Issue 42 - October 2014 by The Magdalen

ISSUE 42

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THE MAGDALEN

EDITOR’S LETTER

ISSUE #42 OCTOBER 2014

HEY THERE!

EDITORS

How’s it going? Yeah, we haven’t really been around much lately but trust me, times are rapidly a’ changing.

Editor in Chief

Mourn no more! The cat is out of the bag, in his pyjamas and off down to the shops for a pack of cigs and some Bucky. Ladies and Gentle-savages, we are back in business and back to print. To you dear reader, we beg forgiveness for not being there during Freshers’ Week, as a handy coaster for your WKD or emergency doorstop. Alas to you; dearest designers, illustrators and pen-smiths – whose work last semester was left out to dry like a steak on your counter – we apologise for the tumultuous time. We wish you the very best and hope to see you soon. Alas, without further ado, let us take you from the (t)highs of London’s fashion week debutants to the (b)lows of post-referendum Scotland. We will learn the ugly truth of being a graduate teacher and even attempt to cop a feel for Tinder’s love games. Business being as usual, don’t hesitate to drop us a comment, complaint or even a cheeky submission at themagdalen@dusa.co.uk and of course, hit up dusamedia.com a daily dose of ﬂagship favourites. As they say in the old country: The Magdalen is Dead. Long Live The Magdalen!

Dominic Younger

CONTRIBUTORS Katie Lake, Kathryn McKnight, Leona Reid, Lottie Haley-Lee, Cameron Rathie, Adele Hamiliton-Sturdy, Patrick O’Donnell, Caitlin Miller, Liam Boath, Stephanie Koetsier, Iain McKinnon, Robin Van Mulders, and of course our beloved Anon.

PRODUCTION Freya Bigg, Laura Gelston, Maha Ghani, Ross Grubb, Ummi Jameel, Caitlin MacLeod, Susie McGowan, Kenny Meek, Jill Montgomery, Ruth Niven, Gavin Reid, Andrew Simpson, Neli Todorova, Robbie Wallace, Katie Wilkinson.

Dominic Younger Deputy Editor Claire McPhillimy Head of Design Juliet Wright Features Editor Kathryn McKnight Current Affairs Editor Euan Forbes Fashion Editor Leona Reid Lifestyle Editor Katie Lake Entertainment Editor Kate McAuliffe Societies Editor Adele HamilitonSturdy Art Editor Anon

PUBLISHED BY Zuchaela Smylie, VPCC DUSA, Airlie Place Dundee, DD1 4PH vpcc@dusa.co.uk

PRINTED BY Winters & Simpson Print, 16 Dunsinane Avenue Dundee, DD2 3QT sales@wintersimpson. co.uk ISSUE 42 1

THE MAGDALEN

CONTENTS ART 26 28

ON THE COVER...

The Word Became Fresh Small City Wonder

LIFESTYLE 03

Confessions of a Grad Teacher

Freshers’ on a Shoe String

Beauty on a Budget

ISSUE #42 OCTOBER 2014

Playing with Fire, THE TINDER GAMES

FASHION 06

The Hit List

London Fashion Week

ENTERTAINMENT

CURRENT AFFAIRS

Netflix – An Instant Hit

5 Million Questions Left Open?

The Best of Scottish Cinema

Fighting Foreign Policy

FEATURES 10

5 Stages of a Sober Night Out

Tinder Games

NETFLIX – AN INSTANT HIT

SOCIETIES 22

HeForShe – UN & Femsoc

The SRC

The Mooting Society

PAGE 14

LIFESTYLE

CONFESSIONS OF A GRADUATE TEACHER O

nce you get past the youthful elegance of the squad of smokers, draped in Nike’s latest gear who patrol the front doors, your entry not dissimilar to a carcinogenic episode of Stars in their Eyes, and make your way through the sea of September short wearers and those “individual” guys who “no one understands”, on a journey of self-discovery, squeezed into skinny jeans that fail to do nothing other than offer the suggestion that the weather is ever so slightly colder than the car thermostat advised, you ﬁnd yourself sitting, albeit alone, in the “proud to serve” Costa (no doubt some copyright cop out to hide the fact that it’s just a cafe who happens to serve sludge in costa cups). You pause for a moment. Your eyes scan for a copy of the Times, or the Guardian perhaps, yet, are disappointingly met with last month’s copy of “Top Gear” (the car magazine, not an issue detailing the best heroin on campus. You would be forgiven for the assumption, given the shifty detail of tracksuit wearers on the terrace, something hints that one would not require a 67-page document to determine its location), you read the sign that boldly claims, ‘Weclome to College’ and you applaud (silently) that the spelling is almost perfect. It’s day one. D day. The beginning (of the end). Your exploration for a suitable table mirrors that of new inmate in a prison canteen, only this time the other inmates have the dress sense and intimidation factor of Ed Sheeran on a duvet day.

You slalom yourself down the cafeteria like some sort of extra on the world’s worst episode of Glee, grab a seat at an empty ﬁve person table, and have your loner-ness conﬁrmed by several activists of the feminist society asking you if “this seat is taken?!” whilst whittling down your table to two seats in the world’s most depressing, silent game of musical chairs. The extra chair lingers as a sympathetic vote, in the naive assumption that “someone will join him”. They won’t. They just won’t.

‘It’s day one. D day. The beginning (of the end).’ He makes less than no attempt to strike up some vague uninterested conversation about “what you’re teaching” with the local wildlife. He doesn’t care. Nor does he think he too will “believe what Mark put on Facebook yesterday”. Yet listens in none the less. An undetermined amount of time passes. (I would be more speciﬁc were the clocks not so maddeningly unhelpful in their time keeping, I mean really, they had one job). Pondering, between rolling your own cigarettes and dip dying (albeit badly) your own hair, where exactly does the learning occur in this building?! Or maybe that is the learning. Either assumption is equally as terrifying. The cafe empties. The silent bell has rung, and as far as I’m concerned it’s lunchtime. Liam Boath

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LIFESTYLE

FRESHERS ON A SHOE STRING Freshers’ week is a time to explore, meet new people and have great nights out, but of course there’s a cost. Once Freshers’ Week is over, you realise just how important it is to budget. 1. Within Your Flat Sharing amongst ﬂatmates is one great way to save a few extra pounds. The chances of you having a takeaway or a Dominoes with your ﬂatmates are high, as it’s a great way to save money and avoid using dishes. However, with this there is often the awkward leftover change situation. A good way to solve this is to acquire a small plate or bowl in which all the leftover change goes, which can then be used for communal area supplies, such as surface wipes or bin bags. This way, you don’t have to split the £1.50 change between you and there’s more chance of the communal areas actually being clean!

3. Exercise Coming to university as a fresher, you probably had the ambition to join every club and society there is, as well as the gym to keep fit and active. Upon arrival, you realise that these cost. A LOT. That’s why it’s important to pick and choose carefully what you join. However, there are ways to keep fit for free. For example, a simple run around Magdalen Green or along Perth Road is the perfect way to stay fit and healthy. Even committing to mini exercises every morning, such as 10 push-ups, 10 sit-ups etc. can vastly improve your fitness.

2. Nights Out Everyone knows how expensive a good night out can be. However, there are many ways to keep costs down while still having a good night. Pre-drink parties are an obvious way to avoid bar prices, as well to meet new people before heading out. Withdrawing money before going out and leaving your card at home is another way to ensure you avoid spending money you don’t have, especially when you’re not exactly in the soundest frame of mind.

4. Being Wise with What you Buy They don’t say that students live off of pot noodles for nothing! A top tip for keeping spending down is to buy food that won’t spoil too quickly, and to think before you buy. Frozen food is probably a fresher’s best friend (but that doesn’t mean you can just live off pizza!). You can buy meat, ﬁsh and most vegetables already frozen for a fraction of the price of the fresh stuff and you won’t need to worry about it going off. Another key to keeping costs low is to plan ahead about what you’ll be making, instead of picking up whatever looks nice! Making a weekly meal plan that involves several of the same ingredients can do wonders for your bank account and you’ll be much less tempted to impulse buy.

don’t say that students “They live off of pot noodles for

“

nothing!

By S Koetsier 4 ISSUE 42

LIFESTYLE

Katie Lakie

££

‘Cheap fixes to leave you looking expensive!’ 1

Want longer eyelashes and no falsies around? Rub Vaseline on them before putting on your mascara.

Favourite nail varnish gone gloopy? Add a few drops of nail polish remover and give a good shake. This will restore it to its original texture.

Shoes giving you blisters? Spray them with deodorant before wearing them as it reduces the friction (yes, I know it sounds totally mad but it works).

Feel in need of a face lift? Make your own face mask with yogurt and mashed banana. A few slices of cucumber for your eyes will give you that salon feeling too!

Products of the month: Garnier Oil Beauty Scrub, Philip Kingsley Elasticizer, Maybeline Baby Skin Pore Eraser

Dark rings under your eyes? Make a cup of tea and use the teabag as a press for your eyes. It’ll bring down any dark rings and it’s very relaxing. Tip: Herbal tea such as chamomile works best for this.

Dry and damaged hair but can’t afford a hair mask? Rub on olive oil then wrap in your hair in Clingfilm and a towel, leave on for 30 mins-one hour. This is a highly recommended way of getting life and lustre back into your locks.

Make-up brushes become matted and unusable? Create a cheap cleaner out of washing up liquid and olive oil and give them a good wash. It will restore them brilliantly, even if you’ve had them for years.

Greasy Hair? Use talcum powder (only a little though, it goes a long way and it’s all too easy to end up looking like your gran). I find sprinkling some on before you go to bed works best to give you that just washed feeling in the morning.

In need of a tan? Mix a little foundation with your moisturiser to get instant tinted moisturiser!

Getting through too many make-up wipes? Switch to baby wipes! They do the exact same thing but for a fraction of the cost.

ISSUE 42 5

FASHION

OCTOBER 2014

FALL BACK INTO FASHION BEA UT Y

Charlotte Tilbury Luxury Palette The Vintage Vamp, £38

PURPLE HAZE It’s that time of year again; back to the books and back to the deadlines. However, a brand new academic year need not be all doom and gloom as it is the perfect opportunity to revamp your look! Autumn is my personal favourite when it comes to seasonal wardrobes, and 2014 is no exception. Beginning with beauty, there is one colour scheme we absolutely cannot ignore this season and that is purple; purple everywhere! And what colour makes purple pop? Gold! This Charlotte Tilbury eye palette in Vintage Vamp knows the score but at a pretty steep price. I haven’t come across any dupes available in the UK yet, but if you still want to recreate that majestic purple-gold look then pick up a couple of individual eye shadows from the likes of Revlon and you’ll have all you need! Revlon Colorstay Shadowlinks in Gold and Eggplant Boots, £2.99 each

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FASHION ACCE S S O RI E S

FALL FOR THE LAYERS AW14 jewellery was all about taking simple, delicate pieces and layering them like you’ve never layered before. A bunch of skinny little rings, a multitude of dainty necklaces, and an absolute abundance of cute bracelets – and you’re on to a winner. Also, box clutches are so the way to go this season. Granted, they’re a tad limited in space but they’re just so darn cute. Perfect for a night out and adding that certain sophistication to your overall look, these pieces of hand candy are a must.

Choker Set Miss Selfridge, £10

Gold Chain Ring River Island, £5

Glitter Hardcase Clutch Accessorize, £32

F OOT WE A R

BOOTS ARE MADE FOR WALKIN’

Chelsea Boots Topshop, £45

Black Riding Boots Dorothy Perkins, £65

Footwear is all about the boots this season, especially knee-high boots. There are almost far too many to choose from so get searching! You can opt for a good ol’ plain pair, or you could go all out and get some detailing going on there. If this ain’t your thing, then opt for a shorter pair but stillkeep the chunkiness, go classic with a pair of Doc Martens, or opt for a simple pair of lace-ups. A good pair of boots will last and love you long time so it’s worth the investment, also they go with pretty much anything. Blanket Wrap New Look, £24.99

CLOTHI NG

LET’S GET COSY It may not be ground-breaking for this time of year, but the AW14 catwalks were jam-packed with chunky knits in all shapes and sizes. Key point to take away? The bigger the better... (ahem). And you don’t just have to stick to a plain ol’ jumper; capes and ponchos are both making comebacks and I couldn’t be more excited about it. Don’t underestimate the power of grey either, it can be exciting! Team your oh-so-chunky knits with a quality pair of black jeans and you will look so unbelievably on point, it’ll almost be unfair to everyone who isn’t you. Check Mini Skirt New Look, £25

Grey Cable Knit Topshop, £42

LEONA REID ISSUE 42 7

LONDON FASHION WEEK 2014 New York, London, Milan, Paris, four back-to-back weeks of fashion.

he 16th of September saw the close of London Fashion Week, in which designers presented their Spring/Summer 2015 collections. You may wonder why next summer’s clothing is shown so far in advance of its intended season, and you are not alone. I am inclined to think that it’s all down to fashion forecasting. A fashion forecaster will predict the upcoming trends, colours, fabrics and styles. Their predictions are based on pop culture, celebrity wardrobes and new technologies, among other things. These predictions influence what you see on the catwalk, which, in turn, will influence what is available in high-street shops. A dress bought today would likely have taken inspiration from a forecast made in 2012. In order for the designers showcasing during fashion week to be ahead of the trends appearing in highstreet shops, they have to present a season early. Or at least, that is how I have rationalised it. So, what can we expect to see in our wardrobes next season? Some definite 90’s influenced halter necks, crop tops and skirts suggest that ‘Clueless’ will be

06 ISSUE 41

a great fashion inspiration for another season, and gives us an excuse to watch it for the…100th time? As if we needed one. Richard Nicoll showed spaghetti strapped dresses made from dazzling iridescent fabric. His collection was sponsored by Disney’s Tinkerbell, whose subtle influence could be seen in mirror cut-outs, the opening fibre optic dress and the holographic, iridescent fabrics. Segueway to Milan; where another children’s character inspired the Moschino collection, by Jeremy Scott. The collection was hot pink and featured ‘Moschino’ emblazoned in the style of the Barbie logo on many of the pieces. Walking the runway to Aqua’s ‘Barbie girl’, models looked like real-life dolls with big, blonde hair. With bubble backpacks, chunky jewellery and some classic outfits, my Barbies used to have, the 90’s influence was clear in this collection. Another trend on the catwalks was one that likely won’t be seen on the high street this season is nipples. You might remember Rihanna’s sheer, crystal embellished ensemble at this year’s CFDA (Council

of Fashion Designers of America) awards. This trend has been spurred on by the recent ‘free the nipple’ campaign, which started as a short ﬁlm. Supported by Miley Cyrus, Liv Tyler and Cara Delevingne, it became viral on social media sites. The movement is ﬁghting inequality, namely the censorship laws that make it illegal for women to appear topless (which includes breast feeding) in 35 American states. Is it fair

‘Walking the runway to Aqua’s ‘Barbie girl’, models looked like real-life dolls with big, blonde hair.’ that men can walk around topless on a hot day whilst women would get arrested for the same? The same applies to exposed nipples in photos, a female nipple pic will be deleted and a male one will not. Both Facebook and Instagram remove pictures like this for being ‘offensive’. But who is offended? To shed a more complimentary light on Instagram I’ll talk about how this fashion week has seen the rise of the ‘#shoeﬁe’. It’s is a new kind of selﬁe comprising

of a bird’s eye view of your feet. Pair your fabulous new trainers, which were hot on the catwalk this year, with a patterned floor or green lawn and hey presto. Trainers weren’t the only flats to appear this year. Sandals, flatforms and brogues were popular too. Think Birkenstocks, Air Max and Vagabond; our feet will be so pleased! The sporty look is not limited to footwear, from the tennis-inspired dresses at Topshop Unique and H by Hakaan Yildirim, to the cricketinfluenced sweaters at Preen. Expect mesh, Velcro, elastic and zippers. All this summer fashion will have you wishing you were spending your days on a beach instead of in a bleak lecture theatre. Christmas in Spain, anyone? Check out #LFW on Instagram or Pinterest to see for yourself what next season’s wardrobes will be filled with. Better start clearing some space now; grab a copy of next month’s issue of the Magdalen to find out what to do with all those clothes you don’t want anymore. Watch this space!

BY CAITLIN MILLER

ISSUE 41 07

FEATURES

FIVE STAGES OF A

SOBER NIGHT OUT

We’ve all been there; 8 o’clock on a Friday evening, all too aware of the fact you have things to do tomorrow which strictly preclude you from getting steaming. Yet, somehow, you end up convincing yourself that you “can totally go out sober”. When the truth is, you know you can’t. You know it and yet your mind tells you “aye, you totally can.”I have no doubt many people reading this will angrily protest that they certainly do not need alcohol to have a good time and, every now and then, the same is actually true of me, especially if everyone else is in the same sober boat. However, other than that there just seems to be no getting around it. So here you go; the ﬁve stages of a sober night out.

GETTING THERE

PRE-DRINKS 1

First stop; the pre-drinking. Now of course, this stage isn’t even a little bit relevant to you tonight, however, it is mandatory. It usually starts off ﬁne, with everyone around you on the same level, but as the night wears on, the people you know and love start changing before your very eyes. Pre-drinks are usually where you receive more declarations of love and devotion than anywhere else. In a normal situation, you’d forget most of these passionate speeches by tomorrow, but unfortunately for you, sobriety is no help for memory loss. At this point, the vaguely sensible voice at the back of your mind suggests that it may be time to call it a night, but no; the show must go on. Besides, it’ll get better once you’re out, right? This is self-delusion at its ﬁnest.

10 ISSUE 42

The next stage (once everyone has managed to stumble out of the house), is actually getting there. Now, you’re the sober one, so it is automatically your responsibility to lend the arm of support to anyone who may not be so well suited to their ﬁve-inch heels. Damn those cobbled roads. Then of course there’s that awkward moment where the bouncer asks how much you’ve had to drink, to which you sincerely reply “just a couple of ciders”. Of course they don’t believe you, because who in their right mind goes out on a “couple of ciders”? Oh right… you do.

FEATURES

DANCING 3

After queuing for what seems like six and a half hours for the toilet, and after buying the obligatory drink (which you don’t want), it’s time for the third stage – dancing. Now, for some people, sober dancing is great. It’s when you get to showcase those awesome moves you came up with in your room; whilst still having full control of all your limbs (unlike those around you). However, for many others, it is just plain awkward. I for one don’t ﬁnd it easy to feign inebriation, which leads to a sort of weird, unnaturally stiff dancing on my part. To make things worse, there will always be that one person who deems your attempts unacceptable and will try to take your hands and show you how it’s done. The temptation to kick this person in the face is almost too much to bear.

OTHER PEOPLE 4

This leads on nicely to the penultimate, and, in my opinion, the most annoying stage; other people. We can’t deny it – every single person (even you) becomes the most irritating version of themselves when under the inﬂuence. It’s just the way things are. I know this to be painfully true of myself

(from what I’ve heard), so I try not to judge people on it, but it ain’t easy. Now, I know the solution to this is to just not go out sober, however this brings us back to that pretty little lie we tell ourselves (see above). Sometimes it’s not even your intention; it just happens, especially when you drink so much you build up a tolerance to alcohol. Oh, how I miss being a lightweight in ﬁrst year…

THE WALK HOME On that note, we come to the inevitable fifth and final stage of a sober night out; the point at which you give up the halfhearted pretence and resign yourself to the lonesome walk home, complete with your heels designed by a woman-hater in hand. However, there is always the consolation prize of a quick pit stop into Marmaris (other fine-dining experiences are available). This is the point at which you promise yourself this won’t happen again, to which your brain responds with a hearty chuckle and a “good one you”.

Leona Reid

ISSUE 42 11

FEATURES

GAMES The first match I ever got on Tinder opened the chat with “sit on my face?” I wish I could say this was the only crude opener I received, unfortunately for me, the Tinder chat started as it meant to go on. So from the get go my chances of finding true love were quickly crushed. Now, I completely understand why a lot guys are on Tinder, probably more than why I’m on it. The prospect of an easy shag with no strings attached attracts more people from university than I’d originally realised. I suppose it’s also an ego boost when you get a match, but I tend to match with the guys that I figure I may as well like rather than the ones that I genuinely find attractive. Most of the time I’m more concerned with who their friend is because, chances are, if they’re in a group photo, they’re the ugly one. Basically, I seriously lowered my standards on Tinder. Anything for a match. Anything for a confidence boost. Having said that, when you like someone and you don’t match with them

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BY ANONYMOUS

ʻIs my vagina crying or are you just REALLY SEXY?ʼ

it kind of crushes your soul. The beauty of it though is that they will never know you liked them in the ﬁrst place. You can deny it all. Dignity restored. Now, most guys on Tinder seem completely normal, but there are some who do themselves no favours. One thing I don’t understand is when they choose pictures of their kids. You’re using your kids to try and pick up women and it just comes across as creepy, not cute. Especially when you aren’t even in the photo. So what’s a girl to do? I’d had enough of the awkward small talk and the messages at 3am on a Saturday morning from guys wanting a shag. So, I turned the tables and became what can

LIKED

FEATURES only be described as the ultimate Tinderella. My mission was to have as many fun chats as possible. whether they be awkward, stupid or just a wee bit dirty. I think the mistake I made was waiting for the guys to talk. So, I started using the techniques guys used on me and the results varied. Firstly, don’t go for the boring chat. Go all out. From the desperate “OMG I FINALLY GOT A MATCH”, to the blunt “you’re so hot if you ate bread you’d poo toast”. You may be surprised that the one that most

often worked the best was “how many wotsits can you ﬁt in your mouth?” But then again, I once also got deleted after asking that by a guy who claimed that wotsits freaked him out. You could go for the jugular and open with a really dirty chat up line, courtesy of Cosmo aka the Bible; “is my vagina crying or are you just really sexy?” or “if I worked for FedEx would you let me handle your package?” Although you may need to anglicise that last one for the best effect. We all know why a

ʻyouʼre so HOT if you ate bread youʼd poo toastʼ

lot of people are on Tinder, so if you aren’t on it for the hook-ups this might send out the wrong message. Instead, you could be a fountain of knowledge and tell them that statistically six out of seven dwarves aren’t happy. That also goes down (moderately) well. But all of this is all well and good if you’re not going to bump into them. What if you’ve already hooked up with them or they’re on your course? I matched with my gym receptionist who regularly posted ‘moments’ of his dick. Every time I went to the gym I had to deal with the awkwardness of “I’ve seen your dick”, and worse still, he knew I’d seen it. Or there’s the dilemma of not knowing whether they’re aware that it’s you and if they realised they would be really disappointed. So swipe left and save yourself the bother. I’m trying to imagine how, in 20 years’ time, parents will be telling their children the romantic story of how they met on Tinder. It doesn’t seem likely, although people are in relationships through it. Whatever your motives for downloading the app, don’t take it personally or seriously. Tinder’s a game, sometimes you win and sometimes you lose.

NOPE ISSUE 42 13

ENTERTAINMENT

An Instant Hit; the Syndrome. Remember that lecture you skipped to catch up on the Breaking Bad episode that your best mate was raving about? What about that society night out you missed to have an Orange is the New Black marathon with your ﬂatmates? For the last eight years, instant online streaming of television programming has become more common than watching our favourite shows live as they run, this is well known.

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ervices such as BBC IPlayer and 4od were created with the intention of merely providing the public with an outlet to catch up on shows they may have missed. iPlayer alone saw a 33% rise in requests in 2012 to 2013, from 2.2 billion to 3 billion programme requests. However, for us the public, despite these statistics, we wanted more. We had demands. We wanted instant streaming with no adverts. Constant availability. A wide variety of ﬁlms and television to choose from. We wanted… Netﬂix.

members, and by the end of 2013 this had rose to 40 million. Obviously their forward thinking initiative struck a chord with the general public, particularly those who are students. Netﬂix’s appeal to the average student begins at its premise. Being an ondemand service works in favour for the busy schedule of a student. No longer are we shackled down to the rigid schedule of big television companies, telling us where and when we can watch our much-loved series. We can create our own television schedule to suit our day-to-day lives.

Beginning as a traditional video rental service, Netﬂix adapted to the ever-changing market and the downward spiral in sales of DVDs by establishing a streaming service in 2007. Then the company had 7.5 million

Considering ratings for major TV shows, such as Doctor Who and Downton Abbey, have been on the decline in recent years, licensed online streaming of these programmes on sites have become crucial

ENTERTAINMENT

‘

NO LONGER ARE WE SHACKLED TO THE RIGID SCHEDULE OF BIG TELEVISION COMPANIES

for broadcasting companies to turn a profit and continue with their programming. The much appreciated lack of advertising on Netflix is also a draw for the public. With technology evolving by the day, we now live in a world which is impatient and with a shorter attention span. much appreciated lack of advertising on Netflix is also a draw for the public. With technology evolving by the day, we now live in a world which is impatient and with a shorter attention span. People are done waiting to be entertained and amused, so whatever gives them pleasure must be available on a whim in its entirety. Binge watching TV shows has

transcended to the mainstream due to the nature of Netﬂix, with more people up for waiting on the completion of a series before watching. This can be argued as being the death of the cliffhanger and other familiar tropes used on mainstream television. Personally I would rather look at it as an example of growth within the medium, with a season of House of Cards being viewed holistically as a 13-hour-long movie or one long running narrative, rather than a series of episodic tales. For their grand library of entertainment, Netﬂix only demands just under six pounds a month, a small price to pay for vast, uninterrupted viewing and more than in the price

’

range for the average student. Even for those who cannot afford this luxury, using a charitable Netﬂix users account is also the norm for them.

Creatively, Netﬂix seems to have surpassed expectation. It’s two most successful original series exports, Orange is the New Black and House of Cards have become pop culture phenomena and critic’s darlings, both shows winning awards in this year’s Emmys. Both shows can be seen as progression in terms of style and substance, from the traditional feel of normal American network television. Orange, for example, has the most diverse cast of characters in

ISSUE 42 15

ENTERTAINMENT

terms of race, sexual orientation and gender, a far cry from the heterosexual, white-washed individuals folk are accustomed to usually. Netflix poster boy, Kevin Spacey, spoke at the Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival about his experience working on House of Cards with Netflix, saying: ‘we were creating a sophisticated multi-layer story with complex characters who would reveal themselves over time, and relationships that would need space to play out.’ Netflix’s healthy business model of working within their means and not-overspending on licensing fees or production, has led them to avoid the pitfalls of American networks which spend £300-400 million in pilot season alone and they have been praised for the cost effective strategy.

‘

WITH TECHNOLOGY EVOLVING BY THE DAY, WE NOW LIVE IN A WORLD WHICH IS IMPATIENT AND WITH A SHORTER ATTENTION SPAN

The success of Netflix has led to the creation of services such as Amazon Prime and Now TV, however, whilst services are still attempting to break through and form an identity in the market, Netflix created that market. So, of course, what is next for Netflix? For a site that broke boundaries the way it did, this is of course the big question. Instant streaming telepathically? Netflix Got Talent? Well… you might think that but I couldn’t possibly comment.

By PATRICK OʼDONNELL 16 ISSUE 42

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ENTERTAINMENT

Best of Scottish Cinema

By Iain McKinnon

So, you might have thought that, with the Scottish Independence Referendum out of the way, we’d all move on and stop talking about how great Scotland is, but that’s just not how we work. When I was asked to come up with a list article for this month’s issue, what else could I have chosen other than my top five Scottish films? I’m no cinema scholar and I’ve never even taken a first year Film Studies module, so my list might not be what you’d expect…

The Angel’s Share Ken Loach is the sort of director who can capture the spirit of a group of people perfectly on screen, and that’s what he does here. Following some young criminals doing community service, they somewhat accidentally fall into the whisky tasting world and decide that there’s no better way to boost their income than to steal some of the most expensive whisky on the planet. It brilliantly showcases great Scottish talent in some of its most picturesque locales, well worth a watch.

Trainspotting Surely everyone reading this has heard of Trainspotting. Seen as either a warning tale for the terrors of drug-addiction or a glorification of a terrible habit, it has divided people for years. Although quite how some people think watching a man swim through a shit-filled toilet is glorifying anything is beyond me. Darkly brilliant, Danny Boyle’s adaptation of the Irvine Welsh novel pulls no punches in its story of heroin, overdoses, AIDS and the glimmer of redemption at the end of a very long tunnel.

Braveheart “They may take our lives, but they’ll never take our freedom!” Unless we turn down the right to have it in a democratic referendum of course. This Oscar-winning juggernaut may be described as one of the most historically inaccurate films of all time, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a great film to watch. It’s got the romance, it’s got the battles, and it’s got the ability to stir up a ridiculous amount of national pride in anyone. It also has some casual homophobia and stars a bigot in the central role, but I can’t help loving it even with all the stick it gets.

Shallow Grave Okay, so this is the second film by Danny Boyle on my list. Still, I really do think this is one of the most underappreciated Scottish films out there. If you like Trainspotting and want something with the same dark sense of humour, but on a different topic, then this is for you. Three flatmates find a bag of cash in their fourth flatmate’s bedroom and choose to keep it rather than report it. Safe to say things don’t go well for them from then on, and burying someone in a shallow grave isn’t always the best course of action.

“It also has some casual homophobia and stars a bigot in the central role.” Sunshine on Leith Okay, so it’s definitely not the best directed, written or acted film on this list, but it’s easily my favourite.If you are feeling a little bit down and want something to perk you up, then you are going to love this movie. A musical set to the soundtrack of The Proclaimers, it’s based on a stage show that originated here in Bonnie Dundee, and, as one of my friends said the other day, “I didn’t even know I was a fan of their music until I watched this film.” Some people might call it Mamma Mia set in Edinburgh, but it’s much more than that for me. It’s a celebration of Scotland and the people that make it great, and the final scene is one of the best in Scottish film history.

Honourable Mentions Stone of Destiny, Filth, The Wicker Man, Brave, Skyfall, Under the Skin, Highlander, The Little Vampire. ISSUE 42 17

CURRENT AFFAIRS

5 Million Questions Left Wide Open? The solar-rays of sensible discussion seem, at long last, to be poking through the ash clouds thrown up in the wake of No-gasaki and so it seems timely to scrutinise the slightly bizarre fall-out of this unique democratic happening (The Referendum having, of course, been so scantily covered by the nation’s media).

In the immediate aftermath of the result’s announcement words such as ‘traitor’, ‘shame’, ‘disappointment’ and even ‘English’ were thrown into the ether like excited shrieks at a sixth-year Ceilidh class. Now, rarely does The Next-Guy enjoy robust discussion more than yours truly, but it seems that in all our admirable candour many of us have forgotten a few rather important things. Firstly, we are all, in essence, on the same team. When asked why they voted how they voted, no ‘No’ voter would evince their hatred for ‘true’ democracy or their disdain for social justice, just as no ‘Yes’ would reveal that their vote was a Machiavellian attempt to induce a currency crisis. Whether ‘Yes’ or ‘No’, most all of us would cite our motivation as being the continued happiness of our families, our country’s long-term prosperity or a closely related, satellite inspiration orbiting these two politico-planetary bodies. The subject of our great national discussion has not been whether or not these ideals are worthy but how best to achieve them (same team, see?) and putting words into one another’s mouths seems to me a brilliant

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method of reneging on our responsibility to ensure our personal convictions are challenged as thoroughly and as regularly as possible. Understanding those with whom we disagree is an elementary challenge faced by any responsible democrat; let’s make this challenge as surmountable as possible by listening to the perspectives of our opponents with patience and sincerity, not presumption or certainty.

One of the saddest aspects of the ‘CherNObyl’ is the wedge it has stuffed between friends That brings me neatly to my second point: the danger of certainty. One of the saddest aspects of the ‘CherNObyl’ event is the wedge it has stuffed between friends, Scots and countrymen. Facebook, ever the bastion of political debate at its rashest and least productive, will serve as my cheap, anecdotal but abundantly demonstrative case in point. The statuses

CURRENT AFFAIRS

shaming the ‘Other’ side (whichever that may be) for national betrayal, naiveté, stupidity or, as mentioned, even outright Englishness indicate an unhealthy approach to the discussion of this enormous and enormously complex issue. Intellectually, scepticism of the received ‘wisdom’ of one’s contemporaries is among the most important developments one can hope for, while dissenting from the opinions of our elders and our authorities -- our parents or teachers or reporters or priests-- more important still. Levelling useless insults at those who disagree with us not only inhibits sensible discourse but leaves your own political arse exposed to the elements, particularly dangerous given that only two options appeared on the ballot ergo A LOT of people will disagree with you and a good many of those people are guaranteed to be A LOT cleverer than you are. So again, let’s not make Political Enlightenment harder to come by than she is by own illusive nature and continue the conversation with the same passion, sincerity and scepticism as has been triumphantly displayed until now, just with less of this ad hominem nonsense.

Remember: until you know absolutely everything (as only I and a very few others do) there remains a 50/50 chance that you were dead wrong to vote the way you did. Anyway, however you voted, you should not feel treacherous, naive, moronic or unpatriotic: you participated in a democratic event which, please correct me if I’m wrong (@cammyrathie), bore witness to the will of a greater proportion of the electorate than any voluntary election or referendum in the history of civilisation full-stop. What you should feel is pride: The Referendum on Scottish Independence was a masterpiece of democracy, if you’ll indulge me, The Twa Dogs’ Bollocks. In the event that you elected not to vote? Don’t look at me, I can’t tell you what to feel... By Cameron Rathie

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CURRENT AFFAIRS

FIGHTING FOREIGN POLICY “Distrust those cosmopolitans who search out remote duties in their books and neglect those that lie nearest.” Jean Jacques Rousseau, 1762. Following Rousseau’s advice leads one to naturally question the motivations of many British citizens who have chosen to leave and fight for foreign causes of freedom rather than to instigate change at home. Is it then easier, from the plush seats of Western luxury that we are so used to, to give up age-old, socially indoctrinated norms of tradition (or complacency) and decide to leave and fight against another’s government and in turn your own? This crux has irked many activists throughout history; from the socialist adventures of Orwell in Catalonia to the more recent voluntary exodus of 500 British Jihadists, fighters and aid workers who are now threatened with statelessness and death by their own Government. In this article, we evaluate what kind of society breeds such ambitious dissenters that they willingly go to war, without uniform and well aware that to return could mean conviction under section 5 20 ISSUE 42

of the current Counter-Terrorism Act; a life sentence and their citizenship being revoked, yet if they stay it could mean death by airstrikes. If, however, they are fortunate, under new policy instruments introduced on the 1st of September they will merely have their passport confiscated, be relocated, placed under government surveillance and monitored, by the very same government that has repeatedly sold arms to Syria, both to the regime and the emergent rebels in a deal worth up to 0.8 million, and has just recently decided to send fighter jets to strike into the heart of terror (and the 300 jihadists in ISIS). The question then remains, what rights are at stake for these forlorn, freedom-fighting terrorists? On the one hand they and we are the natural citizens of a Government that is vagrantly violating human rights indirectly by perpetuating war in other countries. Mainly by selling weapons and approving export licenses up to the grand total of $12 billion in 2013 to war-torn states like Syria or Occupied Palestine. Additionally, the British establishment is now directly violating the civil and political rights of its natural citizens by depriving their citizenship under the auspices of prerogatives of ‘state sovereignty’. Claiming ante facto the guilt of these men and women before due process of law. In doing so, the Coalition Government is the first in British history to violate Article 15 of the Universal

CURRENT AFFAIRS

Declaration of Human Rights, which states “no one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his nationality”. Regardless of the fact that no terrorism has occurred since these ‘ex-British citizens’ left these shores. A free, democratic, society that upholds the rule of law must question the draconian nature of these pre-emptive measures. What kind of society openly denounces actions of religion as forms of terrorism, whilst ﬁnancing violators of human dignity? Perhaps we had best look towards our enlightened PM David Cameron, who only recently announced that Great Britain is a ‘Christian nation’. Our government has brilliantly mastered the biblical technique of ‘not letting the left hand know what the right is doing’; during the EU arms embargo on Syria (2011-13) they approved a dual export license to sell chemicals used in Sarin gas, which was then used by Assad’s regime against the people (in 2012).

“reducing them to nonstate actors however is at once both foolish and unnecessary.”

On the other hand, my young colleagues, we have individuals choosing to engage in armed conflict, against dictatorship and/or fighting for their religious doctrines in their ancestral homelands, in an effort to bring stability, which their own government has continually undermined. Their actions too must be accountable under international law. Yet reducing them to non-state actors however is at once both foolish and unnecessary. The application of human rights and international law is for the most part conducted by States and international courts alone. Stateless people neither have rights to violate nor loyalty to a moral code or even a fair judicial system under which to be prosecuted. The question I then pose, dear students, is who we will look back on as the Heroes here? Will it be these men abroad, who like Orwell are fighting for their convictions? Perhaps, they will be denounced like Nelson Mandela, only to be praised in years to come by their same denouncers (see again our PM David Cameron). Or will they still be terrorists, vagrants and enemies of the state in years to come?

Dominic Younger

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SOCIETIES

HeForShe UN gives men a ‘formal invitation’ to stand up against gender inequality. Adele Hamilton-Sturdy

atson, the newly appointed UN Women’s goodwill ambassador, spoke on Saturday 20th September about her journey to self identify as a feminist in an address to launch the HeForShe campaign; a solidarity movement that seeks to have men and women work together for gender equality.

What as a man, can I do for feminism? Anyone can be a feminist wherever they lie on the spectrum of gender identity. Sexism interacts with race, class, occupation, age and sexual orientation to create further forms of discrimination. We need to listen to each other and learn how to mutually support each other. Not everyone has the same needs and abilities.

We don’t want to just talk about feminism, as Watson remarks; it has to be something tangible. However, this is obviously easier said than done if the word feminism is merely associated with ‘man-hating’.

So why "feminism" and not just "humanism"? Or "equalism"? In a contemporary context do you think that the word itself is exclusionary?

Indeed if only half the people in the world are invited, how can we change a world of gender misconceptions? HeForShe is the UN’s plan to extend a hand to men in acknowledgment that “Gender inequality is your issue too.” We decided to interview this year’s president of Femsoc Andrew Edwards to see what he thought of Emma Watson’s much talked about HeForShe campaign address at the UN Headquarters, New York, and to debunk a few FAQs that detach people from the feminist cause (and society for that matter) and render them reluctant to associate with the word ‘feminism’.

Because those alternatives are vague terms. Feminism is a speciﬁc branch of Human Rights campaigning. Our focus is to end gender- based discrimination against women, girls and transfeminine people. We’re not saying the other branches are not important. It’s just our niche. The word feminism is needed as women face a wide array of problems and there needs to be a specialism that addresses that. It’s akin to saying why call it “music”, “literature”, or “drawing” when we can just use “the arts”. It’s important that discrimination against women does not get side-lined as a cause.

“People would always assume my mother cooked and cleaned but my mother was crap at that.”

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SOCIETIES

Many people have praised Ms Watson’s personal identiﬁcation with feminism as a movement. For example, how she came into feminism herself, after experiences such as being sexualized by the media at age 14. Can you recall any such youthful or initial realisations of differences between men and women? Yes, people often laughed when I told them my dad was a house husband. People would always assume my mother cooked and cleaned but my mother was crap at that. What she was good at was being an accountant. I was also struck by the stark differences in in expected behaviours and beauty standards between men and women. As a man who I assume is already ‘on the bandwagon’ for the cause (as president of Femsoc), how did you feel upon watching the address? Did it feel patronising, empowering..?

Why is terminology quite so pressing? To my mind it can be a huge barrier, and part of the beauty of the HeForShe campaign other than the obvious insurmountable power it could have in challenging issues the world over is its means to encompass what Watson refers to as ‘inadvertent feminists’, those who don’t like the ‘F’ word and what it symbolises in contemporary discussions regarding gender issues -- those who perceive the label as ‘aggressive’, ‘negative’ and not something that they are keen to associate with. If a mere label can be a barrier for men or women this clearly needs rectiﬁed when one considers the fact that the horrors of forced marriage; unequal pay for the same work; female genital mutilation; domestic abuse and barriers to opportunities for education (among many others) are still present realities which require confrontation.

I welcomed it. It was nice that Emma used her fame and relative position of power to get people talking. However, there are oodles of other great speakers out there who sadly get little attention.

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SOCIETIES

The Ins and Outs of SRC: A Student’s Perspective Robin Van Mulders

hen most first years come to uni, they think about the freedom of having finally left home: the partying, the sport clubs, the social life. But if you were to ask them what the SRC stands for, then I bet that most people would respond with something along the lines of: I have no idea. Just before writing this I sat down with a couple of friends and asked them all: what is the SRC and what does it mean to you? Now, these are third-year students, engaged in all manner of social aspects within the university, and one of them simply responded in the same manner: ‘I don’t know, something to do with students?’ Never has there been such a time when political awareness has been so prominent in Scotland, never has there been such talk about

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home rule, about making decisions close to home and yet, when faced with the opportunity to elect student representatives, it doesn’t come as a shock that most people aren’t even aware of what the SRC does. What then is the SRC really? The SRC, or the Student Representative Council, is the highest student governing board within the university. It consists of the executive, the school presidents and different student representatives. Now, you might ask yourself, what can the SRC do for me? The student representatives are your channels of change when you have issues, whether there are issues with aspects of Learning and Teaching, issues related to Postgraduate and Undergraduate levels as well as

Equality and Welfare. Things, which they have pushed through in recent years are things like

‘I don’t know, something to do with students?’ Wi-Fi in student halls and 24-hour library access during the exams etc. Make sure you use them, because if there are any issues that you walk around with, chances are there are have at least 10-15 others who experience the same in silence with you. University can be, and most of the time is, an awesome experience, but sometimes problems do arise, and in that case, make sure you use all the available outlets that you can use: the SRC is definitely one of them.

SOCIETIES

“I therefore sentence you to death!” Albeit, Mock cases don’t usually tend to end that way, but when you lose some days and nights to them, they can enviably feel like it! The Mooting Society is, in short, legal debating; arguing a case based on legal principles rather than the facts. It can be lot of work to prepare for a moot, especially if you’re competing against another university but, even if you lose, the experience is worth it. Here on campus we endeavour to host internal

It’s not all about competing either, the society has a great social aspect and we’re organising our ﬁrst Ball this year in Carnoustie on Friday 14th of November. Tickets are open to all, law students or otherwise and cost approximately £45. While this may seem steep, it includes a three-course meal with a choice of what you wish to eat, transport there and back, a casino with the high roller of the night winning a bottle of champagne, a live band playing and a photographer with props box. There is also an option to stay overnight at the hotel at

‘Prizes can range from trophies, cash or even work experience’ competitions between students, and even ﬁeld teams for competitions all over the UK. If you win, prizes can range from trophies to cash or even work experience. Notwithstanding, as a law student, mooting enhances both your understanding of the law and your advocacy skills, but even as a non-law student it helps with critical essays and public speaking.

£35pp and this includes full access to the spa facilities if you do. This promises to be a good night for all. If you are interested in either joining the society or fancy a night at the ball, get in touch at law-mooting@dundee.ac.uk

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ART

Small City, Small Wonders: Dundee's Vibrant Classical Music Scene

rom St. Petersburg’s renowned String Quartet to John Suchet’s Beethoven (26th of March), Scotland’s fourth largest city has a classical music scene that is not only respectable but also uncharacteristically inexpensive. For the meagre sum of two pints (or one at Duke’s) students can witness Mahler’s 5th or Mozart’s 41st on the same night (22nd of November) and more. For the pessimists amongst you, it’s true that, whilst the Caird Hall sells out for major pop culture acts, you can be sure of a seat and a small line for the bar during intervals since the average age of attendees is terminally octogenarian. Do not let the inter-generational gap hinder your enjoyment of classical; it’s classic for a reason and, trust me, those older folks certainty create a buzz before the lights go down.

While the Caird Hall is Dundee’s hotspot for classical, we students are also fortunate enough to be just a few miles down the road from Perth’s Concert Hall- soon to be host to Elgar (9th of October), Tchaikovsky and Sibelius (5th of March) and not to mention the fact that Edinburgh and Glasgow are only a mere hour and a half (two hours by Megabus) respectively. Dundee will soon host Scotland’s top six wind soloists (18th of Feb) and even the Moscow Ballet’s critically acclaimed rendition of the Nut Cracker (23rd of November). If thou seek, thou shall receive! But, to help you out, below is a small list of up and coming events. Anon

Upcoming Events: Oundjian and Benedetti:

Moscow Ballet’s Nut Cracker:

Thu 13 Nov 2014, 7.30PM Caird Hall, Dundee. RSNO from Tchaikovsky’s musically savage Fourth symphony, to one of Scotland’s ﬁnest violinists, this European feast will keep you at the edge of your seats. See http://www.rsno.org.uk/ for tickets and discounts.

Nov 23rd 7.30pm Caird Hall, Dundee. http://www.cairdhall.co.uk/

Mozart’s Symphony Number 41 (Jupiter) and Mahler’s Symphony Number 5: Nov 22nd, 7.30 pm Caird Hall http://www.cairdhall.co.uk/

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Scottish Ensemble; Concerts by Candlelight: Dec 9th 7.30pm, Caird Hall, Dundee. http://www.cairdhall.co.uk/ http://www.dundeechambermusic.org.uk/

ART

THE WORLD BECAME FRESH by Anon

VISUAL POETRY

ext Art is on the rise again, with thanks to artists like Tumblr’s favourite, Anatol Knotek. What once may have eluded 99% of people from the art world is now attracting more and more practitioners and fans. In an exclusive interview conducted by email I get to the heart of the inspiration behind Knotek’s art a la mode.

‘

I THINK A LOT OF STORIES ARE HIDDEN IN THE VISIBLE - A CONTRADICTION? I DON’T KNOW...

1 Firstly, where are you from, what are you currently doing and when did you ﬁrst begin to write/visual poetry? I was born in Vienna, Austria in 1977 and that is where I still live and work. The ﬁrst visual poems date back to approximately 1999/2000 - I started with text collage and a little bit later I experimented with concrete poetry.

2 When did you realize the visual capacity for poetry?

’

It was actually before I had any idea of concrete or visual poetry. I had always painted and there was a time when all I wanted to become was a painter. A kind of Van Gogh/Modigliani/Picasso mixture. I can’t remember the exact inﬂuence behind it, but at one time I had the idea of making an image, which consisted entirely of text - of newspaper clippings, printed out stories, little poems of myself, lyrics and so on...this resulted in my ﬁrst big collages.

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3 How far has this taken you and do you feel that visual poetry can bridge gaps that spoken or merely written poetry cannot? Now nearly 15 years later, I don’t make collage anymore, but I’m still searching for new potential, for new possibilities that can enrich text with meaning, with stories, with aesthetics. I do think. That visual poetry can speak in a different way to the reader/ spectator, because it works on several levels - one is the silent, the reﬂective level, the other one of course the visual. Its meaning comes from the language at the one hand and from what it looks like on the other, it is in a way similar to ﬁne arts but also to poetry, (visual) puns and word puzzles. Ideally I would like people to look at words as images, as photography - I think a lot of stories are hidden in the visible - a contradiction? I don’t know, especially when it comes to text art...

for something in language that makes me smile, astonishes me and takes me by surprise. I’m looking for something that can speak instantly, tell whole stories, potentially different stories, but to consist only of one or two words. I’m looking for combination. Combining the two-dimensional with the three dimensional, the digital with the analogue - the up to date tools with anachronistic ones. I often work in a very slow way. When I have an idea, I hardly ever work on it instantly - what I do is just write it down,

The art world has been blown open by globalisation, new trends are falling into place and it’s open season for punters.

4 Does the written word continue to be a source of inspiration for you or are you more drawn to a ‘Wow’ Factor in what you seek to achieve within your work? I’m often asked where my inspiration comes from - but I don’t really know. All I can say is that I’m constantly looking 28 ISSUE 42

close the sketchbook and forget about it. Some weeks, months or years later I take a look at my old sketches and ideas. Then I’m mostly shocked by the banality and ﬂatness, but sometimes I also ﬁnd something, that I feel is still good and surprising – then I have the feeling that it’s worth spending more time with it...

Does ‘Visual Poetry’ in your own view exclude any art forms? Like Grafﬁti or ripped out pages of someone’s journal? I’m not making any rules what visual poetry is or should be – gladly that’s not my task.

6 Having gained an impressive following do you know where would you like to see visual poetry in the next few years? I would like to see visual poetry and text art in much more galleries or museums. At the moment it is not very popular there...

To see more, visit www.anatol.cc http://visual-poetry.tumblr.com or search for yourself!

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