The Habit Issue
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By Brooklyn Pilarski
This personality disorder is not as damaging or as highly impacting on people’s lives as it does not carry
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is an important issue in today’s society as more people than you would expect suffer with this debilitating mental illness and a lot of people don’t realise the impact it has on someone’s life. A lot of this stems from ignorance and not understanding or recognising when someone is affected by this disorder. This is due to confusion between OCD and OCPD, people being flippant about OCD and misconceptions portrayed in the media.
the added weight of anxiousness, although it can affect the social interactions of people with OCPD as some people find it strange to constantly have a clean house. People with OCPD take these symptoms as normal and are happy with the way they are living and see no problem with their behaviour. Some other misconceptions are that if you collect things you have OCD but this is a healthy and enjoyable habit and does not affect the collectors negatively. Being “obsessed” with something does not mean you have OCD, this changes when it creates a negative impact on your life and enjoyment
There are quite a few misconceptions about
and becomes something that needs to be looked into
Obsessive Compulsive disorder. This leads to a lot of
with more detail.
people treating OCD lightly and some people even saying they have OCD when they really just have a
The way people are so flippant about OCD leads to it
tendency to be neat, interested in something or stick
not being taken as seriously as it should be as it has a
to a regiment every day. These qualities are much
devastating effect on the lives of many.
closer to Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder.
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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or OCD is a highly
This is where the behaviour becomes destructive and
degenerating disorder that affects 2-3% of Australia’s
hard for the people to cope with. It is also important
population. It is a mental illness that involves
to state that many people with OCD can have other
obsessions that lead to compulsions created or
mental illness such as depression or anxiety due to
fuelled by worry, doubts and stress. People with OCD
OCD or caused by OCD.
carry out repetitive and ritualistic behaviours until they feel “just right” to reduce the anxiety that they
A lot of times in the media OCD is portrayed as OCPD
are feeling, which may be caused by anything from
and I believe this is where the misconception stems
their obsessive and intrusive thoughts to sensory
from. With media it is clear to see that in many TV
stimulants, such as an image or sounds.
shows and movies someone with OCD is consistently cleaning or afraid of germs but it doesn’t show the mental distress, it is mainly used as a humour point rather than a relatable character flaw or to make the character seem more human.
These rituals can include anything from checking the
It is hard to find shows or movies that portray it
oven or door handle to mentally counting or tracing
accurately without over emphasis or dramatization.
things. Sometimes it is simple to see that OCD is
A large reason that it isn’t easy to portray is that it’s
affecting someone’s life but other times it may be
a “mental illness” meaning the distress takes place
a completely invisible illness which makes it more
within someone’s head. Although lately it has been
distressing. It’s important to note that these rituals
better with some
only relieve the distress temporarily, leading to the person repeating the ritual over and over until they see it as perfect.
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TV shows such as Girls which is created by and
and helped to create a better understanding
starring Lena Dunham, who has OCD and tries
about how it affects someone and how being
to display it in an accurate way. This leads to
so flippant and overlooking the distress it
a better understanding and awareness of what
causes is irresponsible.
OCD is and how it affects someone. Another misconception stems from the media portraying murderers and criminals as having obsessive or compulsive behaviours. This leads to the use of some villains having OCD and is not helpful in portraying OCD in a healthy and accurate way as many people may associate OCD with being dangerous. Even though this is a terrible disorder there is help available and the disorder is manageable from regular physiological treatments or medication or a combination of both.
I hope I have cleared up some of the misconceptions you may have had about OCD
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Silje Buxton Soldal ˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙˙ When I was a child, my birthmarks fascinated me. I used to count them, watch how they changed colour when I tanned, how they faded in the winter when my limbs weren’t exposed. I used to endlessly wonder why I had them and what caused them. To me, as a young child, I felt as though they were little badges that I could wear with pride. I used to nag my parents every so often as to why I had these funny brown marks on my legs and arms. My mums’ best explanation was to tell me that it was just dirt on my skin, and that I should be washing myself better. Obviously I knew this wasn’t the case, and in the age of Google, an answer was not long off. I found out that in most cases, the cause of a birthmark is unknown. They are not caused by mothers doing something wrong during pregnancy. They happen by chance and that the occurrence of birthmarks may be inherited. Some marks may be similar to marks on other family members, but most are not. Red birthmarks are caused by an overgrowth of blood vessels, blue or brown birthmarks are caused by pigmented cells. But even with the science behind them explained, I loved how my birthmarks created a point of difference
between my sisters legs and my own, which was a sense of odd superiority that I treasured having. Though we tend to do this as a race, for human beings have this habit of trying to explain things they don’t know with stories that evade the truth and allow a mystery to be somewhat explained. We know that this is just a part of human nature. It is how Vikings explained thunder, by creating Thor, and how the aborigines came to explain the changings of the seasons in their dreamtime stories. And how, funnily enough, birthmarks were explained and incorporated into cultures across the globe. For centuries, long before internet and medicine books, an explanation needed to be made as to illuminate why some peoples skin was a little different. While there obviously can be no scientific evidence that a birthmark can affect anything about the kind of person you are, your level of intelligence, or whether or not you’re some kind of demon spawn, reading these folklores gave me a wildly different view on the habit of folklores, casting a kind of romantic haze over my previously ordinary view towards birthmarks. Reincarnation was believed to be the solution to a person’s birthmark in different parts of Asia and some of the Americas. Apparently a person’s birthmark directly related to how they died in a past life, and
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as to if it was a violent death or not. For example, if a person had a birthmark on their forehead, the explanation as to why would have been that they had probably died from some head related injury in their past life.
birthmarks were a more accurate giveaway of a woman’s association with the devil. Moles found in discreet places, like the inner eyelids or underarms, were certain to prove that a gal had been using her broom for more than just sweeping her cottage.
The Ancient Chinese believed that the very placement of a birthmark holds a specific meaning or personality trait, especially if on the face. For example, moles under the eyebrow or on the forehead represent intelligence, leadership, and creativity, while those by or on the nose are said to be negative, suggesting gambling and overzealous flirting. If the birthmark faded over time, this was even thought to alter your destiny.
To me, my birthmarks still hold a level of romance to them. Not because they merit any particular value to me as a person, but more that they still have a sense of mystique held over them. Even the names awarded to these human quirks have a somewhat nostalgic haze over them, like Port Wine Marks, Strawberry Marks, Stork Bite, Salmon Kisses, Coffee Stains. Its as if the names themselves are an attempt at humans trying to sentimentalise humans differences. Leaving the air around these birthmarks with a sort of medieval intrigue. I feel that a sense of mystery still falls over these marked people, and,wdepending on the side of their body that the birthmark falls upon, unlimited good fortune.
Interestingly, in Spanish, Italian and Arabic folklore the word for birthmark in all three languages, voglie, antojos, and wiham, translates to “wishes,� as they believed a birthmark represented an unsatisfied wishes of a mother during pregnancy. For example, if a mother experienced a craving for strawberries that she did not fulfill, her baby would be born with a strawberry mark. Other assumptions include that the mother was either startled during pregnancy, resulting in a birthmark or that she had looked at a crescent moon, ate red foods, or that strong emotions felt by the pregnant woman caused the imprinting of a mark. But with birthmarks appearing on 80% of the population, these claims are obviously not the accepted cause within the medical world today. Similarly I find myself glad not to be living during 17th century witch-hunts. England believed that
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Luke O’Donnell
Across the world today the phrase “why don’t you go
an almost military boot camp style. As a result of this
outside” can be heard in many a suburban house-
rigorous practice he developed a playing style that
hold. Most commonly spoken by parents in lament
sits outside the sound of western music but manages
to their child’s video game playing habit. However
to simultaneously stay within its limits.
other homes will be filled with the sound of children bashing, plucking or hammering away, exploring the
Parents decision to encourage children pursue music
wonders of music.
over “wasting time” playing video games may be misguided as while the music industry racked in 15
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Music has historically been one of the cornerstones
billion dollars in 2013 (a figure less than the previous
of a society’s culture since its inception, ranging from
year) compared to the video game industry, which in
strictly structured orchestral compositions to today’s
2013 made over 93 billion dollars is like a barbecue
drug enhanced improvisational performance pieces.
out the back of someone’s house compared to a cor-
The element that remains constant between each
porate chain of restaurants.
style however is that with each new generation of mu-
With the drastically greater profit margins comes a
sicians the technical ability of the world’s best builds
drastically greater personal count, with such a diverse
upon the previous generations work. In a society
requirement of talent almost any type of character
where we idolise those who can be claim to be the
from the creative to the hard core mathematician can
world’s best at something, it makes the bar an ever
find a job that fits their skillset.
higher jump for the younger generation.
Some video games can also be classified as perfor-
Steve Vai a guitarist famous for his technical play style
mance art, in our society it is perfectly acceptable
is known to have practiced during his younger years
to go to the theatre to so a play, however playing
for over 10 hours a day, deconstructing his day into
a video game which was intended to be an artistic
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experience is not deemed normal by society, for a
on their videos, something deemed a waste of time
creative looking to get into that field, video games
can now make a good living off of it.
can also be a learning tool. If someone learns best by watching, they can play video games to learn about
It is rumoured YouTube’s most famous person doing
different artistic styles and how game mechanics fit
this earns upwards of a million dollars a year, with
together. Oftentimes these game mechanics mirror
many other not as popular individuals earning over
real life situations or phenomenon, thus video games
one hundred thousand dollars per year. These people
can further somebody’s understanding of how the
have become the rock stars of the video game world,
world works through video games.
and because of the internet all it takes is for them to
Why is it that we as a society deem the playing of
record a video and upload it to the internet. This bar-
video games as a waste of time, with the rise of
rier for entry is much lower as compared to someone
websites such as YouTube individuals are now making
trying to become a famous musician, who has to ei-
a living off of uploading videos of their gameplay and
ther have a lot of money already, be in the right place
receiving a check for the advertising that is displayed
in the right time and be talent scouted, only ever
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making a lot of money if they become huge, or to be
constant improvement of the skill provides a certain
an independent artist who will if successful realistically
satisfaction that can only be found by making some-
only earn an ok yearly figure.
thing. Just like history repeating itself making a career out of video games will over time become accepted,
There is a certain value in allowing children to play
just like making a career out of music has over time
video games, scientific study has shown that it im-
become seen as a more normal thing. And into the
proves fine motor skills and hand eye coordination.
future will be replaced as the waste of time by some
It also has stress relieving value, research has also
new strange activity and again further into the future.
shown that playing certain types of video games reduces violent behaviour. There are also health benefits to learning how to play a musical instrument. The
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A knitters insight into the constructive and productive pastime that can tie your hands in knots.
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Renee McIntosh
Knit, Purl, Knit, Purl, click click clickity click. The knitting needle swiftly picks up the string of wool, passing it over itself then though, pushing it gently off the end of the needle onto the other and then again and again. A fabric never seen before emerges from the needles and before it is finished another project is forming in the mind. Before the current project is finally cast off from the needles, another is cast on eagerly. Such is being addicted to knitting. Knitting is a widely practiced and very productive past time and a knitting revival is happening across the blogosphere. Perhaps an ethical factor of making ones own clothes instead of buying them from a faceless store. Maybe more people want to make things with their hands like previous generations ago. But I think these are just starting points. Just small steps that start the obsession that verges on addiction. Once you learn the two fundamental building blocks of all knitting (knit, and purl), and perfect your tension, which can usually be achieved through a beginner project like a simple scarf, you are even another step closer. You feel accomplished and then move on to more difficult things, like double pointed needles and maybe even a cable pattern.
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Before you know it you are starting to point things out in stores that you could possibly knit for yourself. Picking them up turning them inside out in the shop trying to work out where the pieces need to be knitted together. You begin to identify fibres by touch and as soon as acrylic is felt by the hands the garments are put down in the store. Things like “This would be much better knit two inches longer with a linen and silk blend yarn” run though your brain. Never mind that the yarn will end up costing way more than the one in the store and take a couple months to knit up and you might still get it wrong, but the one in the store just isn’t good enough for you anymore. Another step in and you start to have too much yarn and fibre collected and carefully stored than you could ever possibly use within the next few years. You are building and honing what knitters call a “stash”. This glorious stockpile of string is bought because “It was just so pretty”, or “It was on sale!” Or even “I have the perfect project for this yarn!”. The ultimate stash is known by the acronym SABLE (Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy). Every ball of wool in your stash is a ball of pure potential. It can become anything you wish it to. The possibilities for the outcomes are endless and even overwhelming at times.
Knitting obsessively can have its drawbacks not only in terms of finances and storage issues, but also physically. Knitting for hours on end is meditative for the mind and well being. But not so much for the hands involved. Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI), Carpal Tunnel and Arthritis can be problems for knitters as well as the development of shortsightedness. RSI occurs when you could be holding the needles incorrectly, not taking enough breaks when knitting, not keeping your hands warm while knitting and not stretching your hand, wrist and arm muscles properly. Carpal Tunnel can be quite serious and this occurs when a narrow passage in the wrist becomes compressed through swelling of the muscles around it. Sometimes this condition causes the hands to become so painful and cumbersome that surgery is required. But the thing that helps carpal tunnel and RSI sufferers most is resting their hands. But for an addicted knitter this is not easy. Knitting isn’t just a physical act but also a mental one, it soothes, calms and collects thoughts. Stephanie Pearl-McPhee has this to say about the need to knit :
“...the number one reason knitters knit is because they are so smart that they need knitting to make boring things interesting. Knitters are so compellingly clever that they simply cant tolerate boredom. It takes more to engage this kind of human, and they need an outlet or they get into trouble.” It’s this “trouble” that keeps us knitting through the pain. Rests and stretches happen but we still push on otherwise we don’t know what we will do. Among knitters the phrase “ I knit so I don’t kill people” is one of the stronger reasons not to stop knitting. Also the stash of yarn calls to be made into gloriously squishy garments. Once hooked, the need to knit will never be sated. Other less complex hobbies will do as intermissions of course but are never enough to keep a knitter feeling truly accomplished. Knitters know the rewards and the pitfalls of knitting. The satisfaction that comes from mastering a particularly fiddly pattern and casting off, The anticipation and exhilaration of casting on and watching something new emerge from your own two hands, even if they ache a bit and you have to pop on your glasses. We’ll never stop knitting.
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Author: Nicholas Smith ........................................................
Glancing at a game of Dwarf fortress at any time will often result in a brief glimpse of a vivid and detailed chunk of dwarven life, with all the carefully crafted details of a heavy fantasy novel Dwarf Fortress depicts epic scenes of cooperation, desperation and life. Dwarves dig deep underground in gigantic mines defended by complex traps and systems, massive halls and caves house hundreds of feasting and revealing dwarves, great beast of unimaginable visage do battle with guards as they desperately defend their homes and skilled workers carve stunning and beautiful works of art into the walls of the fortress. The game depicts dwarven life from the smallest subtleties such as the individual injuries of each muscles of a single dwarven guard, up to the overarching politics of the world itself. In this massively detailed world you have influence over a single band of dwarves building a small mine that will eventually become a giant fortress, the process is complex and difficult, requiring both knowledge and planning to overcome the various challenges involved in keeping dwarves happy, working and , most importantly, alive. Each Dwarf has their own personality, history, family, gods, hopes, dreams and skills, meaning your dwarves themselves bring their own problems you’ll need to deal with alongside goblins, wildlife, lava and unimaginable terrors from deep underground, but with your foresight and guidance these problems can be overcome, for a time. Games of Dwarf fortress are well known for their tendency to go awry quickly and end tragically, the game prides itself on its “losing is fun” mantra, emphasizing the importance of the journey over any kind of victory.
All this detail might be hard to fully appreciate however, since it depicted entirely in ASCII, that is to say the game is text based, a casual glace at the screen gives you the immediate impression that somebody has just slammed their head onto the keyboard and rolled it around for a while. It can be difficult to imagine that deep beneath this facade of computer characters is a spectacular array of moving parts, a vivid and fully realized world depicted entirely in two hundred and fifty six different characters.
Dwarf Fortress is a massively complex undertaking by brothers Tan and Zach Adams, it’s development stretching the last 10 years of their life. Inspired by a simple mining game they had made named “mutant miner”, Dwarf fortress was a relatively large project to begin with, taking 2 years to reach its first alpha release in 2006.
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Today though another eight years of constant development, the game has reached version 0.4.1, with the assurance that version 1.0 will take approximately another 20 years, the project is only growing bigger and more complex. The scope and ridiculous complexity of Dwarf fortress is both aided and hindered by its ASCII graphics, Tarn deciding early on that complex three dimensional graphics where too time consuming and frustrating to work with, the result of this is that the eclectic and brutal world of the dwarves is largely left up to a combination of sterile textual accounts of events and random groups of letters and @ signs bumping into one another. With modern video games lushly depicted in a wide range of graphical
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styles and levels of realism, this stark and confusing depiction of such a deep and rich fantasy world can be confusing and even boring when compared to more modern products, to pick actual events out of the game requires great imagination, something often lost in a lot of modern media. A result of this is that Dwarf Fortress players often record and share the story’s of their various fortresses with other players, the combination of great detail of information as well as room for interpretation makes dwarf fortress a perfect environment for spawning memorable moments and story’s. This in turn has spawned a large group of Dwarf Fortress fans who have never played the game themselves, instead they prefer to experience the game vicariously through
the vivid accounts recorded by actual players, the rise and inevitable fall of fortresses and the various small stories of their inhabitants are lushly woven in both story’s and comics by many users and readily shared. The singular beauty and interpretive nature of Dwarf Fortress as it exists is something that could not have happened without it’s creators desire to stick with a graphical style he found safer, easier and more familiar. Dwarf Fortress brings into question our own ability to discern greater meaning from simple things, to see the beauty and detail in something that we might otherwise look past, to use our imagination to see past what we readily identify as a story.
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Matthew Smith Photographers seek to explore the world in new ways. As a photographer looks to capture, they look for unique or new methods. Experimenting with techniques finds ways of creating excitement, emotion, surprise or just a different representation of existing situations. Through a deeper study and exploration of a technique, that composition itself can be perfected and have new layers, meaning and effectiveness. The photographer can identify and execute a composition with great skill and to an improved end. And the excitement in photography come in this; being able to successfully pull off a view that hasn’t been tried before. As a new photographer, a have a great excitement as I discover new ways of framing that help my work. Pulling off a new technique in an effective image is a great creative achievement. And getting to the point of understanding it gives a whole new way of seeing the world. As I am familiar with a technique, I see it everywhere. It becomes painful not to have a camera everywhere, this shape could pop up anywhere and must be captured.
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So much joy comes when a new technique is mastered, when you can look at an image and see a successful carrying out of your latest style. As photographers develop their style, habits sink in. They find ways of composing that they themselves enjoy. They put this spin on every photo they take. Through every photo we see part of the person behind the lens, and through the viewing of collected works there is a story of different events with a common element. The recognisability of frames can result in a complementing of each other and a view of the work as a whole. Mastering a technique also leads to great quality. It is only through intense exploration and repeated experiments that a deeper understanding and use of the method can come. It becomes clearer what different compositions achieve, where they best fit, and when they can be broken. As with any activity, through practise comes improvement. The power of retrying these methods comes through as images improve and casual photographers gain passion.
A photographer who uses only a favourite technique will quickly become repetitive and uninteresting. They may become good at using their chosen framing, but results will become too similar. This can be observed in some work. A photographer she every day takes a photo of a new place that is somehow made no different to the last. Beautifully interesting shapes are lost, and the process is monotonous.
The trap can be becoming stuck on a limiting set of methods. Habits here can purely restrict how far the photos go
Well-practised techniques become tools for the photographer to use for their success. A successful use of these methods leads to great depth of work, and overall is required to be a great photographer. The trap can be becoming stuck on a limiting set of methods. Habits here can purely restrict how far the photos go, and restrict any real progress being made in the art. Here there can be a separation between casual photographers and true artists. All work becomes the same and even the urge for practising can be smothered.
As photographers gain habits in their work, their hand is visible in each frame. This can lead to storytelling and a new depth to the capturing of moments.
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Limitations on the exploration of an environment can help find and successfully capture a perspective of the scene, but when limitations leave you with a ‘less-thanbest’ outcome, the work suffers. So it seems the line between limiting overuse and successful refining practise of a consistent use of composition is fine or even questionable. These habits have great power towards the outcomes of a photographers’ work.
find as I seek to create original and exciting frames. Every picture I take will be with something on that line of thirds, every image will have a great line leading your eyes through my scene. My images will be a great example of this style, but none will stand out from the others. Other points, lines and shapes will be lost. These opportunities to take great images will turn into great examples of an inferior way of framing.
And so this excitement is kept. A new discovery for framing is tried, practised and eventually pulled off in successful images. I start to see a use in every place I explore and I can understand exactly how to use it.
Each scene has endless ways of being captured. If I limit myself to my current obsession, I’ll be missing a million better ways of doing it. This is always a risk. As we have a predisposition towards our more loved styles, it’s important to stay open to new ideas.
Unfortunately there is a risk that eventually I’ll get so good at finding this composition I love, that it’s all I’ll
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What is it about American Horror Story’s Jessica Lange that instages the viewing habits of many?
Joel Grogan
Jessica Lange’s various performance(s) in ‘American Horror Story’ are multi-layered and complex. With the arrival of each new season we are presented with a new character in new settings. Costumes have may have changed, but Lange’s malicious mannerisms and nefarious habitual tendencies remain the same. Equally the response from fans remain the same, Lange has become the shows staple gaining acclaim from both fans and critics alike. From Constance to Jude, Fiona to current season Freakshow’s Elsa Mars, it is arguable that each character from onset is (well villainous) or within the varying degrees of. However it’s Lange’s Conviction and charisma that she brings to these roles that keep people watching. Let’s be fair, the show has a great cast that has been there from the inception. Season regulars include Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Frances Conroy and Lily Rabe. The cast also portray new characters each new season with equal magnitude. Others include Season three Coven’s new arrivals Angela basset and Kathy bates along with Patti Lupone. Other Actors who are destined to become series staples. Each season Lange proves again and again her fierceness and why she is deservedly in lead.
AHS is a horror anthology series created by Ryan Murphy and brad Falchuk first airing in 2011. Each season is considered a self-contained miniseries that follows a dissimilar set of characters, settings and storylines with its own structure of ‘beginning, middle and end’. The first season titled Murder House saw Lange play Constance Langdon. A main character of season one and neighbour to the Harmon’s, season one’s protagonists. Perceived to be good-natured and gentle but was actually in true form cunning and rude, Constance set the benchmark for Lange’s upcoming performances. In my opinion season two of AHS: Asylum, is where the show really picked up in terms of characterisation. In Asylum we are introduced to Sister Jude Martin, a reformed nun and head of season two’s main backdrop Briarcliff Mental Institution, home to the Criminally insane. Jude ruled with an iron fist, and kept those who apposed her in line with her stern demeanour and collection of canes. Immediately being staged as season two’s resident ‘Big bad’ and all round BITCH! The surprise comes when Jude is repositioned as Season hero, after being unjustly admitted into her own Asylum by those around her. I loved Jude and I
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think other viewers did two; because Jude certainly wasn’t perfect and her fall from grace made us as the viewers revaluate her role in the ongoing events at Briarcliff. Working then on, from a level playing field with those that she most wronged, forced her to atone for her past wrongdoings earn trusts and again prove to be a worthy underdog. In conclusion Aylum’s finale farewelled Jude in the most pleasent way possible, Judes untimely meet with the Angel of Death played by the sweet Frances Conroy. Jude will be missed because she had strength and came through in the end. she’s insperational and you can see that as she passes on learned wisdoms to her surrogate grandchildren. In Season Three: Coven, Lange manifests her evilness in Fiona Good, described by Murphy as a “real glamour-cat lady”, Fiona falls flatley at the evil end of the spectrum. Season three is set in New Orleans Louisiana, at Miss Robichauxs Academy for Expceptional Young Ladies a.k.a a finishing school for witches. Fiona is introduced as Academys headmistress Cordelia’s ( played by Sarah Paulson ) distant mother and the covens Supreme ( the strongest witch in each generation ). Fiona has been absent for some years and returns to aid her daughter in teaching the next generation of witches. What seems as a noble and typical act of an appointment leader and somewhat matriach, quickley turns into Fiona’s hunt for eternal life. This is bad for the girls as anyone of them could be the next Supreme. On top of that whilst being back in town, Fiona provokes the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans herself, Marie Laveau played by the equally
catty and fabulous Angela bassett. Fiona digs up Laveau’s handy work as a way to get to marie, a cursed immortal sociopath Madam LaLaurie a high-society member from New Orleans past ( a role execptionally played by the Cathy Bates ). Fiona desperatley wants immortality and goes from bad act to bad act to get it. Fiona is complicated, she is Sociopathic being prepared to take-out any of the girls whom exhibit talents that potentially might replace her own. Yet she dispatches the witch hunters that threaten the wellbeing of the Coven. Fiona is another of my favourites, what a diva. Lange is a well-seasoned veteran actor, this show has allowed her to reach new depths in a surprisingly short amount of time. That’s what makes her so good, each season has allowed her to do this, delve into her characters head first ultimately presenting something real, raw and unapologetic. I think viewers love this, I certainly do. Watching Lange in AHS has become a habit for me because I admire scene stealers, and let’s face it she is a scene stealer. The only reason I watch the show is because of her, Lange is sass and fabulousness on legs serving Diva stardom. Unfortunaltlry Freakshow will be her last season. So enjoy her while it lasts. Lange herself has expressed her gratitude for what the show has done for her career and fanbas stating both. “American Horror Story Regenerized me; it regenerized my career (...) its exposed me to a new generation which is a little strange I’m not used to young people thinking I’m cool”.
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Ever heard of minecraft? Ever played minecraft? Is it becoming too addictive for the children? My kids play minecraft more than I would like, they play it so much that it’s becoming entirely ridiculous.
Michael Cuneo Whether you’re a seasoned gamer, spending your
on the 18th November, 2011. Now in 2014 the
weekend running around a digital war torn country
game is available on 13 different platforms including
blasting mates with all of the latest high tech
Windows, OSX, Linux, Xbox one, PS3, and PS4.
weaponry, or someone who would prefer to spend
Minecraft has received 5 awards from the 2011 game
time outdoors; either way, you’re likely to have heard
developer’s conference, as well as many other notable
of Minecraft.
achievements.
Created in 2009, by Markus “Notch” Persson
The game is a first person perspective, open world
in Sweden, Minecraft is the number one selling
sandbox game. The player starts in a pre-constructed
multiplatform game of all time, beating Super Mario
random world, full of similarly sized textured cubes
Bros 1985 record of 40 million by selling more than
depicting the world around them. All the dirt,
42 million units as of February this year, averaging
rock, trees, concrete, animals, people, etc… are all
around 54 million units as of today. The original
constructed from cubes, which makes it look very
game was released as a developmental alpha, and
much like the game of Legos. The game comes with
gradually improved to become an official full version
a few different modes of play, Survival, Creative,
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Adventure, Hardcore and Spectator with most people
Knowing that Minecraft users in creative mode can
generally switching between the first two.
design anything they want, a group in Australia called
In survival mode monsters spawn and come out
The-Core have set up a competition where they asked
at night, so you’re left to create in game tools and
Minecraft users to design the layout of an entire small town for a real life location which will be built at a later date after a winner has been chosen. The entire
"My favourite Mod is Pixelmon."
town will be modelled off the Minecraft map and build on top of an old golf course in Maroochydore. The competition has over $10,000 in cash and prizes. The final winner will also receive a 3D Printed Model of their Minecraft creation.
objects to survive each nights attacks, whereas creative mode is more for building something from
For more information about The-Core visit their
nothing, and you’re given an infinite amount of useful
website thecore.co
objects to create anything you want.
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Another group of talented individuals have gone as
modifying their behaviour somewhat, yet there are
far as recreating an entire 1:1 full scale model of the
definite advantages to Minecraft that allow children
USS Enterprise on a Minecraft server where people
to experiment and create invent things that they
can go to visit or even help finish the full scale model
would normally never be able to do to such scale and
or improve the full scale model. The USS Enterprise
enjoyment.
project was so large that they don’t just allow anyone in to help, they hold interviews to make sure that
Whether you love or hate Minecraft it has definitely
you’re qualified to recreate the model with the
attracted its fair share of users who are indeed
amount of accuracy and maticulous level of detail that
addicted. To shed some light on Minecraft from the
they really need.
view of an addict, I have interviewed Aiden Cuneo, an avid Minecraft addict who plays minecraft on a
The popularity of this game has come with some
regular basis.
advantages and disadvantages; people are addicted! Children are becoming so excited with Minecraft that they’re neglecting their other chores and it is
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Do you like Minecraft? Yes *LAUGHS* How often do you like to play Minecraft? Heaps! Do you make any friends playing Minecraft? Not really. Do you play Minecraft with your friends? Yes. Do you think you learn anything from Minecraft, if so, what do you learn? No, I don’t think I learn anything. Do you like to be asked to do other things while you’re playing Minecraft? Definitely not! What can you build in Minecraft? Anything at all! What makes Minecraft so much fun, why do you enjoy Minecraft? Because you can build whatever you want. Would you recommend any of your friends to play Minecraft? All my friends play Minecraft already! Do you play with a paid account or a pirated hacked account? Both, but mostly on my real account. Do you like survival, or creative better? I like Survival better. Do you think you should ever stop playing Minecraft? Never! Do you ever get bored of Minecraft? No. Do you like to play the original Minecraft or a Minecraft filled with third party modifications? I play with lots of mods like MCA, Pixelmon, Optifine, Biosphere, Pokeradar, Skyblock and Portalgun. Do you think you waste time playing Minecraft? No. Is there anything else you would like to say about Minecraft? My favourite Mod is Pixelmon. My dad and I own a server.
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Surfing is an activity that thousands enjoy everyday, is there something that they’re not telling us about. What is it that makes surfing such a popular and addictive activity?
O’Jhan Hakaraia Paddling out into the ocean is like a cleansing ritual; you paddle out on the water, away from the tether of land, filled with noise, technology, responsibilities, and other distractions. The rush of jumping over the waves, as the water splashes over your face once you’ve made it past the break there is a feeling of weightlessness, sliding over the surface of the sea your body tunes into the rhythm and motion of the waves: from the silky feel of the water to the bumpiness of a waxed board, much of surfing is tactile, enhancing and engaging every sense. Hearing the sound of waves crashing, receding, and arriving is unavoidable. The water catches in your mouth and you taste the natural saltiness of the element. Everything is illuminated. Stretching all around is an expanse of blue where sky and sun meet sea, or you catch a glimpse of life on land from a new perspective. The addictive nature of surfing is what has thousands of people around the world in the ocean paddling for waves day after day. In many circumstances it is a part of their daily grind; wake up, drive down to the beach, pick up a coffee, go for surf and then drive home to wash up and
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be ready for work. And for others it is a way to escape and get a clear mind, body and soul. Either way it is an activity that can have different results from various perspectives. An Interview w/Matty, How long have you lived in Newcastle, and were you already hooked on surfing before you got here? About five years ago, I moved to Newcastle and began to surf regularly; there are so many breaks along the coastline that it was almost impossible to pick where to go initially. And yeah, I was already into surfing and had been surfing from a very young age. I kind of grew up surrounded by that kind of atmosphere. Since you’ve been surfing for quite a long time, do you still get the same stoked feeling after a good wave? Like any junkie, I’ve found that over time, it takes more to get me pumped so bigger waves is probably what I look for. The easy rides on little waves don’t pump me with stoke anymore, but landing a steep drop on an overhead
wave keeps the stoke alive and me smiling for days. How many times a week would you be out there in the ocean? I’d say about two – three times a week, mostly in the mornings before I have work, It’s close to the minimum needed to sustain my habit. If I’m out of the water for anything approaching a week,
But whilst most people are familiar with the physical, and sub-conscious benefits of surfing. The “stoke” as it is referred to, is in-fact a chemical cocktail triggered by charged ions found in the atmosphere around turbulent water. While surfing, surfers experience elevated levels of adrenalin and dopamine. Adrenaline raises your heart rate and increases your reaction time, while dopamine is a chemical neurotransmitter triggered in your body when you are doing something you enjoy. While the adrenaline rush may have temporary effects,
once you make it ashore the surf-stoke remains long after you’ve left the water. The craving and hunger for more, and bigger and better waves is a constant view that you encounter when talking to surfers. The obsession with that perfect wave, or the frustration when you miss the perfect wave they all simmer down to the simple notion of stoke. That euphoric state of mind, it’s the feeling that surfer’s young and old, new and experienced all want to experience. Because it is that feeling that keeps you hooked, and wanting to catch that next wave. It seems that most surfers do not consider themselves to be part of a group, tribe or clique. They share a common passion, which no doubt could be talked about for hours. However, they are very different people, with different jobs, different desires, and different motivations. Catching similar waves but retreating back to different roots. Surfing is a common dialect, and waves are how surfers speak to each other. There is no right or wrong way to go about surfing, as long as you are enjoying yourself and having fun, and maybe somewhere down the track you might find yourself adding ‘going out for a paddle’ on your to do list for a very long time.
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Ojhan Hakaraia
Luke O’Donnell
Brooklyn Pilarski
Silje Soldal
Renee McIntosh
Michael Cuneo
Nick Smith
Matt Smith Joel Grogan
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