issue five // september
// issue five
Depending on your views, the recent federal election result was either: a)A great relief, long overdue and will provide Real Solutions to the nation’s economic woes, or b) A tragedy of epic proportions, and you now wish to depart on one of the boats Abbott promises to turn back, or c) None of the above. Politics is boring, both parties are ridiculous and they just argue all the time. In a dull and completely uninspiring campaign focused largely on Kevin vs Tony popularity polls rather than actual policy, one interesting issue did flare up. On ABC program Q&A just prior to the election, Kevin Rudd was asked a question by a Brisbane evangelical pastor, Matt Prater: why he had changed his position to advocate for marriage equality? Rudd fired up to boiling point, accusing the pastor of “cherry-picking” parts of the Bible, countering that a literal interpretation of the Bible would say “slavery is a natural condition.” The audience applause was deafening. Predictably, some people took to Facebook to voice their disgust/support. Many
On the Margins Josh Dye
Christians argued that Rudd had taken the slavery reference (1 Peter 2:18) out of context. But they missed the point. Culturally, marriage equality may be an unacceptable proposition for many Christians. However, Australia is a secular, democratic country. Because of that, the term ‘marriage’ means something different today to what it did in Bible times. Is it unreasonable for Christians to impose religious views on secular politics, thus marginalising homosexuals? In an election where the treatment of asylum seekers was seen as such a big issue, it’s interesting that so few Christians took the stance of advocating for homosexuals, who are also marginalised in our society. Instead of marginalising, what if Christians chose to actively advocate for the rights of all those who are alienated? Comments? thevoice@avondale.edu.au
Writers Editor
Josh Dye
Designer
Danelle Morton
Advertising
Luke Ferry
The views and opinions expressed in The Voice are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of Avondale College of Higher Education.
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Charlotte O’Neill, Chelsea Mitchell, Josh Dye, Lara Campbell, Mark Tipple, Michael Lilikakis Special Thanks to Colin Chuang
Editorial
Contents
Your Voice Heard
Letters to the editor
Vox Pop Feature
“Worship Wars”
Photo Album
page five page seven page nine page ten
Feature
page twelve
Feature
page fifteen
“In the Presence of the Professor” “Anti-social media”
Culture Corner While You Were Sleeping...
page seventeen page eighteen
Like The Voice - Avondale on
Contents
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A question of ethics
Finally, The Amazing Race! Since I missed out last year I was really excited to get chance to race around Sydney completing various challenges. The whole evening was really fantastic, but I did find one of the activities confronting: it required us to take a photo with a homeless person. Ethically our team felt uncomfortable, and that we were exploiting this man’s situation. I’m sure the activity was meant in good taste, but were the bonus points worth it? —Alyse Hunter
Is no news good news?
Graduation is approaching, and doing something you’ve never had to do before can be overwhelming—especially when the information is limited. We rarely know what is coming up or where to be, the information handed out is inconsistent, and only some people get Graduation info booklets. A Graduation committee is appointed, but we never hear from them. What have they done? How many tickets am I entitled to? And how in the heck do I even find that out? In this case, it’s not a complaint, just a suggestion: could Avondale communicate about Graduation more effectively? —Karli Borresen
Your Voice Heard
Your Voice Heard... Letters to the Editor
Harsh punishments
I’m concerned about Avondale’s compulsory attendance policy. As a student overloading on units—between two faculties—I’ve come across constant timetable clashes in my last two years. In the past, the problem was solved through simple timetable rearrangements. However, the recent move to put units on a two-year cycle changed the timetable and courses have become inflexible. Recently, I was questioned about my lack of class attendance in one unit (due to my final teaching prac, and also a clash) and threatened with the policy of ‘extra work.’ (I had previously emailed all my lecturers with a heads up on both my clashes and prac time). It is a ridiculous concept to force diligent and academic students to do ‘extra work.’ If Avondale wants to live up to its so-called ‘university standard’, the attendance policy needs to accommodate those that would like to achieve more than the mediocre. —Lachlan Campbell
Comments? Feedback? thevoice@avondale.edu.au
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PUT YOUR DESIGN HERE
ONE MISSION O’SHIRT COMPETITION One Mission is teaming up with O’Shirt to fundraise for mission trips at the end of the year. Your design could help bring some much needed aid to people in desperate need. Here are the rules: 1) Artwork must be original 2) Be creative in reflecting reflecting One Mission’s purpose 3) Artwork needs to be in a vector file format 4) Use a maximum of two colours (or shades of) 5) Entries close September 27 (last day of class before mid-semester break) There is $150 prize money for the winner, which will be awarded on the weekend of October 19-20 during the Adventist Basketball Championship. For samples of other O’Shirt designs, visit www.oshirt.com Submit entries to oshirt@onemission.org.au
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If you had to live with a lecturer for one week, who would it be and why?” Robby Morgan. He’s is a pretty cool American, he’s never home and he climbs rocks. —Luke Chilcott David Potter, because his wife makes the best food! —Hillamore Peter Jason Hinze, because we both love playing sport. We would play tennis together, and I would thrash him. He could also do my assignments for me. —Kamahl Patel Lorinda Bruce. Hottest lecturer on campus and she lives in a house on the lake, with access to a kayak to go paddling. Also, her housemate is an amazing cook! —Luke Bacon Bev Christian. She has an amazing passion and talent for what she does and I would love to get in on that! She has many innovative tricks and modern skills that would be priceless to know for future use in the classroom. Overall, a loving, generous woman. —Ella Hartigan
Vox Pop
Vox Pop I would be keen to answer if I had an answer. But unfortunately, I cannot think of any such lecturer. —Christa Butler Final decision: Gemma Christian. She had our whole Statistics class over for tea one time. There was yummy, healthy food along with books and board games in foreign languages. I could deal with that. —Josh Page Jason Hinze. I think I’d learn heaps about teaching, and if his wife cooks as well as she sings, the food would be great! —Alex McAndrew Rick Ferret. I’d like to follow him around to see what his days are like visiting the retirement village and talking to him about experiences. —PJ Negrillo Probably Darren Morton, for a week, so I could learn more about fitness, health and well-being. —Ryan Starrett
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I’
ve spent the better part of the last three decades enjoying, partaking and leading out with most forms of gospel music in church services, but have somewhat been confronted and affronted of late. Upon rocking into Koorong and gazing my octacles upon the latest in Christian Do-Re-Mi, I was quite taken back. Skulls, goats’ heads, Game of Thrones themes and artists laden with arms full of tats. This is the latest wave of Christian music which is ‘alternative’, but which would surely make my mother reach for the closest rolling pin and have it destined for a crack. But should music have such an impact in our spiritual lives that it makes us want to walk out because it’s too loud, too fresh, too old or just too much? Enter Captain Yoshi*, who has been an answer to prayer, a veritable Godsend. Through his wondrous wisdom, and because of his passion for both Jesus and music, he has somewhat allayed the scepticism of my generational angst. Yoshi believes music is more than just a tool to use for worship; it is a vehicle that delivers the gospel. “Worship is an expression of how much you love Jesus, and how thankful you are for what He did on the cross,” he says.
Feature
Worship Wars Michael Lilikakis
“For too long we’ve thought of worship as tradition. It’s more than that. Worship should never be contained, or set loose once a week. As long as you’re truly passionate about Jesus and what He means to you, sing and praise Him accordingly.” Philippians 2:12 rings clearer now, as we all have to ‘work out our own salvation with fear and trembling.’ It looks like I’m going back to the Cross to see for myself what grace is really about. The hymn tells me, ‘Burdens are Lifted at Calvary’, and I realise that faith in Jesus is about letting go... of stereotypes, of preconceptions, of self. Every minute, every day. I pray you remind me of that next time a song is belted out, and my eyes start rolling around in my head. *Captain Yoshi = Joshua Stothers. Legend.
Michael can imitate just about any accent, cannot play basketball to save himself, and regrets marrying his ex-wife. Jokes. No, seriously...
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// issue five
Photo Album
Kirsten Groves
Jemimah Scale
Jesse Herford
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Holly Phillips
Kirsten Groves
Photo Album
To win a $50 Pauly’s Pizza voucher, students were asked on Facebook to give this photo a caption. If you missed it, the statue was briefly erected outside Avondale Memorial church recently. Top captions: “Where is the entrance to this bounce castle?” —Cory Chalker “Nebuchadnezzar vs Aladdin: The showdown. Neb prepares for the match by singing kumbaya on the steps of the Avondale Lake Macquarie campus.” —Shelley Poole “Bronx Boys!” —Joshua Stothers “Do you even lift bro?” —Leah Stewart
Monique Graf
“Evangelism, one of many ways to scare as many people away from church!” —Luke Heckendorf
Ann Stafford
Photo Album
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// issue five
Brenton Stacey
Y
ou’ve heard the term ‘mad professor.’ It doesn’t apply to this one, although he is wearing a grey pinstripe suit, brown shoes and purple socks—an odd combination to say the least. Talking slowly and deliberately, Professor Richard Keeble has the unwavering attention of his completely captivated audience. (You know it’s a significant moment when your lecturers are sitting there, thoroughly transfixed and diligently taking notes.)
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In the Presence of the Professor Josh Dye
In Australia presenting a series of guest lectures at various (real) universities, Avondale struck it lucky and hosted the man who is professor of journalism at the University of Lincoln (UK).
Feature
He talks about a range of topics including press freedom, media ethics, and the role of journalism in society—all very interesting things to a communication student, and not to most others. But some of his ideas are universally fascinating. He argues that all communication, and media, is propaganda in one way or another. “The notion that there is objectivity [and] neutrality is, I would argue, a myth,” he said. Chairman of The Orwell Society, his passion/obsession for all things George Orwell is evident—if I received a dollar every time he was referenced or quoted, I’d be writing this from a beach resort in the Bahamas. Later, sipping a strong tea in the quiet lounge room of Media House, that forgotten building opposite College Church, he opens up. Musically gifted, he plays piano—“I got all the grades as a lad”—and sings bass in a male choir. Feeling completely inferior, I press him on something he’s terrible at. “There’s a lot,” he confesses. “I’m not the slightest bit practical.” “Water is not my element,” he adds, with dripping understatement. “So obviously for Australia, you rightly laugh.
Feature
You’re all surfing on those waves.” And then this gem: “When people ask me what my element is, I usually say ‘libraries.’” That figures. He finishes with some profound advice to graduates. “Why live? I think we all have both a need and a responsibility to try and understand what makes us as individuals tick, and what makes society tick,” he says. “So I think you have a responsibility to go inward, to understand [your] own psychology…and to go outward to try and understand the world. And it’s not necessarily just to understand, but to become engaged in the world to make it a better place.” With the sun shining brightly and the wind blustering lightly, I re-enter the normal world feeling utterly privileged to have glimpsed such an intelligent mind. And I’m left with a slightly empty feeling, knowing I have just left the presence of a truly remarkable man.
Josh believes Cherry Ripes are a feminine chocolate, can’t deal with twisted seat belts, and is terrified of soggy cereal, which he takes painstaking steps to avoid.
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I
love surfing. I also love my family, friends, and boyfriend. While I’m at it, I also love good food, bad food, and exercise. Oh, and Facebook and Instagram—the wonderful portals allowing me to share my #greatsurf with the rest of my #friendsandfamily. I affectionately refer to Facebook as ‘Facey’ and talk about putting things on ‘Insta’ as though it’s going to increase the quality of the experience I’ve just had. I spend more time showing everyone what I’ve been doing than actually doing it. I’ve got to admit, I’m becoming a little obsessive-compulsive. And even more, it gets egocentric. I spend more time ‘stalking’ my own photos and making sure my profile has that balance between cool and nonchalant* than checking up on what everyone else is doing, which sort of blows my I’m-keeping-in-touch-withfriends argument out of the water. A lecturer recently told us a story of her train journey through a very beautiful section of Europe. There were crowds of people pressing against the windows, all trying to get a good shot as the train rounded a mountain.
Feature
Anti-social Media Charlotte O’Neill
In the middle of all this, a girl ran forward, turned around and took a selfie—presumably to capture herself amongst the beautiful alpine regions of Europe. This act of narcissism made me cringe shamefully, mainly as it brought to mind the ‘me at the Taj Mahal’, ‘me with an elephant’, ‘me eating exotic foreign food in Blah’ photos that make up a large percentage of my travel shots. Is this just a part of Travel: Gen Y Edition? Or have we become so enamoured enough with ourselves that we care more about how we appear than the great things happening around us? If the mediums we use to express ourselves are creating a deficit in our experiences, maybe it’s time to evaluate how important they really are. *It doesn’t. I gave up.
Charlotte is fantastic at hairdressing, famous for finding terrible YouTube videos, and an expert on the negative effects of consuming lactose.
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Culture Corner Mark Tipple
Gingko Biloba
Casey Neistat
Chocolateria San Churro
This strange collection of syllables is actually a herb that finds its roots in traditional Chinese medicine, but has now become a very popular ‘drug’ in Western nations. It has been proven to effectively treat Alzheimer’s and dementia, but also improves concentration levels and general memory overall. Stress, anxiety and mood issues are also reported to improve after using this herb, so there are many benefits to students! There may be some side effects—apart from being awesome—but we’re young so, well, YOLO. It can be found on its own as an extract, or in multivitamins.
This man is competing for the title of Coolest Person on Earth. He is revolutionising the advertising industry, with organisations such as Mercedes-Benz, Nike and The New York Times knocking on his door asking him to present them in a way only he can. His style is unique, making it hard to explain, but so worth watching. Start with his Nike ‘ad’, entitled “Make it Count” and move through his catalogue for as long as you have time. No video of his is boring and it should give you a few hours of mindless procrastination pleasure.
Max Brenner, the Israeli chocolatier, is very popular at the moment, especially amongst young women (take the hint boys). And now there’s a rival on the scene. With San Churro’s strong Spanish influence, it has a different twist to the usual chocolate house. Guys, there’s good options for you as well with an obvious focus on churro’s (think horizontal donuts). If you’re a lover of chocolate, then it’s only fair you give it a go! Chocolateria San Churro opened at Erina Fair a few months ago.
Culture Corner
Mark is the proud captain of his beloved Uni Games team, believes his knitting skills are underrated, and hates parents’ lack of Facebook etiquette.
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// issue five
“After a small chat with Tony, they respectfully escorted me off stage.” Melbourne uni student, Fregmonto Stokes, reflects on his attempt to shake hands and join new Prime Minister Tony Abbott on stage during his victory speech. Security were “very happy with the design of the tag” said Stokes, who artfully crafted it out of yellow Starburst wrappers.
North Korea’s infamous Photoshop editors appear to need a hand. Or three. In the most recent censored image stuff-up, a
“He’s going to be fine.” The doctor of a Urugruyan man found almost dead after four months lost in the Andes mountains. He survived off rats, raisins and sugar during a freezing winter spent almost 3,000 metres above
disembodied hand appears floating between US basketball star Denis Rodman and Kim Jong Un. There’s speculation the hand belongs to a translator who was edited out of the photo to endorse Kim’s English speaking abilities.
sea level.
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While You Were Sleeping...
A truck with a big screen playing on repeat the viral video of infamous Liberal candidate Jaymes Diaz, who struggles to recall the Coalition’s six-point plan on asylum seekers. Diaz was knocked off his seat, largely thanks to his broadcasting blunder, resulting in a rare 3% swing to Labor.
“I do take a level of responsibility for what happened at our football club in 2012.”
“The zoo is absolutely cheating us.” An unimpressed visitor to the People’s Park of Luohe Zoo in China, following a discovery that the resident ‘African lion’ was actually
Suspended Essendon coach James
a Tibetan mastiff (i.e. a dog) after it
Hird finally accepts some blame
started barking.
for his role in the drug allegation scandal that resulted in the Bombers being fined $2 million and booted out of the finals series.
While You Were Sleeping...
Lara thinks her cat has Asperger syndrome, and has never seen any of The Lord of the Rings films because she has no interest in watching small men run around after a ring.
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