Togatus Edition #2 2019

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Togatus is published by the TUU State Council on behalf of the Tasmania University Union (henceforth known as “the publishers”) It is understood that all submissions to Togatus are the intellectual property of the contributor. However, the publishers reserve the right to reproduce material on the Togatus website at togatus.com.au Togatus Team: Editor-in-Chief: Joe Brady Deputy Editor: Logan Linkston Publication Director: Monte Bovill Creative Director: Maddie Burrows Graphic Designer: Liam Johnson Foreign Correspondent: Bethany Green Copy Editors: Anastasia Stojanovič, Sarsha Foran Editorial Assistants: Genevieve Holding, LJ Parks, Mackenzie Stolp, Megan Oliver, Morgan Fürst, Pius Kung, Tyra Kruger Togatus welcomes all your contributions. Please email your work and ideas to contributions@togatus.com.au Edition 1, 2019 Contributors: Dan Prichard, Elise Sweeney, Joseph Schmidt, Joshua Scott, Lizzie Dewis, LJ Parks, Mackenzie Stolp, Megan Oliver, Miles Kahles, Norah Wenrui Wu, Rainer Curcio Edition 2, 2019 Contributors: Dalipinder Singh Sandhu, Dan Prichard, Elise Sweeney, James Kelly, Joseph Schmidt, Lili Koch, Nathaniel Lau, Norah Wenrui Wu, Sophie Sliskovic, UPS Team, Will Boddy Online Contributors as of May 2019: Benjamin Dudman, Lili Koch, Thomas Bearman, Zoe Stott The opinions expressed herein are not those of the editors, the publishers, the University of Tasmania, or the Tasmania University Union. Reasonable care is taken to ensure that Togatus articles and other information are up-to-date and as accurate as possible at the time of publication, but no responsibility can be taken by Togatus for any errors or omissions. Contact Togatus: Website: togatus.com.au Facebook: @TogatusOnline Twitter & Instagram: @togatus_ Post: PO Box 5055, UTAS LPO, Sandy Bay 7005 Email: contact@togatus.com.au Contribute: contributions@togatus.com.au Advertise: marketing@togatus.com.au Togatus is printed by Monotone Art Printers.

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4 4 Editorials #Throwback to THAT Time

6 8 10 The Life and Genius of Paris Hilton Mum, Dad, I Don’t Want to Have Kids

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I Grew Up in a Castle

The Women Propelling Us to Space

2 Shotgun Review Jamez’ Obscure Gamez

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Yours Sincerely, Ball Park Music

Disney Nostalgia in the Modern Age

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Yo Togatu u s: Ed Ar itio e n 2, He 201 re 9


30 Tea in Taiwan

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Welcome to the Antiverse

Books That Helped Me Stay on Track

44 Psychology Society News Bulletin

A Changing University

The Hunt for the Ten Tasmanian Tigers

A Flower of Patience in the Garden of Enthusiasm

St Patrick’s Head Walk

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Dalipinder Singh Sandhu

Contributors Dan Prichard

Norah Wenrui Wu

James Kelly

Sophie Sliskovic

Lili Koch

Nathaniel Lau

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Artwork

Online

Elise Sweeney Joe Brady Joseph Schmidt Nathaniel Lau

Benjamin Dudman Thomas Bearman

UPS Team

Will Boddy


Copy Editor

Anastasia StojanoviÄ?

Togatus Team Editor-in-Chief

Copy Editor

Sarsha Foran

Editorial Assistant

Joe Brady

Genevieve Holding

Deputy Editor

Editorial Assistant

Publication Director

Editorial Assistant

Logan Linkston

Monte Bovill

Creative Director

Maddie Burrows

Graphic Designer

LJ Parks

Mackenzie Stolp

Editorial Assistant

Megan Oliver

Editorial Assistant

Liam Johnson

Morgan FĂźrst

Foreign Correspondent

Editorial Assistant

Bethany Green

Pius Kung

Editorial Assistant

Tyra Kruger

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Editorials Editor-in-Chief Joe Brady

Hello all, The leaves are on the ground beneath my tree and we’ve found ourselves in the waning days of a long and pleasant autumn. 2019 rolls on. It’s gone so fast. A throwback is a funny idea, at once evoking images of personal nostalgia and popular history, bittersweet moments and objects of consumption. A throwback can be as dumb as a group-chat in-joke that should have died months ago, or as serious as a plane crash. It’s funny how our ‘objects of throwback’ seem to linger across the weeks and months after they occur, like ripples in a pond. Years don’t mean much until they’re filled with things that matter to us. It’s good to look back on occasion, as a way of keeping stock of ourselves. Moments of childhood and adulthood

alike mingle in this edition, simultaneously reassuring ourselves of the present as we look back to the past. We have stories from around the world packing Tog this time around, from the U.S. to Taiwan, and there’s no better point in the year to get the last bit of whimsy out of the way before we get jump in with both feet. We’ve got a lot of news cycles to digest and an election to acclimatise to. At some point we’ve got to stop and smell the roses; enjoy small art and beauty for what it is. Enjoy this appetiser, for your reading pleasure. Keep on keeping on,

— Big Chief Editor

Avocado Treasure Hunt! The mysterious Captian Odacova has hidden a grand bounty right under your nose and within it, a treasure trove of riches! The bounty is none other than glorious avocados, and the riches, well they're bragging rights. You'll need a keen eye and a sharp hook to uncover them all. Here's some advice, trust me, you'll need it: Avocados cannot hide in the fine print of articles, the likes of which you are reading right now. They simply wouldn't fit. But anything else is fair game. The mischievous little fruits are commonly found pear-shaped with a pip in the centre. However, do not be taken for a fool my friend. The rare avocados take far more difficult forms so treat anything unusual with suspicion.

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Creative Director

Deputy Editor

Maddie Burrows

Logan Linkston

Fellow procrastinators, A hearty hello and welcome to Edition 2 of Togatus, our #throwback edition! We looked ahead to new lands in Edition 1, and now it’s time to look beyond to the behind. (Not your physical behind, but check yourself out if you feel so inclined). There comes a time throughout each student’s life at university where we take a step back to see how far we’ve come. Whether you’re a third year student thinking back to first year, a first year thinking back to Welcome Week, or you can’t remember what year you are and you’re stuck contemplating that overpriced cappuccino from this morning, it’s worthwhile taking moments to pause. It can bring great pleasure to acknowledge what we have been through to get us to where we are now. Even just looking to yesterday can bring a revolutionary moment. This edition aims to inspire those moments in you. We’ve reflected, and found the pivotal moments in life worth acknowledging and understanding.

In the midst of chaos, we bring you Edition 2 and the theme of “throwback”. Not retro, not heritage, but throwback. Because let’s be honest, we have all been slaves to our Instagrams at some stage… or maybe that’s just me projecting. My bad. But more importantly, “throwback” is subjective. It doesn’t have to fit into a certain timeframe to be considered legitimate — you can throw it back to last week. Unlike the terms “vintage,” or “retro,” there won’t be heavy debate about the qualifications needed to make something a “throwback”. A throwback for you may not be a throwback to someone else. Which is just the kind of theme I like: something that no one can tell you is incorrect or doesn’t work. The content in this edition is more personal. So as you read other peoples’ words, not only do you get a snapshot of their souls, you also get an idea of what throwback means to them. Childhood? High school graduation? Women in space? Disney? It’s so broad, it could be anything. Doesn’t have to be a #throwbackthursday either, you can make that call Enjoy, y’all. We sure enjoyed making it. Until next time!

These moments are raw, special and unique to every one of us. You’ll read stories of happiness and overcoming trials, and a few nostalgic features that will hit you right in the feels. We hope this edition, in all its beauty, inspires you to take a break from university stress and think back to something that ignites positivity and inspiration within you. Much love.

Hmm, it seems there are

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avocados in this edition! Note: The one under the magnifying glass on the left there doesn't count.

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#Throwback to THAT Time People Share Their Most Embarrassing Moments Lili Koch Everyone has experienced an awkward or embarrassing moment at some point in their lives. In fact, if you’re like me, you’ve experienced way more embarrassing moments than you’re willing to admit. We usually think of embarrassment as this negative and unpleasant emotion, but psychologists such as Erving Goffman have linked these feelings to a positive desire to be socially accepted amongst our peers, help create long-term bonds, and be a tool to learn from our mistakes. Here you will find stories that have been generously submitted by people who are willing to share some of their most embarrassing moments. Hopefully, you will get a laugh or two, and perhaps even remember how important it is sometimes to forgive others, since we are all human, after all.

When I was se ven, I spotted an old lady si at a bus stop. tting by hersel For some stra f nge reason I as be homeless si sumed she mus nce she looked t re ally old and po in her hand, or. I put $5 but she looked surprised and want to buy said, “If you something, yo u have to go towards a gr inside”, pointin ocery shop ne g xt to us. Utte to why she w rly confused ould not acce as pt m y generous do simply stared nation, I at her until I was rescued by quickly apolog my mum who ised to the lady and pulled m e away. — Marina

in my ntally crapped when I accide as w t from e en m om ho m ay My worst bus on the w just … on a public n’t ic bl as w pu it in d s… An pant it in anymore. ld ho ’t do dn to ul t ’t know wha school. I just co as huge. I didn w t it , ha er w th So ei it. a small crap ck down on d want to sit ba an ’t , dn at di se I a ew nd hi but I kn e bus, hide be of the back of th the poop out of e do I do? I go to m so ke ta d an try in to it d es fe t it, so I stuf use some tissu ow where to pu t kn no ’t do dn y di I da . my undies I still to this kly as I could. g ic in qu go as as w ck t pa ha my back figured out w the bus driver RE getting know whether ays poop BEFO w Al d? ne ar le on ss on or not. Le port. Yeah… on public trans — Tory

bike across w mountain . Riding my ne ge lle co d different ha of d ar an My first ye much lighter as w ke bi to bunny new bike. I tried campus. The us mountain io ev people pr e of th g lawn full geometry than t of a nice bi on much fr o in to rb ay w cu etc, but put hop over a e, be is fr g le in ying, play ndlebars whi relaxing, stud me over the ha ed ch a un ok la to ke The bi my backpack effort into it. dals. Luckily pe ty e ili th ab e to th in d regained staying clippe e as soon as I oved ct so I was fin vered and m co re I r. lot of the impa se ea pl d a ow cr was a for me. I have to breathe. It en pretty easy be s ay w al at’s on because th r failure. ort memory fo sh lly fu ci er m — Paul e movie p-scared by th e six, I got jum ad gr s day, in as cl as w ng I When it for a relaxi g in ch at w ly e wer the kid is slow Air Bud. We the film where of rt ng pa e tti si th is just and it was at d, and the dog towards Air Bu a bark and nn go is reaching out h tc bi I KNOW this e lik I'm barked and d he an , there, as anticipated So it. OW my KN I en sitting with spook the kid, , and I had be ul so st y ju m d d an ke ce slipped it just spoo nd, and my fa ha d y an m in ed g tic in no head rest Some people ed into my desk. ov ly m I ud . lo de si ed in m slam I was dying hilarious while and funny. thought it was d it was stupid an , en ev el e lik , as w on cause I — Chris

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Stories

up and pover, I woke girl scout slee a at d into e ge tim an e On ediately ch myself. I imm to get g in try noticed I’d wet as eryone else w ev t bu s, red he ot regular cl ing I was cove 's on, not know PJ y at. m th ep m ke fro me to to move on extremely hard as w It . ss pi in — Alicia

When I was around four ye ars old, I used with myself to play on the sofa cushions WH WHOLE FAM EN MY ILY WAS THER E. I didn't real used to get in ise why I trouble for it un til I was abou ten, and ever si t nine or nce then, I ha ven't been able on because th to move e memory keep s coming back to me. — Raph

I was on a scho ol trip with m y class and w all got really e drunk and wen t swimming at the beach. I do n’t know how , but I lost my pants in the oc ean. I had to us e the element of surprise an d the darkne ss of it bein 2am to sprin g t to my bag an d get a towel Drunk me m . istook my ba g with the on of a cute coup e le trying to en joy the night. — Adrian

One time I was at the post office with my mum and she had me on her shoulder when another woman walked in behind us. Now I have no clue why, but my three-year-old brain said “Hey squishy”, so I reached out and squished her breast while saying “Beep beep”. Thinking about it still makes me want to die. — Leila

When I was a young teen, I was invited to and two othe go camping w r girls who I ith a friend hadn’t met be the tent and fore. We had enjoyed all th fun setting up e fo od we had brough it became, th t with us. The e more our m ood changed, darker scared of the and suddenly bush around everyone was us and the da in the middle nger of a poss of the night. Th ible intruder at’s when I ha make a joke d the unfortun to ease the te ate idea to ns io n. Convinced it suggested that was a funny we should ha remark, I ve one of the with huge glas girls – a heav ses – sleep in ily obese girl front of the te block anyone nt door as he from entering. r body would This didn’t go she started cr down well with ying, and I ha the girl as ve re gr etted my com all make mis takes when w ment ever sinc e’re younger e. We to forgive your and eventual self. I only ho ly you do have pe that the po or girl has forg iven me too! — Katrina

Once I made a REALLY bad joke at my host's expense. I had lived with this host and their family for about a month or two and she was very particular about keeping a clean house. Another family was visiting and asked why I was moving out. I said (in what I thought was an obvious joking tone, one I had used around them before) “Yeah, they're kicking me out. I guess my room is too clean”. I chuckled, the visiting family chuckled, but I found out later that night from my buddy that my host took it REALLY personally. I felt horrible. Absolutely terrible. I spoke to her husband and got the chance to apologise to her, but the damage was done. They made it very clear I wasn't welcome there for the next week.

I remember when I drunk cried to my ex, in front of all his work friends, at the bar where he was working on Christmas Eve. Then I went home and drunk me decided to for some ungodly reason, wear my housemate’s undies on my head as I tried to kick all the males out of my house because I had decided that I hated men. And I was not joking around.

— Jiannie

— Rhianna

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Image: Joe Brady


Science

The Women Propelling Us to Space Tyra Kruger

The Apollo 11 astronauts reached the moon on the 20th of July, 1969 and, as the world watched, Neil Armstrong took his historic small step. Together, Commander Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin spent approximately two hours and 31 minutes exploring the lunar surface in what was a landmark of scientific achievement. “I remember thinking, ‘Oh my God, it worked,’” Margaret Hamilton told Time. “I was so happy. But I was more happy about it working than about the fact we landed.” The “it” was the Apollo guidance computer, the on-board flight software which allowed for a safe lunar landing for the crew. Hamilton led the MIT team that wrote out the code, then built and tested the software which enabled the computer to guide, navigate and control the spacecraft. For NASA to hire Hamilton in any role that was not secretarial or administrative was groundbreaking at the time. Through sheer intellect, willpower, and tenacity, she has ensured her stamp on history — even though her story, along with the story of many other daring women, has been obscured. As women in history ventured to act as equal to men, they laid the foundation for other women like Dr Katie

Bouman, a 29-year-old computer scientist whose image of a black hole has skyrocketed her to international fame. This first visualisation of a black hole, like the work of the women before her, has revolutionised our understanding of the universe. Bouman’s role was in the building of an algorithm, which would consolidate the masses of astronomical data collected by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) into a single image. Ultimately it captured a supermassive black hole at the heart of the Messier 87 galaxy, located 55 million light years from Earth. This long-sought image unveils the first graphic evidence of the existence of supermassive black holes, and offers scientists a window of study into black holes, their event horizons, their gravity as well as a new way to investigate the most extreme objects in the universe. “We have achieved something presumed to be impossible just a generation ago,” said EHT project director Sheperd S. Doeleman of the Harvard-Smithsonian Centre for Astrophysics. “Breakthroughs in technology, connections between the world’s best radio observatories, and innovative algorithms all came together to open an entirely new window on black holes and event horizons.” This incredible feat was made possible through a global collaboration of 200 researchers and eight telescopes, and many are determined that Dr Katie Bouman and her indispensable algorithm will not be written out of history, as is the case with many women before her.

Mercury 13

Image: Event Horizon Telescope Collaboration

The dawning of the Space Age in 1957 with the launch of Sputnik 1 ignited the global imagination, becoming a symbol of progress and a bright future. This was the first step beyond our planet, and motivated thousands of people to invent, engineer, and build the technology needed for humanity to lift off.


the

life and genius

of paris hilton Mackenzie Stolp

Say what you want about reality television and reality stars, it’s supply and demand baby. The Kardashians are easily the most famous family in the world (yes, more famous than the royal family, I said it), and it’s easy to see why. We as humans are fascinated by how the other half live. We might despise the distribution of wealth in our current society, and we obviously hate the bourgeois and their hoarding of money, but at the end of the day it gives us the chance to vicariously live the lives that we, most probably, never will! There's one person we have to thank for reality television; for peaking interest into the lives of the rich and famous; queen bee herself, Paris Hilton. Even though Paris Hilton was socialite royalty and maintained her reign for longer than most, many still don’t understand Paris and all her successes. Which is a crying shame. Paris is the great-granddaughter of Conrad Hilton, who founded the Hilton Hotel chain that was eventually bought out for $26 billion (in other words, the Hilton family had a hell of a lot of money). As a teenager, Paris signed with Trump Model Management and her

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extensive late-night club appearances helped launch her reputation as New York’s ‘It Girl’. Paris had money and a good reputation in New York, but it was not until her sex tape, ‘1 Night in Paris’, leaked that she reached global fame. With her newfound global celebrity and household name, Paris decided to cash in and make a TV show. Whilst there were many reality television shows before it, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie’s The Simple Life was the first show to expose the “real” (mostly edited and produced) life of celebrities, socialites, and miscellaneous ultra-wealthy. Nicole Richie was Paris Hilton’s partner in crime. Nicole Richie’s socialite status came due her family connections. Her biological father is the brother of Sheila E, who was a percussionist in Prince’s band and went on to have her own solo-career success. At the age of three, Nicole’s biological parents agreed to let Nicole move in with Lionel Richie because they did not have the finances to provide for Nicole’s wellbeing. Lionel Richie and his wife legally adopted Nicole when she was nine years old. I assume most reading this know who Lionel Richie is, but if not: he was the singer behind that massive song ‘Hello’, which I bet you’ve heard.


Celebrity

Beyond that, Nicole Richie’s godmother is Nancy Davis, daughter of Marvin Davis (the megarich businessman who owns a petrol company) and her godfather is Michael Jackson (yeah, that one). Really, Nicole just grew up around a lot of famous people and followed suit. Like Paris, she was a socialite from a young age and it makes sense why the two clicked. Both Paris and Nicole had been in the public eye from very young ages, which the average person can’t relate to. The Simple Life was an instant success. The show first aired in 2003 and had a successful five year run. The premise of the show was Paris and Nicole, two very wealthy women who would-have-probably-maybe-notever had to do manual work, struggle to do low-paying, high-labour jobs such as cleaning hotel rooms, farm work, waitressing, fast-food serving and more. Obviously this idea was comedic in itself; two young attractive women failing to perform service jobs that many Americans rely on to pay the bills. But more than just being comedic, this show was smart: it never insulted or mocked the people who do this jobs; it held them with respect and dignity. Even when Paris or Nicole were failing, disgruntled or annoyed at a particular task given to them, they gave it a go and aren’t embarrassed to do so. Since The Simple Life, Paris has become one of the greatest entrepreneurs of the 21st century. Everything that Kim Kardashian knows, she learnt from Paris Hilton. You know that trend where famous people stick their names on decent-smelling, cheap perfumes? Paris Hilton was the first to do that. Paris has written books, acted in a bunch of movies (Oscar-winning acting in House of Wax on her part), she’s designed clothes and is now a touring DJ. Paris Hilton shows the resilience and determination and that a young woman with zero work experience and a boatload of money must have. But even in saying that, Paris Hilton has created her own empire, completely separate to that of her families, and that takes skill.

entirely to old money, and spend their time doing shit all. But I’m pushing for the reinvention of the reality star — let’s encourage those with the money and power to do the things we wish we could. Let’s not forget these women are incredible business woman who know their market. Gone is the idea that women are successful because of their attractiveness. There are a lot of rich people in the world, but how many of them are legend like Paris? Even the fact that her sex tape was titled ‘1 Night in Paris’ is marketing genius. Paris Hilton knew her target audience, knew what they wanted and she gave it to them. It would be ignorant to believe that she made all her success by herself, but no doubt she had the final decision on everything she did in her life. Paris Hilton changed pop culture as we know it. She was the most famous woman in the entire world; she was everywhere. She made the Kardashians what they are today. Never forget Paris’s power and her influence on modern celebrity culture. Paris Hilton was the first influencer, first major media-based socialite. She is the one, and we should respect her.

I do understand where the dislike and distaste for reality stars comes from. To the average person, these individuals are wealthy beyond imagination, thanks

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Mum, Dad, I Don’t Want to Have Kids LJ Parks Dear Mum and Dad, It’s been a while since we had the Talk. You know, the one about where babies come from? Oh, that’s right – we were saved from that awkwardness by those mandatory sex education classes I was subjected to at school (and everything they neglected to teach me there, I learned from the internet). Now that I am an adult living out in the world on my own, I feel that it’s come time to revisit the facts of life, only this time we will be learning about where babies won’t be coming from – my uterus. You know who I am. You’re my parents. I’m a 19 year old cis-female who has aspirations to study, have a career and have a good time. What I do not aspire to do is have children. I’m just not that interested. It’s not that big a deal, but every time I say it out loud some smart aleck who thinks they know best always pipes in and says that I have “plenty of time to decide when I want to have children” and that I shouldn’t concern myself about it. But that’s just the problem, isn’t it? They always say when, not if. Humanity is a society that has expectations of us. Some of these expectations are fair and make sense (don’t murder anybody, be nice to others, don’t have sex in public etc). Unfortunately, this is not the case for all of them. There is an outdated and completely uncalled for expectation that it is every individual’s duty to have children – especially females (and by extension anybody born with a female reproductive system – be they cisgendered, trans or non-binary).

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Why is most of the responsibility placed upon us? Yes, I know that guys get pressured into it too, but it’s ultimately up to those with female anatomy to decide whether or not they want to carry a child (or continue to carry it, if they’ve already been knocked up). It doesn’t matter if you’re single, queer or all of the above – if you’re a female, the onus is on you, especially if you’re femaleidentifying. If you want a couple to have children, you have to go straight to the source and convince them that it is their duty to the human race (or, more to the point, their extended family) to bear children. That’s why I’m here today – you were both pressured into having me by your own parents. Fun Fact: Whilst many of us are privileged with a working reproductive system that allows us to incubate human offspring, this does not mean that we want to (or that we should). Not-So-Fun Fact: This does not stop relatives, friends or complete strangers from insisting that having children is an important part of our lives. The way they put it, it’s as though our lives would be meaningless without them. Are you saying that everything I’m doing right now – studying at university, writing this article and having a good time being young – is worth nothing to me if I don’t have children? Wow. That’s dark. And it’s wrong. Reproduction is an important process for all living things to ensure their survival. You don’t need to be a scientist to know that. You may have heard of Charles Darwin and his theories of “Natural Selection” and “Survival of the Fittest.” I’ll sum it up – in nature, only the strongest members of a species survive for long enough to reproduce. This not only allows future generations to be better equipped for survival, but it is an effective means of population control. What you may or may not have noticed is that humans have now reached a stage in their survival as a species where reproduction isn’t quite as necessary as it once was, because “Natural Selection” and “Survival of the Fittest” have been thrown out the window. Thanks to modern advancements in technology,


It is true that there was once a time and a place where having children was necessary for anybody who could manage to survive to sexual maturity, but that time has long since passed. Now it’s all about our ego (the desire to continue our family bloodlines) and social standards. Reproduction is no longer the only endgame for us. Personally I have found meaning in a number of things (music, relationships, writing, etc). I don’t feel as though I need children to make my life whole. I’m sure other people do – and I wish them the very best – but that’s

just me. And that’s ok. It’s not for everyone. A lot of people aren’t emotionally stable enough for it, and others are simply not interested. Will I change my mind one day? Maybe. Will I regret my decision not to have children? Probably. Will I get over it? Definitely. Who knows? Maybe I’ll adopt a child down the track, or I’ll find a female partner who will have kids herself (it’s 2019 – being straight is overrated). I’m glad that both of you have found joy in having me, and I hope that you’ll respect my decision not to follow in your footsteps. With love, Your Daughter

P.S. Don’t bring this up at Christmas. I don’t think the grandparents will take it well.

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The Talk

brilliant medical breakthroughs and a lack of natural predators (we tamed the lions and wolves long ago, and anything we can’t control we either stay away from or kill with our weapons), humanity has greater survival rates than ever before. More of us are surviving long enough to reproduce, meaning that there are a lot more humans being born. Because of this, the world is very quickly heading towards an overpopulation crisis that is creating a strain on our resources and our environment and will soon cause a LOT more problems.


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Whimsy

I Grew Up in a Castle Megan Oliver

I grew up in a castle. At the end of a cul-de-sac stood a five-storey building, surrounded by small brick houses, on the top of a hill. It dared not to shrink for those around it. Here, in our new, sleek, modern house, where we live our new, sleek, modern lives, it is clear how special the castle was. Most houses can be replicated: designed, built, and mass-produced. There are not nearly as many unique things any more. My life is lacking magic now, as almost every adult life does. Now, more than ever, I think back to when my life was full of it. When I was small, I would slip on my gumboots and wander through the garden. Bugs crawled around the courtyard, each citizens of the kingdom. I was the queen; my royal advisor was my cat. Trees and bushes grew up wide around the courtyard, protecting us from what lay beyond the boundaries of the magical place. The cubby house was the perfect explorer’s hut. I would sit and plan adventures, drawing up treasure maps. The adventures entailed digging the dirt in the veggie patch to see what treasures I could find, or building huts out of tree branches. It was all free to explore. As an adult, you explore very little. I gave up on exploring, and I suppose this is what comes from ‘growing up’; we tell ourselves we know all that we need to. No more exploring. No more magic.

of which I was the queen. To me, this wasn’t fiction. Up higher again was mine and my sister’s bedrooms. Mine was next to hers, and each night I would sneak in to talk to her. We giggled until our bellies hurt, and only when our parents told us off would I go back to my own room. Up another level, way up in the sky, was my parent’s bedroom. It was the room we ran up to every Easter and Christmas, or a birthday. Their huge bed contained us all, especially the two bouncing children. There was also a balcony, with a bright-coloured hammock. This place was my favourite. You could sit in it and see out across the water. The view seemed infinite. I wanted to see if the castle had changed since I had lived there, and find out if there was a possibility of reliving some of my childhood. I drove into the culde-sac. Most of the houses were the same; some had been modernised. And there it was, on top of the hill. There was the castle. It looked the same it always had. The five-storey magic castle. I parked the car and stood at the bottom of the driveway. Looking up to the balcony, I saw a hammock where mine used to be. This made me inexplicably happy. I hesitantly walked up the driveway. This had been my home, only something was different. I was a stranger to this place now. The castle had never changed, but I did.

When I was a little older, my sister and I would rush through the front door after school, and go into the playroom. It was a massive room filled with all our toys. We played for hours, and were quite possibly the luckiest children in the world. We got to live in the castle, after all.

I peered over the fence and into the garden. It was all still there; the courtyard, the veggie patch, the cubby house. But there were differences too. The kids toys were not my own. The bikes were not my own. I had visited an alternate reality of my childhood home.

Most of the time I would explore alone. I would go to the bottom level, which was filled to the brim with treasures — old books, ancient technology, and world maps. The kitchen above invited sneaking biscuits, and recreating science experiments I had read in books, which always caused a big mess. But that didn’t matter, because the kitchen was the place for messes. That was why I loved it.

I knocked on the door. No answer. Through the glass door, I could see the play room, as messy as ours used to be. Different toys, but equally magical. The castle didn’t seem as large now as it once had. I walked back down the steps, soaking in old and tired memories. The same trees, the same garden, the same magic.

The sun shone through the skylight on the landing of the third floor, which made it my cat’s favourite place to lay in the house. It was mine too. Perfect for reading, and writing. The first book I ever wrote was about a magical kingdom

I left with a strange melancholy feeling. The castle hadn’t really changed at all. Only now it wasn’t mine. It was someone else’s. And now all I can do is hope those children find the same magic as I once did, because they too will grow up in a castle.

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Disney Nostalgia in the Modern Age Genevieve Holding

This year is certifiably the year of Disney. Not only will box office series hits such as Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, Frozen 2, Toy Story 4 and Star Wars: Episode IX guarantee massive movie sales for Disney, but there are lucrative sequels coming to cinema screens around Australia. Revamps of childhood favourites like Dumbo, Aladdin and The Lion King are another sure fire hit internationally for cinema-goers. 2019 follows two big years in their box office performance for the company and this line-up of films will almost certainly continue this trend. But where has this success come from?

food are all sure-fire ways to keep people coming back to the cinema. Mickey Mouse shaped cookies and Winnie the Pooh pyjamas would be a hit with anyone at any age. A growing social media presence also helps to keep Disney relevant and on top of trends that help the company stay at the forefront of the media game. An active Twitter account is a vital part in relating to newer audiences and keeping people up to date on everything Disney. Every move by Disney in their media publishing is thus, carefully planned and implemented to create that ‘Disney experience’ worldwide. “Where dreams come true”, right?

In a world with a wide access to media channels, both online and on our televisions, the consistent success of Disney in the cinema raises the question: where is this popularity for a nearly century-old media company is coming from?

Or is it that Disney was the first company to really cash in on the idea of children’s genre film and the animation movie? Walt Disney fathered the art of animation, and made leaps and bounds in the development of cartoons. It was Disney that brought to life the internationally recognisable Mickey Mouse.

Maybe it’s simply clever marketing. A brand promoting a wide variety of merchandise such as toys, music, clothing, books, theme parks, household goods, and

The conversion of the Grimm Brothers’ tales into something admittedly less, well, grim, for children’s consumption launched a focus on fairy tales for years to

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come in kid’s media. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast are names and faces that stretch beyond our childhood movies and books that can be attributed to Walt Disney’s work. Maybe people flood into cinemas as a way to pay homage to Disney’s work for children’s cinema. The way that each movie produced by Disney has some connection to the Grimm Brothers Tales keeps a whimsical and fable-like tone to every Disney flick that other genres lack. Do we purchase a small part of that whimsy, and pay homage to his artistry when we go to the cinemas, buy Disney products or collect Disney merchandise? Or is it something deeper? Is it that most people — elderly, adults, teenagers and children alike — long for the nostalgia that can be found in Disney films as a throwback to the good times. We seek the light-heartedness in a children’s film that provides a little escape from everyday life, but still has a little bit of humour for everyone at every age. And could it be that adults and teens might just want to experience that nostalgia in seeing a Disney film when it first hits cinema screens? Do grown-ups secretly wish

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for those magical movies with the catchy soundtracks? To take a trip back in time to the Disney Renaissance period of the late ’80s to early ’90s that brought fairy tales to life? Parents take their kids to the cinema to relive that same feeling of childhood joy and hope their kids feel it too. Grandparents want to experience that same joy with their grandchildren and rekindle the ‘Disney experience’. Teenagers and young adults want to feel that same magical feeling they did when they were little. There is a ceremonial passing down of the same experiences that parents and ‘grown-ups’ enjoyed to their children; a sense of wanting to gift that world of dreams and magic and instill an ability to imagine from a young age. No doubt people will be flooding to the cinemas for Disney in 2019 and many years to come.

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Netflix Shows I’ve Never Watched Morgan Fürst As a third year media student, I have a confession to make: I couldn’t afford a Netflix subscription until last year. This means that as many of the shows on there are slowly entering the ‘classics’ realm in the streaming ecosphere, I still haven’t seen, or even heard of most of them. I’ve therefore decided I’m qualified to give my entirely serious opinion on five shows that I have never seen, entirely based on the thumbnail and preview shown when you hover over the thumbnail. Not only will this allow you to see how reductionist and arbitrary my opinions are, but because Netflix customises the thumbnails you see based on its viewer algorithm, you will also have an insight into how degenerate the brain which makes these opinions is. All of the thumbnails are ethically sourced from my recommended watchlist and the ‘Popular on Netflix’ tab.

A Series of Unfortunate Events - TV Series The first five seconds of the trailer has me on the backfoot. Patrick Warburton narrating anything will only ever make me think of Joe Swanson from Family Guy, another show I have never actually watched an entire episode of. Neil Patrick Harris as Count Olaf seems a better idea than Jim Carrey was in the 2004 film. The outlining of each of the foster parents and the telescope subplot gives the basic concept away in order to draw me in and the ending with the other children holding a similar telescope seem contrived but interesting. I love the colour palette and design in some of the scenes which seems to be a large step away from the film. Hmm, I would probably watch it

The Legend of Hercules - Film The preview is a minute-long excerpt of the angry man (now with a beard) challenging a man who is apparently king of Argos to a duel instead of a battle. The king, in a helmet with a Darth Vader voice says: “King of [pitch shift garbled the words], I accept your challenge, prepare to d-”, and then the preview ends and cuts him off. I can imagine what the film is about. The colour filter seems to have been lifted wholesale from the movie 300. Wait a... isn’t this scene from Troy?

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Ignorance

I should have eaten before writing this

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Street Food - Documentary The entire trailer is mainly shots of food and cooking. The chef (who seems to be the focus of the series) is soft-spoken and the shots of her cooking in what appear to be motorbike goggles makes me like her. If it was just another food show about Bangkok street food I’d probably not watch the show, but the story of how she wins the Michelin Star makes me want to check it out. Nothing particularly stands out about the cinematography or composition besides how good the close-ups of food look.

Travelers - TV Series Another show with an excerpt instead of a trailer. The scene explains the plot to a shocked and confused audience stand-in. The characters take turns explaining two sentences at a time that the show is about time travel and they have just prevented a murder. The preview smells strongly of pilot-episode and doesn’t seem to either have many new ideas or present them clearly. I’ve already seen Minority Report, but I’d watch this instead of Time Cop. Now my suggestion box is full of time travel shows

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Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency - TV Series When I had to go back to the Netflix homepage after clicking on Travelers, this was one of the top new suggestions for me to watch. Elijah Wood (Todd) gets sacked within the first 15 seconds and meets a campy, British detective in a yellow leather jacket, who we’re told is Dirk Gently. The absurdist snippets from the show and the backing track both emphasise to the quirkiness he immediately adds to the trailer. We see Wood get shot at, punched, exit an elevator while wearing a fur coat, and threaten to throw a corgi off of what seems to be a bridge. The tight editing stopped me from noticing anything interesting about the design other than Dirk Gently’s jackets, which are all in various shades of what I imagine anxiety is coloured. I don’t like the meta title pointing out the creators are being self-referential, but doing it for both the cat and the dog in the trailer saves it. The final shot of a blood covered woman who we’re told is an assassin also caught my interest. Five bald men in sync

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Jamez’ Obscure Gamez Decade Old Games Playable on Modern Consoles James Kelly

Miniature Golf (Atari 2600)

Night Trap (Mega CD)

Developed by Atari Inc.

Developed by Digital Pictures

Video games have evolved in insane ways over the past decades, and I figured ‘Hey, let’s write about those games that are deemed as classic, obscure and revolutionary’.

Night Trap is a Mega CD game, that used full-motion video to convey a new gaming experience. You’re part of a SWAT team, investigating a house filled with surveillance cameras and traps in need of setting, to stop overacting bad guys that are out to harm the main protagonists. A house filled with slumber party girls playing electric guitar with tennis rackets, and later on, vampires. Yeah, very exciting. The whole game runs on trial and error. When you fail, you gotta restart and roll through the footage again. So it's like a memory pattern, and once you get it, you nail it and you feel like a saviour to cookie dough parties and VHS copies of Sister Act 2. What’s even better, is that this bad boy is available on the Nintendo Switch. So you can trap people on the go.

Starting off with a simple game, with a simple premise. We all know how to play Putt-Putt, especially Putt-Putt Saves the Zoo, but have you tried it from a birds-eye perspective? We can thank NES Golf for giving us the fun, simulated golfing experiences like PGA Tour and… Outlaw Golf. But there’s something beautiful about the simplicity of 4-bit graphics, showcasing a golf course from atop. The aim of the game is to hit the square dot into the bigger square hole (everything is square in Atari land). You aim your shot, and the further away from the ball, the harder the hit. So move the putter away from the screen and watch/hear the glory of your square ball zooming across like a game of pong in intricate level design. The beeping sound effects give it the gravitas it needs. There are only 10 stages, which start as a breeze and escalate to moving blocks and tight areas. I could have talked about Yar’s Revenge or Tempest, but something easy-going is the best way to start. You can find an old cartridge rather cheap, but it’s also available on Atari Flashback Classics Vol.1 via PS4 and Xbox One, which contain 50+ games of retro fun.

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The interesting thing about Night Trap is the history behind it and the impact it had on the ESRB rating classification system. You see, back in the ’80s, there was no rating system for video games whatsoever. But when some brutally violent games like Mortal Kombat and Lethal Enforcers released, including Night Trap, the games were banned from the stores until they were given a specific rating system. Night Trap was so violent (despite there being no blood whatsoever), that the US government wasn’t going to let it in stores. It didn’t release in Australia until 2017. And now you can experience the legendary title that almost never released.


Pastime

Crash Bandicoot (PS1)

Jet Set Radio (Sega Dreamcast)

Developed by Naughty Dog

Developed by Smilebit

Crash Bandicoot is an iconic legend from the OG PlayStation 1 era. He was the mascot, alongside Spyro, Tombi and Lara Croft, and delivered a trilogy of classics. Over time, Crash had bumps of victory and failure. Wrath of Cortex was a ‘been there, done that’ mess, whereas Crash Team Racing gave us a kart racer to rival Mario. And with the N-Sane Trilogy released on multiplatform, there’s now a definitive way to play the original Crash trilogy.

We all know who Tony Hawk is. He's the iconic ‘skater boi’ who mastered the 900. Because of that moment in ‘90s history, he got a shitake mushroom-load of games on his belt. And weren’t they sweet? Overflowing with gameplay mechanics, a multitude of customisation and tricks, containing the best soundtracks to grind your knee pads off. But… in my humble opinion, there’s something a little bit better. From the well-forgotten Sega Dreamcast came a cell-shaded, roller skating extravaganza.

While revolutionary for the time, with its cartoony 32bit art style and 3D platforming perspective, Crash Bandicoot was as hard as a jawbreaker stuck in an ice block. Every time you’d boot the game up you’d start with five lives, and in order to save your progress you had to complete the bonus rounds, or use passwords. If you die midway through a level, all the boxes you smashed beforehand respawn, meaning you had to restart the level in order to obtain 100% completion. But as kids in the late ‘90s, we took on the challenge like champions, and some of us ended up holding our filled 1 MB memory cards up high, knowing we got the special ending for Brash Candicoot.

Set in Japan, you play as characters like Beat, Gum and Tab, each with their own ‘90s style. You’ll be exploring an urban city, with a plethora of rails to grind and walls to tag with spray paint. But that’s not all. Within the main potatoes of the game, you get an absolutely bonkers narrative with over-the-top street gangs, who will bust your groove along the adventure. As well as strange and epic characters that reference the ‘70s exploitation era, and the ‘90s hip-hop aesthetic. The environment is full of life — you can hear the buses and pedestrians moving by as you skate around. You can muster up neat, aweinspiring tricks, roll away from the police, listen to a very out-of-this-world soundtrack, and you can just grind for ages. It's very addictive, and definitely worth a try. If you feel apprehensive buying a Dreamcast in order to play it, have no fear since its on PC, original Xbox, Xbox 360 and PS3. Now, if it came to the Switch, that’d be lovely.

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Joseph Schmidt Second Year | Bachelor of Fine Arts (Drawing Major) Fresh Australia No. 1, 2019 Taking after Jenny Holzer’s method of projecting words onto large buildings, I decided to reflect on the work put into making Australia clean, in this screen-print. Tobias Harold from Dardanup Shire in Western Australia made a great impact by selling his mates’ misshapen fruit that large companies would reject.

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Yours Sincerely, Ball Park Music Frontman Sam Cromack Talks About the Band’s Album Good Mood and Upcoming Regional Tour Norah Wenrui Wu I started following Ball Park Music during my study in Brisbane, the hometown of this five-piece. The band formed while they were studying music at the Queensland University of Technology, and is currently one of the most well-known bands in Australia. With frontman Sam Cromack (guitar/vocals), Jennifer Boyce (bass/backing vocals), Paul Furness (keys/trombone), Dean Hanson (guitar/backing vocals) and Daniel Hanson (drums/backing vocals), Ball Park Music has been described as “Australia’s most beloved band” by the Sydney Morning Herald.

“The first time when we got in, it was too good to be true. We got two songs, and we were like ‘holy shit!’, we were so blown away! And then the next record, the same thing happened. Then the third record got three songs in, and we were like, ‘this is amazing!’, until the fourth record came out and we got ‘none’, and we were like: ‘oh dear, what happened?’” He laughs, “A lot of new stuff is going in Good Mood, and we were hoping the songs would get in again. We are still very, very grateful and really excited.”

This year, Ball Park Music will be on tour with Brisbanebased singer/songwriter Tia Gostelow and indie band Sweater Curse around Australia for their new album Good Mood. I had the opportunity to speak with Sam Cromack on the phone, and we talked about their upcoming tour in Tasmania.

“I think it’s my personal favourite song from this album,” Sam says. The idea of this song came from Sam’s wife.

This is not the band’s first time touring in Tassie. “We had some great shows in Hobart; we were at the Republic bar, did two nights there, years ago,” Sam says. “It was a cold night, but the room was extremely hot.” “I just remember people getting really excited there. Some kids couldn’t get in because they were under 18, but they were outside in the cold, wiping the windows, trying to watch the show.” ‘The Perfect Life Does Not Exist’ is a typical song you’d would expect from Ball Park Music. Written by guitarist Dean Hansen, the song covers a question we all ask ourselves: what am I going to do with my life? With strong guitar riffs and drum rolls in the back, Sam sings, “when you let go of all your fear, the perfect life does not exist,” a declaration that there’s no such thing as a perfect life; you have to live your own. This song is also No. 39 on this year’s Hottest 100. Even though it’s not the first time on the charts for Ball Park Music, they are still thrilled about the result.

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‘Hands Off My Body’ injects a bit of punk into the album.

“My wife always says that, ‘if I had a band, I would write something about chopping off body parts.’ The other day we were in the studio, had a conversation about what else we had that we could work on, and Daniel said, ‘Hey Sam, how about your wife’s idea of chopping body parts off?’, then we just started jamming and the song came out.” Because of the strong punk vibe of the song, he points out it would be a perfect track to perform live. “I really look forward to it. It would be the highlight of the show.” ‘Exactly How You Are’ is another hit from the album. The whole song works as a retrospective of Ball Park Music, and you can easily trace it back to their earlier work. “I’m very proud of that song. It’s one of the early songs that are written for the record, a clear pop song.” He admits that starting a new record can have some challenges. “I felt like I didn’t have a lot of ability to do it. But this song is like a return performance for me; writing it makes me feel like I’m home again.” The simple and clear tune gives the album a nostalgic flair, not only for the band members, but also for fans who have been following them since the beginning.


“Tia won the album of the year at the Queensland Music Awards this year, and we were all there that night, dressed up pretty. We are very proud of her, she’s doing so well making great music. We did one show with her last year, got her as an extra, and that was a great show,” Sam says. “Sweater Curse, we met them at university in Brisbane. I was doing a bit of work in the music department. I met them right when they started the band, and they’re doing so well now.” Now that Ball Park are picking artists to tour on Good Good Mood with them, things have come a long way. “As the band is getting older and bigger, we have a lot more scope to get involved with who comes on tour with us. I think in the early days we didn’t know as many people, or not many people wanted to go on tour with us, or whatever. Our booking agent took care of a lot. These days, we are much more involved and passionate about it, and are really searching for someone who we want to take on tour.” Ball Park have been producing their own music since 2014, with the debut of their third album Puddinghead.

“I love recording music, I really think it’s my greatest passion in life. They all kind of roll into this big package — I mean recording and touring, but it’s very stressful recording. It needs skills that develop over the years, and it’s one of the things in life you kinda learn as you go… you need to prove that you’ve learnt something. “It’s the real feeling that your imagination comes to life, I guess. I do the writing on my own usually as I started developing songs, and then I’ll start talking about the songs with the band, and then we start working on the tunes, and finally hear them. Like I said, your imagination comes to life, and to have that amazing, rewarding feeling of creating something… it’s just… I’ll never get sick of that. To make something that you love — to just put headphones on and listen to something that you created over and over that previously only existed in your mind.” Good Mood is an unpredictable, a solid, and a liveperformance-designed album from Ball Park Music, and is the culmination of what they’ve developed over their music journey and the new directions they are willing to test in the future. Do yourself a favour: have a listen to the album, grab a ticket to their upcoming tour, and celebrate the good mood with these lovely people.

Image: Ball Park Music

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Good Music

Touring with Tia Gostelow and Sweater Curse is one thing that Sam is really looking forward to.


A Flower of Patience in the Garden of Enthusiasm Dalipinder Singh Sandhu If someone was to describe sports, some of the adjectives used would liekly be enthusiastic, rigorous, aggressive, energetic, hyperactive, etc. These terms well define the modern era of sports and attract huge crowds into the stands and sell out the arenas. The media attention received is high and so is the money earned from pay per view/broadcasting rights.Most of the people wearing replica jerseys are fans of contact sports such as football and basketball. The maximum number of posts on social media are for sports such as boxing, rugby, MMA, lawn tennis, cricket, and European football. All of these games require elevated levels of adrenalin and demonstration of strength. In the modern era, being on trend and attracting more followers than ever is paramount for any sport. There is one humble sport which ages back to the ancient times of hunters and gatherers: archery. Many people may still be unaware of its existence in today’s modern world. The sport which is often related to hunting and killing is more than an outdated asset of a war zone. I have drawn the bow for eleven years, shooting the arrows for my state in the national level competition. The number of participants didn’t really do justice for a country best recognised for its ever-growing population. Although the scenario has changed incredibly since then and now the sport no longer lacks quality and quantity in terms of competition and participation. How does a sport with no driving factor manage such a steady increase in a world obsessed with a high-intensity voltage of play? The sport which has no characters and renowned names such as Conor McGregor, Cristiano Ronaldo, Michael Jordan, and Rafael Nadal. How does the non-energetic and primitive style of shooting arrows at a set distance intrigue people to do the same? Well, in a world where flat earth believers exist, everything can be considered as possible. The modern design of the recurve bow, which is seen in the Olympics, is an aesthetic piece of art for the young child who sees it for the first-time ever. The compound bow on the other hand, with the mechanic layout and

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multiple strings rotating the wheels on the ends of each limb, definitely makes the game look like more than a primitive and outdated hunting technique. The slim black arrows made of carbon-fibre, with fluorescent coloured diamond-cut fletches and flashy bright nocks, do reflect the technology of sports-science at work. All these elements combine to form an eye-catching phenomenon for the sport of archery. The targets made out of hay and rubber, the baggy quivers tied around waists with magnets inside them, the hanging sling from the wrist of the archers, the sleek arm-guards worn on forearms for protection from the swing of the string, the fancy coloured and patterned chest-guards worn for protecting the shirt from entangling with the string, the finger-tabs made out of leather, and releases made out of steel, all of the equipment merges the two eras together. Periodic times infused with modern technology is the fantasy of many people, which is gratified by archery. Archery is a game of calmness, patience, and the one where nerves of ‘Valyrian’ steel are required to get the best out of you. The stress caused in the competition after seeing the target face is one of the biggest challenges encountered by the participants, who may have mastered the technique of the game but have not been mentally trained enough. In my sporting career, I have played in numerous competitions and couldn’t manage to make my trainers proud due to similar situations I faced. The bow arm starts to wobble off the target, your strength seems to be draining faster than ever, and pulling the sixtypound bow seems like the most difficult task. The issue of holding my breath for stability while on a full draw, felt like torture that I couldn't wait to get rid of, though none of it happened in my training sessions where I used to shoot three-hundred arrows per day. After the rigorous routine of training each day, which consisted of eight hours of shooting, half an hour of running (cardio), fivehundred push-ups, three-hundred crunches, and twenty minutes of brick exercises, I still couldn’t manage to win a single medal in the nine nationals I participated in. This partly explains the demands of the game which requires more input in terms of concentration, focus, meditation, and mental stability in the situations of stress.


Upshot The game is generally considered as a good practice for the human cognition, while balancing the physical element with hours of training. The archery range is often found in a cornered place, at a distance from the disturbances of the urban world. This very component of calmness is seen as the driving force for the newly gained interest in the sport. Parents wish for their children to be focused and join a sport which could benefit in the academics too. At least that was what my parents thought. According to my experience, the archers who start young at the age of four or five attain maturity and master the decision-making ability sooner than others. The game is no different to a sincere level of meditation, as it requires the understanding of human behaviour and especially one's own temperament. It teaches the art of taming your own mind.

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To understand the game from a different perspective, I talked to the coach of the Indian National Archery team, Surinder Singh. The player-turned-coach has been into the sport for almost three decades and has won laurels for the country in various international tournaments such as the Archery World Cup, both as a player and a coach. His students have won over a hundred medals in national and international level competitions. Singh believes that the growth of archery in India is directly proportional to the country’s newly found success in the Archery World Cup, Asian Games, and Universiade. Such a feat was not achieved in the past and that is the key motivational factor for the youngsters who joined the game thereafter. This prompted sponsors to step in and more regular tournaments started to take place. The realistic chances of winning imbibed more passion into the participants because unlike the other team sports, the success is solely dependent on one's own performance. Singh further stated that archery is much less prone to injury than compared to other sports and is dope-free as no drug can enhance your performance.

On being asked how a calm game can expect to emerge in the era of combat and contact sports, Singh replied that “archery is a game consisting of three elements which work together in a balance� and this phenomenon is unprecedented. According to him, the mind, body, and soul work together for a perfect arrow to be shot with the least wobble. More so for repeating the same technique every time to form a group of arrows in the centre of the target. Many games require the domination of a certain element, but archery is one of the few sports which demands a perfect balance of the three. Singh further explained the change of temperament he saw amongst his students. He claims that within one year the student becomes more relaxed, positive, and motivated which reflected in their personality. The attitude was more professional and mature towards life and the game in particular. The children who were aggressive became calmer and patient. The coach terms archery as a kind of meditation in its own. Surinder Singh coaches more than one hundred students in Punjabi University, India and explains the process of how he manages to balance the ratio of students to coach. He claims that there are some of the students who have been practicing under his guidance for more than five years and they don't require the same attention

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Many people believe that archery is an outdated version of air-rifle shooting which is much cooler and modern. Singh disagrees with such statements and lays out the key differences between the two sports. He claims that drawing a bow of fifty-sixty pounds for shooting thirtysix arrows in a scoring requires more than mental and visual aiming. The risk of shoulder injury is also present. "It requires physical power to shoot six arrows under three minutes with concentration and calmness in the tense moment of competition. If one arrow is not shot well, the skill and form for shooting the rest of thirtyfive arrows deteriorates faster and that is the moment when the physical and mental aspects of training come into play. Shooting involves mental aspect but archery

Upshot

as the newcomers. This balances out his plan, as the veterans are assigned to look after the youngsters. In such manner both the students develop and polish their skills simultaneously while creating a team spirit amongst fellow archers. Singh expresses that the skill is only mastered once and beyond that stage lies the practice and mental training of the player which does not require constant supervision.

requires more than aiming. The release, in particular, is the most integral part of the skill which controls the smoothness of the arrow's flight. If the release is rushed or delayed the arrow will wobble and will go off-track from 10 (centre of the target)" says Singh. One of the basic differences I noted is that archery is an outdoor sport whereas shooting is an indoor sport. The competition of archery is not stopped for weather hazards until the target is visible, be it windy, sunny, or a rainy day, the archer will have to adjust the sight accordingly and compete with nature as well. Though my observation is not as technical like the one of Singh, though it lays out the baseline distinction between the two sports. The title of the blog was chosen as per the scenario of archery in the modern era of enthusiastic games. The ancient and primitive sport continues to excel at a steady pace all around the world. A day shall come when people would look for calm and a meditative sport, and when it comes, the sale in the number of bows and arrows will reach an all-time high.

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St Patrick’s Head Walk Will Boddy

Images: Will Boddy

Wineglass Bay is cool and all, but what other walks are worth your time on the East Coast?

There is no doubt about it: getting to the Wineglass Bay lookout is spectacular! Whether it be your first or your fifth time, seeing that crystal blue water and ivory sand is a sight worth capturing forever, just so long as all the other tourists are out of the way and their selfie sticks won't poke you in the eye. As you venture further down the jagged track, avoiding elderly couples who are struggling their way down the rocky steps, the beach opens up in front of you. Ripping those shoes off after an hour or so, and feeling the sand between your toes is mesmerising. If it’s warm enough, stripping down and hopping in the refreshing salt water is also without a doubt one of the most triumphant feelings out there. Alternatively, if you are feeling ambitious, you can tackle Mt Amos. This cruel mother is an uphill scramble at times, and you’ll have to use all four of your limbs to scuttle up the side of granite rock faces, hoist yourself over massive boulders, and go off the beaten track at times — simply because there isn’t one. When you emerge atop the mountain, it’s hard not to look back and see how high you really are, and that you’ve literally hiked between The Hazards.

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Now, this view is unmatched! It is significantly higher than the aforementioned lookout, and provides an even greater panoramic view of the bay. Little specks of black down on the beach and in the water are just jealous individuals that couldn’t crack the top — unlike yourself. A lot of the well-known travel and arty photographs are taken from this peak, and something about making it to the top of Mt Amos is absolutely breathtaking. Not because of the absolute slog to reach the top, but because of the unparalleled view and clean air that goes with it. At the end of the day, as your quads scream out to stop torturing them by walking back down and straight to the pub, ask yourself this: “Do I really want to go back to Freycinet and get yet another #wineglassbay selfie for Instagram, like the place is going out of fashion or something?” Instead of turning off at the Coles Bay road junction, next time head north along the coast through sunny Bicheno, past Douglas River and left onto Elephants Pass road, up into St Marys. The sleepy town has a hidden gem of a walk, nestled about 10 to 15 minutes up the road — with adequate signage — called St Patrick’s Head.


Wanderlust

If you want to stand out from the crowd and see some sights that a lot of other people never have, or are just looking to spice it up when it comes to your next bushwalking conquest, this is the one for you. Firstly, if you’re the kind of person that researches your walks/hikes before you go, St Patrick’s Head search results may slightly underestimate the track itself. This is indeed a steep climb! At times you will be disturbing loose rocks and holding onto thin branches to support your body weight. Essentially, if your walking partners do not cope well with heights, or you think they’ll be unable to reach smaller summits like that of Mt Amos, this might not be the ideal walk for them. Or just bring them along. See how they go… The whole walk is maybe two and a half hours, less if you are fit and confident, plus a good 40 minutes at the top to take in the view and get a few sweet panorama pics. Following a short 15 minute walk through a markedout paddock — watching the cows stare at you — the actual track begins. It then abruptly veers straight up, and the forest swallows you whole as you make out some of the rocks that form St Patrick’s Head above on your left, and a patchwork of forest reserves to the right. Among the trees and tranquil bushland, passing between a few over-fallen logs littering the way, you come to a very demanding section. It is relatively short distance-wise, but the sheer incline is no laughing matter. With some twists and turns, and the odd stepup to higher ground, it is rewarding to emerge out of the dense undergrowth to see the first remnants of the coast. Some smaller peaks spiral around the east side of the darkly-tinged rock face and, after a couple of final heaves, you emerge atop the summit.

Unless you’re brave and heights don’t phase you at all, you can traverse some tricky rocks, pull yourself up and stand out where the trig station lies at the absolute highest peak. It is incredibly hard to explain the view, and anyone who has made it to the top will agree. Going that little bit further, climbing up and standing at the trig station is without a doubt much more satisfying than making your way up some of the other neighbouring spires. It does require some extra work, and with the erosion of apparent ladders and wire ropes that were in place to assist climbers, you’ll have to rely on upper body strength instead. However, there is still a worthwhile view to be had from any angle — just be careful of the sheer drop on every side. As you gaze out upon the coastline, facing to the south, you can spot Ironhouse Brewery and the White Sands Resort. Chain of Lagoons, Little Beach and Bicheno are unfortunately obstructed by a large protruding mountain. The view north allows you to see as far as St Helens Point, encompassing the body of water which filters out into the Tasman Sea. Falmouth, Scamander and Dianas Basin are all on the horizon as well. On the opposite side, to the west, Ben Lomond can be seen well off in the distance, with the Fingal Valley and all its forested plantations densely littered between the plateau and St Marys. Oh, and on the way down, go slow. It's still just as steep going down as it was on the way up, and an overbalanced faceplant wouldn’t be ideal for anyone! The 360-degree view from St Patrick’s Head is absolutely spectacular, and trumps the other Freycinet walks by just how fresh and different the surroundings are, and also how small the walking crowd gets. So next time you’re looking over some throwback picture from when you conquered Wineglass Bay, or trying to think of a decent caption for Instagram, consider planning an east coast trip instead and try something new. See what St Patrick’s Head really has to offer.

35 Kilometres 35


The Hunt for the Ten Tasmanian Tigers Nathaniel Lau Remember that New Year resolution that you made earlier this year? Something about getting fit or taking up a sport that you’ve never done? Do you aspire to do more and represent your State? Look no further, as we have just what you need. The University of Tasmania Kendo Club and the Hobart Kendo Club are on the hunt to find the next Ten Tassie Tigers to represent Tasmania in the Australian Kendo Championships! We will train you for the next few months provided that you can commit yourself to a training that will put your body, mind and soul to the test.

Men – The helmet, face mask and shoulder protectors. Kote – The hand and forearm guards. Dō

– The torso protector.

Tare – The groin and leg protectors. In Kendo, the bamboo sword that is used is called the shinai. The goal in each Kendo match is to score by hitting specific parts on the armour primarily the men (helmet), dō (torso protector), kote (the arm and hand protector) and tsuki (throat, in this case it is a thrust of the shinai).

What is Kendo?

Who are the Ten Tasmanian Tigers?

Kendo is a traditional Japanese martial art that has a rich history and can be traced back to the feudal era. Two kendokas (Kendo practitioners) would don protective armour called bogu, which consists of four components:

The Ten Tasmanian Tigers are chosen kendokas who have taken part in a strict training regiment organised by the Hobart Kendo Club senseis. These people will represent Tasmania at the next Australian Kendo Championship.

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Kendo

Why Tasmanian Tigers?

A Short Interview with Katie Marx

We chose the Tasmanian Tigers because it is our state’s emblem. The Tasmanian tiger has been declared extinct, but we chose it because we wanted to let the rest of Australia and the world know that we carry on the Tassie tiger’s spirit.

What were your achievements during the Victorian Kendo Championship 2018?

Who Will Be Guiding Me? At the Hobart Kendo Club, there are a lot of dan-grade Kendo practitioners who are experienced in teaching the art of Kendo. Here are a few of them; Our main sensei, Stan Corrigan, is a 4th dan (Yondan) kendoka, and Daniel van Nguyen who is also a 4th dan sensei. Katie Marx is another 4th dan (Yondan) grade kendoka at the Hobart Kendo Club who will conduct classes if the other senseis are not around. Katsuhiko Suganuma, Catherine Goetze and KwangHo Lee are all 3rd dan kendoka and train regularly with the Hobart Kendo Club.

The Tassie Kendo Team had a great campaign at this year's Victorian Championships. l was lucky enough to take 2nd place in both the individual and team events for the open women's division, and we had another team member win 3rd place in the veterans' individuals. Results aside though, for me our biggest achievement was in presenting a strong, united team made up of diverse kendoka, and in the new friendships that we made with our counterparts in other states. Here's to another strong year in 2019! Do people need to be athletes to sign up for Kendo? Definitely not. Kendo is more about timing and spirit than strength, and you can become a fierce and accomplished practitioner no matter your age or body type. That said, while you don't need to be an athlete to start Kendo, you will definitely become one by training with us! Kendo is excellent for building speed and stamina, and I can guarantee that you'll see good fitness results if you train regularly.

Interested in joining? You can sign up first at the UTAS Kendo Club if you are a University student or if you are not, head over to the Hobart Kendo Club Facebook page to find out more!

Images: Nathaniel Lau

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Tea in Taiwan A Matter of Survival Bethany Green Tea is an essential element of Taiwanese culture. In the past, due to Taiwan's geographical location and climate, tea was grown very successfully and became an important export product. The present day techniques for tea cultivation and production have been refined throughout the Qing Dynasty, Japanese occupation and National Government rule in Taiwan. Its cultural importance dates back as early as the Song Dynasty, where it was included in the travel book, “Dreams of the Former Capital” as one of the seven necessities of Chinese life — "Firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar and tea are the seven necessities to begin a day". These days, consumers are more environmentally conscious when it comes to purchasing products, including tea, as they look for labels such as organic, sustainable, green, eco-friendly, fair trade and non-toxic. This has required agricultural producers to seriously consider the viability of conventional farming techniques. Profit margins, ease of growth, export availability, environmental awareness and sustainability are just a few of the factors farmers face when deciding between the three leading philosophies of agricultural cultivation: conventional, organic and eco-friendly. Conventional cultivation is the most common method of cultivation. It allows farmers to use chemical fertilizers and pesticides to prevent disease and harmful insects from damaging the tea trees. In terms of mass production, this is the most effective way to grow tea.

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Organic cultivation is a legally defined term set out in the Organic Agriculture Promotion Act, promulgated on May 30, 2018. It refers to any farming practices “without using chemical fertilizer, chemical pesticide, genetically modified organism, and related products, based on the principle of ecological balance and nutrient recycling.” As of March 2019, there were 275 tea farmers using organic agricultural cultivation in Taiwan, showing a steady increase from the 239 farmers three years prior. The third method, eco-friendly cultivation, refers generally to products that don’t bring harm to the planet. As Taiwan does not have any specific regulations regarding what products can be labeled ‘eco-friendly,’ every farmer may have their own definition of the term and may use different methods of eco-friendly cultivation. There are no direct penalties for the misuse of the ecofriendly label. However, if the farmer is a member of one of the 34 government-supported eco-friendly promotional groups and is found to have violated any eco-friendly principles, they will be removed from the group. The promotional group’s eco-friendly principles are very similar to those followed by certified organic farmers, for example, a total ban on the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides. If a farmer is removed from the group, they will no longer have access to the eco-friendly related support such as educational training, promotional opportunities or subsidies. Farmers are also accountable to the local government in regards to food safety regulations.


Tea Zone

“We would like to spread the idea that our preference of tea has an impact on the creatures around us.” Sanpuku is a Taiwan-based tea company. They have an eco-friendly tea farm in Pinglin, New Taipei City, which they acquired in 2017 and use to study the relationship between the tea, the land and the wildlife. “At Sanpuku, we define eco-friendly tea as tea that has not been contaminated by pesticides during the cultivation process,” Shane Lee, co-founder of Sanpuku, said. Lee explained how Sanpuku applied for in-conversion organic certification — the first phase of legal organic certification — towards the end of 2017. “However, because the previous owners of the property had used conventional methods to cultivate tea for many years, traces of pesticide still remained in the earth, and we didn’t pass,” she said. “When we applied for the pesticide residue testing again in May 2018, we passed.

“We would like to spread the idea that our preference of tea has an impact on the creatures around us. Ecofriendly cultivation promotes a natural relationship between biodiversity and tea. The chemical pesticides are bad for the insects, the tea tree and our own health.” Managing an eco-friendly farm is not an easy task. Compared to conventional methods of cultivation where weeds, harmful insects and disease can be eliminated relatively easily through the use of synthetic chemicals, eco-friendly farmers must pay close attention to the health of their crops — manually removing the grass and weeds that compete with the tea trees for nutrients. “The most difficult part of managing eco-friendly or organic tea farm is the weeding,” Lee said. “During the springtime, the tea plantations need to be weeded twice, which is labour-intensive work.” Mr. Zhang, a conventional tea farmer working at the Taipei Teiguanyin and Paochung Tea Promotion Centre, further explained some of the difficulties facing organic and eco-friendly farmers. “You need to have very specific conditions to grow organic produce without human intervention, and as a result, the amount you can grow organically is less,” he said.

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the international market, particularly compared to Taiwanese high-mountain and award-winning teas that already have a strong foothold in the market, as they cannot be marketed as organic.

“It is not about right or wrong, it’s about survival — farmers will choose the method that can make money for them.” Zhang said that after generations of pesticide and chemical fertilizer overuse, the whole ecosystem has changed. Now, many people are starting to go back to organic produce. However, the higher cost can be a deterrent for both farmers and consumers. “Organic farming is more difficult. For example, the tea leaves must be handpicked — you can’t use machines as you can in conventional farming, and therefore it is more expensive,” Zhang said. “The price will be at least twice, sometimes four times the price of conventionally grown tea.” When a farmer chooses which cultivation method to invest in, they have to be financially savvy. “They are not only farmers, but also businesspeople,” Lee reinforced. “It is not about right or wrong, it’s about survival — farmers will choose the method that can make money for them.” Lee said that many farmers will have more than one tea farm — an eco-friendly or organic farm, and a conventional farm. This is often beneficial as they can provide more choices to customers, and also allows them to “test the waters.” As the production costs for organic cultivation are higher, farmers want to be assured there is a demand for their products. A lack of demand is a significant concern for farmers, and not without reason. The Taiwanese government officially recognises the organic equivalences of 22 countries, allowing their imported products to be sold and labeled as organic in Taiwan. However, the recognition is unilateral. Not one country in the international sphere formally recognises Taiwan’s organic equivalency. As a result, organic Taiwanese tea is not competitive in

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The Taiwan Organic Industry Development Association is one group looking to support farmers in this respect. The Association is formed jointly by organic producers, manufacturers and retailers in Taiwan. In 2018, they began collaborating with the government to assist the organic tea industry through research and outreach to organic tea farmers throughout Taiwan — offering assistance through cooperation and the establishment of an integrated ‘Taiwan Organic Tea’ brand. The goal of this brand is to promote the professional production of Taiwan's organic specialty tea, and to promote regional group cooperation and development. “Farmers will say, ‘You want us to use organic methods of cultivation, but where are the products going to go?’ We need to expand beyond domestic sale. We need to export,” Maggie Ray, a member of the Taiwan Organic Industry Development Association and the ‘Taiwan Organic Tea’ brand, said. “Taiwan's tea variety cultivation and production techniques are very famous — especially oolong tea, oriental beauty tea and black tea — so we have a good opportunity to enter the global tea market.” The Organic Agriculture Promotion Act (promulgated 2018) will address this issue when it comes into full force on May 30, 2019. Chapter 6, Article 37 of the Act will abolish the equivalence recognition for products from the 22 countries that are currently able to be sold in Taiwan under the organic label unless they reach mutual organic equivalence by signing a bilateral treaty, agreement, or official document. Put simply, they must agree to allow Taiwan’s organic produce to be sold as ‘organic’ in their country in order to have their produce sold as ‘organic’ in Taiwan. This is positive progress and has great potential to expand the export opportunities for organic farmers. The ‘Taiwan Organic Tea’ brand is particularly beneficial for individual farmers who may not have the time or knowledge to effectively promote their organic tea. “Society is power — we help each other to promote organic tea,” Ray said. “We connect farmers upstream and downstream to organic producers, packagers, researchers, and people who specialized in promotion. The farmers are then able to focus on their area of specialization — tea farming — and are supported to become more competitive in the market as a team.” Currently, the ‘Taiwan Organic Tea’ brand includes 16 organic tea areas including the Pinglin Pouchong Tea


They also provide technical services for farmers to develop and improve their skill and proficiency in organic agricultural production, and to help ease the transition from conventional farming. “Organic and eco-friendly farming requires farmers to adopt a whole new skill set and perspective, and this can be difficult for older farmers to become accustomed to — especially if they are used to solving problems such as insects and disease with synthetic chemicals,” Ray said. She said many farmers considering switching from conventional to organic are afraid that they will not be able to effectively mitigate disease and harmful insects, and that their yield will be reduced significantly when problems arise. The technical classes support these farmers by providing information, resources and strategies to adapt successfully to the demands of organic farming. The promotion of organic agriculture in Taiwan is still a fairly recent concept, first taking root in 1996. Despite the health benefits, eco-friendly and organic tea still struggles to attract consumers. “Tea is not like fruit or rice, which we need to eat frequently. Most tea consumers will prefer to choose an award-winning tea or a high-mountain tea — whether the tea is organic or eco-friendly is of lesser importance,” Ming Yang Kuo, co-founder of Sanpuku, said.

“Usually, those who purchase eco-friendly tea include more health conscious members of society or the elderly.”

said. “Modern young people’s concept of eco-friendliness is gradually improving, as is their value of the natural environment and a clearer understanding of the impact of the environment on individuals.” Kuo is optimistic about the future of eco-friendly tea industry in Taiwan. “The new generation of young people protect their land in their own way,” he said. Run-Cih Chen, 19, is a student at National Taiwan University. She studies social work, and as a part of her degree, takes a practical farming class at Sanpuku’s Pinglin tea farm. “When I buy fruits or nuts, I look to see whether they are organic or not,” she said. “I think eco-friendly agriculture is very important because it protects not only my body but the environment.” Chen believes that the higher price of organic or ecofriendly produce is the main factor deterring potential customers. “However, in terms of convenience, it’s not hard to buy eco-friendly products in your life. In fact even 7-Eleven convenience stores sell eco-friendly products,” she said. “I think we as a society have realised how much damage we have done to the earth, and we are slowly and seriously starting to take steps to fix the problem.” Despite the uncertainties and challenges facing farmers considering transitioning from conventional methods, there seems to be growing momentum for organic and eco-friendly production. With strong government support, new export opportunities, assistance from groups like the Taiwan Organic Industry Development Association, and increasing demand from environmentally conscious consumers, organic products are well suited to bring about the change. Tea in Taiwan has a long and vivid history. The future of this ancient staple of Taiwanese life will be determined by how farmers adapt to, and overcome, the current challenges posed by the industry as it enters this new era of organic cultivation.

Usually, those who purchase eco-friendly tea include more health conscious members of society or the elderly. Younger consumers are also an emerging market. “From the feedback we have collected at Sanpuku’s events, we have found that if you talk to the young generation about the relationship between tea, the ecosystem and current scientific understandings, they will be more interested than the elderly population,” he

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Tea Zone

Zone, Sun Moon Lake Black Tea Zone and the Alishan Alpine Tea Zone. They are consolidating with the Organic Research and Development sector, using their shared expertise to expand into natural cosmetic products and specialty health foods such as gluten-free cookies and noodles — all containing high-end organic tea elements — which appeal strongly to the international market.


A CHANGING

UNIVERSIT Y Monte Bovill

The future of the University of Tasmania has been decided – courses and facilities will be moved away from Sandy Bay to the centre of Hobart, joining similar plans for UTAS campuses in both Launceston and Burnie. The decision will change the future of the institution, the city and the state, with the city-centric campus to be developed in Hobart over the next 10 to 15 years. The campus will be anchored with a central library and public square on the corner of Argyle and Melville Streets, with the relocation expected to cost about $600 million. Shortly after the decision was announced, UTAS confirmed it had purchased the K&D Warehouse site in Melville Street as part of the move, with the site set to become the third student accommodation site in the street and the sixth in the city. Hobart has been transforming into a “university city” for some time now, with the greater Hobart region now supporting 18 UTAS facilities and campuses. As part of the decision, some accommodation and recreation facilities will remain at Sandy Bay. The debate around the move has been brewing for years and, for some, it was inevitable. However, this decision has divided opinions across the university community.

Michael Field - UTAS Chancellor “We have decided on a long-term strategic direction which will build on and consolidate a general shift of the gravity of our campus to the city. This will be a long, thorough and deliberative process. We will consult carefully along the way to produce a campus which is a source of great pride for both our University community and the people of greater Hobart.” Professor Rufus Black - UTAS Vice-Chancellor “This move to the City will see us return home to our original campus on the Domain with its heritage buildings, sandstone and parkland setting. We hear and understand that we need to build a true campus with a clear heart, which brings people together and builds community, not just a collection of buildings in a different location.” Sharifah Syed-Rohan - TUU President “It is crucial for not only the future of our University but the future of Tasmania, that our university community have access to world-class facilities and that is what we hope this decision will achieve.” Kevin Michael - National Tertiary Education Union “The soul of a university comes from having places for students and staff from across disciplines coming together to mingle and share ideas. This collaboration and energy will not happen if the campus is moved into the Hobart CBD.”

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Liam Harman

“The narrow vision in wanting to emulate old universities, which have had cities grow around them. The inability to see the greatness of the university which has grown in this state. The inability to realise that even though many of us complain about the steepness of the uni, we stay because of the environment, and feeling of community. If we wanted to be in a uni in a city, we would have gone to one; they are a dime a dozen. We love the greenery, the trees, the peace, which is UTAS. Things the move to Hobart will kill.” Anna Vivus “This is a status move. They want to be at the epicentre of the activity and want to be more noticeable and more profit making… charging students more for on-campus accommodation and parking (due to a city location). Once the uni becomes more “prestigious,” then they can claim location and aesthetics and charge a higher fee to justify their prestige. As many are already aware, universities have become money making machines… but hey, who can help us, we all just want an education.” Celeste Tong YeeXin “Imagine the city full of students and congested with cars and people… I can’t even find a parking space at the Sandy Bay campus let alone in the city. Are you sure this a good decision?” Joshua Raoul Whittle “A lot of the buildings at the Sandy Bay campus have been assessed as substandard. It is not worth maintaining them long term, so this is not really surprising.” Finn Payenberg “Parking in the city is already a nightmare, what on earth will the staff and students do in regards to that? What will happen to the millions of dollars of facilities established at Sandy Bay?”

“Another benefit of uni moving is the boom in traffic for small business. Yes their overheads will increase due to the rates of education buildings being subsidised by the government and in turn increasing the rates of surrounding buildings but this will far out outweigh the new demand for places for students to blow off steam and relax, such as lunch bars, cafes and retail stores for a good session of stress spending. We could see some new and exciting businesses opening up in the city due to this, and who doesn’t love something new. I don’t believe this will cause any significant spike in the housing market, however, I’m sure first home buyers will take a hit whether that be due to lack of market listings due to renting demand or a slight but steady increase to the market price of these central areas. “My main concern for this move is the city of Hobart’s current infrastructure. We are already seeing mass delays in travel time in peak hours of traffic and a general lack of parking supplied for public use. Also with the lack of organisation and foresight from the Hobart city council I don’t see any improvements being made in time to deal with this increases to both the public transport system and public roads. “I’m hoping they will turn the old campus into something like the MIT village or Macquarie village campus in Sydney. Where students can live close to the campus (7 to 10 min bus ride, not long at all), socialise and build a positive environment of multiculturalism.” Zachary Borthwick “Biological Science has a considerable number of research facilities at Sandy Bay including outdoor animal enclosures. We also get to go out into the woods to collect samples, etc. as part of practical. It is perfectly convenient the way it is now, moving to the city deprives us of all that.”

There are clearly a substantial number of opportunities and challenges that arise from the move. Only time will tell if students benefit.

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UniverCity

Elaine McAlister

“I believe UTAS’ current facilities are miles behind that of their mainland competitors, and if it means young Tasmanians can have a wider range of degrees and specialisations to choose from then that’s amazing. It will also help with the housing crisis and rent increase as places like New Town, Moonah, Bellerive and the eastern shore will become more viable choice of living for students.


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Nathaniel Lau Final Year | Bachelor of Law Instagram: @raikoken07 Views of Tasman Bridge, 2019 These images show two views of the beloved Tasman bridge, which has carried many cars across the Derwent River. As a photographer, I always try to see things from a different perspective and I hope to spark some emotion or thinking. I want people to stop and think that they have been going by things in life without realising the beauty of the subject matter. The fireworks was taken during the new year's countdown at West Point Hotel. I used a Nikon D5100 and an 1855mm f3.5 kit lens to capture this beautiful moment. The next photo was taken from underneath the famous Tasman Bridge. I used the same camera equipped with a 12-24mm lens. I hope that capturing this magnificent structure will make others appreciate the bridge as it allows people to travel much faster and with ease.

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Psychology Society News Bulletin UPS Team

Hi there! This is a notice from your University Psychology Society (UPS). We have an exciting year of mental health awareness and suicide prevention coming up at UTAS, as well as fun fundraisers and social events for students.

UPS QuizNight August 2nd (Friday) at the Waratah Hotel

R U OK? Day September 12th (Thursday)

UPS Ball September 21st (Saturday) at the Old Woolstore Apartment Hotel

SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY Each year, UPS chooses an organisation which focuses on improving mental health and suicide prevention within our community. Through a range of fundraisers, we aim to raise at least $1000 for SPEAK UP! Stay ChatTY this year. We spoke to Julia Gandy, Stay ChatTY’s project officer, about the organisation. What Does Stay ChatTY Do?

World Mental Health Day October 10th (Thursday)

Refer to our Facebook page at facebook.com/UPS.utas for further details about these events!

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Stay ChatTY works to promote positive mental health and help prevent suicide by normalising conversations about mental health, which encourages people to seek help when they need it. We work with workplaces, schools, sporting clubs and community organisations to promote our messages. Stay ChatTY is also partnered with Relationships Australia Tasmania to deliver programs and initiatives.


Why Was It Founded? in the community to talk about the difficult topics of mental health and suicide. Mitch realised he had started a conversation, and wanted to take it further to spread the message that ‘it’s ok to not be ok and to seek help if you need it’. Mitch now shares his personal story of loss to encourage others to speak up and seek help when they have issues or go through difficult times.

Image: UPS Team

What Do You Do? Stay ChatTY works with workplaces, schools, sporting clubs and community organisations to promote the message that it’s ok to not be ok, and to seek help if you need it. We have four programs — our Schools Program, where we work with grades 9 to 12 in Department of Education schools to discuss mental health 101, keeping mentally fit and helping a friend. Our Sports Program is delivered to sporting clubs across Tasmania and discusses mental health, resilience and performance, and helping a teammate. Mitch delivers his lived experience across the country, sharing the story of the loss of his brother and how we can learn from his experience. Our Community Presentation delivers mental health and suicide prevention information to workplaces and community groups across the state.

Donations help Stay ChatTY continue to promote these important messages to more communities and more Tasmanians. They help to create and evaluate programs, provide resources and materials to the community, and open the door for us to employ more staff and share more stories to get the message out there.

Make an appointment with the UTAS counsellors at utas.edu.au/students/shw/counselling

We also work with community members to organise events, fundraise and otherwise connect with the Tasmanian community about mental health promotion and suicide prevention.

Contact the UTAS After-Hours Crisis Support team by calling 1300 511 709 or texting 0488 884 168

Contact Lifeline’s 24-hour support line on 13 11 14

If you'd like to donate or buy a bumper sticker, contact us on our Facebook page, @UPS.utas and you can check out Stay ChatTY’s website at staychatty.com.au If you are having difficulties with mental health or suicide, or know someone who is, you can:

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Health

Mitch McPherson, a glazier by trade, started Stay ChatTY in 2013 after his younger brother Ty died by suicide. He wanted to do something to honour Ty’s memory, and to give himself and his family and friends a lift during a difficult time. So he started a car sticker — a pair of footy shorts, which Ty was famous for wearing everywhere he went. The car sticker was soon prompting families


Books That Helped Me

STAY ON TRACK Sophie Sliskovic

Any Ordinary Day (2018) by Leigh Sales

Just Eat It (2018) by Laura Thomas

I picked up this book while I was staying at my friend’s house. I had been meaning to read it for a long time, as I really liked Leigh Sales’ journalism skills and her style of writing. Her book is an empowering read, as she uses a collection of fascinating real-life events to explain how “anything could happen to anyone” on any given day. I remember my own mother’s journey of ill health that has occured recently, and how she used this analogy to explain why she has been one of the unlucky ones. Sales takes us on an adventure through her career in journalism as she uses real-life events as a way to tell her story of fate, risk and chance. I finished reading this book being able to understand fate, and the analogy of “anything happening to anyone”.

One day I stumbled upon this book by accident, scrolling through my Instagram feed. A friend had shared that she was reading Just Eat It, and I was now really keen to read it too. This is a book that teaches us to rethink our complex relationship with food through the use of meditative strategies — to help us overcome our fears and challenges with food. Personally, Thomas has helped me to rethink the negative relationship that I have with my body image and challenges me to face my fears of what I can or cannot eat, and to look beyond a number on a set of bathroom scales and just eat. It rethinks diet culture and food as something that we should hate. I’m loving this book and working through it, with the help of professionals to help me.

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Resilience

I hit a bit of a downward spiral recently with my mental health, of which I aim to be incredibly open and honest about. When I hit this spiral, I was helping house sit for a friend, and there were a range of many positive books and quotes around the home that really lifted my spirits. They helped me to venture through the next stage of the university year. I wanted to share my favourite books that have helped me stay on track and keep focused on what is important to me.

First, We Make the Beast Beautiful (2017) by Sarah Wilson

I Hope You're Having Trouble Sleeping (2018) by Frances Cannon

In year 12, I hit a rough patch and I was really struggling to get on top of all my fears about starting university and this new adult life. A newly released book by Sarah Wilson, First, We Make the Beast Beautiful helped me through many months of nervous anxiety and the darkest days. I recommend this book to everyone who I know that is struggling with anxiety and depression, as it is encouraging, beautifully written and challenges you to the think about anxiety as something beautiful and not as a burden. It was one of the first mental health books that I read that actually helped me to understand the disease I was living with and find the good in things again.

As I was staying at my friend’s house, she had an inspiring quote in her bathroom by Frances Cannon. Cannon is an incredible queer young Australian artist who uses multidisciplinary forms of art to share a powerful message of body love, inclusivity and acceptance. Her Instagram feed inspires and empowers people to love and treat others with kindness. After looking at this quote I found interest in her book online — “I hope you’re having trouble sleeping and this book is filled with her poetry and art. It empowers and encourages me”.

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Becoming (2018) by Michelle Obama

Ask Me About My Uterus (2018) by Abby Norman

Currently, I’ve been listening to Becoming on Audible (an audiobook service). This book is an incredible memoir by someone who has truly broken every glass ceiling possible to become an incredible, empowering and influential woman. Michelle Obama narrates her own life in the audiobook version and takes us on a journey from a small-town girl to one of the most influential women in the world. This book has made me think and concentrate on who I want to become, and empowers me as a young female.

A few months ago, I picked up this book by accident from my local library. I live with chronic illness and pain as a result of endometriosis, and this was one of the very first books I read about those living with endometriosis.

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This book is one woman's story, which is similar to the many millions of stories of women living with this medical condition on their quest to find support and care for living with a very personal and challenging medical condition. After reading this book I felt encouraged to share my story through social media and writing, and to be a voice for chronic illness.


Elise Sweeney Third Year | Bachelor of Media

(Both) Cordoba Light Studies, 2019 Places of worship often play with light as a way to associate the physical with the spiritual. When visiting the Mezquita in Cordoba, I found that the building played with qualities of light like no other place I knew. Through these few images I have attempted to evoke the same feeling of wonder I had that day, seeing the stained glass windows and silhouettes create beautiful patterns around the room.

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Welcome to the

AN T I V E R S E

On Cathedrals, Complaining, Childhood and Choices Dan Prichard Recently, an international cultural landmark caught flame. You honestly couldn’t have missed it — things grew pretty heated as people started to express their care for the crumbling cathedral. I won’t be the first to say it’s sad that burning buildings garner more instant global concern and media coverage than our dying planet or forty million innocents seeking asylum. I do appreciate the significance of Quasimodo’s home, and don’t think any response to tragedy warrants the hatred that plastered social media following the fire. I believe it’s important to be passionate about what we truly care for. But something I’ve started to recognize around me in daily life is a passion for things people dislike, a negative passion that seems to define how we present ourselves and our opinions. We all have our likes and dislikes. To a large extent, these likes and dislikes influence our decisions and our way of life. We know to avoid pineapple if we consider Hawaiian pizza unethical, and to steer clear of evening news if we value an optimistic outlook on the future of the globe and human civilization. If we enjoy certain foods, experiences, bedtimes or “things”, we strive to blueprint our lives in a way that caters to these preferences. In theory, the blueprint should lead to fulfilment and endurance of life’s struggles. We have balance, life can never be perfect – to quote the cult classic film The Princess Bride, “anyone who says otherwise is selling something!” The truth of this line is hard to swallow, as honesty often is. Our days seem to be spent navigating the elements of life that make us uncomfortable and miserable in the hope of encountering something that brings us joy. I’d like to think that we have more to be grateful for than to complain about. But the antiverse makes me think otherwise. What is the antiverse? I personally don’t know what brought it to life, but the anger and frustration that seems capable of sensationalizing any observation or minor inconvenience into a monstrous abomination

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proves that this realm is strong. What is clear about the antiverse is that it exists through defining ourselves by what we are opposed to, rather than what we support. It’s sad to admit but the older I get, the more I find myself complaining. There is no end to what we can complain about. This can be so generously demonstrated by old mate Pauline Hanson (honorary queen of the antiverse for the sake of our hypothetical) who turns unwarranted frustration into a competition and almost gives Trump a run for his money. When I was a kid, I remember being frustrated by many things. Early bedtimes, weak cordial, and having to read the book before I could see the latest Harry Potter installment in the cinema. I didn’t like eating my veggies, and I despised the way the weather would tease us on cold Winter evenings — sprinkling snowflakes here and there until we’d wake up to a frosty uncancelled school day. Life wasn’t all Rollercoaster and Tim Tam slams, but I remember being excited for the days that were. In retrospect, this excitement is something I miss. In fact, I feel as though this joy to be alive is undermined by the antiverse, through which we dig ourselves a deeper grave by ignoring the roses and counting the thorns. So we’ve dug ourselves this grave. We’re all anti-d out by our pet peeves, which we actively choose not to ignore


State of Mind and consequently allow the power to dictate our emotions. The antiverse doesn’t seem to be big on moderation: it becomes second nature to passionately vocalize our disappointment at anything that vaguely bothers us, and before we know it we’re taking couches for cacti. I look at myself in my mind’s eye. These days, I seem to complain no end about rubbish. As a child, I did my fair share of complaining. But it was balanced by an optimistic shine that never forgot the goodness of rainbow Paddle Pops and hours spent choosing weekend DVDs at Video City. It’s important to be passionate about what matters most to us. Without heart, we might as well be fictional characters. But I believe we have much to learn from a childlike state of mind. Taking my own into consideration, the importance of standing for what I love trumps complaining about what grinds my gears. Perhaps we take life too seriously as we age. I know life was easier as a child. It all seemed simpler and happier. But what I’ve realized in this semi-relevant stream of consciousness is that this childish joy and fascination with the world around me doesn’t have to be reserved for my Tamagotchi years. No one is forcing our constant frustration, and we don’t have to fill a complaint quota before Friday afternoon. We are free to use our time however we wish. This discovery has been an important one for me. Positivity is free. It feels familiar and reminds me of life before traffic and Turnitin. I realize that the past is not our present. But I do think, like our now, the past is a gift for which we should be thankful.We create the antiverse by choosing to react to our lives in a certain way. We confine ourselves to this cycle of cynicism, but we do have the power to turn it upside down. We can’t ignore the storm. But we can choose to marvel at the silver lining in the storm clouds, in excitement for what tomorrow might bring.

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Do you have a restless pen? Are you an aspiring writer, journalist, or artist?

Then Contribute to Togatus! See the details below for more information. We look forward to hearing from you!

Togatus is the independent student media magazine at the University of Tasmania and simply wouldn’t exist without the contributions of our fellow students. We are always looking out for new students to contribute. Togatus showcases UTAS talent, news and discussion across every campus. As well as publishing four print editions each year, we also report on student news through our social media channels and website. If you’re keen to contribute, feel free to shoot us an email or message us on one of our social media pages. All students are invited to join the team!

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If you want to talk about or submit an article contribution, email Togatus or Joe. Likewise, for artistic contributions talk to Maddie and for advertising inquiries chat with Monte. We look forward to hearing from you!

Togatus Joe Brady Maddie Burrows Monte Bovill

contributions@togatus.com.au editor@togatus.com.au creativedirector@togatus.com.au marketing@togatus.com.au

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