The Magdalen D U N D E E
U N I V E R S I T Y
S T U D E N T S ’
M A G A Z I N E
ISSUE 26 | DECEMBER 2011
Unpaid Internships Does it all add up?
Exclusi ve Reader Offer: Page 13 MURDO FRASER INTERVIEW GREENROOM READER OFFER DUNDEE ICE ARENA THEMAGDALEN.CO.UK - FACEBOOK.COM/THEMAGDALEN Issue 26 indd.indd 1
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FREE INDEPENDENT, CONFIDENTIAL & IMPARTIAL ADVICE ON YOUR RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES OPENING TIMES
WEDNESDAY 10am - 1pm THURSDAY 1pm - 4pm LOCATION
ADVICE TEAM RECEPTION, LEVEL 4 DUSA
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The Magdalen Reader Offer! Page 13
Graduate Fog Page 20
Interview: Murdo Fraser Page 8
Man Made Origin
Dundee Ice Arena Page 20
Unpaid Interships Page 18
Contents Editorial Campus News
Current Affairs
Student Finace Companies UCAS admits its flaws Interview: Murdo Fraser
Lifestyle
Snickerdoodles Sweet Pepper and Feta Filo Parcels Your Questions Answered Greenroom Reader Offer
Art
Startle Reaction - Torsten Lauschmann
Features
Two Child Policy Kilimanjaro Un-paid Internships The Graduate Fog Contents Issue 26 indd.indd 3
4 5
Fashion
6 7 8
Entertainment
10 11 12 13 14 16 17 18 20 The Magdalen
Re- Gifting Campus Style Call of Field 3: Fall of War Man Made Origin The Hazey Janes Movie Reviews
Travel
Coming Home for Christmas The Palace of Minos
Sport
Sport Corner NFL Mid-Season Dundee Ice Arena Sport Union News
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22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 34
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EDITORIAL Hello, and welcome back to Issue 26 of The Magdalen, December 2011. Despite the impending exam mayhem ahead, we’ve brought you another jampacked edition of your monthly magazine, with more interviews, opinion, exclusive reader offers and even a competition to win tickets to the infamous Xmas Party at DUSA! Have you ever done an Unpaid Intership? Well Mariclaire White, Features Writer, explores the topic, and asks if it’s really fair. Michael Baird, Sports Writer, took a trip up to the Dundee Ice Arena to catch some Ice Hockey action. (Yes, Dundee has a Proffesional Ice Hockey team, and they’re awesome!) Did you see us on campus this month? We handed out over 200 cotton bags, and over 1,000 copies of The Magdalen. As you can see, the team this month, has done a fantastic job. We’ve some big surprises instore for next issue. Happy Holidays, Finlay Craig
This issue of The Magdalen was brought to you by: Published By: Navid Gornall, DUSA, Airlie Place, Dundee, DD1 4HP - vpc@dusa.co.uk Printed By: Winter & Simpson Print, 16 Duninane Ave., Dundee, DD2 3QT Editor in Chief: Finlay Craig - themagdalen@dusa.co.uk Assistant Editors of: Submissions: Emma Gaffney & Melina Nicolaides Production: Ana Hine & Mhairi Rutherford Online: Ashley Dorning, Henritetta Evans & Ciara McFadden
Category Editors
Production
Current Affairs: Alex Shilling Feautres: Colette McDiarmaid Entertainment: Kevin Fullerton Sport: Clare McCaughey Art: Ana Hine Lifestyle: Mhairi Rutherford Travel: Danielle Ames Fashion: Katarzyna Nazarewicz
Marketing: Nicholas Manderson Photography: Steven Fullerton Graphic Design: Jamie Law, Cassie Morrison, Danielle Ames, Michael Baird & Cilein Kearns Proof Reading: Ailsa Dempsey & Mariclaire White
Contributors Finlay Craig, Rebecca Shearer, Geraint James, Alex Shilling, Fiona Lindsay, Mhairi Rutherford, Thomas Dale, Colette Mcdiarmid, Kevin Fullerton, Jenny Wood, Rose Matheson, Mariclaire White, Ana Hine, Megan Hutton-Smith, Katarzyna Nazarewicz, Martyn Simpson, Andy Sharp, Fergus Cruickshank, , Harrison Kelly, Cody Henry, Clare McCaughey, Greg Smith, , Michael Baird, Nikolay Mikhaylyuk
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Editorial 30/11/2011 19:23
CAMPUS NEWS Abertay University, Dundee University will remain ‘autonomous’
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After much talk and speculation a joint statement has been released from the University of Abertay Dundee, the University of Dundee, Dundee College and the Scottish Funding Council regarding the proposed merger between certain institutions. The statement read - ‘Following a very open and positive discussion, Abertay University, Dundee University and Dundee College have agreed that they will remain autonomous and independent bodies, with distinctive missions, visions and values. The three institutions have further agreed, with the support of the Scottish Funding Council, to engage in detailed discussions on options for closer collaboration that will enhance their contribution to achieving the Scottish Government’s aims and objectives for post-16 education across Scotland.’ The Magdalen are pleased to hear this news, but remain cautious of the ‘closer collaboration’ mentioned, and hope that
any such collaboration, would be in the interests of enhancing education, and not cutting costs. 2011 Scottish Universities Boxing Championships to be held in Dundee
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undee Universities are pleased to announce that the 2011 Scottish Universities Boxing Championships shall be held in DUSA The Union on Saturday 3rd December, 2.00 – 8.00 pm. Bouts will be held in the Mono Nightclub at Airlie Place in front of an anticipated crowd of several hundred. The joint University of Dundee and University of Abertay side includes 2010 champion Phil Berry and seven other fighters. Club captain Alex Hoccom will compete in the light-heavyweight class and spoke of his eagerness to perform in front of a home crowd. Hoccom added: “Representing Dundee, in Dundee, will make a massive difference. “I have fought in several places in England hundreds of miles away from home with just my coach. “I think the
advantage of a home crowd is that ninetyper-cent of the spectators will be cheering you on, and in any sport this is a significant advantage.” If you’d like to go along tickets, which cost £5, are available in advance from the Dundee club and the University Sports Union offices at Airlie Place. Spectators can also pay on the door. DUSA Responds to Halloween Incident
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USA Dundee have released a statement following up from the disruptions at the annual Halloween party. The statement read - ‘While we understand this may have caused frustration for our patrons, especially those who had acquired a wrist band, on this occasion safety was paramount and we appreciate superseding any other consideration.’ ‘Our next event is The Only Way Is Xmas with special guest Arg from The Only Way Is Essex.’ ... ‘We look forward to providing you with a proper send off before the Christmas break as always safe and free from harm.’
The Magdalen Xmas Competition FIVE PAIRS OF XMAS TICKETS UP FOR GRABS!
If you’ve been living under a rock, or in the Library, then you might not know it’s already November, and the annual DUSA Xmas party, on December 16th, is only a few exams away. So we’ve teamed up with DUSA to bring you a fun and easy competition to get your hands on one of 5 pairs of tickets for ‘The Only Way is Xmas’ party, feauturing, James Argent from ‘The Only Way Is Essex’. The perfect way to celebrate the end of exams and the start of your holidays!
So here is what you’v got to do to enter:
FRI 16 DEC 8PM - 3:30AM | ALL BUILDING | £5
JAMES ARGENT THE ONLY WAY IS ESSEX
SNOW PARTY XMAS SHAKE SANTA'S GROTTO XMAS KARAOKE XMAS CINEMA
1. Grab a copy of The Magdalen (available in DUSA The Union, the Library, The Tower Building, and around campus) 2. Take a picture of you reading your copy of The Magdalen, in a Santa hat, somewhere strange on campus. 3. Post it on The Magdalen Facebook Page www.facebook.com/themagdalen That’s it! The competition ends on December 15th @ 3PM, so get cracking with those pictures!
TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW FROM
Best of luck, and see you there!
DUSA.co.uk/XMAS Students from all universities and Dundee College welcome. Every student can sign-in four guests. Over 18’s only. Dundee University Students’ Association (DUSA) Registered Scottish Charity Number Sc016047
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The Magdalen
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Student finance companies:
Super-efficient or superficial?
REBECCA SHEARER
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o you feel supported by our student loan services? According to recent figures, over 130,000 Scottish students received funding from the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) last year, with almost £572 million in total being distributed - 1.9% higher than the year before. Many have suggested that this is because more funding options are becoming available to students, such as the eligibility to apply for a student loan while studying abroad for a year or claiming travel expenses to their educational institution. In a government report published this year, SAAS, in 2010-11, paid out £571.9 million in awards, tuition fees and loans and a further 68,960 students were given non-repayable awards, a significant 13.3% increase from the year before. However, both agencies have been feeling the strain of these testing financial times and have experienced a severe lack in staffing and funding. Increasing numbers of students are finding their SAAS and Student Finance payments arriving late - or in the worst cases, not at all. This is not a new problem. In December 2009, then SLC chief executive, Ralph Seymour-Jackson, was put under intense pressure
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to resign after thousands of students did not receive some or all of their promised grants, with those on disabled allowances and means-tested grants being worst affected. The situation had come about after a crisis saw a computer system ground to a halt, the SLC forced to revert to manually inputting applications and gridlock on their helplines. A report at the time, ordered by the universities minister and South Tottenham MP David Lammy, said that the SLC failed to pay for enough people to staff the phones at the busiest time of the year, leaving it hopelessly under-resourced in the peak weeks after A-level results and as term started. With the cuts imposed by the new coalition government, the situation is only depreciating. There has been a feeling amongst students for a while that SAAS and SLC are not performing at the levels they should be. I decided to do some independent research and spoke to various students across the country about their experiences with SAAS and Student Finance. One girl who is studying Biology and English Literature at Glasgow University talked
The Magdalen
about how, last year, she had applied for a student loan before the deadline and waited months without hearing from SAAS. So, she visited their headquarters in Edinburgh to chase up her application. To her surprise, her enquiry took only ten minutes to be dealt with. Many students will find this surprising considering the amount of time we have to wait whenever we make a phone enquiry. Another student, who studies French and German at the University of Aberdeen, was required to study abroad for a year as part of her course. When asked about her experience with SAAS she claims, “SAAS forgot about us… it wasn’t made clear that you could be given a bursary for studying abroad and they didn’t advertise that you can claim back your travel expenses. I only found that out by going into the office… I still haven’t heard anything from them to approve it!” This example is perhaps the most telling of SAAS and SLC’s inadequacies: the fact that they cannot always follow through with what they promise to. The 2009 staffing crisis is the most clear-cut example of this, but every year students everywhere are left completely
NO. 26 - DEC 2011
Jamie Law worrying about his bank balance. Photo by Ana Hine
CURRENT AFFAIRS
exposed when the funds that they have been promised by loan companies do not arrive, and they find their lives become increasingly difficult as a result. Yet, while both SAAS and Student Finance have a bad name amongst many students, there is a large majority who experience no problems at all. For instance, one Scottish student, currently studying law at the University of Edinburgh, expressed his views on the efficiency of the awards agency. He said, “At the end of the day, they do have a very large volume of applications to process in a very short amount of time... they are perhaps not the most efficient body, but I would much rather that than having to pay fees of up to £9,000 per year!” This, for me, sums up the situation. Most students would rather the occasional disruption to the financial lives of an unlucky few than having to pay out a lot of money for tuition fees. But at the same time, it is clear that SAAS and Student Finance are suffering badly, and if the government doesn’t take action now, students will continue to have their lives affected for the worse.
Current Affairs 30/11/2011 19:23
UCAS admits its flaws But what is the way forward to fixing them?
GERAINT JAMES
Maggie Pertcheva. Photo by Ana Hine
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ny Magdalen readers whose secondary schooling took place in the United Kingdom will no doubt have an opinion on the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS), which all prospective students have to go through during the process of applying. In late October, they hit the headlines when their own Admissions Process Review, a consultation available on www.ucas.com which anyone can read and respond to, recommended several major overhauls – some of which shone a light on ways in which the current setup is not working as it should. Perhaps the most controversial proposal is that of completely doing away with predicted grades and shifting the application deadlines until after results have been obtained. UCAS chief executive Mary Curnock Cook revealed in an interview with the BBC that less than 10% of A-Level students get their three subjects predicted correctly – so it’s clear that a system that puts so much importance on such unreliable data is a deeply flawed one. Additionally, the early deadlines for application the current system enforces have been criticised by many sources – students are having to apply up to six months before they get their grades and having to pick a list of institutions to apply to before they’ve had the chance to visit them. UCAS’ own review highlights the varied ‘quality and veracity’ of advice
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given to students which “may materially affect a candidate’s chances of making an optimum admission”. The Guardian interprets this as a system favouring “the rich at private schools” which seems to be borne out on two fronts. The top private schools themselves send pupils to the top universities every year – indeed, their success at doing this is arguably the biggest factor in why wealthy families shell out to send their children there. As a result, staff – sometimes including specialist tutors have become very used to the application process and are encouraged to aid pupils in their applications in a way most state schools are materially not able to do. The second front is at home – a talented pupil who is the first from their family to attend university is clearly going to be disadvantaged during the application and interview process compared with someone whose siblings, parents and extended family tend to attend decent universities. You might think it incongruous to suggest a parent’s experience of UCAS can help their child – but a big part of how these problems have developed is that the current Admissions Process Review is the first full-scale review of the UCAS system since its inception in 1961! It has changed over time, but the foundation it remains built upon is half a century old – and higher education was a very different place then, six years before the University of Dundee existed as an independent institution. Applying for the most prestigious
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Universities, the prospects for people from economically deprived backgrounds become bleaker still. Oxford and Cambridge employ specific staff to recruit talented students from state schools but have achieved only slow progress. This is surely down in part to their absurdly early application deadline – which compounds the difficulty in making a place there seem ‘achievable’ and counteracts directly the work of said staff. They also maintain a ‘blacklist’ of A-Level and Higher subjects they don’t accept, yet do little or nothing to publicise this. The subjects involved are generally non-‘traditional’ ones that are far more prevalent in comprehensive schools. So this review, due for staggered implementation from 2014 onward , pending consultation, certainly seems to be accurate in its findings, which beneath the anodyne corporate language are rightly scathing of a system set up to serve a very different society to that of 2011. But the way forward still poses many problems – how will a system where you apply on getting your results cope with Scottish students getting their Higher results on a different day to A-Level students? And do UCAS risk perpetuating the biases they’re trying to eliminate with other recent developments, like their acceptance of a ‘qualification’ from Gaps International that awards 70 UCAS points for gap year activities? The future of UCAS remains unclear, but let’s hope this long overdue review gets it right for future students.
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INTERVIEW: Murdo Fraser
ALEX SHILLING
Photo by Bernt Rostad
CURRENT AFFAIRS
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urdo Fraser is an interesting man. One does not have to meet him to see this. However, as I’m ushered into his Holyrood office by his matronly secretary and the man himself rises from his armchair, rounds his desk and accepts my offer of a handshake, I instantly get the feeling that this interview, if nothing else, will not be a run-of-the-mill affair. I move towards the seat on the other side of his desk, assuming that he’ll return to his previous position behind the desk, but he produces another chair, and insists that we sit on opposite sides of the coffee table a couple of feet from the door of the office- “so we’re on an equal level.” This is my first visit to Holyrood, and it is hard not to be impressed, both by Fraser, and by the surroundings. By surroundings I mean the glimpses that I’d caught as I was led towards his office. Nevertheless, there is work to be done, and I get straight to the point. “Commiserations on losing out on the Scottish Tories’ leadership, Murdo- how do you feel right now?” He tells me that he is “disappointed, but not despondent,” given that he secured 45% of the members vote and had the majority of the Scottish Conservative councillors’ support. This is something worth bearing in mind. Having been the Deputy Leader of the Scottish Tories for six years, Fraser is clearly very popular within the party and has a large faction of support that he can rely on. He tells me that he has been led to believe by figures within the party that he would have won the leadership had he simply “approached it normally,” as opposed to introducing the party to the idea of his proposals for change which have proved to be so controversial. Fraser will stay and work with new leader
Ruth Davidson. “Ruth has got the majority support in the party and I’ll support her leadership.” He believes that she won for a two main reasons. First being, “the change I proposed was too audacious and maybe too ambitious for many of our members, I wanted to move the party forward and not everyone was happy with the change I proposed,” and second being, that “Ruth had some very powerful backers within the party: David Mundell - former Shadow Scotland Secretary- who’s very influential within the party, springs to mind.” On the subject of said proposals, the MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife tells me that he believed that re-inventing the party was the right course of action, as he believes that “the real problem with the Scottish Conservative party is a lack of Scottish identity,” which he says is the most important factor in persuading people to vote for the party. According to Fraser, there are people in Scotland who hold Tory values but don’t vote for the Scottish Tories because of the “perception” of the party. He lists the unpopularity of the Poll Tax as an example, where “people were demanding a change in how they were taxed.” Privately, I fail to see how a measure as detrimental to the lives of Scottish people as the Poll Tax can be justified simply by stating that people wanted change, but my interviewee is on a roll and I am hesitant to interrupt a politician when they are giving what looks suspiciously like a genuine answer to a question. Fraser believes that these people who hold Conservative values but who are put off by the perception of the party south of the border are, for a large part, voting for the Scottish National Party, who he describes as being “all things to all men.”
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He refutes my suggestion that the SNP are simply “Tartan Tories,” and makes the point that the party actually gain a significant proportion of their votes from traditionally Conservative parts of Scotland-places such as Perth, Angus and parts in the east of the country. Listening to the man talk, I am reminded of his recent talk at the university. Geraint James came to the conclusion in his article on Fraser’s Scottish Tory shake-up that Fraser had “correctly identified the scale of his party’s problem, but failed to come up with a credible solution,” and his words echo in my head as I listen to the Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservatives speak articulately and volubly on the problem faced by his party. Clearly, now that the battle for the leadership is over, it is not Fraser’s place to be identifying solutions. However, it strikes me as rather naive, to say the least, that he seriously believes that all his party needs to do to win back the thousands of Scottish voters disillusioned by Conservative government after Conservative government is to re-invent themselves with a “clear Scottish identity.” After all, the SNP could not be pushing their Scottish identity any further, but they have far from won the whole country over, and many are still sceptical of them. On the subject of independence, Fraser is loquacity personified once again. He says that he would “pause before using the word ‘disaster,’ but had it not been for the fact that Scotland is supported by the UK economy, then RBS and HBOS could have gone to the wall” in the midst of the credit crunch. He says he makes this argument not purely on economic grounds, but also on the point that “there are not great differences between
Current Affairs 30/11/2011 19:23
Photos by Nikolay Mikhaylyuk
the people in Scotland, and the people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland,” and that “we are, in effect, one people; we don’t have great differences between ourselves and people living in Newcastle or Carlisle or Cardiff or Belfast.” This is, I put it to him, a claim that would be disputed by many in Scotland, as well as in Wales and Northern Ireland. Look at the widespread outrage there was in Wales, I say, when Tottenham Hotspur’s Gareth Bale posed in the football kit of the Great British Olympic team. He’s having none of it. “There was a specific issue there- and it was to do with football.” Again, I want to press him on the issue, but we have limited time and there are many other things I’d like to ask him. But again, I remain unconvinced by an answer he’s given me. The issue with Bale was not just football related- it was patriotism related; exactly the same situation would have arisen if say, Gavin Henson had posed in a Team GB kit. This is before one takes into account Fraser’s assertion that “Scots people will happily cheer on Scotland on the rugby or football pitch, but when it comes to the Olympic Games in London next year, they will be cheering on Team GB,” and that “Scots people feel both Scottish and British.” This seems to me to be a gross generalisation. I personally know far more Scottish people who would be disgusted by the idea of referring to themselves as British than those who accept any kind of dual identity, but I would never generalise all Scottish people as being uncomfortable with this dual identity and I’m not entirely sure why Fraser is generalising them as being comfortable with it. I also make the point that he previously stated that one of the main things for Scottish people to consider when voting for a political party was for that political party to have a keen Scottish identity- yet now he was saying that there isn’t much difference between
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English people, Welsh people, Northern Irish people and Scots people, and that too, remained unanswered. We move onto an issue relevant to his background: the SNP’s plans to build the world’s biggest offshore wind farm on the coast of Scotland. Hailing from Inverness, not far from where the wind farm would be situated, I’m sure he’ll have something to say on the matter. Perhaps surprisingly, for an opposition politician, he seems keen on the plans, stating that “there’s a lot of potential for construction jobs- if the windfarm is offshore.” However, he cannot resist a dig at the SNP’s main project- “I think the challenge here is with independencebecause an independent Scotland simply would not have the resources to be able to fund projects such as this one.” Having grown up in this area of the country, I feel it would be worth asking Fraser about the surrounding communities. Do the people up there have a sense of detachment, simply because of their distance from the centre of the country- and are their interests sometimes neglected by Holyrood? The answer to both questions is yes. “There have been campaigns for years to create better connectivity between the north and centre of Scotland- but it hasn’t really happened. The communities in that area of Scotland are poorer as a result, and a message needs to be sent out to those in Holyrood that there are other parts of Scotland than just the centre.” It’s comments like this that make me think twice before making a judgment on Murdo Fraser. Very rarely does one hear a Conservative politician talk so earnestly about the way in which communities in an unfashionable and significantly unprosperous area of the country have suffered as a result of neglect, and it makes one think before simply damning him as yet another cynical, uncaring Tory.
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His answer to my next question reinforces this belief in my mind. I ask him what impact the proposed Scottish football academy in Dundee would have on the potential young athletes of his constituency of Perth and Kinross. At this stage of the interview, it would be very easy for him to give me a “politician’s answer,” and simply state something along the lines that ‘it would be an excellent proposal if it was to go ahead, but that he had doubts about the SNP’s commitment etc,’ but Fraser doesn’t do that. What he does instead is open up a serious debate about the health of Scotland as a nation and pinpoint several reasons why we have such a poor health record as a nation, backed up with several figures. “Scotland has the worst health record in the United Kingdom- the poorest diet, the highest obesity levels, the worst levels of alcohol abuse and smoking. it’s partly to do with historic diet; lack of exercise; the climate- if it’s miserable outside, you’re not going to want to go for a walk or a runthere’s a whole range of issues, you can’t pin it down on a single one.” I thought at the start of the interview that the dialogue would be anything but dull, and that proved to be a decent prediction- even if I do say so myself. Murdo Fraser might not have won the Scottish Conservative leadership, but he has opened up to me in the course of this interview, and proved that one can never afford to take him for granted- as for every politician’s answer and misguided generalisation, there is a sensible comment, a unique perspective, or a serious debate being created. His final comment to me, in response to my final question- what is his message to those who have given up on the Scottish Tories?- is that Scotland should keep watching his party, as they are moving forwards. For me, this could just as well describe him.
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LIFESTYLE
Snickerdoodles FIONA LINDSAY
For this scrumptious Christmas snack you’ll need to create the right Christmassy environment for it to flourish in. Pull on your most embarrassingly Christmas jumper and then add some classically-christmas tracks to the mix. Now you’re ready to begin. Ingredients: 180g plain flour (sieved) 1/2 teaspoon salt 1tsp baking powder 115g of unsalted butter 150g of caster sugar 1 large egg 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract (if you have it, makes a difference though)
Coating: 2tbsp granulated sugar 1 tsp ground cinnamon (bit more if you love it) 1. Mix together the flour, salt and baking powder. 2. Beat together the butter and sugar until smooth and pale. This would be a lot easier with an electric mixer or help from your flatmates. 3. Add the eggs to the sugar and butter, beating well after each addition. 4. Add the Vanilla extract to the same mix. 5. Add in the flour mix and beat until smooth. 6. Cover the mixture and refrigerate for at least an hour. 7. Preheat your oven to a 190°C 8. Line your baking tray with greaseproof paper; otherwise you’ll end up with biscuits stuck to a baking tray which won’t impress anyone. 9. Shape the dough into 5cm round balls. 10. Spread the sugar and cinnamon on a plate and roll the balls in the mixture. 11. Put the balls of dough onto your baking tray 5cm apart from each other. 12. If you have the time, put the dough back into the fridge for 20 minutes. 12. Using the bottom of a glass gently flatten each ball until about 2 cm thick 13. Bake for 8-10 minutes. They should be golden and slightly soft. 14. Take your Snickerdoodles out of the oven and enjoy the incredible smell of success and Christmas.
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The Magdalen NO. 26 - DEC 2011
Lifestyle 30/11/2011 19:23
Sweet Pepper and Feta Filo Parcels
MHAIRI RUTHERFORD
From the carnivore’s perspective, vegetarian is frequently thought to be synonymous with healthy, and subsequently vegetarians can get stuck with dishes mainly consisting of nuts, lentils and auberginesespecially around Christmas. I am fervently opposed to healthy vegetarian food at Christmas, and feel that the best food is saturated with cheese and butter (but please, no more goat’s cheese). This is my alternative Veggie main; it’s simple, cheesy and oh so tasty (and there are no aubergines in sight). Since it’s Christmas, I’d advise treating yourself to an M&S Feta- £2.59, and you’ll taste the difference.
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The Magdalen
Serves 1 (easily doubled) Ingredients: 100g Feta (Half Pack) One Sweet Red Pepper 3tsps Melted Butter (use Microwave) Filo Pastry (2 Sheets) 1. Half and deseed the pepper, cube feta, and put in oiled tin. Season pepper, and put in preheated oven 200°C for 30 minutes. 2. Lay Out sheet of filo, brush with butter, snip in half, and layer one on top, butter side up. 3. Mix feta and pepper together (cut pepper into slices with scissors or sharp knife), season with black pepper and sprinkle over some cayenne or chilli powder for spice. 4. Put mix in the middle of filo rectangle, fold corners into the middle (or you can be more inventive), brush with butter, and bake for 10 minutes or until golden. (Make sure and brush tin with remaining butter before.) 5. Enjoy with all the usual Christmas fayre.
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LIFESTYLE
Your Problems Answered THOMAS DALE - VPSW
Q
Q
A
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– With Christmas coming up, I don’t think I’ll have enough money to cover costs until the next instalment of my loan. What can be done? – First of all, budget to find out what your shortfall monthly is and speak to the Student Funding Unit (Dundee.ac.uk/ studentfunding). They can help you budget properly. Next, make sure you cover other additional costs, such as travel home. When it comes to Christmas presents, organise a “Secret Santa” with flatmates or your group of friends. Set a limit so everyone saves money and everyone will still get a present. Think about saving as much as possible and start finding ways of earning a few quid over the holidays for that little splurge just after the New Year.
Q
– Exams are almost here. I’m not sleeping well and I am really worried I won’t pass. Do you have any tips on what I should do?
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– First of all, not sleeping is going to reduce the amount of studying that is effective. I assume that you may be doing the majority of work in your room, as almost all students do. However convenient this may be, it can also be detrimental. Make use of the extended licence hours of the library or go to somewhere that may help you focus. Another thing that could be causing stress is that you’re not eating right or exercising enough. Be sure to keep an eye out for this and maintain your physical health. Also, find out how long you have until your exams, and timetable in your revision session around this. Stick to that schedule and ensure you don’t stray. AATU will be able to help further, and can be contacted at AATU@dundee.ac.uk.
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The Magdalen
– I’m a disabled student with mobility issues and there are a few places on campus which aren’t ideal for me to get to. Would you be able to help with this?
– If you get in touch with either the Disability service or me with the problematic areas, we will be able to give you a better and personalised response. Specify where you’re finding difficulty and what about it makes it difficult, and we can see what we can do. Whilst the response and action may not be immediate, never think that any section of Student Services will ignore your problem. They are professionals and will help as much as they can.
Q
– I’m struggling to get feedback on my assessments, and with essays and exams coming up, I don’t know where I need to really pay attention to with regards to my course. Could you tell me how I can go about getting better feedback?
A
– There are many people you can go to for this problem, and feedback should be given when asked. Schools should ensure that appropriate and timely feedback is provided to students on all assessed work in ways that promote learning and facilitate improvement. You can go to your Module Leader, the School Secretary or the DUSA Deputy President to name just a few. If you’re not sure who to go to, e-mail me and I’ll help direct you.
If you have any problems, feel free to e-mail me at vpsw@dusa.co.uk or call me on 01382381118.
NO. 26 - DEC 2011
Lifestyle 30/11/2011 19:24
Add a Little Sparkle... COLETTE MCDIARMID & MHAIRI RUTHERFORD
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eing a student can be fun, exciting, daunting, and difficult so it’s really important that we look after ourselves and our bodies so that we can maintain a healthy lifestyle. Like most students, we tend to excess in almost everything; parting, drinking and last minute exam cramming so it’s really important to take time out to unwind and relax. Part of that balance is taking care of our health and our bodies because life can sometimes take its toll on the body and it’s important to re-charge those batteries once in a while and a little pamper session is the pick-me-up that we all need at this time of year! Lifestyle Editor, Mhairi Rutherford and Features Editor, Colette McDiarmid decided to take a few hours off from being all of those things and went to The Green Room Beauty Salon. The Green Room, based in South Tay Street, boasts on its website that it ‘specializes in a variety of the most popular beauty services as well as establishing new and innovative advanced beauty products to bespoke tailor made treatments. In stylish, contemporary surroundings you can relax among total professionals. To compliment any treatment in The Greenroom we offer you a choice of music and colour
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therapy to ensure that every customer experience is unique.’ Mhairi and I opted for a Back Neck and Shoulder Massage to start off our treatments, here’s how we got on:
Mhairi: After a week of procrastinating, lagging my laptop up to the library from half way across town, and generally feeling sorry for myself, a massage sounded wonderful; especially a free one. At first I was reminded somewhat of the internet meme ‘socially awkward penguin’ as I wondered how far to undress, where to throw my bra, and how to actually act. However, the masseuse was understanding of the fact that this was my first massage, and put me completely at ease. The experience itself made me question why going out is seen as a way to relax after studying, when a massage is so much more effective and equally enjoyable. It’s hard to put into words how lovely it felt. Afterwards I struggled to do anything more than relax and smelt amazing all day from the oils used. I would most definitely invest in another massage at The Green Room.
Colette: After a really long week, it was really nice to have a massage to get rid of all the tensions; it’s a challenging time of year with coursework and exams looming and
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so for someone to relieve all the stress was bliss. The massage was so relaxing, the oils used were so nice, I thought at one point I was going to fall asleep! The staff were so friendly and warm, so welcoming and the surroundings were perfect. After that, I had a hand treatment which exfoliated my hands and lower arms and they were so soft days later. I’ll definitely be going back for a treatment soon! The Green Room offers a variety of treatments from manicures at their lovely nail bar, massages and spray tans or if you want to treat someone else, they have Gift Vouchers available too! A student discount of 10% is also available on Tuesday’s and Wednesdays with valid ID.
Excl si ve Readeu r O ffer: Come in
with a c opy of The M agdalen and get a sp ray tan for £15! Valid du ring Deceme ber!
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ART
Startle Reaction Torsten Lauschmann Saturday 22 October – Sunday 8 January 2012 at Dundee Contemporary Arts
KEVIN FULLERTON
The Coy Lover, 2011 Yamaha Disklavier, snow . Both images by Ruth Clark, courtesy of Torsten Lauschmann and Mary Mary, Glasgow.
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Art 30/11/2011 19:24
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hen walking through a gallery for the first time I usually find it difficult to look at the bigger picture, instead viewing each work as a separate entity and missing the over-arching message of an artist. But with Torsten Lauschmann’s Startle Reaction I was left with exactly the opposite feeling. Each work compliments the next so perfectly that the artist has managed to create an exhibition that has a seemingly effortless synergy to it. Although the artist’s vision is still opaque enough to allow room for interpretation, his work is clear in its intention to make you consider the potential tension between old and new technologies. It also, as its title implies, leads us to question the nature of these technologies and the influence they have on us. Gallery One plays host to two of Lauschmann’s short films, both of which are collage pieces. The first, ‘Skipping Over Damaged Areas’, is a witty and unexpectedly affecting work that sees a story told by the linking together of the opening titles of various films. As the narrator recites a convoluted story of murder and betrayal consisting entirely of film titles, the levity of tone is apparent when he manages to fit in films like Singin’ in the Rain to a description of a brutal attack, or jamming in deliberately incongruous titles for humorous effect. It’s fun while still managing to convey its core message of how easily the meaning of images can be altered. This lightness of touch is not quite
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so apparent in the second of his collage pieces, ‘Misshapen Pearl’, which sees the artist recite a somewhat tenuous analogy between streetlamps and consumerist society over footage of lights in big cities. It is the only piece in the exhibition that I felt was lacking in both the wit and the idiosyncratic charm of the other works present, and it stands out as having little relation to the rest of the exhibitions primary concern. But it is in Gallery Two of the DCA that my interest in Lauschmann’s work was truly piqued. The space is plunged into a dramatic darkness as certain pieces are projected onto walls and others only intermittently spring into life. The highlight of these is a piano that plays itself every now and again while a snow machine billows white flakes around the circle of light that frames it, presumably symbolizing a bygone era of silent cinema. The room as a whole has an atmosphere sadly lacking in many galleries, and one feels that if just one piece was taken from it - such as the set of projectors that screen warped negatives of someone reaching for the sun to the ominous sounds of thuds as each picture changes, or the wall covered entirely in luminous paint that invites the viewer to draw whatever message that they like on it – that this atmosphere might be compromised. It is an exhibition that successfully manages to be better than the sum of its parts then, and its parts were already pretty strong in the first place.
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FEATURES
Two Child Policy
Photo by James Cridland
JENNY WOOD
I
n the last, 50 years the human population has increased and doubled in the last 50 years to reach 7 billion. Better nutrition, healthcare, elimination of once common diseases such as Smallpox and manipulation of environment (central heating etc), have all helped to promote our survival from the moment we are born. Saving lives is seen as a good thing, and whilst I don’t argue with that, the huge increase in numbers is putting a strain on the World’s resources. In “The Scotsman”, Professor Sir Ian Wilmut controversially suggested that Scots should have only 2 children, stating that social encouragement should be used to promote individuals to take social responsibility, and think about the impact of their actions on a global scale. What would this mean for us? Historically, systems for controlling the population have been implemented in many countries; in India in the 1970s, the prime minister, Indira Gandhi, introduced a state of emergency and used the measure as an excuse to sterilise around 8 million poor men. Yet the most notorious example of population control is China’s 1978 ‘One Child Policy’, which has been criticised as it has led to forced abortions, female infanticide, a lack of registering female births, and although the former three problems have started to be addressed, China’s gender imbalance is still a problem; by 2020 “24
million Chinese men of marrying age could find themselves without spouses” says the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. Professor Wilmut said that Government interference in Britain to introduce a similar policy would be “disastrous”, and that similar situations to China and India should be avoided at all costs. He wants to use social encouragement to promote the concept of only having two children, and promote the idea of adoption. Scotland has an ageing population; there is an increasing number of older people, and a decreasing number of young people. According to estimated calculations by the UN Population Fund, there are 85 births and 66 deaths every hour in Scotland, and on average, women in Scotland have less than 2 children. This can be partly blamed on declining fertility and birth rates, and whilst there are 23 immigrants arriving every hour which would help increase the population, again according to UN Population estimations, this ageing culture could lead to a smaller work force’s inability to support the older population. So is it morally right to start having fewer children when we might not be able to support others in the future? Demographers agree that there is a trend between literacy and fertility rates: girls who go to school tend to have children later, and make informed choices about contraception. This is seen in Dundee itself. Our city has been the teenage pregnancy capital since 1994, and this year, out of 1000
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girls aged 13-17 years old, 73.7 are having children, and it tends to be from the poorest areas. The Information Services Division of NHS Scotland said “the rates of teenage pregnancy in deprived areas more than treble those of the least deprived areas”. Educating people, especially girls, can help them make informed choices, and have children later. I can see the reasoning behind this; where there are schools, there tends to be healthcare, and if there is healthcare, and access to contraceptives is easier, and children are more likely to survive past childhood. If resources were invested in food production, healthcare and schooling, people in over poorer countries or poorer areas would have the confidence to have smaller families; in the poorest parts of Niger, women have on average 7 children, as the likelyhood of them surviving is so questionable. Education could perhaps open up the options available to people; women may not see having children as a way to improve their lives. Morally, I understand the need to minimise the impact on the World and its resources. However, for those who object to limiting the size of their family, there are other options. Adoption is one; educating people to be more eco friendly, is another. However, as the world’s population continues to grow, there will be cultural and social consequences that we will need to adapt to in order to survive.
FEATURES 30/11/2011 19:24
Kilimanjaro
Photo by Eva Camille Harrold
ROSE MATHESON
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e are all now pretty settled into the semester, almost halfway through another year of university, work is piling up and it’s all looking pretty bleak. Until one day, while staring vacantly at my computer waiting for words to magically appear, I got an email. It didn’t say much but one word sprang out; Kilimanjaro. Images from the Lion King came flooding into my head; something far away from essays and labs, where I would rather be. Twenty students, of which eighteen are from the University of Dundee, all thought the same as me and we are taking up the challenge of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for the charity Childreach International next year. Childreach International is a registered international development charity providing community based development for children around the world including access to healthcare, education and human rights. They work in nine countries around the world with companies to establish community-based development projects to help children reach their full potential no matter their background, race or gender. Kilimanjaro is in Tanzania sitting next to the border with Kenya and is made up of three-volcanic peaks; Kibo, Shira and Mawenzi. Kibo is the highest of the three at 5,895m above sea level. The trek will take us
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through three different eco-zones starting with a lush rainforest at the base, a dry lunar landscape and finally the snow-capped peak. There are six official trekking routes each with different difficulties and success rates. We will be taking the Machame route which is one of the longest but this is due to having a higher summit-success rate. Four days are spent walking through the day, on average six hours per day, until the fifth day where we will endure a night climb starting around midnight and aiming to reach the summit in time for breakfast to watch the sunrise. The descent will only take one day as we don’t have to take acclimatisation into consideration and we can finally have a well-earned rest in the hotel. I think I can easily say the whole team took the challenge on as a means to do something new and exciting and all for a good cause, with like-minded people. Our departure date is the 14th July 2012 when we fly from London Heathrow to Nairobi, Kenya before a 6-7 hour bus ride to Moshi, Tanzania at the foot of the hill. However, until then you should see us about campus in our yellow T-shirts as each member of the team must raise around £2500 each of which £1990 goes towards projects by Childreach International and the remainder is for other expenses such a flights, hotel and airport transfers. As a
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group we are planning fundraisers in the coming months, including a night in the Union and Liquid as well as the more docile bake sales and raffles. We each, also, have our own ideas; team leader Jane Rutherford is thinking outside the box, “I really want to
“I got an email, it didn’t say much but one word sprang out; Kilimanjaro.”
be sponsored to spend a whole day on a space hopper, it would be great fun!” If you are interested in more information on the charity and the climb then please visit www.childreach.org.uk or for the Dundee group in particular we have our own little page: http://dundeekiliclimbforchildreach. tumblr.com/
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FEATURES
The Financial Implications of Unpaid Internships MARICLAIRE WHITE
Photo by Steven Fullerton
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npaid internships - the BBC believes that they break the national minimum wage law, the Guardian considers them an embarrassment to professions, but to the majority of students and recent graduates struggling in a fiercely competitive job market, they are standard. A recent survey carried out by Graduate Prospects and published by The Guardian showed that 43% of all internships carried out by University students were found to be unpaid. Although some unpaid internships last for up to a year, the National Minimum Wage law does not cover student internships, creating a grey area where unpaid labour is technically legal. Thanks to a very supportive mother and a flexible manager, I was able to complete an internship in Edinburgh this past summer without having to lose much money. However, the cost of internships can vary greatly. While I spent less than £100 in Edinburgh, my friend Margaret did a two month internship in Los Angeles and spent £5000. Nevertheless, she still calls her internship “the best experience of her life”, probably because she got to meet Leonardo DiCaprio. My internship was slightly less glamorous. After months of looking for any relevant experience that would help me get a job after University, I landed an internship at Edinburgh Fringe Festival, working for an American improvisation group. I quickly learnt in my first week that being a ‘production intern’ was a polite way of describing an ‘unpaid dogsbody’. Those who are more experienced with internships will understand that this is the standard job description. The majority of my days were taken up with PR, encouraging visitors to choose our show over the hundreds of others showing in Edinburgh. Despite having to stand in the rain for hours, like Margaret, I also had the most amazing time. However, the question of how to afford to live without a wage is raised to those who are not in as fortunate a position as I was. Kerri Hudson, who once worked as an unpaid intern, was recently awarded £1,025 after taking My Village to an employment tribunal for six weeks’ unpaid work. In addition, Ross Perlin’s Intern Nation is due to
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hit UK shelves with the tagline “how to earn nothing and learn little in the brave new economy.” Britain does not seem happy with the rise of unpaid internships, yet I continue to see far more unpaid positions than paid. Alex Rosen, an American girl I met while I was in Edinburgh, has completed four internships, all of which have been unpaid. She believes that “people who are picky about a paid internship have much less chance of moving up in their careers- if it’s a great job, there are twenty more people that would be happy to take it on without pay.” Students in higher socio-economic situations can afford to work for free therefore companies do not see the point in paying someone who is willing to work without a wage. One of the first ports of call for Dundee University students seeking internships is DUSA. My friend Ruaridh recently completed a graphic design internship at DUSA where he designed posters and flyers for use around the Union. He worked 6 hour days, sometimes more and sometimes less. He got time off when he asked for it and occasionally stayed late to reach a deadline. It was almost like a real job. Although the work is unpaid, DUSA does offer their interns benefits. Ruaridh received free lunches, access to the printing equipment, Fresher’s passes and free t-shirts. While it would have been impossible to keep up any kind of full time employment during the internship, Ruaridh’s evenings and weekends were free to do what he wanted. However, if he did work, it is almost certain that he wouldn’t have had a life this summer. I would wholly recommend doing an internship to anybody, whether it was paid or unpaid. If you have the money, be it from your parents, your partner or just months of saving, you can get access to excellent opportunities to build connections, get great experience and a book full of contacts to use after university. However, this still raises the question: how do those that lack the financial means complete them? Are they supposed to skip work for a few months and complete an internship for free to get the same opportunities? It all seems a little unfair to me.
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FEATURES A: I often hear that graduates don’t ‘deserve’ to be paid the minimum wage since they are not qualified. How would you respond to that accusation?
The Graduate Fog Conversation with Tanya de Grunwald, founder of graduate advice website ‘Graduate Fog’
ANA HINE
T: [Do you mean experienced (rather than qualified?)] I hear this a lot - graduates believing that their work has no value because they don’t have this all important “experience”. But it is a myth peddled by employers to get graduates to accept low wages - or no wage at all, in the case of unpaid internships. It is in employers’ interests to get workers to undervalue their work. Scarily, it seems to be working now I regularly hear from graduates who believe that their employer is doing them some kind of favour by allowing them to work there and gain experience. This is a grotesque distortion of the traditional contract - whether written, verbal or implied - between workers and employers: “I work for you; you pay me.” Our society is built on this simple and agreed exchange. It is only very recently that it has become distorted so that experience is being presented as payment in itself. Experience is a by-product of having a job - and should not be substituted for monetary wages. After all, you cant’ pay your rent with experience. Graduates should be aware of this distortion and wise to those who use these tactics against them. A: There is an accusation that if you refuse to do an unpaid internship (or even raise any concern that it might not be a good idea) that you don’t “want to be a journalist/ architect/graphic designer/lawyer badly enough”. Do you think this criticism holds any weight? T: This is a common belief - but I think it is unfair and unreasonable. It is said by people who got into the industry years ago, and have no idea how much things have changed in the last 5-10 years. The number of media graduates has mushroomed, while the industry has shrunk. Internships are getting longer and longer, with less and less chance of a job at the end of them. A: Do the professions have a duty to train their next generation?
Photo by Si Tong
T: Yes, absolutely. I am disappointed by how quickly older people forget how little they knew when they left university. 21-yearolds don’t change - they were just as ‘green’ when they started out as graduates are today. In fact, they were probably less savvy. Vocational courses in things like journalism are relatively new. Any journalist you meet who is older than 45 learnt everything they know in the job. A: Is this a deliberate policy to broaden the
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gap between the rich and poor?
A: Tell me more about ‘Pay Your Interns’.
T: A handful of politicians do understand that this issue is important - including Andy Burnham, Hazel Blears, Stella Creasy and despite his many, many faults - Nick Clegg. Unfortunately, they refuse to clamp down on the companies that take advantage of interns - I think they fear being seen as giving companies a hard time or creating more paperwork / red tape, at a time when they want to be seen to be encouraging growth. But I think it’s not fair to expect graduates to prop up the economy like this. If an employer can’t afford to pay the staff he needs in order to run his company, then it’s not a proper company. And when companies do have money, they have even less excuse for not paying their young staff.
T: That your ‘career’ isn’t something you can plan in advance - it’s something you navigate as you go along. The days of a job for life are over. Some industries are dying others are springing up. All are changing at a rapid pace. Some people find that terrifying - but I think it’s really exciting. I graduated in 2000 and assumed I would just choose a job and do it for the rest of my life, working my way up the ladder until I retired. Thank God, it hasn’t worked out like that - how boring would that be? I have no idea what I’ll be doing in five years’ time, let alone 30.
the press. The weak link is undoubtedly the university careers services, who are not T: It can certainly seem like that! But I don’t doing nearly enough to inform students T: Having exhausted all the official channels think it’s quite that simple. From my work about this issue. I don’t know about Dundee for complaining about unpaid internships on internships, I would say that people who specifically, but many careers services tuck - I got really angry and decided to name have had a relatively comfortable, easy ride this crucial information away in some farand shame the brands who don’t pay their simply don’t understand how much harder flung corner of their website under some interns a fair wage. I listed every major it is for people from other backgrounds boring heading like “Your rights at work.” brand I could think of, and have emailed to get into these competitive Who’s going to read industries. They say “Why can’t “There is also a myth that unpaid internships are that? I know I wouldn’t. they sleep on a friend’s floor?” But somehow the solution to youth unemployment - Some fear being seen as can you really do this for a year, ‘political’ but this when in fact they are a big part of the problem.” being without offering your friend any isn’t about party politics. rent or money towards bill? Of course not. This is about being on the side of their them all to ask about their policy on And what would you use to buy food? And students and graduates. Many university internships. If I find an ad that looks dodgy your travelcard? You can’t live for free, so careers services even promote unpaid to me, I ask them how they feel it fits with how is it reasonable to ask someone to work (illegal) internships to their students and the minimum wage law. Then I post our for free? It just doesn’t make sense. I would graduates - which adds to the impression entire email exchange. The more they try also warn against assuming that the interns young people get that this is an accepted and defend what they’re doing, the worse debate is about “rich kids v poor kids.” - don’t and legitimate practice. They should be it makes them look. They also don’t realise forget, most people are somewhere in the shouting the message from the rooftops that it is damaging to their digital footprint. middle. Many people I hear from have and encouraging students and graduates Because Graduate Fog has such good links found a way to be able to work for free for to get informed and join the fight for a fairer from high ‘value’ websites like the Guardian, two months - but can’t do it for six months. deal for interns. the site punches well above its weight in Or they can just about do it for six months, Google terms. Brands spend a lot of money but not nine months. It’s at that point that For more information, I’d suggest your on trying to control what people are saying they realise that the ‘system’ doesn’t work. readers look at Intern Aware as well as about them online, so this (permanent) It is a myth that unpaid internships lead Graduate Fog. They do excellent work editorial is pretty damaging to them. Most to paid jobs. Increasingly, they just lead to campaigning on this issue too. haven’t realised how damaging it is yet, but another unpaid internships. it is. As they say, the internet is written in ink, not pencil. It’s not a good look. A: A few politicians have spoken out against unpaid internships. Is there more we can do A: What do you wish you’d done/known as to put pressure on them? a new graduate?
There is also a myth that unpaid internships are somehow the solution to youth unemployment - when in fact they are a big part of the problem. If everyone is offering experience but nobody is willing to put their hand in their pocket and pay their junior staff a proper wage, then what is the point of gaining all this experience? The reality is that companies are now replacing paid, permanent jobs with unpaid internships, and simply replacing that intern every few months. The only party that gains is the employer, who continues to get something for nothing.
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Feel free to pick and choose which questions to answer. I know there’s a reasonable amount there to get started with, but if you want to bring up other aspects of the issue then please do so. A survey by the pressure group Internocracy found that only 10% of graduates know that unpaid internships are illegal (unless you are just work shadowing, or working for a charity, you must be paid at least the minimum wage, which is £6.08 for over 21s). An employer must pay this and an intern does not have the right to waive this wage. The UK’s interns rights scene is the most active in the world - the campaigners all talk to each other, and we have good links with the TUC, the NUS and
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FASHION
Re-gifting ...and how to avoid it this year!
MEGAN HUTTON-SMITH
W
ith the festive season peering its extravagant head around the corner, it is of no surprise that the high street is keen on displaying an array of gifts just waiting to be bought. However this raises the question: what would be the best gift to give or better yet, receive this Christmas? Despite the Christmas spirit being in full gear long before the month of December, we always tend to leave our gift buying splurge to the last minute, creating stressinduced havoc, and normally resulting in average gifts. So this year why not plan ahead and chose gifts that are personal and well thought out rather than purchasing some that will be automatically put in the re-gift pile. One route that could be taken is the typical clichés of the traditional, albeit usually unwanted, gifts such as pyjamas and socks. Many people opt for the safe option of comfort clothing, and rather than taking the risk, chose to buy the necessities. As practical as this seems, it’s hardly the most exciting or original present. However, if you wanted to aim for the traditional winter warmers as gifts this Christmas, invest in a twist on the classics and get rummaging through expensive looking, but not expensive in price cashmere jumpers and scarves. Not only will they keep you warm, but will add a touch of class to your outfit. Leave the traditions in the past and take a step into the future of gift buying this year, get them what they really want (and essentially what you would much rather receive). As Christmas brings party season to an all time fever pitch, why not help a friend out by buying them a new pair of shoes or
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a fantastic new party dress for them to wear during the holidays. It makes the gift more personal and the friend receiving the gift will appreciate both the thought you put into deciding the item but also the incredible new addition to their wardrobe. However, if you don’t want to run the risk of buying clothing that they might hate, go for the safer option of buying gift vouchers from their favourite clothing store. Here the gift is still present in thought and gesture but the risk is not and the crucial decision is no longer your responsibility. Yet, buying gifts at Christmas time doesn’t have to mean you have to break your bank just to achieve great results. With so many resources available to find cheap bargains these days, use your time effectively and search for the perfect gift with an attractive price tag. Use web sites like eBay to find exactly what you want, for how much you want it. Similarly raiding charity and vintage shops are bound to lead you to stumble upon a great find like a vintage dress or handbag. In addition, plan your gift buying effectively and make full use of Christmas sales to find great fashion steals. Whatever you chose to buy this Christmas, make sure it’s something well thought out or meaningful to the person you are giving to. This will make present giving more special and both you and the person receiving the gifts will appreciate the effort, not to mention the fact you can now ‘borrow’ the present immediately!
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FASHION
uto le p im s w e are a f s e k a t it ll A “ t – The e r c e s e n o re’s fits. And the Cary Grant – .” r e t t e B Simpler The CHRIS REID (Civil Engineering) works the colour-blocking trend. The contrast colour block designs scream out 70’s vibe with a modern twist. Many Houses of Fashion, such as Marc Jacobs, were inspired by this eye catching trend. To work this balanced look you’ll need to team up colours of similar shades (just like Chris has done). However, if you have the guts to go bold and beautiful - think orange with red, or turquoise with royal blue – go for it. Just bear in mind to go for neutral shoes and accessories to keep it sleek and simple. Fred Perry’s Mod Scene inspired pieces include some great jackets rocking this trend. But let’s be realistic – you can buy a great jumper for half the price in River Island – which is exactly what Chris has done. He has teamed this with a casual body warmer to complete the look.
KATARZYNA NAZAREWICZ
Campus style Our very own Fashion Editor went on the hunt for the latest fashion trends around campus. But it seemed that the rain brought all the boys to the yard…but scared away all the girls! So remember My Golden Rule – life is too short, so dress fab wherever you go!
STEPHEN WINSTANLEY (Art) is THE bargain lad. Shops are already stocked up with various winter accessories as winter is rapidly approaching. The Cambridge Satchel Company has some great pieces with tartan or canvas pockets from £117. In addition, ASOS especially is ideal for finding cool hats which start at £8. Stephen’s earflap hat gives a quirky touch to this casual look. Both the hat and trainers were purchased from the very lovely – and more importantly, cheap as chips – Primark. It’s known for selling clothes, accessories and footwear at a lower chain budget. Stephen completes his look with this sea green oversized jumper and grey skinny carrot jeans. Both items are from T.K. Maxx which provides brandname clothing at up to 60% off their retail price.
“Cock your hat, An gles are attitudes.” - Frank Sinatra
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Entertainment
Call of Field 3: Fall of War Why I’m Bored of Shooters KEVIN FULLERTON
B
attlefield 3: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3; Gears of War 3; Resistance 3: Fall of Man; and the list goes on. That’s right, another winter brings another slew of gun-grey shooters that feature military types built with more muscles than sense and more jawline than dialogue, bellowing violent commands at you like you’re an extra from Full Metal Jacket. And I have to say, I’m bored of them. War never changes, as these games like to tell me, and unfortunately neither do any of these sequels.
“PEOPLE JUST CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF BLOWING RUSSIAN TERRORISTS HEADS OFF” And what never seems to change either is their sales figures. Year after year, the Call of Duty franchise consistently breaks its own records, outselling previous instalments by the bucket load. It’s a trend that looks set to continue with the final episode in the Modern Warfare canon. Indeed, people just can’t get enough of blowing Russian terrorists heads off. And that’s fine. There’s always room for a bit of schlocky action on our consoles. But recently I feel that games have been suffering from a case of saturation in the ultra-violent war simulator market. What the mainstream market really needs is some semblance of balance. Let’s look at this analogously. In Hollywood there are basically two types of films and film-makers. First off, you’ve got your Michael Bays and your Brett Ratners. They’re the ones who make the big action films, usually featuring improbably huge explosions and gun-porn for pubescent teenage boys and adults who want to turn their brains off for a while. They make a lot of money and generally
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keep the film industry afloat. Then there’s the other side of the coin; the prestige films. They’re the films by your Darren Aronofskys and your Sofia Coppolas. They’re the ones who make more serious, thoughtful films that on occasion seem to have been specifically engineered to win Oscars. They don’t make as much money but they give the studios a little bit of credibility. The mainstream games industry is currently stuck promoting the former type of game with a scant disregard for the latter. The Bays run amok while the Aronofskys flounder, never gaining mainstream success. The major games publishers don’t feel the need for prestige and so just chase the gun-porn dollar instead.
“GAMES PUBLISHERS DON’T FEEL THE NEED FOR PRESTIGE AND SO JUST CHASE THE GUNPORN DOLLAR INSTEAD” It may seem like I’m being overly harsh on these games, but really all I’m asking for is some variation on these tired and clichéd shooters. There are occasional examples of a breakaway from the norm, like the recent point-and-click adventures Heavy Rain and LA Noire, but these are few and far between and usually represent noble failures rather than profound successes. A few issues ago in this very magazine, handsome man and raconteur Tom Colquhoun argued for games as art, and I agreed with him. Games can be art, but as long as the Michael Bay equivalents in the games industry are allowed free reign, then the major publishers will continue to stultify this burgeoning art form’s creative reach.
NO. 26 - DEC 2011
Entertainment 30/11/2011 19:24
Entertainment
MARTYN SIMPSON
Man Made Origin – False Consciousness W
hen people think of bands from Dundee, the two that immediately spring to mind are Snow Patrol and The View, which makes it fair to say that the Indie scene has a very strong influence on local bands. But when I started my first year of Uni in 2008, I noticed a steep rise in the amount of hard rock and metal bands emerging from the shadows, that would make an indelible mark on the local scene in the years to come.
“IT WILL MELT YOUR FACE CLEAN OFF!” One such band that has thrived is Man Made Origin, who have released their new self-financed LP False Consciousness after nearly three years of hard graft. Founded by vocalist/guitarist Max Taylor, guitarist Dave Clement and drummer Andrew Gavine during a DUBS (Dundee University Band Society) jamming session, these like-minded gentlemen formed Man Made Origin, a progressive death metal band with influences as diverse as Metallica, Opeth and Mastodon. After the release of their début EP State of Nature, the band was still finding their ground following the departure of their first bassist Dan Hughes. With current bassist Aaron Middleton now firmly in Man Made Origin’s ranks, it is safe to say that the band secured their line-up to create what is sure to be their finest hour with False Consciousness.
pit veterans will enjoy the eight minute long epics that define many concept albums such as Tool’s 10,000 Days or Rush’s 2112, many newcomers will be left frustrated and confused as to the sheer magnitude of the band’s lack of a definitive rhythmic structure or sing-along choruses. However, these are not necessarily negative aspects of the album. Songs such as Uncharted Space and The Betrayal are lovingly created to raise a middle finger to the traditional song-writing conventions that many other bands aspire to transcend. Even the guest vocal performance of one of Dundee’s favourite local artists, Sarah Colosso, fits surprisingly well despite the fact that Colosso is usually associated more closely with the Indie rock scene. Nonetheless, unless you are a fan of anything that has roots in the deepest, darkest regions of the mind, the soul and Scandinavia (that is progressive death-metal), then this is something that you should avoid. It will melt your face clean off!
Having said that, this album is definitely a mixed bag. As with many bands of the same genre, such as Opeth and Dream Theater, they face the similar problem of being more of an acquired taste than most rock and metal bands. While many experienced mosh
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NO. 26 - DEC 2011
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Entertainment
ANDY SHARP
The Hazey Janes D
undee-based indie rockers, The Hazey Janes, launched their third album, The Winter That Was, last month in Dukes Corner. The event was nearly sold-out, with the album launch bringing all kinds of local fans together. A four-piece band with delicate harmonies between the male and female vocalists, The Hazey Janes are an example of musicians capturing a happier side of Scottish life, comparable to other Scottish acts such as Belle and Sebastian or Camera Obscura. They have played SXSW in Austin, Texas and are the first Dundee band to travel to the American festival. At the launch, I had a chat with Andrew Mitchell (vocals, guitar and keyboard) and Alice Marra (vocals, guitar, synthesiser and keyboard) from the band... What’s touring in America like? ALICE: All good fun. All that stuff. We are always laughing. Maybe we should take it a bit more seriously. ANDREW: It was great over there. We played a couple of shows in Manhattan, then Brooklyn and then went down to the festival, South by South West in Austin What’s the reception like in comparison with the reception in Britain?
listen to music.
last week (chuckles). Yeah, that keeps us entertained in the van.
ALICE: We played lots of shows there that were nearly sold out. All really busy shows. You just don’t get that over here. It’s really hard to get people out. ANDREW: I dunno, I guess it’s the music we play as well might not be ‘fashionable’, or some might say ‘popular’ (in the eyes of people in Scotland.) ALICE: Yeah, the kind of music we play probably goes down better over there. ANDREW: Yeah I think so, but I don’t know. I guess our experience of it was very different to the UK. I think the UK music industry is very different compared to the US. Obviously the whole music landscape is changing globally, over the past five years. For our experience it was different and probably better.
Which other directions or influences will you be branching out to in the future? ANDREW: I think there was slightly more onus on arrangements, and instrumentation. I guess like any skill that you are trying to get better at, you are striving for new ideas to explore that you have not touched on. They’re always song based generally speaking and then the production techniques after that.
Do you keep any of the Dundee colloquialisms, or Scottish-isms on the road? ANDREW: Actually somebody said to me in Perth last night, she was like, “Aye, this guy pied me” And I was like, Excuse me, Pied you? Apparently means to ignore someone. It was news to me.
ANDREW: It was great. There seems to be a lot less preconception, I suppose. And , I don’t know, people seem a lot more forthcoming. Music fans come out and
ALICE: Well me and Liam have been speaking in Eggie Language a lot since
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ANDREW: To be honest we use quite a lot of colloquial terms from other cities, because they are quite humorous. Like Edinburgh east coast –‘barry’, ‘likesay’ - and Glaswegian – sticking a ‘but’ at the end of your sentences. And also, the thick Glaswegian lint, like “ugh” instead of an “r”.
Which terms do you still keep up?
NO. 26 - DEC 2011
Entertainment 30/11/2011 19:24
Entertainment
Reviews The Human Centipede 2: Full Sequence FERGUS CRUICKSHANK
POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold KEVIN FULLERTON
The Human Centipede 2: Full Sequence is a strong contender for the worst film of 2011. The original implied most of its horror through the use of cutaways and sound design. In the sequel, however, director Tom Six does not refrain from showing the gore. This is a film so disgustingly graphic that the BBFC originally planned to ban it.
effects of product placement on a film. So through the course of the film we get to see Spurlock approach companies to try and get them in his film (who usually want nothing to do with him), sell portions of his film for advertising space, and slowly but surely realise the effects that pro-actively selling out has on the creative control he has over his movie.
The story follows Martin (Lawrence R. Harvey), an obese man who wishes to create his own human centipede in order to realise his sexual fantasies. The first half is essentially a character study. We learn that Martin was abused by his father, that his mum wishes to kill him, and that his closest thing to a friend is a pet centipede.
As is par for the course with much of Spurlock’s work, a lot of the effects that advertising has on his film is played for laughs, and it usually succeeds in its attempts to make you smile. As Spurlock becomes more and more emblazoned with real ad banners on his clothes and his car – he even goes so far as to feature his own son in one of the adverts he makes – the humour builds nicely, giving a comforting through-route amidst the more serious sections of the film. But while it bristles with irony and knowing winks, it also deftly makes its point and raises your awareness of the sheer amount of advertising we are constantly inundated with. A documentary that’s well worth some of your time.
This is followed by a third act so grotesque that my flatmates were close to vomiting. It is as if Six takes pleasure in showing, in great detail, how Martin creates his centipede. Teeth are hammered out, characters uncontrollably empty their bowels into the next segment of the centipede, a new-born is crushed, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In all honesty, I understand why this film was nearly banned seeing as Six tries so hard in disgusting his audience. Overall the film is badly acted, has boring cinematography, wooden dialogue and suffers from a completely immoral script. I cannot stress enough how much you should avoid this film. Remember once you see something it cannot be unseen, though that being said, you’ll probably watch it anyway... POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold High-concept documentary maker, Morgan Spurlock, is back with a film exploring product placement in films and television. For those of you who don’t know or don’t remember, Morgan Spurlock created and starred in Super Size Me, where we watched horrified as he ate nothing but fast food for thirty days to see what effect it would have on his health (not a positive one, surprisingly enough). The central conceit of the film is nothing if not ingenious; Spurlock’s film about product placement sees him try to fund his film with nothing but product placement in order to better examine the
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NO. 26 - DEC 2011
PAGE 27 30/11/2011 19:24
TRAVEL
Coming Home For Christmas?
Photograph by: Christopher & AmyCate
Harrison Kelly
a
P
arking myself in the same seat for six hours inside a giant mechanical snake while I wait for it to spit me out in my hometown doesn’t sound too appealing, but it’s better than walking 370 miles (feel free to disagree). So, until teleportation becomes the world’s preferred method of transport, many of us have to make do with buses and trains. For those of you who also have long, daunting journeys ahead of you, or those who simply hate catching buses and trains as much as I do, let’s survive this December homecoming together. Well not literally together, but heed my advice and you’ll be fine. My first pointer is patronisingly obvious, but don’t catch the wrong bus and especially don’t catch the wrong train. It can be particularly difficult to rectify. Getting stuck in Aberdeen when you meant to catch the service to Haymarket can be pretty inconvenient. Planning your journey in advance is always a clever move. The national express website is ideal for arranging bus and coach tickets in advance, while anyone preparing for a train journey would be foolish not to visit www.nationalrail.co.uk. Don’t rely on one route either. Note
down two or three, or even ten, back-ups in case a line gets closed down. You don’t want to end up sleeping on a station bench when your changeover train has been cancelled because of heavy snowfall or failing power lines For those sensible few of you who are organized enough to book your journey months in advance, the megabus provides incredibly cheap trips for early birds. A flat mate of mine booked a December ticket from Dundee to Birmingham in late September, which only cost him ninetypence. Yet be warned that megabus is almost never a pleasant experience. There is no end to the ranks of people queuing to moan about it, and I’m one of them. I’ve had so many bad megabus journeys I wouldn’t know which to share with you. Maybe the time one passenger shat themselves about ten minutes after the toilet stop; or, the one where the drunken party behind me didn’t stop singing for an entire three-hour journey; or, when two of my companions were travel sick into a carrier bag, leaving the air reeking of vomit and embarrassment. Despite being off-puttingly more expensive, at least on a train you can usually switch to a different carriage if any one of those things occurs.
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Also, if possible, watch out where you sit. Anyone diligent enough to use their travel time for uni work should beware three types of passenger. If there is a Dom Joly phone-user, a crying baby, or a “starer” in your carriage then leave. Sit as far away from them as you can before you regret it. Lastly do get a railcard and/or a bus pass. If you rely on trains or buses, they are more than worth it, and they can get you discounts in restaurants and hotels too (in case you successfully fail to take my advice about catching the right train). I shouldn’t need to say this but don’t buy them with no intention of ever using them. The most important thing to take from this advice: the prospect of moving back home might be hell for those of us who hate travelling. But at least Christmas, and a well-deserved rest, is waiting for us at the end of the journey. **Flybe have a student offer from Dundee airport. If you travel with flybe and show your student card when checking in you get an extra piece of hold luggage absolutely free! Therefore, up to 40kg of luggage in the hold**
`TRAVEL 30/11/2011 19:25
The Palace of Minos
Photograph by: Cody Henry
Cody Henry
F
lying to a beautiful Greek island, with the prospect of an exotic sun, and a turquoise sea. Planning to explore the ever-advertised coves and bays dotted all-over the 1,000 kilometre coastline, meet a nice Greek boy (always a must), and go home with an impossibly golden tan. We arrived in the early hours of the morning to a promisingly hot wind, and made our way to a large hotel with three swimming pools available. Satisfied, I crashed. Next morning, I stretched and groggily stumbled toward the balcony, planning on inhaling the opportunities of an indigo sky until I was hit by an angry downpour that felt like an ice-cold shower. Of course, we decided to go to Crete during storm season. Fore-casted torrential rain and thunder for our entire stay. This could only happen to me. Sorely disappointed, we bought raincoats and trekked down
“Planning to explore the coves and coastline, meet a nice Greek boy, and go home with an impossibly golden tan...” town to explore the mostly deserted, but still dreadfully cute Cretan stores full of patterns to die for and leather bags that I would sell my left arm to buy. Not to be defeated by the weather, we thought we’d take the opportunity to delve into the supposed culture (that we obviously cared nothing about when we were expecting a holiday full of ‘fun-in-the-sun’) that surrounded the island. What else could we do? A 20 minute trip and we had arrived at possibly the most interesting place I’ve ever visited; Knossos Palace. Bit of background: from around 2,600 BC the island was inhabited by the Minoan Civilisation – an advanced and fascinating people. Sometime around the year 1375 BC, the entire civilisation vanished abruptly. Behold the mystery! Of course, at this day and age, science seems to find an explanation for everything, but even modern science can only guess at the reasoning for the destruction of the Minoans. The main theory being an intense Tsunami caused by a near Volcano
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The Magdalen
(in Thira) literally washed away the civilisation. Hearing all of this, as well as the fact that the site of Knossos wasn’t discovered until 1990, the historian in me was instantly intrigued... And the palace came into view. Knossos, or the ‘Palace of Minos’. Capital of Minoan Crete. What a sight! The excavation did wonders in preserving (and restoring) a fascinating civilisation. The walls literally displayed an immeasurable amount of culture; with paintings of dancers and bull-fights to name but a few. The palace was painted in rich, warm reds, oranges and browns, even in the rain the buildings were magnificent, all angles and curves. The architecture, the drainage system, all of it was incredibly advanced considering just how long it took Britain to discover even the most basic of plumbing systems. The pottery was intricately decorated, and the theatre could tug on any actor’s heart-strings. The most remarkable point of the site though, was the bull horns that could be seen every few metres. The bull seemed to be somewhat of a mascot for Knossos. It turns out that Knossos Palace is intimately linked with the myth of Thesus and the Minotaur. That impassable labyrinth that played host to the ferocious Minotaur, famous throughout Greek Mythology, was supposedly situated right where I was standing, some several thousand years before. With archaeologists considering the Palace itself as said Labyrinth, it’s surprising the extent to which ideas like that can make you feel like an important, if very tiny, footprint in the world. The culture and mystery surrounding this place, and the civilisation who left behind many unanswered questions, and a language that has not of yet been understood was worth suffering through a week of thunderstorms. Not to be outshone, the sun did show its face. The day we were leaving. The island holds so much ancient history, beautiful sights and undoubtedly friendly locals - too much to be seen in just one trip. Go on, explore, find your own little footprint. I plan to, again and again.
NO. 26 - DEC 2011
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SPORT
Player Profile
CLARE MCCAUGHEY
Joke Corner On a Sunday afternoon, a man walks into a bar with his dog. The bartender says, “Sorry. No pets allowed.” The man replies, “This is a special dog. Turn on the Jets game and you’ll see.” The bartender, curious to see what will happen, turns on the game. The guy says, “Watch. Whenever the Jets score, my dog does flips.” The Jets keep scoring field goals and the dog keeps flipping and jumping. “Whoa! That’s one hell of a dog you got there. What happens when the Jets score a touchdown?” asks the bartender. The man replies, “I don’t know. I’ve only had him for seven years.”
Player of the Month
NAME: KARLIS CAUCIS AGE: 21 COURSE: PHYSICS & MATHEMATICS HOMETOWN: RIGA, LATVIA 1. What sport do you play? I play Tennis and Basketball. 2. Where do you train? University Tennis Courts, ISE halls and the mighty SPC. 3. How do you socialise with your teammates? After games we go to our sponsor bar for a few drinks, which often ends up a great night out! 4. Is it hard to have a balance between your studies and your sport? I usually manage to find time for both of them. Sport is the best way to clear my mind after a long day. 5. What is the best part of being in the Tennis and Basketball club? All the people I have become friends with.
Elaine Duncan of the Ladies Squash Team is your player of the month. Elaine was part of the four-squad team that won the Ladies BUCS Trophy. Well Done Elaine! To nominate a player from your team, contact Clare at themagdalen@ dusa.co.uk
Competition For your chance to win a Sports Union beanie hat, answer the following question on our facebook page:www.facebook.com/themagdalen Q. Who won the title of ‘Sports Club of the Year’ in the academic session of 2010-11? A. The Rugby Club B. The Dance Club C. The Boxing Club D. The Badminton Club
6. What influenced you to begin this sport? My friends. I have to thank Krish and Edgars there!
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The Magdalen
NO. 26 - DEC 2011
SPORT 30/11/2011 19:25
Around The League GREG SMITH
T
Andrew Luck. Photo by Elvis Kennedy
NFL Mid-Season: he NFL is approaching mid-season and there’s a lot to talk about. Earlier in the year, I predicted the Indianapolis Colts would suffer without their All-Pro Quarterback Peyton Manning and would be below .500; well the Colts are currently 0-8 and are the front runners for the “Suck For Luck” campaign. Andrew Luck is a quarterback for Stanford University and is projected to become the 1st overall selection in the 2012 NFL draft and unless the Colts somehow manage to turn their season around and win the next couple of games, he’ll be on a one way flight to Indianapolis. Another team that was in the hunt for Andrew Luck were the Miami Dolphins. During the off-season, Miami were considered to be a team with a top 5 defense and a balanced offense utilising the run with recently signed tailback Reggie Bush and the play-action pass of 4th year quarterback Chad Henne. Unfortunately for Dolfans worldwide, Henne is out for the rest of the year with a season ending injury. Matt Moore is his replacement, the defense is ranked 23rd overall and the season is looking similar to the 2007 one in which the Phins finished 1-15. The lack of success for the Colts and Dolphins has been a hot topic for weeks now, however there are other teams around the league that have been making some noise for the right reasons. The San Francisco 49ers, under new Head Coach Jim Harbaugh,
are comfortably leading the NFC West with a 7-1 record. The Detroit Lions are establishing themselves with a new identity on offense and defense led by quarterback Matthew Stafford and Defensive Tackle Ndamukong Suh. The Buffalo Bills are also causing problems for opposing teams with their opportunistic defense and resilient running back Fred Jackson. Each of these teams have been the surprises of the season so far, and are favourites to make the post season, neither of them have made the playoffs in over 10 years. It’s never too early to talk MVP (Most Valuable Player) and so far there have been a few candidates: wide receiver Calvin Johnson; defensive end Jared Allen; and cornerback Darrelle Revis, have all had stellar seasons so far but right now, there is one player who is simply balling. Who is that you ask? That would be none other than Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Through eight games, Rodgers has thrown 24 touchdowns and only three interceptions for 2,619 yards with a passing rating of 129.1. When completing passes for a gain of more than 20+ yards, he is completing nearly 65% of his passes, right now there are only three quarterbacks who have a total QBR of 64% or more, Rodgers QBR? Over 71%. Green Bay are currently undefeated and have the potential and talent to achieve the perfect season. If they succeed, they would be the first team since the 2007 New England Patriots to go 16-0 in the regular season.
SPORT
NO. 26 - DEC 2011
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PAGE 31 30/11/2011 19:25
Dundee Ice Arena MICHAEL BAIRD
B
efore coming to Dundee, I had no intention of ever setting foot on an ice rink. The idea of trying to stay upright on ice - never mind paying for the opportunity - did not appeal to me. I was not aware Dundee even had an ice arena, let alone their own professional ice hockey team. However, one Sunday afternoon a few months into term, a friend coerced me into checking out an ice hockey match. We both agreed it would offer a more enjoyable end to the weekend than lying on the sofa battling a hangover. I was not to be disappointed. The Dundee Stars put on a thrilling performance - the atmosphere was electric. I found myself being drawn into the action from the start, despite my limited knowledge of ice hockey and its rules. It was after this that I decided to take the plunge and try ice skating out for myself, so I attended one of the public skate sessions. Much to my dismay, I had accidentally chosen ‘disco night’ for my first skating experience. Surprisingly, I picked it up reasonably quickly and even managed not to fall over. In hindsight, I recommend checking the timetable before you go! Going to one of the day sessions during the school term will usually result in you having the place to yourself, giving you plenty of space to practice and have fun. There are public skate gsessions 7 days a week, with some disco and learn-to-skate sessions mixed in. General skating for students is just £3.50 including skate hire, which is less than half the usual price.
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General Skating
Upcoming Home Games
Monday - Saturday 10:00 - 12:00* 14:30 - 16:30* Saturday 10:00 - 12:00 14:30 - 16:30
02/12/2011 Fri 19:30 Dundee Stars v Edinburgh Capitals 11/12/2011 Sun 18:30 Dundee Stars v Fife Flyers
Disco Sessions Wednesday Friday Sunday
19:00 - 21:00 19:00 - 21:00 14:30 - 16:30
23/12/2011 Fri 19:30 Dundee Stars v Nottingham Panthers
Learn to Skate Monday Tuesday Saturday Sunday
18/12/2011 Sun 18:30 Dundee Stars v Braehead Clan
16:45 - 18:45 16:45 - 18:45 09:00 - 10:00 13:30 - 14:30
*Skating in end ice only during curling season and applies to all sessions on Mondays & Tuesdays from September to March.
26/12/2011 Mon 18:30 Dundee Stars v Edinburgh Capitals 02/01/2012 nMon 18:30 Dundee Stars v Belfast Giants
© 2011 Google
The Magdalen
NO. 26 - DEC 2011
Sport 30/11/2011 19:25
The Dundee Ice Arena (DIA) is at the Camperdown Leisure Complex, next to Camperdown Park. The DIA boasts an impressive Olympic size ice pad and seating capacity for 2,300 spectators. The DIA is also home to the Dundee CCS Stars, one of four Scottish ice hockey teams competing in the UK’s Elite League.
Ice hockey is played by two teams of six, each team consisting of a goalkeeper and five other members. The game is split into three 20 minute periods. After a face-off (where the puck is dropped between two players from opposing teams), players skate up and down the ice, trying to get the puck and score a goal in the opposing team’s net. Ice The puck can travel at speeds up to 100mph, and as there is no limit on substitutions, the game is constantly moving. Penalties occur frequently, and result in offending players spending time in a dedicated penalty box. Penalties range from minor offences like slashing (swinging a stick at an opponent) or roughing (pushing or shoving after the whistle has been blown), to major offences such as spearing (stabbing an opponent with the point of the stick), boarding (pushing an opponent violently into the boards) and fighting.
“It is fast paced, sometimes violent, and the beer ain’t too expensive either.” Dan Ceman (Dundee Stars Head Coach)
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NO. 26 - DEC 2011
PAGE 33 30/11/2011 19:25
SPORT
Campus Sport
The now annual Campus Sport Oktoberfest kicked off with Volleyball 4s on the 7th October and was followed by Basketball 4s, Waterpolo 7s and Dodgeball 10s. Each of these events were extremely well attended and in a couple of cases they were oversubscribed. The atmosphere throughout was absolutely brilliant and it was particularly hilarious seeing teams attempt to play the sports in fancy dress (unsurprisingly no team attempted this for waterpolo!!). Waterpolo 7s was easily one of the funniest sports to watch almost purely for the hilarity of seeing certain members of our women’s rugby club almost drowning members of the opposing teams in their desperation to win the ball - you know who you are... Nicky Cook! A huge thank you has to go out to the members of the Swim and Waterpolo Club who helped organise and referee the event. The new event of Dodgeball 10s, though, was the definite highlight of the month’s events, and despite the difficulties of trying to referee a match (believe me it was easier to just sit back and watch) it was a hugely enjoyable experience and everyone had a great time. It is certainly something we intend to do again next semester. Campus Sport Officer Emma Lorimer has to be thanked for putting in a huge amount of effort in organising a brilliant Oktoberfest, with a lot of money raised for the charity Right To Play. Plans are already being made for the next Campus Sport events in February so we hope to see everyone come back and take part.
Team of the Month
Congratulations to the Men’s Hockey 1st XI for winning the Dundee University Sport Team of the Month for October. They have had a fine start to the season not just in the BUCS league where they are currently 2nd in Tier 1A but also the National League 3rd Division where they are also placed 2nd in the table. They must be commended on their efforts both on a Wednesday and a Saturday in putting out competitive teams.
Sports Union News
BUCS Performances
We’re just over a month into the 2011/2012 BUCS season and Dundee University has already seen a lot of success on the playing field. At the time of writing Men’s Rugby 1st XV, Women’s Rugby 1st XV, Netball 1sts, Women’s Basketball 1sts and Men’s Basketball 1sts are all unbeaten so far this year and a number of other teams have had winning starts to the season. There have a number of great results both at home in Fortress Dundee and away, however, personally the two matches that I enjoyed the most involved a couple of our 3rd teams. This included a historic victory for the Men’s Rugby 3rd XV over Napier 2nds in what was their first win in 3 years. An inexperienced Dundee team came from behind early on in the match and had to deal with losing their captain to injury with just over twenty minutes to go. With the score tied at 22 all, the Dundee lads stuck together and drove downfield for the match winning try and a final score of 27-22. Safe to say their captain was the happiest man in Dundee that night. The other match was between our Netball 3rds and Aberdeen 2nds in the Conference Cup. Despite facing a side 3 tiers above them, the Dundee girls definitely had the better of a see-saw encounter. With just a few minutes to go, Dundee held the lead till a late Aberdeen comeback almost saw them take the victory. In the end Aberdeen were able to snatch a draw with less than 20 seconds left on the clock ending a thrilling encounter at 32-32. It has been a great month so far for Dundee University Sports teams and let’s hope this continues. We’d like to encourage all students to go down to the ISE or Riverside on Wednesday afternoons and support your University teams. Fixtures are posted in both the Union and the ISE and online at our website www.sportsunion.dundee.ac.uk
Team of the Month Men’s Hocket 1st XI
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The Magdalen
NO. 25 - NOV 2011
SPORT 30/11/2011 19:25
Sports Union Dinner
The annual Sports Union Dinner on the 4th of November at the Hilton Hotel in Dundee went down a storm with the 250 members of the Sports Union lucky enough to get a ticket. With all the tickets being sold after just 6 days, it showed that people were looking forward to having a great night, and safe to say it did not disappoint. A massive thank you to Vice President of Events Dom Szabo for putting on a great night for everyone that attended.
Bouldering B
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Paul Raeside, winning 2nd Place in the Men’s ‘Hard’. Photo by Nikolay Mikhaylyuk
ouldering is a sub-category of climbing. It’s practiced on rock walls that can be as high as seven metres. The only equipment used is magnesium to keep the climber’s hands dry and climbing shoes that allow a better grip on the rock. Normally crash pads are used to prevent any injuries in the offchance the climber falls. The climber has to put forth all his strength and skill into a short sequences of moves (that have to be executed perfectly). The primary goal is to climb the hardest obstacle that is physically and technically possible. Dundee has a very strong rock climbing community based within the Avertical World (AVW). Avertical World, which used to be a church, is located just around the corner from the university. The Dundee University Rucksack Club climbers tend to train at AVW during the week and then outdoors on weekends. On November 9th the first round of the Scottish Universities Bouldering Competition was held in Edinburgh at the Alien Rock climbing centre. Of the twelve medals, three were awarded to our Dundee University team. Paul Raeside won the silver in the Men’s ‘Hard’ category while Nikolay Mikhaylyuk and Ruaridh Macdonald won gold and bronze respectively in the Men’s ‘Easy’ category. With winter fast approaching several competitions are on the horizon as all boulderers move indoors for the season. The first one to mention is the second round of the Scottish Universities Climbing Competition which will be held at the beginning of second semester. However, AVW hosts their own winter series on 9th of December, 3rd of February and the 2nd of March. The indoor season will end with the British Universities & Colleges Sport Climbing Competition, traditionally held in mid March. The Dundee University team aims to perform at the highest level in all of these events. We hope to see you there.
The Magdalen
NO. 25 - NOV 2011
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K E E W S R E H S E R F RE
FROM SATURDAY 7 JANUARY 2012 join us at facebook.com/DUSA.TheUnion for the latest details
Students from all universities and Dundee College welcome. Every student can sign-in four guests. Dundee University Students’ Association (DUSA) Registered Scottish Charity Number Sc016047
adverstise here - themagdalen@dusa.co.uk Issue 26 indd.indd 36
30/11/2011 19:25