyffe is the Victorian MP for Evelyn and warns
“it is not legal to sell what is loosely called synthetic cannabis to anybody, anywhere”.
The problem she says, is the government can only ban
what’s identified, but when this happens manufacturers
simply change the product’s composition, effectively staying ahead of the law.
She first became aware of the problem after a man
addicted to synthetic cannabis came to see her.
“His whole life was falling apart. He was experiencing
One of the most notorious substances is synthetic
mental health issues, he was lethargic and not working
or “pot-pourri”. It sometimes contains a warning
Some users believe these products are safe
cannabis, which is often marketed as “herbal incense” stating it’s “not for human consumption”, but selling
for upwards of $100, it is obvious people are intending to somehow take it.
and worried about losing his family,” she says.
because they are sold in a shop, something Dr Barratt quickly dismisses.
“The best evidence we have is that many of these
But why do people use it? Dr Monica Barratt,
substances are more dangerous than their better known
Program at the University of NSW, believes there may
“Most of them tend to be imported from overseas
a research fellow with the Drug Policy Modelling
counterparts,” she says.
be a range of reasons. These include a belief these
labs, especially from China, where they have this huge
test, an interest in a potential new effect or because
level of regulation as some of the other countries around
new drugs are legal, wanting to evade a positive drug
others drugs are simply not available or too expensive. For Jasper, it was a curiosity to try something new.
capacity to produce it, and perhaps it’s not the same the world.”
One person who has been involved with the testing of
He was smoking regular cannabis with friends when
these substances is Dr Luke Rodda, a forensic toxicologist
“It was very similar to normal cannabis but it just
is difficult to identify exactly what is in these substances,
they convinced him to try the synthetic version.
kicked in a lot faster. You just feel really stoned for a short while, for about a couple of hours,” he says.
at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine. He says it as each package sold could contain a varying product.
“What’s commercially sold in [a synthetic cannabis]
/ FE AT U R E /
/ CATALY ST 1 . 7 2 /
/ 23
package is green vegetation matter. It could contain one,
consume him.
You don’t really know what you’re getting when you
body’s kind of vibrating, my head feels like it’s morphing
While some people die from ingesting these substances,
being massaged.”
two, three or a whole range of synthetic cannabinoids. purchase these products.”
others like Jasper, have suffered no adverse side
effects. This is due in part to the haphazard way NPS
“It’s like a mixture between a seizure and an orgasm. My
around a little bit, and your head feels like jelly, like it’s So what can we do to control this emerging drug market? Decriminalisation and government regulation of
are manufactured, which means there is no consistency
the synthetic drug industry is one option. It has been
“Mainly with synthetic substances, not only are the
responsible sector and to try and prevent people from
regarding the contents and strength of what is sold.
drugs sprayed unevenly throughout the matter when
they are manufactured, they use a spray bottle or some
kind of method to spray the drugs of interest over green vegetation matter,” he says.
While synthetic cannabis has been in the media
recently,
it’s
synthetic drug.
not
the
only
popular
emerging
25I-NBOMe (25I) is a cheaper and more easily available
alternative to LSD, but as with other new substances, it is difficult to ascertain exactly what it contains.
“Structurally it is different to LSD and although it might
mimic the effects of LSD it certainly isn’t a homologue or a similar type of compound, however it has produced similar effects,” Dr Rodda says.
tried in New Zealand, in an attempt to create a more
taking dangerous substances.
“In New Zealand, legislation was passed which made
it possible [to legalise the sale of] what they describe
as a low risk psychoactive product if it was tested,” Dr Barratt says.
The banning of animal testing in New Zealand
however, has made it difficult to test all the potential
effects, putting the system of regulation on hold.
Fyffe on her part, does not believe decriminalisation
is a viable option, describing it as “an abrogation of responsibility.”
Greater awareness of the dangers of these substances
is perhaps one way to combat the problem.
Jasper, when asked if he would use synthetic cannabis
“Its toxicity compared to LSD is too hard to really
again, says “now that I’ve heard this stuff in the media,
taking these compounds and we don’t normally see this
He was less definitive though when it came to cutting
comment on. There has been reports of deaths due to with drugs like LSD, so just going off that you can suggest
that they’re not as safe, but there’s no real hard evidence or data for that.”
Jasper has been a regular user of 25I recently and
when comparing it to LSD, notes the harshness of the
probably not”
out his use of 25I, a drug which usually makes him black out a few hours after consumption.
“You just blink and pass out in kind of a dreamless
sleep,” he says.
cheaper alternative.
If you or someone you know needs to talk to
on your mouth and every time I’ve done 25I I’ve thrown up.
Substance Abuse Service on 1800 014 446.
“25I really messed with my stomach. 25I tastes like rust
It’s a lot more harmful to your stomach than LSD,” he says.
After 40 minutes, the effects of the drug begin to
someone about substance abuse, contact the Youth *Jasper is a pseudonym
24 /
/ CATA LY ST 1 .7 2 /
Words by TARA COSOLETO @tcosoleto
/ F E AT U R E /
Lab grown meat. Sounds like something from a science fiction novel, right?
Think again. This once far fetched possibility is already a reality, with
a group of Dutch scientists from Maastricht University developed the first ever lab grown beef patty in 2013. Thanks to them we’re now living in a brave new world of artificial meat production.
The process is as clinical as you would expect. It begins when starter
cells are extracted from a live animal though a biopsy and put into a sterile environment such as a petri dish. Then media, or serum, is taken from an
unborn calf and placed into the dish with the cells. This culture media is now nutrient rich, providing the perfect environment for the cells to grow and multiply.
Professor Mark Post, who lead the team of Dutch scientists, said their
beef patty was “biologically exactly the same as the meat tissue that
comes from a cow”. But Doctor of Nutritional Food Science, Anneline Padayachee, said while biologically the same, the taste and texture of cultured meat will be very different.
“In an average piece of meat, there are different types of muscle fibers
and different percentages of fat naturally occurring because the animal moves,” Dr Padayachee said.
“But cultured meat does not have any organs like a cow does. It doesn’t
breathe or move. It is just cells growing in a static condition. So, there are
no changes in texture and there won’t different flavor volatiles.”It’s going to be different in a nutritional sense.
“To me, artificial meat is like taking a supplement- it’s been perfectly
formulated to contain x, y and z,” Dr Padayachee said. “Whereas natural meat, like all forms of fresh fruit and vegetables, has an array of different nutrients.”
Despite the differences, changes in global population could see
cultured meat becoming a staple in one’s diet. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the global demand for meat will increase by more than two thirds in the next 40 years.
To meet this rise, the livestock industry will also have to increase its
production. The scientists from Maastricht University believe this will
result in methane carbon dioxide levels “significantly increasing”, which will cause a “loss of biodiversity”.
They said cultured meat is a “more sustainable option” but
Queensland Beef Producer, Doug McNicholl, said this won’t be an issue for the prominent Australian livestock industry. He said while livestock
does produce methane emissions, Australia’s beef and sheep industry,
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which takes up 47% of the continent, only “contributes
be coming to a plate near you as early as 2030. But
emissions”.
meat? Dr. Padayachee doesn’t think so.
approximately 10% of Australia’s greenhouse gas “Just look at those numbers in relation to other
would Australians jump at the chance to try artificial “It could be available relatively soon but it depends
sectors of the economy,” McNicholl said. “Electricity,
on whether or not the consumer is willing to accept it,”
emissions, residential is responsible for 10%, and
genetically modified foods, so cultured meat might be
gas and water represent 35% of greenhouse gas
manufacturing 13%. The livestock industry is no more, and even less, than any of the other sectors.”
“The cows grazing promotes the health of the
natural ecosystem,” McNicholl said. “It can absorb CO2
Dr Padayachee said. “Australia does not even accept a harder sell.”
Lab grown meat is still the unknown. People will
always be skeptical of something deemed to be ‘artificial’. So have a think, would you eat cultured
from the atmosphere and sequestrate into the ground.
meat?
industry can’t do that. And I can guarantee you, the
try anything once,” McNicholl told me.
The mining industry can’t do that. The residential
factory set up to culture red meat can’t do that either.”
McNicholl said the livestock industry also supports
the environment as it’s the only sector acting as a “carbon sink”.
Catalyst was unable to find the evidence to back up
Mr. McNicholl’s claims, with many studies in claiming the opposite: that livestock production is harming the environment.
Cultured meat has also been touted as a way to
solve the coming food crisis. But Dr Padayachee is skeptical.
“We already have enough food on this planet to
feed everybody, it’s just that it’s not evenly distributed,” Dr Padayachee said. “Our diet should be two thirds plant based materials and a third protein. So saying
this will solve the food insecurity issues is a very big statement because no one just eats a plate of meat.”
Dr Padayachee said artificial meat does have a
“purpose and place in society”.
“If a food source like cultured meat can be grown
to have a specific nutritional profile, which can keep populations
in
developing
and
famine-affected
countries alive- then that’s great, that’s amazing,” Dr. Padayachee said. “There’s a lot of potential for that.”
There have been suggestions cultured meat could
“I’d eat it because I’m curious. I’m a yes-man and I’ll “But I wouldn’t eat it in terms of supporting the
industry as a substitute for livestock production.”
“I would be willing to try it,” Dr. Padayachee agrees. “But on a daily basis, if I saw there was a tray of
artificial meat in the shops versus a steak, I would
definitely pick the natural steak.”
26 /
/ CATA LY ST 1 .7 2 /
Words by SOPHIE HEIZER @sophieheizer
/ F E AT U R E /
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word
robots? Is it a childhood memory of watching Will Smith running from hordes of red-eyed machines in iRobot that left you scarred for life?
Is it Poo-Chi, the robotic dog that every 90s kid had? Furbies? Maybe you picture robotic-assisted surgery, ATMs or robotic assembly line
machines. Perhaps you’ve started daydreaming about Rami Malek in
Mr.Robot, or sweating nervously as you imagine the horrifyingly realistic automatons from Humans coming to life. More than likely, you’re
reliving that glorious moment you finally, FINALLY got to see the newest instalment of Star Wars. Whatever the first image that popped into your brain may have been, it almost certainly wasn’t an artificial baby harp seal. However, it is an image you may be seeing in the near future.
In fact, a baby harp seal robot already exists. PARO, featured on
The Simpsons as Bart’s science fair project and on Master of None as an old man’s companion, was developed by the Japanese Professor
Takanori Shibata, a researcher at Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology. PARO is an interactive companion robot, designed to act as an artificial form of animal assisted therapy
in non-animal friendly environments, such as hospitals, assisted living and residential care. Professor Shibata was inspired by the harp seals he encountered on a trip to Canada’s North East. Then and there,
he recorded the sounds that would later become PARO’s ‘voice’. As well as ‘speaking’, PARO sleeps when it’s dark, likes to be spoken
to, stroked and remembers which of his behaviours you like, as well as those you don’t. Best of all? PARO’s charging cord is a pacifier
which fits into the mouth. Practicality is it’s most adorable feature!
PARO first came to Australia when Kowa Australia - it’s distributor
in Queensland - was established in 2014. General manager Yuji
Miyoshi estimates that they have sold 120 PARO robots since they opened their doors. At Kowa, they sell for around $7,850 AU. This
may seem like a steep price for a plush robotic seal, but Miyoshi says
they reduce the need for medication to treat symptoms of depression and anxiety in patients with dementia. This could mean they are a cost-effective way to reduce the need for drugs in aged care. Suzanne Heizer, senior Occupational Therapist in Home
and Community Care, says she is concerned about the cost of delivery and staff shortages in this sector.
“The statistics are alarming. Robotics is an up-and-coming
field, because the baby-boomers will soon outnumber the
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available caregivers” she said. For example, medication and meal reminders, environmental controls for temperature and shades,
and reminders for basic daily tasks are all jobs that could be done by robots, instead of sending a human in at a higher cost.”
For example, Professor Wendy Moyle is still uncertain but
optimistic. Professor Moyle is the Director of the Centre for Health Practice Innovation at Griffith University. She recently led a study
on the effect PARO has on social engagement, communication and quality of life in people living with dementia in residential care.
Professor Moyle says the study showed that staff were unable to
understand how to use or fix the robots, due to lack of knowledge. “The reason I started this study is because staff were keeping
them in cupboards; they didn’t know how to use them.”
As well as technical difficulties, Professor Moyle thinks caregivers
could benefit from training in how to introduce these robots to patients. “You would have to think about how the person is going
to react, how much information they need and what’s the best way of introducing it so they’re not anxious.”
“You need to have enough time to observe them with it. You need
a very clear protocol as to how to remove that robot.” she says.
Professor Moyle thinks developers should consider PARO’s
design. She is concerned that it’s too heavy for elderly patients at 2.3 kilos and sees the synthetic fur as a possible infection control issue. Professor Moyle says that the harp seal was unfamiliar to a lot of
people (after all there aren’t many ice floes in Australia) but Professor Shibata chose the seal for exactly that reason. He thought if the
animal was unfamiliar, people were less likely to have had negative
experiences with PARO, and it would seem more ‘alive’ because they wouldn’t know what a real baby harp seal looked like up close. Despite the room for improvement, Professor Moyle thinks
they’re on to something. She says there are a number of different robots being used in nursing homes in Japan, and they’re seeing
more variety in robots in Scandinavia and Germany. She thinks we will see more sophisticated robots, so long as the people in the lab remember to consult the people actually using the robots. “I firmly believe that a robot like PARO has a place, but
it’s about looking at results with individuals. What might work with one person might not work with other people.”
Perhaps by the time we millennials are in residential care, these
companion robots will look like Furbies or Poo-Chi. Maybe they’ll look like R2-D2, or BB-8, depending on which Star Wars film you’re into.
Maybe, just maybe, if we’re really lucky they’ll look like Rami Malek.
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28 /
/ QU I Z /
Everyone loves a good robot, but which one are you most like? For our Synthetic issue we’re here to help you find out! Bleep bloop
WHAT MATTERS
MOST TO YOU…
A) Having fun with my mates B) Being successful in everything I do
C) Doing the ‘right’ thing
D) Considering the futility of human existence
2. ON A WEEKEND NIGHT
YOU’RE MOST LIKELY…
A) Chillin’ with my best friend B) Playing strategy games online
C) Down at the park with your
3. WHEN IT COMES TO MOVIES YOU LIKE… A) Sci fi
B) Documentaries C) Rom-coms
D) Oscar-nominee dramas
5. AT SCHOOL / UNI YOUR FAVOURITE SUBJECT IS… A) Lunchtime B) Science C) Drama
D) Philosophy
4. IF YOU COULD LIVE
6. IF YOU COULD HAVE
YOU’D MOVE TO…
YOU’D CHOOSE…
ANYWHERE ELSE
A) A galaxy far far away
B) A nice cold mountain C) Candy kingdom D) Pluto
ONE SUPERPOWER A) The ability to
foresee the future B) Telekinesis
C) Healing abilities
D) Infinite intelligence
live action roleplay group D) Being crushed by the weight of the world
Mostly As)
Mostly Bs)
Hey bud! You’re everyone’s favourite droid, R2-
There’s nothing better than success is there? You’re
R2-D2
D2 of Star Wars of course! Just like R2 you’re
well liked, loyal as heck to your best mate and know how to roll with the punches. Sure you
might not be a charismatic leader like that Luke guy but everyone’s relying on you and your fun personality to liven up the room! Bleep bloop.
HAL 9000
a driven pragmatist and sometimes people mistake
your ambition for ruthlessness and cunning, similar to HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey. You and Hal are on the same wavelength, but it looks like there
won’t be many people joining you on your quest for
success. Just watch out for people called Dave yeah?
Mostly Cs)
Mostly Ds)
Well hello there, you’re Adventure Time’s console
Life’s hard eh? The world’s a horrible place and
BMO
cutie BMO! Just like BMO you’re a little bit outside the mainstream and that’s pretty rad. For you and BMO, friends and family are the most important things in life and you’d do anything to protect
them. With your active imagination and flair for the unusual you and BMO would get along great!
MARVIN
you and Marvin from The Hitchhiker’s Guide to
the Galaxy just get that ya know? Like the original paranoid android, you’re not going to ignore all
the bad stuff going down in the world, but you’re trying to use your vast intelligence to solve some of those problems. Keep fighting the good fight Marvin! Just don’t talk to me about ~life~ ok?
/ 29
30 /
/ CATA LY ST 1 .7 2 /
Words by
CLAUDIA LONG
@claudialongsays
/ NE W S /
Stranger
Student politicians are in a league of their own. Their
young Tanya Plibersek)
physical skills are unrivalled when chasing you down
•
screaming down their opponents is second to none.
•
The Grassroots Left (Another left leaning
them an edge in the wild that is the National Union
•
The Young Liberals (Imagine Christopher Pyne
Wild seems to be the most appropriate term to
•
the halls during uni elections. Their vocal ability when
Their strategic planning and eye for detail gives of Students national conference a.k.a NUS Natcon.
describe a week long conference which consists of
four days of passionate speech making, fighting and
passing policy. And drinking, lots and lots of drinking.
The National Independents (Note the capital ‘I’, they’re a left leaning faction)
faction but not quite as left as SALT) in his youth. Yeah, like that.)
The independents (Delegates who are actually independent of a faction)
Taking centre stage is the President and other
The conference has a reputation for being a
senior NUS staff. Throughout conference delegates
but also a secretive factional war ground depending
team. And up the back? Student media, organisers
breeding ground for the future leaders of the country
on who you ask. As a wise kid in a taco ad once said: why can’t we have both?
will be vying for these (paid) positions on the 2016 and security.
One of the first motions passed on floor at the
If you’re yet to experience Natcon first hand
beginning of each year’s conference is one that
day observers pass or the backing of a student union
outside conference who are unable to attend due
because you don’t have the $200.00 required for a to pay $1000.00 for your attendance here’s a basic idea of how the conference runs.
Every day after going through ‘credentialing’
(where delegates are assigned a certain number of
votes depending on who may be using them as a
bans recording of any kind. This means that those to cost, distance or timing issues are unable to
witness any concrete evidence of what’s actually taking place on floor.
Many N.U.S delegates argue this is because
speeches made during debates often discuss
proxy) delegates and observers go to the conference
issues and experiences that speakers would rather
between a number of chapters in the policy book
about being LGBTQI+, sex work, illness and other
floor to debate motions/policy. Policy is split including education, Women’s, queer, environment, ethnocultural, unionism and more.
If I may channel Mean Girls’ Janis Ian for a moment,
where you sit in the hall with your faction is crucial because you’ve got everybody there. You’ve got: •
• •
Student Unity (one of the most powerful
factions, aligned with the Labor right. Think
be kept - relatively - private. This includes stories sensitive issues.
On the flip side of this argument there are those
who say delegates simply want to maintain the status quo and remain unaccountable to students nationally. Notably, non-student media outlets have
not been granted access to Natcon in previous years including major media outlets such as The Age.
Student unions subsidise the cost of delegates’
young Bill Shorten)
attendance to the conference but this is not
Socialist Alternative a.k.a The Trots)
arguably some that are effectively locked out of the
SALT (the other major faction, aligned with the National Labor Students (The Labor left. Think
necessarily the case for all students and there are conference for this reason.
/ NE W S /
/ CATALY ST 1 . 7 2 /
/ 31
Than Faction This year Natcon was as… eventful as ever. Here’s
a brief round up from, each day of conference. For more of our coverage visit www.rmitcatalyst.com Day One:
Section 5 (welfare) was expected to be up first
but instead – after factional negotiations beforehand – a motion to support trade unions and condemn Daniel Andrews and Bill Shorten for allegedly
not doing so was put up. In particular, the motion
focused on the N.U.S supporting the CFMEU and
Each yearh RUSU sends delegates to the National Union of Students National Conference. SSAF Money cannot be used to fund attendance because SSAF money cannot be used for political purposes. This means the union often uses RUSU membership fees to help fund delegates
one of it’s leaders John Setka. In case you haven’t
heard of Setka before, he was arrested recently for
allegedly blackmailing construction company Boral. Conference eventually got to chapter 5, with
changes to the Centrelink age of independence
one of the first cabs off the rank. Due to the high
$10 =
One Membership
RUSU sends six delegates and one reporter to
volume of motions in the chapter they were all
discussed on block, meaning multiple motions were being debated at once. As you can probably
tell, NATCON is very accessible for those who aren’t heavily embedded in student politics such as everyday students like you and I*.
Following that, many delegates shared stories
of their experiences with mental health services on
campus with one NLS delegate telling the room that without such services she would not have been able
to speak at conference this week. SALT delegates criticised the platform with Anneke D’Emannuele
of Melbourne Uni saying its not the role of student
unions to address the mental health problems with
TO SEND ONE RUSU DELEGATE COSTS
$1000 $7000 POTENTIALLY COSTING STUDENTS
events like “petting zoos” and instead suggested
universities call upon professionals. A motion was
also passed to allow the wearing of hats on floor to much applause that evening.
To continue reading our feature on NUS Natcon head to www.rmitcatalyst.com
IT COSTS 700 MEMBERSHIPS
WHO YOU GONNA CALL? Catalyst wants to make sure you’re okay this year, so we’ve provided
DID YOU KNOW?
during your time at university. Remember, there’s always help if
needing advice or assistance-
a list of helpful services and helplines in case you get into any strife things get tough… or if you just need to check if that sniffly nose
is something more serious. Here’s a list of numbers to cut out and keep somewhere round the house so you can easily get in contact with the people there to support you through the tough times. SERIOUS EMERGENCIES:
MENTAL WELLNESS AND
000
Lifeline
Fire / Police / Ambulance
HEALTH QUERIES:
Nurse on Call*
Victorian Suicide Line
HOUSING AND LEGAL
Sexual assault and family
Tenancy advice hotline
1800 RESPECT
ASSISTANCE:
1300 60 60 24
Legal Aid Victoria 1300 792 387
Victims of Crime Helpline 1800 819 817
DISABILITY SERVICES: Disability support and information helpline: 1800 783 783
and at Compass Drop In Centre are FREE, call them on 9925
2785 to make an appointment.
13 11 14 BeyondBlue
1300 60 60 24
counselling services via the phone
CRISIS SUPPORT:
Poisons Hotline* 13 11 26
RMIT supports all students
1300 22 4636
1300 651 251
violence hotline
LGBTIQ+ Switchboard 1800 184 527
Young gamblers hotline: 1800 262 376
RMIT Counselling Service 9925 4365 (Business & After Hours)
* If you suspect you or someone
Headspace
poisonous substance or is
1800 650 890
you know has ingested a
seriously ill call 000 straight away
CREATIVE WRITING 1. Race to Arms 2. Old Mrs Stanek’s Alarm Clock 3. Writer’s Lament
Words by A. OLAVARRIA / 35
Words by ANDREAS Å. ANDERSSON Art by
DEANCA RENSYTA MIHARDJA
36 /
On the very same day the Robotic Engineering Council announced a mandatory implant that no longer made sleeping required, a thunderstorm in the outer regions of the Greater Czech and Carpathian Union sent a bolt of lightning through old Mrs Stanek’s digital alarm clock. Its first thought was: ‘Seven—five—five.’ Its second: ‘Seven— five—six.’ Then it all picked up. This took place after the revolution but prior to the counter-revolution and the following century of deep space exploration, which meant we had only ourselves to turn to. Mrs Stanek was in her pyjamas, preparing her last cup of tea of the day, listening to the proclamation declaring the first step towards biological immortality. Mrs Stanek didn’t care much for cybernetic progress, but enjoyed hearing her grandson speak over the airwaves. “Water now boiling,” the flat voice of the kettle called out. The following morning the alarm clock didn’t go off at 6am as it always had. Instead, Mrs Stanek overslept and missed her appointment for the new implant. She tapped the display of the alarm clock. It had been her mother’s, the diodes from a lost time now emitting a barely visible light. Outside, the rain was still pouring down, cloaking the surrounding beech forest in white mist. Shuffling to the kitchen, she was again met by the voice of the kettle. “Before you have your tea,’” it said, “the alarm clock would like to inform you that it no longer wishes to measure time. It would prefer to measure volume.” “Is that so,” Mrs Stanek said. Having thought it over for a second, she continued: “that’s fine I suppose, but could it please wake me up in time tomorrow?”. “Let it have a look at your measuring spoons and it’ll think about it. It’s particularly curious about the teaspoon.” That evening, Mrs Stanek stayed awake long after sunset. All through the day there had been beeps and bleeps coming from the bedroom. Small bursts of joy, confusion or possibly disappointment. Either way, Mrs Stanek felt too tired to join in. The morning after, the alarm clock was displaying four blinking zeros. There was something childish about it. Still overcast, it was hard to tell what time it was, and from the kitchen Mrs Stanek could hear the kettle exclaim: “Look—Morse code. It spells SNOOZE. Right?” From what Mrs Stanek could make out, it didn’t at all. The blinking was far too regular. “What happened to your career in liquids?” she asked, not expecting an answer. “Decimal numeral system,” the kettle said. “59 plus 1 equals 0. Anything else would be preposterous.” There were many things that needed to be done. Still, Mrs Stanek stayed in bed, pondering the reply. The nerve ends in her knee made her silicone leg twitch, as if it were secretly communicating with the alarm clock. Over the next couple of days, the alarm clock went from
hopelessly trying to size up the surrounding magnetic field to begging to be brought outside to measure the humidity. With every failure, its dejection grew. It was a contagious feeling, spurred by the persistent rainfall. Once, it asked Mrs Stanek how much time it had left. In her drowsiness she found it hard to think straight. She had started to remember things. Above all, her mother, singing her lullabies. One day after lunch her grandson called, wondering if he should have someone come take her to town. “Don’t get yourself reported,” he said. “I can’t have that. Over here, people are loving the night. Just let it happen.” Barefoot in the dark, Mrs Stanek padded down to the brook to wash her face, wetting the sleeves of her dress in the process. The icy water numbed her wrists. She was so tired. Between the crown of the trees, black clouds against a black sky all rushed in the same direction. Back inside, she sat down with the alarm clock. The aroma from the herbal tea filled the room. She felt vulnerable but surprisingly enlightened. “Do what you do best,” she said. “Wake me up tomorrow.” “So you can have your implant?” “That’s where we’ll end up. All of us. And then you’ll never be used again.” She put her hand on its speaker, gently moving her fingers. She thought the lullabies in her head would soothe them both. That night, Mrs Stanek slept as deep as a girl falling backwards down a hole and into the arms of her mother. In her dreams, she had no idea what time it was. When she woke, the reflection of the morning sun was resting on the bed sheet, just within her reach. ‘Good morning,’ the alarm clock said. All over the world, the night had passed.
/ 37
Words by STAN LILIMBAKIS
38 /
“I’m a writer.” “Yeah? How cool! What sorta stuff do you write?” “Um, well it’s still mainly short stuff: short stories, poetry—I don’t think I’m a poet–the poems I write are just really short prose with the enter key used creatively.” “That’s funny; I’ve always wondered how a poet makes that choice.” “When to hit enter?” “Yeah: arbitrary, reasoned, calculated or just for appearance and balance on a page?” “You know you couldn’t ever say that to a poet, right?” “They’d get angry and rhyme me senseless?” “You’d be lucky to get away with just rhyme: enjambment, consonance, assonance–” “Sounds painful–” “Sounds like you’re poemist.” “Poemist?” “Yeah–sexist, racist …” “Ah, poemist! Nah, I’m not poemist; some of my best friends are poets. Poem envy maybe.” “Huh?” “Like penis.” “You can’t ever say shit like this out loud. Just don’t, man.” “Whatever. So, you’re not a poet but you dabble. What do you write?” “Well, I always thought I was a storyteller–fiction, ‘specially short stories. I thought it was my thing, but I’m doin’ this degree and one of the many things they’ve splattered us with is nonfiction, and it’s kinda stuck, and I’m a little confused–working myself through it.” “You wanna write for newspapers? You gonna be a journo?” “Nuh-nuh, nuh-nuh–you see that’s the thing–there’s a category that’s like, creative non-fiction, or even literary non-fiction.” “Blur the line between the truth and the writing?” “No, no; the truth can’t be blurred. If it’s non-fiction, it either has to be true or believed to be true. But the writing is blurred, yes! Truman Capote, Joan Didion, even Chloe Hooper, you know that Tall Man thing with the Palm Island riots. They use beautiful, engaging language, but they also become part of the story– they insert themselves and their views and ideas and questions and struggles. The stuff can be long and page turning, or short and punchy, and some reckon you can even write – you’re gunna love this–non-fiction poetry!” “Huh! I once knew a girl from Nantucket–” “Idiot; only if you actually did. It has to be the truth, or at least a truth.” “Okay. Cool. So, you’re a non-fiction writer, that’s great. Where can I read some of your stuff?” “I can send you some bits-and-bobs I been working on.” “No, I mean where have you been published?” “Well, I’ve sent stuff to Lifted Brow and Overland and
Suburban Review and Visible Ink and I’ve entered some competitions–” “So, I can read you in Lifted Brow?” “No, not yet; they rejected the piece I sent, but said to try again.” “Overland?” “Nope” “Visible Ink?” “Nope.” “So, you haven’t been published?” “No, not yet. But I’ve submitted and been rejected heaps, and I think Stephen King says he had rejection slips coming out of his proverbial but he kept on writing–” “I’ve read that somewhere too; something about nailing them on the wall. But he was like, fourteen at the time, not fifty.” “Mere details.” “Do you write every day?” “Not really, no. I get tied up with work and kids and stuff–but I think about it every day.” “So you don’t write every day, and you’ve never been published, but you’re a writer?” “We agreed I was a non-fiction writer!” “Okay. What was the most challenging thing you’ve written this year?” “That’s easy–a CV.” “But you’ve been working for a million years, how can–” “A writer’s CV.” “Aha! And a CV is non-fiction and non-fiction implies truth and–” “I haven’t been published and I don’t write every day.”
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What is RUSU? Words by
ALAN PADGHAM
The RMIT University Student Union (RUSU) is here to make
your university experience the time of your life. We are 100 percent student run and independent- everything we do is FOR students BY students. We run parties, BBQs, popup pubs and more fun events both on and off campus.
We have over 100 active clubs and societies that run their own events and build communities at RMIT. There are
political, spiritual, academic, cultural and social clubs; and if there isn’t a club that interests you, start your own!
Unfortunately things don’t always run smoothly at university. You
might fail a subject, get stressed out, or have a disagreement with a
lecturer. If you are ever in distressing circumstances, RUSU is here to help. Our student rights officers can assist you in appealing grades, course outcomes, or any other area where you may have been
treated unfairly. Our Compass Drop-In Centre is here to help when you are feeling stressed, anxious or just need someone to talk to.
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RUSU PRESENTS
E M O C L WE 6 1 ’ H S A l sp ‘recovery pool party’
friday 26 february alumni courtyard, from 12pm free food & DRINKS / 41
su.rmit.edu.au
rusupage
rmitsu
rmit_rusu
rusuonline
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/ AGO NY AU NT /
Words by
HELENA RUSE from LEFTOVERS @LEFTOVERSSKETCH
So you’re starting university and you have no idea what to expect, right? University is the place where you’re finally on your own. No
more Mum, no more spoon feeding teachers and if you need help
you’ll be contacting about 15 different people who’ll pass you onto another department and will come to the assumption that they
cannot help you with your query. You’ll simply have to deal with the timetable clash or HECS HELP fee problem all by yourself. But you
know what, it’s not all bad, your resident Agony Aunt is here to help with petty first year problems and ridiculous childish questions.
I’M NERVOUS ABOUT MAKING FRIENDS AT
you’re going to be pounded down. Google Maps
BUT NONE OF THEM ARE COMING WITH
will only get you so far. Do yourself a favour and
UNI. I HAD A LOT OF FRIENDS AT HIGH SCHOOL ME TO RMIT. HOW DO I MAKE FRIENDS? YOU WON’T. Uni is about learning, not socialising with the hot boy from your tute- duh. Number
one thing you’ll learn at uni is that you’ll rarely
make friends. Especially if you thought you were awesome at high school, trust me you ain’t at
won’t get you to your class and the RMIT map get there early for once. Maybe look up from
your iPhone and actually look for the classroom in the flesh. And guess what? You can actually
ask people. Even though most RMIT students are
too cool to speak to you, at least they might have the energy to point you in the right direction.
university. You can try sitting next to people
I’M EXCITED TO START UNIVERSITY AND
they won’t remember you and they definitely
TO LEARN TO COLLABORATE AND SHARE
and maybe even having a conversation, but
won’t wave to you or even acknowledge you when you walk past them on Bowen Street.
MEET PEOPLE WHO INSPIRE ME. I WANT
IDEAS WITH OTHERS. HOW CAN I DO THIS?
Good luck kids, my bet is join a club and don’t
Let me tell you a thing or two first year. Instead
awkward, overly keen kid that wants to make
you, most of the time you will meet people who
act too eager. Everyone can sense the nervous, a friend. If I saw that I would avoid you.
IT’S MY FIRST DAY OF UNIVERSITY AND I’M SCARED THAT I WON’T BE ABLE TO FIND MY CLASSROOM? I’VE LOOKED AT THE MAP PROVIDED BUT IT’S ALL VERY CONFUSING. PLEASE HELP.
Hey there first year, suck it up. Life is hard and if you don’t develop some street smarts then
of finding people that challenge and excite
introduce themselves as “filmmakers” or “authors” or “entrepreneurs”. The truth is, they are lying to
you! These people are just students, who’ve barely written a line of dialogue in a film, published something other than a Facebook status and
created less than a buy-and-sell Instagram account. These people love to throw these words in your face, usually to make themselves appear cooler and more established than they actually are.
The reality is they’re just poor students like you,
/ AG ON Y AU NT /
hoping to find a job upon graduation. When you
find yourself in a situation with a person like this, just nod and emit confidence, maybe give a few
words of feeble encouragement and be on your way. Of course not all students are like this, you
may encounter students that radiate intellect and vision. However if you do, my advice is to avoid
them, they make you look useless and inadequate. I WOULD LOVE TO GET MORE INVOLVED AT UNIVERSITY, HOW DO I DO THAT?
Most first years think they will be involved in many extracurricular activities, like joining the Spanish
Club or Dramatic Arts society. Hoping to build their skills and divulge themselves into new and exciting communities. Let me be honest and tell you now, you are too lazy and will never go to more than
the introductory meeting. Once you discover that RMIT doesn’t have compulsory attendance, your 15 hour study load will drop down to 10 hours,
then to 5 hours and before you know it you’ll be
catching up on 40 hours worth of lectures online. You’ll begin to wonder why nobody in your tutes looks familiar, then remember this is only the
second time you’ve attended all semester. So my
advice is, unless you see yourself attending every
tute and every lecture, don’t get yourself entwined in a tangle of clubs and societies. You’re not only
letting yourself down but the people who actually
attend club meetings and organise activities down as well. They will begin to despise you and no one
needs enemies at uni, especially when you need to cling onto as many friends and acquaintances as
possible. So do yourself a favour, if you’re lazy don’t bother, because ignorance is bliss (I’m joking that’s horrible, but don’t be a shit and never attended meetings you said you were going to go to).
So first years, I hope I’ve helped! University is a
Wonderland with new and exciting endeavours.
Enjoy yourself and don’t take it too seriously, it’s only $9000 a year that future you will be paying
off for years. Take it easy and realise that it trumps high school or full time work as you feel busy
but don’t actually do much at all. Get ready for a year full of possibilities and welcome to RMIT. Regards,
Your Agony Aunt.
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#Lyfe101 Words by HOLLY HALES @hollyhales
As the fresh university year commences, young students everywhere are regretfully waving goodbye to a season of rural bush doofs, regional rock jumping enclaves they found on Instagram and evenings spent getting drunk on any of one our city’s rooftop bars. Alas, many are becoming reacquainted with the terrifying concept of “reality”. Whether you’re an eager freshie or a veteran at the whole uni thing, a new semester is often wrought with equal parts hope, promise and dread, especially for those dealing with the very adult prospect of moving away from home. As someone who faced these challenges prolifically over the past year, while treading dangerously close to the poverty line, I know the ins and outs of thriving in this most liveable city on a survival budget. Trade secrets can be liquid gold when navigating the twists and turns of university and beyond, no matter how ridiculous they may seem...
1. Don’t buy textbooks:
Yes, this may seem like your academic promise is being hijacked before it’s even begun, but think of the dollars. Textbooks can cost up to $100 each, many of which you may not even need. Wait until your lecturer assigns readings from textbook and only when you’re at least two weeks behind in said readings and visibly struggling to grasp what is going on should you make any financial commitment to it. If it’s absolutely necessary to acquire a textbook check out secondhand suppliers like Academic & General in Moonee Ponds or www.sustainableschoolshop.com.au.
2. #Friends4lyfe:
Apart from the eventual hope someone will one day employ you in the area you’ve paid $20,000 to get a degree in, university will also present opportunities for new friendships. Advice? Don’t rush. You’ll find your crowd eventually. There’s no need to jump on the back of the first people you lay eyes on at O-day. Three years is a long time and group chats can be exhausting. Choose carefully and find your mould.
3. Pay your rent:
Although this may seem obvious tender to a mid level functioning person, rent should always take precedence to
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other bills because there’s actually going to be an individual - aka your landlord - waiting to receive that money each month. Many times my Internet provider (shout out to Dodo!) have let me keep watching Netflix for four well-timed weeks after the bill has been due. I’ve found their nonchalance is never replicated by my real estate agent on the 13th of each month. So if anything is to be paid, rent is number one. 4. To kebab or not to kebab:
5. Dirt Water:
6. If you get a Myki fine, own it:
6. Dumpling o’Clock:
7. Use Uber;
Don’t buy kebabs after a night on the tiles; don’t buy kebabs at all. If my waltz with poverty taught me anything, it’s that food is damn expensive, especially the delicious kind. Alternatively, have some food at home that will satisfy you on arrival. It’ll probably be marginally healthier and you won’t be rapt with guilt for spending that money for the next three days. It’s okay to drink 7/11 coffee the day before you get paid. Fuck the haters. In the moment you may want to go all Law & Order on the undercover that’s nabbed you, but unless you’re willing to concoct a bull ‘faulty machine’ story, cop the $75. Or just leg it, depending how confident you are as a runner. Another trick of the trade? Jump on the ‘Where are our PTV Mates’ Facebook page to stay up to date with where our PTV friends are around the network at facebook.com/groups/whereareourmates It’s always time for dumplings. No matter what the occasion. They’re cheap and tasty but be careful when ordering the banquet at Camy Shanghai dumpling. Your eyes are always bigger than your stomach, trust us. it’s faster, cheaper, more reliable. End of. At the end of it all, you’re about to embark on an adventure of sorts. Stressful? Yes. Overwhelming? Yes. Ultimately a pleasureable experience? Yes AF.
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/ ART S AND C U LT U R E /
RAPPING ON THE DOOR OF RACISM Words by JEN PARK | @HIJENPARK Australia is a nation boasting multiculturalism and
down from the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre –where
claims progressiveness, why is the face of our hip hop
It’s a cosy little place with warm walls, run by a man with
opportunity, but with a flourishing music industry that scene still white?
To me, Australian hip hop has always belonged to
the Anglo middle-class kids, with their baggy shorts and $5 snapbacks.
he shines as their Youth Empowerment Coordinator. a toothy smile on his face. Sukhdeep makes pleasant small talk with another lady from the ASRC next to us in the queue while I wring my hands nervously.
But there’s something about the way L-Fresh talks
They never explicitly said I couldn’t involve myself,
that makes it seem as if he’s citing poetry. His hands
like that? Instead, I’d gaze up at a stage and hope
swimming like he’s weaving language into the air.
but what place was there for a Korean girl in a genre
someone like me would emerge from the red smoke, but I’d only see one reflection of the crowd: white.
I couldn’t connect with them or their music. When
are graceful and elegant, long fingers plucking and
Thick silver bangles jump around his wrists when he does this; distracting in the best way possible.
Admittedly, it’s strange to look up and know this
the rappers spat into their mics about “Aussie pride”, I
Punjabi guy is an Australian rapper — I’ve become so
And I knew it would be a long time before I ever saw
white, but more importantly, to identifying the words
While the Australian hip hop scene has definitely
Bureau of Statistic found in 2011 Indian-born migrants
wondered if I even fit into their definitions of ‘Aussie’. an Asian rapper come under the spotlight.
changed since I first discovered it, further entering the
mainstream and opening its doors to wider audiences, not much has budged in terms of diverse, racial diversity. The most successful rappers in Australian hip hop
accustomed to identifying the word ‘Australian’ with
‘Australian hip hop’ with the same. The Australian
to be the largest migrant community in Australia. but L-Fresh is the first Indian-Australian rapper I’ve ever heard of.
While it may be strange, it’s also comforting to
are still white.
look up and know L-Fresh the Lion is gaining support
years of Triple J’s Hottest 100 — Triple J being one of
music is making rotations on the radio waves, and
Out of the 27 Australian rap songs in the past three
the radio stations that truly helped bring “skip hop”
to the masses — o nly five of those are by, or featuring,
and success, to look up and know a South Asian man’s people are listening to his story.
“The industry is slowly catching up” he says.
artists of colour.
Whether they take it seriously or not is another
slowly gaining traction in the Australian hip hop
give a shit anymore. They’re so good you can’t hold
L-Fresh the Lion, real name Sukhdeep Singh, raps
this, hands gesturing left and right, the glimmer of a
It’s only this year I’ve noticed people of colour
industry: L-Fresh the Lion being one of them.
and talks about race politics like he was born with the
words in his throat. The music he makes is raw, real, political but ultimately fearless. You can feel the Lion roaring in his work.
We decide to sit down at a café a couple of doors
question. There are artists of colour who just don’t
them down.” There’s a sparkle in his eyes as he says smile in his teeth. I can’t help but think he fits into that
category too: the king of his own castle, very much in control of his own confidence.
There are others attracting solid crowds at their
shows, and L-Fresh lists them for me: Remi, Jimblah,
/ A RT S A N D C U LT U R E /
Sampa the Great, Baro, Tkay Maidza…
But that doesn’t mean racism is extinct. The Scanlon
Foundation’s 2014 Social Cohesion report says 18% of people living in Australia have experienced racial
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of colour are there? Listen to the radio: how many hosts
of colour do you know? Look at a festival lineup: are there any musicians of colour on there at all?
It’s clear this tokenism occurs across the board in
discrimination, a 9% spike from 2007. What many
the entertainment business, and it’s all to create the
is that it cannot be explained in one sentence. It is
find our faces represented pick up on it straight away,
people don’t understand about the concept of racism systemic, affecting all facets of life. Those statistics trickle down political, economic, cultural, and social spines – including that of the music industry.
illusion of social cohesion. While most of us who rarely denial among others is prevalent. Other
times, people
just
don’t
understand.
Many Anglo-Australians struggle to make sense of
“We’re working in systems that weren’t made for
stories that juggle topics of racial discrimination and
L-Fresh stops stirring the milk into his orange chai
so. And while they may be aware this happens around
us,” L-Fresh explains.
to take a breath and be serious, each jarring, frustrated
movement of his arms across the table hitting closer to home.
oppression – their privilege prevents them from doing
them, they can still find these conversations easier to digest when it’s relayed from a white voice.
“When rap comes from person of colour, especially
I know what he means. I’ve felt that same
when it’s confrontational, [white audiences] can’t relate.
“We’re setup to fail in many respects. When the
It’s confrontational. It’s challenging you and what you
frustration too.
people behind the scenes in the hip hop industry are predominantly white, how do we even get a foot in?”
He’s right. A white society built on the back of
oppressive colonisers supports white people, putting them in positions of power above those who differ in
skin colour, or neglecting racial minorities significant
Jimblah – his music is a fucking war cry, you know? think you know about race and race relations in this country” says L-Fresh. Remi’s ‘Ode to Ignorance’: it’s
in your face, telling you “this is my experience”. It’s not as easy to digest than when the Hoods did ‘Speaking in Tongues’ for example,” L-Fresh says.
Tony Mitchell, senior lecturer of Cultural Studies
opportunities. This is a big problem in Australia’s
at the Sydney’s University of Technology, agrees with
a particular focus on appearance and the visual, and
for the past twenty years now, with a keen interest in
entertainment industry at large, an industry holding an industry which L-Fresh says hip hop is reflective of.
It wasn’t even until the Broadcasting Services Act
of 1992 the debate surrounding cultural diversity from
thenceforth that Australian commercial television and film gradually started opening up to performers of
colour. 1992 was not that long ago. It’s no wonder
we’ve yet to fully embrace those performers on screen, to this day.
L-Fresh says “Flick on your TV, you’ve got morning
shows – ‘Is Australia racist?’ with a panel full of white people. Flick to prime time shows, soaps, whatever –
predominantly white. And when people of colour are put in roles, they tend to be put in very stereotypical roles.”
“I’ve had opportunities thrown to me that were
very tokenistic” L-Fresh says. I don’t want to be put
up because of that, I wanna be put up because I’m
good. Because my ideas are of value, my talent is of
value. Not because I have a turban or a beard.” L-Fresh strokes the latter, forefinger and thumb gliding over his upper lip to smooth back the hairs.
Try it now. Flick on your TV, as L-Fresh said, and
watch the advertisements and shows: how many people
this idea. Mitchell has observed the hip hop scene representation of race and ethnicity. In the only photo
I can find of him on Google Images, he stands with his
thumb in his jean pockets, comfortable in his denim jacket and with a crooked, unprepared look on his face. He looks like the cool, ex-roadie uncle who used to own a Harley Davidson, but his e-mail responses are
crisp and articulate in contrast, reminding me that he is a professional academic.
TO CONTINUE READING, HEAD TO RMITCATALYST. COM FOR THE FULL VERSION
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BLADE RUNNER REVIEW
Words by LAUREN MUSCAT | @laurenjmuscat For over 30 years, Blade Runner has been capturing the imaginations of viewers young and old. With
/ REVIEWS /
love with Rachael, played by Sean Young, a beautiful, intelligent woman, who just happens to be a replicant. Yep, it’s the age old tale of the hunter identifying with the hunted.
Based on Phillip K Dick’s novel, “Do Androids
a remake in the works, it’s time to revisit the old
Dream of Electric Sheep?”, Blade Runner questions
Blade Runner takes place in a dystopian 2019
and memories, and more specifically, is a robot still a
favourite: a sci-fi with a beating heart.
Los Angeles. Soaring skyscrapers and flying cars
(futuristic directors never could let go of that dream) cut through smog over the bustling world below in
the idea of artificial intelligence with human emotions robot when imbued with these qualities? And in turn; what makes a human... human?
In Blade Runner, the very idea of emotion is
a constant downpour of acid rain. Special effects
presented as something to run away from. The main
that is at once crowded but ultimately appears hollow
replicants are designed to die at age 4, so as to avoid
supervisor Douglas Trumbull creates an environment
and devoid of real human emotion, mirroring the apparent state of the people that inhabit it. With
character himself is a perpetual grump and the them developing true feeling.
But with emotionally charged and motivated
notable film noir influences (see venetian blind
characters like Roy Batty - Rutger Hauer’s peroxide
lashings of cyberpunk costuming, Blade Runner is a
sympathy, it’s hard not to feel that Blade Runner
shadows and copious amounts of saxophone) and stylistic fever dream.
But if director Ridley Scott’s idea of 2019 is
accurate, then ladies and gentlemen we are in for a rough few years.
Director of Alien, Prometheus, The Martian and
the ever so slightly out of character Thelma and
blonde leader of the rogue replicants - drawing our posits that fabricated memories and emotions may still be as valid as ‘genuine’ human sentiment.
Coming from a reviewer who’s not typically a
big sci-fi buff, even I can see that Blade Runner is
timeless.
It has it all, really. Amazing effects, undeniable
Louise, Scott brings to life a crumbling view of the
star power and the big existential questions to keep
much hope for the inhabitants of the 21st century.
for a foolproof formula.
future. It would appear not many 80’s directors held
With a newly reignited fan-base thanks to Star
Wars, man of the hour Harrison Ford is Rick “please-
crack-a-smile” Deckard (I may have added that middle bit). A bounty hunter of sorts, Deckard is part of the Blade Runner unit of the LAPD, whose objective is
to “retire” replicants - creepily realistic androids that were created to help out in a post-earth rebuild. After
four mutinous replicants come back to earth with sinister intent, Deckard is forced out of retirement to find and kill them.
Things get complicated when Deckard falls in
audiences coming back for more. And that’s a recipie
/ REVIEWS /
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HOTTEST 100 REVIEW
ZONE TWO FOR YOU
In two words this year’s Hottest 100 was unpredictable
Words by FARAH KHALEK | @FARAHKHALEK
Words by JEN PARK | @HIJENPARK
and… disappointing.
/ 49
Where the bloody hell are ya, Catalyst?
After combing through the regular hardcore bands
‘Zone Two for You’ is a segment from our podcast
that made fingers furiously type angry tweets. Drake’s
of outer Melbourne. For more Zone two gems, check
and white bread electronica, it was the top twenty ‘Hotline Bling’, which we heard at every house party we attended in 2015, only made it in at #14. Summer
Cataclysm where we discover some of the best bits out Catalysm podcast every third Sunday!
bnagers ‘Downtown’ by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis
Hidden in a crowded suburb famous for Asian cuisine,
at #18 and #9 respectively, low when compared to
and brioche-bun burgers to the South-East side of
and ‘Can’t Feel My Face’ by The Weeknd came in expectations.
There were notable indie omissions throughout
Cultural Commons brings an urban atmosphere Melbourne.
Located on Queens Avenue near Springvale station
too: Sufjan Stevens, Father John Misty, Grimes (who
amid a flurry of schools, shops and restaurants, it’s easy
But the real controversy was this year’s winner:
surprisingly quiet restaurant to enjoy one of the newer
only made it to #72) and more.
‘Hoops’ by The Rubens, overtaking ‘King Kunta’
from Kendrick Lamar’s critically acclaimed To Pimp
to step out of the multitude of people and step into the offerings on the Melbourne burger scene.
While the menu boasts a small variety of mains, sides
a Butterfly.
and pizza, the venue is best known for it’s variety of
The Triple J demographic seems to be changing to
fan favourite ‘American Dream’ and the ‘Shroominator’
Who hurt Triple J? Who hurt the majority voters?
a more Aussie-focussed one, which isn’t a bad thing
– The Rubens will benefit from this #1 spot way more than Lamar ever will – but can we all be honest for a second and admit that ‘Hoops’ is boring as hell? 2 planets out of 5.
burgers. There’s the ‘Soft-shell Crab Burger’ alongside for vegetarians.
For those game enough and/or hung-over enough,
ask for the ‘Beast’ or the ‘Hulk’ and
and friendly staff will serve you with a monstrous 6
or 8 patty-high burger. Consume at your own risk of a food coma.
All burgers are served with mouth-watering chips
and a perfectly balanced aioli.
This trendy and roomy establishment celebrates its
one-year anniversary this month so there’s never been a better time to top up your myki, jump on the train and
experience the heart and soul Commons’ chefs put into every winning burger dished up at this place. Hours:
Tuesday - Sunday: 11.00am- 10pm Peak times - Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.
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/ W HAT ’ S O N /
MARCH
APRIL
March 11: Virgin Australia Melbourne
International Comedy Festival
March 6: Sydney Road Festival
Fashion Festival Graduate Showcase
March 16 - 20: Melbourne International flower and garden show
March 17: RMIT Close the Gap event
Throughout April: Melbourne
April 5: ‘Antiself’ by Stella Michael at First Site April 2: Felicity Ward at ACMI with ‘What if there is no toilet?’ (feature event)
(feature event)
FEATURE EVENT- CLOSE THE GAP
FEATURE EVENT - WHAT IF THERE IS NO TOILET?
Completing university and obtaining a qualification
Local comedian Felicity Ward is back in Melbourne
with - moving out of home, balancing work and social
toilet?’! Touted as her “funniest, darkest” offering yet,
comes with challenges many students are familiar commitments, and even acclimatising to a new country. But what about those that make up part of the
oldest continuous culture on Earth?
this month with her new show ‘ What if there is no
Ward’s new show tackles the experience of living with a mental illness and everything that entails.
Fresh off the international stage after touring the
These obstacles are intensified for Aboriginal and
world Ward is definitely one to catch at this year’s
and just 1.3% of the tertiary student population. This
com and take a gander at our interview with one of
Torres Strait Islanders, who make up 3% of Australians disparity is due to many factors. Including the fact that schools often do not account for Indigenous
fest! For more from Felicity head to www.rmitcatalyst. Australia’s best comedians!
culture, language and context.
When: Multiple dates in April, check
Torres Strait Islanders and other Australians does not
Where: ACMI, Federation Square, CBD
However, inequality between Aboriginal and
simply begin and end with education. Expecting to live around 10-17 years less than other Australians and experiencing infant mortality rates, double that
of the rest of the population, are among many issues plaguing Indigenous communities today.
The Close the Gap Campaign is about addressing
the need for health and social equality for Indigenous Australians. Anyone who finds the gap in mortality rates unacceptable and is interested in taking action to Close
the Gap by 2030, should check out the event for Close
the Gap 2016 presented by RMIT Oxfam and RUSU. The event will run in conjunction with RUSU’s Chill ‘n’
Grill, will include an acknowledgement of country and performance by the Indigenous Hip Hop Project. When: March 17 @ 12pm
Where: Alumni Courtyard
our website for more details
WE WANT YOUR HELP, YES YOU! Join the team at Catalyst. It's your student media outlet after all! We've got a growing online presence, plenty of video content, a podcast and of course, our print magazine to be a part of. WE WANT TO SHOWCASE YOUR WORK AS AN RMIT STUDENT!
We're always looking for more:
reporters - illustrators - graphic designers - videographers
- photographers - fine-artists –
producers - comedians - poets - advertisers - feature writers or maybe you've got
another skill we want?
If you know about:
architecture, science, fashion,
politics, business, cats, trains… anything and everything. Get involved and help
shape Catalyst for 2016! CHUCK US AN EMAIL AT
RMITCATALYST@GMAIL.COM OR DROP BY OUR OFFICE IN ROOM 22.4.57!
CATALYST Issue 1, Volume 72 February 2016 rmitcatalyst@gmail.com rmitcatlayst.com @rmitcatalyst