UniLIfe Magazine 21.4 by Verse Magazine

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VOL. 21 NO. 4,

C H A N G E

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR IT’S THE LAST TERM (unless you have summer school). How glorious is that? For some, ‘last term’ means working out super soon if Honours is the done thing, or if weeping into your CV for 12 months is a better course of action. (Maybe weeping into an Honours thesis, to combine both dreams.) The final theme for 2013’s final issue is CHANGE, because all our other themes this year have started with ‘F’, so it was about time to mess that up. Good plan. Even though it’s the pointy end of the year, we’ve managed to gather up some corker submissions: a comparison of youth politics in Venezuela and Australia (p.28.), an interview with The Cat Empire (p.49), some insights into climate change (p.15) and climate policy (p.11), and some sappy love notes to some uni staff who made finalyear students all weak in the knees (p.16). Finally, we’re looking for a bright new team of shiny, optimistic faces to smash out the 2014 magazine (p.63). Read on to find out how to apply! This is one of the last times you’ll hear from us, so from the three of us: big love and big luck to you all. Thanks for an excellent 2013, and best wishes for every year to come. XOXO ULM.

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Contact: UniLife.Magazine@unisa.edu.au Head Editor: Ilona Wallace Web Editor: Matteo Gagliardi Graphic Designer: Josh Evans Sub-editors: Laura Clark, Ashleigh Knott & Nicolle Vale. Contributors: Lucy Ahern, Ben Allison, Penny Butler, Nicole Chia, Laura Clark, Sarah Edwards, Nabil Imran, Deric Jem, Samantha McDonnell, Emma Majcen, Ryan Mallett-Outtrim, Jacinta Mazzarolo, Sebastian Moore, Samaneh Soleimani Najafabadi, Trish O’Loughlin, Isabella Pittaway, Hugh Schuitemaker & Melissa Zahorujko Cover: I Can Architecture!, Josh Evans Artists & illustrators: Belinda Zanello, Josh Evans, Tyson Modistach, Samin Sabour, Storm Warman Printer: Newstyle

Special thanks to: Palace Nova Eastend Cinemas, Madeleine Hughes & The Cat Empire

The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily representative of the views of UniLife or the editors.

CONTENTS UniSA Visual Art & Design Showcase

CHANGE Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes

Tired, exasperated and lonely

Abbott’s climate change policy: Hot stuff or invisible substance?

A superficial layer

Significant man-made changes on Earth

Love letters for lecturers

UNISA AROUND THE WORLD Your Story Winner: Nabil Imran

Your Story Runner-up: Samarah Soleimani Najafabadi

Photo Competition Winner: Faith Peik Hwa Ng

Topdeck Tour: the way to go

Why there are no Aussie Pavons: Political youth engagement in Australia and Venezuela

GENERAL INTEREST Eating in the Streets: Adelaide’s Food Revolution

Camouflage

Deeply in debt 44 Crinkled bookmarks, dry pages, and another coffee please

Beauty Perception

Hello, hello: a yarn with The Cat Empire

Reviews 51

UNIVERSTY NEWS UniLife Referendum

Friendship and flora: a winning combination

Crossing the Horizon: checking out the changes

Building Tomorrow from Yesterday

‘Cross-Cultures’ Exhibition

UniLife Editorial Team 2014 Applications

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CHANGE

UNILIFE

CH-CH-CH-CH-CHANGES Writer_ Lucy Ahern

David Bowie’s infectious refrains; jangling silver in your wallet; Obama’s iconic red and blue posters. Change carries a lot of different connotations depending on your state of mind. Maybe it conjures that old adage ‘A change is as good as a holiday’. Well, I beg to differ, Mr Anon. A change probably won’t see you patting llamas on a street in Cusco, minding the gap in London or trying to direct the seven-foot British hippie carrying your drunk friend back to your seedy Berlin hostel. And while change can teach you many lessons, it’s definitely not as fun as a trip to Cancun. Change, for me, is a completely intangible concept right now, but is also incredibly powerful. Whether you choose to make it happen, or realise something’s been happening for quite a while now, change can have a profound effect on your life, be it empowering, satisfying or just plain terrifying. I’m about to undergo a change that I can’t control in the slightest – graduating. Short of undertaking a PhD or Masters—with which my HECS debt heartily disagrees—come November I will be metamorphosing from a student to a graduate. I’ll cast off my warm university cocoon, wriggling out into the real world to spread my beautiful butterfly wings. And I’m shit scared. I do semi-regular freelancing, have completed internships at magazines and can now say I know the News Ltd. guidelines for formatting quotations back to front. Uni has taught me a lot of things (including to avoid hotdogs at the Caf at all costs), but I’m not sure it’s taught me how to be, well, a real person. Maybe I can tell you how to use a semicolon, but I still live with my parents, my room is an abominable mess, and tax forms may as

well be in a foreign language. University has been my snuggly safety blanket for the last four years. While you’re still under it, you’re cut a lot of slack when it comes to responsibility. There’s not a whole lot of pressure to properly manage your finances or make sure all of the dishes are clean, and no one really worries if you drink upwards of three bottles of wine a week. Plus you get cheap movie tickets. But uni will soon be over and I’m going to have to do things. I don’t know if I should stay at home, or do like many of my clearly more responsible friends have done, and find a place where I can drink my aforementioned wine in peace. But that means rent, and probably giving up shoes. Worth it? Maybe, but regardless of whether I decide to fly the coop, the end of my tertiary years also means finding a job. Deciding on a future. Making a positive change in my career and quitting my shitty, three-shift-a-week retail job for something that will bring in the dollar dollar bills, y’all. I’m pretty worried that it’s not going work out. Some of my fellow graduates-to-be have already secured jobs at PR firms, rural papers or local culture mags. Others are ABC cadets, full time copywriters or work at commercial TV stations. Although I’ve got a bit of experience to my name, I don’t have anything proper lined up. One of my best friends is jetting off around the world next year, and I’m tempted to book a flight so we can rendezvous in India and forget about jobs and phone bills and the real world. But part of me just can’t forget, and constantly reminds me of the fact that I should probably be looking for something that will help my professional growth.

Normally I try to end my articles with a witty wrap up, but this time it’s beyond me. My future is cloudy; I’m scared as all hell, and do not at all feel the happy Taylor Swift vibes of being 22. Fingers crossed, I come out the other side of this inevitable change as a semi-adult, with a clearer frame of mind and a bangin’ job (and so have an excuse to blow a month’s pay on Cue office wear). Let’s hope that the end of uni makes me get off my arse and work shit out (even if it’s only for the next 12 months). Maybe I’ll be able to delete Seek from my Bookmarks. But to bid adieu to my tumultuous love affair with higher education, I’m going to do what any responsible student would. For the next few glorious weeks I’ll be filling my ears with Bowie, my stomach with wine, and my days avoiding assignments with online shopping and procrasti-baking rather than job hunting.

TIRED, EXASPERATED AND LONELY Writer_ Nicole Chia

I could see her expression darkening as she tried to recall as much as possible of what had happened during the past few years. The pain in her eyes was more evident with every word she spoke. Tired, exasperated, lonely. These three words most accurately summed up her feelings from that period of her life. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she tried to recall the painful memories of being greeted by an empty house after every exhausting day at work. Her voice was full of anguish as she explained how there were some nights when nothing could stop her from crying herself to sleep. “The house changed so much without my family around,” she said as she wiped the tears off her face. “I was trying to keep my mind occupied by getting involved in more activities, but it never helped. “However, those horrible feelings of heartache would always keep coming back, because I knew in my heart that I didn’t have my family with me.” While the strong physical and mental support of a family is one of life’s greatest treasures, it wasn’t always like that for Goh Swee Yee. As my interview with her progressed, I could already begin to see that she was really no ordinary woman. In fact, the sacrifices that she has made for her family in just the past three years alone proved that she was one of extraordinary strength. In 2010, the strength of her family’s ties were tested when she made the decision with her husband, Raymond Chia, to send their three beautiful daughters—Jillian, Nicole and Ashley—to further their tertiary studies in Australia.

“We wanted them to receive an overseas education for the sake of their future,” she explained. “We really wanted the best for them. “I don’t think they were really enjoying schooling in Singapore, either. It was only when we realized that our daughter, Nicole, wasn’t doing too well in school that we both decided to put our foot down and send all three of them overseas.” While being separated from her children was an unbearable thought to begin with, the decision that she made to have her husband accompany them overseas made it even worse. “That was undoubtedly one of the hardest decisions that I had to make, but it was one that my husband and I agreed on,” she admitted. “They were still so young then and the thought of leaving them alone in a foreign country was out of the question.” If you had told her a few years ago that her children were even the slightest bit independent, she would have laughed in your face. “They couldn’t even cook then,” she laughed. However, she never knew that the time her children were about to spend overseas would change them in more ways than she would have ever thought. The three girls are now nearing their twenties and because they are able to live independently together without their father, he is able to comfortably travel back and forth between both countries to visit his wife. “My wife is an incredibly strong woman,” he said with a smile. “I know that those

few years were not an easy time for either of us, but I am still incredibly grateful and appreciative for what she alone has done for our family. “I remember always feeling so helpless whenever I listened to her break down into tears over the phone. I could only help her by lending her a listening ear.” In a separate interview that I held with their children, I could see how well they had been brought up simply by listening to the way they spoke. While all three girls were full of gratitude for the sacrifices that both their parents made for them, the eldest was the only one that began tearing up when she spoke about her mother. “I think my sisters and I can undoubtedly agree for once on one thing—and that is that our mother has sacrificed so much for three of us,” she said. “I feel like we can never pay her back for what she has done for us. “While the initial transitioning period was difficult, moving overseas really exposed us to real life. It really made us realise how pampered we were in Singapore. “We cannot even begin to express how thankful we are to our parents for making such a life-changing decision for the family.” Yeo Piah Buey, a close childhood friend of Swee Yee’s, who had seen the three girls grow up, agreed with them. “My friend is an incredible woman,” she said with a smile. “Her decision for her family to move to Adelaide was one made out of her strong love and commitment for them. I really respect the positive attitude and strength that she carries within her.”

She added, “I think the initial period of separation was extremely tough on her, but her children have grown up so well that I think she will agree with me that it was one of the best decisions she probably could have ever made.” While she is proud of what her daughters have achieved so far, there was nothing else that made her prouder than knowing her second daughter Nicole had turned her life around and secured a place in a local Adelaide university. “I remember her not even wanting to work hard before,” Swee Yee said. “Truthfully, we had actually long given up hope on her actually being able to enter a university. However, I am so happy that that’s not the case anymore. “I thought the decision to migrate would be a bad one but, in hindsight, it was probably one of the best decisions I have ever made for my family’s future.” With her two eldest daughters currently attending university and her youngest preparing to sit for her university entrance exams, Swee Yee knows that there is still a long way to go before her entire family can be reunited again. However, she is ready for her family’s future. After all, the tears and heartbreaks of the past three years have already prepared her well for what is to come. “I have seen my children change for the better and that already everything that my husband and I have hoped for. My love for them is what keeps me going even when I am tired, exasperated or lonely,” she said with a smile. “Distance makes the heart grow fonder.”

ABBOTT’S CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY: HOT STUFF OR INVISIBLE SUBSTANCE? Writer_ Matteo Gagliardi

Artist_ Josh Evans

The election is over and Tony Abbott is now Prime Minister, though this came as no surprise to anyone following the tides of public opinion in the election lead-up. This couldn’t help the multitudes of disconsolate Labor supporters who took to social media to express their utter disappointment in the Australian population and dread of the direction the country would take under an Abbott-led government. For one particular example, Labor fans cried that the election of Abbott would usher in the apocalypse through decimation of climate change policy. Of course, there is some reason—at least on a superficial level—to be distrustful of the Liberals’ climate change agenda. Their whole economic and political philosophy favours the removal of all “unnecessary” regulations, public spending, and any barriers—in particular environmental ones—to the success of big-time contributors to the economy and workforce (such as mining companies). On top of this, numerous members of the Liberal Party are known climate sceptics and there have been concerns in the past that Tony Abbott himself doesn’t believe in climate change. Not to mention that Abbott ran most of his election campaign on the promise to scrap the carbon tax, a policy that found support in much of the public even as they blamed it for financial stress. The Coalition has even recently gone through with plans to axe the Climate Commission, saying its role could just as easily be fulfilled by the Department of Environment. But the Liberals promised to cut back on national greenhouse emissions by five per cent by 2020, so it still—at least in rhetoric—is committed to climate action. So what does an Abbott election mean for Australia’s climate change policy? Is there reason to lament the Liberals’ supposedly regressive climate aspirations? And is it fair to

say that Liberals don’t care about climate change and wish to pander to the interests of big mining and oil companies, like some people claim? To start off with, one must first understand that multiple approaches have been formulated to deal with the problem of climate change. They can essentially be classified into two classes of action: topdown approaches, which seek to reorganise whole system-wide structures and prescribe rules and regulations dictating how people should act; and bottom-up approaches, which look to facilitate groundwork laid to deal with the issue and enable grassroots projects. While the carbon tax is an example of a top-down approach (it is a prescribed pricing scheme on carbon usage that is applied to everyone), the Liberals’ Direction Action Plan represents more of a bottom-up approach. It involves spending $2.5 billion (down from the $3 billion that they promised in 2010) mostly on investing in specific projects designed to reduce emissions. Both methods have their merits and weaknesses. Top-down approaches ensure compliance by forcing people to act. But as we saw with the carbon tax, people don’t always like being told what to do—or in this case, what to pay for. Bottom-up approaches are more specific actions and can generate verifiable results, but won’t necessarily result in systemic change, which is what’s needed in the context of climate change mitigation. One specific example of a bottomup approach is the proposed plan to set up a Green Army. The Coalition will apparently allocate $300 million to build an “environmental workforce” of 15,000 young people to undertake practical, grassroots action to deal with environmental issues such as climate change. Though the project

sounds useful, it won’t do much to tackle the overall problem. This is because the most important way to deal with climate change is to actually reduce greenhouse emissions. A major part of the Liberals’ plan is to plant more trees to soak up carbon dioxide and invest in soil farming projects to capture and store carbon in the ground. While a seemingly logical solution to the problem of carbon emissions, the science doesn’t fully support the idea that you can get away with emitting as much as you want as long as you can plant more trees and farm more soil to capture all of our emissions. We are not on track to achieving our goal of a five per cent reduction in emissions by 2020, although the carbon tax was achieving some success. An independent review conducted by energy firm RepuTex, commissioned by World Wildlife Fund Australia earlier this year, found that the Coalition could meet the five per cent target with its Direct Action Plan, but only if it spent an extra $5.9 billion per year between 2015 and 2020. There is a common concern that the Liberals are not really concerned with this target and are only using a greenwashing campaign (making it seem as if they are concerned about the climate, but only pursuing mediocre strategies and justifying them as proper action) in order to buy more time to reap the benefits of a burgeoning coal industry. The abolition of the Climate Commission and the planned winding-down of the $10 billion Clean Energy Finance Corporation, which was set up to fund renewable energy projects, have been cited as further proof of this claim. But others maintain that this is just an attempt to cut down the amount of bureaucracy

and public spending, which is superfluous to what’s necessary in the context of climate action. In other words, the Liberals may indeed think it’s perfectly possible to tackle climate change without spending billions of dollars of taxpayer money to do it. Ultimately, it’s still too early to determine the intentions of this Abbott-led coalition government; whether it truly thinks its bottom-up approaches will mitigate our role in causing climate change in the most cost-effective way possible or if it’s trying to greenwash us into accepting this rhetoric while it allows the resource and minerals industry to carve out short-term profits at everyone’s expense in the future. As the results of the latest review of climate science from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change come out, it’s important to remind ourselves of the gravity of the problem, though. We are staring down the barrel of a loaded gun aimed at us by a climate system that’s sick of all the greenhouse gases we’re discharging into it. By global standards, our five per cent national target is pathetically low (the EU is already on track to reduce its emissions by 20 per cent region-wide); the least we could do is keep our politicians accountable to it. To read more from Matteo on politics and the environment, see his article ‘A clean solution for the future’ on the UniLife Magazine website: http://unilifemagazine. com.au/web-exclusives/a-clean-solutionfor-our-future/ ‘A clean solution …’ was also published in the On Campus section of the Virgin Voters website as part of their pre-election youth-engagement campaign.

A SUPERFICIAL LAYER Writer_ Emma Majcen

What can be said about change? Existence appears dependent on it, though it is hardly uniform by nature. Whether it leads to loss or to gain, change seems to hold consistency in its ability to deceive. Rarely articulating its cause with any clarity, change easily tricks the foolish. Clear water turns to red while the ‘love-struck’ become the ‘heartbroken’; these variations are first perceived by the senses. The imprudent recognise such changes but do not pursue them further. Stimulation by these surface happenings and the pain or pleasure derived through them is deemed enough. But the very meaning of change, wrought with both depth and complexity, is beyond the confinements of reality that the primitive mind detects. The tribulations of this understanding can only be handled by something boundless. Something like thought. Thought allows us to see through the diverting allure of appearances. Through its use we can read between the lines of physical experience and scrutinise the surface of change. But logical notions will only visit a clear mind. And for clarity to be achieved, we must overcome the engulfment of experience. A settled soul is not absorbed by the sweetness of the sweet or the pain of the painful. From rain to tempest we must not be drowned. In the face of change, we need to hold tight to the reins of our sanity. But you might ask, ‘What is the point of such laborious deliberation? A headache and a two-weeklong cold?’ Well, if the many loops that dictate the passage of change are untangled, we may gain insight through reason. Such insight could be used to create an ideal change or avoid a destructive one. In this position of knowledge, we gain the potential to better sculpt our world. However, reason will not always be found through contemplation. We are likely to encounter events in life that surpass our comprehension, and we may eventually arrive at a dead end of thought. But this limit is not pointless. Upon meeting a wall of the mind we are given the rare chance to recognise our own ignorance. Strangely, we are consoled by such enlightenment. However unnerving, we must celebrate change and seize the opportunity to acquaint ourselves with truth. In experiencing change we must not become fixated on the surface level of things, must not be merely satisfied by an indulgence of the senses. To broaden our understanding of life we need to remain objective to experience and see beyond the superficial by the means of contemplation. Through such thought we may better define our world or simply be in awe of the mystery in its seemingly endless complexity.

SIGNIFICANT MAN-MADE CHANGES ON EARTH Writer_ Melissa Zahorujko

Images_ Supplied

Both NASA and the US Geological Survey have been recording satellite images of the Earth’s surface since 1972 as part of the Landsat Program—the longest running space-based record of our land and seas. Through analysis of the satellite imagery and data provided by the Landsat Program, scientists are able to evaluate changes in the world and release important information to areas of research such as agriculture, forestry and regional planning.

To the public eye, however, the millions of recorded images give us access to a captivating timelapse of the world in 41 years and counting. We now have a detailed picture of the impact we as humans have on changing our world. Below are just a couple of the world’s significant changes that have occurred as a result of human activity: AMAZON DEFORESTATION

JULY 20, 2000

AUGUST 2, 2010

These images show the destruction of forests between 2000 and 2010 in the state of Rondônia— one of the most deforested parts of the Amazon—where there is a significant loss of greenery noticeable in the images. Deforestation has known to be a major cause of animal and plant extinction all over the world.

ATHABASCA OIL SANDS

July 1984

May 2011

These images show an enormous growth in mines around the Athabasca River in Canada between 1984 and 2011. Buried deep below the surface of the area lies one of the world’s largest and most valuable sources of oil. Not only do these expensive mines emit toxins that may pose health hazards, but they also required large-scale clearing before they could be used. While a lot of environment-altering human activity can be seen as useful to our ever-growing society, the consequences must be considered. Perhaps it’s a point to think about when looking towards the future of our global environment—will the expansion rate of urbanisation ever slow down or will our world be subject to an eternity of massive man-made changes? What will Earth look like 100 years from now?

LOVE LETTERS FOR LECTURERS Some anonymous final year students have feelings that need to be shared, one last time, before they venture off into the wide and terrifying beyond. They thank you, they love you, they’ll miss you. (They apologise for not studying poetry more closely.)

Dear Myra,

A Haiku for Sweet-cheeks,

You’re brilliant. Fucking brilliant. Like, let’s look at the career options you could have taken over your current post:

Semiotics, man, I never knew they’d move me. You’re the lecture king.

•Catwoman •Life coach •Stiletto model •Audio book actor •Negotiator And yet in you stomp twice a week, listening to us drawl on about how that unnecessarily large amount of negative space transforms the text into a visual anchor which will then help me make up some more bullshit just so that I can talk to you for a bit longer, meeting your strong, yet comforting gaze and hoping that at the end of it all I will have said enough to make you love me, make your eyes crinkle as you smile and feed my craving for your praise and attention. I mean, like, I don’t love you. It’s just that your hair is super cool, you’ve got a rockin’ bod, your accent is kind of the greatest thing ever (“aboot” lol), but most of all, you’ve helped me enjoy the final semester of a course in which I’d lost my way. (Okay, maybe I love you.)

Cher Ibry Comme le temps passe quand on s’amuse! Vouz nous sommes enseignés beaucoup, et déja, nous en avons oublié le tout. Les outils, le vocabulaire, la grammaire, les conjugations … tous commencent à disparaître. Mais, nous souvenons vos histoires, et vos phrases qui ont mélangé l’anglais et le français. Cette langue adorable est “l’Ibrahimais”. Nous sommes venus à adorer quand vous avez repeté vos phrases et vos mots … mais soulement les mots dont nous déja connaissions. Peut-etre nous ne sommes pas courrament, mais nous pouvons buter sur nos pensées en français. (Et vous m’avez enseigné plus de la géographie et la politique que mes profs au lycée.) Merci mille fois, prof. Vous êtes le mec.

To my dearest Ioana,

Canadian Queen,

You light up every class I take with you.

Bright and brassy, you’re the mostest.

Although a significant amount of the fee I pay is squandered by your (endearing) tardiness, that 20-minute wait is worth it.

Without your tutes, we’d be toast(est).

You are the bringer of smiles, extended tales of everyday events gone awry, and an unbounded enthusiasm for The Big Bang Theory. Plus sometimes there’s chocolate.

We want to be your friendly peeps.

I never tire of stories of the antics of your son, or what you did on the weekend, or how the traffic was beyond awful on your way to class this morning. Somehow your larger-than-life recounts transform humdrum to hilarious. You provide guidance and aren’t afraid to tell us that an idea is a bit shithouse, but mark work with amusing comments and smiley faces to stay on our sweet side. Your voice resonates with the student body. You bitch about the university and its lack of funding for writing courses, or the fact that we always get shitty timeslots. TRUE DAT, GURL.

After class, we miss you heaps

You say cool things with your sweet voice, Then we go bogan and say, “That’s noice.” We really mean you’re super ace You’ve helped us beat this uni race. You’ve taught us stacks without us knowing, We’ve learned it all and now we’re going! You’re hella awesome and super great We’ll miss you, Jodie, our best mate.

You’re somewhat eccentric, but a little crazy is what places the exceptional teachers above the average. That, and a touch of Romanian magic. I’ll miss you.

Dear David Lundberg’s laugh,

You are hope.

As I prepare to leave Magill for the very last time,

So with the knowledge of your existence,

I swear I can still hear your faint semblance echoing through the corridors. And try as I might, I can’t detect your whereabouts, But I can picture your journey. It would have begun as you were being fermented in the cavernous depths Of David Lundberg’s stomach. There, Lundberg, who has the ability to strike fear through his words alone, Generates an elegant potion of exuberant optimism, Which when escaping from his vocal chords, Erupts into a bellowing cacophony of joyousness, forming you. There, in the open air, you spread like heat, Into all the areas missing your cheerfulness So you can colonise the world and rid it of despair, And construct a new world order. Then I remember what you really are – You’re the reason I made it out of David’s international studies classes intact:

I may just enter the dark real world, And make a difference. I’ll never forget you, David Lundberg’s laugh…

To Tim:

AN HONORABLE MENTION:

When we tell our friends we’re studying English, we get blank looks a lot of the time. “You speak English already,” they say. If they’d had a Curnow Learnin’, they’d understand.

To Sooty,

You’ve started to unravel the mysteries of our messed up, tricky language. You’ve shown us our roots and explained how we came to babble the way we did (and where ‘babble’ came from to begin with). You’ve given us tools to slyly dissect (split infinitive) the words we read and write. Even though a lot of it didn’t make sense at the start (what’s a genitive case, a mood, a gerund? Isn’t ‘conjugation’ something dirty??) we soldiered on each week through dense and italicised readings with bizarre terms from languages we’d never even heard of (dangling preposition). You taught us to fight on and find the magic in everyday words and in the obscure ones too. Together, we’ve demolished discourse and rebuilt it, syllable by syllable, and have become engineers and alchemists of the mystic tongues. Without your passion and love for words, we would have floundered and failed, but you’ve pulled us through.

The best Student Service Officer Magill could dream up. You’re brilliant and we love you, and we just want you to know that we really appreciate everything you’ve done for us. Without you, we’d have missed pubcrawls. Without you, we would have missed the student magazine. Without you, we would have missed the brightest, loveliest gal in town. Sooty, you’re a gem.

It’s been a delight (OED): Middle English: delit, delijt, delyt(e, -lite), delytte, dellyte Etymology: Middle English delit, < Old French delit (-eit), (= Provençal deliet, Spanish deleite, Italian diletto), < stem of deliter verb. By sixteenth century most recorded references were of delight – a spelling error taken from light, flight and so on. (And also we’ll totally miss your luscious hair.)

AROUND THE WORLD

UNISA

MY STORY AS AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT AT UNISA UNI SA YOUR STORY WINNER: COMPETITION Nabil WINNER: Imran Nabil Imran

Artist_ Josh Evans

As always, a story begins with a name and a bit of history. My name is Nabil Imran and I’m from Malaysia. Before I transferred to Adelaide, I was studying at Taylor’s University in Malaysia. I did two years of my degree back home and only came to Australia for my final year of study. I can now say I wished that I had transferred here earlier rather than later, as the experience that I have gathered here in the past few months is purely unbelievable and unforgettable. I never thought I’d say this but, “Hey Dad, you were right.” I did not want to transfer here to Adelaide as I was comfortable with my life back home but my Dad, being the strict and strong-willed person that he is, convinced me to give it a go. Saying ‘no’ to my dad would usually cause a similar to pattern to occur: repercussions that lead to reverberations, which would cause me to require recuperation. Not that he is abusive—he’s just doing what every dad should do, which is encouraging his children to try something new. I can now say that I’m really glad I listened to my dad, which is not something that you would hear me say every day. My experiences at UniSA

and in Adelaide have been nothing short of spectacular and they will definitely stay with me ‘til God claims me back from the land of the living. Before I came here, I was a slacker, and I probably still am. My assignment usually gets going a day before it’s due and I would only open my textbook a few days before the exams. My friends could actually faint by watching how I work and they often label me ‘crazy’ due to some of the ridiculous nonsense that I can conjure up. However, even though I’m still quite the slacker, I would like to clarify that perception and say that I have changed, albeit in a small and rather insignificant manner. There’s still more that I can do, should’ve done and if I could, I would’ve done them if I had the chance. What’s the most important thing about transferring to UniSA as an international student? Firstly, I met plenty of other international students, ranging from China, Vietnam, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, India, Australia, the Ukraine, Jordan and the list goes on. You may ask what’s the benefit and I’d say like it or not, you’ll find yourself changing your behavior as you’d feel really pathetic being in their company if you were a slacker like me while they’re all so motivated and active in extracurricular activities. I’m not saying that I’ve changed completely, but I have been doing things that I never envisioned myself doing back home. I started to volunteer and join university activities. Important message to other international students: please join any university club and societies. Trust me, you won’t regret it and you’ll gain plenty of experience that you never believed possible.

Slight detour here, I highly recommend any international student to join the Global Experience Program, as it’s really beneficial. You don’t have to pay for it and it’s not compulsory to complete. Not that I’m encouraging you guys to not complete it but just to clarify, you can still graduate from your program even if you did not complete the GE program, so worry not. You’ll meet plenty of wonderful people there and the staff members are really helpful. What was the most difficult thing I experienced when I first arrived here? Missing my family is one thing, but I also missed my close friends back in Malaysia, my Xbox and pile of games just begging me to take them with me to Adelaide, and, of course, watching the Barclays Premier League on live television. Once again, worry not. You can still catch the games at the casino, in the local pub or if you’re privileged enough, watching the game at your friends’ place and gleefully shouting at them when your team scores. That bit about missing your friends back home? You’ll still be in touch with them and you’ll make some really good friends here as well. You can still Skype your family members, so you won’t be missing them too badly. You’ll miss plenty of stuff back home, but you’ll be able to handle it. I did, as did all the other international students here. What is the best thing so far that I’ve experienced here in Adelaide? Joining the ‘Your Culture My Culture’ program at UniSA was definitely a blast, as we had a trip to Hahndorf, a picnic in the Botanic Gardens, and we even went surfing. You don’t get these kinds of experiences back home, so wherever you come from, I encourage you to try this program out as

it’s a wonderful experience. I was also lucky enough to be given the chance to catch an AFL game (it’s a mixture of rugby and soccer), which was definitely memorable as you’ll never be able to catch an AFL game anywhere else in the world (it’s called Australian Football League for a reason). If you have the opportunity, just try and catch an AFL game. You may like it or you may not. At least you’ll be able to tell your friends and family back home that you’ve watched an AFL game. There are tons of other things that I could talk about but my word limit alert is already beeping, so I guess I should just leave it here for now. In a nutshell, all I can say is that my experience as an international student here at UniSA has been fantastic and unforgettable. I definitely will cherish it, as clichéd as it sounds. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask anyone around and they’ll be more than happy to guide you. Ask Campus Central, go to the UniSA website or like I suggested, just ask around. We won’t bite.

MY STORY

YOUR STORY RUNNER-UP: Samaneh Soleimani Najafabadi

Studying is a long journey. From the first day you enter a school, you will learn that you must be best in everything to be a good student. My journey began eighteen years ago and now I am here in Adelaide, 17 hours away from my country. Before coming to Adelaide, I was an international student in another country, The Philippines. My first contact with one of the professors at UniSA made me very surprised. She replied to me very pleasantly and concisely. She made me very impressed to come to this university and study with these precious people. After one year being in touch with my supervisor, Dr Kim, and exchanging many emails that she always answered patiently, finally I became a PhD scholar at UniSA. Everything was precisely organized. Through warm support from each organisation in the university that I had contacted, my fear and stress reduced.

with the accommodation representative of the UniSA, and when the man was completely sure that everything was alright, he left me. The first day after my arrival, I met the research coordinator and my supervisor. Both of them were incredibly kind and before talking about my study, they assured me that they would always support meâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;not only in my study, but also whenever I felt loneliness or had any personal problems. My supervisor also introduced me to some other people from my country who I can be in touch with and speak to in my mother tongue. The friendly environment of UniSA is the most important aspect of this university. It had a vital role in my adaptation and coping with problems. I am sure that my remaining time at UniSA will give me some of the most evocative memories of my life.

The day arrived, the airplane took off and after 17 hours, the second airplane landed in Adelaide at night. At first, I saw an old, prestigious man with my name in his hand. He greeted me in a way that seemed as though he had known me a long time. He called somebody to announce my arrival and he told me that he had been waiting two hours. It made me very calm to know that my presence is very important, and that everything is organised. We went to the hostel that has been arranged beforehand

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT

PHOTO COMPETITON 24

Adelaide has drawn me closer to nature! Being woken up by birds chirping every morning makes me feel like I am living in a bird park. A trip to Flinders Ranges has opened my eyes to appreciate the wonder of Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s creations. A breathtaking view of the magnificent scenery from the very top of mountains paid off the sweat. Most importantly, the trip has broadened my horizons. I am motivated to move on in life positively and be brave to take challenges! I LOVE ADELAIDE!

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TOPDECK TOUR: THE WAY TO GO Writer_ Ben Allison

Recently, my life has consisted of travelling around the world in what I like to call: “The Best Two Months of My Life”. A big part of that trip included travelling with Topdeck Tours for twelve days on their Essential Europe Tour. It was probably the best part of my trip, and quite possibly the top 12 days of my life. The Essential Europe Tour is basically a 12-day express tour through Europe. Leaving from England, we stopped over in Germany, Switzerland, Italy, France, and Austria. So why did I choose to tour with Topdeck as opposed to its notorious competitor Contiki? Like most decisions in my life, Facebook played an integral part in my deliberation process. I posed the question to my many “friends”: should I side with Contiki or Topdeck? Overwhelmingly the response was to choose Topdeck. My decision was also fuelled by the travel agent who explained to me (and this is a direct quote), “On Contiki you get fucked up, but on Topdeck you get fucked up and see a lot of stuff.” Well, I’m not opposed to getting fucked up, but I also wanted to see stuff, so my decision was made. I still had the expectation that this tour would be filled with a bunch of rambunctious, loud and obscene singletwenty-somethings with a particular penchant for alcohol. Alas my fears were quenched on the first day when I realised that out of the 40 passengers on this tour, only eight were travelling alone. That was fine with me, although I did

worry about the fact that a lot of couples have the annoying tendency to become an impenetrable bubble, only speaking with each other. However, everyone on my tour was a blast and mingled independently. I was also unaware prior to departing that Topdeck is actually an Australian company. Before I left I had anticipated the opportunity to meet people from around the globe, only to find out upon arriving that the diversity of my group only stretched as far as New Zealand. Nevertheless, we were on our way around Europe and I figured I would just meet some foreigners there. (Not that New Zealanders aren’t foreign.) To anyone who is considering travelling alone and is not sure whether to embark on a tour, I would definitely recommend it as long as you’re not afraid of some rather dodgy accommodation. But, come on, it’s all part of the fun! One hotel in Amsterdam springs to mind: the Botel. That’s right, it was a boat and a hotel (great pun). We also stayed in the “Jail Hotel” in Switzerland, which was exactly as it sounds: a jail that had been converted into a hotel (and I use the term “converted” very loosely). Tours are seriously a great way to travel, especially for students. They take the stress and worry out of booking accommodation, transport, and tickets to typical tourist destinations. All you have to worry about is waking up early enough to shake off your hangover and get on the bus in the morning. Then the next thing you know you’re in a different country, city or town ready to explore at your own pace. It’s as simple as that. If I had not done the tour I doubt I would

have done or seen half the things I did over those twelve days: from canyon jumping in the Austrian Alps to being peer pressured into eating snails in Paris. Plus I had the opportunity to meet a bunch of new people from all over Australia. What more could you ask for?

WHY THERE ARE NO AUSSIE PAVONS:

POLITICAL YOUTH ENGAGMENT IN AUSTRALIA AND VENEZUELA Writer_ Ryan Mallett-Outtrim

Twenty three year old Lisseth Pavon is a symbol of the passion of Venezuela’s youth. Shortly after the death of former president Hugo Chavez in March, along with thousands of other Venezuelans, Pavon lined up for hours in the sweltering heat of Caracas to catch a glimpse of the open casket. According to an interview she gave with a local newspaper, Pavon had left her home days earlier. After more than 20 hours in buses, she finally arrived in the capital, Caracas, where she waited in line for another day with a packet of biscuits, an empanada (a small pastry snack), some water and Bs200 (around US$6.60), she explained. When Pavon reached the casket, with a look of determination, she put one hand on her heart and a fist in the air. “It came from the soul, I didn’t think about it. I just wanted the comandante to know that he’s alive, here,” she stated, pointing to her heart. How many 23-year-old Australians would travel from one side of the country to the other to attend the funeral of any recent political figures? I don’t know anyone who would endure days with barely any food or rest just to farewell a prime minister. “It’s about the power that he gave to us, the youth, all Venezuelans,” Pavon told reporters when asked why she went to the trouble. Pavon isn’t the only young Venezuelan with a passion for politics. On my way to work, I regularly encounter high-schooland university-aged youth painting political murals. Troupes of young people armed with spray cans have covered the town with stunning works of street art that carry messages like “care for the environment”, “no domestic violence”, “free Palestine”, as well as pro-government slogans, often calling for people to back

the new leftist president, Nicolas Maduro. However, pro-government youth aren’t the only ones active on the streets. On my way home from work, I invariably run into students protesting for more funding for the University of the Andes (ULA). Moreover, some students have accused the protesters of simply using the funding issue to promote opposition parties at the expense of class time (which is often disrupted), and have taken to holding counter protests. The tug-of-war between the students (similar protests are taking place in other parts of the country) has sparked a national debate. The end result is a climate where youth view themselves as political actors, and feel entitled to express their opinions in meaningful ways. But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. In recent years young people have enjoyed numerous victories in claiming control of their lives. One such victory is the Ministry of Youth. Since its creation in 2011, young people have actually run the ministry. Chavez stated in March, 2011 that the ministry should “come out of the dynamic of the youth”. “I don’t want to choose a Minster who has the magic wand to run it. No, rather it should be the other way around, that’s the idea,” Venezuelanalysis reported. Moreover, despite the ongoing university protests, young people have already seen significant gains in education over the last decade, as recognised by UNESCO in 2010. Since Chavez came to power in 1999, access to education has increased dramatically. In 1999, the percentage of high school age children actually enrolled in high school was just 48 per cent; by 2011 the figure was 73 per cent, according to UNESCO. Primary school enrolments likewise increased from 85 per cent to 93 per cent over the same period. These are significant figures for a developing

country, yet the government has actually argued that the numbers underestimate Venezuela’s achievements. According to government figures, university funding has increased from “less than $300 million in 1999 to $2.6 billion in 2011”. Along with primary and secondary education, public university tuition is free, and students are entitled to free meals on campus and free public transport. Some of my housemates that are university students cried when Chavez died earlier this year; a reasonable response given how access to education was dramatically expanded by the former president’s reforms. Without the free tuition, food and transport, many students I know here simply wouldn’t be able to afford university. Moreover, without the dramatic reduction in poverty over the last decade, some students currently enrolled in university may not have made it through school. Maduro has pledged to continue the same trajectory as his predecessor. Since being elected in April he has toured the country’s “street government” where he speaks with community groups directly, including youth and student organisations. Pavon and all other young Venezuelans have a right to feel empowered. The same cannot be said for Australia, where all too often young people are simply excluded from mainstream politics. A recent survey from the Australia Institute unsurprisingly found that 47 per cent of 17-25-year-olds “believe no party best represents them”. 30 per cent of participants said they were “not really interested” in the upcoming election, and 15 per cent were outright “disinterested”. “The confusion and disinterest among our future leaders is baffling, but I think for the most part it’s not their fault. It’s up to the

Image by_ Efrain Gonzalez of Prensa Presidential

45 27

politicians to engage them and win them over with policy,” according to the Institute’s Dr Richard Denniss. However, there is nothing baffling about it. With two thirds of university students living below the poverty line (according to a recent report from Universities Australia), young people are justified in feeling sidelined by consecutive governments. Moreover, as the chief of the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) Cassandra Goldie has stated, surviving off $29 a day on youth allowance is “one of the major reasons”. “Like the unemployment payment, it hasn’t been increased in over two decades. It is clearly not enough for them,” she stated, according to ABC. While the study found that half of students rely on financial support from families, most university students are all too aware of the difficulty of not only getting work, but also surviving off it. Figures from the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations indicate that the number of people suffering long-term unemployment increased by 27 per cent over the last 12 months. The increase was accompanied by a 41.8 per cent rise in jobseekers claiming youth allowance. This indicates that young Australians struggling to find work are increasingly turning to a system that mechanically shoves them into poverty. Of course, even if you are lucky enough to have a casual job, there’s a good chance it barely keeps you afloat. In its recently published sample budget planner, McDonald’s ironically illustrated that it is basically impossible for its US workers to survive flipping burgers. The budget shows that even by working 40 hours a week plus holding down a second job (that makes up almost half the sample budget’s income), enjoying below average rent and electricity, a McDonald’s worker in the US will have $27 a day left over for groceries, clothing, along with water and gas bills. Although the budget

appears to be designed to show most of their US workforce live under hopeless conditions, any young Australian who has done a stint behind the counter of a major fast food chain (myself included) would probably agree that casual fast food workers here aren’t much better off. There are no Australian Pavons, and rightly so. As a developing nation, Venezuela continues to struggle with poverty. However, for over a decade the government has pursued policies that prioritise poverty eradication, education and other social issues like healthcare. This has happened largely at the expense of characters like BP, Chevron ExxonMobil and other multinational resource companies. Many of the rights now enjoyed by young Venezuelans are bankrolled by petrodollars, courtesy of the nationalised oil sector. The nationalisation drive of the Chavez years resulted in companies including CoconoPhillips and ExxonMobil filing arbitration claims against the government, and infuriated the US. In other words, the government chose to take from the rich, and give to the poor, to the education sector, and to the future of the country—despite external pressures. Consecutive Australian governments have done the opposite by maintaining free handouts to big business while allowing welfare and social services to stagnate. For example, the $2.8 billion cuts to universities to fund Gonski wouldn’t be needed if the federal government just cut subsidies and closed tax concessions to mining companies. Although figures from the Productivity Commission indicate miners received $492 million in direct subsidies, the industry enjoys a plethora of generous tax concessions, which when compiled add up to a significantly higher figure—at least $4.5 billion, according to AI’s senior economist, Matt Grudnoff. With that figure, we could not only cover Gonski, but also shower the

likes of Gina Rinehart with at least $1.7 billion from taxpayer pockets. Of course, for voters uninterested in donating their hard-earned dollars to billionaires through taxpayer subsidies to mining companies, there are plenty of other places that money could go, like to those of us scraping by on $29 a day. Unfortunately, there is no debate between Labor and Liberal over this morally inverted welfare for the rich, bare-bones for the poor. In fact, with the notable exception of equal marriage, there is little choice offered by these two on any major issues facing Australians. As global refugee numbers at their highest levels since 1994, the major parties appear to agree that we need to find some way to dump the Refugee Convention; the only issue is how. Kevin Rudd’s solution appears to be to outsource part of our commitments to one of our poorer neighbours. At the time of writing, Tony Abbott’s only real complaints were that the government has wasted time providing refugees with health checks before shipping them out, and that Rudd had granted the O’Neill administration control over how Australian aid is used in Papua New Guinea. Nonetheless, Rudd’s flagrant disregard for international norms has endeared him to a sizable chunk of the population, even if the plan arguably lacks imagination. Yet at least the public have been permitted to enter the discussion over whether or not refugees count as people; most other serious issues are completely off the table, like the secretive Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations. Multinational corporations and their lobbyists are hard at work on the deal, but you aren’t invited. Drafts leaked from the closed-door discussions indicate the deal currently appears focused on strengthening intellectual copyright and patents, and cracking down on internet freedom. Moreover, the TPP will override national laws on issues like environmental protection and workers’ rights. It’s hard to discuss the deal any further, because drafts

have been withheld from the public for years, under the flimsy excuse that terrorists might do … something. This deal will shape how our region develops for the rest of our lifetimes. But, unless you represent a major business interest, you have no right to know what your government is negotiating, let alone participate in the discussion. Your opinions are viewed as equally irrelevant on issues like the expansion of the ineffective income management scheme, the extension of the thus far fruitless NT intervention, effective action on climate change or privacy rights. Once you get past the spin, there is little to no meaningful divergence between the two major parties on any of these issues. When I observed Venezuela’s presidential elections in April, I saw two distinct candidates that offered voters genuine alternatives. Now that I’m looking ahead to my own country’s elections, I’m disappointed to see just how limited public debate is. Essentially, for now the election debate appears to be all about who can best abuse refugees, while other issues that will define the future of our nation are simply scrubbed off the agenda (as an aside, check out how a developing country with a humane approach to refugees acts). The fact that this embarrassing circus has alienated youth is a positive sign. It indicates that young people are not as morally bankrupt as our leaders believe. However, like the youth of Venezuela, young Australians need to organise and engage in politics in order to be heard. Democracy doesn’t just happen in a cardboard voting booth; it happens on the streets, on campus and in the workplace. Change never comes from the top, it only comes when people shake off apathy and make their voices heard. As Lupe Fiasco articulately asseverated, “if you don’t become an actor you’ll never be a factor”. This article was also published in the On Campus section of the Virgin Voters website as part of their pre-election youth-engagement campaign.

GENERAL INTEREST

UNILIFE

EATING IN THE STREETS: ADELAIDE’S FOOD REVOLUTION Writer_ Samantha McDonnell

Photo_ Josh Evans

A new craze has made its way to the city of Adelaide. Known worldwide as the City of Churches it appears to have become the City of Food Trucks in recent months. This mobile food vendor trend offers a range of different cuisines, bringing global flavours to the people of Adelaide in an innovative way. The warmth of the spring sun beats down, a welcome change from months of heavy rain and the blustery winds of winter. It’s perfect weather to travel, purse in hand and water bottle at the ready; and so, I begin my food journey. The popularity of food vendors in Adelaide has opened a portal: a gateway into a trendy and culturally-rich way of eating. Angus Kiley of Low and Slow American BBQ attributes the recent popularity of mobile food vendors not only to a generally increased interest in food but also to their ‘stand out from the crowd’ appeal. Eating from food trucks has become social and hip. A plethora of tantalizing smells waft; spices pepper the air and tease my senses. I am drawn in every direction—my taste buds tingling, eager to sample the exotic cuisines that surround me. A flash of orange catches my eye and suddenly I am transported, no longer wandering the streets of Adelaide. The sounds of the Mediterranean can be heard, traditional folk music and enthusiastic singing rings out. Immaculate architecture looms, carrying with it an abundance of history. From Sicilian to English to Spanish, the flavours of the Malta nation entice. The pastry known as pastizzi, a typical Maltese snack, sits in my palm; its golden, crisp exterior almost glints in the sunlight. My teeth sink into the pastry with a delightful crunch. The delicious silkiness of ricotta and spinach melts in my mouth. Having

never tried Maltese food before, I am in a state of bliss.

expressionism developed in Germany— and the food is not to be missed either.

As I begin the trek to my next destination, I am struck by spinning flares of red— beautiful women twirl to an enchanting and ferocious guitar melody. Spreads of vibrant dishes line the tables, pans full of prawns sit upon bright beds of rice.

For Michelin stars, German restaurants have become the world’s second most decorated after France.

Extravagant buildings emanate fairy-tale beauty with their decadent archways and elegant towers that reach into the sky. The paper container is warm to the touch, yellow rice and an array of seafood rest inside. My lips purse, the fragrant scent of paprika and garlic float upward and I can no longer hold back. A heap of paella sits precariously on the fork, and before any stray grains can fall I bring it to my mouth. Bold flavours flit across my tongue in a mad fervour; it is unlike any other food I’ve tasted. The food is utterly delicious and a fundamental part of what attracts its customers. As stated by David Porcaro of Delectaballs, “I would attribute this to a growing and more disconcerting population, wanting a variety of unique and delicious foods that has an originality and style to it.” As I move on to the next point in my food travels, I find myself moving from the lively streets of Spain to the more subdued footpaths of Germany. The classic scores of composers like Ludwig Van Beethoven and Johann Sebastian Bach came from this nation. I can almost hear the swelling crescendos of their musical genius. A cultural hub not only with art and music but also architecture—both brick gothic and brick

The kransky, served by Wienerbago Gourmet, is a gourmet sausage rich with complex flavours of spices and cheese. The skin casing is a tender treat, not chewy in the least. The smells of frying onions tantalise my senses, reminding me of afternoons spent at the local football club on a Sunday afternoon. Light, fluffy mashed potato lies beneath a mountain of sausage and cheese. The first bite is heavenly. The next stop is one that offers a range of beautiful dishes, flavours that have become a fixture within the Australian diet. The air is sticky and hot, stalls line the streets, each one smelling as delicious as the one before. The streets are crowded—a seemingly endless stream of people mill about. Rice noodles are tossed in a wok; sauces are poured into the pan with a practised finesse. Soy, chilli, and a small quantity of belachan colour the white noodles. Prawns are thrown in and mixed amongst the noodles. In moments, the dish is ready. The combination of flavours is mouthwatering. This Asian cuisine is another one of the many available through the mobile food vendors who have gained popularity over the last year or two. And, if the success of this phenomenon is anything to go by, food vendors are here to stay.

CAMOUFLAGE Writer_ Penny Butler

25 DEC 2012, sakjdfbjkaebf , Kandahar Province, Afghanistan

17:45 HOURS, THE MESS The soldiers were a mass of yellow and brown, like the custard on their Christmas pudding. The wet-pitted kitchen staff unceremoniously slopped the dessert onto one plate after another. The regimented column flowed out like a river into hundreds of hungry mouths. The men and few women sat down in their uniforms on man-made chairs that scratched the surface of god’s land—but not their Gods. Knives and forks, and thumbs and fingers, ripped the food apart. ‘Shove over.’ Trays clashed, elbows knocked and coffee spilled. ‘Jesus, watch it, Clifford.’ ‘Oh, I’m watching it. Your fat arse just isn’t moving.’ ‘EIGHT PLATOON, CHARLIE COMPANY, BRIEFING ROOM, EIGHTEEN HUNDRED HOURS.’ Immediately, all heads turned to Hondo. He spat on his watch and rubbed his sleeve across the filthy face of it. ‘Ten minutes, eat up.’ Heads went down, food went in. ***

18:30 HOURS, BRIEFING ROOM ‘... Any questions or doubtful points?’ The Warrant Officer, fair but intimidating, looked at each solider in turn. No one spoke. ‘Alright then, I’ve got some questions for you.’ Minds raced with rendezvous, code names, weapons and sex. ‘Innes, how many rounds will you be carrying?’ ‘One hundred, Sir.’ ‘Whennam, tell me how many ration packs you’ll need?’ ‘Three each, Sir, one for a day’s grub and then an extra two for... God knows what.’ ‘Wrong Whennam, even God doesn’t know what. He can’t see shit through all this sand.’ ‘Now, let’s see.’ Sir’s eyes skipped from one breasted nametag to the next. They rested on Clifford in no uncertain terms. ‘You there, tell me the mission objectives.’ ‘Sir, the aim of our patrol is to kill, injure or capture any Taliban insurgency found active in Tarisdn.’

‘Correct. Hondo, mission specifics.’ ‘Sir, we’re to meet at the marshalling area at 05:30 hours. At O-six hundred hours we move out. We’ll be marching ten clicks across cleared Coalition territory—’ ‘—Hondo, let me just interrupt you there for a moment. The term “cleared” doesn’t mean jack shit out here. The Taliban are like filthy cockroaches, no matter how many times you spray ‘em, they just keep crawling back. Not only do these cockroaches have diseases, they have AK-47s, rocket launchers and fuck knows what else. So, keep your eyes peeled. You might need to stomp the shit out of them again. But watch your feet while you’re doing it, their shit’s explosive. Go on, Hondo.’ ‘Thanks, Sir. So, after ten clicks we’ll be at the border between our occupied territory and theirs. We’ll continue north, in their territory, for another K. That should land us just outside the village of Tarisdn. We’ll find cover in the hills surrounding it and observe for possible threats. We’ll decide on the best mode of entry based on what we see. Then, we’ll kick some Taliban arse, secure the village and wait for HQ to send us a relief.’ ‘Right. Now, listen carefully.’ Sir drew a measured breath. ‘Don’t, even for one second, let your guard down. That second could cost you your life and this sand pit isn’t worth one fucking Australian life, not one. So, if you die, I’ll be that fucking angry I’ll use black-fucking-voodoo-magic to raise you from the dead just so I can kill you again.’ The corners of his mouth twitched. There was a liberating moment of nervous laughter in the room. Sir corrected his smile and the room went silent. ‘So, don’t be a careless dumb fuck. Understood?’ Heads bobbed in a murmured sea of ‘yessirs’. ‘I said. Is that understood?’ Eyes snapped front. ‘YES SIR!’ ‘Dismissed.’ ***

26 DEC 2012 sakjdfbjkaebf, Kandahar Province, Afghanistan

05:30 HOURS, MARSHALLING AREA The soldiers sat about and leant against their heavy packs like giant, uncomfortable pillows. Loaded rifles slept on camouflaged laps.

‘Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck, it’s early.’ Tetlow’s yawn escaped. It infected the group like a communal whinge. ‘I haven’t been up this early since basic.’ ‘Try, forever.’ ‘I didn’t even get time to masturbate. Did you, Clifford?’ ‘Fuck off, Ross.’ ‘Ooo, so tense. I’ll take that as no then.’ ***

10:00 HOURS, DIRT ROAD They walked along the road, several paces apart and in two files. The soldiers kicked up clouds of dirt with every step. It swirled around their legs like a polluted fog. ‘This road has been cleared, yeah?’ Hondo rolled his eyes. ‘You doubtin’ army intelligence, Ager?’ ‘Well, it is an oxymoron, Corp.’ ‘Clever grunt.’ ‘That’s one too,’ piped Clifford. ‘Clever cunt.’ ***

12:00 HOURS, FOOT HILLS Hondo paused in a small valley between two hills. ‘This’ll do. Tetlow and Ager, you’re on picket.’ The soldiers dropped their packs and plonked themselves onto the ground. ‘Fuck.’ ‘You alright, Clifford?’ Hondo asked. ‘Yeah, think so. Sat right onto an old tracer round. Fucking thing is still sharp.’ ‘Better give us a look then—’ ‘—yeah, come on Clifford, I wanna know if your arse is as hairy as mine.’ That was Ross. ‘Actually, Ross, you can go on picket for Ager.’ ‘Aw Corp, come on.’ Hondo glared at him. ‘Yes, Corp.’ ‘Now, Clifford, give us a look.’

‘Nah, Corp, don’t worry about it. Honestly, I’m fine.’ ‘That was an order, Private.’ They went behind some bushes. ‘Ouch. Jesus, Clifford. I’m surprised you didn’t scream like a bitch, I would’ve.’ ‘How bad is it?’ ‘You’re bleeding quite a bit but it’s actually not that deep. I’ll patch it up, for now, but you’ll probably need a stitch or two when we get back to base. You’re lucky the phosphorous had already burnt off.’ ‘You call this lucky?’ Hondo swabbed the wound with Betadine. ‘Could be worse, is all I’m saying.’ He grabbed a bandage and pressed it down firmly. ‘All good, now go get yourself a feed.’ ‘Thanks, Corp.’ They went back to the main group. Clifford sat down gingerly. Ager was complaining. ‘How is it even possible that these rat packs taste sooo bad?’ ‘Same shit, different day.’ Innes contorted his face in disgust and spooned something sloppy into his mouth. ‘Delicious.’ It dripped off his chin like vomit. ‘You know these things cost around a hundred and twenty bucks each?’ ‘You’ve got to be shitting me.’ ‘I shit you not.’ ‘Where’s my lobster then?’ ‘Back home, probably in the kitchen with your missus.’ Hartman imagined her leaning against the sink wearing her favourite summer dress and a smile, for him. ‘Lucky lobster.’ Nobody spoke; they were rapt, for a moment, busy in their own minds with blondes, brunettes or fiery redheads. In Whennam’s case, he was thinking about all three. ‘Clifford, what on earth are you doing?’ Innes was the first to snap out of it. ‘I’m trying to open my friggin’ can o’ beans.’ ‘I can see that. Now, give me Fred.’ ‘Fred, wha—?’

‘—Fucking-ridiculous-eating-device.’ Innes grabbed it off Clifford and, reaching into his pocket, swapped it with a standard can opener. ‘Now that’s a fucking-fantastic-eatingdevice.’ ‘Moving out in ten.’ ***

13:00 HOURS ‘Hey Clifford, how’s your Beyonce booty holding up?’ ‘Shut up, Ross,’ scolded Hondo. ‘In fact, shut up everyone. We’re about to cross into enemy territory soon, so get your game faces on. Let’s leave off this road. I don’t feeling like getting my toes blown off today.’ ***

14:30 HOURS, OBSERVATION POINT Almost invisible, the soldiers lay in the hills overlooking the village of Tarisdn. Only their eyes moved. They’d crawled into position about an hour ago and hadn’t shifted since. ‘Psst.’ Whennam’s eyes landed on Hartman who motioned at him to withdraw. He passed the message onto Innes, who passed it onto Ager, and so on. Warily, they shuffled backwards, careful not to kick up any dust. Once they were hidden below the crest of the hill they pushed themselves up into a crouch and turned around. Hondo was already waiting for them. ‘Alright,’ he said in a low, clear voice. ‘Tell me what you noticed.’ ‘Fuck all, Corp. There’s not much going on,’ offered Innes. The others nodded in agreement. ‘Anyone see any young men?’ They shook their heads. ‘Any suspicious carts?’ ‘Not that we saw. Maybe in the buildings, though.’ ‘Anything else you can think of?’ ‘Not really, Corp. Except, well, even a village that size should have more going on.’ ‘You think it’s too quiet?’ ‘Put it this way, all I saw was an old man and his goat.’ ‘Maybe they saw us coming and took off, Corp?’ ‘Mm, maybe.’ ‘Maybe they’re waiting for us?’ ‘Don’t be so paranoid, Tetlow.’ ‘What should we do?’

‘Carry out our mission, as directed. Anyone see a good point of entry?’ ‘On the left, Corp, a back street. The buildings would provide good cover and there aren’t many open windows to worry about.’ ‘Where does it lead, Clifford?’ ‘To the centre of town.’ ‘Sounds good to me. Anyone got a better idea?’ No one said anything. ‘Alright then; Hartman, Ager, I want you to move back into your positions and cover our entry.’ ‘Sure thing, Corp.’ ‘The rest of you are with me. I’ll take point. Ross, take up the rear. Keep yourselves spread out.’ ***

13:30 HOURS, Asdsfefg VILLAGE Quietly, they advanced into the village. They slithered, rifles raised and wary, between the buildings. They crept cautiously by windows and past doors; no one home. Hondo’s hand flew up and opened. He’d stopped mid step. No one moved an inch. He curled his hand into a fist and then pointed his index finger towards the sky. Rapidly, he rotated it in clockwise circles; turn around now. They withdrew, quickly but cautiously. Desperate eyes searched everywhere; the front, the back, to the left and the right but, mostly, they scoured the ground. Metres passed, precariously underfoot, before they found decent cover. They crouched uncomfortably behind a thick stonewall. ‘Spread out in five metre gaps. Keep your eyes open and your heads down. And Sig, get me HQ on the radio.’ They hurried along the wall in single file like ants. Hondo unfolded a map from his breast pocket and spread it on the dirt. His tough hands quickly flew along the grid lines. ‘One three Alpha, this is One Three Foxtrot, prepare to receive, over.’ ‘Copy that Foxtrot. Send over.’ Hondo took the receiver. ‘Position GR 4:7:5:5. Evidence of IEDs. Request for Blood Hounds ASAP. High likelihood of enemy presence, caution advised. Over.’ ‘Copy that Foxtrot, wait out.’ Hondo rested the receiver against his shoulder and looked to his right. ‘Innes.’

‘Corp.’ ‘Pass this down the line. I saw some wires leading into a bunch of rubble. There should be some sappers here to clear our way pretty soon. In the meantime no slacking off, keep your eyes fucking peeled, understood?’ ‘Yes, Corp. The receiver chattered into his shoulder. He lifted it to his ear, ‘Alpha, send again, over.’ ‘Request granted; Blood Hound T.O.A 16:20 by bird. Secure a landing zone and defensive perimeter. Over.’ ‘Copy that Alpha. Over and out.’ ***

16:00 HOURS The two sentries sat at either ends of the wall. Their heads moved like carnival clowns scouring the horizon, back and forth, back and forth; any players? The rest of the grunts surrounded a crude mud map. ‘I want teams of two here, here, here and...’ He stroked his stubble, ‘here. One grunt in each team will cover the landing and the other will cover the rear.’ ‘A circle of death for anyone who tries to fuck with us, ‘ey Corp?’ ‘That’s the plan. And one more thing, when the Sappers get here, if you see one running, don’t let him overtake ya.’ ‘Funny, Corp.’ ‘I thought so. Now, move out.’ ***

16:20 HOURS, AN EMPTY HOUSE Whennam slagged on his watch. ‘They’re late. We invite them to a nice bomb-infested village and they don’t even have the decency to show up on time.’ ‘Rude.’ ‘So, you got anything?’ ‘Other than a shitload of sand?’ ‘Hold on. Can you hear that?’ ‘Better, I can see it; chopper’s here.’ ‘About time.’ Clifford watched it come closer and closer. Suddenly, it dropped and veered quickly to the right, only just missing an enemy rocket. ‘Fuck.’ Clifford scanned, cocked, aimed, shot and killed. ‘What the hell?’ Whennam whirled around. ‘Shit, you just shot yourself your first towel-head.’

‘I’ve lost sight of it. What’s happening, Whennam?’ ‘The chopper’s hovering. The Blood Hounds are jumping out. Yep, they’re off. So the chopper is not sticking around.’ ‘I’m not surprised.’ ‘Corps out there with ‘em, showing ‘em where the bomb is. They’re setting up the robot.’ ‘We’re going to be here a while, aren’t we?’ ‘Yep.’ ***

17:20 HOURS ‘You still awake Clifford?’ ‘How could I fall asleep with all this sand to entertain me?’ ‘Funny. No dice with the robot. It’s coming back.’ ‘Seriously, could this take any longer?’ ‘You can’t rush perfection, Clifford.’ ‘Or the dismantling of a giant bomb, I suppose.’ ‘Quit whinging. You just got your first kill. Fuckin’ good shot too. Most of us didn’t think you had it in ya, to be honest.’ ‘Why not?’ ‘‘Cos of your scrawny arms and all that.’ ‘All what?’ ‘You know...’ Whennam sheepishly trailed off. ‘Anyway, you should be stoked.’ ‘I am. I’m just keen to get back to base and—’ ‘—Boast?’ ‘Of course,’ Clifford grinned. ‘Well, you won’t have long to wait now. They’re getting the suit out.’ ‘About time. You reckon I can duck out and take a quick piss?’ ‘Can’t you hold it?’ ‘No way. Too much adrenaline.’ ‘Well, can’t you just do it in the corner?’ ‘Nope, stage fright.’ ‘Fuck, alright, but ditch your pack and double-time it. I don’t want

to get shot in the arse.’ ***

17:40 HOURS ‘It looks like they’ve finally disarmed it. We should be moving out in a sec. Yep, Corp’s waving us over.’ Whennam slowly stood up and stretched. ‘Got your shit sorted?’ He turned and saw Clifford’s pack resting against the wall. ‘Clifford? You’re not takin’ a shit are ya?’ No answer. He went outside. Clifford’s water bottle was resting on its side; its contents had emptied onto the sand. They’d taken her.

DEEPLY IN DEBT Writer_ Deric Jem

A hand of ages, full of wrinkles on the fingers A hand of labour, with skin rough as bark. A hand of a mother, holding the hands of son and daughter, Leading them through the journey of growing up. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the hand of my mother. When I was young, How much I wished For youth to return to you. How much I wanted The colours return to your silver hair. How much I prayed For the traces of age to be lifted from you. But the feelingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no more, For I realise that you are pretty beyond mere appearances. Every mark of age, could not dampen your shine, Even starlight diminishes under your radiance. For there is a light in you that gives warmth and love to us, Like the sun giving warmth to the Earth. How can I repay your love that fills my heart?

CRINKLED BOOKMARKS, DRY PAGES, AND ANOTHER COFFEE PLEASE Writer_ Sarah Edwards

“Uni will consume your life. You won’t have time for any other plans! Don’t try and do too much!” If only I had listened to such expert advice! When I first heard these words, I had already adopted the common attitude of ‘Nah, that won’t happen to me! I’m invincible! Honestly, I’m naturally organised. I’ll keep on top of it!’. Not a problem, right? Wrong. WHAT A JOKE. I was so naive and daft and ridiculous! I had no idea what I was beginning and, to be honest, I miss that feeling. I miss the feeling I had when I first entered my university campus, attended my first lectures (I know, I ACTUALLY attended once upon a time), kept up with my readings, handed in my first assignments, and received my first results. Everything was new and fresh and exciting and A LIE. Uni lied to me! It swept me up and placed me under its soft, delicate wing. It deluded me with ideas that the next 5 years would be a breeze, that uni would be okay, that I COULD keep on top of everything, and that I COULD have a social life! Oh, how misled I was. How misled we ALL were! Deceived by the very thing we had just put all of our trust in. Gone are the days when I had free time. I’m no longer sure what this phrase even means! All I do now is read, read, and read! Coffee is my best friend and if one of my many battered and bruised bookmarks falls out of a beloved book, everything is over. Okay, so perhaps I am slightly over-exaggerating, but if you are a fellow university student, maybe you understand? It really does feel like the world is going to blow up in your face some days and some days it actually does! But, those days are stories for another time. Back to my initial thought…What if I HAD actually listened to the advice imposed

upon me? Well, I would not have done half of the things I have done so far and I probably wouldn’t have had half the fun! If I had entered uni fearful and conserved and worried about having no time, sleep, or social life, where would that have got me? Yep, that’s correct. Nowhere. Although, my uni readings would probably be up to date at least. Again, probably an over-exaggeration, but you get my point, right? If we’re sheltered from life’s experiences through fear, we miss out! One of the most significant things I have learnt so far (except that politics is awesome and literature rocks my world), is that being young should NEVER be taken for granted! Has anybody seen 17 Again? All of the Zac Efron fans are nodding vigorously, don’t worry! I’m undoubtedly with you! But, for those of you who don’t know, the film is really just about this guy who goes back in time to his 17-year-old self. The journey he takes is interesting. He initially thinks that he has been sent back to pursue his basketball career; to get another shot at his ultimate dream in life, but instead he finds himself becoming best friends with his son, standing up to his daughter’s boyfriend (who is a major bully), reconnecting with his wife (in a sort of bizarre way), and learning that family and the people we love are far more important than the many other things we worry about or constantly ponder over during our lives. In addition, and this is the point I am getting to, he realises how much he loved being young and at one stage, he exclaims how much boundless energy he has and how fit he is again! He has a real excitement for life that he didn’t have in his 40s and he regrets not having made more of it when he had the chance! That was an awfully long explanation of something really quite short and not extremely important, but do you see my

point? It’s just one of the many examples of how our youth should never be taken for granted. We should be making the most of this energy that we have for life and sun and sand and friends and ice-cream. It won’t last forever. That’s a fact. Not all of us can hit 40 and turn the clocks back to live properly the things we missed or took for granted. We have to do it now. Regardless of the numerous uni, or non-uni books we grasp so tightly, as if the stronger our grip the sooner they will be read. In terms of the fear factor I had when entering uni, I would like to say this: whenever I feel this sort of fear that I can see will hold me back and stop me from doing the things I know will be enjoyable and worth-while, I like to remind myself of a few classic quotes from my favourite films. My first example is Strictly Ballroom. It goes like this: “A life lived in fear is a life half lived.” Pretty simple right? And so very effective. Another one, this time from Anne of Green Gables: “It’s not what the world holds for you. It’s what you bring to it.” Again, so relevant. Are you following? And finally, something that has been on my mind a lot lately, usually when I find myself rushing everywhere, running late with no time for anything except the current task at hand. I’m not sure where I first heard it, but it often comes up like a friendly tap on the shoulder when I need it most. It’s something similar to this: “There is always time to stop and smell the roses.”

It really is very true. I have a suspicion that people often don’t think about this anymore, but it is incredibly important! It’s not literally saying if you don’t smell the roses now, before you know it there will be no roses left on earth! Or, smell as much as you can today in case you lose your sense of smell tomorrow! What it’s really saying is: if we don’t make the effort to live in the moment or stop and enjoy the stage of life we are in, whether young or old, before we know it, the moment will be lost. It will only be a memory. And if that moment wasn’t embraced to the most mammoth amount; if wasn’t held onto as tightly as your grip could muster, you will know that you missed something. You may not know it now, but in 20, 30, or 40 years time, you will. And I know what you’re thinking; that this lesson is so often taught to us: “Live in the moment, live each day like it’s your last!” Therefore, I am terribly sorry to drill it into you again, but it is vital and important and WISE. And lets face it, we all want a bit of Dumbledore or Gandalf or Yoda in our lives (whichever one resonates with you most), so embrace the wisdom! Don’t be afraid, don’t hold yourself back, don’t shelter yourself, and DON’T FEAR having no time! Read, drink coffee, and use the time you have wisely. There is ALWAYS time to smell the roses. So do it.

BEAUTY PERCEPTION Writer_ Jacinta Mazzarolo

Artist_ Belinda Zanello

‘She’s pretty—I’ll give you that. Well, maybe if she... No, no, she’s gorgeous, beautiful, in fact,’ I concede with slight pang of jealousy and a modest dose of denial that I’m sure many other girls also encounter when faced with Chloé’s new fragrance campaign. I study Raquel Zimmerman’s flawless image gracing the billboard across the road, hair impeccably coifed and body immaculately dressed by the designer, elegantly striding towards the photographer. It is not even nine o’clock and I’ve already concluded that my casual Zara business shirt and sass & bide blazer (a very expensive, two-paycheques kind of blazer) was not up to standards. It’s a perfume ad—I bet she even smells great. My appearance in the mirror was no longer as satisfying as it was an hour ago when I applied my makeup before work. However, maybe my initial denial wasn’t completely trivial. Raquel doesn’t get out of bed looking like that. She too may have had to scrounge around her bathroom this morning for her concealer because of the enormous blemish that appeared on her cheek during the night. In fact, the efforts that went into covering that imperfection to create the image that now hovers intimidatingly above everyone else would take a lot of time and money. Professional makeup artists, specific lighting and, of course, Photoshopping are just some of the elements that go into fashioning any media image, let alone an advertising campaign. As a result, beauty is being portrayed unrealistically in western society; spearheaded by the media. Our idea of beauty is becoming more skewed and unattainable than ever before. Dove’s infamous ‘evolution of beauty’ video is a prime example of this notion as it illustrates

how easily reality can be altered into blatant lies, simply wrapped up in a pretty dress. The images themselves are not distressing; it’s the fact that people cannot tell the difference. What is even more distressing is the exploitation of these vulnerabilities for profit as we value consumption over selfesteem. Consumerism is a major reason for displaying these unrealistic representations: advertisements portray the idea of perfection to convince us to purchase the product. We didn’t always think like this though, did we? Now, I admit that, like millions of other people around the world, I used to sit down once a week to lust over Serena van der Woodsen’s life in Gossip Girl. Her blonde hair, designer clothes and impressive body are completely

enviable and, minus her chequered past, spiteful best friend and morally ambiguous family, she is our role model ... yet she doesn’t exist. Serena was also the poster girl for beauty when I confronted a class of teenagers. The girls wanted to be her and the boys wanted to date her. This declaration was somewhat predictable taking into account our societal compulsion with perfection and aversion to growing old. However, it wasn’t until I stepped into my mother’s classroom of grade ones that I discovered this skewed perception of beauty was not an innate part of our psyche. After being attacked by colourful fish hanging from the ceiling by staples and border tape, I posed the same question to the six-year-olds. Their responses were unaffected and innocent. Many associated beauty with natural wonders such as waterfalls or rainbows (‘the weld is bootfool’), others drew their friends (‘I thingk Nick is Baeutiful’). Some even drew themselves (‘I am spesol’) and possibly my favourite response, a picture of three hearts with the caption ‘My hut is luwee’. The difference between these answers and an adult or teenager’s? Mainstream media was not the standard to which they were comparing themselves. Theirs were honest and pure points-of-view. However, the distorted media influences did begin to rear their heads as some of the girls remarked that long, blonde hair and blue eyes were “the only thing that was beautiful” because that’s what Disney’s movie princess Rapunzel looks like in Tangled. Of course there is no denying that women have always sought out beauty in a bid to look and feel good. Before

modern civilisation, Native American women used to apply the juice of red berries to their lips to attract possible partners. Yet somewhere in between a couple of wars, a really big sinking ship and a ‘large step for mankind’, we began to brazenly harm ourselves in the name of beauty. We inject plastic, starve, pull out hair and literally cook ourselves in an attempt to achieve a perfection we don’t even know exists. We look to the pixelated screens of our computers, televisions and iPhones for guidance before unleashing these practices—which some cultures consider torture—upon ourselves, instead of trusting our own best friends or sisters. Now, without this turning into another verse of Christina Aguilera’s Beautiful, we must really think about why we waste billions of dollars on artificiality in the name of insecurity. We clearly were not born with this instinct, nor were we programmed to subconsciously skew our priorities. Is it for integrity, satisfaction, jealousy, greed or conformity that we buy into the media’s idea of beauty? The truth is I don’t even know the answer to this question, as I am definitely not constantly content and confident in my appearance. I mean, just this morning when faced with the mirror, the screams were probably audible to the entire street. Still, despite being enamoured by the Chloé ad across the street, I resist the temptation to run to the nearest bathroom and reapply my concealer. Perfection doesn’t exist— not in reality at least. Life is much more interesting without it anyway; and you know what, if I squint my eyes for long enough, I can just make out Raquel’s blemish too.

HELLO, HELLO: A YARN WITH THE CAT EMPIRE Writer_ Trish O’Loughlin

Image_ Provided

A lot has changed over the past 10 years: prescription glasses have become cool, mobile phones are one app away from dispensing gold nuggets and shooting out fairies, and Miley Cyrus has taken all her clothes off to go play on a construction site (or something like that). But for Melbournebased jazz-and-ska band The Cat Empire, the last decade has meant six internationallyacclaimed albums, almost 1,000 live performances, and a shower of shiny platinum-plated accolades. Midway through their biggest tour to date, the band has barely smelt the eucalyptus trees before entering performance mode again Down Under, beginning right here in little ol’ Adelaide. I sat down with trumpeter and vocalist Harry James Angus, to chat about the band’s resurrection of their genremashing, percussion-bashing, keyboardthrashing style. “We’ve kind of come full circle,” Harry explains when I ask him about the The Cat Empire’s newest album, Steal the Light. “We’ve come back to that energy that was in the first two records where I think it was more about just being a party band and not taking ourselves too seriously and basically just writing music for people to dance to.” And it seems this is what the people want to hear: The Cat Empire’s sixth album has soared to international success as the band pounces from North America to South America, Montreal to London, Amsterdam to Barcelona, in a seam-busting world tour. But while Steal the Light reflects their earlier jazz-infused beats, Harry says their sound has definitely matured. “It’s not the same as it was 10 years ago, but something is the same that went missing for a little while. I think it’s something to do with not wanting to be Leonard Cohen,” Harry muses

as he settles into his chair in the cosy dressing room at Thebarton Theatre. “It doesn’t matter if it’s not the most poetic or the most mindblowing song in the world, it’s just gotta have a good beat and have its heart in the right place.” In producing Steal the Light, The Cat Empire gained a newfound sense of liberation: the band cut the strings with its record label. While Harry calls the move to independent territory a “practical decision”, he says it also “feels completely different”.

themselves, night after night after night. “Sometimes if you drive home from work and you get home and realise that you can’t remember a single moment of your drive home, you haven’t had a single conscious thought, you’ve just been on autopilot the whole time,” Harry tells me, gesturing fervently. “I think people get like that on stage too—a lot of bands—and the reason we’re known for having a good live show is because we never went there. We’ve always kept the improv.

“Even though it’s just a little change, there’s something symbolic about it, and it’s resonated so much with our fans.”

“Sometimes I can’t even remember what song we’re doing!” he continues, laughing. “And it’s like, ‘How are we going to finish this song? How are we going to get back to the arrangement?’ That’s the fun bit… It’s easy to keep the energy up when you don’t know what’s going to happen and when there’s a surprise waiting for you every night.”

One thing that hasn’t changed so much for these cool Cats is their flair for improvisation— an element that really breathes life into the band’s performances.

With this kind of approach towards performing, it’s no wonder throngs of fans lose themselves in the band’s infectious, impulse-driven vibes.

“When we started, that was all we did because we hadn’t written any songs yet,” Harry enthuses. “It wasn’t like people came to the show and wanted to hear a certain song off a certain album that they really liked; it was just like people came to party, so we just played and they danced and it was wild.

“I think people come to our show and they see those moments in the set where we’re all looking at each other and laughing and we’re like, ‘What’s going on? Where is this going to end up?’ And it’s a really exciting feeling; people love to see that communication between musicians.

“The challenge really has been to keep that initial flavour—that flavour of spontaneity and unexpectedness.”

“It’s nice just to react rather than to push it,” he says, smiling.

“It’s something to do with just being in charge of your own shit, and it makes you feel somehow more creatively solid; like you’re backing yourself, you’re backing your own ideas.

When you’re performing the same show five nights a week in 70 different cities across the globe, that challenge inevitably becomes pretty tough. But somehow, this eclectic collection of musicians still manages to surprise not only their audience, but

After this the conversation winds up—but not before one last vital question. “Cats or dogs?” He laughs: “For me personally? Definitely dogs.”

Film reviews made possible by:

REVIEWS Amidst a community of blue-collar workers, Jasmine’s designer clothes and Chanel products feel comically out-of place, establishing her delusions towards her current situation. The fish-out-of-water scenario is a well-worn comedy device, but here it is used quite jarringly, and is more cringe-inducing than comical. Jasmine’s destructive character offers somewhat of an oasis in a film of middling subplots and salt-of-the-earth caricatures. This is perhaps a deliberate ploy by Allen, allowing us to be at once repulsed by and understanding of Jasmine’s condescending nature towards these people. The film jumps between chronologies, juxtaposing the character of Jasmine through two timelines. The first timeline addresses her marriage to Hal, and how their marriage and his business dealings would eventually subside. The second timeline is set in the present, following the fallout of the marriage and the mental, financial and social issues that Jasmine is facing. The non-linear device is interesting, and effectively interweaves the timelines towards an appropriate endpoint.

FILM: Blue Jasmine (M) 3.5/5 Blue Jasmine, the late-period offering from the prolific Woody Allen (43 films in 43 years) is a character study of Jasmine (Cate Blanchett), a New York socialite whose comfortable lifestyle is upended when her husband Hal (Alec Baldwin) divorces her and is later jailed for illegal business activities. Financially stripped and mentally unstable, Jasmine is forced to move in with her sister, Ginger (Sally Hawkin) who lives in a low-end San Francisco apartment with her two sons.

Cate Blanchett devours the character of Jasmine, embodying everything repugnant and alluring about her. She brings impressive subtlety to a role that could’ve easily fallen into melodrama. The supporting actors are all capable in their roles, but they can’t help but be minimized by Blanchett’s towering performance. Despite its shortcomings, Blue Jasmine is a darkly funny film that maintains a strong focus on its fascinating central character. Cate Blanchett effortlessly transcends her surroundings, leaving the arguably modest ambitions of Allen’s screenplay for something much more complex and deeply felt. by Sebastian Moore

REVIEWS FILM: The Mortal Instruments (M) 2.5/5 For those who haven’t read the books, The Mortal Instruments is a six-part young-adult series written by Cassandra Clare that focuses on the lives of “Shadowhunters” who are halfhuman, half-angel. There are also some vampires, warlocks and werewolves—but no zombies because “they don’t exist”. The heroine of the series, Clary (Lily Collins) seems like your normal New York teenager until one night, while at a club with her best friend Simon (Robert Sheehan), she’s suddenly able to see things invisible to “mundane” or human eyes. Fans of the series can be happy that this isn’t a Twilight-like remake, but like with any film adaptation of a book, there’s always going to be differences. Visually, the film delivers a mythological feeling with an almost Harry Potter-like vibe, particularly at the Institute: a refuge for Shadowhunters. Director Harold Zwart delivers a fast-paced and well executed opening half-hour where Clary discovers her new supernatural talents as a Shadowhunter. The acting, however, is not so capably executed thanks to the poorly-written screenplay that delivers plenty of awkward one-liners, mostly to Jace (Jamie Campbell Bower) a tall, blond Shadowhunter who saves Clary’s life. Robert Sheehan (Misfits) as Clary’s nerdy friend is the highlight of the young cast and brings the character well and truly out of the pages. Prepare yourself for a long but reasonably entertaining film. Be warned, though: there’s an extremely uncomfortable plot-twist. by Isabella Pittaway

FILM: Red 2 (M) 2.5/5 Bruce Willis & Co are back with guns blazing and a long-winded plot in Red 2. The 2010 debut adventure Red introduced us to the Retired and Extremely Dangerous crew of Willis, John Malkovich and Helen Mirren. It was a funny and entertaining film. Second-time around, however, things are not so funny. Instead we have forced humour, a plot-hole-filled script and many unnecessary action sequences. Willis reprises his role as team leader Frank Moses who heads across the world to retrieve a nuclear weapon, all the while trying to keep his doeeyed girlfriend (Mary-Louis Parker) safe. Malkovich nails just the right amount of chaotic goofiness as Frank’s sidekick, while Mirren as an MI6 assassin is enjoyable to watch—and even Anthony Hopkins joins the fun as a nutty scientist. But it’s not the veteran star-studded line-up that makes Red 2 seem like an unnecessary sequel; really that’s the only thing going for it. Director Dean Parisot offers nothing new in this follow-up, displaying a lack of substance and heart. What was so amusing in the first film grew old fast; it might be worth retiring the series. by Isabella Pittaway

BOOK: Dare Me (Megan Abbott) There are three off-putting things about Dare Me: 1) it’s written by an Abbott, though unrelated to His Holiness the PM 2) it’s about 16-year-old cheerleaders, and 3) the cover looks like Fifty Shades’ saucy younger sister. Please, brace yourself and soldier past these bits: the story is a sinister, intellectual thriller in the vein of Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl. Pinned down by a discussion of trust and power, the book follows a high school cheer squad as they discover the manipulative quality of their sexuality and a bloodthirsty sense of entitled vengeance. Main character Adelaide (perhaps unappealing thing #4) must navigate the deadly no-mans-land between her nasty best friend Beth and the new cheer Coach, whose glamorous forbidden love and grown-up attention compete with Beth’s pettiness and cruelty. When one of the characters dies, Addy finds herself abandoned by both players, who deceive and use her for their own ends. The mystery goes beyond the death and focuses instead on Adelaide’s attempt to claw her way through the tangled ‘truths’ being offered by everyone around her. Against this, the team is still fighting their way to become a tighter, harder crew with their eyes set on the following year’s regional championships. The brutality and violence of a death is outshone by the gruesome injuries that befall

members of the team—often caused by intimidation and negligence at the hands of Beth and Coach. A clever novel with a mature teen voice, Dare Me looks closely at motive, betrayal and friendship. It’s an updated Bring It On with a dark little heart and murderous glint in its eye. by Ilona Wallace

BOOK: The Execution of Noa P. Singleton (Elizabeth L. Silver) One of the most intriguing and underrated novels of 2013, Silver’s debut opens on death row. Convicted of murder and sentenced to die, Noa P. Singleton is six months away from her end when a surprise champion appears: Maria, the mother of her victim. Noa reluctantly unravels the story, flitting between memories of her childhood, to interactions with her criminal father in her teens and before the murder, and finally to her time on death row, working with Maria and her legal secretary to stay the execution. Scattered through the book are letters from Maria to her deceased daughter, which also reveal startling layers to the story. As Noa leads us towards the climax— the crime she has (or has not) committed—serious questions about guilt and consequence emerge. With Noa, we are forced to think hard about redemption and ultimate sacrifices. Noa P. Singleton (and that P. is significant) is an unfortunate character, prickly and recalcitrant, but she will break your heart. by Ilona Wallace

NEWS

UNIVERSITY

WE CAME, UNILIFE REFERENDUM WE SAW, WE #UNIJAMMED Writer_ Madeleine Dunne

Should UniLife change its name to University We were all bombarded with endless of Southpropaganda Australia Student Association unijam – but what actually Incorporated amend the was constitution was it? What and worked? What a total to reflectFirst this?year student Madeleine Dunne flop? investigates the positives and negatives of As a student-run organisation, we are the recent university initiative. required to have our members approve any changes to the constitution. We are On the bright side: seeking your approval to change our name •Ideas were running wild throughout to the University of South Australia Student Association. the jam, with numerous “why on earth

didn’t we think of this before” suggestions THE CASE AGAINST:  emerging minute by minute. A shuttle bus between campuses, full video recording The current constitution should not be of all lectures, a UniSA iPhone app and a changed and the name UniLife should remain more powerful orientation week were all for the UniSA student association. UniLife is an amongst hoards relatively simple ideasfor established brandof that has been operating identified by the unijam easily the past seven years. The board currentas logo is codoable theUniSA near with future. students brandedinwith theStaff, by-line ‘Student and alumni could their many Association’ clearly easily labels voice the organisation visions for the university as threads or is as the UniSA Student Association. UniLife comments, and the board as actually known by current andunijam past students an took the time toby read through the posts organisation run students, for all students. to see what they can do for the institution If this is approved will be in thechange near future. I mean,there seriously—what a significant cost involved to launch this better place than unijam to rally for a rebranding that is not necessary. The current bar at Magill campus, or to experiment branding is clear for students, UniSA staff with pop-up cafés, or suggest publicly and external parties. Historically, the name wearable university apparel? Suggestions ‘UniLife’ was adopted to separate itself from were constantly flowing and, essentially, the university, in order to be characterised ideas were being heard. It was a massive as an independent and distinct organisation. step in the development of UniSA as a This separate identity ensured that it was not leading worldwide institution. seen as a department of the university and was an independent, autonomous enterprise.

•Twitter went totally crazy #unijamand Advice from UniLife was seenwith as impartial posts, with users incessantly tweeting student-focused. about the forum into the early hours of The name UniLife best encompasses the the morning. #unijam was a trending missionfor ofmuch the organisation to provide topic of the 36 hours it wasstudents live, a life head at university. with mojos such as Vice Chancellor David Lloyd even running the university’s Changing the name of UniLife to the University Twitter account for a good deal of the of South Australia Student Association may jam. Personalising such a massive media reduce the effectiveness of the organisation platform with posts by the VC made to be seen as an independent organisation students far more inclined to hop on to outside of UniSA.

THE CASE FOR: were receiving a sort of #unijam, as they esteemed attention that so often lacks in has lost its way in regards to and its focus theUniLife university lifestyle between staff on representing UniSA students. Put simply, the students. Twitter was an essential medium in university doesn’t trust the brand, the students promoting #unijam, providing contributors don’t know the brand and the staff don’t with yet another platform to share and understand the brand. The term ‘UniLife’ is discuss innovative, achievable ideas. a common term used by universities around the country and as such has caused and will •A number of big names took part in continue to cause legal issues around our unijam, with personalities such as Premier ‘trademark’ of the name, including a current Jaylegal Weatherill, senator Nick Xenophon, battle with Curtin University.

NASA Administrator Major General Charles Bolden, formerUniLife PM Bob Hawke and mediaa The current Board has established plan to refocus on the important part personality Amanda Blairmost all contributing ofopinions the organisation: students. To support the their and array of industry revitalisation of this student-run it knowledge to the jam. For the 36enterprise, short hours makes sense to rebrand of unijam, students, alumnithe organisation and staff alike as the University Student Association. could speakof toSouth theseAustralia widely admired public figures as equals and use their well-informed There are a number of key benefits in this comments as further inspiration for even rebrand: more ideas to help UniSA move onwards and upwards. •It creates a statement that we are re focusing on students as our core reason for being

•The day before unijam took off, each •It recognizes the past whilst looking to the campus future was treated with an array of indulgences to incite us to hop on the •It marks the start of a new beginning unijam bandwagon. Pizza, popcorn, scones, •It ismassages, a direct statement of who are and why drinks, and even free we pens and we exist were being given out in an wristbands attempt to make sure as many people as HOW IT WORKS possible knew that unijam was happening. DidVoting it workwill in be promoting the jam? not a online. Students willI’m receive entirely that it did. But you’ll never link toconvinced vote via their university email address. catch me listing free pizza a negative. Students who vote will goas into a draw to win an iPad mini.

•The format of unijam was sophisticated voting:  butDates at thefor same time easy to use, meaning that no participant was held back from Open 9am Friday 11 October contributing to the forum because of their lack of technological The more Close 5pm Friday 18capabilities. October senior members of the university community Link to the current constitution: http://unione. managed surprisingly well at adequately unilife.edu.au/Common/Filer.ashx?FID=366 operating the modern online forum—not so inept at social media now, Baby Boomers? Link to proposed constitution: https://unione. The site offered an array of formats for users unilife.edu.au/Common/Filer.ashx?FID=427

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FRIENDSHIP AND FLORA: A WINNING COMBINATION UniLife has won the Council of International Students Australia (CISA) Best Student Association Community Engagement Award in recognition of the 2012 Kangaroo Island Tree Planting Festival.

through friendships, the university community through community partnerships and the local and environmental community through the revegetation work. These qualities helped secure the CISA nomination and win.

At the festival in late June last year, 100 students planted 24,478 native plants that are endangered on the island to help reestablish more than eight hectares of native flora.

“CISA sought submissions from student associations across the country for community engagement projects that linked students with the broader community,” Thomas stated.

UniLife President Arun Thomas said he was delighted to win the award, which was presented at the CISA National Education Conference in Sydney in July. “The Kangaroo Island Tree Planting Festival has shown that bringing together a large number of people in an organised way really can make a significant difference and produce positive, landscape-scale environmental change,” he said.

“This award recognises not only the environmental impact of this festival, but also the bonds students build with each other as well the wider community.” The tree-planting festival went ahead this year as well, so keep an eye out for its return in 2014. For more information about CISA, visit cisa.edu.au

Students from all disciplines are invited to take part in the festival. The friendships forged over the weekend are compounded by the revegetation activities, plus sightseeing. International and domestic students alike jumped at the chance to get involved, with tickets to the event selling out within a week. UniLife and UniSA subsidise tickets so that all students have the chance to attend, regardless of economic standing. Community involvement is a strong emphasis of the festival, with the students able to engage with groups like Conservation Volunteers Australia, Nature Foundation SA, the Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources and the Kangaroo Island Natural Resource Management board over the course of the weekend. The experience is a fantastic one for personal and professional growth, with a broader focus than other faculty-specific activities. The Kangaroo Island Tree Planting Festival strengthens the student community

UniLfe President Arun Thomas with the award

CROSSING THE HORIZON: CHECKING OUT THE CHANGES Writer_ Laura Clark

With the release of UniSA’s new strategic plan, Crossing the Horizon, we have some idea of what changes to expect at uni over the next five years. However, like most documents that explain a plan, it’s hard to absorb. So, here is a breakdown of the goals the university is aiming to achieve and what they actually mean. The key themes within this document are an increased emphasis on infrastructure, creating industry-ready graduates, and becoming a global university. Regardless of whether this program is successful, there are a lot of ideas: some building on existing aspects of the university, while others creating entirely new priorities. The first and second sections of the booklet are largely concerned with what experience the university will offer to students in the future. This includes: •increased opportunities for internships •participation in research grant programs •an expert advisory board, and •increased emphasis on Masters-level qualifications, to improve our chances of actually getting jobs after graduating. To improve the experience of being at the university, they have planned further connections with other institutions, a buddy system between students and staff members, UniSA merchandise (presumably akin to the American model), flexible curriculums, a blend of face-to-face and online learning, and redeveloping orientation week to have a more wholeof-university approach. The introduction of “core capabilities” is an extension of the idea of graduate qualities and transferable skills. A major new concept in this plan is that of UniSA Research Themes: the idea

being that research within the key disciplines at UniSA will focus on specific challenges, creating a cohesive approach to research within the University. Sections three and seven are concerned with staffing and administration problems. They plan to place greater emphasis on hiring staff who are focused on teaching and are effective communicators. In the next five years there should be 100 new staff members connected to UniSA Research Themes and the key disciplines. To further focus on industry relevance, they will introduce a program of industry professionals as practitioners-in-residence. Administration will be moved wholly online and the number of committees will be reduced. The fourth section focuses on new infrastructure plans: creating a UniSA Business School at City West; student accommodation in the CBD, Magill and Mawson Lakes; a sports and cultural complex including a ‘Great Hall’ (is JK going to take issue with this?); and improved laboratories for education students at Magill and for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). As part of a general outreach program they will also contribute to the South Australian Health Precinct with a Centre for Cancer Biology, an inter-professional community clinic, and will promote science and research with the ScICEd Studio. The Hawke Research Institute will also be fully accommodated in the Hawke Building. The other key theme within the document is the university’s desire to reach out to both the local and global community. On the local front the plan is a social entrepreneurship hub, university-wide volunteering programs, three new

regional learning hubs (unspecified locations), implementation of the recommendations of the 2012 Disability Action Plan, appointinment of a Director of Equity Services, and a mixture of existing and new mentoring strategies. On the global front there are plans for philanthropic funding, increased offshore educational collaborations, further links with China, international joint-research centres, reconnection with global alumni, postgraduate programs that meet the needs of international professionals and industry, and an increase in international

students to 30% of the student population. As you can see, this is a document full of ideas, plans and promises. However, time will tell whether everything here will be successfully implemented, and what these changes will actually mean for UniSA. Crossing the Horizon can be viewed online here: www.unisa.edu.au/PageFiles/64561/ Strategic-Plan.pdf

BUILDING TOMORROW FROM YESTERDAY Writer_ Hugh Schuitemaker

for her research into the adaptive re-use of heritage sites across the city. Currently in the final year of her second degree, Madeleine says her project is about making better use of already existing structures in Adelaide. “People may not think of it this way, but a vacant building is going to waste,” says Madeleine.

The idea of sustainability is growing in Adelaide with the work of a young UniSA student recognized for offering a possible solution to issues surrounding overcrowding and resource consumption. Bachelor of Interior Architecture (Honours) student Madeleine Hughes was recently awarded the Zero Waste SA Pam Keating Memorial Scholarship

“I’m looking at the ways in which it’s better to reuse an old building rather than demolish it… and if this can be applied to the many heritage sites across Adelaide.” Madeleine’s first inspirations for this research came early on in her degree, in an architecture course taught by UniSA Professor of Sustainable Design, Steffen Lehmann. “We were given an assignment to redesign a multi-story car park for sustainability and

reuse,” says Madeleine. “I was interested in those concepts straight away. “I believe there are three aspects to sustainability… environmental, economic and social,” says Madeleine. “All of these must be in effect to have a truly sustainable city.” From there Madeleine continued to expand those ideas, basing her thesis around the possibility of applying the concept of adaptive reuse to the city of Adelaide. “Adelaide has a high potential to be a sustainable city, we’ve had steps taken by local councils and state government towards this,” says Madeleine. “However, we need to change the behaviors and consumption levels of the construction industry. “These heritage sites can be adapted into housing, social centers for the community… there are so many possibilities.”

The scholarship, valued at $10,000, has helped immeasurably in being able to continue with the project. “This is an important issue at the moment and it’s hard to sum up in a 10,000 word thesis. “I’ve been able to take time off work to focus solely on my research, having to work at the same time would have made it really difficult,” says Madeleine “Most importantly it’s given me the encouragement and confidence to continue on with the research.” Madeleine is now contemplating undertaking a PhD next year, while continuing to expand her ideas on sustainability and adaptive reuse. “I think it’s a great opportunity to create an environmentally and socially rich city which benefits everyone. “If a building is sitting vacant, what can we do to stop it going to waste?”

While working on her thesis over the last year, Madeleine became aware of the Zero Waste SA Pam Keating Memorial Scholarship, which recognizes outstanding research in environmental conservation and waste management. “The more I looked into the scholarship, the more I thought that this is exactly what I was doing with my research,” says Madeleine. “I think that it fits perfectly with what Zero Waste SA aims to do as I’m looking to reduce waste on a large scale.”

Cross-Cultures Exhibition University is a space where people come together, intent on creating a better future for themselves through education, connections, developing skills and building networks. The space is also a reflection of the society we live in, and the communities that we are a part of. The Cross-Cultures Exhibition seeks to bring together the very rich and diverse cultural landscapes we are immersed in at the University of South Australia, to celebrate our differences and honour the abundance of world views and cultural voices around us. Submissions of artwork were accepted from students until Tuesday 1 October. Exhibition launch: Tuesday 15 October  Exhibition dates: Wednesday 16 October - Friday 1 November  Location: West Bar, UniSA City West Campus For further information please contact: André Lawrence (Curator West Bar Student Gallery) andre. lawrence@unisa.edu.au

Rye Magazine Got fiction? We’ve got bread*. We’ll give you bread* for short stories, poems and book chapters. We even accept old assignments! What were you going to do with those, anyway? Who are we? We are greedy ducks after your fictitious crumbs. That is to say: a desperate clutch of kids from Advanced Editing & Publishing who are building an online fiction magazine as our final major project. We will edit your work and publish it online, alongside delicious pieces from fellow students. Email submissions to editor.ryemag@gmail.com by October 14 to be included. *while stock lasts

UNILIFE EDITORIAL TEAM 2014 APPLICATIONS Exciting changes are on the way for UniLife (or The University of South Australia Student Association?), headed by the new General Manager, Daniel Randell. Daniel will introduce himself properly next year, once things have really started rolling. One more thing to change: us! Every year, the magazine is run by a new pod of students. Now is your chance to get down and dirty with the student population, while taking control of a better and brighter magazine. This is our last issue as the 2013 mag squad, sad face. We shook things up a little this year, with the chunky mag, reviews, competitions and extra art. We had big ideas and huge support from the UniLife Reps, particularly Kim Chau and Timmy Pham, the International Student Representatives, and the most dedicated President imaginable: Arun Thomas. But next year, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all up to you! Apply Email Ilona (walir001@mymail.unisa.edu.au) with a sample of your writing/design work, why you think you should be on the team, and some suggestions for what you would like to achieve in 2014.

Positions (currently): Head Editor (Ilona Wallace: walir001@mymail. unisa.edu.au) Web Editor (Matteo Gagliardi: gagmy002@ mymail.unisa.edu.au) Graphic Designer (Josh Evans: evajw002@ mymail.unisa.edu.au) Conditions: You must be enrolled as a student for the whole of 2014 You cannot have held an editorial position before with UniLife Magazine You must be able to balance the magazine with study and other commitments You must have exemplary writing/editing/ design skills You DO NOT have to be a journalism/design student to apply. Applications from all programs & campuses will be considered. Good Luck! XOXO ULM

Applications close Friday November 1. After that? We will hold interviews in November, and hand the reigns over to you while we work on the annual report. Your first edition is due out in February 2014, and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll never believe how quickly that creeps up on you.