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
THE DOOMSDAY GUIDE TO
LEAVING UNIVERSITY
MEET
DUSC
THE
GREAT GATSBY
LIVING IN HALLS i S S U E
3 4
A RIP OFF?
EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL
Published by: Daniel McGlade, VPCC DUSA, Airlie Place Dundee, DD1 4PH vpcc@dusa.co.uk
Rather than bore you with a dull explanation of what this issue of The Magdalen covers (that is what the Contents page is for) I would just like to say thank you to the team. You guys should be incredibly proud of all the hard work that you’ve put in this year. I hope you all stay involved and continue to make the magazine amazing. Danielle, I wish you the best of luck! I know you’ll kick some serious ass and I can’t wait to see your first issue! To those of you who are graduating: see you at the Job Centre!
Printed by: Winters & Simpson Print 16 Dunsinane Avenue Dundee, DD2 3QT Editor in Chief: Melina Nicolaides themagdalen@dusa.co.uk
Deputy Editor: Melina Nicolaides Nicholas Manderson
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Category Editors:
Editoral Assistants: Catriona Duthie Kevin Fullerton
Production:
Current Affairs | Benjamin Blaser Features | Danielle Ames Entertainment | Jane Johnston Art | Francisco Garcia Travel | Shannon Pryde Fashion | Claire McPhillimy Online | Harrison Kelly
Graphic Design | Nicholas Manderson, Melina Nicolaides, Steven Fullerton, Felix Reimer, Laura Gelston, Hazel Wyllie, Sophie Marsay, Danielle Ames, Harrison Kelly.
Contributors: Benjamin Blaser, Danielle Ames, Jane Johnston, Francisco Garcia, Shannon Pryde, Claire McPhillimy, NIcholas Manderson, Melina Nicolaides, Steven Fullerton, Kevin Fullerton, Catriona Duthie, Rob Ryder-Richardson, Felix Reimer, Jalal Abukhater, Andrew Jardine, Sarasvatha Arulampalam, Kirstie Allan, Laura Gelston, Hazel Wyllie, Sophie Marsay, Harrison Kelly, Kate Lakie, Sean Mowbray, Leona Reid, Kathryn McKnight, Tom Holland, Chris Gerrard, Andrew Fraser, Clare Porte. PAGE 2
The Magdalen NO. 33 - Jan/Feb 2013
Editorial
4 VPE & SRC Update 5 New Media Managers
Lifestyle
6 Healthy Eating on a Budget
Travel
8 Tentsmuir Forest
Current Affairs
9 Child Poverty 10 Stop the Ivory Trade
Features
CONTENTS
Editorial
14 Living in Halls a Rip Off? 17 Fire Alarm 18 Doomsday Guide to Leaving University
Fashion
20 The Hit List 22 1920s Style Icons 24 The Great Gatsby
Art
The Great Gatsby p.24
26 From Death to Death and Other Small Tales 28 Introducing Filthy Boy
Entertainment
30 April Reviews 32 How I Met Your Mother 33 Bands of the month
Sport
34 Meet the Team: DUSC
White Gold: Ivory Trade p.10
Contents
The Magdalen NO. 33 - Jan/Feb 2013
PAGE 3
EDITORIAL
EXEC
With over 7000 votes cast, the new officers are as follows :
VPE
VP Communications & Campaigns Zuchaela Smylie
NEWS ANDREW
JARDINE
Hello again! Well the last few months here at DUSA have certainly been busy. Our VPSA ,Anna, along with a team of volunteer, planned and ran an International Cultures Festival. Over 7 days, students and staff learnt about different cultures through events like the Paper Laterns Lauch on campus green as well as the UN Association Dundee Branch Launch. Well done to everyone involved. With only 15 weeks left in office, the elections for the Student Executive of 2013/14 took place.
President Iain MacKinnon Deputy President Jade Rea
VP Student Activities Douglas Schreiber VP Engagement Stefan Tomov VP Student Welfare Katie Jowett Honorary Secretary Tim Hustler-Wright Well done to all the candidates; campaigning was tough but you should all be proud of the effort you put in. Look out for info about the new Executive when the new academic year begins.
During the elections, DUSA held its Annual General Meeting. With over 120 students in attendance, 3 motions were debated and passed. After several years of not reaching the 75 students quorate needed to hold these meetings, it was great to see such great debate on issues which are important to the student body. I did say it has been busy, didn’t I! As I mentioned away back in my first column, the Students’ Representative Council play an important part in the University’s Representation Structure. Check out the article below which tells you a little more about it, and what the SRC has been up to over the last year. That’s all from me for this issue. As ever if you have any questions or issues, please feel free to pop by my office or email me. AJ
vpe@dusa.co.uk
WELCOME TO THE 2012/13 SRC UPDATE!
T
he SRC this year consisted of some really dynamic and motivated individuals who have petitioned for improvements in the quality of service provided both at DUSA and the University. Amongst this we have discussed and debated the University’s ‘Vision’ and the mission for excellence with the Principal Pete Downes. SRC have effected changes in the advertising campaigns at DUSA, and have sought to promote better conduct towards minorities and across gender groups on campus. We have discussed Library Learning Centre (LLC) facilities and have helped LLC staff allocate resources for the improvement of services directly affecting students’ learning experience. There has already been an increase in desk space, and there will be significant improvements after the £1 million renovation of library facilities happening this summer.
PAGE 4
The SRC have been petitioning the university registry office to release exam timetables three weeks earlier than previously scheduled. This has been a successful campaign, with the exam results announced earlier this semester. Improving awareness and engagement has been a key area of concern for the SRC. With this in mind, we will be creating an SRC email address where you can address your concerns and we will be posting relevant information on campus notice boards. But SRC isn’t all voting and student politics, there’s a great social aspect to being a student rep on the SRC panel. Student reps come from all faculties and backgrounds. You can find photos of what the SRC gets up to on our Facebook page and on the DUSA website. Before the end of the academic year we’ll be shooting a video revealing exactly what it is we do, too. Find us here: facebook.co.uk/SRCDundee dusa.co.uk/get-involved/src
The Magdalen
NO. 34 - April 2013
Editorial
EDITORIAL
MEET YOUR
NEW
MEDIA MANAGERS
DANIELLE AMES
The Magdalen
DOUG YOUNG DUSATV
CRAIG DONOGHUE
FELIX REIMER
DUSA Radio
dusamedia.com
FOR MORE INFO ABOUT DUSA MEDIA CHECK OUT OUR FACEBOOK PAGE: http://www.facebook.com/dusamedia OR OUR WEBSITE: www.dusamedia.com
Editorial
The Magdalen
NO. 34 - April 2013
PAGE 5
8 tips to EATING HEALTHIER KATE LAKIE
on a budget
Being a student and trying to eat healthy are two things that don’t really go hand in hand. It is the sad truth that truly healthy, yummy foods are pretty expensive on the whole as they tend to be organic, free range and well branded. Cheap and easy-to-get-hold-of foods, ideal for students, are of course all the unhealthy stuff and, what’s more, there’s always the issue of cooking time. A pot noodle is far more appealing than a casserole that takes an hour to prepare and cook! However, for those students who are desperate to be healthier but can’t see how, I thought I’d give you some of my own finds of (slightly) healthier alternatives which are pretty effective to feeling healthier and still leave you with enough money to hit the gym!
GO WHOLEGRAIN! Switch all your carbohydrates to wholegrain as they cost the same and are much healthier than the white variety. However, if weight loss is on your mind, try to only have them in moderation, particularly bread. A brilliant alternative is noodles but unfortunately finding cheap ones can be tricky.
EAT SOUP
(and I don’t mean canned!)
CRAVING SOMETHING SWEET?
Opt for low fat natural yoghurt and fruit such as bananas. It’s a brilliant alternative to cakes and other puddings when you just fancy a sweet boost and don’t wanna break the bank. The fruit contains good natural sugars to satisfy your cravings and the yoghurt combined makes it more filling and keeps it healthy with the good bacteria it contains which boosts your digestive and immune systems. A large pot of natural low fat yoghurt costs only about £ 1 and bananas are equally inexpensive.
Canned soup is actually filled with fat and other nasty things as they’re thickened with rice and other stodgy produce which greatly reduces their health value. (It was very upsetting to find this out I have to admit). Instead, try making your own soup from scratch! Vegetables (and they don’t have to be organic) are very cheap and you won’t need very many to make lots of soup. I usually buy about £ 2 worth of veg (very roughly) which is enough to make four large bowlfuls of soup! That’s lunch taken care of for nearly the whole week.
LIFESTYLE
HOMEMADE CHIPS
If you’re really craving that fatty kick of chips there is a way you can do this without damaging your new healthy lifestyle too radically. Buying a bag of potatoes is a fraction of the price of a bag of chips and contain loads more nutrients. Simply slice them up, drizzle with oil and put in the oven. Done, chip cravings satisfied.
NO COOK-IN SAUCES If you want a basic tomato sauce for bolognese or something, just use tomato puree, an onion and some garlic. It is essentially the same thing only with lots of nutrients from the tomatoes and onion that are lost in supermarket-bought sauces and making your own is about half the price.
SPAGHETTI SHAPES
Ok I know this sounds ridiculous but because they’re specifically designed for kids the sugar content is reduced to make them healthy than ordinary spaghetti hoops AND the tiny can they’re sold in is the perfect portion amount so you don’t over-eat. Average price of a tin is about 50 p so no excuse not to at least try it!
RATATOUILLE
RAVIOLI Ravioli is high in carbs as you’d expect BUT very low in fat and calories. Furthermore the carbs make it filling enough so you aren’t tempted to snack later on which is a brilliant bonus.
Lifestyle
The Magdalen
Just lots of veggies roasted in the oven. Simple but very effective and will make enough to last all week most likely. One of my favourite meals, all it requires is two small courgettes, an aubergine, two onions and two peppers. This will cost about £ 2 to £ 3. Then all you need to do is chop them up quite chunkily, drizzle in oil and roast in the oven for about half an hour. You can also make a cheap tomato sauce (see above) and have couscous with it – which is cheap and yummy and no worse than rice!
NO. 34 - April 2013
PAGE 7
TENTSMUIR POINT JALAL ABUKHATER
B
eing in Dundee, for the first year of my degree, I was curious as to what this place would hold for me; other than the usual restaurants, pubs and clubs that is. Fortunately, Dundee is situated on the banks of the River Tay, where it is possible to witness beautiful sunsets. However, did you know that there is further beauty lying less than seven miles beyond the river? All it takes is a short bus ride or, even better, a short cycle to arrive at the Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve. If you are looking for a place where you could have a perfectly relaxed day with fresh air and splendid sights, Tentsmuir is the answer. There you can walk on paths covered with pine cones, with the forest on one side and a beach on the other. Walking through marked paths in the forest, you can find red squirrels climbing up the trees and, if you’re lucky, a roe deer in its natural habitat. You can also walk on the dune-clad beach to reach Tentsmuir Point,
where you may spot seals, which come to bask, and witness the thousands of birds who flock to feed and rest. If you’re more the type to appreciate the examination of historic objects from different periods of recent history, then Tentsmuir is also your place. All over the beach you can find World War II tank traps and pill boxes that were built in case the beach was subject to an invasion, as well as for training purposes for allied armies. Fun fact: most defences there were installed by the Polish army. Most junctions in the forest are marked with signs that will lead you to your destination rather easily. Information signs are also there to provide more detail about wildlife you encounter or historic objects you pass. If the weather is good, Tentsmuir Forest would be a perfect location for a day trip, giving the opportunity to experience both historical objects as well as a taste of the natural wildlife. You’re only a stone’s throw away. So what are you waiting for?
DIRECTIONS Cross the Tay Bridge coming from Dundee, turn left and stay on the cycle path until you reach Tayport. Beyond the village you enter the northern end of the forest. Visit www.tentsmuir.org
CURRENT AFFAIRS
CHILD POVERTY
ON THE RISE
BY 2020 AN ESTIMATED 65,000 MORE CHILDREN WILL BE IMPOVERISHED ACROSS SCOTLAND SEAN MOWBRAY
W
hen we think of poverty in today’s world, one could think it exists largely as a problem abroad. The prevalence of ‘relative’ poverty within our own country can, and often does, go unnoticed. Yet recent figures show that Dundee has the second highest rate of child poverty in Scotland. Twenty-six percent of children live in poverty, down only 1% from January 2012. The situation is bleak and the future even more so. By 2020 it is estimated 65,000 more children will be in poverty across Scotland. How does that fit to a city trying to rekindle its image? Down on the River Tay you will see the plans of Dundee City Council: the new vision for Dundee which is destined to transform the Waterfront (the Magdalen reported in issue 33). The sum invested is staggering. By 2030, the city, businesses and agencies are due to spent around £1 billion, including the £45 million new V&A building. This project is, of course, commendable. Dundee needs rejuvenation; Dundee needs jobs. But will it benefit those in poverty? Furthermore, we need to ask, why is there such immense poverty and how can this be changed? A look at the economic situation
of the United Kingdom and Scotland might answer some of these questions. It is unlikely to improve greatly for some time and with welfare cuts continuing, the problem will only be exacerbated. If you have recently walked through the centre of Dundee, you cannot help but notice the number of stores closed. Incidentally, it was recently announced one in 10 shops in the UK now lie empty. For Dundee, renewal is needed to bring a little life into the local economy. But whether the £1 billion waterfront project will erase the title of second in Scotland for child poverty is doubtful. However, if the Scottish Child Poverty Strategy’s aim of ‘a
Scotland where no children are disadvantaged by poverty’ is to ever to be achieved, it must begin locally. It is already evident there will be a new generation of children disadvantaged by problems not of their making.
What’s your opinion? Tell us on:
dusa.co.uk/media
26% £1bn 65K of children in Dundee are impovershed
Current Affairs
spent on Waterfront renovations
The Magdalen
NO. 34 - April 2013
more children will be impovershed by 2020
PAGE 9
WHITE GOLD
CURRENT AFFAIRS
IT’S TIME TO KILL THE IVORY TRADE SEAN MOWBRAY
T
he international trade in illegal ivory has fast become one of the most lucrative businesses in the world. Regions suffering internal wars have become hotspots for poaching as political instability allows organised crime to flourish. In 2011, 48 tonnes worth of tusk were confiscated, the equivalent of 4,000 elephants. Accurate estimates are hard to come by and of course the amount seized is only a fraction of the total volume. The number of elephants killed is undoubtedly higher. Given the tremendous value of the ‘white gold’, the worsening situation of the African elephant is unsurprising. For centuries, ivory has been a source of wealth. Building the foundations of the Belgian empire in the nineteenth century, it now funds traffickers and African rebels. It is estimated that the tusks from one elephant are worth 10 times the average income of an African family. It is no surprise that in areas of poverty the trade flourishes as people seek to get by. As maintaining the security of the elephant’s habitat becomes impossible, war-stricken regions provide excellent poaching territory and poachers are often linked to rebel and terrorist cells. Take the recent conflict in Mali for example. The occupation by ‘Islamists’ of the Northern regions coincided with a rise in poaching. “Poaching has increased to raise funds for the rebels through the sale of ivory, or for food. After the coup in March, the government foresters and police melted away,’ said Dr Susan Canney, who runs the Mali Elephant Project. Due to the conflict in Mali, anti-poaching teams had to withdraw. The advance of French and Malian troops has allowed some regions to be secured and monitoring of the
Current Affairs
elephant population has resumed, but damage has already been done. With African elephant populations already at dangerously low levels, a sharp decrease such as in Mali is a serious cause for concern. As booming Asian markets keep demand and prices high, elephants continue to be at risk across Africa. So how do we stop the decimation? Next month, March 14th, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) will meet to discuss the illegal wildlife trade and how to restrain it. This international effort will be useful but whether it will bring about lasting change is doubtful. The WWF is currently
seeking to influence this convention in Thailand, which is a major destination for smuggled ivory. They are running a campaign to kill the illegal trade of ivory. A petition to the Thai Prime minister aims to stop the slaughter of African elephants. You can access it through the WWF website (wwf.panda.org). The aim is to collect one million signatures before the beginning of the convention. This is definitely a cause worth talking about and maybe the small actions of students from the University of Dundee can help reduce the needless slaughter of one of our planets most magnificent creatures.
WHERE AFRICAN ELEPHANTS LIVE
The Magdalen
NO. 34 - April 2013
PAGE 12
THREE OUTLETS
ONE WEBSITE
dusa.co.uk/media
FEATURES
IS LIVING IN A HUGE RIP-OFF?
Students living in university accommodation at the University of Dundee pay significantly more than their peers anywhere else in Scotland. DUSA’s president says it’s time for a rent freeze. FELIX REIMER
A
bout 1,500 students live in one of the university’s four halls. Two residences, Belmont and Heathfield, are located on campus, and a third one, Seabraes, is a five-minute walk from the university. For 2013-14, students living there will be paying £ 4,865 per year. Rents are lower for residents of West Park, where rooms cost almost £ 4,200 – at the price of being two kilometres (1.2 miles) away from The Union and other campus facilities. These rates get tenants an en-suite single bedroom with about 13 square metres. Two more square metres will set them back an additional £ 140 per year. No other university in Scotland charges more than Dundee for a
self-catered single room. Rents in university residences in Edinburgh and Glasgow are significantly lower than in Dundee, despite higher average rents for one-bedroom properties in both cities. Even in “posh” St. Andrews, students who are fine with walking 15 minutes to the city centre can have much more affordable accommodation available. Rents in Dundee University’s halls have risen dramatically since 2009. In 2009-10, hall residents paid about £ 4,100 for a standard room. Three years later, annual rents have gone up by £ 750, an increase of more than 18 percent. In the same time period, monthly prices for other one-bedroom
properties in Dundee have remained virtually unchanged, according to Rentright, a company that provides information on average prices of rental properties. Across all types of leased housing in Dundee, prices have fallen in the three years since September 2009. The University of Dundee’s Residences Office cautions against comparing rents among Scottish universities because of varying lease lengths and facility standards. There is indeed one major difference: In Dundee’s halls, every room comes with an en-suite bathroom and shower, whereas most other Scottish students pay extra for these conveniences. Leases for undergraduate students,
WE ST PA RK
PAGE 14
The Magdalen
NO. 34 - April 2013
Features
FEATURES however, generally last around 39 weeks to cover the academic year. Other differences are marginal. The Residences Office claims that student accommodation at the University of Dundee was in a pitiful state before 2004. “In order to bring it up to modern standards expected of our students and of legislation, over £ 40 million was borrowed and invested through a joint partnership agreement” with Sanctuary Housing Association and the Bank of Scotland. Annual rent increases are negotiated and agreed to by the university under a process in which DUSA, the student association that also publishes this magazine, is consulted – or so the Residences Office claims. That is an “inaccurate statement,” says Iain Kennedy, DUSA’s president. “A DUSA [representative] sits on a liaison committee, alongside staff from the University and Sanctuary Management, however this group does not have any control over financial issues.” Kennedy also said that DUSA has expressed concerns over rent increases in the past, but to no avail, because of the partnership agreement’s “financial process which ensures that the rent increases every year.” The joint venture has been a double-edged sword for the university. In April 2007, some members of the university’s administrative governing body, the University Court, “felt that the current prices were uncompetitive,”
Halls at Dundee University are the most expensive in Scotland. How much do students in university accommodation pay elsewhere? University
Rent
Dundee (Campus)
£ 4,865
Dundee (West Park)
£ 4,302
Glasgow
£ 4,122
Edinburgh Napier
1
£ 3,854
Aberdeen
£ 3,861
Heriot-Watt
£3 ,805
Robert Gordon1
£ 3,540
1
Glasgow Caledonian1
£ 3,471
West of Scotland
£ 3,160
2
Edinburgh
£ 3,154
Strathclyde1
£ 3,040
Abertay1
£ 2,727
Stirling
£ 2,736
St. Andrews
£ 2,668
Lowest available annual rent for undergraduate students in a single, self-catered room with bathroom/showers either en-suite or shared in 2013-14 1 Rent for 2012-13 2 Hamilton Campus, 40 weeks, 2012-13
according to meeting minutes. They urged the joint venture “to be cautious in setting prices [and] consider more innovative marketing ideas.” A 2008 study by the University and Colleges Union (UCU) found that the university had incurred massive losses from the partnership. “Halls in the new student [residences] remain empty while the venture made losses of £ 500,000 [in 2007] and a staggering £ 1.3 million [in 2008]. The university’s share of this is £ 400,000 and the proportion appears to be rising,” according to the study. UNISON, a public sector trade union, reported that the “university has had to provide funding to the company from its own revenues.” Things have changed, apparently. The Residences Office claims that the occupation rate in halls now is “around 99 percent.” According to court minutes for April 2011, that is higher than projected. Yet the minutes also record that “for 2011-12, residence fees would be increased by 5.54 percent.” In other words, the residences are making more money than expected, but rents keep rising. Living on campus has an obvious appeal, particularly for first-year students. “It’s convenient, first years have a guaranteed place, and it’s a great environment to meet new people,” says David, a Heathfield resident who started university last September. I asked him whether he felt that en-suite bathrooms and continues over page
HE AT HFIE LD
BEL MONT
SEA BRAES
Features
The Magdalen
NO. 34 - April 2013
PAGE 15
FEATURES showers were necessary, given that most students share these facilities with flatmates once they move into private accommodation. He paused for a moment before saying, “well, it’s too expensive for my liking – but I guess it’s a nice little luxury.” That little luxury comes with a price tag that exceeds many student loans. The maximum amount paid out by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) currently is £ 5,570, but most students get much less. The average loan paid out by SAAS in 2011-12, the most recent year for which data is available, was £ 4,256 – more than £ 200 short of the rent in campus residences at the time. Kennedy thinks it is time for a rent freeze. “I believe we are now getting to a point where further rent increases are unsustainable. It is my hope that the university, in conjunction with other partners in the [joint venture], will seek a review of the terms which determine annual rent increases.” That is unlikely to happen. The university cites a Residences Office survey in which nine out of ten first-year residents said that they “would recommend living in university residences to prospective first year students.” The university also points to the results of the most recent Times Higher Education Experience Survey which found that most Scottish students are
University accommodation costs £ 750 more than in 2009 2013-14 2012-13
2011-12 2009-10
£ 4,120
2010-11
£ 4,226
£ 4,470
£ 4,753
£ 4,865
Annual rent for a single room in university accommodation on campus less satisfied with their university accommodation than their peers in the rest of Britain. (North of the border, students at the University of West Scotland were unhappiest: UWS placed 106 out of 107 in the accommodation ranking.) The Residences Office proudly notes
that in the study, “Dundee University was voted joint second for ‘Good Accommodation’ in the UK.” But at almost five grand a year, there is no reason why students should settle for anything less.
Check out our content: youtube.com/DUSAtv facebook.com/DUSAtv DUSA TV part of
Features
FIRE ALARM? Nae worries
For halls residents, fire alarms are a near daily occurrence. But when firefighters show up, they rarely find a fire. FELIX REIMER
A
group of people, some of them still in their PJs, standing outside in the rain, while a beeping sound cuts through the silence… If you have ever lived in one of Dundee University’s residences, you know what that means: A fire alarm went off somewhere in the building. It has become something of an initiation ritual for students living in halls, and talking about it is a sure-fire way to start a conversation that everyone on campus can join. According to numbers obtained through a Freedom of Information request from Tayside Fire and Rescue, fire alarms in student accommodation in Dundee went off 546 times between 1 April 2011 and 5 February 2013. Take a guess: How often did firefighters have to deal with, you know, actual fires? If you came up with an estimate in the double digits or more, you are way off. The fire brigade extinguished flames exactly nine times in almost two years. Apparently, kitchens are a particularly dangerous place. Three “pots of meat”, a frying pan on a hob, two towels and two paper bins caused fires. There also was an unspecified incident in a kitchen. More than 98 percent of fire alarms that went off in student accommodation did so for other reasons. The main causes, a spokeswoman for Tayside Fire and Rescue dryly notes, included “cooking, deodorant spray, straighteners, candles, showers, etc.” A West Park resident tells a story that
Features
will be familiar to many: “Following a night that involved drinking out of a shoe, several air-soft gun rampages and much profuse vomiting, some pillock decided it would be a good idea to set off our fire extinguisher. Aside from suffocating the entire population of our hallway, it rather ironically also set off the fire alarm.” Residents in Dundee University’s halls are particularly likely to set off fire alarms for no (fire-related) reason. The highest number of alarms – 119 – came from Heathfield. The leader in actual fires, however, is Seabraes: Out of 76 alarms, three incidents required firefighters. It probably will not surprise you that anecdotal evidence suggests alcohol often plays a role in fire alarms, like in this story told by a former Belmont resident: “When we came back from Skint, my flatmate tried to make chips. A huge gust of smoke came out when she opened the oven, and the fire alarm went off. The fire brigade discovered that someone had tried to cook a shoe in our oven. Our entire flat was deemed toxic because of the fumes from the plastic.” (The incident took place in 2010 and is not included in the figures above.) How do other student residences in the city stack up? Well, it is not even close. Over 22 months, fire alarms went off in The Hub just four times, and not once in The Opal. Asked whether students are too careless when it comes to setting off fire alarms, Tayside Fire and Rescue preferred to “not give an opinion.” In all fairness, the numbers probably speak for themselves.
The Magdalen
NO. 34 - April 2013
BELM ONT 119 fire alarms 1 fire
HEATHFIELD 99 fire alarms 2 fires
SEABRAES 76 fire alarms 3 fires
W EST PARK 67 fire alarms 0 fires Sources: Tayside Fire & Rescue, University of Dundee (photos)
PAGE 17
d o o m sd ay
guide to graduation KEVIN FULLERTON
B
ack in 1989 in an episode of Coronation Street, perennial favourite and wife-beater Alan Bradley was run over by a Blackpool tram whilst chasing his long victimised wife. The nation watched with astonishment as the monstrous figure, who, because of how slow moving trams are in Blackpool, has to throw himself maniacally at the tram, making it look more like an episode of Jackass than Corrie. As the television audience gasped, my dad laughed his head off. For years later he would regale his children with the tram story, laughing madly at how stupid the episode was. On family trips down to Blackpool my dad would stand on the tram tracks and shout, “Here! Guess who I am!” Pretending to be hit he would go “Ahhh!” and begin cackling. Being about six years old at the time I barely got what was particularly funny to him – to
be fair, nobody else did either – and found him jumping onto tram tracks slightly distressing, feeling like he was tempting fate by pretending to be a soap star run over by a tram. What if he had actually been hit? Cut to a decade-and-a-half later and I’m almost finishing up at university. After years of making jokes about being unemployed after gaining my degree, fate seems to have been tempted a little too often and the joke is coming true. It’s the same for most of the students around me. Basically, what I’m saying is that we’ve all been standing on tram tracks taking the piss, but now there’s a bullet train heading for our arses. There we are, students, cloistered by university; carefree, picking daisies and petting candy cane flavoured bunny rabbits in a rainbow coloured haze, only to be thrown out after graduation into
the real world, cold, naked for some reason, and alone in a job market seemingly designed to never actually employ you. It might be because you’re naked. Put on some clothes for goodness’ sake! The hunt for a job before graduation has led for me to apply for any position I can find, without really knowing what’s expected of me. I’m like a fumbling virgin grasping at bits of flesh in the hope of finding the G-spot, only for my Job Market girlfriend to look pitifully at me. If only Job Market would pretend that I had some practical skills, that I was hitting the right spots, then maybe it would be okay. But no; Job Market simply stays stagnant, lying in the bed with a look of maudlin disapproval, imagining Lack of Economic Growth in a ménage a trois with us. This Job Market sex analogy is getting a bit weird, isn’t it? I’ll move on.
The job market is a desparate one, with jobs suitable for humanities students few and far between. It has led me to apply mainly for more esoteric positions in a bid to inject some interest into my usual trawl through the vacancies. I’ve recently applied for a tuna magazine, for instance, situated in Switzerland. My position would include writing about tuna statistics, interviewing tuna manufacturers, and generally trying to take the tuna industry seriously despite my being a vegetarian. Because of the vegetarian issue I’ve managed to convince myself that tuna nets are actually probably fantastic social opportunities for tuna, like a singles bar for marine life where you can meet a new tuna and maybe even the tuna of your dreams, rather than the harbingers of aquatic death that I
had previously thought of them as. If I can place my ethical quibbles aside then maybe I could even begin to like the tuna industry. I've come up with some jokes to make my fellow tuna employees laugh if I get the job. Here's one: Two tunas walk into a bar. But AHHHH it wasn't a bar at all, but a tuna net! And now they're dead. And another one: Where do tunas go on holiday? Tunisia, where they are subsequently caught in tuna nets and killed! I admit I might have to work on my tuna humour a bit. And that's the thing with leaving university. The job market consists of compromise after compromise as you jump through endless hoops to get a job you didn't really want in the first place. It's like going on X Factor; you start off dreaming of becoming a superstar, a pop idol like Bonnie
Tyler or Kajagoogoo. But then you're knocked out in the first round and soon you’re simply happy if some bum-fart-nobody says that they thought you were passable on the pub karaoke. In the end, what with student unemployment at a concerning high level, figures estimating 1,000,000 under 26 year olds not in employment or training, you're simply happy to have a job. So sitting in the damp silence of a tuna office, typing out tuna statistics, wondering if I could use my 'atuna matata' Lion King pun in some way in the next tuna manufacturing interview, I'll think that at least I haven't been hit in the face by a metaphorical tram. And I'll think of Alan Bradley and I'll laugh.
You can find a variety of graduate job listings for the creative industries via the links below: Creative Scotland: www.creativescotland.com Media Muppet: www.mediamuppet.com IdeasTap: www.ideastap.com Creative Recruitment: www.creativerecruitment.co.uk The Drum: www.thedrum.com/jobs
THE
HIT LIST LEONA REID
ALL T’ANGLED UP WALK ON THE WILD SIDE Accessories
Ok, so maths might not have been your favourite subject at school, but don’t let that stop you from indulging in the new-found craze that is geometry. Yep, fashion is getting technical – but, shhh! You didn’t hear it from us. It could well be part of a new initiative to get young minds back in the numerical way of thinking – if it is then show me the protractor! There’s an absolute plethora of angular shaped jewellery on the High Street, and there’s no denying that it looks pretty snazzy. The pinstripe trend also fits in well with this, and can be embodied perfectly with the help of this candy-cane style rucksack from Missguided.
Footwear
We’re going all out for footwear this month, so get ready to strut your stuff; be it in a pair of patterned plimsolls or platforms. Animal prints are particularly prominent in this area, leopard being a strong favourite, and readily available anywhere on the high street. If animalistic vibes aren’t really your thing, you can stick to Aztec print whilst also incorporating the monochrome theme in the form of these chunky platforms from Topshop. It may be said that a leopard never changes its spots; doesn’t mean you can’t change your shoes though! Vans Leopard Trainers: Schuh, £52 Aztec Moccasin Flats: Schuh, £28 Gladiator Shoeboots: Topshop, £95
Triangle Stretch Bracelet: Dorothy Perkins, £12.50 Pendant Necklace: Topshop, £15 Neon Drop Earrings: Dorothy Perkins, £15 Striped Backpack in pink: Missguided, £24.99
MONOCHROMATIC TRIBAL MARKINGS MAYHEM Beauty Clothing
Grid Cross Leggings: Topshop, £28 Black Print Jersey Skirt: Fashion Union, £18 Monochrome Peplum Top: New Look, £14.99
Forget about those fifty shades of grey; black and white is where it’s at! Monochrome is a big theme for print and patterning this season and although it is definitely back, it’s not in the classic block colouring way that we’re used to – designers have had fun with this one and are incorporating everything from Aztec to tie-dye. For daytime try teaming patterned leggings with a slouchy slogan sweater (extra brownie points for a subtle nod to the Nineties). To take things up a notch, try pairing a black bracelet with this pencil skirt from Fashion Union for a modern and edgy twist on the classic look. If you’re not too fussed on any of the busy patterns and prints going on here, but still want to work the monochrome look, opt for pinstripes; they’re bang on trend and as long as you stick to the vertical, you can avoid looking like an extra out of the music video for Jailhouse Rock.
We’re delving into our roots and going totally tribal with this month’s beauty must-haves. This season is all about print; in every shape, size and colour. This isn’t easy to apply to the face without looking like a kid who got a bit carried away at the face painting stall. However, this season it’s all about the nails, the Aztec print being our main focus. Now, what sensible student has time for all that fidgety nonsense? Not me. That’s ok, because like so many other things in life, someone has already thought ahead and done it for you! Nail wraps are readily available almost anywhere, but Asos do a really nice pattern. If you’re going to get your claws out girls, this is the best way to do it! For the rest of your look, stick to natural, earthy eyelids with bright pink lips. And for that extra something, opt for long feathery lashes, giving you that sweet, girly edge. Urban Decay Naked 2 Eye Palette: House of Fraser, £36 Revlon ColourBurst Lip Butter in Raspberry Pie: Boots, £7.99 Katy Perry Lashes in Sweetie Pie: Boots, £5.95
Stye Icons of the
1920s
Inspired by all ĂŤThe Great GatsbyĂ film buzz at the moment? Those dresses, that hair, all that glitter, Carey Mulligan looks amazing. But the real-life style icons of that era were even more fabulous... KATHRYN MCKNIGHT
Gloria Swanson
B
y the end of the 1920s, Gloria Swanson was firmly established as one of the definitive style icons of the period. A silent film star, she embodied the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, and was often seen donning lavish silk gowns and feathered head dresses that were imitated world over. She was an early advocate for customised clothing and often enhanced her own outfits to achieve an even more luxurious look. Gloria was a woman of many talents, remembered for her impeccable sense of style that helped turn her into a sensation that influenced fashion on a global scale. So it’s not surprising that she was dubbed ‘the greatest star of them all’.
josephine Baker
D
espite American civil rights in the 1920s being left wanting, Josephine Baker managed to elevate herself to an iconic status. Referred to as ‘the black pearl’, she was best known as a dancer; however it was what she wore during her dances that caused the most stir. These outlandish outfits included a barelythere banana skirt and a sequin two-piece. She was a typical flapper, wearing the sort of short skirts and low necklines that have become synonymous with the period. She also indulged in theatrical show dresses made from metres of silk and feathers. Josephine personified the Jazz Age, with her exotic tastes (a pet cheetah called Chiquita) and care-free nature.
zelda fitzgerald
Y
ou aren’t nicknamed ‘the first American flapper’ for nothing, and Zelda Fitzgerald seemed to live up to her nickname perfectly. Both she and her husband were the living embodiment of the Roaring Twenties, throwing extravagant parties and indulging in a lifestyle a far cry away from most in America. With her layers of long bead necklaces, a short bob and an even shorter skirt, Zelda influenced the wardrobes of girls all over the world. Her outrageous sense of style was matched by her equally outrageous behaviour that shocked the nation. While her life was cut short in 1948, Zelda will be remembered for being the first of one of the most recognisable tribes in fashion history.
I
T’S ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED FILMS OF THIS SUMMER. ORIGINALLY PLANNED FOR RELEASE IN 2012, BAZ LUHRMANN’S ‘THE GREAT GATSBY’ WILL BE HITTING THE SILVER SCREEN IN MAY, WINNING A PLACE IN OUR HEARTS NOT JUST FOR ITS STORY BUT ITS STUNNING COSTUMES!
S
et during the early 1920s when the First World War is over and the stock market is booming; amidst tension between the “newly rich” and the aristocrats of old money, a culture of material excess develops. Self-made man Gatsby (a well-combed Leonardo DiCaprio) is the very proof of this with extravagant parties every Saturday; it’s the 1920s version of Freshers. The love story is centred around Gatsby’s adoration of married Daisy (Carey Mulligan), who he met in pre-war times as a poor soldier when she was single Daisy from a well to do family. The main plot is Gatsby’s relentless pursuit to recapture the relationship they had those five years prior. But the famous line Gatsby cries, "Can’t repeat the past? Why of course you can!" could easily have been said by any fashion designer. The cyclic nature of fashion ensures that trends your grandparents worshipped are used for inspiration today. Luhrmann’s film has given the green light for a lot of 1920s inspired clothing. The combination of film adaptations of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s famous novel and fashion is not a surprise- it allows costume and fashion designers the chance to go completely over the top through a glamorous era of shameless
SARASVATHI ARULAMPALAM indulgence. The 1974 adaptation, featuring a refreshingly handsome Robert Redford and a subtly pregnant Mia Farrow, scored an Academy Award for best costume design. Ralph Lauren was the famous name behind the variety of coloured suits featured in that film. The costume design for Luhrmann's film has been tackled by an impressive list of fashion heavyweights. Miuccia Prada, the founder of Miu Miu and the granddaughter of Prada’s founder, together with Luhrmann’s wife Catherine Martin - the costume designer for Moulin Rouge responsible for that unforgettable Swarovski encrusted corset Nicole Kidman wore during an appropriately chosen “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend” – have dressed the characters with 1920s glamour and glitter. Four sketches released by Prada show glam dresses for the character of Daisy, all sleeveless, with sequins, fur, chiffon and crystal. While the decorations are the opposite of subtle, the colours include the more discreet gem colours of topaz and jade. For the casual 1920s look, take a cue from Daisy’s book and choose light fabrics. The novel is set during an intensely hot summer; silk, chiffon and linen are the materials of choice. Corsets are a thing of the
past, and the dresses are loose and flowing with a knee length that ensures fringes flying everywhere when dancing. For a suave, gentlemanly look that DiCaprio owns as Gatsby, a bowtie goes a long way, unhealthily combined with a cigar. For the brave, and exceptionally well-dressed for a student, suits of varying colours – beige, pink, white – encapsulate Gatsby’s style. Fitzgerald described the roaring 20s as a hollow period of moral decay; the characters do their best to fill this void with an abundance of accessories. Bowties, brooches, pearls, ribbons draped around dropped waists, and above all: a hairpiece for every occasion. Aristocrats Daisy and Jordan (Elizabeth Debicki) are both working short, sleek haircuts, not dissimilar to some of the bold graphic cuts seen lately on the runways, only theirs are glamorized to the max with glittering headbands and scarves. This is definitely a film that fashion and Gatsby lovers won't want to miss. Luhrmann offer an expert twist on the past, with soundtrack from Jay-Z. Similarly the costumes are a stylistically modern approach to the 1920s iconic looks which beautifully reflect Fitzgerald’s world of glitter and glamour (with just a hint of deceit!).
ART
FROM DEATH TO DEATH AND OTHER SMALL TALES Masterpieces from the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art and the D.Daskalopoulos Collection TOM HOLLAND
C
ombining key artworks from the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art with carefully selected pieces from the worldfamous Daskalopoulos Collection, From Death to Death and Other Small Tales looks at how the body has been portrayed by the most significant artists of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The works here were produced in one of history’s most turbulent periods of upheaval; one that has permanently changed how we perceive the world. Popular, influential artists such as Joseph Beuys, Marina Abramović, Bruce Nauman, Louise Bourgeois and Rene Magritte feature prominently in this mammoth exhibition. Yet there’s a good chance you will find equally-fascinating pieces by lesser-known artists amongst the 130 or so works. The theme of merging old with new flows delicately throughout the whole exhibition, providing original insights into often-neglected aspects of certain works. Dimitris Daskalopoulos’ keen interest in the sculptor Robert Gober has been utilized well; his work sits comfortably alongside paintings by his surrealist forefathers, allowing interesting patterns to emerge. Max Ernst’s deeply personal Showing A Young Girl The Head Of His Father is sensibly paired with Gober’s sinister sculpture X Crib. Both works seem plucked from a Freudian dreamscape, where innermost fears and unwelcome desires reign supreme. In a similarly deadpan and slightly comical style Magritte’s painting The Bungler offers a bleak outlook on human existence; the skull replaces the nude woman’s face, coldly reflecting our own mortality. Limp, eerie and lifeless, Sarah Lucas’ infamous Bunny, pictured
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below, looks as vulnerable at the centre of gallery one, surrounded by similarly brutal depictions of the female nude by the likes of Picasso and Otto Dix. Limbs and sexual organs dominate the foreground of Picasso’s 1969 painting Nu Assis, forming a strange continuity with Lucas’ work by revealing a maleorientated perception of the female that is raw, animalistic and fuelled by lust.
SARAH LUCAS ‘Bunny Gets Snookered’ (1997)
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NO. 34 - April 2013
Art
ERNESTO NETO ‘It Happens When the Body is the Anatomy of Time’ (2000) Meanwhile, you can seek brief refuge from the nightmares and obscenities by walking through Ernesto Neto’s huge multi-sensory installation (pictured opposite, top). The air is thick with the aromas of cumin, clove and turmeric. These powdered substances are encased in the bases of large organic cellular structures made from lycra, which rise up to form a forest-like canopy above our heads. Issues of gender are explored in a comical way by Helen Chadwick with her sculptures: Piss Flowers. These were made by her and her partner urinating in snow and making bronze casts of the negative impressions. Each flower has a phallic, stalagmite shape protruding from the middle, and the petals – conventionally associated with femininity – are a gritty and funny interrogation of imbalanced gender stereotypes. Gender is inherent in exhibitions that focus on the body, and it is a delight to experience firsthand how various artists have questioned, interrogated and destroyed barriers that separate the sexes.
Art
Death, sex, morality and melancholy play a leading role and these themes are carried through each room of the two-floor exhibition in a variety of mediums, including painting, sculpture, and video. From Death to Death and Other Small Tales, runs until 8 Sept. 2013, at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh. Free Admission.
HELEN CHADWICK ‘Piss Flowers’ (1991)
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NO. 34 - April 2013
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ART
INTRODUCING
FILTHY BOY FRANCISCO GARCIA
Hailing from South London, Filthy Boy make the sort of dark, menace laced music that legitimises all the weird half-formed thoughts in my brain; for this reason I love them. Having recently signed to Stranger Records, their album is coming out on April 1st (I’m holding out hope that it’s not a really elaborate, expensive April Fool), so I thought it would be a good time to catch up with them and ask inane questions about their music and future plans. Bassist, and all round genius (his request), Michael Morrissey took the full force of my probing: here are the Frost/ Nixon-esque results. Francisco: Your songs have a real sense of narrative behind them, when writing do you have an idea you want to set down, or does it spring up around the music? Michael: It’s always different and because this album’s our first we’ve been learning the whole time, things like how to write and properly structure our ideas, but sometimes an idea can form after we’ve come up with a tune: usually we take it from there to make a whole song. Sometimes we’ll have ideas for songs, or perhaps a chunk of lyrics. We then have to go through our phone recordings from rehearsals to find tunes that have the right tone: it’s not really a rigid process. For example, with Jimmy Jammies, there were only lyrics which we then built around and put a story to. I don’t know why, but the name just came out of the tune. Francisco: Your sound is pretty eclectic, who has had an influence on you? Michael: Sound wise we’ve always kept it pretty basic since we started. We never really think about effects too much. Paraic and Harry have only upgraded to one pedal each on stage and we tend to
PAGE 28
focus more on what we’re playing rather than the sound of it. Even though we’re pretty methodical in structuring our songs we like the idea of this album sounding like an energetic guitar band, recorded really quickly. It seems more like an old school way of making a record. We grew up listening to Eminem a lot and Nick Cave, so I suppose you could list them if you want. Their songs like ’97 Bonnie and Clyde and Red Right Hand build little worlds that feel really all-encompassing and engage you, which is what we’ve always looked to do ourselves. It’s just something that has always appealed. Francisco: The album is coming out in early Spring, do you already have one eye on postrelease in terms of new material etc… Michael: We have loads of other songs that didn’t fit on the first album that we’d like to put on an EP at some point. We’ll find ways to fit some new stuff into our set on tours so we’re not just playing songs off this first album. We’re really excited about what we’re doing with the second album as well. It’s gonna be big, ya hear.
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NO. 34 - April 2013
Francisco: Are you going to be leaving your cosy little London confines and do a full tour? COME TO SCOTLAND. Michael: We try not to leave London too much because of germs, but we are going on tour around March or April but we’re not sure exactly what the dates are. We’ll come to Scotland soon. We’ll do a tour of just Dundee. Just for you. Francisco: You’ve recently signed to Stranger Records, are there different pressures in being a signed band? Michael: We never really felt like we were under too much pressure to get signed but there’s even less pressure for that now, obviously. Things are moving more quickly now and since we insist on doing all the artwork and posters and even the on-bodies ourselves we have a lot more deadlines, but it keeps us busy in a good way- we like being hands-on with the whole process. On a parting note, buy our album.
Art
“ IT’S GONNA BEYABIG,HEAR. ”
ENTERTAINMENT
REVIEWS
CHRIS GERRARD
TV
ARCHER | SEASON 4
*****
This animated comedy about an arrogant secret agent and his strange workmates has always been one to watch. Currently airing in America and coming to Channel 5 soon, it’s high time this show got the attention it deserves in the UK. If you’re into spy action, witty dialogue or irreverent humour, then this is definitely for you.
DVD
THAT’S MY BOY
*
The new Adam Sandler film isn’t as bad as his last effort, Jack and Jill. That’s the only good thing about it though. It’s not funny, it’s not clever, it’s offensive in every way, and it glorifies paedophilia. Sandler’s never been a great filmmaker but this is really bottom of the barrel stuff.
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MORE REVIEWS AND PREVIEWS CHECK OUT DUSAMEDIA.COM The Magdalen
NO. 34 - April 2013
Entertainmnt
ENTERTAINMENT
TV
The Carrie Diaries | Season 1
*
Never having seen Sex and the City, I didn’t really know what to expect from the pilot of The Carrie Diaries. Even without expectations I was still somehow filled with disappointment. Its characters are either all stock or bland, and are played by mediocre actors. The setting is a strange place where everyone dresses like they’re in the eighties and music from that decade plays to remind us of that fact, but in spirit it feels as though all of it might as well be taking place in the present. If that wasn’t enough, the script is also terrible, filled with clichés and featuring such classic lines as: ‘I’d lost my virginity, but not to the man I thought, a different man: Man-hattan’. This hasn’t come to the UK yet but if it does, don’t bother with it.
TV
The Following | Season 1
*****
The show centres around retired FBI agent Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon) who is pulled back into service to trace escaped serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy), who Hardy put in jail 8 years ago. Carroll - who has a fetish for ripping out the eyes of beautiful women - has managed to build himself quite a following while doing his time. His people have abducted Hardy’s ex-wife and his child and are determined to continue his work, murdering anyone who gets in their way. If you’re looking for a new TV show to stay up until 4am binge-watching, The Following is for you.
LOOK OUT FOR: AVOID: STOKER: Old boy director Chan-Wook Park’s first
English language film. So far reviews have only had good things to say.
DOCTOR WHO:
JACK AND THE GIANT SLAYER:
This was held back from last year to “add more effects”. That coupled with a terrible premise doesn’t sound promising.
The show returns for its fiftieth anniversary year with plenty of mysteries to solve and aliens to fight. Look out for the Cybermen episode written by Neil Gaiman.
THE MIDDLE:
BIOSHOCK INFINITE: The new installment
RESIDENT EVIL 6 (PC): Critically panned on
in the series seems set to shake up the formula. Hopefully this will be a good thing, but it will definitely be at least interesting.
The Middle isn’t a terrible show exactly, but its particular brand of mediocre and dull humour is something better avoided.
every other console, this continuation of the survival horror franchise is finally being released on PC. It’s highly doubtful anyone’s been waiting on it.
ENTERTAINMENT
I
t’s been announced that the long running sitcom ‘How I Met Your Mother’ is ending after its next and last season. The audience will finally get to meet the mother and see what becomes of every character. The question is though, do we still care? Hadn’t the show passed its sell-by date a number of years ago? It seems unfair to pick on HIMYM for being too long. ‘The Simpsons’ is still running and it’s been on for over 20 years and ‘Friends’ ran for 10 years without (arguably) being unwatchable. So why is it such a problem for this particular show? Well the answer to that lies in its premise. HIMYM tells a story that we already know the answer to. This removes a lot of the tension that really works in other shows. We didn’t know
whether Ross and Rachel, J.D. and Elliot, or Will and Carlton would end up together at the end of the series. In HIMYM however, we do know, because we’re constantly told by “future Ted”, so there’s never any doubt. Trying to make us think that Ted and Robin might get together doesn’t work because we have been explicitly told they don’t. This is the same with any other major plot development; it can never be too shocking, or if it is, it can never last and the status quo must be restored within a couple of episodes. Ted himself is also a major issue in the show. To begin with he was a likable romantic, but as time’s gone by he’s slept with and mistreated such an enormous amount of women that he rivals James Bond and, unlike suave Bond, Ted’s moaned while he’s
done it. Ted’s also had such a great amount of “interesting” traits added either to keep us on our toes or simply (and more often) just as cheap gags, that by this point he’s morphed into an unrelatable, unlikable caricature. The main reason HIMYM should have ended a lot earlier is its basic premise. If it was a story about a strange man called Ted who we weren’t suppose to sympathize with and there wasn’t a plot-twist ruining framing device, then maybe, just maybe we’d still be invested. Instead, we simply watch out of habit. Possibly one day someone will reedit the entire show, but for now, I’m just tired of it.
CHRIS GERRARD
ENTERTAINMENT
KIRSTIE ALLAN
BANDS OF THE MONTH
BATHS
CŒUR DE PIRATE
LIYL | Passion Pit, Toro Y Moi, M83, Beach House. START WITH | ‘Indoorsy’, ‘Overseas’, ‘Animals’
LIYL | Adele, Lianne Le Havas, Yann Tierson START WITH | ‘Place de la République’, ‘Francis’, ‘Saint-Laurent’, ‘Prince-Arthur’.
Let me preface this article by saying that I was coerced into researching intellectual dance music (idm), a genre I usually stay clear of, because a pretty girl told me I needed more music to dance to around my flat like a silly. And in fairness, the fact that Mumford and Sons might’ve been the most optimistic band on my iPod did encourage me to be less of a fun-hoover with my music taste. I didn’t come across many bands I liked in idm but then I came across Baths (aka Will Weisenfeld) and I was like, Ladies and gents, it’s time to danse danse danse! Baths’ music is eclectic.
With deadlines building up on your desk and arteries, I bring you the perfect antidote in the form of Montrealer, Béatrice Martin, aka Cœur de Pirate. Not many Francophone singers make waves with the English-speaking but, to me, music is not just about understanding the lyrics. It’s about embracing the essence of the song as an incomplete being which becomes more whole when you listen to it. Martin makes that connection easy despite my zero comprehension of the language. There is plenty to latch onto in the retro sounds of sixties female soul, the piano-
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Lovely synths are mixed with hyper, skittering rhythms. These are created using unconventional bric-abrac such as clicking pens, snapping scissors, rustling blankets and vocal samples. The only fault in this depends on your taste as it can come off as overly esoteric. In general I find that dialogue, unlike rap, disconnects you from the music. Nonetheless, I’ve fallen in love with Baths’ scrapbook sound. It’s like being in a primary school music room with all your friends playing every instrument at hand, but with Weisenfeld’s brains at the helm. Danse danse danse!
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NO. 34 - April 2013
driven instrumentation and de Pirate’s kittenishyet-edgy voice. The level of emotion that is in her music is what makes it so special. Each track is the ultimate mix of sad and happy and will complement whatever endeavour you may be going through. And yes, even if all those endeavours are in the library, de Pirate will put a smile on your face. She also recently covered the song ‘Wicked Games’ by the artist The Weeknd who we recommended in the December issue. It is sex itself.
Entertainment
meet team the
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The Magdalen NO. 33 - Jan/Feb 2013
Sport
D.U.S.C Dundee University Shinty Club What drew you to shinty? Andrew Fraser ‘I played Shinty before I came to Uni so it seemed natural to join the club.’
What have you achieved so far this season? Andrew ‘This season we’ve achieved our targets in the league as well as playing extremely well in the Littlejohn tournament - the highlight of the Uni shinty season, beating some of the stronger teams like Robert Gordon University’
Has the club improved in recent years? Andrew ‘Definitely. The club now has a Women’s team for the first time and they’ve all had game time not only in Women’s but Men’s games and going from strength to strength. The guys team is improving as the players gain more experience each year.’
How do you normally do at Fresher’s Fayre? Did many people sign up this year? Andrew ‘We usually get a few sign up at the fresher’s fayre but it’s usually bringing friends along that brings people .’
Any advice for anyone who wants to join? Andrew ‘Not to worry about not having any experience before and just to get stuck in at training and enjoy yourself.’
Tell us about the social aspect of the club? Andrew ‘We have regular nights out after games as well as the occasional club dinner, which are always good craic.’
Any fundraisers we can look forward to? Clare Porte ‘As for fundraisers, we are thinking of a pub quiz sometime this semester, but due to the AGM coming up, a new Social convenor may be elected and will be able to follow up further. In the first Semester we held a very successful bake sale and we are planning another in campus library for the exam rush, and a pub quiz in our sponsor pub The Globe for the end of this semester although nothing is final as of yet..’
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